Monday, March 31, 2014

Life, Writing, And FREE Author Promotion Updates









If it seems like I've been hiding from you this past week, I apologize. It wasn't my intention but my plate is loaded down and attempting to spill over from all the activities I'm currently involved in.

I have potentially 100 students at my TaeKwonDo school getting ready to test for their belt advancements at the end of this week. That means 100 directions my head is spinning in as I fine tune everyone's performance techniques so they have the best chance of passing their belt exams.  I think sometimes I am more nervous than my students when it comes to these tests but not nearly as nervous as their parents!

I also had the insane notion around the middle of March to participate in the A to Z Challenge again this year. I've been busy working on my 26 different posts...writing, scheduling, making sure everything is ready to drop starting Tuesday. My theme this year is wonderful picture books as part of my BOOK NOOK REVIEWS series so if you get a chance, stop by every day in April to check out the coolest picture book I've spotlighted...and believe me, some of the letters of the alphabet for the beginning of those titles were darn hard to find! My normal Monday inspirational posts and Friday's TALES FROM THE BAYOU posts will resume in May.

Then came the wonderful news that I won a scholarship to participate in Mira Reisberg's Chapter Book Alchemist course and I've been bouncing off the walls in anticipation. I plan to work really hard on a non-fiction chapter book idea I've researched for the past year and will probably be even busier than usual for the month of April. The facilitators will be the amazing Mira,  award-winning children's book author Hillary Homzie, and the equally fabulous Mandy Yates. You can find out more about this fantastic 5-week online writing course by clicking on the following link...

I also do some behind the scenes research for the Rate Your Story newsletter that goes out each month and it takes a good bit of my time to uncover the best information I can find to send to Miranda. Everyone by now should know what a fabulous service I think Miranda and her team of expert judges provide for  the writing community. If you've just gotten back from outer space and don't know what Rate Your Story is, just check out their blog at http://www.rateyourstory.blogspot.com.

But I guess the biggest part of my time right now is gearing up for the Children's Festival of Reading and my FREE Author Promotion booth. Here is a link to the artists attending this year's festival...http://www.knoxlib.org/calendar-programs/programs-and-partnerships/childrens-festival-reading/meet-artists-childrens. The Children's Festival of Reading is celebrating it's ten year anniversary and this is my third year participating. Between 12-15,000 people attend every year and I will have a booth smack dab in the middle of all the festivities.

You have helped me in the past to get the word out about my FREE Author promotion and I can't thank you enough! Authors from all over the country have contacted me and the packages have been flowing fast and furious all month long. My mailman knows me by my first name by now and looks at me like he can't figure out just what the heck am I doing with all those packages!  I'd like to thank all the authors who have already sent lovely things my way to give out at my booth. There are more authors telling me they will also be sending me packages and there is still time to be able to participate by sending me your autographed items as soon as possible. Any author or illustrator wanting more info about how I promote your work for FREE just needs to comment on this post or send me an email to donasdays (at) gmail (dot) com.

Oh yeah...the number of items I've received so far to give away at my booth on Saturday, May 17th?







17 comments:

  1. Looking forward to your A to Z posts!

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    1. Hi Julianne and welcome to my blog! If you like picture books, this will be the blog to visit for the next month...and hopefully longer...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  2. Great response to the author promotion, Donna! And it's not finished yet! Wow! Good luck to your students in their testing. So exciting.

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    1. Hi Genevieve! Yeah, I'm more than thrilled by the response so far. It's going to be a great time at my booth...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  3. I can't believe where the time went!! I'll email you as well so I can get your address for my promotional stuff like last year. I don't think I kept your address. Will this time though. Thanks so very much for being such a good ambassador to do this. I am going to ask you how in my email.

    Good luck in getting your students off to a good graduation.
    I'm sure your the star in the parent's eyes. :)

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    1. Hi Clare! I'll look for your email. Every instructor at my school has a "fan base"...mine are usually the really young kids and some of the girls...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  4. Hi Donna! Thank you for stopping by the blog and letting me know you're doing A to Z. I hope we can visit each other. :-)

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    1. Hi Bette Lee and welcome to my blog! If you like picture books then this will be the place to visit in April...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  5. Yeah! Fun! WOOOO!!! 1521 is a lot of stuff! I want pictures! :) Have *fun* testing! ;)

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    1. Hi Erik! I will take as many pictures as I am able to...it will all depend on just how crazy it gets at the booth...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  6. That's so cute that you worry about the students passing your test. :)

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    1. Hi Tonja and welcome to my blog! I worry because if they don't pass I will wonder if there was something I could have done differently...or even better...to increase their chances of passing. Ultimately it's THEIR responsibility to perform at the level requires, but I'm a perfectionist and will always wonder if I could have done more...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  7. Been meaning to ask since last year - I know your event features books for the youngsters, but is there a place to display or give away items for murder mysteries? If so please send me an email and I'll ship some things to you - yolandarenee@hotmail.com

    Happy A to Z!

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    1. Hi Yolanda! I just sent you a private email but YES, of course I would love to help promote your books! I always have some young adult and adult "family-friendly" autographed books to give away to the parents...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  8. Hi Donna, wow, you are an inspiration in everything you do. So caring with your students and awesome in promoting fellow authors. I always love dropping by here to see what wonderful stories and events you are in to. Good for you!

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    1. Lol, Diane...thank you for you kind words. If I had the money, I'd hire you to head up my public relations team...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  9. Wow I hope you have a Club full of black belts soon. Congrats!

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