Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Writers Online Workshop: Turn Your Love of Writing into a Business and Earn a Great Income with Suzanne Lieurance


Do you enjoy putting pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard to write your next intriguing article, short story, or manuscript but aren’t sure how to turn your hobby into a full fledge freelance writing business? That’s right your flare for the written word can create you an income flow.

Learn from the master herself the Working Writer’s Coach, Suzanne Lieurance when she presents her latest writers online workshop Turn Your Love of Writing into a Business & Earn a Great Income! on Thursday, February 2 at 7 pm CDT.

Details:

Topic: Turn Your Love of Writing into a Business & Earn a Great Income!
Date: Thursday, February 2, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. CST
Presenter: Suzanne Lieurance
Cost: Free for Working Writer's Club Members
 
In this 55-minute writer's workshop, you will learn and discover:
  • What it takes to start a writing business
  • What it takes to earn a great income as a "working" freelance writer
  • Answers to your questions about becoming a "working" freelance writer
All club members will receive an email invitation and learning guide (with call in details) prior to this event. If you are not a Working Writer’s Club member register at the Working Writer’s Club http://www.workingwritersclub.com/events-2.

About Suzanne Lieurance:

Suzanne Lieurance is a children’s writer with (at last count) 23 published books for children. She was also an instructor with the Institute of Children’s Literature (located in West Redding, Connecticut) for over 8 years. As The Working Writer’s Coach, Lieurance helps people who love to write become “working” freelance writers and make a living doing what they love to do best.

Visit the Working Writer’s Club, and become a Facebook Fan today at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/The-Working-Writers-Club/221038321276421. By becoming a Facebook Fan it will ensure that you are updated on all of the valuable resources and articles at The Working Writer’s Club.  


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

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Freelance Writing 2012 Goals


I'm a planner and list person by nature, so creating my 2012 goals with specific tasks I need to complete each week to achieve my goals has provided me with direction to insure my success.

I'm pleased to share my goal progress as of January 25th:

  • I have held steadfast to editing my middle grade manuscript and have completed handwritten edits of chapters 1 thru 19 and have typed the edits for Chapter 1. 
  • I have requested book reviews of The Golden Pathway to various book bloggers and I'm starting to hear back from them with interested responses.
  • I'm in the midst of creating a contest at www.thegoldenpathway.blogspot.com for February to celebrate Black History Month. Please sure to stop by on February 1st to learn all about it. 
  • I've created a To Be Written log with topics and due dates through May 2012 and I'm writing every day in addition to the middle grade manuscript edits.
  • I have become much more social on blogs by visiting and commenting specifically to their current blog posting. It's a sure fire way to conduct cross promotional efforts.
I'd like to hear from you as to how your 2012 goals are progressing.

Wishing you success in your writing career!


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

Friday, January 20, 2012

Children's Book about Tuskegee Airmen Delights 'Red Tails' Movie Fans

Online PR News – 19-January-2012 –As the George Lucas film "Red Tails" hits movie theaters nationwide, parents can share the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen with young readers through children's picture book, Chasing the Spirit of Service.

The book features young Emma who comes from three generations of Air Force pilots and misses her father when he must travel. Her best friend Adam tries to cheer her up. Emma's great grandfather, a Tuskegee Airman, shares his life story with Emma and Adam and helps them to appreciate the spirit of service. Emma and Adam's journey to understand, honor, and capture the spirit of service for themselves will touch the hearts of both young and old. Anyone who has ever served in the military or has known someone who served will appreciate the book's universal themes of duty to country, separation from family, and the importance of saying “thank you.”

Chasing the Spirit of Service was released nationally on November 30, 2010 by Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc., based out of Saint Louis, Missouri. Since then, the author and illustrator have been doing book tours in schools to teach about the Tuskegee Airmen. The book, Chasing the Spirit of Service, can be purchased online at http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/, and http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/spirit-service.htm.

Chasing the Spirit of Service is distributed in bookstores through Ingram, Bertrams, Baker & Taylor (ISBN: 978-1-61633-109-2; 1616331097). For libraries, schools, churches, independent bookstores, and shops requesting wholesale print books in bulk prices, please contact the publisher, Lynda Burch, at bulk-orders@guardianangelpublishing.com.

