Donna Galanti - Where heart and hope meet adventure!

Adopting A Learning Mindset and The Power It Can Deliver

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I consider myself a lifelong learner. When I feel stuck, I seek answers to help myself more forward. Often that means embracing stillness to grasp where I am in the moment. And often, the knowledge can be uncomfortable but always revealing.

It’s about taking the time to pause and understand what we’re spending our time on and ask…

  • Does it have meaning for me?
  • Do I connect with others who elevate me?
  • Does it give me purpose and joy?
  • Am I passionate about it?
  • Am I being of service to myself and others?
  • Is this something (or someone) I should let go of?

We can all benefit from taking a pause to reflect along our life journey and decide if we’re walking the right path or need to guide ourselves in a new direction. Wandering and a good redirect can often be the most fulfilling—and transformational—bits. Wandering in nature can also bring clarity.

This past year and a half I’ve truly learned how to give my energy to the things that matter most to me that bring me joy, peace, and purpose whether it’s with places, people, and projects.

Nelson Mandela, the late great leader and revolutionary once said this powerful statement: “I never lose. I either win or I learn.”

Don’t let fear of failure, uncertainty, or people’s reactions hold you back from stepping into your magnificent power and becoming your best self.

I’ve come to understand that I’ve adopted a learning mindset since I was a little girl, as you can see from my journal entry dated 45 years ago!

Grateful for friends …

In becoming an author, I delight in the ongoing learning of storytelling. Over the years I’ve filled my toolbox with skills in craft—and lessons from rejections—but most importantly I’ve discovered that as an author, we can write alone but we can’t get published alone. And I’ve been so grateful to have inspirational women elevate and support me on this rollercoaster ride—writers, editors, authors, agents, and artists.

Of course, there’s always time to celebrate our recent achievements as I did recently with my peers. We all need our tribe to lift us up and support us when we waver in our dreams. Cheers to keeping dreams alive! Whatever you strive in, I hope you have people to cheer you on, too, in your explorations. Never let doubt stop you from journeying.

Visit these accomplished, creative women and check out their books and services here:
Kate Brandes
Kathryn Craft
Tori Bond
Dianna Sinovic
Linda Wisniewski

Re-connecting with old friends can be a surprising, heart-expanding part of the learning experience—and so can letting friends go. When I ended a toxic, energy-draining longtime friendship last year, I discovered I wanted to bring more women into my life who enrich my energy. In opening this door, I serendipitously re-connected with four lovely soulful women. Here I am with three of the four!

Ahh, and I’m behind on bookish news!

I was excited to be on the School Library Journal blog Teen Librarian Toolbox! I share more here of the story behind the story of Loon Cove Summer and what I hope readers will take away from the book.

I was also thrilled to be a guest with Writer’s Digest for their children’s books section. I chat about my experience with going back in time to write a middle grade novel.

It was so much fun to sit down with Annisha on Reading in the Middle podcast to talk about my newest middle-grade book, Loon Cove Summer! On YouTube, Spotify, and Apple podcasts. We chat about loons, lakes, and big feelings. Grab your flashlight and join us at Loon Cove!

Loon Cove Summer also topped the list of 60 2025 Middle Grade Books For Your Summer Beach Bag! Check out all these fun summer books to escape into.

And finally, I just received the advanced reader copy of my next middle-grade book out, The Secret Winners Club! It will be released on March 3, 2026.

In the story, three kids with autoimmune issues create a secret club to be known for more than their conditions but discover that crossing the line and hurting others in doing so makes them even more visible—and even more an outsider.

This is a very personal story to me as I have several autoimmune conditions, some visible, like the characters in this story. I can relate to how it feels to look different with these conditions—and strive to stand out for something other than your appearance.

I’ll leave you with a photo of Ursa. She is the newest bird ambassador where I volunteer in educational programs with the National Audubon Society. Don’t you just love her sassy expression?

Ursa is a Harris’s hawk, a most magnificent raptor that thrives in the arid landscapes of Texas, New Mexico, and Central America. She has bold markings of dark brown, chestnut red, and white; long yellow legs; and yellow face markings. I am so lucky to know her, especially with living in Pennsylvania.

These Harris’s hawks live in desert lowlands—often among mesquite, paloverde, saguaro, and organ pipe cactus. They are known for standing atop one another on cactus trees to provide shade to each other. Even more amazing is that they hunt in groups up to 6 at a time while most raptors hunt alone.

