Cindy’s Journal, The Confession Series, Episode #6: I Did Horrible Things to Abby Gray
I love my book My Big Heart-Shaped Fail. It epitomizes the way I want to write. Inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it’s a highly snackable, fun, funny, fast-paced tween comedy-of-errors that chronicles one [...]
Cindy’s Journal, The Confession Series, Episode #5: “Snackability”
What’s a snackable book? “Snackability” is to middle-grade books what “binge-ablity” is to streaming shows. Kids are busy. We’re all busy. Thanks to social media we’re accustomed to messages in photo or video format, or [...]
Cindy’s Journal, The Confession Series, Episode #4: I Was a Reluctant Reader
I’m going to tell you something you probably never hear from a writer. Here it comes… are you ready for it? I didn’t like to read as a kid. I was jealous of the kid [...]
Cindy’s Journal, The Confession Series, Episode #3: My Kitchen was Dirty when JUST ADD MAGIC was Birthed
I’m a neat-nick. There, I said it. So, the day circa 2003 when I saw my daughter and her two friends baking in my kitchen, I twitched a little. Eggshell here… flour there… but, I [...]
Cindy’s Journal, The Confession Series, Episode #2: My First Resume Was Pictorial (And the time I tried out for the USC track & field team)
I’d been asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” a million times, and you probably were too. My answers ranged from: Vet, to talk show host, to movie star, to journalist, [...]
Cindy’s Journal, The Confession Series, Episode #1: I Never Intended to Write For Tweens
I suppose, like most writers, I’ve always written. It’s in my DNA. The first real project that I remember was a play, the sequel to Grease. I was in third grade. My music teacher, Mr. [...]