Additional book related activities and resources for kids, parents, teachers, and military families may be found at the author’s website, http://www.kristenzajac.com/. Readers can view more of the illustrator’s commissioned artwork (paintings, portraits, murals) at the artist’s website, http://www.zhibit.org/tuckerillustrations.

For interview requests or book tour information, please contact the author at kkzajac@gmail.com.

To view the book trailer and to learn more about the author, illustrator, and publisher visit:
http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/199610-1326953210-childrens-book-about-tuskegee-airmen-delights-red-tails-movie-fans.html

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

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Geography Project ~ The Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library


Join in on the fun to help kids with geography!

An isolated library in Presque Isle, Northern Maine, USA is looking to help local children to appreciate geography. All you need is a postcard and stamp!

"The children's library is entering the New Yeawr with a new proejct to explore geographic literacy and mapping...but WE NEED YOUR HELP! We'd love to receive postcards from where you are to post on our new wall map of the United States. In exchange, we'll document the project and post regular updates to let you see how things grow."

Postcards can be purchased or made...just send them along to:

The Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library
39 Second Street
Presque Isle, Maine 04769, USA

Hope you will take part. Doesn't matter when you are reading this post, there is NO time limit.

Thank 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

Monday, January 16, 2012

How to Write Book Reviews: The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing Workshop with Mayra Calvani



Why do you want to become a reviewer? This question is one you must know the answer to before trying to become a reviewer or you will be wasting your time.

Is your nose always stuck in a book? Do you enjoy sharing your ideas about books with readers? Become a book reviewer.
Learn the secrets of book reviewing from Mayra Calvani, co-author of the ForeWord Best Book of the Year award-winning title and Global eBooks Award in the Reference Non-fiction category, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing. From the key elements of a good reviewer, to what makes a good review, to how to write a thoughtful, intelligent review, to the different types of reviews, to how to deal with the most common reviewing problems, to how to build an online platform, this workshop will teach you, in a nutshell, all you need to know to get started as a professional book reviewer.

Want to test the waters first? Opt-in today at www.mayracalvani.com and receive the first lesson of Calvani’s book reviewing workshop, as well as her free eBook, Reviewers Talk About Their Craft!

The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing Workshop, Lesson 1:
Topics:

Why do you want to become a reviewer?

Benefits and rewards of reviewing for both aspiring and experienced authors

Assignment questions
After completing lesson one and you decide book reviewing is indeed for you, visit: http://mayracalvani.com/workshops/ to sign up for the complete nine lessons of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing Workshop.
What attendees are saying…

"When you take Mayra Calvani's 'The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing' you'll gain confidence in how you cull the book's purpose, themes, and story for your readers. She breaks down a writing form--the review--that is intimidating for many writers, but can become an art form and a vehicle for greater access into the larger literary world. I also enjoyed learning many practical tips such as posting your book review guidelines on your website and how to tactfully tell someone you won't be able to review their book. As a book reviewer for over five years, I very much appreciate Mayra's guidance since I have found few resources on how to effectively write book reviews."- Alice Osborn, M.A., reviewer for Pedestal Magazine
“The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing is a great course for any novice or seasoned veteran. Calvani offers valid tips on writing reviews and addressing issues in this business. A breath of fresh air Calvani delivers this course with diversity and experience.” - Mirta Espinola, PR/Editor, http://www.espinolaeditor.blogspot.com/
About Mayra Calvani:

Award-winning multi-genre author Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. She reviews for SimplySharly.com, The NY Journal of Books and Blogcritics Magazine. She's had over 300 articles, reviews, interviews and stories published online. Visit her website at http://www.mayracalvani.com/.

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

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Cash Giveaways: OutnumberedMama ~ Jump Start 2012

Are you ready to jump into 2012 with some cold hard cash? Do you have a resolution that is going to take a little bit of money or are you just in need of some spending money? What ever your reason, OutnumberedMama from The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood has organized an cold hard - PayPal - Cash Payday of $500 for you to Jump Start 2012. A second prize of a $50 Amazon.com eGiftCard and a third prize of a $30 Amazon eGiftCard is also up for grabs.



Welcome! I'm escatic to be part of the OutnumberedMama's Jump into 2012 with $500 cash or a $50 Amazon Gift or a $30 Amazon Gift Card! Have fun getting to know all these wonderful bloggers!

