During this time, she lived for the times she could write. As Cindy now tells it, her father was “an excellent salesman, which meant we moved around a great deal (when she was younger). Finding it difficult to adapt to so many new places and schools, sadly losing new friends, I think might have been the impetus in my turning to writing at a young age. Writing allowed me to create an imaginary world of my own and gave me some semblance of control over these things while growing up!”

After she graduated from high school, her family moved to South Florida, which is also the setting for The Legacy. She majored in English in college, where she met her husband, who is, in her words, “an excellent salesman, which kept us moving around for the next thirty years.” They have now been married for 30 years and are the parents of three lovely daughters.  Her interests include “reading, music, movies, gardening, and (their) two adorable and funny dogs, Bean and Cecil.”

Cindy’s book, “The Legacy”, is ‘an uplifting, poignant story with a dash of divine intervention that makes us wonder whether there are such things as coincidences in life. It's a story of hope, love, and friendship; the building blocks from which we draw the nourishment to dare to dream larger than life, to unselfishly sacrifice without thought of personal gain, and the spirit to share what we hold most dear.’

Amy Mehta: Hi Cindy, thanks for taking the time to talk with us, and give our readers a little insight into the story behind your latest novel, The Legacy. I'm going to start the interview off with that question that most authors get asked regarding their novels. Were the main characters based on any specific people you knew, or autobiographical in any way?

Cindy Cadelo: Maggie Claydon, the female protagonist, actually grew out of something told to me by a child when I worked for one summer at a home for emotionally disturbed children back in my college days. This little boy had a terrible fear of females, based on his relationship with his abusive mother. In essence, he'd said he didn't know who his real mother was, but, whoever she was would find him someday and would love him. I cried my heart out for days, knowing from his file that he was indeed living with his birth mother. It left an unforgettable impression on me that here was a child who fantasized about not knowing his real mother. So my Maggie was orphaned as an infant in order that she learn who she was more by her thoughts and deeds and was neither helped or hindered by family history. I wanted her to be a living testament that our purpose, who and what we are and why we're here, exists within each of us even if we don't know where we came from. Therefore, Jake Murphy had to be the amalgamation of everything impenetrable in order for Maggie's inherent goodness to bring him back from his self-imposed hibernation and personal tragedy. So no, neither character was based on anyone I actually knew, though my past experiences influenced me in that direction.

Amy Mehta: Did you have a favorite character in the book? And if so, who was it?

Cindy Cadelo: I'm just a little biased you know, but probably Maggie. I love her unpretentiousness and good heart. That's the beauty of innocence. It's like a ball of clay waiting to be shaped into a work of art, with life as the sculptor. I must say too, that I loved Blanche Schlemmel. It was fun climbing inside such a feisty, outspoken, philosophizing senior citizen who also had a heart of gold under her blunt exterior. I especially loved the little blue clip she wore to hold a curl down at her temple. I cried when Blanche passed away, but then I cried while writing the whole book. Every time my kids saw me with a box of tissue out on my desk, they'd say "Mom's reading The Legacy again." It's just a story very close to my heart and I really loved all the characters.

Amy Mehta: I'm curious, how long did it take you to write the book?

Cindy Cadelo: Writing The Legacy started off very well until I lost my mother-in-law to cancer. She was the inspiration of Carmen Garcia, and it was her apartment building full of senior citizens that inspired the idea of mixing the young landlord in with the senior citizens. I loved her very much and it was difficult not to think of her during her illness and then, her obvious absence, while in the middle of writing the story. So I'd say it took almost 2 years for me to finally finish the text. I know she would've loved the story though, and would've also given me a lot of grief over Carmen's half-English half-Spanish dialect, modeled after her own speech, which I loved and greatly miss.

Amy Mehta: Do you have any funny stories you would like to share regarding researching the characters in the novel?

