Monday, January 31, 2011

VBT - Writers on the Moves February 2011 Tour Schedule

WE’RE BACK! After a nice long two month hiatus we’re ready for action in 2011.

As always, we have a great tour planned with writers and authors who collectively, have tons of writing and marketing experience and information to share.

We’ll be trying to provide more value packed informational content so you can not only learn about the authors books and services, but also pick up tips and advice on writing, ghostwriting, marketing, and more.
So, look over the schedule below. Each day in February a different author and information will be presented. Just follow the schedule and click on the corresponding day.
We really appreciate your comments and following.

Writers on the Move’s February 2011 Tour Schedule

1st Debra Eckerling http://writeononline.com/2011/02/01/author-qa-jennifer-gladen/ is featuring Jennifer Gladden

2nd Kathy Stemke http://educationtipster.blogspot.com is featuring Jenny Turner

3rd Nancy Famolari http://nancygfamolari.blogspot.com is featuring Jennifer Wylie

4th Margaret Fieland http://www.margaretfieland.com is featuring Nancy Famolari

5th Carolyn Howard-Johnson http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com is featuring Mayra Calvani

6th Heather Paye http://heatherpaye.blogspot.com is featuring Virginia Grenier

7th Marvin Wilson http://theoldsilly.com is featuring Mari Taylor

8th Stephen Tremp http://stephentremp.blogspot.com/  is featuring Carolyn Howard-Johnson

9th Darcia Helle http://quietfurybooks.com/blog/ is featuring Margaret Fieland

10th Martha Swirzinski http://wholechildpublishing.blogspot.com is featuring Kathy Stemke

11th Heidi Thomas http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com is featuring Karen Cioffi

12th Dallas Woodburn http://dallaswoodburn.blogspot.com is featuring Maggie Ball

13th Karen Cioffi http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com is featuring Stephen Tremp

14th Maggie Ball http://magdalenaball.blogspot.com is featuring Donna McDine

15th Virginia Grenier http://thewritingmama.blogspot.com is featuring Shelby Patrick

16th Kevin McNamee http://kevinmcnameechildrensauthor.blogspot.com is featuring Darcia Helle

17th Elysabeth Eldering http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com is featuring Dallas Woodburn

18th Marietta Taylor http://marismorningroom.blogspot.com is featuring Heidi Thomas

19th Robert Medak http://rjmbookreviews.blogspot.com is featuring Debra Eckerling

20th Donna McDine http://thegoldenpathway.blogspot.com is featuring Heather Paye

21st Shelby Patrick http://writershotspot.blogspot.com is featuring Robert Medak

22nd Mayra Calvani http://www.thedarkphanptom.wordpress.com is featuring Martha Swirzinski

23rd Jennifer Gladen http://jgladen.blogspot.com is featuring Elysabeth Eldering

24th Jenny Turner http://jr-turner.blogspot.com is featuring Marvin Wilson

25th Jennifer Wylie http://jlwylie.wordpress.com is featuring Kevin McNamee

Please follow along and be sure to leave comments!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Life as a Writer is a Hectic One ~ Focusing Your Writing Goals

As you all know the life of a writer is a hectic one. Between working on our writing and marketing ourselves and our books or freelance writing services it is all quite time consuming and exhausting at times.

I recently took time out to re-evaluate my writing goals and for one I’m glad I did. But I needed the good old Morning Nudge to get me going. Under the expert guidance of Suzanne Lieurance of the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club we were encouraged to complete the January 2011 assignment which entailed exploring our 3 Major Goals for 2011 and what we would do to achieve said goals, and then break down each of the 3 Major Goals onto calendar pages for the first quarter of 2011.

By doing so, it forced me to take my ever growing To Do list (I know you have the same long list that just keeps getting longer and longer and more and more daunting) and break it down to manageable tasks instead of feeling like I had to tackle each and every task every day (Hey, pick yourself up off the floor…I can hear you laughing…one can dream can’t they?).


This has provided me with more focus and direction as to where I want to go in 2011 and I’m sticking to it like glue. I’m determined to make 2011 my best year yet!

How about you? What are you doing to achieve your goals in 2011?

