After I finished writing RETURN TO ME, I realized I had *much* more to say to women. So in three fast-and-furious writing days, a slim self-help companion guide poured out of me. WHAT NOW: SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR THE BLINDSIDED AND BROKENHEARTED is a sister-to-sister manual detailing what to do in the first thirty days after … Read More
One of my favorite librarians announced that RETURN TO ME is a featured April pick at my local library. Let me tell you how much I love my local library: these librarians promised me that they would find any fact I ever needed for my novels. Even when I moved to China and was thousands … Read More
So honored to be part of YA Reading List‘s celebration of Pi Day along with John Green and Danica McKellar. There she is, Patty Ho, the protagonist of my debut novel, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (and a few white lies). So strange to think that I wrote that book over 6 years ago: buildering (rock … Read More
So curious about other people’s creative process: how do you take your ideas and see them to fruition? One of my favorite exercises is to create a vision board of my new work. Essentially, I map out the character, journey, goals, and mood in a collage. And use that piece of handmade art as my … Read More
Such a lovely review for RETURN TO ME from a librarian blogger over at BooksYALove. My favorite line: “Separation and reunion, perception and reality – Justina Chen once again brings readers a story with the right ending in a complex real world.” She really understood that the book was about transforming dust into stardust. And … Read More
Looking for a way to get to know someone? Take note of what the gals over at the Ultimate YA Reading Group do when they feature an author. Ask them for 7 fun facts about themselves. Here’s what I said: For the full post, click here.
How fun that RETURN TO ME has inspired an art project. In the book, Reb creates fairy houses from found materials. One of the librarians on the Teen Librarian Toolbox blog created one with her daughter. Check out the instructions to make your own fairy house here.
When Disney says, Be Our Guest, the company isn’t kidding! 400 communicators from Marvel Comics to Whole Foods and Zappos to NASA descended on Disneyworld on Feb 6-9 to attend a Social Media Conference, co-hosted by Disney’s Social Media Team and Ragan Conferences. Among some of the many wonderful projects that Disney’s team spearheads, one … Read More
When my publicist asked if I could write an essay for Dear Teen Me, I immediately said, YES. I’ve been a fan of the blog since the original book was published. And then…I found out that I had to post a few photos from my high school years. Why the pixie hair cut? Why the … Read More
My thanks to everyone for celebrating RETURN TO ME at the book launch party on Sunday at the University Bookstore. There, for two hours, we celebrated the transformation of dust to stardust in stories and lives. After laboring over RETURN TO ME for the better part of two years, it was utterly surreal to see … Read More