Monday, August 31, 2009

Chenxi and the Foreigner - Annick Press cover


My good friend, Rachel Power, commented on the gorgeous new Annick Press cover (see below) and this has given me the idea of starting off this blog tour by saying a few words about it. I was so thrilled when I received the image via email - I knew instantly that the designer had absolutely understood the book as he had summed up the main theme so brilliantly in a single image. The three Chinese characters tattooed on the back of the girl's neck are 'Wai Guo Ren' - or 'foreigner', in Chinese. In the beginning of my novel, my protagonist, Anna, believes she is fitting in so well at the Art Academy in Shanghai; she has made friends, she has impressed her fellow Art students with her painting, she convinces herself that she understands the locals so much more than her distant and aloof expatriate father does. Yet it is only later in the book that she realises that no matter how hard she tries, no matter how long she stays, she will never be accepted into this new country that is so different to anything she has ever known. She will always be branded a foreigner - even if she can't see this for herself. That vulnerability of being tattooed with this label, on the back of her neck, where everyone can see it except for her, mirrors for me so well the vulnerability of being in a foreign place and, even worse, the danger of falling in love with a total stranger.
Thanks again to the amazing cover designer at Annick, Irvin Cheung, and to the gorgeous model, Anna Warshawski.
Lastly, I have planned to post some photos throughout this week, that have inspired my novel or were taken during my time in Shanghai to add some interest. So, here is the first one (above). For any of you who have read the book, you will remember that Chenxi presents Anna with a painting on silk; a portrait of her in traditional Chinese dress. Well, this is the painting that inspired that part of the book.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Blog tour of Chenxi with Annick Press


Children’s and young adult author Sally Rippin is heading off on a blog tour to promote her book Chenxi and the Foreigner. She’ll be appearing in the following blogs over the week of Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, so follow along for fun interviews, reviews, giveaways, book chats, and more! Also, be sure to check out Sally Rippin’s blog throughout the tour, as she’ll be posting updates and sharing pictures from her time in China (1989–1992) that inspired Chenxi and the Foreigner!

Monday, August 31: Tea Time at Annick Press

Tuesday, September 1: The Book Muncher

Wednesday, September 2: Cindy’s Love Of Books

Thursday, September 3: Green Bean Teen Queen

Friday, September 4: Hey! Teenager of the Year

Saturday, September 5: Into the Wardrobe

Note: the tour dates are based on North American time zones; if you’re following along from Australia (like Sally!), you can either stay up really late or just wait until the next morning!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Annick Press cover

My young adult novel has recently been published in Canada and the US with  Annick Press  - this is the new cover. In a week or two (I will keep you posted) I will begin a 'blog tour' - a bewildering task indeed for someone of so few blogging skills! However, my lovely publicist, Joanna Karaplis, has kindly held my hand the whole way and it seems it is not such a daunting task after all! 

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Hardback copies of 'Millie' for sale

I was at the Whitsundays writers festival in Queensland last month with John Marsden and found out that he still had dozens of boxes of hardback Millie's in storage! This is probably one of my favourite books and I was very sad when it finally went out of print earlier this year. 
So, thanks to John, I now have a hundred of them, in hardback, that I am happy to sign and pass on if anyone would like to buy one (or half a dozen?) - drop me a line.  :-)
Just email me at sallyrippin@optusnet.com.au