Cindy Cadelo: A funny incident I can share with you happened in my mother-in-law's apartment building. It's a bittersweet memory now, but at the time it made us laugh. Her building was comprised of mostly senior citizens, some of whom had part-time nurses or companions a few days a week. One particular morning, a nurse's aide had come to my mother-in-law's apartment to bathe her, as she was bedridden by then. It was not unusual for people to stop by for a visit and to chat, so while the bath was in process and my mother-in-law lay naked in her bed, the door opened and in came an elderly woman in a wheelchair with her leg in a full cast from thigh to ankle. I was in the kitchen doing something and saw this visitor roll by and assumed she was a friend of my mother-in-law's. Minutes passed and I stepped out of the kitchen to see this person wheel herself right up to the bed near my mother-in-law's face, her broken leg resting on the mattress, at which point the nurse stopped what she was doing. My mother-in-law opened her eyes and looked down at this woman inches from her face that studied her so intently and said, "who are you?" The woman replied belligerently, "well who are you?" at which point my mother-in-law screamed and covered herself with the bed sheet, which so scared the woman in the wheelchair that she screamed too, abruptly turned herself around and wheeled herself out of the apartment and slammed the door behind her. My mother-in-law started a stream of such indignations in Spanish that all we could do is collapse in laughter. I made a note of it and saved it, and almost 2 years later, The Legacy was born.

Amy Mehta: Did you have a specific audience in mind when you wrote The Legacy?

Cindy Cadelo: Not consciously, I don't think. The Legacy is aimed at anyone from the age of 21 to 101 because the story revolves around a young lady, who's inexperienced with the world in many respects and is a late bloomer, who adopts these 10 senior citizens as her family who need her as much as she needs them. Obviously, if blood and guts and action or mystery is your preference, this may not be your cup of tea. The Legacy is a simple, touching story that can be read at any easy pace, that will make you feel good and might inspire you to remember to tell your parents and children that you love and appreciate them more often.

Amy Mehta: My favorite part of the book is when Maggie realizes that her feelings for Jake are reciprocated. Do you have a favorite part?

Cindy Cadelo: I tried dissecting the story and I really can't decide which is my favorite part of the book. I think I'm just too close to it to be able to objectively choose one part, although I agree with you that the scene where Jake and Maggie finally admit their feelings openly is a very touching scene, and it was a great relief to finally write it!

Amy Mehta: How did you come up with the title for the novel?

Cindy Cadelo: The working title of the book was originally 333 Chauncey Street, but it changed to The Legacy soon after because the meaning of the word is really the essence of the story on many levels, as readers will discover as the story develops.

Amy Mehta: How did you choose the location for the novel?

Cindy Cadelo: I chose New York City as the backdrop for The Legacy because of its diversity and complexity, it's melting pot mixture of natives and immigrants, and for the hustle and bustle of a big city as compared to the relatively bland life Maggie had previously led. Munroe, New York is a fictional suburb on the outskirts of town that has steadily slipped into decline by the time Maggie arrives, though I wanted her to be able to hop on a bus and see all that makes New York City inimitable. The scenery was the culmination of lots of car trips I took with my family as a child, and my impressions of seeing mountains and driving through a tunnel for the first time.

Amy Mehta: Thanks for sharing that information with us! Please, tell our readers a little more about yourself. Where did you grow up?

Cindy Cadelo: I was born in Philadelphia, PA. From there we moved to Bay Harbor Island, FL. Before second grade, we moved to Berkley, MI, then to Huntington Woods, MI, then to Farmington, MI where I grew up and graduated from high school.

Amy Mehta: Do you feel the environment you grew up in has had any kind of influence on your general outlook on life?

Cindy Cadelo: I do think where we grow up has to have a great bearing on our outlook in life. I grew up in a rural town for the most part, and have a great love and respect of the land, of animals, and for agriculture. I also think that Midwesterners are some of the most genuine people around; always there when you need them, and are as friendly and helpful to people passing through as they are to their neighbors. Growing up in such an environment made me appreciate a small-town way of life, relish the beauty in the change of seasons, and helped me to develop a penchant for people from all walks of life and social and economic backgrounds. It seemed like everyone had a story to tell and I wanted to become a storyteller, so I tried to soak up details like a sponge, and I think it helped me a great deal.

