Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt ContestTM reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your FiveTM web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.
Here's what she says about her book:
What a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?
Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.
Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.
Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?
And I will add that she is also another lovely, generous Tenner who volunteered her time for an interview here! Welcome!
CBR: If you had to spend the rest of your life on a desert island, what fictional character would you take with you?
KC: Can I choose MacGyver? Seriously, that would be my number one choice. He'd have a lodge built with running water and TV in nothing flat.
CBR: Who are some authors that have inspired you?
KC: When I was first considering writing YA, I stopped into my local library at the time and asked the teen librarian what she would recommend. Based on my adult reading preferences, she suggested THE PRINCESS DIARIES by Meg Cabot, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares, and HOW MY PRIVATE, PERSONAL JOURNAL BECAME A BESTSELLER by Julia DeVillers. I devoured all three in a week and fell in love with YA. So without Meg, Ann and Julia, I might not be a YA author today!
CBR: What book of the past ten years did you enjoy the most?
CBR: What would be your main character's theme song/some songs on the soundtrack for your book?
KC: I create a playlist for my books because it really helps me make the transition from the real world of laundry, phones ringing and domestic crises to the world of the story. The theme song of the book is SOAR by Christina Aguilera. Jess's theme song is WHO I AM by Jessica Andrews and Ryan's theme song is SAVIN' ME by Nickelback.
CBR: Could you give us any hints/teasers as to what your next project might be?
KC: Right now, I'm working on the sequel to THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, titled Cindy on a Mission. It follows the further adventures of Jess and the Sisters as the Wickeds launch an offensive that threatens everything the Cindys hold dear. Cindy on a Mission will be on shelves in Spring 2011.
CBR: Thank you, Kay! Best of luck with your book and many projects!
To learn more about THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, first of all, read the following blurb...and visit Kay at her website: http://www.kaycassidy.com/!
I opened the card, my hands trembling in dread and the faint remnants of what I used to call hope, as a tiny silver high-heel pin bounced into my hand.
I juggled the pin for a second, barely managing to keep it from falling, and flipped open the note with my other hand. The words inside were not a message but an invitation that sent shivers down my spine:Your presence is requested at The Grind.
Tonight, 7 p.m.
Wear the pin.
Discretion MANDATORY.
