children's books Archives - Donna Galanti - Where heart and hope meet adventure!

New Book Release for Kids! 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!

Writer’s Life: School Visits, Radio Shows, Book Launches & YouTube Channels!

By Donna Galanti

Hi all, it’s been a busy week! I had a wonderful school visit at Alburtis Elementary. I’m so lucky to get to share my love of reading and writing with students as an author.

These awesome kids are what fuel on my writing for middle grade!

They get so excited and ask the most fun questions like:

STUDENT: “Would you ever write your cats into your books?”
ME: “No, because my cat is too fat to keep up on our adventures!”

I’m also talking about how I find my childlike wonder to write for kids on Writers in the Storm blog this week. Pop on in! And be sure to check out my live Q&A on Reddit Books where I did an AMA (ask me anything!). Was a blast!

If you missed it you can also catch my radio show interview here on Global Radio Network Authors on the Air (my dad and so many friends popped in 🙂 ) and my Skype interview with Philadelphia Writers.

And I’m super excited to have just launched my first YouTube channel! I share all kinds of info on the writing life from craft to marketing to inspiration to my writing process. Please subscribe and hit Thumbs Up if you like the videos there.

I also attended a wonderful writer’s meetup led by the Liars Club called The Writer’s Coffeehouse.

My friend, Janice Gable Bashman, invited me to come talk to writers on what they can do before they get a book published. Was a really great crowd!

I’m also leading a writer’s retreat this fall in Upper Bucks County, PA. If you are local to Southeastern PA please join us! I mean, look at this gorgeous place. Margaret Grandinetti, artist and writer, so graciously offered her home to host writers.

Come enjoy glorious fall on a one-day writing retreat at this 68-acre historic, preserved property built in 1742. Millhouse is an ideal tranquil setting for writing and perfect for any type of writer who loves writing in nature. Plenty of walking trails. 20% of all proceeds will be donated to the Pearl S. Buck House Writing Center to fund conferences and programs for writers in need. Full brochure here .

And I attended three book launches at my favorite local bookstore, The Doylestown Bookshop, this month for friends with books out.

Check them out!

My friend Kate Brandes’ debut, THE PROMISE OF PIERSON ORCHARD, is a layered family drama, hailed as Erin Brockovich meets Promised Land, about a Pennsylvania family threatened by betrayal, financial desperation, old flames, fracking, and ultimately finding forgiveness.

I loved this book! You discover each character in alternating points of view along with the splintered divide of their family, and town, torn apart.

Read my 5-star review here!
Kate’s website

My friend’s Baldev and Marie Lamba have their debut picture book out called, GREEN GREEN: A Community Gardening Story.

It’s adorable with a powerful message. In the book, green grass is wide and fresh and clean for a family to play in, and brown dirt is perfect for digging a garden. But when gray buildings start to rise up and a whole city builds, can there be any room for green space? The neighborhood children think so, and they inspire the community to join together and build a garden for everyone to share in the middle of the city.

Marie’s website

Also, my new friend, Christa Tinari, led a valuable discussion on “Raising Kind Kids” with the launch of her book, Create a Culture of Kindness in Middle School: 48 Character-Building Lessons to Foster Respect and Prevent Bullying.

Check out this important resource for families and schools.
Christa’s website

Happy reading everyone!

Build the Author Life You Seek & Empower Kids!

By Donna Galanti

I’m excited to be a guest on two blogs this past week! Writers Helping Writers is a great resource for writers and one of 101 Best Websites for Writers by Writer’s Digest. I’m thrilled to be on today (for the 3rd time) talking about how you can build your author life BEFORE your first book comes out! Calling all writers, stop in and share your thoughts and tips too.

