Blog Tour: The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

Kay Cassidy

Books

• The Cinderella Society

Links:
Facebook / Goodreads / Mypsace / Twitter / Shelfari

Bio:
Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt ContestTM reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your FiveTM web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.
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Guest Post:

The Secret of The Cinderella Society

When Mavie asked if I would talk about what I would like readers to take away from The Cinderella Society, I immediately said yes because it's such an important theme for me. The Cinderella Society is about girl empowerment at its most fundamental. It's about being comfortable in your own skin and being true to who you are. I think the Cindy creed sums it up best:

Celebrate your strength – Embrace your future – Be extraordinary

Celebrating your strength is all about recognizing and being proud of what makes you YOU. So often we focus on what we perceive to be our shortcomings. And it's easy to overanalyze our mistakes. Did she think what I said was dumb? or Everyone else looks so at ease while I feel like a big goober… phrases like these clog our minds and sap our energy. What would it feel like if you banished the Wicked chatter from your mind for a day and focused on appreciating and making use of your strengths instead? Freeing, right? What if you banished it for a week? A year? That's life changing stuff right there.

Embracing your future is about acknowledging that we each have a unique path to travel. Sometimes it can be scary to be facing that path. Starting at a new school (like our heroine, Jess, does so often), moving away from home to go to college… there are a lot of unknowns on the path ahead. But we can't fear that because following our own path is how we discover what we're really made of. It's where we step up to the plate and say, "Okay, World, show me what you've got because I'm ready to take my destiny for a spin!"

Being extraordinary means never settling for mediocre. It means using your strengths and following your own path in a way that's unique and amazing and bigger than you imagined you could be. I know it's easy to assume that big amazing life accomplishments are something that only happen to other people. But you are your own brand of extraordinary – you just need to get comfortable sharing it with the world.

Now, before you go thinking this is all touchy-feely dramarama stuff, I want to stress that Jess never loses her sense of humor. I think that's key. Living up to your greatest potential is a pretty amazing thing, but it doesn't have to be dramatic and haaaaard. Keep your sense of humor and you'll enjoy your journey a whole lot more. :-)
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Official Book Blurb:

What a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?

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Book Teaser:

I opened the card, my hands trembling in dread and the faint remnants of what I used to call hope, as a tiny silver high-heel pin bounced into my hand.

I juggled the pin for a second, barely managing to keep it from falling, and flipped open the note with my other hand. The words inside were not a message but an invitation that sent shivers down my spine:

Your presence is requested at The Grind.
Tonight, 7 p.m.
Wear the pin.
Discretion MANDATORY.

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Thank you to Kay for her wonderful guest post. Make sure to check out The Cinderella Society!