Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Asking for Your Help - The Golden Pathway - The Global eBook Awards

Hello All:

Hope you are well.

The Global eBook Awards has implemented a rating system for each nomination and while the most votes and highest ratings won't win the contest it allows the judges to gauge the "following" of a particular eBook.

If you have the time and are inclined to rate and leave a comment or testimonial for The Golden Pathway it would be most appreciated at

http://awardsforebooks.com/book-writing-contest/fiction-childrens-picture-books/the-golden-pathway/. To rate it, click on the five "eeeee's" below the title, with the far right being the high rating.

And for your viewing pleasure, check out the link below on the "Top 10 Reasons Your eBook Should be in the Global eBook Competition

http://awardsforebooks.com/book-writing-contest/enter/top-10-reasons-your-ebook-should-be-in-our-competition/.
I appreciate your time!

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

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter

As the world sings triumphant cries to heaven over death that You conquered, help us, Lord, tomorrow as well, when the dresses are put away and the candy is all eaten and on with life we go let us not forget.

The celebration of Your Resurrection over death is a celebration of life that should continue well beyond the sunrise service and the music, rehearshed for days prior; it is beyond the sign of spring beyond the lilly beyond new lambs grazing in open fields.

Resurrection is a daily celebration over fear; man's greatest and most powerful enemy. Fear of tomorrow, fear of our yesterdays, fear of what shall become of our young our old our unborn. Resurrection is replacing fear with physical action.
This alone, the most touching and profound of Your signs that fear is dead and belief in You brings, not just hope but life.
What better living parable could You have brought? All fear death. All. Even in the garden, You took on our fear if for only moments, it was as real as our fears can be real and You knew then that this single enemy must be destroyed.

And, You sacrificed Your life, leaving those who had been comfort, and follower; You left them behind, to conquer fear.
I shall cling to this now, and the tomorrows given me.
Peace and Thanksgiving lifted unto You.

Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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, April 19, 2011

Understanding the Reading Process: Predicting - Verifying - Clarifying by Carol Fraser Boles



"Understanding the Reading Process: Predicting - Verifying - Clarifying"

by Carol Fraser Boles, Literacy Specialist for the National Writing for Children Center


I invite you to visit the National Writing for Children Center and read the Carol Fraser Boles article on "Understanding the Reading Process: Predicting - Verifying - Clarifying," which uses The Golden Pathway as an example.

"The thought process children (or anyone) go through to understand what they are reading involves a specific sequence of steps. These steps are: predicting, reading, verifying and clarifying, reading..."
 
http://writingforchildrencenter.com/2011/04/18/understanding-the-reading-process-predicting-%e2%80%93-verifying-%e2%80%93-clarifying/
 
Join in the discussion sparked by this article. We welcome your comments and experience.
 
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, April 17, 2011

Heidi Thomas author of Follow the Dream is The Golden Pathway's Guest Author


I am pleased to feature, Heidi Thomas author of Follow the Dream today.

Cowgirl is a State of Mind



Dale Evans Rogers defined it well: "Cowgirl is an attitude, really. A pioneer spirit, a special American brand of courage. The cowgirl faces life head on, lives by her own lights, and makes no excuses. Cowgirls take stands. They speak up. They defend the things they hold dear. A cowgirl might be a rancher, or a barrel racer, or a bull rider, or an actress. But she's just as likely to be a checker at the local Winn Dixie, a full-time mother, a banker, an attorney, or an astronaut."

“Cowgirl up” is an expression that means to rise to the occasion, not to give up, and to do it all without whining or complaining. It is easy to say “Cowgirl Up,” however it takes a true cowgirl at heart to live up to the true meaning.

Another quote from Dale Evans:” The cowgirl faces life head on, lives by her own lights and makes no excuses.

Although I grew up on a ranch in eastern Montana and I rode horses, gathered cattle with my dad and helped with branding, I never really thought of myself as a “Cowgirl.” But through my years of reading and researching for my books, I’ve come to realized that I am—maybe an “urban cowgirl” by strict definition, but a cowgirl by attitude.

My grandmother was a cowgirl—a real one, one who not only rode horses, but also rode bucking stock in rodeos in the ’20s & ’30s.

