In a faraway canyon, Valentine goes about her business, tidying her cabin, running errands, and baking pies. Little does she know that someone very special thinks about her every day. Her bashful admirer wants to ask her an important question. but try as he might, none of his notes, letters, and heartfelt messages ever end up in the right place!
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK : Before I even mention what I thought of this story, I have to give a hearty shout out to illustrator, Tricia Tusa, for such a clever, whimsical rendition of one true love’s quest to ask his sweetheart one very important question. Author, Alison Jackson, took a tried-and-true classic ballad and turned it on its head. Young readers are taken on a wild ride as this lovelorn Romeo uses a homing pigeon, smoke signals, and even a rider on a pony to try and deliver his love letter to his Valentine! A clever holiday addition to any library!
RATING: ****4 Stars****
RATING SYSTEM
1 star…probably not worth your time.
2 stars…there are some things to like but some elements could have been stronger.
3 stars…this story w5ill appeal to some readers, but others might find it lacking s omething.
4 stars…strong story, nice illustrations, and should grab the attention of many readers.
5 stars…superbly written story, stellar illustrations, a must addition to any book lovers’ collection!
?
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Fox is set to cook a nice meal until the main ingredient tries to escape! The chase is on as Fox and his friends scurry, hop, and lumber their way to catching those rumbly, tumbly taters. Friendship and teamwork go hand in hand during THE GREAT POTATO RACE!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
Step out into a snowy Valentine’s Day with Jasper the bunny as he searches the forest valley for a special gift for his loved one.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK : The countdown to Valentine’s Day has begun and I’m seeing all types of gifts for loved ones. But for Jasper, the everyday gift just isn’t special enough for his lady love, Lilly. Author/Illustrator, David Petersen, sends one little bunny on a quest to find perfection in one little Valentine’s gift. Just when he thinks he has to return home empty handed, Jasper realizes changing his point of view changes how he creates his own special vision of love. A nice Valentine’s Day addition to any library!
RATING: ****4 Stars****
RATING SYSTEM
1 star…probably not worth your time.
2 stars…there are some things to like but some elements could have been stronger.
3 stars…this story w5ill appeal to some readers, but others might find it lacking something.
4 stars…strong story, nice illustrations, and should grab the attention of many readers.
5 stars…superbly written story, stellar illustrations, a must addition to any book lovers’ collection!
?
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Fox is set to cook a nice meal until the main ingredient tries to escape! The chase is on as Fox and his friends scurry, hop, and lumber their way to catching those rumbly, tumbly taters. Friendship and teamwork go hand in hand during THE GREAT POTATO RACE!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
Mortimer is looking for love. And he’s looking everywhere! He’s worked out at the gym (if only his arm wouldn’t keep falling off). He’s tried ballroom dancing lessons (but the ladies found him to be a bit stiff). He’s even been on stalemate.com. How’s a guy supposed to find a ghoul? When it seems all hope has died, could the girl of Mortimer’s dreams be just one horrifying shriek away?
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK : With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I went in search of some touching “love story” picture books. But not just your everyday Cupid’s arrow or bunnies in love kind of books. And I found just the right one in Kelly DiPucchio’s picture book, ZOMBIE IN LOVE. Where some may see poor Mortimer as “unlovable”, the main character of this story will have young readers crossing their fingers (and toes!) that this young lover will find his TRUE LOVE at the annual Cupid’s Ball! A cuteaddition to any library!
RATING: *****5 Stars*****
RATING SYSTEM
1 star…probably not worth your time.
2 stars…there are some things to like but some elements could have been stronger.
3 stars…this story w5ill appeal to some readers, but others might find it lacking something.
4 stars…strong story, nice illustrations, and should grab the attention of many readers.
5 stars…superbly written story, stellar illustrations, a must addition to any book lovers’ collection!
?
