Monday, December 31, 2012


A New Year Prayer



Holy Father,

God of our yesterdays, our today, and our tomorrows.

We praise You for Your unequaled greatness.

Thank You for the year behind us and for the year ahead.

Help us in Your new year, Father, to fret less and laugh more.

To teach our children to laugh by laughing with them.

To teach others to love by loving them.

Knowing, when Love came to the stable in Bethlehem, He came for us.

So that Love could be with us, and we could know You.

That we could share Love with others.

Help us, Father, to hear Your love song in every sunrise,

in the chriping of sparrows in our backyards,

in the stories of our old folks, and the fantasies of our children.

Help us to stop and listen to Your love songs,

so that we may know You better and better.

We rejoice in the world You loved into being.

Thank You for another new year and for new chances every day.

We pray for peace, for light, and for hope, that we might spread them to others.

Forgive us for falling short this past year.

We leave the irreparable past in your hands, and step out into the unknown new year 

knowing You will go with us.

We accept Your gift of a new year and we rejoice in what's ahead, depending on You to 

help us do exactly what You want..

I say it again, we rejoice!

In Jesus name,

Amen


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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist









Friday, December 28, 2012

Michael And The Elf by Kathryn Sullivan


Michael And The Elf
Written by Kathryn Sullivan
Illustrated by Jo Dunningham

Synopsis: Michael likes to pretend. A tiny elf he finds in his parent’s garden asks him to pretend to fly him home. But a witch might stop Michael from pretending, and he must believe in himself.



About the author: Kathryn Sullivan has been writing science fiction and fantasy since she was 14 years old. Any place and any object is at risk of appearing in her stories – the river bluffs surrounding Winona, MN, where she lives, can become the windswept cliffs of an alien planet or the deep mysterious woods of a fantasy tale. Any birdlike beings in her books only slightly resemble her cockatoo owner. Her website is http://kathrynsullivan.com and her Facebook author page is https://www.facebook.com/KathrynSullivan.author


Visit Kathryn Sullivan http://kathrynsullivan.com/ to learn more about her illustrious writing career. 


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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist









Wednesday, December 26, 2012



El Burro Sonriente (Spanish version)
Por: Mary Esparza-Vela
Illustrado por: Mike Motz

Synopsis: Un pequeño burro se presenta en la casa de un niño y se convierte en un valioso miembro de la familia. El día que desaparece, nunca esperan volver a verlo hasta que aparece una noche oscura y temerosa.









The Smiling Burro (English version) 
Written by Mary Esparza-Vela
Illustrated by: Mike Motz

Synopsis: A tiny burro shows up at a little boy’s house and becomes a real asset to the family. The day he disappears, they never expect to see him again until he prances in one dark spooky night.






About the author:

Mary Esparza-Vela is an award-winning author who has written articles for religious publications and online non-profit organizations.  She has published a total of 15 short stories and five of her children’s books are available thru Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. Her work includes:

“A Miracle for Juanito” won Honorable Mention in a Writer’s Digest competition.
A 1st Place winning entry on the Pen & Ink Blog.

The Turtle Who Imagined was selected as 2012 Book of the Year by Creative Child Magazine.

The Odd Chick

Bearly Learning About Water

The Smiling Burro

El Burro Sonriente (Spanish)

Mary is also a patented inventor. Her plush dolls, called LUV-BEAMS®, received Preferred Choice and Seal of Excellence awards from a panel of parents and educators. TDMonthly Toy Magazine has featured them as “winning toys.”  Adventure stories about the doll characters are COMING SOON.

Mary lives in Texas with her husband who is her writing partner, and their three children. Her books are available from various online bookstores, including Amazon.com, Guardian Angel Publishing, Barnes & Nobles, Target, and as e-books. The dolls are available at www.marysdollsandbooks.com.

Links to her books:







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist









Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas




A CHRISTMAS BLESSING
Wilda English,  n.d.


God grant you the light of Christmas,
which is faith;
the warmth of Christmas,
which is purity;
the righteousness of Christmas,
which is justice;
the belief in Christmas,
which is truth;
the all of Christmas,
which is Christ?.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist









Thursday, December 13, 2012

Children's Book: Birds in the Flower Basket by Mary Jean Kelso



Just in the time for the Christmas season! Do you have a young girl on your Christmas list? Give the gift of a charming children's book today. 

About Birds in a Flower Basket: Abbi’s mother struggles to keep her flowering plant alive while birds raise their family in it. This gives Abbi a valuable lesson on how birds create a nest and raise their young. It is a learning experience from identifying the birds through watching the young hatchlings grow and take wing.

Suggested age for readers: 2-8


Visit children's author, Mary Jean Kelso www.authorsden.com/maryjeankelso and explore her illustrious writing career. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist









Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Children's Book: Ava's Secret Tea Party by Donna J. Shepherd


I'm pleased to share with you the announcement of Donna J. Shepherd's latest children's book, Ava's Secret Tea Party. Offered in both hard cover and paperback, Ava's Secret Tea Party is sure to be cherished by little girls and their parents for years to come.

BLURB:
Has your child dreamed of meeting Tooth Fairy, Santa, Sandman, or Easter Bunny? Ava wants to invite them to tea, but how? The answer lies with one special character who knows them ALL! In the style of a classic fairy tale, Donna Shepherd has written Ava's Secret Tea Party. Enjoy the tale, look for hidden teacups and chocolate chip cookies in the sweet illustrations, and have fun making the recipes and crafts included in the book!

Visit author, Donna J. Shepherd and discover her world of tea parties and other children's books:

Blog: http://www.asecretteaparty.blogspot.com


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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist









Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Guest Blogger: Lucy Markham - Using Universal Archetypes in Children’s Literature




Using Universal Archetypes in Children’s Literature

by Lucy Markham 

Archetypes have been used in folklore for centuries to help adults and children alike understand the concepts of good and evil in storytelling. These archetypes are just as effective and important in modern children’s literature as they have been in mythology.

As the holiday season is approaching, there are several valuable lessons that can be learned from the Christmas story found in the Book of Luke. The reason why stories such as the Christmas story are so popular with children is because it presents archetypes such as the hero, the great mother, the devil, and the mentor, all universally recognizable characters that help children quickly relate to a plot line. The Christ child’s mother was said to be the most virtuous and beautiful above all other women, the Angel Gabriel appeared not only to Mary, but also to her fiancé Joseph to provide counsel and instruction to the couple. At the same time, there is a king, truly the representative of evil that is trying to rob all women of the joy of their baby boys.

The story of Christ continues by the baby boy growing up to be the martyr and best known hero of all time. His life is surrounded by characters such as the devil in a representation of being a trickster, a damsel in distress who will be killed without his help. These stories can be worked into your own children’s story to provide clear and recognizable characters. Why do you think so many children’s stories include an evil queen, a virtuous princess, and a knight in shining armor? These are terrific archetypes to help a story move a long and help children learn valuable life lessons of good prevailing over evil and the main characters overcoming triumphs and temptations.

As you are writing your own children’s story, consider the popular archetypes and how you can create your characters and their traits, flaws, and triumphs to help children dive into the story and understand easily with the familiarity of these universal archetypes.

Lucy Markham has a Bachelor’s Degree in English: creative writing from the University of Florida and worked as an academic and career counselor for three years before pursuing her Master’s degree in Education. She enjoys blogging, taking online classes in creative writing and discovering new books.


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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist









Sunday, December 2, 2012

Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: Courage – December 2012 Issue















M E D I A  R E L E A S E

CONTACT:    Donna McDine, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
Email:              submissions@guardian-angel-kids.com
Website:          http://guardian-angel-kids.com

For Immediate Release

Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: Courage – December 2012 Issue

Courage instilled in children from the onset will develop over time to monumental positive actions. Starting with the simplest act of having the courage to ask questions in an effort to learn, especially when you think no one else could possibly have the same question. To always telling the truth even though disciplinary actions may be the result or standing up to the school bully when everyone else is afraid to. Courage comes from one’s positive surroundings and the support from our loved ones to live our lives in a positive manner.
Come explore the world of Guardian Angel Kids through the thought provoking short stories and articles of what it means to be courageous and how being so can be rewarding in immeasurable ways. Digging deep down to right a wrong in The Secret and Beyond the Evergreen are examples of truthfulness, discovering the admiration of sisterhood in Its Life, encouraging our children to reach their full potential in Courage-Reach for the Stars, and how teaching children to write their own stories provides them with an outlet to let their voice soar in Writing with Kids.

Surf on over to Guardian Angel Kids today www.guardian-angel-kids.com, enjoy a child safe ad free Ezine and visit the writers and illustrators in the Guardian Angel Kids December 2012 issue and enjoy the inspiring poetry, stories, articles and activities.

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.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
Connect with

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist