Blog - Page 3 of 18 - Donna Galanti - Where heart and hope meet adventure!

Enter to Win a Copy of Unicorn Island plus Reviews, Podcasts & a New Course for Writers!

Thank you everyone for helping me celebrate the release of Unicorn Island this past month! Watch for book 2, Secret Beneath the Sand, launching digitally in a 5-part serial first on the Epic! platform starting May 10.

I also ran away to this farmhouse in the woods at the end of February to get a new middle grade novel completed and sent to my literary agent. It includes adventure with lakes, loons, campgrounds, and the Appalachian Trail. I can’t wait to tell you more about it someday!

It was a rough week after retreat as I had surgery to remove my pesky little gallbladder, but I’ve been comforted by so many wonderful friends who’ve called, texted, emailed, sent flowers, and delivered food! I’m hoping to turn the corner any day soon. 😊

And now for fun unicorn stuff! Check out an interview on Literary Rambles this week PLUS go there to enter to win an illustrated hardcover copy of Unicorn Island!

Check out this wrap up of Unicorn Island news from this past month:

Here’s a new recording I did with Teaching Books. Listen to me talk about the backstory of Unicorn Island, an excerpt from the book, and how my childhood helped me write magical stories! And here’s a recording of my name, its history, and what I think of it. 😊
5 Things to Like About Unicorn Island with Always in the Middle book blog plus a review. “Will for sure capture your imagination.”
Read an excerpt of Unicorn Island on The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow plus a review. “Anyone who enjoys magic will fall right into this story.”
A fun interview plus 3 fun facts about unicorns on Word Spelunking book blog!
Video podcast with Middle Grade Ninja where we talk writing, Unicorn Island, plus a ghost story!
Interview plus review on Geo Librarian blog. Find out my favorite part of writing! “A fun fantasy book.”
Review of Unicorn Island on Fundimental book blog. “A beautifully written coming of age fantasy.”
Interview on Literary Rambles and advice for writers.

Look what my publisher made! You can download these fun Unicorn Island activities for a book hideaway and make your own banner, bookmark, and door hanger.

I am also doing virtual school visits! I’m hopping across country from Pennsylvania to California and doing 5 in the San Jose school district alone this month. If you’d like me to visit with your school just check out my informational page here or download my virtual flyer here. **NEW** For 2021 I am donating all my virtual author visits for free!

CALLING ALL FICTION WRITERS!
Are you a fiction writer wondering how to create a world in your story? Then sign up for my virtual class: Foundations of Worldbuilding for Any Genre
Pearl S. Buck Writing Center
April 17th from 1:30pm – 3pm

All stories happen somewhere. Whether you write fantasy, dystopian, science fiction, or even about the “real world,” world building is key to creating a meaningful story.

I’ll share methods of world building that any writer can apply. From the smallest details to the rules of its universe, discover the way a considered approach to world building can govern the hearts of your characters and help drive your story.

Topics include: elements of world building, using world building to support conflict and tension, world building questions and resources, seven main areas that serve as the foundation for your world, and what to avoid in building your world. I’ll also share real-book examples to supplement my topics.
Fee is $25. REGISTER: https://psbwritingcenter.org/2021/02/27/foundations-of-world-building-for-all-genres/

Hope to see you there! Please share with your writing friends.

Haven’t gotten a copy yet of Unicorn Island for yourself or a unicorn lover you know? You can order it here at your favorite bookseller.

Spring is nearly here! Hope it’s a good one for you. –Donna

Unicorn Island Out Today + Free Live Virtual Event Tonight & Giveaway!

By Donna Galanti

I’m so excited that today is the day the illustrated hardcover of the first book in the Unicorn Island series is released! You can order it here at your favorite bookseller.

Be sure to sign up for my live virtual author-in-conversation TONIGHT, February 9th, at 7pm (EST) with author Fleur Bradley and hosted by my favorite local bookstore, The Doylestown Bookshop. We’ll be chatting about books, the author life, and taking questions! Register here for free: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/donna-galanti-in

You’ll also definitely want to enter my super fun unicorn-themed giveaway. Check it out at the bottom of this post!