************
Fox is set to cook a nice meal until the main ingredient tries to escape! The chase is on as Fox and his friends scurry, hop, and lumber their way to catching those rumbly, tumbly taters. Friendship and teamwork go hand in hand during THE GREAT POTATO RACE!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
After Groundhog announces six more weeks of winter, half his animal friends are disappointed, while the other half are excited. Each animal asks Groundhog to make his prediction in their favor the following year. Rather than being truthful about the fact that he just “calls it like he sees it,” he leads them to believe he can control the weather, accepting their gifts of food and favor. On the next Groundhog Day, he finally admits he made promises he couldn’t keep because he was trying to please everyone and makes amends.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK : A part of me can relate to poor Groundhog in Kristen Remenar’s picture book, GROUNDHOG’S DELIMMA. He’s in charge of predicting whether the animals will see six more weeks of winter but doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings so let’s everyone assume he can control what the weather will actually do. The “non-confrontational” part of me would probably have been concerned with others’ feelings as well. But in the end Groundhog had to follow his heart by telling the truth, even if he risked losing some friendships along the way. Nice subtle lessons on honesty and friendships. A good addition to any library!
RATING: ****4 Stars****
RATING SYSTEM
1 star…probably not worth your time.
2 stars…there are some things to like but some elements could have been stronger.
3 stars…this story w5ill appeal to some readers, but others might find it lacking something.
4 stars…strong story, nice illustrations, and should grab the attention of many readers.
5 stars…superbly written story, stellar illustrations, a must addition to any book lovers’ collection!
?
************
Fox is set to cook a nice meal until the main ingredient tries to escape! The chase is on as Fox and his friends scurry, hop, and lumber their way to catching those rumbly, tumbly taters. Friendship and teamwork go hand in hand during THE GREAT POTATO RACE!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
When I first thought about starting my own publishing company, I had no idea of all the details and responsibilities which came with that decision. I had the simple dream that I was capable of releasing my own stories.
And I was.
What I didn’t bargain for was all the OTHER details that come with running a publishing company.
Editing
Illustrations
Cover Design
Formatting
Production Set Up
And other things that came with getting an idea out of my head and into a finished, published book. Over the next three years I realized I could figure out MOST of the things I needed to do, but then I lucked out! I met my design manager, Shahbaz Awan, in early 2021 and our personalities, work ethics, etc. meshed perfectly so I decided to offer him the opportunity to work with Story Catcher Publishing. I’m so happy he accepted! Here’s a little more about Shahbaz:
Story Catcher Publishing’s design team manager, Shahbaz Awan, comes to us all the way from Pakistan. Shahbaz received a degree in Computer Engineering, but due to the pandemic, he wasn’t able to find employment in that field. In March 2021, he decided to transition into the world of book publishing to design his own website (www.ilayoutbooks.com) where he quickly began offering freelance services in cover design and formatting. He showed his knowledge and professionalism, handling a variety of projects, to quickly became Story Catcher Publishing’s design team manager. Shahbaz’ team of seven formatters and designers, one cover designer, and one illustrator also offer freelance project support for fiction, non-fiction, picture books, magazine design, or cookbook design in both eBook and print formats on many available printing platforms.
Then I found my lead illustrator, Nimra Junaid, in late 2021. Nimra is so talented and does hand drawn sketches that are later digitally colorized. She has brought four of Story Catcher Publishing’s picture books to life and we have plans for many more in the future! Here is more about Nimra:
Story Cather Publishing’s Illustrator, Nimra Junaid, also comes to us from Pakistan. Nimra joined us as our lead illustrator in the fall of 2021. As a child, Nimra was good at sketching. Her father encouraged her talent and made sure she had the right supplies to develop her skills. After receiving her degree in Fine Arts, she started her artist profession in 2007. In 2012, Nimra was chosen to participate in painting the World’s Largest Pakistan Flag and received a Guinness World Record certificate for her effort. You can see the record setting flag by clicking on http://youtu.be/6AzRvBycyZs. Nimra has completed several murals and ceiling oil paintings as well.
