MC Spotlight #17: How To Salsa in a Sari by Dona Sarkar

YA Fresh MC Spotlight #17!

How To Salsa In A Sari (Kimani Tru)

First, Issa Mazumder's nerdy boyfriend dumps her for popular Latina princess Cat Morena—as if Cat even likes him. She just hates Issa. And for good reason: Issa finds out that her mother not only has been dating Cat's dad, but is going to marry him. That means they're moving into Cat's huge house. And not only is Issa's stepsister-to-be a total beyotch, she has no respect for Issa's Indian and African-American heritage. But Issa gets some tough advice: if she wants Cat Morena to welcome her traditions, Issa had better learn how to salsa in a sari.

Read an excerpt here!

"My inspiration is and always has been my loving family, my fabulous critique partners, my supportive friends all over the world, and of course my devoted husband and best friend Manav, who is my greatest enthusiast and critic.

Manav and I currently live in Kirkland, Washington where we are regularly bossed over by a very demanding gray tabby named Ash. I still have my 'real' job at Microsoft but make sure to write at least one page every day." 

Dona Sarkar is the author of How To Salsa in a Sari and Shrink To Fit. Visit her website, http://donasarkarmishra.com.

And here we are with the other half of the conference pics!

Wendy Toliver and myself at a RWA luncheon. Wendy is the author of The Secret of a Teenage Siren and Miss Match.

UPDATE: Here are the YA author RITA finalists at the finalists reception. (L to R) Rosemary Clement-Moore, Melissa Marr, Simone Elkeles and me. Everyone was so nice! And I'm noticing we are all around the same height--short. haha! ;)



Then some of the YA authors hooked up for a hang out Friday night...

Tera Lynn Childs & Sara Hantz



Teri Brown and Amanda Ashby



More fun shots of the night with all of us, and debut author Bethany Griffin...





The next day I participated in my first workshop, 10 Things I Love About Writing YA Romance, with Shelley Adina, Agent Jennifer Jackson, myself, and Carol Culver. Totally talked too fast with nerves, but I got through it and hopefully gave some helpful tidbits!



Here is YA author Dona Sarkar-Mishra author of How to Salsa in a Sari.



And Ally Carter, author of the Gallagher Girl series and myself. Ally came to support me at my first workshop, she made me stand up at the podium, haha. But she did give me a lovely box of chocolates so I forgive her!



I think that will be it for me this week on the RWA conference. Tina will share her pics soon. If I grab some more next week from other authors, I'll be sure to share! :)