Cinderskella by Amie and Bethanie Borst

Eek, guys!! I can’t believe it. Tomorrow is the big day – the day I’ve waited for pretty much my whole life. It’s the day Cinderskella–my first published book–releases into the world as well as straight into the hands of readers…and hopefully their hearts!

Cindy is just a normal eleven and three-quarter year-old. At least until she wakes up one night and finds out she’s dead. Well, she isn’t technically dead—she just doesn’t have any hair . . . or a nose . . . or skin. Yep—all bones, no body.  

Human by day and skeleton by night, Cindy is definitely cursed. And because her mother recently died, Cindy has no one to turn to except a father who’s now scared of her and an evil stepmother who makes her do the housecleaning with a toothbrush. To make matters worse, the Spring Fling dance is approaching, and Ethan, the cutest boy in sixth grade, doesn’t seem to know Cindy exists. Of course, Cindy doesn’t think letting Ethan find out she’s part skeleton is the best way to introduce herself.

While facing such perils as pickled pig’s feet, a wacky fortune teller, and a few quick trips to the Underworld, Cindy’s determined to break the curse—even for a single night.

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Goodreads!

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I’m super excited that all of our readers here at MUF will be some of the first to celebrate with me. So thanks for joining the party! But first…a top ten list  just for fun!

Top 10 Clues That Amie is Writing

10. Laughing and snorting is accompanied by table slapping. Unless you want to endure lame jokes, you best not venture into the room to see what all the commotion is about.

9. Dinner is frozen pizza. This actually makes the kids happy and they insist Amie keep writing until…

8. Dinner is YOYO (You’re On Your Own). What’s that green fuzzy stuff? Is it supposed to jiggle?

7. The phrase, “Girls, come here!” is shouted, not because they’re far away but because Amie’s forgotten to remove her earbuds.

6. The aforementioned shouting is responded with grunts, groans, and eye rolls because they know the next words out of Amie’s mouth are, “Let me read you something!”

5. There’s a sudden shortage of chocolate in the house. Better watch out! Momma’s on the prowl!

4. There’s a family-wide search for Amie’s slippers, which are usually found hiding beneath the blankets at her writing desk. Who left them there anyway?

3. Conversations center around comma rules and other grammatical concerns.  First world problems. Phew!

2. The house looks like a thermonuclear explosion.  Apparently Amie’s the only one who knows how to do the dishes, wash and fold the laundry, put shoes in the closet, store the books on the shelves and make the beds.

1. The dog is missing. Dang it! Not again!

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Okay…now for the serious stuff….

Cinderskella, like all books, certainly was a labor of love. That’s what makes the next part really special. I get to share this publishing journey with my 13 year old daughter. What a thrill for both of us!

To be honest, I never set out to write a book with my daughter. The opportunity sort of just stumbled into my lap. If you want to know more about that, then hop on over to Ann Marie Meyer’s blog and read the whole story.

My daughter has some learning disabilities and working together has helped us both grow. If you want to read her experience and perspective about disabilities in literature, then you should read her post at Disability in Kid Lit.

One of my favorite things about writing Cinderskella was creating fun characters. In fact, Rose Cooper interviewed our very own Cheddar just the other day. Put on your party hat and bring the cheese!

And, of course, one of the scariest things about having a novel published is…<gulp>…reviews. Thankfully, there’s a glowing one at Janet Jensen’s blog. I swear that’s not a tear in my eye. It’s dust, I tell you! DUST!

Wanna know the fun part?  The most fabulous, best thing about having a book published? It’s getting to share it with readers like you! That’s why I’m giving away a copy. Yup, one lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Cinderskella!

So just fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter! Be sure to spread the word, too.

Amie Borst, a PAL member of SCBWI, still believes in unicorns, uses glitter whenever possible and accessorizes in pink. She enjoys eating chocolate while writing and keeps a well-stocked stash hidden away from her family. A native New Yorker she currently resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, three children and a cute dog named Lily. She wishes she had a hot-pink elevator with carnival lights to travel the world. But for now, her minivan will have to do.

Bethanie Borst is a spunky 13-year-old who is an avid archer with Olympic dreams, enjoys the outdoors, loves reading and is quick to make lasting friendships. When she is not writing, she swings on a star.

You can follow Amie and Bethanie on facebook. You can find Amie at her blog, twitter, and pinterest.

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