Amy Mehta: How long have you been writing?

Cindy Cadelo: Even as a child I always loved to write. I learned to read early, so writing early was a natural extension of that, I suppose. I worked at my penmanship and was good at spelling, so anything connected to writing I enjoyed. I wrote stories, poetry, music and lyrics, and much later, wrote a teleplay for a now defunct television series that got canceled before I was able to submit the teleplay to the powers that be! It was a good experience for me to try something new anyway.

Amy Mehta: Was there a specific point in time when you realized you wanted to be a writer?

Cindy Cadelo: Two things to come to mind. When I was in grade school, I volunteered to work in the school supply store that was only open for a short time everyday. I can still smell everything, like brand new Number Two pencils, art gum erasers, fresh pads of crisp, white paper, packages of stencils. Looking back, I think I was obsessed with all those tools and materials; beckoning me, inspiring me. I used to daydream of being locked up in there overnight! Pretty weird, huh? The second thing that happened came during my senior high school English class. I'd written something for a creative writing assignment, and when the teacher handed mine back, she'd written A+ at the top and asked if I'd see her after class. Of course I did, and what she said basically was that she believed I had the talent and the makings of being a writer someday, if I cared to nurture it and work at it, and if I wanted it badly enough. She had no idea of my lifelong dream, and her words have echoed in my mind ever since. In fact, I've dedicated my second novel to her, though she may not even remember me. What's important is how much I wanted to believe what she said, and I'd like her to know that because of those words, I persevered and succeeded. Every teacher should realize the impact they may have on their students; that a little bit of praise can go such a long way, just as negativity can.

Amy Mehta: So you have another book in the works? What genre would it fall into, and when can we expect to see it?

Cindy Cadelo: Yes, I have another novel completed and I'm just going over the final manuscript now. It's also a piece of contemporary fiction, but is more in a psychodrama genre. Of a much darker nature than The Legacy, the next one contains a trial and has a romantic angle as well. My goal as a writer is to write each story quite differently than its predecessor, and hopefully, readers will follow me wherever I take them. If the second book is greeted with enthusiasm, I'd consider writing a sequel if there's any interest in my doing so. I also have a draft for a young adult novel, an outline for a fourth story, and another adult novel is in the works. When can you expect to see the next book? Good question! That depends on the success of The Legacy for one thing; whether or not there's a resounding reception enough to produce the next one. It's a great story, I think, and I'm quite proud of it. Thanks for asking

Amy Mehta: Do you have any techniques that you use to get over that dreaded syndrome known as 'writer's block'? Any tricks you would like to recommend to aspiring writers?

Cindy Cadelo: I've never actually suffered from 'writer's block' yet, but I have imagined the pangs of such a frenzy just by trying to avoid thinking about it! What usually works for me and gets the juices flowing is just a simple exercise where I make up a one-liner about absolutely anything, and then write a paragraph to finish the opening thought. Sometimes the funniest things creep in there and if it sparks an idea, I have an "idea file" where I store them to browse through in the future. You never know if there's a novel waiting to happen the next time you check your ideas.

Amy Mehta: Do you have a specific kind of environment that you write best in? Please describe it for us - do you listen to a certain kind of music, or prefer it to be quiet? And do you write everything in one short block of time, or maybe a few hours a day for as long as it takes you to finish the novel? Also, at what time of the day do you write best?

Cindy Cadelo: I adore music and it definitely inspires me, but I'm one of those people that have to work in silence to be able to completely focus on all my sensations. Music is a terrible distraction for me when I'm working. I'm also at my best late at night, again because the house is quiet. I work every night for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours with my dogs at my feet, and sometimes lose track of time if I'm deeply engrossed. As soon as my permanent office is set up, I might not be seen or heard from for days!

Amy Mehta: By the way, what do you think of the availability of email and information over the Internet?