All you have to do is use the Rafflecopter below to follow, friend, like, and subscribe to the participating blogs and you are entered to win one of these great prizes. You can do all or just some of them, it's totally up to you. Remember whenever you are using a Rafflecopter it is best that you are only viewing that particular post on the blog you are using. If you are having trouble, refresh the page.

Since this prize will be awarded using PayPal and email, this giveaway is open Worldwide - if you have a PayPal and/or an email address you can win!

Giveaway Starts January 7th and ends January 31st at 11:59PM PST. Winner will be selected by using Random.org via Rafflecopter and will have 48 hours to respond to their notification email before another winner is selected.

Please visit all of the Participating Blogs: 
The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood
Retail Therapy Lounge
Thifty Divas
Burning Moon
Travel Contests & Sweepstakes
Disney Contests & Sweepstakes
Savvy Sister Shop
As Mom Sees It
Chic Monkey Boutique
Indiana Coupon Saving & Giveaways
Sprinkle Me Pink
Finger Click Saver
My Style Spot
Peanut Butter and Whine 
Unconventional Librarian  
A Girl Worth Saving
Hearts Content of a Mama
Maxwell's Mommy
3 Boys and a Dog
Powered by Mom
Deal Seeking Bliss
Best Fragrances and Beauty Supplies
Simple Wyrdings 
Craft Yourself
My Little House of Treasures
Tidbits from a Mom
Counting My Kisses
Bohemian Babushka
Momondealz Healthy Concepts
Libby's Library Reviews & Giveaways
Family Fun and Life
$uper $aving Momma
Money Saving Mindy 
Mom on the Run 
Mark Your Savings
Coupon Scribbles
Babes and Kids Review
Theresa's Mixed Nuts
Write What Inspires You! Donna McDine 
The Working Writer's Club
Rants and Raves of a Crazed Mom
Madame Deals
Carol Fraser Hagen - Literacy Specialist
Punk Rock Mommy
A Family Village
Foodie Gems
Diary of a Working Mom
Debbie Does Coupons
Mompreneur Mogul



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclaimer: This cash was collected from each of the blogs listed in this post. There was no outside sponsorship by a major corporation. Chances of winning are dependent on the number of entries.


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

Friday, January 13, 2012

How to Write Picture Books: Walking on a Rainbow Workshop with Mayra Calvani



Have you ever dreamed of becoming a children’s picture book author? Perhaps you have lots of ideas sure to delight young readers, yet aren’t quite sure how to get started? Or maybe you’ve already tried your hand at it, but don’t feel confident enough to submit yet? If you’ve answered ‘Yes’ to these questions, then this is the workshop for you!
Walking on a Rainbow: A Fiction Picture Book Workshop

During the course, you’ll have the chance to write the complete first draft of a fiction picture book manuscript under 700 words. Why under 700 words? Because you want your story to be as marketable as possible and 700 and under is the word count agents and publishers are after these days. You’ll be able to draft your story while learning the key elements that make a fiction picture book a success. Feedback will be provided throughout the workshop.

Walking on a Rainbow: A Fiction Picture Book Workshop consists of ten lessons, which will be transmitted one lesson per week for ten weeks.

What better way to “test drive” this comprehensive workshop, then by opting-in today at http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.com/contact.html and receive the first two lessons of Calvani’s Walking on a Rainbow: A Fiction Picture Book Workshop, as well as the free eBook, Tips for Children’s Writers.

After completing lessons one and two and you decide writing picture books will make your imagination soar visit http://mayracalvani.com/workshops/ to sign up for the complete ten lessons of Walking on a Rainbow: A Fiction Picture Book Workshop.
What attendees are saying…

“The workshop ‘Walking on a Rainbow’ was a blast!! I had so much fun, and I learned a wealth of information about writing picture books! The absolute best part was the invaluable feedback Mayra provided after every writing assignment. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone remotely considering writing picture books. In fact, I’d love to take this workshop again.” - Arsoleen Woolcock

“Walking on a Rainbow, the picture book workshop led by Mayra Calvani, was the perfect catalyst I needed to get published. Mayra broke down the dynamics of a picture book using clear, succinct language. Her examples and analysis of published books helped further explain each lesson, and her knowledge of the picture book market was evident throughout the course. I have taken other classes in the past and read other craft books on writing for children but Mayra’s method pulled it all together for me. Her personal critiques of each participant’s work throughout the lessons were extremely beneficial. I personally, printed out Mayra’s lessons, and keep my “Walking on a Rainbow textbook” handy. I would highly recommend Walking on a Rainbow for anyone wanting to write in the picture book genre.” – Suzanne Purvis

