new release

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

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

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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

New Book Release for Kids! Unicorn Island

By Donna Galanti

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!

What’s the #1 thing to know about connecting to readers and writers BEFORE your 1st book debuts?

By Donna Galanti

**Are you a debut author who wants to learn how to create an influencing community of readers and writers for success before your book even comes out?**

Ask me the #1 burning question you have about it below!

Teaching a writing session at the Doylestown Bookshop. Photo by Robyn Graham Photography.

Ever since I released my first book five years ago and created my own AMAZING support community of writers, authors, industry professionals, and readers, I’ve been getting a ton of questions from writers with their first novel finished about how I created this community. They want to know how to do just what I did to help them succeed in a new author career.

BUT many are also scared to get out of their comfort zone and do it. I was too!

I would say that I get asked about 99 times a month (give or take one or two) “I have my first book coming out, now what do I do?”

Here are the top 10 frequently asked questions I get:

I feel so overwhelmed! What’s the timing of all I should be doing as a debut author?
How do I connect with other debut authors?
How do I meet authors who can help me with blurbs? And how should I ask them?
How do I best prepare for a public reading or panel?
How can I get my book in front of my target readers?
How do I best use social media?
How do I even use Twitter?
How do I run a giveaway and what are the benefits?
How can I build a support community of writers around me?
How can I connect with book reviewers?

The list goes on and on! And I love it, because I’m passionate about building community and totally believe we can write alone but we can’t get published alone – or succeed alone.

And I would love to see you all get in a new (community) comfort zone and create your own community of influencers to support you in your new author life. 😊

I’m sooooo excited about sharing what I know that I’ve decided to create an extremely useful course for new authors on how to create an awesome community of writers, authors, industry professionals, and readers before that first book even comes out to help answer all of these questions (and more!).

The new course I’m creating will teach you just how to do this with my exact same steps! These same steps that helped me build an army of supporters to get:

An agent
A two-book deal
Multiple publishers for my books
Blurbs for my books
Requests to teach at conferences
Invited as a guest author to students at schools (my readers!)
And so much more!

Tell me the #1 thing (or 2!) you’d like to know about creating a support community of readers and writers before your 1^st book comes out. And check out my 4 proven steps to connecting with readers right now.

See you in the (community) comfort zone!
xxoo Donna
P.S. Share this post with your writer friends 🙂