It’s been a wonderful journey writing the Unicorn Island series and it all started with my publisher who said, “I’d like for you to write a book about a girl who has to take care of a unicorn.” And of course, I said YES to that because … unicorns! They are magical, wondrous, and mysterious. 🦄

From there I plotted the story out and then ran away to spend five days in a cabin at The Highlights Foundation to write it from start to finish. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

It was so fun to get my advance author copies in the mail from my publisher, Andrews McMeel. They sent me a whole box of books! Here I am opening it. 😊

Wonderful news has been rolling in about the book and here are some advance reviews …

I loved writing middle grade so much. It’s a special time in a child’s life. They have one foot in magical childhood where anything is possible and one foot in the path to becoming an adult. An amazing part of this journey for me and being a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters, is that I got to share this journey with my Little Sister, Ashley, who is an avid reader and a joy to spend time with. I also got to dedicate the book to her which arrived just in time for her birthday!

My publisher, Andrews McMeel, also created a fantastic book trailer for Unicorn Island. Take a look!

Watch for book 2 in the Unicorn Island series, Secret Beneath the Sand, to release this May on the Epic! platform in a 5-part serial with the hardcover out winter of 2022.

The illustrator Bethany Stancliffe did such beautiful work in bringing Unicorn Island to life. Take a look here at some of her work.

Have you ordered Unicorn Island already? Then I have a gift for you! Email me your receipt and address and I’ll mail you a bookmark and autographed book plate! Just let me know who to personalize it to. Email: donna(at)donnagalanti.com

Authors love to share their books with the world—and you can help! The best way to support us is to buy and read our books, post honest reviews online, and share with friends! Help me do that for Unicorn Island and I’ll be so grateful!

Here are some ways to do this:
Order Unicorn Island at your favorite bookseller
Follow me on Amazon and post a review!
Follow me at BookBub
Follow me on Goodreads and post a review!
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter

Share this post:
Check out #newrelease Unicorn Island! Because beyond the mist lies a magical secret waiting to be discovered. “A fast-paced magical adventure.”-Kirkus Reviews. Order the illustrated hardcover: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Unicorn-Island/Donna-Galanti/Unicorn-Island/9781524864705 #unicorns #childrensbooks

Thank you and happy reading! –Donna

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unicorn Island Hardcover out Feb. 9th plus Events, Giveaways & Reviews!

By Donna Galanti

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. Maybe early summer? Yikes! With this pandemic going on, every day seems the same. A blur of time. I’m sure many of you felt like that, too! I’ve been getting in as many hikes, kayaking, and family outdoor trips as I can with my husband and son, in between writing, of course.

It was also a super busy summer and fall for me with writing. I was contracted to write the second book in the Unicorn Island series by Epic. It releases in 5 parts in May 2021 on the Epic platform, the leading digital library for elementary students, followed with hardcover winter of 2022.

NEWS: I’m thrilled that the illustrated hardcover of Unicorn Island, book 1, releases one month from today, February 9th, by Andrews McMeel Publishing (Simon & Schuster)!

You can pre-order the book here. PLUS, email me your receipt at donna@donnagalanti.com and I’ll mail you out a bookmark and autographed bookplate to place in the book! Just let me know who to personalize it to. 😊

To celebrate the launch of Unicorn Island, I’ll be discussing the book through an Author in Conversation virtual event with the super nice and talented author F.T. (Fleur) Bradley. The event, hosted by my favorite local bookstore, The Doylestown Bookshop, will be held February 9th at 7pm. Register here for free: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/donna-galanti-in

You’ll also get the chance to ask us both questions, too! You’ll definitely want to check out Fleur’s newest book, Midnight at the Barclay Hotel. It’s a delightful, fun mystery in a spooky setting. See my full review here.