About Mayra Calvani:

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. Her children’s picture books include Crash, The Magic Violin, Humberto, the Bookworm Hamster, Frederico, the Mouse Violinist, The Doll Violinist, and the upcoming The Fox in the Night, and Water Play. She’s had over 300 reviews, articles, stories and interviews published online and in print. She’s represented by Mansion Street Literary Management. Visit her website at http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.com/.


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

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

New Years Resolution Writing and Marketing Progress Update


I don't know about you, but keeping to my writing and marketing goals 12 days into January has put me in a much better place mentally as to the direction of my freelance writing career. My update:
  • I have held steadfast to editing my middle grade manuscript and have completed editing chapters 1 thru 6.
  • I have requested book reviews of The Golden Pathway to various book bloggers and I'm starting to hear back from them with interested responses.
  • I have become much more social on blogs by visiting and commenting specifically to their current blog posting. It's a sure fire way to conduct cross promotional efforts.
I'd like to hear from you as to how your 2012 goals are progressing.

Wishing you success in your writing career!

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

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Editing Books Like a Pro: 6 Last Minute Steps Before You Begin Manuscript Submissions by Karen Cioffi

I am tickled pink to host Karen Cioffi today as she shares with us Editing Books Like a Pro: 6 Last Minute Steps Before You Begin Manuscript Submissions. (Excerpt from Editing Like a Pro: Self-Editing for Books and Articles by Karen Cioffi).
So, you think you’re ready to submit your manuscript. Read this first.

You’re at the final stretch. You’ve done everything you could think of to get your manuscript ready for submissions. You’ve used all the self-editing tricks you learned, such as changing the font and reading it again, printing the manuscript out and reading it yet another time, and reading each paragraph backwards. Now, you’re at the finish line. But, before you cross the line, here are 6 last minute steps you should take into consideration

1. Do a Final Self-Edit

By this point, your manuscript should be so polished you need your sunglass to read it. But, give it another once over anyway. You never know.

2. Get your manuscript edited

When you think it’s perfect, have it edited before you start submitting it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, you think this step is overkill, and it will cost money. You’re right on the second part, it will cost money. But, if you can afford it, it will be money well spent.

No matter how many times you self-edit, there is the chance that you’ll miss something. Writers are just too close to their own work. While you’re reading, your brain is running on ahead, knowing and seeing what should be there, what you intended, whether or not it really is.

If you’ve thought it over and it’s not in your budget, then go over this e-book carefully and be sure to apply everything in it. It would also be a good idea, if you want to be super, duper certain, and if you can afford it, to invest in at least one comprehensive, full-length book on editing. While this e-book has a lot of tips and tricks, it’s always better to be safe, rather than sorry.

3. Create a log line
A log line or pitch line is a one sentence description or your manuscript. This may take a bit of trial and error, but, it’s important to master.
See the bonus article, “The Elevator Pitch for Your Manuscript,” below.

4. Create a synopsis

A synopsis is a short description of your story. Be sure your writing should be tight and focused—leave out the fluff. The content should be, at the very least, self-edited and proofread before sending it off to an agent or publisher. You are trying to grab the reader's attention and let the reader know that you are grammar literate.

Basically, the synopsis should briefly let the editor know what the book is about: the beginning of your story, your main character’s needs or wants, how he strives to reach his goals, the obstacles/conflicts in his way, and how he overcomes the conflicts and moves forward to the final outcome.
I read an interesting article recommending that your synopsis should be created using your detailed outline.
5. Create a query letter or proposal

A query is a sales pitch. It should be three paragraphs and only one page long. The first paragraph quickly and interestingly describes the story; it’s the hook. The second paragraph tells a bit about you, your qualifications for writing the book. And, it’s a good idea to include a bit on how you intend to help market the book. The third paragraph is the conclusion; keep it short.

6. Final Step: Submissions

Okay, your manuscript is polished and shiny, now it’s time to submit. But, hold on . . . check each publisher’s guidelines before you submit.

