Justina Chen Headley, author of Girl Overboard and Nothing But the Truth (and a Few White Lies), will be at a book launch party from 3-5 p.m. Feb. 1 at Barnes & Noble in downtown Bellevue.

Her new novel, North of Beautiful, follows heroine Terra Cooper through her quiet snowbound valley to the Great Wall of China and back. Subplots address verbal abuse, international adoption and geocaching.

The launch party will include a reading Justina, a blog guest book, benefit fundraiser for an area non-profit and refreshments.

Barnes & Noble is located at 626 106th Ave. N.E.