The 1920s was the heyday of rodeo for women. They grew up riding out of necessity alongside their fathers, brothers & husbands and naturally they were just as competitive in trying to see who could stay on the back of a bucking bronc or steer or roping calves as the men.

Rodeos started out as impromptu events—cowboys betting each other who was going to get bucked off the quickest. Annie Oakley paved the way for women when she gained fame in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show as a sharpshooter. Lucille Mulhall, when she was 18 years old, lassoed and tied three steers in 3 minutes, 30 seconds—faster than the best cowboys—won a gold medal and a $10,000 prize for a world record!

This “cowgirl attitude” is the way my grandmother lived. And I modeled my character, Nettie, on my grandmother, and that cowgirl attitude.

Nettie has a dream to become a rodeo star and the tenaciousness to follow that dream. In Cowgirl Dreams, during the 1920s, she faces family and social barriers to that dream. The sequel, Follow the Dream, finds her still holding on to her dream. But the drought and depression of the 1930s forces her to make some tough choices and rethink how her dream works in with her family and life in Montana.

Both books are available through my website http://www.heidimthomas.com/, from my publisher http://www.trebleheartbooks.com/SDHeidiThomas.html. Follow the Dream is also available on Kindle.

Author Bio
Heidi M. Thomas grew up on a ranch in eastern Montana and now lives in western Washington where she writes, edits for other authors, teaches community writing classes and blogs http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/ She is a member of Women Writing the West (http://www.womenwritingthewest.org/,  Skagit Valley Writers League (http://www.skagitwriters.org/) , Northwest Independent Editors Guild (http://www.edsguild.org/)  and VBT—Writers on the Move (http://www.vbt-writersonthemove.blogspot.com/) .


Courage

• Optimism

• Warrior

• GiddyUp

• Inspiration

• Respect

• Loyalty

• Daily Oats: food for the horse lover’s soul

Remember, a Cowgirl’s heart always has a heart full of hope and a life full of laughter.


From Embracing Your Inner Cowboy at http://culturemap.com/newsdetail/03-02-10-a-life-in-red-cowgirl-boots/ 

To me, the spirit a horse leaves behind compared to a human’s is the difference between au de toilet and perfume.


Spirit and Simple is what being a cowboy is all about. You don’t have to ride a horse, wear boots or listen to country western music to be one. It’s an inside job first. The rest is all outdoors.

She quotes Robb Kendrick: “common threads that pull these people together and used to be a common thread in America before the techno world came into play. It crossed all fields, lawyers, writers, farmers, welders, photographers, nurses, etc. It’s the simple stuff you know? Good manners, helping a brother or sister out, basic human qualities that reflect the team spirit while keeping your individual priorities in tact. Being a team when needed and an individual the rest of the time without sacrificing your own values.”

When I asked Robb to describe what he thought “inner cowboy” meant, he nailed it. “Basically the inner cowboy is doing it till it's done right.”

Bonnie Hunt~ “Don’t let praise go to your head, and don’t allow criticism to affect your heart.”

Vicki Frederick http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000148383828

Cowgirl Rule: If we cannot find the road to success, we will make one.

Follow along on the April VBT Writers On the Move as Shelby Patrick hosts Dallas Woodburn at http://writershotspot.blogspot.com/

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

Friday, April 15, 2011

Children’s Author, Donna McDine’s 6-day Author Showcase hosted by the National Writing for Children Center kicks off Mon, April 18

M E D I A  R E L E A S E
CONTACT: Suzanne Lieurance

Email: suzannelieurance@hotmail.com

Website: http://writingforchildrencenter.com/

Children’s Author, Donna McDine’s 6-day Author Showcase hosted by the National Writing for Children Center kicks off Mon, April 18

Children’s Author Donna McDine is being showcased the entire month of April at the National Writing for Children Center. Part of this showcase includes a 6-day virtual book tour. Join Suzanne Lieurance, founder and director of the National Writing for Children Center, and the virtual specialist tour hosts as they welcome Donna McDine for her exclusive tour that starts Monday, April 18.

Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions. Her stories have been published in many print and online publications and her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna has two more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, The Hockey Agony and Powder Monkey. She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids and Publicist for the NWFCC from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI and Musing Our Children.

Travel back in time and learn more about the Underground Railroad and Ms. McDine through her virtual book tour:

Monday, April 18

“Meet the Author”

Host: Terri Forehand – http://www.terri-forehand.blogspot.com/


Tuesday, April 19

“The Writer’s Life”

Host: Nancy I. Sanders – http://www.nancyisanders.wordpress.com/


Wednesday, April 20

“Tradebook Tips for Teachers”

Host: Lori Calabrese – http://www.loricalabrese.blogspot.com/


Thursday, April 21

“Writing Tips

Host: Nicole Weaver – http://www.melangeofcultures.wordpress.com/


Friday, April 22

“On the Go”

Host: Irene Roth – http://www.rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com/


Saturday, April 23

“Become a Facebook Fan”

Host: Suzanne Lieurance – http://www.suzannelieurance.com/

Thank you for your interest, we look forward to your visit.

Authors interested in being showcased at the National Writing for Children Center can download an application www.writingforchildrencenter.com or email Suzanne Lieurance for more information at info@writingforchildrencenter.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

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Children’s Author, Donna McDine to appear on Book Bites for Kids – Wed, April 13 at 2 pm CDT


M E D I A R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Suzanne Lieurance, The Working Writer’s Coach
Email: suzannelieurance@hotmail.com 
Website: http://writingforchildrencenter.com/ 

For Immediate Release


Children’s Author, Donna McDine to appear on Book Bites for Kids – Wed, April 13 at 2 pm CDT Travel back in time and learn about the key code words in conducting the Underground Railroad through children’s author, Donna McDine’s interview on Book Bites for Kids.

Book Bites for Kids, hosted by Suzanne Lieurance is a delightful way to interact with children's book authors, illustrators, publishers, editors, and publicists to learn more about the world of children’s writing and publishing.

We are pleased to invite you to tune in on Wednesday, April 13th at 2 pm CDT, at http://www.bookbitesforkids.com/ to meet Donna McDine, as she discusses her historical fiction story book, The Golden Pathway.

Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions. Her stories have been published in many print and online publications and her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna has two more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, The Hockey Agony and Powder Monkey. She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids and Publicist for the NWFCC from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI and Musing Our Children.


Not only can you listen to the show online, you can also call in during the live broadcast at (646) 716-9239 and ask the author being interviewed a question, make a comment, or just say "hi." If you can't call in during the live show, visit http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/ and click on the author's Book Bites for Kids page and leave your question in the comment section there, which automatically enters you into our weekly Book Giveaway? Visit the National Writing for Children Center online at http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/  or the Children's Writers Coaching Club at www.cwcoachingclub.com for more information on showcased authors and classes. We look forward to your visit.

###

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://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

Friday, April 8, 2011

Amy O'Quinn's, NWFCC Homeschooling Specialist article - "Using Picture Books to Introduce Sensitive Topics to Children"


I'm thrilled to share with you all, Amy O'Quinn's, NWFCC Homeschooling Specialist article - "Using Picture Books to Introduce Sensitive Topics to Children"
http://writingforchildrencenter.com/2011/04/08/using-picture-books-to-introduce-sensitive-topics-to-children/


What a surprise for me this is, since Amy incorporates my book, The Golden Pathway into her article.


Great way to end the week!


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

Monday, April 4, 2011

Let's Get Our Young Muses Talking About Books at the National Writing for Children Center


What better way to get our young muses excited about books, by joining in lively book discussions. This will provide them a unique opportunity to meet an author through safe channels, where everyone's input is valued.

I invite you to join in the National Writing for Children Center's "Let's Talk About the Book," featuring The Golden Pathway at http://writingforchildrencenter.com/2011/04/03/the-golden-pathway-lets-talk-about-the-book.

Synopsis:
Be transported through time to the Underground Railroad, where high-pitched screams echo each night. David’s cruel Pa always chooses the same victim. Despite the circumstances during slavery, David uncovers the courage to defy his Pa.


Raised in a hostile environment where abuse occurs daily, David attempts to break the mold and befriends the slave, Jenkins, owned by his Pa. Fighting against extraordinary times and beliefs, David attempts to lead Jenkins to freedom with no regard for his own safety and possible consequences dealt out by his Pa.


I am looking forward to your visit.

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