Lindsay Eland - Middle Grade Author

Hello one and all! I hope everyone had a yummy Halloween and that you are all ready for another delicious interview…and this one is tres delicious WITH a giveaway…yes, a giveaway! So please stay tuned to the end of the interview to find out how you can win…

Today, I have with me debut author Cindy Callaghan and her middle grade novel, Just Add Magic!

Here’s a little bit about Cindy: She grew up in New Jersey and attended college at the University of Southern California before earning her BA and MBA from the University of Delaware. Her full-time job is in corporate America; her other full-time jobs are mom and writer. She is very involved with her children’s activities, including coaching the occasional soccer team.  Cindy lives, works and writes in Wilmington, Delaware with her family and numerous rescued pets.

And here’s the delicious blurb about her book: When Kelly Quinn and her two BFFs discover a dusty old cookbook while cleaning out her attic, the girls decide to try a few of the mysterious recipes inside.  But the ancient book bears an eerie warning, and it doesn’t take long for the girls to realize that their dishes are linked to strange occurances.  The Keep ‘Em Quiet Cobbler actually silences Kelly’s pesky little brother and the Hexberry Tarta brings an annoying curse to mean girl Charlotte Barney.  And there is the Love Bug Juice, which seems to have quite the effect on those cute Rusamano boys…Could these receipes really be magical? Who wrote them and where did they come from.  And most importantly, what kind of trouble are the girls stirring up for themselves? Things are about to get just a little too hot in Kelly Quinn’s kitchen.

Now onto my interview!

How long does it generally take you to write a book from those first words to the very last?

I write first drafts very very fast.  When I have an idea that I’m excited about, I can’t stop writing it.  I just want to get it all on paper…the sloppy copy.  In terms of actual days?  Probably from two–four months depending on the complexity of the project.  It’s the REWRITING that takes years.

What was the inspiration—that first spark of a story—behind your amazing book?

It was my daughter and her goofy friends.  They love to play in the kitchen and I am always on top of them… “Don’t make a mess”  “Don’t burn the house down.”  “Wash the dished.”  And it led me to think what fun the kitchen could be for girls who didn’t have a type-A neat freak breathing down their neck.  And then the idea grew….what if?  What if the girls had a club.  Clubs are cool.  But, Secret Clubs are even cooler.  Why is this club a secret?  And that was the initial idea:  A Secret Cooking Club.  I mean, seriously, what’s more fun than that?

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Tough question, due to my day job and my children’s activities I wouldn’t call it a “schedule” because it’s not consistent.  I like to write in big chunks of quiet time, which is hard to find.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk…come on…I know you have one!

I am a terrible typist.  Terrible.  And to make it worse, I am a terrible editor.  I know this about myself and I want to be a good editor, so I work at it, but even with the effort, I am still very bad.  It drives my writing group and agent crazy.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Being with my kids, husband and pets.  I love the mountains.  We have a house there and I really like to spend time there.  I also like to read, walk, watch movies and TV.

Without giving us any spoilers, how did you choose the title for your book?

The title for this book was actually very tough.  It is difficult to distill your whole story into just a few words.  So JUST ADD MAGIC conveys cooking and magic.  These are the two special ingredients of this story.

Are there any tools that are absolute must-haves for writers?

A computer.  An “Idea Notebook”.  And people who can read your stuff and give you constructive feedback.  Of course getting feedback isn’t any good unless you use it.

Because I think you should always save room for dessert, as a child, what was your favorite dessert? And what is your favorite dessert now?

Ice cream.  Always has been and always will be.  And cake, cookies, cupcakes, cannoli, tiramisu, fudge, pastries, truffles, chocolate, bon-bons, muffins, crisp, cobbler, mousse and pie….you get the idea.

Okay, now I’m really hungry.

To learn more about Cindy visit her website at www.cindycallaghan.com! And just click on her title to buy JUST ADD MAGIC!

But you also have a chance to win a signed copy of Just Add Magic and some cute bookmarks and postcards! Just write your own recipe name and the magic that would ensue when you made it. I’ll choose a winner in a few days!

Hi everyone! It’s not Tuesday, so I don’t get to use my cool “T” alliteration. I thought about changing the title for the this week and next, but Thenner Thursday just isn’t right and Tenner Tursday sounds a little strange, though I know my kids would vote for that one because if you took off the day and added d right after r and kept the s, well you’d get Turds and that’s always funny to my kids. (completely a fatherly trait)

But anyway, let’s get off of the word turds and onto what it really important today. Fellow debut author Denise Jaden and her Young Adult novel LOSING FAITH!

