MC: I live in the beautiful mountains of West Georgia with my husband, Ken, and adopted doggie, Molly. We're parents of three creative children, and a delightfully witty fifteen-year-old granddaughter.

I write a children's fantasy/fiction series called, Cynthia's Attic. The first two books, The Missing Locket and The Magic Medallion are published by Echelon, with book three, Curse of the Bayou, due out NOV 2007. 

Did you choose your present genre; or did the genre choose you?

MC: I'd just finished telling my friend, Diana, about the recurring dream I'd had for almost 20 years, when I had a "light-bulb" moment. It occurred to me that the dream took place in the attic of my childhood friend, Cynthia. "Hmmm…" Diana said, "Cynthia's Attic. What a great title for a book!" The dreams stopped and the writing began. So, I guess it chose me. My first attempt was in the form of a memoir. Then I had the idea to write a children's early-reader book but my "voice" turned it into a middle-grade fantasy.

Have you always wanted to write?

MC: I've always enjoyed writing in one form or another. My dad was a reporter and columnist for the Louisville Courier Journal. I always aspired to write with his humor and attention to detail. He loved talking to people and writing their "stories." So, to answer your question, writing has always been a big part of my life.

What would be a typical day for you, as a day in the life of a writer?

MC: Wake up. Stumble to the kitchen for a cup of coffee (coffee that my husband has, hopefully, made!). Inhale one cup, then another. Turn on computer. Check to see what Matt, Meredith, Al and Anne have to say. Get my third cup of coffee and settle into my office to check e-mails. Writing doesn't take up nearly as much time these days as marketing. I'm constantly checking the Internet for places to advertise, post reviews, excerpts, or press releases. I like getting all the grunge work out of the way before I'm fully awake. (LOL)

Afternoon is my best time to write. I like to settle in around 2:00 P.M. to go over edits, work on a new story, or polish an old one. Since I'm not a morning person, nor am I a night owl, this schedule seems to work best for me.

Where do you get your ideas for your stories?

MC: As I mentioned above, Cynthia's Attic came about because of a recurring dream. All three books in the series are loosely based on stories I remembered hearing about my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.

Are any of your characters based on real people?

MC: Many of the characters in my books are based on Cynthia's and/or my family members. For instance, Curse of the Bayou is loosely based on my great-great grandfather who disappeared on a journey down the Mississippi River.

If you could be any one of your characters, which one would you be, and why?

MC: I would be Augusta Lee (Gus). She's my POV character and my alter-ego. Gus is definitely patterned after me. She's a tomboy, and I was a tomboy. She has a rather sarcastic wit, and so do I. She also has insecurities that come out from time to time. And, she's fiercely loyal.

Have you ever had writer’s block?  If yes, what have you done to overcome it?

MC: I had writer's block for about four months with this last book, Curse of the Bayou. I finally had to just walk away from it. After a couple of months, my husband and I began talking about the story direction. He gave me his ideas on what, as a reader, he'd like to see happen. Listening to a fresh perspective brought me out of my slump.

Do you have any advice for the young writer just starting out?

MC: I keep going back to some great advice I got early-on. "Write what you know." It's so much easier to write about familiar topics. Since the original setting for Cynthia's Attic is in my hometown, Corydon, Indiana, and takes in many childhood memories, much of the research was already in my head.

And just for fun, if you could be a Transformer, which would you be?  An Autobot (the good bots) or a Decepticon (the evil bots)?  =D

MC: As much as I'd like to be a Decepticon, I probably couldn't pull it off. I have a difficult time being mean…even when I want to!

Thanks, KC! It's been fun. Please let your readers know that the Cynthia's Attic series can be purchased through any online bookstore, or ordered from your favorite local bookstore. Also, they can check out my website or my Cynthia's Attic Blog.

Amazon.com, Fictionwise, Quake

Thank you so much for joining us, Mary.