Virtual Book Tour: The Golden Pathway

I am pleased to invite you to join me on my 5-day Working Writer's Club Virtual Book Tour: March 19-23, 2012.

Each day will cover a different topic of my children's author career, writing and educator guide tips. For the 5-day virtual book tour, visitors will have the opportunity to enter at a chance to win a $25 PayPal payment.

The schedule:
Monday, March 19 - Host: Irene Roth - www.rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com

Tuesday, March 20 - Host: Mayra Calvani - http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com/2012/03/writers-life-with-childrens-author_20.html

Wednesday, March 21 - Host: Suzanne Lieurance - www.suzannelieurance.com

Thursday, March 22 - Host: Faye Levow - www.launchpadpublishing.com/apps/blog

Friday, March 23 - Host: Billie Williams - http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Wishing you inspiration!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

CookieCoo Dancing Star – Entertaining Educational App for Young Children

CookieCoo Dancing Star – Entertaining Educational App for Young Children

by Peter Song

CookieCoo Dancing Star is one type of apps children that is making quite a lot of noise over the Internet. For parents who are looking for fun kids apps that their kids can play with, this one is certainly included in their list. You might think that iPad apps for kids are merely for entertainment purpose only. However, when you get to come across CookieCoo Dancing Star, you will find that it is more than just for entertaining really young kids but it is also designed to teach them basic skills such as seeing, listening and touching through the simplest training method which is stimulating their eyes and ears with visually attractive characters and cheerful children's songs. 

Kids apps for iPad like CookieCoo Dancing Star are packed with colorful 3D characters that are guaranteed to tickle your child's imagination. The sing-along type of interface that can be viewed on the iPad's screen can help teach your kids how to sing to the tune and also boost their vocabulary levels. Your kids won't have a hard time dancing to the beat of the children's songs which helps them to become more confident in the way they move. As you can see, there is a reason why CookieCoo Dancing Star is included in the list of best kids apps for iPad.

You might be looking for free childrens apps to install in your iPad but if you are after something with more substance paying $0.99 won't be too hard on your wallet especially when it is a game such as CookieCoo Dancing Star. This type of childrens apps contains more than just entertaining characters but also different levels of rhythm training that can help your kid become more confident with the way they move each day. Good apps for kids like CookieCoo Dancing Star should definitely be in any parents collection of kids educational apps today.

With top apps for children like CookieCoo Dancing Star teaching your kids how to use their senses in a more amusing and fun way, they will probably be asking for more songs to listen, sing and dance to after finishing the all of the levels of the game. It is high time that you make use of the top educational apps for kids in training your children regardless of how young they are. For sure, with the benefits attached to CookieCoo Dancing Star, you and your kids will be having tons of fun and laughter while studying.  

iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cookiecoo-dancing-star/id489072048?mt=8

iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cookiecoo-dancingstar-hd/id495611023?mt=8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

Virtual Book Tour - Nancy I. Sanders - Comment and enter at a chance to win a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Hop on over and join the Virtual Book Tour of author Nancy I. Sanders at her blog at www.nancyisanders.wordpress.com. Join in on her contest to see if you can win a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

7 Ways to Encourage Reluctant Readers by Guest Blogger Steve Reifman

"7 Ways to Encourage Reluctant Readers"

by Steve Reifman

Reading is a tremendously appealing, satisfying activity, and children will become hooked once the adults in their lives consistently build it into their daily schedules. The key is getting children started. The following seven strategies will help even the most reluctant reader become more enthusiastic about the endeavor. By employing the strategies described below, reading will become something that students do willingly, even eagerly, and the adults in their lives will not have to resort to trickery, bribery, manipulation, or any other tactic that will, at best, lead to temporary compliance. After all, we’re striving to make reading a joyous lifelong habit.

Start with the child’s passions.  Children will be more excited about reading when they can choose books or magazines related to their interests. This suggestion is far and away the most powerful one when it comes to encouraging those who are reluctant to read. When kids own the choice of what they will read, motivation increases significantly.

Make reading a social experience.  Children who don’t enjoy reading alone often enjoy reading with somebody else.  Children can read with their parents, siblings, other relatives, and friends.  Some children even start mini-book clubs and discuss books related to their common interests.  Asking children to read to their younger siblings and cousins can powerfully impact their own motivation to read.

Read aloud to children.  Many parents regularly read aloud to their children when they are very young, yet stop this activity as the kids get older.  Parents should read aloud to children throughout the elementary grades.  Doing so makes reading more enjoyable, improves listening skills, builds comprehension, lengthens attention spans, and grows the imagination.

Take advantage of new technology.  Children who may not find books interesting may enjoy reading the same texts on smart phones, computers, and electronic readers, such as the iPad or Kindle.  Technology makes everything seem cooler and more engaging to children, and we should capitalize on this fact when it comes to reading.

Be a role model to children.  When children see their parents reading frequently, discussing what they have read, and carrying books around, they will value reading to a greater extent.  The power of modeling cannot be underestimated. 

Camouflage reading.  Parents can increase the amount of time their children spend reading by subtly building the activity into other, seemingly unrelated activities.  Examples include reading menus at restaurants, reading the directions to board games, and looking at various websites together. Children who may not yet enjoy reading for its own sake may enjoy it tremendously when it’s incorporated into other engaging pastimes. 

Be sure children read books that are appropriately challenging.  Many times kids don’t want to read simply because the books they encounter are too difficult.  This seemingly obvious point is frequently forgotten. None of us want to encounter frustration, and we will go to great lengths to avoid experiences that make us feel this way. Appropriately challenging books are those in which students can fluently read approximately 95% of the words. Encountering a small number of difficult words can help children grow in their reading skills, but encountering too many of these words can interfere with fluency and lead to discouragement.  

Commit to trying one or more these ideas to help your child become a more enthusiastic reader. Teaching the whole child means that we focus on developing children’s academic skills, but just as important, we focus on children’s attitudes about these skills. We want to raise children who read well and read because they want to do it, not because they have to do it.

Bio: Steve Reifman is a National Board Certified elementary school teacher, author, and speaker in Santa Monica, CA. He has written several books for educators and parents, including Changing Kids’ Lives One Quote at a Time and Eight Essentials for Empowered Teaching and Learning, K-8. Steve is also the creator of the Chase Manning Mystery Series for kids 8-12. Each book in the series features a single-day, real-time thriller that occurs on an elementary school campus. For weekly Teaching Tips, blog posts, and other valuable resources and strategies on teaching the whole child, visit http://stevereifman.com. You can follow Steve on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/stevereifman.

Steve, it's a pleasure to host you today as my guest blogger. Wishing you all the best!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

Guest Blogger: Rose King of BestOnlineColleges.com

"9 Coolest Literary Siblings" by Rose King

Emotions run high between siblings, be they brothers, sisters, and/or brothers and sisters. It really doesn't matter how old or what gender you are, being in the same room with a person who not only looks like you but also looks like one or both of your parents can inspire equal feelings of love and revulsion. "Mom always liked you best!" is a familiar familial complaint in spite of the fact that "Mom" loves each one of her kids equally and only wants you to stop dumping oatmeal on your sister's head. Great writers throughout the ages have had a field day with the sibling dynamic. And there are so many variations on this theme it's almost hard to know where to begin.

To read the remainder of the King's article visit:
http://www.bestonlinecolleges.com/blog/2012/9-coolest-literary-siblings/

About Rose King: Ms. King is a freelance writer and blogger for www.BestOnlineColleges.com and writes about health, education, family and relationships.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

Blogelina Epic Post: Finding Your Own True Voice

I'm thrilled to take part in the Blogelina Epic Post celebration today, March 1st. Thank you for stopping by, reading my latest post, and commenting if you so desire.

Please leave your blog address so I can follow and comment you back.

Thank you!

"Finding Your Own True Voice"

by Donna McDine

Freelance writers need to study their craft through reading books in the genre they wish to write, attend writers workshops, and participate in critique groups. While all three are important in developing your writing skills, when should you step away and write for pure joy to let your own unique voice shine through?

Yes, the basics are imperative but if we allow ourselves to be constrained by the rules and try to replicate the successful authors before us, we will surely not succeed and become stifled. Let your creativity flow and you will most likely surprise yourself with a unique story to share.

For those who think they are not a writer, think again. No matter what occupation you hold our writing skills are put to the test on a daily basis. From the basic business letter, correspondence to our child's teacher, email, blog postings (such as the inspiring Blogelina Epic Post) to countless other ways, we have opportunities galore to let our voice/words shine through.

For many years I worked in Corporate America and correspondence needed to remain strictly professoinal, with no voice of personal opinion. With the ever changing technology at the forefront, especially blogging, it provides us all the opportunity to write and speak from the heart on matters important to us as individuals.

What do you do on a daily basis to let your own True Voice be heard?

Looking forward to an exhilirating exchange of ideas.

All the best!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm  ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

Black Cow by Magdalena Ball

I'm honored to participate in Magdalena Ball's virtual book tour of Black Cow and to share with you a splendid review by Jan Mitchell.

"The Archer family lives The success lie. Black Cow is a brilliant expose of the life behind corporate success. James has to force himself to become the ‘iceman’ to function as the CEO of the company; Freya, his wife, leaves behind her scientific career to become a real estate agent to people with lives as shallow as her own has become; their children possess every gadget young teens could want, except quality time with their parents. In their attempt to rescue themselves before the family disintegrates totally, the members of the Archer family move from the affluent Eastern suburbs of Sydney to rural Tasmania, where they learn many hard lessons about life and how to be a family." Jan Mitchell, Fellowship of Australian Writers

Enjoy the reading clip...

Learn more about Magdalena Ball... 

Magdalena Ball is the author of the newly released novel Black Cow. Grab a free mini e-book brochure here: http://www.bewritebooks.com/mb/BlackCow/BlackCow.html

Or visit http://www.magdalenaball.com to find out more about all of Magdalena’s books.

Thank you for taking the time out to visit with Ms. Ball today. Please feel free to leave your comments and/or questions so she can interact with you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval Recipient and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist