I've been tagged by Kimberly Lynn

I've been tagged by Kimberly Lynn

I have to come up with 7 interesting or random facts about myself, and then tag 7 other people to do the same.

You can learn more about Kimberly Lynn and her blog by clicking http://kimberlylynn1020.blogspot.com/.

7 random facts about me:

1. I have a twin sister, Debbie - we look nothing alike, but have had psychic premonitions about one another from time to time...and they end up being true.

2. My nickname is Dee. My brother Tom married a Donna Marie and I married a Tom...so my 4-year-old niece nicknamed me Dee and it stuck. She's now 23!

3. I love watching scary movies in the dark alone.

4. My dear friends, Michelle, Dawn, and Mary are my cheerleaders when rejections come my way.

5. My 13-year-old daugther, Nicole, looks exactly like I did at her age.

6. My first draft is always done in long hand with my favorite Graf von Faber-Castell pen, my husband and daughter's gave me for my 40th birtday.

7. At the beginning of January 2009 I will have a great announcement about my writing career posted on my blog and website...stay tuned!

I am tagging:

1. Carma Dutra - Carma’s Window - http://www.carmaswindow.blogspot.com

2. Lori Calabrese - http://www.loricalabrese.blogspot.com/

3. Dawn Phillips - http://www.rdchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/

4. Dorothy Massey - http://larimar.pnn.com/3693-the-front-page

5. Jennifer Gladen - http://jgladen.blogspot.com/

6. Jessica Aday Kennedy - http://j.adaykennedy.tripod.com/blog/

7. Sylvia C. Hall - http://www.sylvias-journal.blogspot.com/

Good luck!

Write What Inspires You! FREE Newsletter

Friendly Reminder:

The debut issue of my new FREE newsletter, Write What Inspires You! will be released December 2008. I already have over 40 subscribers and would like remind you that if you are interested in being an interview subject, have great news to announce, or would like to contribute an article to the Reflections or Dreams column please contact me at: dmcdine@optonline.net.

The line-up for December is:

Author Interview, Mayra Calvani
Illustrator Interview, Dawn Phillips
Book Review of Junior Geography Detective Squad - State of Wilderness by Elysabeth Eldering
Reflections or Dreams, by myself
Proclaim your Successess! - several announcements by fellow writers.

Have an inspirational day!

Honor Veteran's Day

THIS PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS...

GENERATIONS OF VALOR...

We truly take a lot for granted. Forget the football 'heroes' and movie 'stars'.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.
One died for your soul; the other for your freedom..

77th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition Announced

Category WinnersClick on the category name of the 77th Annual WD Writing Competition below to see the top 100 winners in each area:

Children's/YA Fiction - #12 Donna M. McDine
Feature Article
Genre Short Story
Inspirational
Mainstream Fiction
Nonrhyming Poetry
Memoir/Personal Essay
Rhyming Poetry
Stageplay
Screenplay

November Articles Published Online & In-Print

Hello...I'm thrilled to share with you that two of my non-fiction articles are appearing online and in-print during the month of November:









"Your daughter is developing early - should you worry?"

http://www.hvparent.com/articles/article.aspx?id=813







Guest Profile: "An Interview with K.L. Going"

http://momwriterslitmag.com/GuestProfile2.htm


At both magazines, please be sure to check out all the other informative articles.

Thanks for visiting!

Mayra Calvani - Virtual Book Tour Today!

I am thrilled to have Mayra Calvani with me today and she will be fielding questions. Please read her Guest Author Post below and leave a comment or ask any question you may have. Mayra will be checking in throughout the day to answer your questions.

So You Want to Be a Reviewer?

Are you passionate about books? Do you have a talent for easily capturing the essence of a book after having read it? Do you often feel the desire to share your thoughts about a book with readers? If you answered "Yes" to these questions, then book reviewing can be one of the most satisfying, rewarding activities you'll ever undertake. In fact, book reviewing can become addictive.

I started reviewing in 1998. Back then, I wished someone had written a book with all there is to know about book reviewing. Sure, I found many articles on the web about the craft, which I read eagerly. But, I really wished I could have found everything in one volume. A sort of "user's manual"–a book that I would be able to come back to again and again and use as a reference, one that would reveal the secrets of the trade, the Dos and Don'ts, full of guidelines, tips and practical advice.

Though it may seem strange, there are hundreds of books on writing in general, and many on writing book reports, proposals, query letters and synopses, but practically none on writing reviews.

Like all fledgling reviewers, I made my share of amateurish mistakes, becoming all the more experienced and polished because of them. I, too, was guilty of the fledgling reviewer's disease–that of writing overly-positive reviews. Overwhelmed with enthusiasm, a good heart, and the desire to please everyone associated with the book, I often made the big mistake of forgetting the foremost person a reviewer must keep in mind–the reader. As I read and wrote more and more reviews, it soon became easy to tell a good review from a bad one, and to realize that a large number of reviewers, especially beginners, would profit from a bit of guidance, the things I learned from my mistakes.

The fact is, most people do read reviews to select their reading material. Reviews do have a positive or a negative influence on whether or not a person buys a book. Hence, reviewing is a serious responsibility, one reviewers shouldn't take lightly.

The aim of this book, therefore, is to offer some guidelines in a clear manner supported with targeted examples of how to write and publish thoughtful, well-written reviews no matter their length, type or genre, and to examine the essence of reviews within a broader spectrum.
This book was written not only with the aspiring reviewer in mind, but for the established reviewer who needs a bit of refreshing and also for anybody–be they author, publisher, reader, bookseller, librarian or publicist–who wants to become more informed about the value, purpose and effectiveness of reviews.

On a final note, the writing of this book has been a highly interesting, educational and thrilling ride into the slippery world of reviews for Anne K. Edwards and me. I hope you'll enjoy the journey and profit from it as much as we have.

So take out pen and paper, a highlighter, and get ready to write great reviews!

The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing Copyright © 2008. Mayra Calvani and Anne K. Edwards. All rights reserved by the authors. Please do not copy without permission.

Multi-genre author Mayra Calvani has been a reviewer for ten years. She's the author of the supernatural thrillers, Embraced by the Shadows and Dark Lullaby. A regular contributor to Blogcritics Magazine, she's also a member of Broad Universe, Authors Coalition, and The Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators.

Visit her website at: http://www.mayracalvani.com/. For her children's books, visit http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.com/. Mayra also keeps a blog, The Dark Phantom Review, where she regulary posts reviews and author interviews. To learn more about The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, visit http://www.slipperybookreview.wordpress.com/.

Mayra Calvani - Guest Author - The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing

FRIENDLY REMINDER:

Mayra Calvani, co-author of The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, to visit Donna McDine's blog - Write What Inspires You! - http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com/ on:

Tuesday, November 4th

An excerpt..."Are you passionate about books? Do you have a talent for easily capturing the essence of a book after having read it? Do you often feel the desire to share your thoughts about a book with readers? If you answered "Yes" to these questions, then book reviewing can be one of the most satisfying, rewarding activities you'll ever undertake. In fact, book reviewing can become addictive."

To learn more about Mayra and her latest book, visit on November 4th to read more of Mayra's guest post. Mayra is happy to answer any questions you may have.