In fact, don’t just check the guidelines, you need to study them, and follow them implicitly. If a publisher asks for submission by mail only, don’t email your submission. If the word count on an article or story is up to 1000 words, don’t submit a story with 1150 words.

~~~~~~~

Karen Cioffi is a published author, freelance writer, and marketer, and to start the New Year with a BANG, from January 1 through February 28, 2012, she is offering all her writing and marketing e-books (purchased directly from her site/s using the Paypal SHOPPING CART) for a $1.19 each. And, this will include new titles added within that time period.
For a complete list of the available titles and links to more information:

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2011/12/2012-writing-and-marketing-ebook.html
For a complete list (with brief descriptions of each ebook) go to:

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

Karen, thank you for stopping by today and sharing with us your expertise in editing.

Wishing you all the best,
Donna


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

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Cash Giveaways - OutnumberedMama

Are you ready to jump into 2012 with some cold hard cash? Do you have a resolution that is going to take a little bit of money or are you just in need of some spending money? What ever your reason, OutnumberedMama from The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood has organized an cold hard - PayPal - Cash Payday of $500 for you to Jump Start 2012. A second prize of a $50 Amazon.com eGiftCard and a third prize of a $30 Amazon eGiftCard is also up for grabs.



Welcome! I'm escatic to be part of the OutnumberedMama's Jump into 2012 with $500 cash or a $50 Amazon Gift or a $30 Amazon Gift Card! Have fun getting to know all these wonderful bloggers!

All you have to do is use the Rafflecopter below to follow, friend, like, and subscribe to the participating blogs and you are entered to win one of these great prizes. You can do all or just some of them, it's totally up to you. Remember whenever you are using a Rafflecopter it is best that you are only viewing that particular post on the blog you are using. If you are having trouble, refresh the page.

Since this prize will be awarded using PayPal and email, this giveaway is open Worldwide - if you have a PayPal and/or an email address you can win!

Giveaway Starts January 7th and ends January 31st at 11:59PM PST. Winner will be selected by using Random.org via Rafflecopter and will have 48 hours to respond to their notification email before another winner is selected.

Please visit all of the Participating Blogs: 
The Busy Woman's Guide to Surviving Motherhood
Retail Therapy Lounge
Thifty Divas
Burning Moon
Travel Contests & Sweepstakes
Disney Contests & Sweepstakes
Savvy Sister Shop
As Mom Sees It
Chic Monkey Boutique
Indiana Coupon Saving & Giveaways
Sprinkle Me Pink
Finger Click Saver
My Style Spot
Peanut Butter and Whine 
Unconventional Librarian  
A Girl Worth Saving
Hearts Content of a Mama
Maxwell's Mommy
3 Boys and a Dog
Powered by Mom
Deal Seeking Bliss
Best Fragrances and Beauty Supplies
Simple Wyrdings 
Craft Yourself
My Little House of Treasures
Tidbits from a Mom
Counting My Kisses
Bohemian Babushka
Momondealz Healthy Concepts
Libby's Library Reviews & Giveaways
Family Fun and Life
$uper $aving Momma
Money Saving Mindy 
Mom on the Run 
Mark Your Savings
Coupon Scribbles
Babes and Kids Review
Theresa's Mixed Nuts
Write What Inspires You! Donna McDine 
The Working Writer's Club
Rants and Raves of a Crazed Mom
Madame Deals
Carol Fraser Hagen - Literacy Specialist
Punk Rock Mommy
A Family Village
Foodie Gems
Diary of a Working Mom
Debbie Does Coupons
Mompreneur Mogul



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclaimer: This cash was collected from each of the blogs listed in this post. There was no outside sponsorship by a major corporation. Chances of winning are dependent on the number of entries.

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

Friday, January 6, 2012

Discuss Quotes to Promote Literacy Development by Steve Reifman

I am delighted to host Steve Reifman today as he shares is thought provoking article, "Discuss Quotes to Promote Literacy Development." Steve will be visiting throughout the day, so please feel free to leave your comments and/or questions so he can interact with you.

"Discuss Quotes to Promote Literacy Development"
by Steve Reifman

For the past fifteen years of my teaching career, I have incorporated the use of quotes into my classroom’s morning routine to inspire my students, start the day on a positive note, and build lasting habits of character. Discussing well-known sayings brings out the best in children and helps them focus on important ideas. It is my enthusiasm for this exercise and my firm belief in its effectiveness that led me to write my new book, Changing Kids‘ Lives One Quote at a Time: 121 Inspirational Sayings to Build Character in Children.

In addition to its character-building mission, our “Quote of the Day” conversations also offer a powerful way to promote literacy. When I speak of literacy, I am referring to the specific skills of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking.
In its pure form the discussion begins when a student volunteer reads the “Quote of the Day” on the board. It is critical at this time to provide approximately thirty seconds of “wait time” so each child can think about the quote, make sense of it, and perhaps even come up with an example of how the quote’s meaning applies to everyday life or connects to a habit of character.

To maximize student participation, the kids follow this “quiet think time” with a brief pair-share, in which each child has an opportunity both to express ideas and listen carefully to the partner’s thoughts. Next, a few volunteers share their interpretations of the quote’s meaning with the entire class. Finally, I close the activity by sharing some thoughts of my own. Whenever possible, I like to share a personal story that brings out the quote’s meaning in a deeper way. Storytelling is a powerful teaching strategy, and kids are likely to remember the stories and the lessons they contain for a long time.

Parents can follow the basic outline of this procedure when discussing quotes at home with their children. In addition, there are several ways that parents can modify this conversational structure to strengthen literary development.

• Put one quote per day or week in your child’s lunch and discuss the quote’s meaning after school. Reading a quote at lunchtime is a novel experience for children, and the timing provides kids with several hours to think about the quote to prepare for the evening discussion, which can take place on the ride home, at the dinner table, or at bedtime. For example, with R. Herzog’s quote, “It is better to light a candle than complain about the darkness,” it may take children a while to figure out that the saying is telling them to adopt a problem solving attitude when life’s inevitable frustrations arise, not complain about them.

• Analyze quotes for excellent word choice or interesting word play. With Rudy Benton’s quote, “7 days without exercise makes one weak,” discuss with your child how the word “weak” is spelled. The quote is not referring to a week on the calendar, but to the fact that if we don’t exercise, we will become physically weaker.

• Consider writing a quote or a set of quotes on your child’s placemat and discuss these sayings during a healthy breakfast. Over cereal and fruit, you and your child can discuss Bonnie Hopper’s quote, “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little EXTRA!” Together, you can talk about how consistently giving that extra effort in school, in sports, and other endeavors can make a huge difference in the long run.

• If you’re trying to sharpen your child’s writing skills, consider using quotes for journal writing. Simply choose a quote and ask your child to respond to it using one of the prompts listed below. (More prompts are provided in Changing Kids‘ Lives One Quote at a Time.)

• Describe a time when you or someone you know demonstrated the main idea of this quote.

• What do you think this quote means? Give examples.

• Why do you think the speaker said this quote in the first place?

• Describe how you can use the meaning of this quote to help others.

• Describe how this quote can help you get along more effectively with other people.
For example, with Vince Lombardi’s quote, “If you'll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives,” children may address the first prompt by describing a time when they finished a writing assignment at school and then continued to revise it to improve the story’s word choice and sentence structure, rather than put it away because they simply wanted to be done.

• Choose a quote and ask your child to say whether (s)he agrees or disagrees with its meaning and then explain why. This type of exercise builds the critical thinking skill of evaluation (the highest level on the well-known Bloom’s taxonomy) and develops persuasive speaking skills. For example, when considering John Hancock’s quote, “The greatest ability in business is to get along with others,” a child may choose to disagree and argue that knowing how to do one’s job with knowledge and skill is more important than getting along with other people. This would likely lead to a very interesting conversation.

Discussing quotes with children is a powerful, engaging way to build character in children and develop valuable literacy skills. I hope you decide to give it a try.

About Steve Reifman:

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.


About the book:

Changing Kids’ Lives One Quote at a Time is a book for parents and teachers that contains 121inspirational sayings designed to bring out the best in children and develop lasting habits of character. Accompanying each quote is a set of “talking points” that parents and teachers can use as a reference to draw full meaning from each saying. The topic of character education has been a passion of mine since I began teaching in 1994, and I have always tried to develop great students who are also great people. In these times, when bullying poses such a serious problem in our schools and character-building efforts are so desperately needed, I feel this book has great potential to make a positive difference in our society.

Inspired? Intrigued? Both? Visit Steve Reifman at http://www.stevereifman.com/ and learn more about the book, endorsement statements, and a sample quote.

"Both the paperback version and e-book version are now available on stevereifman.com, and they will soon be available at all major online bookstores."

Steve, thank you for sharing your wonderful article with us, your background and book synopsis. It's been a true pleasure hosting you today.

Wishing you all the best,
Donna


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

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

New Year's Resolution: Writing First Thing Before Anything Else















My New Year's Resolution (I know, I know...many times we don't stick to them after the first few days, but I'm determined not to allow this to happen).

My main New Year's Resolution is to write first thing at least Monday through Friday each and every week.

After I get my writing session in, I stick to my next resolution to complete at least one marketing task for either my book, The Golden Pathway or my Author PR Services.

My third resolution is to edit at least one chapter per day of my middle grade manuscript.

I'm thrilled to share with you that even though it's only the 4th of January I'm sticking to it! Because of this, I feel much lighter and accomplished personally for the day. My afternoons will be dedicated to client work.

I will be posting a weekly check-in on Wednesday's so I hold myself accountable.

I'd like to hear what are you doing to make 2012 your best writing year ever?

I'm looking forward to your response.

Wishing you all an inspirational and productive year!

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

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: Siblings – January 2012 Issue


The beginning of a new year usually brings a time of reflection on the year gone by and hopes of the new year filled with health, happiness, and success. As I get older, I conduct a mental housecleaning of simplifying my life and taking a concerted effort to enjoy the moment of the current day, instead of worrying about the "what if's", because often times the "what's if's" don't even come into play. It takes time to break the "what if" habit, try it today and focus in on your tasks of the day instead of obsessing about tomorrow. I know for myself I find myself not as drained if I focus on the here and now, instead of what I think the coming days, weeks, and months should be.

Our January 2012 theme for the month is all about siblings. Come along and reminisce about your childhood through the delightful poetry and stories in this month's issue and don't forget to share your memories with your children.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Donna M. McDine

FEATURED BOOKS:

My Sister Is My Best Friend a TRILINGUAL Flip Book by Nicole Weaver, illustrated by Clara Batton Smith

My Brother the Frog by Kevin McNamee, illustrated by Alexander Morris
CHILDREN’S POETRY, SHORT STORIES, AND ARTICLES:

“My Little Brother” by Katie (age 10) – the antics of a little brother and big sister’s frustration.
“Hailey’s Homework,” by Juliana Jones and illustrated by Jack Foster – Young Hailey is too little for homework and makes up her own assignment with unhappy results.
“Monsters and Brothers,” by Judy L. Forney and illustrated by Samantha Bell – The roller coaster ride of brothers and how they tease one another.

“Keys to Help Your Child Score Well on Standardized Tests,” by Nicole Weaver - Tips to help you prepare your child for standardized tests beyond the studying.
FEATURED DRAWING, GAMES & ACTIVITIES:

Draw and paint your brothers and sisters with Painting Board
Featured Games from Guardian Angel Publishing Books
Visit Guardian Angel Kid today and http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/ and enjoy a child safe and ad free Ezine.

We also invite you to stay connected with Guardian Angel Kids through our Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Guardian-Angel-Kids-Ezine/163785080346247.

Please feel free to drop Editor-in-Chief, Donna McDine an email at submissions@guardian-angel-kids.com and let them know what you think of Guardian Angel Kids and what you'd like to see in the future. They aim to please.

The Guardian Angel Kids Ezine staff and contributors look forward to your visit. 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://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year


Prayer For Strength and Wisdom



Grant me the strength from day to day

To bear what burdens come my way.

Grant me throughout this bright New Year

More to endure and less to fear.

Help me live that I may be

From spite and petty malice free.



Let me not bitterly complain

When cherished hopes of mine prove vain,

Or spoil with deeds of hate and rage

Some fair tomorrow's spotless page.

Lord, as the days shall come and go

In courage let me stronger grow.



Lord, as the New Year dawns today

Help me to put my faults away.

Let me be big in little things;

Grant me the joy which friendship brings.

Keep me from selfishness and spite;

Let me be wise in what is right.



A happy New Year! Grant that I

May bring no tear to any eye.

When this New Year in time shall end

Let it be said I've played the friend,

Have lived and loved and labored here,

And made of it a happy year.

--Edgar A. Guest



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