I look forward to hearing from you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Friday, January 28, 2011

Carolyn Howard-Johnson Conducts Seminar at Free Online Conference

M E D I A  R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Karina Fabian Phone: (805) 285-0108, karina@fabianspace.com

Ann Margaret Lewis Phone: (317) 755-2693 annlewis@joesystems.com
For Immediate Release
Carolyn Howard-Johnson Conducts Seminar at Free Online Conference
World Wide Web--Writers, editors, agents, and other publishing professionals from around the world are gearing up for the free fourth annual Catholic Writers’ Conference Online, featuring veteran presenters like Carolyn Howard-Johnson, multi-award winning novelist, poet and book marketer.
The online conference will run from March 21 to 27, 2011 and is sponsored by the Catholic Writer’s Guild. It is free and open to writers of all levels who register before March 1. Writers needn’t be Catholic. It is conducted in an online forum at http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/.
Workshops and live online chats cover the gamut of writing topics from idea generation to marketing a published novel; traditional and self-publishing, article writing and fiction, and much more. In addition, prominent Catholic publishers will hear pitches, giving authors an unprecedented opportunity to chat personally regardless of their ability to travel.
The Catholic conferences draw hundreds of participants and more than scores of editors and writing professionals. Conference organizer Karina Fabian says, "Even in good economic times, it's hard for writers to attend live conferences, but this year, we think it's even more important to help careers by utilizing an online format. We're so grateful that our presenters are willing to share their time and talent."
Previously publishers considering pitches have included well known Catholic and secular publishers like Pauline, large Christian publishers like Thomas Nelson, and smaller presses like White Rose. This year, Fabian hopes to add some agents as well.
The conference features presenters from all aspects of the publishing world. Howard-Johnson is the author of the multi award-winning series of HowToDoItFrugally books for writers including The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won't (www.budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (www.budurl.com/TheFrugalEditor). She is also an instructor for UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

Carolyn will present on How writers (including fiction writers) can make Twitter work for them. Twitter can drive traffic to blogs, Web sites and other social networks. She says, “Twitter can even sell books!”
Although the conference is offered at no charge, donations are accepted; proceeds go toward future conferences. To register or for more information, go to http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/.

# # #
Graphics, interviews and further information available upon request.






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Book Publicist Charlie Barrett to give away Kindle at Facebook Party TONIGHT

Charlie BarrettHollywood, CA - - Award winning national book publicist Charlie Barrett (http://www.thebarrettco.com/) will guest in a “Face Book Party” hosted by the leading book promo Internet firm Pump Up Your Book on Thursday, January 27th, 9-11pm EST. A free Kindle ($189 value!) will be given away during the session. Those interested can log on to http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=494281102448 to participate in this Net event and have a real time chat with Mr. Barrett, who heads The Barrett Company based in the nation’s creative center, Hollywood.

During the two-hour session Thursday evening with Pump Up Your Book, Mr. Barrett will take questions from those participating such as how to get your book marketed in the evolving publishing marketplace, how authors can get booked on top market radio and TV shows and overall tips on creating a best seller book by using creative publicity techniques.

Mr. Barrett was voted Book Publicist of the Year by the Southern California Book Pub Society and is a member of the Publishers Association of Los Angeles. His book publicist credits range from Carla Malden’s upcoming book Afterimage to Ben Berkley’s Before You say I Do Again to many, many others in the non-fiction and fiction genres. The Barrett Company also represents personalities and companies involved in both film and television production. Earlier Mr. Barrett served with NBC as the publicist for Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. His new website may be accessed via http://www.thebarrettco.com/
* * * * *

WE'RE HAVING A FACEBOOK PARTY!

WIN A FREE KINDLE ($189 VALUE)!!!!

Full details at http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=494281102448!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Voice in the Dark Ezine

Mayra Calvani and Anne K. Edwards are excited to announce the launch of Voice in the Dark http://voice-in-the-dark.com/. Voice is by no means new, as it has been around for about three years as a monthly newsletter sent to subscribers via email, but this is its new home. Voice kept getting longer and longer with each issue, so Mayra and Anne decided it was time for it to have its own URL. They hope you'll enjoy the new look and features. Additionally, it will be published bimonthly from now on.

Visit today for featured author interviews, reviews, articles, columns and resources for writers. They also welcome articles, reviews, guest columns, etc.

 
The current issue http://voice-in-the-dark.com/:

 
Interviews:
  • Interview with Children's Author Donna McDine, author of The Golden Pathway
  • Interview with Judith Graves, author of Under My Skin
Articles:
  • "FTC Regulations and What They Mean to You--the Reviewer," by Mayra Calvani
  • "Secrets for Your Success: Goal Setting Tips for Writers," by Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach

Columns: 

  • The Writer's Corner, by Anne K. Edwards
  • The Writing Life, by Irene Roth
  • Whodunit, by Billie Williams
  • Seedlings, Aaron Lazar

Short Fiction:
  • "It Happened in Kansas," by Anne K. Edwards
  • "A Ming and a Prayer," by Lad Moore

Book Reviews: 
  • Shattered, by Kathi Baron
  • The Golden Pathway, by Donna McDine
  • Eat the Cookies, Buy the Shoes, by Joyce Meyer
Subscriber information can be found in the right hand column of the home page.

Thank you for your time and interest.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Monday, January 24, 2011

Meet Me at the Corner with Donna Guthrie


I am estactic to present Donna W. Guthrie, Founder of MEET ME AT THE CORNER http://www.meetatthecorner.org/ Virtual Field Trips for Kids. Ms. Guthrie is a children's author and has an MFA from Vermont College in Children's and Young Adult Writing.

MEET ME AT THE CORNER, Virtual Field Trips for Kids takes you to meet fascinating people from all over the world. New educational, kid-friendly episodes are uploaded every two weeks. Included are links to fun websites and our Learning Corner with follow-up questions.

This site offers free originally produced videos for children ages 5-13, with an emphasis on the middle grade reader. These three minute video podcasts come with a list of recommended books, links to sites about the subject and a Learning Corner of questions and activities.


To date Ms. Guthrie has produced over 115 of these shows. Their young MMATAC corespondents have conducted interviews with musicians, beekeepers, cowboys, zoo keepers and many writers. Visit http://meetmeatthecorner.org/videos/category/Meet_the_Author and you will see our list of writers. Each show shares a bit of history about the subject and then an interview by a child.

Currently there is an interview with award winning children's author Carolyn Marsden who talks about collaboration and how she writes with other people. During Black History Month, Ms. Guthrie will present an interview with a gentleman who was a Tuskegee AIrman. He is 93 and has a wonderful story to tell (all in 4 minutes). The site has a lot to offer for both children and adults and can be used in the classroom or by homeschool families. Ms. Guthrie and her staff are always looking for other writers and illustrators to interview. The site is funded by sponsorship and ads.

Take the time out today to visit Meet Me at the Corner http://meetmeatthecorner.org/videos/category/Meet_the_Author website and be prepared to stay for a spell, the wealth of information is outstanding!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Saturday, January 22, 2011

A Writer's Ponderings from Author Ardys Reverman

I'm so happy to be here for the second day of the 6-day virtual tour for my books, heart2heart and Turning Points.

One of the things I love most about the writer's life is that I can write most anywhere, most anytime. Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night and write for an hour or two, then I'll take a nap in the middle of the day. I also like to go to coffee shops and bookstores once in a while and do some writing there. And I like to go to the library to do some of the research for my books. Sometimes, I even travel to interesting spots to research my books.



I also make school visits to talk to students and teachers about my books. That's always a lot of fun. I think the writer's life is the best life in the world and I'm so lucky to be able to do exactly what I love to do!


To find out more about my books, visit my website at http://www.synergypals.com/. Also, don't forget to visit the National Writing for Children http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/, where my books are showcased all this month. You can listen to my recent interview on Book Bites for Kids http://www.bookbitesforkids.com/ there, plus watch a video (just check the right sidebar of the homepage) to learn more about the work I do.


Follow Day 3 of my tour tomorrow at http://www.melangeofcultures.wordpress.com/. Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle - filled with books and other goodies - at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Friday, January 21, 2011

The Writer's Life with Dr. Laurie Zelinger

Welcome to Day 2 of the 6-day virtual tour for my new book Please Explain "Anxiety" to Me!

This book was a joint effort between my son, Jordan, and me. Jordan is a doctoral student in psychology and used his interest in neurobiology to write the pages about the sympathetic nervous system. This is his first publication and he fell into it at my request as he too, loves to work with kids. But Jordan is more of a student than an author at this point in his career, and can only accept opportunities that fit within his demanding class schedule. This venture was a diversion from the scientific papers he will be expected to write in the coming years.




As for me, I suppose I am a psychologist first, as the first seven hours of my day are spent in an elementary school and the next four or five are spent in private practice. Besides, I’ve never taken a formal course in writing books and I find it ironic that I hated to read as a child. Now as an adult, I wear many hats but throughout the day my mind often wanders to my writing, especially when I hear someone utter a cluster of words that pique my auditory attention. Yet I don’t actually sit down at my computer to record my thoughts until late at night or weekends when my real jobs have been put aside. My most productive moments are during school vacations, when I can devote the time I need to creating and writing with less interruption. I tend to need many hours at a stretch to work, so that I can warm up, read and re-read what I already have and then make changes. I have always been a slow reader and I savor words in an OCD kind of way, so that I am constantly tweaking until I’m satisfied with the product. My best sessions are those that begin early in the morning with a cup of coffee and a slew of vitamins and continue for eight or ten hours. I sit at the computer in my pajamas so that I am not derailed by errands that suddenly appear extremely attractive, whenever I hit a wall. If the words don’t flow, I get up and make a dent in the hand laundry that has been piling up, log on to my email for the 100th time that day, eavesdrop on any conversations I can be privy to, or complain to my husband about whatever I can think of. Then I sit down and try to write again. Since writing is more of a hobby for me than a vocation, I am always trying to squeeze out more time in a day to indulge. Truth be told, and please don’t repeat this, I’ve spent more hours than I care to admit fantasizing what would happen if the whole world unanimously agreed to add a 25th hour to the day...


Find out more about me and my book at the National Writing for Children Center http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/, where the book is showcased all this month.


Follow Day 3 of our tour tomorrow at http://www.melangeofcultures.wordpress.com/. Leave a comment every day of the tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle - filled with books and other goodies - at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The Writer's Life with Author Jewel Kats

Welcome to Day 2 of the virtual tour for my new book Reena's Bollywood Dream.

Many people are interested in the way writers write, so let me tell you how I do it. Coffee fuels my creativity. Seriously. If I’m writing there is always, always, always a coffee cup nearby. Even if I’m not sipping on it, just its aroma soothes my soul. Who says all security blankets look alike?


As for my writing habits, my brain goes into overdrive in Starbucks. Don’t be mistaken. This is a good thing! I don’t know if it’s the background music, chaotic customers, or the sound of a ringing cash register, but I seem to work best there. And, no, for the record I have not been paid to say that. It just happens to be the truth. During the course of writing a work, I tend to spend about fifteen hours at my favorite Starbucks location. During the summer, you’ll find me on their quaint patio and during the winter you’ll find me soaking up the afternoon sun through their large windows. The best part is, I’m such a regular that the staff even knows my order! Yes, just like the television show, “Cheers.”

Sometimes, you’ll catch me writing at home. Like now! Case in point: My 5’5” legs are crossed and a laptop rests in my lap. I’m lounging back into my black leather sofa, and my shih tzu, Miss Dolly, snoozes softly by my side. The writing ideas don’t come as quick, but they arrive nonetheless. Which in an author’s world they’re always welcome guests!

You may be interested to know that my appearance bares all the other eccentricities of a stereotypical writer, too. You’ll often catch me in funky glasses. Imagine: Pink and red. I’ve got a collection of hippy-esque ethnic style bags. I tend to dress more or less to my artistic fancy; rather than a designer’s eye. In my case, bad Hollywood movies even portray me “the writer” dead on. LOL.

When it comes to the actual nitty-gritty of writing, I don’t write by the seat of my pants. I plot, plot, and p-l-o-t. I know every scene before it happens. That way, I can incorporate unexpected turns and foreshadow in just the right places. At the beginning of a work, I pull out a sketch pad and write down the main character’s name. From there, I jot down any words or ideas that are associated with him or her. Somehow, someway, a story forms from there. I know it sounds weird, but believe me it does happen. Thank goodness for that!

