Ask the Author: Cindy Callaghan
Answered Questions (3)
Cindy Callaghan
My daughter and two of her kooky friends cooking in my kitchen one day was the inspiration for a “cooking club.” Then, my wheels got spinning, and I thought about a “secret cooking club.” Why is it secret? And then I became obsessed with the notion of “Kelly Quinn’s Secret Cooking Club”. I surrounded her with different friends, the mean girl next door, put her on a soccer team, and introduced the Rusamano boys. I developed her hometown of Wilmington, giving it an ice cream place, a coffee shop, and a creepy Mexican cooking store with a story all its own.
Throughout the course of the story, the girls need to discover the origins of the mysterious book and learn about its authors.
I wrote furiously for weeks until a very rough draft was done. Then, I edited for years.
JUST ADD MAGIC landed me a literary agent and my first publishing contract, and now it's an Amazon Studios series!
Throughout the course of the story, the girls need to discover the origins of the mysterious book and learn about its authors.
I wrote furiously for weeks until a very rough draft was done. Then, I edited for years.
JUST ADD MAGIC landed me a literary agent and my first publishing contract, and now it's an Amazon Studios series!
Cindy Callaghan
My biggest skill is my “drive,’ if you can call that a skill. It’s the will to persevere. I want this and I’m willing to work very very hard to make it happen. I wasn’t a great writer when I started, and I’m still not, but like muscles, the skill gets stronger with practice. I think I’m a better writer than I was ten years ago, and I get better with every project.
So, that’s the skill I would tell beginning writers they need –fire in your belly. Everything else will follow.
So, that’s the skill I would tell beginning writers they need –fire in your belly. Everything else will follow.
Cindy Callaghan
In addition to my 'tween girls' books, I also write YA and adult thriller. I dream to write the next really big thriller that creates a swell of hype, like The Firm when it came out. Remember that? And then I dream that it would be made into a big-screen movie, which I’m asked not only to produce, but be in. I don’t necessarily need to be the star, but I would likely play opposite Christopher Meloni. I imagine I would be a cop, detective, secret agent, or something of that ilk.
And scenes would be filmed in my hometown and all my friends could be extras. We would have a huge party with the whole town and the movie stars. Then, I’d be asked to host SNL when Justin Timberlake is the musical guest and Mark Wahlberg does one of those surprise pop-in visits. What? It could happen.
And scenes would be filmed in my hometown and all my friends could be extras. We would have a huge party with the whole town and the movie stars. Then, I’d be asked to host SNL when Justin Timberlake is the musical guest and Mark Wahlberg does one of those surprise pop-in visits. What? It could happen.
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