Write What Inspires You! ~ Donna M. McDine: #historicalfiction

Showing posts with label #historicalfiction. Show all posts

Friday, May 22, 2020

Join Award-winning children's author, Donna McDine for Story Time Facebook Live

Looking to engage your child with live story time?

Look no further!

Saturday, May 23, 2020 at 9 am EST join me for Story Time Facebook Live

Featuring Powder Monkey

Synopsis:

Forced into a life at sea by the Royal Navy Press Gangs, 12-year-old Tommy Kitt finds himself in a floating sea of misery. Poor living conditions and beatings occur daily. Despite his small size, Tommy must summon the courage and physical ability to prevail in a situation he cannot escape.

I will also take requests from parents and their children with a one week lead time. Email today with your request @ donna@donnamcdine.com

Shout out to Children's Authors...

If you are a children's author and would like your book read live, please contact me at donna@donnamcdine.com for mailing information. Not only will your book be read live at 9 am EST during Donna's Story Time Facebook Live I will profile your book and your writing adventures at my blog and newsletter. I look forward to hearing from you!

I look forward to connecting with one and all via Donna's Story Time Facebook Live weekly event.

Interested in staying connected beyond the Internet? Please feel free to opt-in to my Write What Inspires You Newsletter! I promise not to fill your email inbox, for I send out my emails no more than 1-2 times per month.

Opt-in today to the Write What Inspires You! Newsletter and join parents, teachers, and colleagues who receive Donna’s newsletter and receive two FREE e-Books: “The Story Behind the Books” and “Marketing Tips”

#donnamcdine
#powdermonkey
#pressgangs
#royalnavypressgangs
#earlyreaderpicturebook
#guardianangelpublishing
#writewhatinspiresyounewsletter
#historicalfiction

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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Multi Award-winning Children's Author
Ignite curiosity in your child through reading!

Angel's Forever Home ~ March 2019 ~ Mascot Books ~ 2019 Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention Picture Books Six and Older

Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters ~ December 2015 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2016 Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention Picture Books Five and Under and Story Monster Approved

A Sandy Grave ~ January 2014 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2014 Purple Dragonfly 1st Place Picture Books 6+, Story Monster Approved, Beach Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014 and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

Powder Monkey ~ May 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Historical Fiction 1st Place, Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

Hockey Agony ~ January 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Honorable Mention Picture Books 6+, New England Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014, Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

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, March 20, 2020

My Writing Muse: Behind the Scenes of The Golden Pathway by Donna McDine

Welcome to today's edition of My Writing Muse. Today I'm taking you behind the scenes of the creation of The Golden Pathway, my historical fiction early reader picture book about the Underground Railroad.

I have always had a fascination for American History and living in the historical hamlet of Tappan, New York is a constant reminder of the rich history of our country. And when the opportunity arose at the end of the Institute of Children’s Literature Writing for Children and Teenagers course to create an outline for a book idea I naturally gravitated toward the Underground Railroad.

I initially visited my local library and researched both children’s and adult books on the Underground Railroad. The wealth of information was endless, but once I focused on the central character being the son of a slave owner the story flowed. From start to finish after research it took about a year to edit and fine tune the manuscript to feel confident enough to submit to the Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. After placing 12th in the Children’s/Young Adult category I then met Lynda Burch of Guardian Angel Publishing and submitted. After several more edits and expansion of the story, Ms. Burch offered me my first children’s book contract, adding about another two years to the process. It may seem like a long time, but it’s all worth it.

Where does your writing muse take you? I’d enjoy hearing about your journey.

#thegoldenpathway

#historicalfiction

#theundergroundrailroad

#donnamcdine

#writersdigest

#guardianangelpublishing

#writingmuse

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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Multi Award-winning Children's Author
Ignite curiosity in your child through reading!

Angel's Forever Home ~ March 2019 ~ Mascot Books ~ 2019 Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention Picture Books Six and Older

Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters ~ December 2015 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2016 Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention Picture Books Five and Under and Story Monster Approved

A Sandy Grave ~ January 2014 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2014 Purple Dragonfly 1st Place Picture Books 6+, Story Monster Approved, Beach Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014 and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

Powder Monkey ~ May 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Historical Fiction 1st Place, Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

Hockey Agony ~ January 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Honorable Mention Picture Books 6+, New England Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014, Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

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, February 28, 2020

Where My Writing Muse Takes Me with Award-winning Children's Author - Powder Monkey

Wow! It's the last Friday of February. How can that be? Feels like we just wrapped up the holidays.

Welcome to today's edition of Where My Writing Muse Takes Me. Today' I'm taking you to a behind the scenes glimpse as to where my inspiration and muse came for my early reader picture book, Powder Monkey.

Powder Monkey was an initial manuscript I wrote and submitted to a different publisher that put out a request for manuscripts for the late 1700's to 1800's time period, specifically dealing with the Royal Navy. Being a lover of everything historical fiction I jumped at the opportunity. They turned it down, but after several rounds of edits with Guardian Angel Publishing, PowderMonkey was awarded an acceptance.

The Royal Navy Press Gangs is incredibly fascinating to me, especially since the Press Gangs would kidnap boys as young as 12 years of age and force them to work on the ships. Appalling, but incredible for a writer to uncover. The story idea flowed as well as the characters making for a journey like non-other.

Often times I find knowing when to stop the research the most difficult. I never "throw out" my research, even if it all does not make it into the current work-in-progress...one never knows when it will come in handy for a new manuscript. Here's to the next bit of research taking a life of it's own on!

I’d enjoy hearing about your research process.

Thank you for your time and interest.

#royalnavy

#pressgangs

#powdermonkey

#guardianangelpublishing

#historicalfiction

#donnamcdine

#awardwinningchildrensauthor

#childrensauthor

#earlyreaderpicturebook

#picturebook

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