A little bit-o-bout Denise: She is, or has been, everything a professional Polynesian dancer and fitness competitor to a mushroom farmer and church secretary. Most of her time now is spent homeschooling or playing with our seven year old son or in front of her computer writing. She’s been writing for about seven years and her pet peeves include clutter, wet socks, and being cold
(which is a common occurrence in B.C.!)

Here’s a quick synopsis of this amazing book, which you should all go and buy right now! A terrible secret. A terrible fate. When Brie’s sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie’s world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but. As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don’t line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night…a secret that puts her own life in danger.

Now onto my interview with Denise!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I only recently (and accidentally) realized I wanted to be a writer. About six years ago I started to journal for the first time, and my journal meandered and turned into a story that was totally NOT about me. It became so much fun I couldn’t stop.

How long does it generally take you to write a book from those first words to the very last?

I wrote the first draft of LOSING FAITH in 21 days during NaNoWriMo 2007. That’s not to say, of course, that it was any good! It took me most of a year to revise the book and get an agent for it, then almost another year to revise with my editor. I continue to write my first drafts during “NaNo” each year.

What was the inspiration—that first spark of a story—behind your amazing book?

I wanted to write a story about sisters. I knew there was a secret, and soon discovered the secret would only be revealed after the older sister had died. When I was sixteen, I lost my best friend to a car accident, and while I didn’t find anything as shocking about my friend after her death, it’s still amazing how much you can learn about a person too late.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Schedule? Ha! I *try* to keep a regularity about sending my son for a quiet time each afternoon so I can write. I’ve always been really diligent about writing every day, but I admit, with the added load of wanting to promote a book, plus all the regular daily tasks, the schedule for writing often goes out the window.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk…come on…I know you have one!

I like to chew on something crunchy (like carrot sticks or snap peas) when I’m really trying to concentrate. Also, if I’m having a particularly difficult time with a passage, you would probably find me pacing from the living room to the kitchen and back.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I’m a Polynesian dancer and love getting together with my dance group to practice and perform. I also really love to read and spend time with my family.

What do you think makes a good story?

I think pretty much everything makes a good story, if it’s told well. I really love character-driven novels, so if I’m loving the characters, their “story” will appeal to me no matter how exciting or un-exciting.

Without giving us any spoilers, how did you choose the title for your book?

My title is supposed to be a bit of a play on words, but I don’t think I can go into it much detail without giving spoilers. In my first draft, I had tried to hide that the sister’s name was Faith until about chapter three, but that has changed since.

Are there any tools that are absolute must-haves for writers?

I think this is so individual. I’ve heard of writers who write their entire drafts out in spiral notebooks. I’ve also heard of successful writers who have never read a book on the craft of writing. Personally, I love Donald Maass’s book, WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, and I don’t like writing without access to my online thesaurus.

What kind of research went into writing your book if any?

I spent several months learning about cults and some of the people who have gotten mixed up in them. I also visited my old high school to find out the whole rundown on modern daily school life.

Have you ever had someone try to matchmake for you and if so, how did it go?

No, thank goodness! I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that would be, and I’m very picky, so I can’t imagine it would have ended well!

Because I think you should always save room for dessert, as a child, what was your favorite dessert? And what is your favorite dessert now?

Hmm. As a child, I really LOVED those funnel cakes that you get at the fair. Deep fried white flour topped with sugar – what could be better! As for now, it’s way too hard to choose just one. Crème Brule, chocolate mousse, cream puffs, pecan mudslides, Philadelphia cheesecake…should I go on?

What do you hope to leave your readers with once they’ve finished your book?

I’d love for my readers to feel a sense of hope by the end of LOSING FAITH, and also a sense of empowerment to think things through for themselves and make their own decisions.

What question would you like to ask me?

How did you get to be so cute?!

Okay, I was just being silly! What I always like to know is what’s the last book you read that you really loved? I’m always looking to update my TBR list.

Thanks so much for joining me, Denise!

You can visit Denise on her website at www.denisejaden.com! And to order LOSING FAITH, which you absolutely must, click HERE!