There you have it. Story Catcher Publishing’s design team of hard-working artists ready to help other writers on their own publishing journey! Check back next week to find out more about our expansion coming this Fall!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
It’s 1969 and Marty’s family lives on the U.S. island of Guam, where his father manages the NASA tracking station. It’s important work and never more so than during the Apollo 11 space mission, where the tracking station relays signals back and forth between the astronauts and Mission Control in Houston, Texas. Along with the rest of the world, Marty listens to every mission update, including the historic landing on the moon and astronaut Neil Armstrong’s first steps. But during Apollo 11’s return to Earth, something goes wrong. There is a problem with the tracking station’s antenna during the final hours of the mission. The problem must be resolved–the antenna is the only way Mission Control can communicate with the astronauts before Apollo 11 splashes down. Marty finds himself playing a key role in helping bring the craft safely back to Earth.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK : I was young when Apollo 11 took its trip to the moon. I didn’t fully understand what was happening and I certainly wouldn’t have had the maturity of mind and courage of spirit to do what young Marty did to help the astronauts of Apollo 11 to return home safely. Author Judy Young has woven a wonderful story about how one young boy’s chance to help with the lunar mission turns the tide and guarantees NASA lives to dream another day! A nice addition to any library!
RATING: ****4 Stars****
RATING SYSTEM
1 star…probably not worth your time.
2 stars…there are some things to like but some elements could have been stronger.
3 stars…this story w5ill appeal to some readers, but others might find it lacking something.
4 stars…strong story, nice illustrations, and should grab the attention of many readers.
5 stars…superbly written story, stellar illustrations, a must addition to any book lovers’ collection!
?
************
Fox is set to cook a nice meal until the main ingredient tries to escape! The chase is on as Fox and his friends scurry, hop, and lumber their way to catching those rumbly, tumbly taters. Friendship and teamwork go hand in hand during THE GREAT POTATO RACE!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
TITLE:Boycott Blues, How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
AUTHOR: Andrea Davis Pinkney
ILLUSTRATOR: Brian Pinkney
PUBLISHER: Greenwillow Books, 2008
SYNOPSIS:
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus, and the Montgomery bus boycott began. So did the boycott blues. In the days that followed—382 days to be exact—many people decided they’d rather walk than take city transportation.
Some started taxis, some rode bikes, but they all walked and walked. With dogged feet. With dog-tired feet. With boycott feet. With the boycott blues.The Montgomery bus boycott finally ended when the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on public transportation was unconstitutional.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK : As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize there are some moments in time that should never be forgotten. Some moments because of the great joy connected to it. But then there are those moments in history that come with great sorrow before the triumph over adversity. Author, Andrea Davis Pinkney, has managed to help remind all of us of not only the struggle for some people to be able to live with dignity, but also of the many, many “dog-tired feet” who stood up for what they believed in. Rosa Parks may have started the spark that became the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955, but it was all those other “feet” who helped change a nation and ended up walking their way right into the pages of history! A strong addition to any library!
RATING: *****5 Stars*****
RATING SYSTEM
1 star…probably not worth your time.
2 stars…there are some things to like but some elements could have been stronger.
3 stars…this story w5ill appeal to some readers, but others might find it lacking something.
4 stars…strong story, nice illustrations, and should grab the attention of many readers.
5 stars…superbly written story, stellar illustrations, a must addition to any book lovers’ collection!
?
************
Fox is set to cook a nice meal until the main ingredient tries to escape! The chase is on as Fox and his friends scurry, hop, and lumber their way to catching those rumbly, tumbly taters. Friendship and teamwork go hand in hand during THE GREAT POTATO RACE!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
I have been writing and publishing for such a long time that I sometimes forget there are many people out there who might not know my author to publisher story…
Author Hat:
I’ve been writing ever since I was eight years old. Over FIFTY YEARS of creating stories out of pure magic and my imagination.
When I was eleven years old, I entered my first writing contest sponsored by my hometown library and I won first place! Right then I knew I would see my own name on the cover of a book some day. During my teenage years I wrote A LOT of poetry…sometimes collaborating with my sister …but usually all on my own. I was also working on my sketching skills, but wasn’t quite ready to share my works in progress with the world.
My twenties came along and I finally dared myself to submit some of my poetry for publication. A couple of my poems were accepted for inclusion in an anthology and I thought I was on my way to a writing career.
But a newbie writer’s ego is a fragile thing and harsh words can sometimes do long-lasting damage. When family members began to ridicule my work…to ridicule me, I decided to lay down my pen, to lay down my sketch pencil for the next TWENTY-FIVE years! I thought my dreams of becoming a sketch artist and author of children’s books were lost forever. But LIFE is funny that way…just when you think your boat is settled on a steady course in one direction, a squall rises up to toss you in an entirely different direction.
Fast forward to 2010 and a chance encounter with Tara Lazar and a funny little picture book challenge coming up where I was supposed to write down thirty ideas for stories in thirty days. I wasn’t going to join…until I dreamt of nothing but PICTURE BOOK IDEAS every night for two solid weeks prior to the challenge! I saw it as a sign that I needed to give my childhood dream a second chance and I signed up for the challenge before I could change my mind.
One of the story ideas to come out of that STORYSTORM challenge was a book about a girl named Addie who wanted so badly to learn how to read, but the words kept seeming to run away from her every time she sat down with a book. Five years later, in 2015, THE STORY CATCHER about Addies struggle with dyslexia was picked up during a Twitter Pitch and later traditionally published, which eventually led to my signing with a literary agent.
By the time 2017 came along, I realized that my agent’s vision of my writing future and mine wasn’t meshing too well so we parted ways as friends to pursue our own destinies which led me straight to my publisher’s path!
Publisher Hat:
With no agent and many, many manuscripts written over the years, I decided to look into indie publishing. Prior to then I had swore to myself I would never self-publish because the industry had such a negative connotation and most of the books I saw at the time just didn’t meet my personal high standards of what I wanted MY books to look like. But by the time I opened the door to STORY CATCHER PUBLISHING in January 2018, the indie industry was slowly improving the overall quality and standards of what would be put out into the world.
LUNADAR: Homeward Bound was the first book I released under my new publishing house. It is a young adult fantasy novel full of magic, mermaids, fairies, dark lords, mythical creatures, light romance, piracy, portal travel, and the ultimate battle to save the secret heir to the land of Lunadar. I was proud of the hard work I put into this baby, all the while still working full-time running a martial arts school five days a week.
Next came a historical fiction chapter book series called HISTORY’S MYSTERIES that was written for 7-12 year olds, but has become very popular with readers of all ages. Each book in the series is thoroughly researched and has a blend of fictional as well as historically depicted characters.I’m currently working on book four with many more titles to come!
Then came the release of my memoir (part one) of growing up among the Cajun people and the bayous of southern Louisiana. I had found my design team and started fine tuning the publishing process to make the most of both KDP for ebook files and IngramSpark for softcover and/or hardcover production. What once took me weeks to fight and figure out how to create, format, and design the files for production now takes days because I’ve delegated that side of the business to my design team who you will get a chance to meet next week.
Story Catcher Publishing 2022
Last year I introduced my picture book line to the world and ramped up working with my lead illustrator on the design team.
Now I’m ready to expand Story Catcher Publishing into realizing another dream I’ve had for almost five years now. I want to help strong writers publish THEIR stories under the umbrella of the SCP family, but all while teaching those writers how to set up their own author platform to take their careers to a whole new level! It will be a partnership where my design team sets up production, and I offer FREE services for helping create websites, blogs, social media sites, sales sheets, marketing plans, author events, book awards and much, much more! It’s my way of giving back to the KidLit community that has supported me for so many years, I’m really excited of what the Fall will bring!