Now go. Embrace your own sassy!

XXOO

Donna

Enlightenment, Going Home, Breathing in Nature & What I’m Reading

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Each week I read a chapter of Wayne W. Dyer’s Wisdom of the Ages: 60 Days to Enlightenment and journal my own insights. In this book, Dyer highlights 60 great thinkers of the past, provides his own take on their words, and poses questions on what they offer us today in modern times.

This week:
The poem “On Time” by John Milton (1608-1674)
First sentence…

Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race,
Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours,
Whose speed is but the heavy Plummets pace;
And glut thy self with what thy womb devours,
Which is no more then what is false and vain,
And meerly mortal dross;
So little is our loss,
So little is thy gain.

Milton goes on about how we can triumph over our earthly fate—by entering a sense of timelessness with the passage of time. There is no need to defeat it but rather we can smile at it. We can enjoy the rewards of eternity now in this earthly life. We can contemplate our physical selves and possessions and laugh peacefully at it all—for it’s only on lease. We can make peace with time. We’re not its victim. Instead, we can have a sense of knowing that our soul is where bliss resides with joy, love, and peace. Forever includes now.

These weekly passages give me pause when I need it most. And with so much busyness going on this past month, I also needed to breathe in all of nature’s green. And I did. I hope you have green to fill you up, too. Turn up the volume 🙂

I visited new and familiar forests and meadows full of music and magic. I went on for miles and finally had to turn around. I should really tell my husband where I am when I wander like this, in case the woodland fairies carry me away!

SPEAKING OF NATURE …
It was fun volunteering with an Audubon Society school program with Hopper the broad-winged hawk. Here he is flapping in his house.

Plus, I got to visit with all the other bird ambassadors on site like Oden the great horned owl, Ursa the Harris’s hawk, Abby a red-phase Eastern-screech owl, CC the pigeon, and more.

Fascinating fact about broad-winged hawks:
During migration to South America, they group together by the thousands, forming a tornado-like vortex known as a ‘kettle’ or ‘boil’. This is formed from the hot air on the ground. They rise up on the hot air into the sky to then glide along downward on their route and then do it again. This way they don’t use up so much energy flapping their wings for their long migration and have to constantly eat to keep up energy. Smart! Watch a video of this epic journey here.

GOING HOME AGAIN

May was also a travel month. I visited Albany, New York, where I (mostly) grew up to be the keynote speaker for the 136th commencement ceremony at my alma mater, Academy of the Holy Names. I connected with new friends and old friends. Total nostalgic fun.

I loved being back on campus 39 years after my own H.S. graduation to see so many accomplished young women beginning their new life journey. I spoke to them about the power of getting outside your comfort zone.

In my speech, I mentioned key things to keep in mind when stepping outside the familiar for a greater reward:

· You won’t always know what you’re doing.
· You will stumble.
· You will fail.
· You will not be perfect. And that’s okay because no one is perfect at anything when they’re new at it.

And if you accept that you will stumble and fail then you give yourself permission to TRY and FAIL. And you give yourself the gift of courage. The courage to embrace life and be unafraid to step into the unknown. And if faced with the chance to get outside your comfort zone, ask yourself—what is the cost of staying the same? Is it worth it? Only you can decide.

On this visit I also mourned my own youth a bit, wishing I could go back to that shiny, fleeting moment to truly embrace all the potential I held—and the blank canvas to color as I wished. Would I color it differently knowing what I know now and having had the experiences I’ve had the last 40 years?

WHAT I’M READING

My American Journey by Colin Powell with Joseph E. Persico
I’ve always admired Colin Powell, and his memoir is a wonderful dive into his life and thoughts on his personal and career journeys. I especially enjoy his self-deprecating manner and way of revealing how his path unfolded in practical and often unexpected—and lucky—ways.

Colin Powell is the embodiment of the American dream. He was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He knew the rough life of the streets. He overcame a barely average start at school. Then he joined the Army. The rest is history—Vietnam, the Pentagon, Panama, Desert Storm. Here, Colin Powell himself tells us how it happened, in a memoir distinguished by a heartfelt love of country and family, warm good humor, and a soldier’s directness. My American Journey is the powerful story of a life well lived and well told.

MY NEXT BOOK COMING 3/3/26!

I’m so excited to have seen the final cover of my next middle grade book out 3/3/26 by Wild Trail Press, The Secret Winners Club, and I just finished the final edits. Full cover reveal coming soon!

