The story was called "Shop in the Name of Love," which became the title of her second novel. Gregory wore leopard-patterned clothes on the assignment -- a personal taste that would become a trademark for the Cheetah Girls.
Her life changed when she got a call in 1998 from Hyperion Books, owned by Disney. The publisher wanted to sign up books aimed at urban children. Did Gregory have any ideas? As a foster child, she was often lonely, yearning for companionship, and the notion of a bunch of girls who stick together as pals and chase their dreams was born.
"This is the core of who I am," she said, describing the birth of her imaginary group of African American and Latino girls. "I'm someone who grew up in foster care with nothing. I have no family to this day. And what the Cheetah Girls represents to me and others is a chance to get out of the ghetto. It's a chance to transcend your background through sheer talent."
Hyperion gave her a $40,000 advance for the first four novels, and Gregory's first installment, "Wishing on a Star," appeared in 1998. Hollywood came calling before it was even published. Independent producer Cheryl Hill had gotten wind of the project and instantly saw its potential.
"The material was incredible, it was just jumping off the page," said Hill, who brought the project to BrownHouse Productions, a company that included pop singer Whitney Houston and producer Debra Chase. After the Disney Channel expressed interest in producing it, the wheels began turning. "You could see the possibilities," said Hill, who is one of the producers on the films. "I'm always looking for the next Davy Crockett phenomenon, with the jackets and merchandising." Speaking of Disney, she said, "I'm sure they saw it too."
Like many authors, Gregory was star-struck by the Hollywood attention. Flanked by her entertainment attorney, Lita Richardson, she signed a 2001 contract giving Disney approval to make a movie or TV series based on the books, as well as additional projects such as DVDs, CDs and other merchandising. In return she would get 4% of the net profits.
"I think authors are blindsided by this," said Susie Norris-Epstein, a former Disney development vice president who played a key role in helping the company acquire the Cheetah Girls. "They're impressed by the Disney machine, which is very good at marketing, and what they think it might mean for them. But it doesn't mean they'll be participants in this."