“As writers, the rejection never ends with queries, book proposals, editor notes, or bad reviews. But there is a key to creating and sustaining an author life while surviving endless rejection: build a support community. We can write alone, but it’s very hard to get published (or succeed) alone. To enhance success, we can build the foundation before we’re published, just like the railway built to connect Vienna and Venice. It was built before any train could travel up such a steep grade. A feat of civil engineering that took 20,000 people! You won’t need 20,000 people, but you will need a few, along with these 3 steps …” READ MORE

Writers, you may be interested in my other two posts cheapativanpriceonline.com there on Eight Steps to an Agent, Publisher, and a Two-Book Deal and Building Suspense: Meeting Readers in the Middle.

And if you love middle grade books than stop on by Project Middle Grade Mayhem where I talk about celebrating the power of kids and share my favorite books that empower kids. Come share yours!

“I’ve met and read about so many amazing kids lately that are overcoming obstacles, big and small, and letting the power of their voice shine through. Like Caine. At nine he built his dream and didn’t give up, even when no one would share in it. You’ll be so inspired by what he started. Read the story. And Mason, a seven-year-old who gave up birthday presents to feed an animal shelter. And Erik, an amazing teen author, book blogger (This Kid Reviews Books), and super reader. Get to know him! Kids matter. We need to let them know they matter. We need to let them know their voice matters. As writers, we can do that through books. You’ve got the power!” READ MORE

Happy Thanksgiving & $0.99cents Black Friday Book Deals!

By Donna Galanti

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you have lots of time to spend with family and friends this holiday and also find some reading time 🙂 . My publisher hopes so too because she put both books in the Lightning Road series on sale!

Grab Joshua and the Lightning Road and Joshua and the Arrow Realm on e-book for just $0.99cents. November 24th-25th only. And all Month9Books are on sale!

Joshua and the Lightning Road

Joshua and the Arrow Realm

My Thankful List This Year:

Writing friends to boost me up and keep me going when I want to give up like Kate Brandes, Kathryn Craft, Joe McGee, Jess Rinker, Erica George, Tori Bond, Dana Schwartz, Karen Pokras Toz, Janice Gable Bashman, and Lisa Papp. Check out their writing!
My husband and son to come home to every day
Lots of writing projects!
All of the wonderful readers who read and review my books
Having shared my love of writing and reading with so many enthusiastic kids at school visits (see my thank you video to one school!)

My awesome critique group!

I hope you have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving too!

Pre-Order Giveaway for Joshua and the Arrow Realm!

By Donna Galanti

One month from today Joshua and the Arrow Realm, book two in the Lightning Road series, releases!

Join in the fun! From today through midnight August 14^th I’ll be running a pre-order giveaway. Pre-order Joshua and the Arrow Realm in any format and be entered to win a paperback copy of book one, Joshua and the Lightning Road – PLUS all these goodies below!

Email your receipt here and be automatically entered to win! The winner will be announced on my blog August 15^th. Comment on this post and receive an extra entry!

Pre-order now:

One winner will receive the grand prize of a Lost Realm map poster, lightning orb light-up ball, $25 B&N gift certificate, and paperback of book 1 in the series, Joshua and the Lightning Road. (U.S. Only). Send your receipt here.

How else can you join in the fun? I’d love for you to support my Thunderclap campaign through social media and zap the world with so many others about the release of Joshua and the Arrow Realm on August 30^th! It’s free and takes seconds to sign up HERE.

And bloggers buy levitra there’s still time to sign up here for the book trailer reveal on August 15^th that includes a giveaway too!

If you haven’t visited my Facebook page, I’m sharing snippets of the map of the Arrow Realm plus book excerpts there all month long until book release day. Pop by and see! Here’s one to share for now 🙂 .

Draft illustration and excerpt of the Arrow Realm tree houses where the Wild Childs live:

“Ash motioned us to leave with her when they were all gone, and we stepped outside onto the tree house platform. Purple night deepened and long shadows softened the craggy world. We stood on a plank road with roped netting rail that zigzagged from house to house and floated under the forest’s canopy in a sea of darkness. Green lights glowed soft through lopsided windows, and branch shadows wrapped the tiny shacks in prickly fingers. Leaves battered the houses in the sharp wind as the Wild Childs skulked amongst the trees.”

Thanks for all of your support everyone!