“’China Girl’ is an engaging novel about how a youthful indiscretion forces changes over three generations, pitting traditional values against the search for love and happiness,” said Davids. “The characters are well developed and insightful. Following the development of Anna Chang and her children, especially eldest daughter Lily, as they struggle to find a healthy, productive life in America is rewarding. I highly recommend ‘China Girl.’”
Mokhtari, who lived the life of a China Girl herself, engages the heart and forces conversations to take place about the challenges that women in this country face today, empowering women of all ages and all walks of life. Her goal is to help others not just cope with their circumstances but to rise above them and embrace life.
“There have been women trailblazers throughout American history, but no book has ever taken their perils and said, ‘now this is how you achieve success,’” said L. Marilyn Crawford, president and CEO of Primetime Omnimedia & Symbiotic Pictures. “This wonderful book takes lemons and turns them into lemon candy and cough drops to comfort and soothe the soul.”
Mokhtari addresses today’s social issues, like the fact that one out of every five women in the U.S. has been raped at some point in her lifetime, and every year, nearly 415,000 women between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth (75 to 95 percent of these pregnancies are unplanned). Many are ignorant to the fact that domestic violence is the most common cause of injury to women between ages 15 and 44.
“Women have been programmed to maintain a family and women hide secrets, but in ‘China Girl’ we finally understand that we need to overcome our fears to help our families to move forward,” said Dr. Maribel M. Rivera, unit director for the John F. Kennedy Community Center in Philadelphia.
Born in Hong Kong, Mokhtari’s latest quest, in addition to her career at NBC Universal, is to develop her passion for writing and literature and to simply pursue something that fuels her soul. She has a voice that resonates among her audiences, regardless of their age, culture or background. “China Girl” is Mokhtari’s first novel in the new Lemonade Series, and is scheduled for release early August 2008.
“Dramatic and inspiring,” said Tonja Mahallati, an inner-city elementary school teacher in Compton. “Cathartic healing. Graceful. A story that captures the heart and compassion of the reader through an emotional pull. It delves beautifully into complex layers of human pain, perseverance, spirit, and ultimately, triumph. ‘China Girl’ transcends race, and culture through the universality of emotion and binding experience. A soulful, soul baring, read.”
To read more endorsements for “China Girl” or to learn more about Mokhtari’s stories, both personal and fictional, visit http://www.chinagirlbook.com. For interviews with Mokhtari or to request an advance copy for review, contact Sue Publicover, 207.752.4802 sue@writersoftheroundtable.com or Kim Jackson, 802.345.9730 kim@writersoftheroundtable.com. http://press.writersoftheroundtable.com.
