Jane Austen, blowing minds since 1813

“You shall not, for the sake of one individual, change the meaning of principle and integrity, nor endeavour to persuade yourself or me, that selfishness is prudence, and insensibility of danger security for happiness.”

–Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice

21st Annual Garden State Teen Book Awards

Here’s some nice news! Just learned that My Basmati Bat Mitzvah is on the ballot for the 21st Annual Garden State Teen Book Award (GSTBA). New Jersey students in grades 6 through 12 are eligible to vote until December 31, 2015. I mean, you certainly don’t have to vote for Basmati–but you should vote! For whichever book is your favorite! And if that happens to be Basmati, well–cool, thanks! 🙂

New Jersey Library Association NJLA

For more information, online voting, or a downloadable ballot, visit:
Direct links:

Kids Author Carnival 2015

I’m soooo excited to participate in this year’s Kids Author Carnival on May 30 at the Jefferson Market Library in NYC. I mean, just look at this line-up of middle grade authors. Last year’s event looked like so much fun. I wonder how we’re going to top it! Mark your calendars for a fun night!

Kids Author Carnival
May 30, 2015, 6-8 p.m.
Jefferson Market Library
425 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY, 10011
http://kidsauthorcarnival.tumblr.com/
https://twitter.com/KidAuthCarnival

Good things come to those who wait

Okay, so… maybe you never got around to buying the hardcover. We’re still friends. Maybe you feel paperbacks are a better value. I hear you, I do. Maybe you’ve been invited to 47 bajillion bar mitzvahs this spring and you’re looking for just the perfect gift-check holder. Well, your patience has paid off handsomely because the new paperback edition of My Basmati Bat Mitzvah contains an exclusive feature you won’t find in the hardcover or the e-book: five-ish drool-inducing, Joshua “Daddy” Feinstein-worthy, my-mom’s-recipe-based, Jewish-and-Indian-inspired original recipes by yours truly! Learn to make matzoh ball sambhar, aloo latkes chaat, candied fennel seed mandel toast, mango-ginger hamantaschen and Tara’s favorite, easy-peasy masala popcorn. The official paperback release date is April 21, 2015. If you can’t wait that long, don’t worry, it’s available for pre-order at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. But really, you’ve shown yourself to be a champion procrastinator (erm, I mean, you’ve been very patient so far…) so just mark your calendars and set your alarms for the crack of noon on April 21 and get yourself a copy at your local bookshop. It’ll be your mitzvah for the day. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to remind you. xxx

Jewish Indian books

So, I started a list on Goodreads called The Canon of Jewish/Indian Books (title is pretty self-explanatory, I think.) Would love if y’all could add to it. I came up with 5, which hardly qualifies as a canon. I bet there are a lot more.

Go here:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/61420.The_Canon_of_Jewish_Indian_Books