Here’s a sneak peek of the cover and what The Secret Winners Club is about…

1st Club Rule: Do whatever it takes.

A girl with a visible autoimmune condition bands with other immune deficient friends to create a secret winner’s club to be known for more than just their diseases. Tired of always achieving second place in school competitions, they help each other become #1 before middle school is over—but they quickly discover crossing the line and hurting others can make them even more visible and even more of an outsider.

This is another personal story to me as I have five autoimmune disorders, some of them visible as well. It can be hard for kids to look different—and harder to embrace their unique selves.

LOON COVE SUMMER OUT A MONTH!

It’s been one month as of today that Loon Cove Summer released. I was thrilled to see the orange banner on Amazon with it being the #1 New Release in Camping Books for Children its first week out! Thank you, readers, for making this happen.

Loon Cove Summer is available here from your favorite bookstore in paperback, eBook, and hardcover by Wild Trail Press.

It can take months and even years to write, rewrite, revise, get rejected, and get a book published. After you do, the most satisfying thing is knowing other people read it and are moved by your story. Thank you to Therearenobadbooks for her review of Loon Cove Summer. Be sure to follow her wonderful book recommendations on FB and IG and check out her own books! See full review here.

Happy reading!

XXOO Donna

My MG Book Loon Cove Summer is Out Today, Blog Tour + $50 B&N GC Giveaway!

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What Makes a Raptor, Dissecting Owl Pellets & Indie Bookstore Day

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I love raptors! So much so that I included a raptor rehabilitation center in my book coming out May 6th, Loon Cove Summer. I also volunteer with the Audubon Society and assist in education programs with bird ambassadors.

You might be wondering what exactly a raptor is …

  • Raptors are birds of prey and have hooked beaks and taloned feet.
  • They have keen eyesight and a carnivorous diet.
  • Raptors have three eyelids!
  • Peregrine falcons are the fastest creatures on earth. They can dive over 200 mph!
  • The American kestrel is the smallest raptor in America, about the size and shape of a mourning dove, but one of the most colorful raptors.
  • The word “raptor” is based on the Latin word rapere referring to seizing or plundering, which relates to the predatory lifestyle of raptors.

Now … it does get a bit complex because other kinds of birds also have hooked beaks and are predatory. To understand more about raptors, read this article by a birding expert. And here’s more about their nests, eggs, and different raptor types.

Are you interested in birding? Visit Audubon here and learn how to get started!

This month in my Audubon volunteer role we had fun with one raptor: Mortimer the eastern screech owl. Despite the name, screech-owls do not screech. They have lovely whinnies and trills. Listen to them here!

Poor Mortimer lost an eye in a car accident and can’t be released in the wild so is cared for by the Audubon Center where I volunteer. In this program with Mortimer, we educated kids about owl pellets plus we dissected owl pellets collected from all the owls on site to discover what they ate!

Here are fun facts about owl pellets you might not know:

  • Owls hunt mainly mice, voles, and moles.
  • They swallow their prey whole and the food passes to a gizzard.
  • The gizzard digests all but the teeth, claws, bones, and fur.
  • These indigestible parts became compacted into an owl pellet.
  • The pellet is stored and regurgitated within a day.
  • The pellet must be ejected before the owl can eat again.
  • It’s fun to find remnants of their meals in pellets!

I did quite a bit of raptor research in writing Loon Cove Summer. Did I mention it publishes next week on May 6th? I love hearing thoughts from early reviewers on the book. Here is one below.

INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY EVENT

I was so honored to be the guest author with my Unicorn Island series at my local bookstore in Peddlers Village, The Lahaska Bookshop, for Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 26th!

My friend Tiffany the Unicorn was there and it was so fun to meet young readers who get so excited about books. Get out there and support your indie bookstore every chance you can!

IT’S THE LAST WEEK FOR LOON COVE SUMMER PRE-ORDER GIVEAWAY!

Do you love SWAG? It’s the last week to take advantage of pre-ordering my new middle-grade novel, Loon Cove Summer, and get these fun book quote stickers, bookmarks, AND a personalized signed book plate label from me for your book! PLUS, you’ll be entered to win my $50 Barnes & Noble gift card giveaway (so you can buy more books of course ). ENDS 5/5/25. U.S. only please. See details below and pre-order here.

Happy reading!
XXOO Donna

Inspiring People & Stories of Resilience + Covered Bridges

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