Find out more about me and my book at the National Writing for Children Center http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/, where the book is showcased all this month.


Follow Day 3 of my tour tomorrow at http://www.melangeofcultures.wordpress.com/. Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle - filled with books and other goodies - at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Author's Life with Kerin Bellak-Adams

Welcome to Day 2 of the 6-day virtual tour for my new book AD/HD Success! Solutions for Boosting Self-Esteem The Diary Method Ages 7-17.

Actually, I have been writing since I was a teenager. I have more than sixty poems, some of which well-known writers have encouraged me to put into a book. Just like the country singer, Taylor Swift--the one with the long blond hair who writes songs based on her experiences in life--so it is true with me. I also am a highly visually-oriented person. This means that I like to think about visual experiences I have had and put down in this book for the younger reader, funny pictures about that support the diary pages in my book.


Find out more about the book and read some sample pages at http://www.reachbeyondadd.com/. Also, don't forget to visit the National Writing for Children Center http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/, where my book is showcased all this month. You can listen to my recent interview on Book Bites for Kids http://www.bookbitesforkids.com/ there, plus find out what people are saying about my book.

Follow Day 3 of my tour tomorrow at http://www.melangeofcultures.wordpress.com/. Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle - filled with books and other goodies - at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The Publisher's Life with Victor Volkman


Welcome to Day 2 of my 6-day virtual tour to promote the wonderful books I am fortunate enough to publish. I'm Victor Volkman, CEO of Loving Healing Press. We publish books about self-help, personal growth, trauma recovery, and overcoming disabilities in our main line of products which we've been working on since 2005. In the last two years, we've rolled out the "Growing With Love" series which addresses many of these issues as they apply to the world of the developing child and adolescent as well as behavioral issues.



As a publisher, we address a wide range of issues from the purely medical, such as our wildly popular book for parents entitled The O MY in Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy by Dr. Laurie Zelinger to the emotional such as separation and loss in Billy Had to Move, a story about a boy's journey into foster care after his grandmother who had been his primary caregiver passes away. We also have a number of books about childhood sexual abuse and take on the subject from a number of different angles.



We have a new title on AD/HD called AD/HD SUCCESS! Solutions for Boosting Self-Esteem: The Diary Method, which is a problem that many books before have tried to tackle. Kerin Bellak-Adams approach is unique in that it takes a child-centered approach based on acknowledging them for what they did do right, building systems to help them manage their time and energy, and a series of communications forms so that parents and educators can evaluate progress for continuous improvement.

Several of our new books are showcased all this month at the National Writing for Children Center. Please visit the center at http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/ to learn more about them. And, to find out more about ALL of our books, please visit our website at http://www.lovinghealing.com/.



Follow Day 3 of my tour tomorrow at http://www.melangeofcultures.wordpress.com/. Leave a comment every day of my tour and your name will automatically be entered to win a Gift Box Bundle - filled with books and other goodies - at the end of the month, provided by the National Writing for Children Center.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Monday, January 17, 2011

Guest Children's Author: Maggie Grinnell

As so many of my writing friends, I met children’s author Maggie Grinnell online. Meet Maggie through her interview and learn all about her new book,
The Ketchup Bottle and the Takeover, Living Water Publishing.


DMc: What has been the most rewarding/memorable experience in writing for children?



MG: My most rewarding/memorable experience I have had was getting to visit my inner child again after so many years. These ideas kept coming up in my head. When I went to develop these ideas, I was taken back to my childhood and to very wonderful memories.

DMc: How did you come up with the intriguing title, The Ketchup Bottle and the Takeover?


MG: My character has big ego and wants to command the refrigerator. So I took the form my character is in, a ketchup bottle, and what was happening, a take over.

DMc: Please share with us an excerpt or synopsis of The Ketchup Bottle and the Takeover.






MG: Tommy Tomato, a ketchup bottle with an ego, moves into the refrigerator and wants to take it over. When the other condiments here about this, they devise a plan to take him out of the cold environment, the refrigerator. Tommy goes missing one day during a family picnic. The others worry and want Tommy back so they go looking for him.


DMc: What services do you offer to writers and what should they expect if they hire you?


MG: I use to be a proofreader for a magazine. I still would love to proofread. So now I provide that service that can be obtained from my website: http://www.writer65.com/. When someone receives this service from me, they can expect quality work with professionalism.

