Giveaways

Cindy Callaghan has visited The Mixed Up Files before, and she’s back with her newest bit of MG fun.

From Indiebound:

After breaking a chain letter, can superstitious Megan find a way to turn her luck around?
Meghan McGlinchey is the most superstitious girl in her family–and probably in the entire state of Delaware. When she receives a chain letter from a stranger in Ireland, Meghan immediately passes it on, taking only a tiny shortcut in the directions.
But after a disastrous day, made complete by losing the election for class president and embarrassing herself in front of the entire school, Meghan realizes that tiny shortcut was a big mistake. Thankfully, her family was already headed to Ireland on spring break, and Meghan makes it her mission to find the original sender and break her extremely unlucky streak.
With the help of an eccentric cast of characters–and one very cute Irish boy–can Meghan figure out a way to stop her bad luck? Or is she cursed forever?

***

Amie:  Tell us a little about your inspiration for LUCKY ME.

Cindy:  Who doesn’t love an old fashioned curse?  Mixed with a bizarre family and the Irish countryside complete with thatched cottages and gothic castles…it’s like all my favorite things together in one story.  Truthfully, sometimes I have a story in my head and I write it.  In this case I had Meghan in my head:  a superstitious girl in a rigid environment.  I wrote her story and those were the places she took me.  It’s really all about Meghan. 

Amie: I love when characters do that!  So, just between you, me and all our readers here at MUF, do you feel as though you have the luck o’the Irish?

Cindy: I’m actually not Irish in my blood, but I fell in love with Ireland when I was there, except the smell of peat…yuck!  I’m not particularly superstitious, but I’m known to have more than a handful of good luck charms.  It’s the kind of token that makes you feel good.  For example, a bracelet I got on a special trip with my daughter.  A little figurine that I toss in my pocket some days, just in case I need its luck.  Maybe if I believe it’s lucky, it is. 

Amie:  So. Jealous. *repeats chant “someday I will visit Ireland!”* We’re passionate about middle-grade books here at MUF, but why are you inspired to write for this age group?

Cindy:  Maybe I’m still middle-grade at heart.  Seriously, a lot about me is totally immature.  My heart just seems to resonate to stories about tweens.  It’s an awesome time: old enough to do lots of fun stuff, but not too old as to have adult responsibilities (bleck, who wants that?)

Amie: Last question. It’s vital to the survival of humankind, so choose carefully. Corned beef and hash? Or bangers and mash?  

Cindy: CB & H!!

Amie: *presses buzzer* Wrong. The correct answer was chocolate. We’ve all become zombies. The apocalypse has begun and now we know it was all because of corned beef and cabbage!

Cindy Callaghan is the author of the middle-grade novels Just Add Magic (2010) and 2013’s Lost in London (Simon & Schuster). She is a full-time writer, animal advocate, and supermom. A native of New Jersey, Cindy lives, works, and writes in Wilmington, Delaware, with her family and numerous rescued pets. She loves hearing from fans, speaking at schools and conferences, and zip-lining.

You can visit Cindy at: Facebook, Website &Twitter

Meanwhile, leave a comment below for a chance to get lucky and win a copy of her new book!