Around release day, I’ll also be doing loads of interviews with cool book bloggers and a fun unicorn-themed giveaway that you or your favorite unicorn lover will want to enter. More information to come!

After writing the next book in the Unicorn Island series this summer, I finished a new middle grade that involves more mystery and adventure, and then was contracted to write another middle grade fantasy—and wrote that full length book in a month! And finally, I revised a current novel draft with a new plot line. Needless to say, with all this book writing in 2020, I ran away to get it all done on deadline. Multiple times. This involved going to one of my favorite places to write (three times) at The Highlights Foundation.

In between all this, I raced up to Cape Cod (also three times!) with my critique partner, Erica George, to get some writing done.

Erica’s AMAZING debut novel comes out this May, Words Composed of Sea and Sky. This young adult historical/contemporary novel is beautiful in so many ways. The prose is poetic and lyrical at times, deepening even more the emotion we feel for the characters. See my full review here and purchase the book and follow Erica.

I finished my writing marathon with a few days of relaxation at my very own farmhouse in fall at The Highlights Foundation. This is a wonderful haven for writers! Amazing setting, delicious food, warm and friendly staff.

Writing for children is a magical thing. Yes, writing books is H-A-R-D! Plotting, creating characters, building worlds, adding adventure and mystery…and revision. LOTS of revision. But connecting with kids and sharing books with them is an amazing job. And I get to be a kid again myself. Forever in that wondrous place between childhood and teen, where the world is still full of mystery and fantasy—and anything is possible.

And if you love books, too, then hopefully you love to support authors. The best way to support us is to buy and read our books, post honest reviews online, and share with friends! Help me do that for Unicorn Island and I’ll be forever grateful 😊. Here are some ways to do that:

Pre-order Unicorn Island at your favorite bookseller
Follow me on Amazon
Follow me at BookBub
Follow me on Goodreads
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter
Share this post:
Check out #newrelease Unicorn Island! Because beyond the mist lies a magical secret waiting to be discovered. “A fast-paced magical adventure.”-Kirkus Reviews. Pre-order the illustrated hardcover: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Unicorn-Island/Donna-Galanti/Unicorn-Island/9781524864705 #unicorns #childrensbooks

Summer fun + more Unicorn Island books to come!

By Donna Galanti

Summer is nearly here! I hope you are enjoying outdoor adventures wherever you are. While this time has been hard for so many, I’ve tried to embrace this gift of time to spend with loved ones. Since we’ve been in isolation for nearly three months and my husband’s business was shut down, we’ve had more time together as a family and planned a nature excursion each week. The woods have always been where I go to find peace and solitude–it’s also where most of my story ideas are born!

Here are a few photos of our recent adventures–and I’m excited to say we’ve just added kayaks to our family adventures (my birthday gift to me since today is my birthday!). 🥰

This time has also given me more time to work on new book ideas–including a new story outline for the next book in my Unicorn Island series! Since its release digitally in May on the Epic platform in a 5-part book serial (hardcover coming May 2021), the book has done so well that Epic hired me to write more books in the series. Yay! Watch for them coming spring 2021. You can get Epic free with a 30-day trial here and access 40K titles as the leading digital library for kids 12 and under: https://www.getepic.com/

So, last year Epic hired me to write a book for middle grade readers. With our first conversation, all I knew was that they “wanted a book where a girl must take care of a unicorn.” From this grew the idea for Unicorn Island: The Secret of Lost Luck–and I had no idea of the reception it would get! I’m happy to see that Unicorn Island has made its way on to many elementary school summer reading lists. It’s also out in audio book! And if you’re looking for more adventure books then check out my Joshua and the Lightning Road series!

I’ve also had so many wonderful messages from teachers, parents, and kids telling me how much they enjoy Unicorn Island.

This one below made my day today! How cute is this? I’ve never had anyone sign it “your fan”. For some reason, they all want to know how old I am. Ha ha! (51 today!)