DMc: Please share with us your current work-in-progress?


MG: I am working on a story about a cereal box toy that comes to life and the young girl this toy encounters. The young girl stops speaking when her dad dies. This toy and the little girl bond and have an unbelievable experience. Through that experience, many wonderful things happen.



DMc: A signature request I like to ask every author, illustrator, editor, etc., I interview is for the individual to share with us a tidbit form their lives that the reader will find either humorous or surprising. Maggie, can you please share one with us?






MG: I started writing to make my Dad proud of me. The surprising thing about this is that my Dad got sick and passed away without seeing any of my work. I still continue to write in his spirit.


Maggie, thank you for joining me today. It has been wonderful getting to know you better.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
www.guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

Friday, January 14, 2011

Award-winning Children’s Author, Donna McDine Visits the Tappan Library, Tappan, NY – Monday, January 17 at 3 pm

M E D I A  R E L E A S E


CONTACT: Donna M. McDine
Children’s Author

Website: http://www.donnamcdine.com/

Email: donna@donnamcdine.com

Phone: 845-721-7802


For Immediate Release

Award-winning Children’s Author, Donna McDine Visits the Tappan Library, Tappan, NY – Monday, January 17 at 3 pm

Tappan, New York – Join Donna M. McDine at the Tappan Library, Tappan, NY – Monday, January 17 at 3 pm when she presents her first children’s book, The Golden Pathway, August 2010, Guardian Angel Publishing. This historical fiction story book transports the reader back through time to the Underground Railroad.

As one young boy struggles to come to terms with his father’s beliefs and actions towards slaves, he pulls from deep within his soul, courage and determination he never knew existed. Will David’s attempts to save Jenkins come to fruition or does David get caught red handed in defying his Pa?

“David crept into the barn. His first attempts to help Jenkins hadn’t gone well. Jenkins cringed when he saw David. Over time, David gained Jenkins’ trust with promises that he was not there to harm him, but to help. Tonight the wounds from the whip were worse than ever. The welts looked as if caterpillars were stuck under the skin.”

Journey along as McDine puts forth her unique mesmerizing voice where the depths of emotions from the main character spill forth from the pages and has you spell bound from the onset.
Visit Guardian Angel Publishing – http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm for ordering information.

About the Author
Donna McDine’s first story book, The Golden Pathway, placed in the top 100 of the Children’s/Young Adult category in the 77th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition, resulting in publication with Guardian Angel Publishing. Her articles and stories have been published in over 25 magazines and McDine has two more books under contract books with Guardian Angel Publishing.

###

Full Media Kit, Headshot, Book Cover Art and more are available upon request.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
www.guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Book Review ~ The Weaver by Kai Strand

Title: The Weaver


Written by: Kai Strand

Cover Art by: K.C. Snider

Soft cover: 96 pages

Ages: 9-12

Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-121-4

eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-127-6

Published: December 2010

Print Price: $19.95

eBook Price: $5.00
In the world of Mary Wordsmith the talents of weaving stories garner a feeling of acceptance into this special community. For Mary the overwhelming feeling of living in another person’s shadow hinders her ability to master the art of weaving. Feeling like an outcast, Mary’s despair mounts when a simple routine errand goes wrong. Can nothing be easy for Mary?
In her travels she meets a peculiar looking blue little man whom promises to make her most desired wish come true. Desperate, Mary relents and asks, “I wish I could weave a yarn as beautiful as my mother’s.” As time goes by Mary sees no improvement in her storytelling and becomes annoyed with herself for believing the little blue man. However, friends start to notice special trinkets left in Mary’s wake when practicing weaving. When thanked for the beautiful miniatures, Mary is perplexed and says she has no idea what they are talking about. Believing these odd occurrences will make her a further outcast, Mary swears her friends to secrecy. Will her secret stay such for long? Will Mary discover in time that words can be taken literally and her art of weaving an ingenious story may just be beginning?
Find out what becomes of Mary’s storytelling and the trinkets in this compelling story, which will have the reader turning the pages as fast as lightening. Children’s author, Kai Strand expertly weaves together the art of storytelling and holding one’s audience captive into a spellbinding adventure of finding one’s place in the world.
Be sure to visit with Ms. Strand and learn about her masterful writing career at Strands of Thought http://cleanwriter.livejournal.com/.

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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Children's Author Interview with Kai Strand

Meeting and getting to know fellow author’s through the Internet is one of my favorite topics to blog about. Kai Strand a “fellow angel” at Guardian Angel Publishing recently took the time out to chat with me about her new book, The Weaver. Sit back and enjoy getting to know Kai through her interview and you’ll be happy you did.

DMc: When did you decide you wanted to become an author? Do you have another job besides writing?

KS: Like most authors, I’ve always written, but I decided to pursue publication seven years ago. My third child had just started Kindergarten and I’d written a middle grade novel (for my personal entertainment, actually). I was a full-time Mom at that point. Then I realized that if I was going to spend time writing, I should at least try to get paid for it.

I work part-time at the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I celebrated my five year employment anniversary with them this month. I’m the Operations Manager which means I make sure the policies and procedures and resources are in place so that everyone else can do what they need to do in order to build affordable housing in our community. A behind the scenes job for a worthwhile cause.

DMc: Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

KS: I was an avid reader. I read lots of Judy Blume, all the Little House on the Prairie books and most of the Black Stallion books. I also read lots of Henry David Thoreau. This is all very meaningful, because now I write fantasy (which I didn’t read then) and I can’t write poetry to save my life (which I did read then).

DMc: Tell us a bit about your book, and what inspired you to write such a story.


KS: The Weaver is a lyrical story with a little bit of magic and a lot of storytelling. It has an old fashioned feel with a timeless theme.

About the book: In a town of word weavers, Mary suffers through her third year of Novice Word Weaving. Mary thinks her troubles are over when she meets a gnome-elf who grants her a wish. But instead of weaving a better story, she's weaving strange yarn charms to accompany her still pathetic tales.

One day I was searching the cobwebs in my head for my next story idea. I was sitting in front of my computer, where I compose my stories, and I had the website up for my online critique group, Silver Web. The idea of a spider building its web slowly twisted into weaving a web of words together to build a story. That was the nugget that eventually developed into The Weaver.

DMc: How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?


KS: My writing is always unscripted. This book had a very stuttered composition. I wrote just over half of it and then stopped. I didn’t touch it for a very long time. I don’t really know why either. I guess those who outline would suggest that my lack of a direction is why I lost my way, but I worked on other projects in the meantime and did think about The Weaver now and then. One day I gave myself a good talking to. “You have this perfectly good manuscript doing nothing on your hard drive. It wouldn’t take much to finish it and you’d have a marketable story. So open it up and get to work!” Good thing I listened, huh?

DMc: From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?


KS: I honestly don’t know. I don’t remember when I started it and it sat around, unfinished, for so long. I’m sure I’d blush if I realized how long it took.

DMc: A signature request I like to ask every author, illustrator, editor, etc., I interview is for the individual to share with us a tidbit form their lives that the reader will find either humorous or surprising. Kai, can you please share one with us?

KS: I am frequently NOT recognized. I tend to wear my hair differently from day to day. Sometimes I have glasses, sometimes I don’t. I don’t know why else, but my entire life I’ve had to re-introduce myself to people I’ve met previously. I’m actually surprised when someone does recognize me the second time they see me.

Donna, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to interview me and for your interest in The Weaver. It has been a pleasure visiting with you and your readers.

Kai, it was as pleasure interviewing and getting to know you better. Visitors please stop back tomorrow when I share with you my book review of The Weaver.

Visit Kai at her blog – Strands of Thought http://cleanwriter.livejournal.com/

Thank you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Monday, January 10, 2011

The National Writing for Children Center is Your One Stop Resource to Showcase your Children’s Book



The National Writing for Children Center continues onward into 2011 as the premiere location to announce your latest children’s book. The National Writing for Children Center receives over 11,000 visitors every month and their radio show Book Bites for Kids has over 74,000 listeners. What better way to make your special book announcement than through the National Writing for Children Center’s author showcase? The stats don’t lie. There is huge interest at the National Writing for Children Center and Book Bites for Kids. And momentum continues to build daily.

