Cheryl C. Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Little Shepherd and A Christmas Kindness. A blogger and book reviewer, she lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married.
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Inside the Book
Title: MACARONI AND CHEESE FOR THANKSGIVING
Author: Cheryl C. Malandrinos
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing
Pages: 16
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Ten-year-old Macy is waiting for her grandparents to arrive on Thanksgiving. When the front door swings open, Grandma and Grandpa are covered with hugs and kisses. Crash! Everyone rushes in to find the dog gnawing a meaty turkey leg. Can Macy’s quick thinking save dinner?
Purchase Information:
Guardian Angel | Booksamillion
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Q: Thank you so much for this interview, Cheryl! Can you tell us where you are from?
I’ve lived in Western Massachusetts my entire life. Love it here. It’s one of those places where certain times of the year you could turn the heat and the air conditioning on in the same day.
Q: How did you come up with your title?
The title for Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving comes from what happens in the story.
Q: They say you can judge a book by its cover. Can you tell us a little about your cover and who designed it?
Isn’t the cover for Macaroni and Cheese for Thanksgiving adorable? Marina Movshina is the talented artist who is responsible for the cover art and the interior illustrations. I’ve enjoyed the many illustrations she’s created for other members of the Guardian Angel Publishing family, so I was thrilled to learn she was under contract for mine.
Q: Can you tell us something about your book that would make me run out and buy it?
It isn’t a book that focuses on being thankful at Thanksgiving. There are tons of books about being thankful for kids, but this one is a fun story where the main character shows ingenuity in solving a problem.
Q: Are there any messages in this book that you want the reader to know about?
Not really a message as much as a bit of historical knowledge. When Macy is thinking about how to solve the problem, she draws upon what she learned in school about the first Thanksgiving.
Q: Why did you feel you had to write this book?
This was one of 30 picture book concepts I came up with in 2010 when I participated in Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) for the first time. The following May, I joined National Picture Book Writing Week (NaPiBoWriWee) where you challenge yourself to write seven picture books over seven days. I took the best seven ideas from PiBoIdMo and worked on them.
Q: Now, some fun questions – What deep dark secret would you like to share with us?
Sorry, but I don’t really have any. Most people probably know way more about me than they want to know.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I don’t have a burning desire to travel, but I would like to take a sightseeing trip to visit all the Civil War battlefields.
Q: Are you a morning person or a night person?
Definitely a night person. I’m forced to be a morning person because of my work schedule, but my most productive and creative time is after 9 pm.
Q: Are there any members in your family who also like to write?
My middle sister has been writing since we were kids.
Q: As a child, were you a dreamer?
I was the youngest of three girls and my sisters were four and seven years older than me. We lived on a busy street and I didn’t have a lot of friends, so I played by myself most of the time and created imaginary ones instead. The funny thing is that I pretty much live in a house similar to the one I used to dream of. The only thing missing is the white picket fence.
Q: Last but not least, the magic genie has granted you one wish. What would that be?
I would wish for each of my children to be happy and successful (however they decide to define success).
Q: Thank you so much for this interview! Do you have any final words?
Thanks for letting me visit with your readers. You asked some neat questions. Hope you’ll invite me back when my next book comes out.
