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Lisa Welsh
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By Lisa D. Welsh
www.CHEERMaD.com
Lauren, of Indiana University's All Girls Div. 1 2012 National Cheerleading Champions
Who would’ve known, when Janet McLaughlin attended her granddaughter’s cheer competitions years ago, that one day travel comps would provide the background for Get Psyched-the hottest summer read for ‘tweens to come around in a long time?
The book’s main character, 15-year old psychic Zoey Christopher, that’s who.
In a treatment that depicts cheerleading as the sport it is, Mrs. McLaughlin has intertwined two hot topics: Allstar cheerleading and spirituality, which are now developing in the mainstream after steeping for years in their own niche markets.
Author/Grandmother Janet with Sami at 2011 Pop Warner Nationals
“I live in the Sarasota (Florida) area and it’s a really unique place that draws many spiritual people, many gifted people,” Mrs. McLaughlin said during an interview last week from her home that she shares with her husband.
“In 1992 my husband and I started publishing several magazines and I insisted that they have ‘Mind, Body, Spirit’ sections because that’s close to my heart,” she said.
The couple sold the magazines in 2006 after 14-years in the publishing business.
“During that time I had the opportunity to interview two or three really powerful intuitives,” she said. “I found out they all had one thing in common: they were really gifted as children and hid it because they were embarrassed by it. They didn’t want people to know. I thought that was very interesting.”
In the other part of her life, Janet was a grandmother who would travel to the Chicago area to watch granddaughter Lauren cheer; first in pop warner, then Allstars and high school cheer. Lauren is currently a sophomore at Indiana University where she is a member of its College Cheerleading National Champion All Girl Division 1 team.
“I followed Lauren all over the place, I went to Indianapolis, Vegas,” Mrs. McLaughlin said. “The (book) idea just kind of melded the two.”
Lauren's High School Cheer Conference Championships
“I love, love, love, love, everything about cheer competitions, the atmosphere, the energy,” she explained. “And I love, love, love, love, love the idea of spiritualism and intuitives. Why not put the two together?”
Written for the ‘tween market of nine-to-12-year-olds who (as a mother of a ten-year old I can attest) are more savvy than earlier generations but not as mature as they might think they are, Get Psyched is a book that Mrs. McLaughlin says she is proud to have her own ‘tween-age granddaughters read.
Sami loves to cheer! Reading? Not so much.
“One of my granddaughters hates to read but had to read a book before she went back to school (last year),” she said. “She had waited until the last-minute so I gave her the Get Psyched manuscript. She said she couldn’t put it down and brought it to breakfast, to dinner, because it was entertaining.”
In preparation of this interview, I also read Get Psyched. As they say “I couldn’t put it down.” As a longtime attendee of cheer comps, I found it to be a great tribute to the Allstar life but its quick pace will appeal to non-cheerleaders too. As a mother I was quick to have Rachel read it (she’s not a reader either but with the busy summer she’s having, has managed to read 30 percent of the book). According to the press release:
“This is written from the heart, it’s Janet’s passion,” said Heather Portnoy, one of the book’s publishers at Bookworm, as well as publisher of Recreational Cheerleading Magazine and Cheer Coach Magazine.
Janet's inspirations: Granddaughters Lauren and Sami
“Janet didn’t write this book with dollar signs in her eyes,” Mrs. Portnoy continued. “She has a passion for cheerleading, her family, the possibilities of the supernatural and a passion for wanting to write and put them all together and get that conversation started.
“This was a perfect book for us because our passion is to get kids to want to read books, to really enjoy reading,” she said.
Creating a reading experience that keeps the ‘tween audience coming back for more (the second book in the series is foreshadowed in a dream Zoey has at the end of Get Psyched) is a goal for both publisher and author. With its universal message, the book should appeal to both cheerleader and non-cheerleader readers.
“I want them to be entertained and as a result of that will also get the message that it’s ok to be different,” Mrs. McLaughlin said. “There are people out there who will accept you. Maybe not everybody, but you only really need one good friend.
“And then maybe, surprise, surprise, there will be more than one person who will like you for who you are,” she continued. “But mostly, I hope they just enjoy reading it. If you can’t get them to pick up the book, then you can’t get your message across anyway.”
Get Psyched can be found now on Amazon.com: Get Psyched
By Lisa D. Welsh
www.CHEERMaD.com
Lauren, of Indiana University's All Girls Div. 1 2012 National Cheerleading Champions
Who would’ve known, when Janet McLaughlin attended her granddaughter’s cheer competitions years ago, that one day travel comps would provide the background for Get Psyched-the hottest summer read for ‘tweens to come around in a long time?
The book’s main character, 15-year old psychic Zoey Christopher, that’s who.
In a treatment that depicts cheerleading as the sport it is, Mrs. McLaughlin has intertwined two hot topics: Allstar cheerleading and spirituality, which are now developing in the mainstream after steeping for years in their own niche markets.
Author/Grandmother Janet with Sami at 2011 Pop Warner Nationals
“I live in the Sarasota (Florida) area and it’s a really unique place that draws many spiritual people, many gifted people,” Mrs. McLaughlin said during an interview last week from her home that she shares with her husband.
“In 1992 my husband and I started publishing several magazines and I insisted that they have ‘Mind, Body, Spirit’ sections because that’s close to my heart,” she said.
The couple sold the magazines in 2006 after 14-years in the publishing business.
“During that time I had the opportunity to interview two or three really powerful intuitives,” she said. “I found out they all had one thing in common: they were really gifted as children and hid it because they were embarrassed by it. They didn’t want people to know. I thought that was very interesting.”
In the other part of her life, Janet was a grandmother who would travel to the Chicago area to watch granddaughter Lauren cheer; first in pop warner, then Allstars and high school cheer. Lauren is currently a sophomore at Indiana University where she is a member of its College Cheerleading National Champion All Girl Division 1 team.
“I followed Lauren all over the place, I went to Indianapolis, Vegas,” Mrs. McLaughlin said. “The (book) idea just kind of melded the two.”
Lauren's High School Cheer Conference Championships
“I love, love, love, love, everything about cheer competitions, the atmosphere, the energy,” she explained. “And I love, love, love, love, love the idea of spiritualism and intuitives. Why not put the two together?”
Written for the ‘tween market of nine-to-12-year-olds who (as a mother of a ten-year old I can attest) are more savvy than earlier generations but not as mature as they might think they are, Get Psyched is a book that Mrs. McLaughlin says she is proud to have her own ‘tween-age granddaughters read.
Sami loves to cheer! Reading? Not so much.
“One of my granddaughters hates to read but had to read a book before she went back to school (last year),” she said. “She had waited until the last-minute so I gave her the Get Psyched manuscript. She said she couldn’t put it down and brought it to breakfast, to dinner, because it was entertaining.”
In preparation of this interview, I also read Get Psyched. As they say “I couldn’t put it down.” As a longtime attendee of cheer comps, I found it to be a great tribute to the Allstar life but its quick pace will appeal to non-cheerleaders too. As a mother I was quick to have Rachel read it (she’s not a reader either but with the busy summer she’s having, has managed to read 30 percent of the book). According to the press release:
The story unfolds with trouble brewing at a national cheerleading competition. The problem is, a crime hasn’t been committed—yet. But Zoey Christopher has a premonition, a vision, a psychic sensation that frightens her. Fortunately, her new friend Becca is fearless, and good at keeping secrets. But Becca could also be in danger.
There’s more at stake at this year’s two-day National Cheerleading Competition than taking first place. Lives will be changed and possibly even lost if 15-year-old Zoey Christopher doesn’t take action.
She knows she’ll need help, but who to trust is the problem. No one knows about Zoey’s gift and she wants to keep it that way. Being fifteen is tough enough. Being fifteen and psychic—as Zoey would tell you if she trusted you—really sucks.
At practice the night before the competition, Zoey gets a vision about a fellow cheerleader whose life is in danger. Later, she gets more sensory hints: a cheerleader surrounded by smoke and a panicking crowd; a vendor covered in ashes.
To further complicate her life, she meets Josh, whose very touch sends her sensory system into overload. Circumstances force Zoey to tell Josh, and her friends Becca and Mike, about her visions. The foursome band together to stop the fire that threatens to destroy the hotel/convention center and the lives of so many of her fellow cheerleaders.
Get Psyched is not only the first book written by Mrs. McLaughlin but it is also the first in a new series launched by Bookworm Publishing.There’s more at stake at this year’s two-day National Cheerleading Competition than taking first place. Lives will be changed and possibly even lost if 15-year-old Zoey Christopher doesn’t take action.
She knows she’ll need help, but who to trust is the problem. No one knows about Zoey’s gift and she wants to keep it that way. Being fifteen is tough enough. Being fifteen and psychic—as Zoey would tell you if she trusted you—really sucks.
At practice the night before the competition, Zoey gets a vision about a fellow cheerleader whose life is in danger. Later, she gets more sensory hints: a cheerleader surrounded by smoke and a panicking crowd; a vendor covered in ashes.
To further complicate her life, she meets Josh, whose very touch sends her sensory system into overload. Circumstances force Zoey to tell Josh, and her friends Becca and Mike, about her visions. The foursome band together to stop the fire that threatens to destroy the hotel/convention center and the lives of so many of her fellow cheerleaders.
“This is written from the heart, it’s Janet’s passion,” said Heather Portnoy, one of the book’s publishers at Bookworm, as well as publisher of Recreational Cheerleading Magazine and Cheer Coach Magazine.
Janet's inspirations: Granddaughters Lauren and Sami
“Janet didn’t write this book with dollar signs in her eyes,” Mrs. Portnoy continued. “She has a passion for cheerleading, her family, the possibilities of the supernatural and a passion for wanting to write and put them all together and get that conversation started.
“This was a perfect book for us because our passion is to get kids to want to read books, to really enjoy reading,” she said.
Creating a reading experience that keeps the ‘tween audience coming back for more (the second book in the series is foreshadowed in a dream Zoey has at the end of Get Psyched) is a goal for both publisher and author. With its universal message, the book should appeal to both cheerleader and non-cheerleader readers.
“I want them to be entertained and as a result of that will also get the message that it’s ok to be different,” Mrs. McLaughlin said. “There are people out there who will accept you. Maybe not everybody, but you only really need one good friend.
“And then maybe, surprise, surprise, there will be more than one person who will like you for who you are,” she continued. “But mostly, I hope they just enjoy reading it. If you can’t get them to pick up the book, then you can’t get your message across anyway.”
Get Psyched can be found now on Amazon.com: Get Psyched