I’m hopelessly romantic in the fall. The leaves raining down outside littering the ground with gold, the crisp air in the mornings bringing out the cozy woolen sweaters from deep in my drawers. The fire place is lit once more, and John and I can watch the flames dance on the walls at night as we’re cuddled on the couch. Iced mochas become hot mochas that I cradle in the my hands and gently blow across, scattering the steam. Apple pies, pumpkin bread, hot soup, and warm bread…

As winter sets in, Sentimental Me awakens (yes, if you can believe it, I am even MORE sentimental in the winter). Every moment with my family moves me to want to wrap every laugh, giggle, or cry…every ornament, bell-shaped cookie, snow flake, or pine needle in a blanket and bury it inside me so that I will never, ever, ever forget a second. The fire dances continuously and there’s the smell of sugar cookies, hot chocolate, and popcorn…

I’m continuously hopeful when Spring bursts through the snow, small buds of green awakening the aspens, warm afternoons, and dodging or diving feet-first into snow-melt puddles. There is the promise of warmth and sunshine and days spent outdoors, the lake begins to melt, and the drips from the roof ping…ping…ping on the deck like a countdown. And the countdown is the most exciting piece of spring. I move around in a continual expectation of something-about-to-happen. And though spring sometimes ducks her head every now and then as winter takes another jab…the something-about-to-happen always, always, always…happens. It’s all cupcakes, pastas, chocolate chip cookies, and fresh berries.

Summer I am carefree, drinking in the sun and the flowers and the laughter echoing in the woods like a tall glass of lemonade. Moving lazily through it like a leaf taking it’s time down a stream. I’m keenly aware of the sun inching across the sky and filled with the warring desires to run, hike or bike through each day or to just sit outside and soak in the sight of my kids jumping on the trampoline, or stare up into the sky and watch the great world spin around the sun. The smell is filled with barbeque, lemons, ice cream, and smores.

So I guess throughout the year I am either hopelessly romantic, carefree, sentimental, or hopeful…and sometimes, like now…I am all four at once.

I cannot knit.

Well, at least not any more.

I used to be able to knit a little bit, but really my husband, even now, is much, much better than me.

But I love to watch people knit. Their fingers bobbing and weaving, their fingers fluttering back and forth, the tapping and clacking of the long needles together as slowly

slowly

slowly

row

after

row

after

row

descends beneath the needles.

The yarn is fuzzy looking and soft, the stitches even and tight…yet not too tight, the different colors flecked and woven into each other forming a scarf, mittens, a hat, a blanket…helping you keep warm against the cold.

So it’s no wonder they call writing stories “spinning a yarn.” And it’s really a magical phrase actually.

Creating one thing out of something else entirely.

A ball of yarn becomes a row which becomes a row which becomes a blanket.

Chosen words become crafted sentences which become paragraphs which become chapters which become a story.

line

after

line

after

line

words weave in and out of each other, the different elements of voice, character, theme, and setting flecking the story with color and life…helping you keep warm against the cold of life.

Baby shoes kick the air wondering what they are

Toddler shoes stumble and babble on the ground

Kids shoes run and run and run and run, jump, and run and run and run

Teen shoes kick back and kick off, swagger and even strut every now and then

Adult shoes walk sure and straight, confident in no where to go…then over years and years they shuffle down the hallway for a pot of tea and sound like slippers

New shoes click and clack, flaunt, strut, run, jump and dance to whatever music is played

Old shoes scuffle and talk when they walk, miles and miles and miles of memories to chat about

High heels, slippers, clogs, pedal-pushers, cowboy boots, sandals, tennies, flippers, cleets, clod-hoppers, rain boots

Shoes

We remember the special ones. They’re hard to forget. Leaving an imprint on us somewhere…somewhere on our soles.

We remember.

The one’s we wore on the first day of 5th grade, or the heels we teetered on to the prom, the cleets that dug up the dirt during the game, the warm slippers we slipped our feet into by the fire.

Shoes

Taking us places we want to go, and dragging us to those we don’t want to.

As torn and worn as we are, but as ready and eager to get out into the world and live as our hearts are.

Shoes and hearts walking through the door and out onto the sidewalk or dirt road and then covering the ground with steps, leaps, strides, and plain old living.

My family is very big on movie quotes. We quote them more than just often and they usually find their way into every single conversation we have with each other. Here are a few of my very favorites, though there are oh-so many more! What are some of yours?

1. “As You Wish” A phrase that is well-known because of The Princess Bride. Ahh, dear Wesley there indeed is nothing greater than the bond of true love…or is it “true whov?”

2. “Nobody Put’s Baby In The Corner.” –Johnny from Dirty Dancing. Okay, the best scene EVER from a movie I probably saw way before I should’ve, but one that I still adore to this day. And I’ll admit it without shame, Patrick Swazye was my biggest crush growing up (even though he was about twenty plus years older than me at the time). I may have shed a tear when he died…

3. “What I need from you is…a hundred-thousand dollars” –Corky St Claire in Waiting For Guffman. Really, this entire movie is quote worthy. But I picked this specific one because it’s one of my favorites and I can at least find one instance per day in which to use it. Example:

Target clerk: “Do you need anything?”

Me: “What I need from you is…a hundred-thousand dollars”

4. “I’d be sitting in a hot tub with my soul mate” –Uncle Rico in Napolean Dynomite. Really, Uncle Rico is genius and this quote can only be matched by Kip when he says, “Your mom goes to college.” Another movie that is fully quote worthy and is almost better to quote than it is to watch.

5. “How wonderful life is now that you’re in the world”– Christian and Satine in Moulin Rouge. LOVE this movie and really…I can’t not look at my husband and my kids and not think this exact thing.

6. “Where you are is home. You are my home”–Jane in Jane Erye speaking to the very romantic, and tres stormy, Mr. Rochester. A scene I cry at every time I watch it and/or read it and maybe, every now and then, I imagine myself in this scene…maybe.

7. “My dad wove a tapestry of profanity that still hangs somewhere over Lake Michagin”–Ralphy in A Christmas Story. This one is especially funny because my PopPop (my dad’s dad) was pretty much the father in A Christmas Story…specifically all scenes pertaining to the furnace and the aforementioned profanity.

8. “Eat my rubber and burn my dust, Liver Lips”–Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation. Need I say more?

9. “And what I said about you was true too, only I shouldn’t have said it”–Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables. One of my favorite movies, and one of my favorite characters of all time being completely and totally herself–hilarious, honest, and endearing.

10. “Stop with the negative ways, Baby”–Oddball in Kelly’s Hero’s. This is a Clint Eastwood movie that I would say is my favorite by far.  This is another phrase that I not only use throughout my normal day, but one that I try to live by as well.

Yes, I am out here. I was on vacation back east to visit my family and while away I completely neglected my poor little blog. But nonetheless, here I am, back in Colorado and settling into the normal life I adore so much. But here’s some things that happened over the past two weeks:

1. My family and I went to Ocean City, NJ–one of the greatest places on earth–with my entire family: my parents, my two sisters and their husbands and kiddos. It was amazing and I miss everyone so much already. While there, I managed to catch some waves on the boogie board rightly named: Legend. Played a little whiffle ball and paddle ball, built sandcastles, collected sea shells and stones, was bit on the toe by a crab, got a muy bad burn on my stomach cause my stomach hadn’t seen the light of day in over a year, celebrated my 10th anniversary with John, was pooped on by a sea gull, and now I can’t seem to bring myself to empty my purse of the collection of sand that still sits at the bottom.

2. Wow, that was a long one, wasn’t it? We’ll take a breath here so that all of that exciting info can sink in…

3. Okay, both Isaac and Ella Jane lost another tooth while at my parents house in PA. Ella Jane’s new tooth is almost all the way in but poor Isaac has been left with one tooth in the front of his mouth in which to eat. Seeing him eat corn-on-the-cob was highly amusing.

4. I succeeded in doing five interviews for numerous publications in my hometown and hopefully didn’t sound like a complete nincompoop…nincompoop…you’re smiling right now, aren’t you? I’m trying to bring it back.

5. Watched my kids eat ice cream cones from The Creamery at Penn State that were literally the size of their heads

6. Became completely obsessed with Food Network, and more specifically fondant. I think it’s so amazing what bakers can do with the moldable icing, but at the same time, their hands are all over the cake…not quite sure how I feel about that.

7.  Got to see my MomMom for almost an entire day! She laughed hard and loud and often, just as much as I remember her doing when I was eight and sat at her kitchen table in Wexford.

8. My parents bought me three new books: Keeper, by Kathi Appelt (which I just finished last night), Word After Word After Word by Patricia Mclaughlan, and Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson.

9. Had a wonderful time at my book signing at Barnes & Noble and talked with some amazing tweens! Hi Ainsley, Grace, Sophie, Maddie, Nora, Lauren, Cameron, Moriah, and McKenzie!!

10. Came home to find a brand spanking new Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer (in silver, mind you) waiting for me on the table with a note from John! I’ve already made two pizza’s and two loaves of pumpkin bread with it and I love, love, love it. Would it be weird to have it as a centre piece?

Well, I think you’re pretty much all caught up now…

So have a great day! I hope that each one of you ate, laughed, hugged, sighed, skipped, kissed, and loved your way through the past two weeks.