Cindy Cadelo: It's such an incredible thing to conceive of having your thoughts and ideas transported anywhere in the world in a blink of an eye with the touch of a button. I do use a PC when writing text from start to finish, although I always have pen and paper with me wherever I go in case inspiration strikes. My handwriting isn't what it used to be, so the PC is what I'm accustomed to working.

Amy Mehta: May I ask what genres you prefer in your own leisure reading?

Cindy Cadelo: I'm attracted to thick, juicy novels. I love family sagas, and can never pass up any story that revolves around immigrants emigrating to this country. I also love 'period' pieces.

Amy Mehta: I love those kinds of books. Are you reading anything at the moment that you would like to recommend to our readers?

Cindy Cadelo: Actually, no, I'm not reading anything at the moment. I've found that reading the works of others is a deterrent for my own creativity when I'm in the middle of writing a story. I just get too involved. Somehow, movies don't have the same effect on me, maybe because once I see it before my eyes, I don't strain so hard to turn the story into a movie in my mind the way I do when I'm reading a novel, weird as that sounds.

Amy Mehta: That doesn't sound weird at all. Spoken like a true lover of books! Please name some of your favorite books and authors for us.

Cindy Cadelo: Yeow, that's a tough question. I'm so character-driven! There are so many great contemporary ones, but also so many classics. So I'll have to cheat a little and throw in just a few extra, and even then I'll want to tear my hair out because of all the ones I'm excluding! I have a great respect for John Irving, Fred Mustard Stewart, Mary Stuart, Susan Isaacs, LaVyrle Spencer, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Belva Plain, Alice Walker, Neil Simon, the Brontes, the Ephrons, Dickens, Jane Austen...just too hard! It's like the Chinese water torture test --drip, drip, drip...

Amy Mehta: Those are all great authors. What are some of your favorite books or movies? Are there any characters, in particular, that stick out in your mind as favorites?

Cindy Cadelo: More torture, eh? These answers are so subjective, I hope no one will hate me for leaving out their favorites, but since we just did authors, I'll mention some of my favorite movies. Again, I'm very character-affected and would have to say one of my all-time favorite movies was Out of Africa. Meryl Streep's unforgettable first line was "I had a farm in Africa," which so aptly summed up the highlight of her entire being. As the layers fell away, the Baroness who loved "her things," learned there was a much greater value in the things money couldn't buy. Her aristocratic genes yielded to a much deeper sense of self, proving what she was truly made of: a person of steel determination, willing to sacrifice everything for the great love of her life, setting aside any personal pride to humbly beg for the welfare of the African people left homeless after she lost her land to fire, while winning the respect of all who knew her in the process, though she'd lost everything. Romantic comedy? While You Were Sleeping. An adorable mix of characters, humorous dialogue, great romantic chemistry and a fairy tale ending. Schindler's List, while a recreation of one of history's most unspeakable horrors, focused on the frailty and fallibility of human beings forced into inhuman circumstances. Out of the midst of terror is a silent hero whose conscience and morality places him at risk for his own life in order to save as many lives as he can: a powerful reminder to the world that such evil can not and will never be forgotten. Another masterpiece of a movie was The Color Purple. An absolutely beautifully written story of what the soul can survive once it's known love, despite the emotional and physical abuse it absorbs, love overpowers, endures, and heals. I thought Shawshank Redemption was terrific. Certainly a departure from Stephen King's usual style, it was an inspiring story with a tremendously satisfying ending. And then there was Cider House Rules... another one of my all-time favorites. Then there was a little film called Oscar & Lucinda that I fell in love with. It didn't get a whole lot of attention, but I adored the quirkiness and premise of the story and its 2 main characters. Obviously, I could go on and on, but as long as there's Roger Ebert in the world, I don't think the world will miss my critiques much!

Amy Mehta: OK, now to change the subject completely. This question is even more personal. What CDs are currently in your stereo?

