Ghost in Madonna's Machine?

by Shannon Maughan, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 7/11/2005

Madonna has always acknowledged that the "inspiration" for her series of message-centric picture books from Callaway/Penguin comes from her Kabbalah studies and teacher. But is the Kabbalah Center providing more than a creative spark?

According to a Page Six item in today's New York Post: "All of Madonna's books are written by the Kabbalah Center's official ghostwriter, Eitan Yardeni. Eitan also writes all of Yehuda and Phillip Berg's books and the Kabbalah Books for the Center. Last summer, he flew to London to help Madonna write the last book, but she didn't really do anything."

A representative from Callaway Arts & Entertainment, Madonna's publisher, called the story "completely untrue," and noted that the "item mentioned working on the books last summer, when we have had all the manuscripts for Madonna's first five books for well over two years now."

Last fall Madonna spoke to PW and noted only that a Kabbalah mentor "suggested to me, why don't you write children's books and share the wisdom that you've gained as an adult." But she described having the idea for The English Roses herself and added that she "developed the story around" that idea.