The 411 on writing Kelly Quinn

It's exciting to have so much interest in KELLY QUINN'S SECRET COOKING CLUB, and I thank you all for asking and for caring. .

I get lots of questions about the process of writing a book. I thought I'd capture a TOP TEN.

10. How long did it take you?
I wrote the initial rough draft of KELLY in about six weeks. But, I revised and edited it for almost two years.

9. That's a lot of revising. Where did you get all the comments from?
I'm part of a fabulous writing critique group called the Works In Progress (WIPs). The WIPs read and reviewed KELLY over and over. I also paid a professional editor to read the entire manuscript. Lastly, my dad read the book about ten times and gave me comments. At seventy-something, he's more a 'tween than most 'tweens.

8. How long is it? (Kids always ask this.)
It's about 190 double-spaced, new Times Roman sized 12-font. But, that doesn't mean that's exactly how long it will be when it's printed, as page and font sizes vary.

7. Will there be pictures?
There will be cover art, but since it's a middle-grade (aka "Tween") book, it probably won't have any art within the text.

6. Who's doing the illustration/cover? Because I know a guy.... (This is a very popular adult question.)
I don't know. The publisher will take care of all this, but I'll get to see the options (I think).

5. Do you have a literary agent?
Yes, I'm the luckiest person in the world to work with Sarah Davies of The Greenhouse Literary Agency. She is a complete gem. If you want to know more about Sarah or The Greenhouse visit www.greenhouseliterary.com.

4. How did you find a literary agent?
It wasn't easy. I researched (thank goodness for the internet) agents interested in the age range and themes of my book. Then I read lots about each of them to assess if they would be a good fit for my project.

3. How did you query agents?
I attended a few SCBWI conferences to understand how to approach an agent. I wrote a cover letter and synopsis, (which I revised repeatedly). I made electronic and snail mail packages pursuant to the agent's submissions guidelines and sent them in.

2. Are you going to quit your other job?
No. I have a full-time job that I like very much. Writing is my second job and a passion. I intend to continue to do both for as long as I can.

And the number one question that people ask me....kids and adults alike: Can I be in the movie when/if it's made?
Sure......But, I have dibs on Mrs. Quinn. If my husband doesn't land the part of Kelly's dad, I'll approach Christopher Meloni (Eliot Stabler from Law and Order SVU.)

You've gotta start somewhere

So, getting started was harder than I’d thought. I figured I’d start at the beginning. But the beginning of what?
Here it goes: ACT I, Scene 1
(Callaghan sits in the elbow of the microfiber sectional with her favorite pad and extra soft mechanical pencil.)
One day I woke up in suburbia with a husband, three children, three cats, a lazy dog, a job, a car (cooler than a minivan), a writing hobby, and a coffee addiction. Thankfully, U2, jeans, and fountain Diet Coke (DC) remain in style. Sadly, The X-Files, toe socks and roller skating are passé, not that I care very much about being “in.”
So, here I was thirty-something deciding to take my writing hobby seriously by writing a novel. I worked on several serious projects for several years.
>>>FAST FORWARD TO TODAY
I’m still thirty-something, and thanks to the handiwork of a crackerjack literary agent, Sarah Davies from the Greenhouse Literary Agency, Aladdin Books (Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing) is publishing my ‘tween book KELLY QUINN’S SECRET COOKING CLUB. And it’s this wonderful news that has brought me to the long pondered According to Moi.