Cindy Cadelo: I usually keep a variety of music on hand. At the moment I have James Taylor, the soundtrack from The Prince of Tides, Rascal Flatts, Michael Feinstein, Frank Sinatra, the soundtrack from Somewhere In Time, a Big Bands oldies assortment, and The SHeDAISY Christmas collection in a stack near the CD player.

Amy Mehta: "The Prince of Tides" was a wonderful movie, one of my all time favorites. Have you seen any movies lately that you would like to recommend to our My Shelf readers?

Cindy Cadelo: The last movie I saw was Ocean's Eleven. I enjoyed it. But I'm really looking forward to seeing A Beautiful Mind and also The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Amy Mehta: How do you feel about books that are turned into movies?

Cindy Cadelo: I welcome the chance to see books that are made into movies. I try not to read the book first, though I know a lot of people do the opposite.

Amy Mehta: OK, imagine that you had to cast the movie version of The Legacy. Who would you choose to play the main characters, and why?

Cindy Cadelo: I can't tell you that I haven't ever thought about this myself because I have, and I think it would make a very poignant, yet entertaining movie. My favorite pick for the role of Jake Murphy would be Edward Burns. I think he'd make a respectable looking hermit and a charming cleaned-up version. The motherly Mrs. Everhart I've envisioned as a great, recognizable actress, like Vanessa Redgrave, Anne Bancroft, Shirley MacLaine, or Jean Simmons. Maggie's not as easy to cast because of her age and vulnerable qualities, but someone along the lines of Natalie Portman or Gwyneth Paltrow or Jenna Elfman. It's really hard to cast the roles of the senior citizens because Jessica Tandy would've been a perfect Blanche, Burgess Meredith would have made a great Lester, and Esther Rolles would have made a great Beatrice, but they're all, sadly, gone. Morgan Freeman would be an outstanding Bernard; James Edward Olmos as Juan and Rita Moreno as Carmen. Mr. Deets doesn't appear for too long, so I'm not sure about him, but maybe Jack Warden. And then there are the Hoffenfeffer identical twin brothers--that would be a casting challenge, I'm sure. It was nice of you to ask me about this though, and it would be fun to hear whom the readers envision in these roles after reading the book! I'd really love to know what reader's think about this after reading The Legacy. May I ask that anyone interested please feel free to let me know what they think? Please contact me at my website: www.angelfire.com/realm2/cindy. Thanks so much!

Amy Mehta: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Cindy Cadelo: At this time, I would like to thank the wonderful people at Myshelf.com for their patience and efforts in making my first experience with both the book's review and this follow-up interview, a memorable and positive experience for me. A special thank you to Amy and Suzie!

I'd also like to tell everyone who so graciously takes time out of their day to read the interview and The Legacy's review, how much it means to me personally.

May you all have joyous and wondrous holidays in peace and safety, and may God continue to bless and protect the greatest country on earth.

Sincerely,
Cindy Cadelo, author of THE LEGACY (and all the good people on Harper Street) :)

The Legacy is a heartwarming tale about a twenty-something orphan's adventures in the Big Apple. Maggie Claydon's earliest memories are of the San Sebastian Children's Home in Florida where she grew up. She leaves the home at the age of 18 to strike out and make her own place in the world. Maggie works for a few years and lives simply until she receives a mysterious letter that convinces her to move to New York City and start a new life.

The introduction to the story is very cleverly done. When we are first introduced to Maggie, she is an old woman tending her garden when she becomes the victim of a sudden heart attack. The story then starts out from the beginning with an event that changes the course of her life forever before she is old enough to even realize what has happened. Later on, through her interactions with the kindly Mrs. Everhart, and Sean, the kind policeman she encounters in New York City, she is able to put her tragic past behind her, and move toward a future she can look forward to.

This book is a story about Maggie's search for family and how she finds one that becomes larger than she could have ever dreamed of. I loved the way the book was old-fashioned in parts, and very contemporary in others. Mrs. Cadelo has done a wonderful job of knitting together two very different writing styles into an entertaining and inspirational story that shows the reader that sometimes through helping others we are able to find the very things that elude us.