Don’t forget to stop by next week to meet my design team and see what is on the horizon for Story Catcher Publishing…
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Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
Young Stella loves books so much, her books begin to take over the farmhouse. “Why, Stell, you need your own library to hold those books,” her pa tells her, so he and the neighbors build her one! She calls it “the Mermaid’s Purse,” since the midwife said Stella was born in one. Stella opens the Purse to her neighbors and travels around the countryside, sharing her books door-to-door. Not everyone gives them a chance at first, like grouchy Pig Ears Lonsberry. But farmer Dunkle sure changes his mind when information in a book saves his sick sheep. Eventually, everybody comes to love the Mermaid’s Purse—so when a tornado destroys it, scattering Stella’s precious books far and wide, the whole community rallies to help.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK : There are so many things I liked about this book, I’m not quite sure where to begin. New York Times bestselling author, Patricia Polacco, takes her readers on a journey of discovery into the life of her grandmother, Estella Barber. From the moment she was born to her great love of reading to her massive book collection that was housed in a library her father built for her. I loved how she traveled all around the countryside with a goat cart full of books to share with her neighbors. I love how Estella persevered the ridicule of people who either didn’t have time for books or didn’t believe they could learn anything new from them. And when disaster destroyed the Mermaid’s Purse and all the books, Estella witnessed a community coming together to restore her faith in the power of books! A great addition to any library!
RATING: *****5 Stars*****
RATING SYSTEM
1 star…probably not worth your time.
2 stars…there are some things to like but some elements could have been stronger.
3 stars…this story w5ill appeal to some readers, but others might find it lacking something.
4 stars…strong story, nice illustrations, and should grab the attention of many readers.
5 stars…superbly written story, stellar illustrations, a must addition to any book lovers’ collection!
?
************
Fox is set to cook a nice meal until the main ingredient tries to escape! The chase is on as Fox and his friends scurry, hop, and lumber their way to catching those rumbly, tumbly taters. Friendship and teamwork go hand in hand during THE GREAT POTATO RACE!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
TITLE:The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
AUTHOR: William Joyce
ILLUSTRATOR: William Joyce & Joe Bluhm
PUBLISHER: Moonbot Books, 2012
SYNOPSIS:
Morris Lessmore loved words. He loved stories. He loved books. But every story has its upsets. Everything in Morris Lessmore’s life, including his own story, is scattered to the winds. But the power of story will save the day.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK : If there is only one children’s book you could take on a desert island, this might just be the one! I have been delving into the world of words ever since my older sister taught me to read when I was four years old. It was the same age my own son learned to read. I could always be found with my nose in a book. Where wide, sweeping adventures took me to far off lands…where my imagination could run free, and ANYTHING was possible. THIS is the gift author William Joyce gives all readers with his story about Morris Lessmore. One young man’s journey to capture all his life’s moments in a journal is swept away in an instant and he goes in search of what he thinks he has lost. The reality is that all he needs to do is look up to find all that really matters in his world is still right in front of him! The vibrant illustrations masterfully depict one man’s life richly blessed to be surrounded by books! A fabulous addition to any library!
RATING: *****5 Stars*****
RATING SYSTEM
1 star…probably not worth your time.
2 stars…there are some things to like but some elements could have been stronger.
3 stars…this story w5ill appeal to some readers, but others might find it lacking something.
4 stars…strong story, nice illustrations, and should grab the attention of many readers.
5 stars…superbly written story, stellar illustrations, a must addition to any book lovers’ collection!
?
************
Fox is set to cook a nice meal until the main ingredient tries to escape! The chase is on as Fox and his friends scurry, hop, and lumber their way to catching those rumbly, tumbly taters. Friendship and teamwork go hand in hand during THE GREAT POTATO RACE!
Hybrid published author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of flash fiction, children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna offers occasional BOOK NOOK REVIEWS of great children’s books and offers WRITERLY WISDOM to new and established writers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Alliance of Independent Authors, and Children’s Book Insider. Donna loves dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection.
