What's Fresh with Kay Cassidy's The Cinderella Society!

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?

Hello Kay! Congrats on your debut! It's so great to have you with us on YA Fresh. Could you please tell us a little about your writing background and how you made your first sale?

Kay: I'd been writing adult fiction for several years but never seemed to find my fit there. A friend suggested that my voice would be a great fit for YA, but I hadn't read YA since I was a teen! So I went to my local library. The teen librarian suggested three books: The Princess Diaries, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and How My Private, Personal Journal Become a Bestseller. I took them home, devoured them, and knew that this was what I wanted to write.

The Call came the day after an editor I had always hoped to work with passed on the book. She had been championing the book for two months in-house but it was finally passed over during acquisitions. I was so disappointed and, since that left only two houses who had it, I was certain it was never going to sell. If she couldn't buy it after trying to for two months, what were the odds anyone would be able to? The very next morning, I got The Call from one of the two remaining houses. Three days later, the last remaining house offered as well. It was completely mind-boggling to me (in the most wonderful way)! :-)

Readers and writers often like to get a behind the scenes peek of an author's writing routine. It would be great if you could please share your typical writing day schedule.

Kay: With my debut last week, it's been non-stop marketing for what seems like forever! But now that the most hectic part is behind me, I'm ready to settle into my new routine. Here's my goal:

Morning - Write my scene for the day

*Break for a healthy lunch*

Early afternoon – Brainstorm my next book

Mid afternoon – Check email and do admin stuff to manage the business of writing

*Break for a healthy dinner with the family*

Family time!

The family time part is a huge goal for me. For the last several months, the norm has been this:

9am Work

Work all day

2am Bed

I often forget to eat lunch and only take breaks for dinner and domestic emergencies. (This is a not a healthy life, in case you're wondering.) ;-) It's really important to me to shift my priorities so they are no longer so freakishly out of whack. :-)

Please tell us about your novel The Cinderella Society and what we can expect from your characters.

Kay: The Cinderella Society is about an outsider who gets tapped to join a secret society of good populars dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. It's about girl empowerment: getting comfortable in your own skin and being true to who you are. It also deals with the effects of girl bullies and what unconditional friendship really means.

Sounds wonderful! What's up next? Do you have another project in the works? If so, please tell us about it.

Kay: 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.

Thanks for sharing, Kay! I wish you the best with your debut! Would you like to close with a writing tip?

Kay: The best writing advice I ever got was simple: Writers write. It seems obvious, but it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of talking about a new story instead of getting that new story down on the page. The latter is the only thing that matters.

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 Contest reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your Five 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. Visit Kay's website, www.kaycassidy.com.