Another little girl truly touched my heart. Her mom reached out to me with immense gratitude this past month. Her daughter had been so depressed by the pandemic, and the most heartbreaking thing was that she hadn’t seen her dad since December as he is an essential worker working far away. The little girl discovered my Unicorn Island series and something clicked–she “got a twinkle in her eye” and couldn’t wait to read all the books.

The mom thanked me from the bottom of her heart for bringing her daughter’s spark back for the first time in months. I offered to do a Zoom video call and it was so fun! The little girl asked the smartest questions, too. She also just sent me ideas for the next books in the series. This is what makes my heart burst with joy as a children’s book author. This is so why our world needs storytellers–to inspire, give hope, and entertain when we most need it.

I’ve had several kids write and let me know that they’d like to become an author now, too.

And speaking of becoming an author–if you’re a novelist seeking to finish your first draft or revise it for publication, check out my brand new online course I just launched!

I’ll cover what you need to improve your novel writing and editing skills to create a better manuscript that can catch the eye of an agent, editor, publisher, or reader—while saving thousands of dollars on story developmental editing services.

You’ll discover 9 story building issues that could be preventing YOU from getting published—or capturing a reader’s attention—and the techniques to fix them. PLUS, you’ll get direct access to my writing and editing toolbox AND my 10 years of author experience. ENROLL NOW and get my new course now for just $19.99 (reg. $59.99) for a limited time and save 67%. ENDS JUNE 20.

Since today is my birthday, your gift can be to share this promotion with writers you may know! 🥰

I know these times are difficult right now still, but I hope you are finding ways to cope. Meditating is a wonderful way to achieve this. And discovering transcendental meditation last year has changed my life. I practice it daily. I’ve lost 20 lbs. I’m more focused. But most importantly, I’m no longer quick to anger and I let things go. I’m filled with peace, compassion and hope every day. I wish the whole world would meditate right now–it would be a much better place.

Wishing you peace and love!

XXOO–Donna

P.S. Here are recent messages I’ve found on walks in the park near me. I hope they inspire!

New Book Release for Kids! Unicorn Island

By Donna Galanti

**UPDATED May 2021** Check out more new books in Unicorn Island!

I had mentioned last month that I had a surprise coming that involved unicorns—and here it is! I’m so excited to share that my new middle grade series with Epic for Kids just released!

Unicorn Island: The Secret of Lost Luck, Book 1, is out digitally right now. It releases in a 5-part serial one book per week for the next 5 weeks. Watch for it in hardcover release in the spring of 2021. It’s perfect for kids ages 8-12. Sign up and get access on Epic for one month for free.

About Unicorn Island series …

Off the South Carolina coast, a young girl discovers a mysterious island full of mythical beasts and darker dangers.

We all need a bit more magic in the world right now, don’t we? 😊 You don’t get more magical then unicorns!

When Epic hired me to write this middle grade series in 2019, all I knew was that it was to be about a girl who cared for a unicorn. Over many months, it was super exciting to bash around ideas with the Epic team until we had a full concept for the story.

Then the week before my 50^th birthday and celebration trip, I hunkered down and wrote the entire book in just five days. I fell in love with these characters and its world—and I hope you do, too.

I had so much fun writing Unicorn Island because … unicorns! The illustrator, Bethany Stancliffe, did such an amazing job with the artwork throughout, too.

Unicorn Island Book 1: The Secret of Lost Luck

By: Donna Galanti

Illustrated By: Bethany Stancliffe

When Sam moves to a small South Carolina town full of secrets, she stumbles upon the truth behind Lost Luck, Foggy Harbor’s biggest mystery.

For those with school kids at home, you can get the Epic platform for free through June 30th or anyone can sign up for a month-free account. Get access to the book and 40,000+ other books for kids here. You can also gift this award-winning subscription to a child. It’s the leading digital library for kids 12 and under: https://www.getepic.com/

Happy reading!

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