"Being showcased for an entire month at the National Writing for Children Center is like having your own personal book publicist for 30 days," says Lieurance. "The showcase will help you get the word out about your new children's book through reviews, a virtual book tour, a radio interview, and a host of other promotional events that we carefully orchestra."

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to showcase yourself and your book for an entire month. The National Writing for Children Center takes the virtual book tour to new heights with so much more than blog stops. Interest piqued? Visit the National Writing for Children Center http://writingforchildrencenter.com/showcase-application/ and learn all about the 11 points that make the National Writing for Children Center’s author showcase an amazing book marketing opportunity.

Visit the National Writing for Children Center today http://writingforchildrencenter.com/ to see the delightful children's books currently showcased there. If you're a children's book author or illustrator, be sure to read the Showcase Application page.

We look forward to your visit.

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Full Media Kit and more are available upon request electronically.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
www.guardianangelpublishing.com

Friday, January 7, 2011

Become a Facebook Fan of the National Writing for Children Center and Stay Abreast of Children’s Authors and Parent/Teacher Articles and Tips


By becoming a Facebook Fan of the National Writing for Children Center http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/National-Writing-for-Children-Center/134173099961615 it will help you stay abreast of all the exciting events scheduled throughout the coming weeks and months. Not sure what the National Writing for Children Center has in store? Besides showcasing children's book authors and illustrators and their books, the National Writing for Children Center is out to help provide parents, grandparents, teachers, and school librarians with articles, tips, and other resources they need to make the most of the wonderful children's books they'll find showcased at the center each month.


Becoming a Facebook Fan is FREE as well as the immense amount of articles and tips that are offered at the National Writing for Children Center. Visit today http://writingforchildrencenter.com/ and be prepared to stay for a spell for the wealth of information and current showcased authors are astounding.

The wealth of information available in teaching our young muses is immense and the National Writing for Children Center strives to make this task easier for all. We look forward to your visit. Thank you.

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Full Media Kit and more are available upon request electronically.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Book Review ~ 'Twas the Year Christ Left Christmas by Lindsay Bonilla

Title: Twas the Year Christ Left Christmas


Author: Lindsay Bonilla

Illustrator: Alexander Morris

Soft cover: 22 pages

Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. / December 2010

ISBN-13: 978-1-61633-128-3

E-book ISBN: 978-1-61633-129-0

The true meaning of Christmas and the wonder of the Messiah, Jesus can be lost in the hustle and bustle of the season. Do not succumb any longer. Take time from the preparations and reflect with the children in your life the importance of the day is in rejoicing the birth of Jesus Christ. For without God’s love nothing would be possible.

Come along on this heartfelt journey of finding one’s spiritual guidance through the awe inspiring rhyme of Lindsay Bonilla and thought provoking illustrations of Alexander Morris. Twas the Year Christ Left Christmas is sure to become religious school reading in years to come.
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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

Monday, January 3, 2011

Book Review ~ Horatio Humble Beats the Big "D" by Margot Finke


Title: Horatio Humble Beats the Big “D”


Written by: Margot Finke

Illustrated by: Ellen Gurak

Soft cover: 18 pages

Ages: 5-12

Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-101-6

eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-61633-102-3

Published: November 2010

Print Price: $10.95

eBook Price: $5.00

Math equations and history lessons were a snap for Horatio and he flourished in those classes. Put him in English class and the letters would swirl through his mind making no sense at all. Frustrated to no end, Horatio feared being labeled dumb. Until the day his teacher and parents held a meeting and shared their discoveries. He would need to be taught life skills to control and overcome his Dyslexia.
Children’s author, Margot Finke, brings to the forefront the learning disability dyslexia with expert rhyme and compassion. For one to discover they are not alone, and the wealth of resources available to them, will surely pave the pathway to success.
Ellen Gurak’s delightful illustrations bring Horatio’s story to life and show him overcoming adversity. A helpful parent-teacher guide is included.

Margot Finke’s Books Page:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/GAP-Books - Autographed books available here.

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Horatio-Humble-Beats-Big-D/dp/1616331011/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291775934&sr=1-1

Powell’s Books
http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9781616331016-1

REVIEWS:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/239cvqo

TRAILER:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/26sejhl

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Best wishes, Donna M. McDine Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm