Saturday 29 December 2018

A Turtle's Magic Adventure - Book Review


A Turtle's Magic Adventure
by Wanda Luthman

  • Grade Level: 3 - 4
  • Paperback: 62 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (March 31, 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 153083256X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1530832569





About The Book: 

"My students were spellbound with Tad's adventures to a magical land."

A Turtle's Magical Adventure is a charming, heart-warming story of a turtle who doesn’t like his shell because it makes him too slow.
Tad asks other slow animals if they also mind being slow. Each one gives an answer that helps Tad feel better, but, still he wants to be fast.
He happens upon a snake who tells him there is a wizard that can make him fast. He goes on an adventure into The Magical Timberwood Forest to meet the wizard and hopefully get his wish fulfilled.
He encounters delightful, magical creatures along the way but also meets with danger and choices. Will Tad get his wish or will the wizard turn him into turtle soup?

Join Tad, the turtle, on his adventure in this cute chapter book that helps children learn self-esteem and confidence as they experience Tad's search for self-acceptance and learning to love himself. This fun and cute read aloud book subtly addresses social skills as Tad makes new friends with a gnome, lightning bugs, a worm, a duck, and a snail. Children will enjoy this magical fantasy adventure with an evil wizard that has a heart. A beautiful story that reads like an Aesop Fable that teaches an important life lesson.

"Fun fast-paced. It srikes right at the heart of every person's tendency to compare themselves to others."


What I Thought:

 This is a charming story with a strong message for children. Tad the turtle doesn't like something about himself. He wants to change and become more like others he admires. Tad is willing to risk a lot to change himself and become what he thinks will make him happy, even venture into the forbidden forest to seek out the magician's help.
On Tad's adventure, he meets a snake, a snail, a duck, a lame gnome girl, and the not-so-accomodating magician; and all the character's opinions weigh on Tad's view of himself and help him decide what is right for him.
Children will love this story because it delightfully shows why it's okay to be who you are.


About The Author:

 A Multi-Award-winning children's author, Wanda Luthman, utilizes her expertise in both mental health and guidance counseling to infuse each of her stories with social/emotional messages such as forgiveness, perseverance, self-acceptance, and love conquering evil. She writes fantasy adventure stories that show lives being changed by the magic of love. She is a former National Pen Women Organization of Cape Canaveral. She belongs to the Florida Writers Association, Space Coast Authors, and Brevard Authors Forum. She lives in sunny Florida with her incredibly understanding and supportive husband of 23 years, their two adorable yorkies, and 15 rescue feral cats (all fixed responsibly and still residing outside and on her porch in their colony)! She loves the outdoors and finds it a great source of inspiration whether she is riding her bike, swimming, or walking. 

Find The Author on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Wanda-Luthman/e/B00OASC9WU/

Friday 16 November 2018

The Dragon Grammar Book Wins Two Awards in the 2018 Literary Classics Book Awards

NEWS
Literary Classics Announces Youth Media Book Award Recipients
Release Date: November 15, 2018
Literary Classics
pr@clcawards.org

SOUTH DAKOTA – The 2018 Literary Classics International Book Award recipients have been announced.  Selected from submissions by entrants around the globe, these distinguished honorees are recognized for their contributions to the craft of writing, illustrating, and publishing exceptional literature for a youth audience.  In this highly competitive industry, these books represent the foremost in literature in their respective categories.

The competition this year was extremely impressive and we congratulate all honorees for their outstanding and inspiring work.  All Silver, Gold and Top Honors award recipients will be invited to attend a writers’ conference, awards ceremony,  gala, and other related events in Rapid City, South Dakota, to be held in conjunction with the Great American Book Festival, May 10-12, 2018.
The Literary Classics selection committee is proud to recognize this year’s titles in literature which exemplify the criteria set forth by the Literary Classics selection committee.

 For a complete listing of Literary Classics International Book Awards all awards, categories  levels, please visit the Literary Classics Book Awards 2018 Book Awards Listing



 Lumen Award for Literary Excellence
















Gold Medal for Educational Books      

Listing of all the winning books: http://www.clcawards.org/2018_Award_Winning_Books.html

Other awards for The Dragon Grammar Book:


2018 --Readers' Favorite Book Awards, Gold Medal, Children-Education, The Dragon Grammar Book, https://readersfavorite.com/2018-award-contest-winners.htm







2018 – Book Excellence Awards, Winner, Education & Academics, The Dragon Grammar Book, https://bookexcellenceawards.com/2018-Winners-c29486334
Press release: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3838642







For more information about author Diane Mae Robinson's multi-award winning dragon books for children visit: https://dragonsbook.com/

Saturday 27 October 2018

Creative Writing Institute Flash Fiction Contest

10th Anniversary Flash Fiction Contest
Creative Writing Institute's  flash fiction contest is open until October 31, 2018. The limit is 1,000 words. See contest rules at https://www.creativewritinginstitute.org/contests/. You may enter up to five times but each entry must be submitted separately. 
 First place:
$100 and a Gold eMedal OR $200 discount toward any CWI course valued at $295.

Second place:
$50 and a Silver eMedal OR $100 discount on any CWI writing course.

Third place:
$25 and a Bronze eMedal OR $50 discount on any CWI writing course.

Fourth and Fifth place:
Honorable Mention eMedal AND $25 discount on any CWI writing course.
You will love the classy eMedals. You can resize them to post them on your site and social media!

Wednesday 3 October 2018

Coloring Contest For Kids


The Dragon Newsletter announces 2018 Coloring Contest.

The Dragon Newsletter Coloring Contest hosted by DragonsBook.Com.

Three categories: ages 5 – 8; ages 9 – 12; ages 13- 18.

Sign Up for the newsletter for the free coloring book and contest details:
https://dragonsbook.com/subscribe/ 

The contest runs Oct. 1, 18 – Jan.1, 2019. 1st place winners in each category will receive a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card.

The Dragon Newsletter is an occasional newsletter about kid's contests, book giveaways, and books on sales--It's all about kid's stuff.

Visit https://www.dragonsbook.com to learn more about these multi-award-winning dragon books for children.

Sunday 2 September 2018

The Dragon Grammar Book Wins Two Gold Book Awards

 The Dragon Grammar Book - Grammar for Kids, Dragons, and the Whole Kingdom




Author: Diane Mae Robinson
Illustrator: Breadcrumb Ink

Finally! An easy-to-understand English grammar book with fun grammar lessons for middle grades and up. An excellent education reference for classroom and homeschool grammar lessons. 

An Amazon Bestseller in Teens Language Arts.

Read More








2018 – Book Excellence Awards, Winner, Education & Academics. https://bookexcellenceawards.com/2018-Winners-c29486334
Press release: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3838642






2018 -- Readers' Favorite Book Awards, Gold Medal, Children-Education. https://readersfavorite.com/2018-award-contest-winners.htm



Read more about the author's multi-award-winning dragon books for children:
https://www.dragonsbook.com

Sunday 26 August 2018

Famous Authors and Their Quotes

 I love reading quotes by famous authors. There's truth in their wise words, they always give me inspiration and something deeper to think about. Here's a few of my favorite authors and their quotes.


  "If I waited until I felt like writing, I'd never write at all."  Anne Tyler

   "Only in men’s imagination does every truth find an effective and undeniable existence. Imagination, not invention, is the supreme master of art as of life." Joseph Conrad


    "Anecdotes don’t make good stories. Generally I dig down underneath them so far that the story that finally comes out is not what people thought their anecdotes were about." Alice Munro


    "No one can write decently who is distrustful of the reader’s intelligence or whose attitude is patronizing." E. B. White

    "In order to write the book you want to write in the end, you have to become the person you need to become to write that book."  Junot Diaz

   "There is no greater agony than an untold story inside you."  Maya Angelou


    "I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose." Stephen King

    "Prose is architecture, not interior decoration." Ernest Hemingway

    "If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write."  Somerset Maugham

    "Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer."  Ray Bradbury


    "A writer without interest or sympathy for the foibles of his fellow man is not conceivable as a writer."  Joseph Conrad.
   
    "Half my life is an act of revision." John Irving

 "A word is dead
  When it is said,
  Some say.
  I say it just begins
  to live that day."  Emily Dickinson


    "Begin with an individual, and before you know it you have created a type; begin with a type, and you find you have created – nothing." F. Scott Fitzgerald


Visit my author website to read more about my multi-award-winning dragon books for children:
www.dragonsbook.com


   















Friday 13 July 2018

Hollywood via Orchard Street - Book Review


 Now and again, I post book reviews about noteworthy adult novels that I've read and enjoyed. This is one such book.

Author: Wayne Clark

  • File Size: 415 KB
  • Print Length: 267 pages
  • Publisher: Wayne Clark YUL/NYC (July 4, 2018)
  • Publication Date: July 4, 2018
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B07F8MGCY2









About the Book:

Deciding that the hopelessness he sees around him on New York’s squalid Lower East Side during the Great Depression isn’t for him, a young man invents an alter ego with the chutzpah he hopes will make a name for himself. In the process he accidentally ignites a war between the Irish mob and a Chinese tong, learns to drink and finds love for the first time. Will he and his alter ego ever reunite? They will have to if he doesn’t want to lose the love of a beautiful Broadway actress.

What I Thought:

"The goal,” young Charles Czerny scribbled in pencil, “was to become someone else.”—The opening line of Hollywood via Orchard Street instantly sets the pace of this story about a young man’s ambitions to leave the lackluster life of Orchard Street, to do something more with his life than to sell newspapers on the street.

Charles Czerny is a meek young man, a grade-seven dropout who can memorize poetry. He needs to create a persona that is tougher and bolder, a persona that will get him out of the depressing neighborhood he lives in. Hence, Bulldog is born.

Bulldog creates a different life for himself by inadvertently hooking up with the mob. The mob life connects him with important people who help shape Bulldog into a respected newspaper writer of mob news that eventually leads to his connections writing for Hollywood. The mob life, also, connects him to the most important woman in his life, Miss Shantell Vox—the ex moll of the New York mob boss, the woman he saves and the woman he falls in love with. 

The characters of this story are so captivating and fully rounded out as the story progresses that the reader can’t help but to become a part of their lives. The writing is of the highest caliber. This is a gangster story, a love story, and a story of achievement with some humor thrown in for good measure. You won’t want to put this book down. Highly recommended!

About the Author:
 
Award-winning author Wayne Clark was born in 1946 in Ottawa, Ont., but has called Montreal home since 1968. Woven through that time frame in no particular order have been interludes in Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver, Germany, Holland and Mexico.

By far the biggest slice in a pie chart of his career would be labelled journalism, including newspapers and magazines, as a reporter, editor and freelance writer. The other, smaller slices of the pie would also represent words in one form or another, in advertising as a copywriter and as a freelance translator. However, unquantifiable in a pie chart would be the slivers and shreds of time stolen over the years to write fiction. 

Visit the author's Amazon page to view all of his books:  https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00G3S9GKS/

Monday 2 July 2018

The Dragon Grammar Book Wins 2018 Book Excellence Award

             Press Release  July 1, 2018
       Announcing the 2018 Book 
       Excellence Award Winners

 TORONTO - July 1, 2018 - (Newswire.com) https://www.pressrelease.com/news/announcing-the-2018-book-excellence-award-winners-127514
Literary Excellence Incorporated, founder and sponsor of the Book Excellence Awards, is proud to announce the winners of the 2018 Book Excellence Awards Competition.
The Book Excellence Awards is an international book awards competition dedicated to providing authors and publishers with the opportunity to showcase their books on a global platform. Previous honorees have seen major benefits after winning an award including garnering attention from film producers, getting distribution in book stores, increasing their visibility, media coverage and book sales as well. Wendell Batchelder, 2017 Book Excellence Award Finalist stated, “Being a Book Excellence Award Finalist has definitely caused a spike in my sales and an increase in reviews.”
The program also offers authors and publishers marketing support by providing resources in topics such as publishing, marketing, writing, publicity and social media. The full value of the prize package is over $3,000 for winners and $1,750 for finalists.
The award-winning titles were chosen based on their design, layout, writing quality and overall market appeal. The following are the 2018 award winners, listed with their respective category, book title and author name(s):
Activity Book - Crime Cats: Heavy Metal Pizza Party by Wolfgang Parker
Addiction and Recovery - Parallel Universes: The Story of Rebirth by David Bohl
Adventure - The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles by Ronald Yates
Aging - Age in Place: A Guide to Modifying, Organizing and Decluttering Mom and Dad's Home by Lynda Shrager
Alternative Medicine - EDINA: Energy Medicine from the Stars by Lois J. Wetzel
Animals/Pets - Great Horned Owlets Rescue: Where There's a Will, There's a Way.... by Cheryl Aguiar
Autobiography - GOOD BLOOD: A Journey of Healing by Irit Schaffer
Biography - The Last Ring Home by Minter Dial
Body/Mind/Spirit - Living in Light, Love & Truth: Change Your Life Positively by Kasi Kaye Iliopoulos
Book Cover Design - The Electric Woman by James Scott
Books in a Series – His Majesty’s Theatre Series by Christina Britton Conroy
Business - The Regenerative Business: Redesign Work. Cultivate Human Potential. Achieve Extraordinary Outcomes by Carol Sanford
Caregiving - How To Take Care of Old People Without Losing Your Marbles by Suzanne Blankenship
Children’s Education - Felix Is Curious About His Body by Dr. Nicole Audet
Children’s Inspirational/Motivational - Sophie and the Airplane by Kristi Grigsby
Children's Fiction - But It's The Truth by Aunt Eeebs and Sprout
Children's Non-Fiction - Little Miss HISTORY Travels to MOUNT VERNON by Barbara Mojica
Coloring Book - Oh Susannah: Color With Me by Carole P. Roman
Comics and Graphic Novels - Spartan and the Green Egg: Book 1, A Trip to the Rainforest by Nabila Khashoggi
Contemporary Novel - A Dress the Color of the Sky by Jennifer Irwin
Cookbook - Modernist Bread by Nathan Myhrvold and Francisco Migoya
Diet and Nutrition - Nutrition and the Autonomic Nervous System: The Scientific Foundations of The Gonzalez Protocol by Nicholas Gonzalez, M.D.
Education and Academic - The Dragon Grammar Book: Grammar for Kids, Dragons, and the Whole Kingdom by Diane Mae Robinson
Erotica - My Soul Belongs to You by C.L. Hunter
Faction (fiction based on facts) - Black Sun by Glenn Starkey
Family – Elsie’s Story by Doris Green
Fantasy - Above The Star by Alexis Marie Chute
Fiction - The Last Road Home by Danny Johnson
Finances - Investment Atlas II: Using History as a Financial Tool by Kenneth Winans
Friendship - Wings and Feet by Lisa Reinicke
Gift Book - Spirit Says...Be Healthy: A Collection of Original Quotes and Affirmations to Guide You Toward Optimal Health by Dr. Susan Bova
Grief - Teen Grief: Caring for the Grieving Teenage Heart by Gary Roe
Health - Service Extraordinaire: Unlocking the Value of Concierge Medicine by David Winter
Historical - Scandalous, The Victoria Woodhull Saga, Vol. II: Fame, Infamy, and Paradise Lost by Neal Katz
Horror - Antitheus by G.A. Minton
Inspirational - Writing for Bliss: A Seven Step Plan for Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life by Diana Raab
Leadership - Extreme Teaming: Lessons in Complex, Cross Sector Leadership by Amy C. Edmondson and Jean-François Harvey
LGBTQ Fiction - Reservations by Kindle Alexander
Marketing - Expand, Grow, Thrive: 5 Proven Steps to Turn Good Brands into Global Brands through the LASSO Method by Pete Canalichio
Marriage - Marriage: Make It or Break It by Andrea Merrell
Medical - Dr. Eno's A-to-Z Guide to Thriving with Type 2 Diabetes by Eno Nsima-Obot, MD
Memoir - Realizing River City: A Memoir by Melissa Grunow
Men's Health - Aches and Gains: A Comprehensive Guide to Overcoming Your Pain by Paul Christo
Military - Brave and Funny Memories of WWII by a P-38 Fighter Pilot by Lyndon Shubert
Motivational - Prove Them Wrong: Be the One to Make It Happen by Nancy Shugart
Multicultural Fiction - The Vicissitudes of Fortune by Bob Siqveland
Multicultural Non-Fiction - Access to Asia: Your Multicultural Guide to Building Trust, Inspiring Respect, and Creating Long-Lasting Business Relationships by Sharon Schweitzer
Mystery - Eternal Bloodlines by JC Brennan
Non-Fiction - It Is About You: How American Government Works and How to Help Fix It by Deborah Cupples
Parenting - Ten Powerful Things to Say to Your Kids: Creating the Relationship You Want with the Most Important People in Your Life by Paul Axtell
Performing Arts - The Girl On Pointe: The Ballerina by Patricia Bowman-Stein
Personal Growth/Development - Dear Limits, Get Out Of My Way: The Woman's Guide To End Self Limitations And Push Past Social Restrictions by Ky-Lee Hanson
Photography - The Photographing Tourist: A Storyteller's Guide to Travel and Photography by David Noyes
Picture Book, Ages 4 to 8 - What A Tree It Will Be! by L.S.V. Baker
Picture Book, All Ages - Buckets, Dippers, and Lids: Secrets to Your Happiness by Carol McCloud
Picture Book, Preschool - My Little Angel by Sherrill Cannon
Poetry - Whole Phat and Gluten Free Poetry by Carol Durant
Political - The Stalled Revolution: Is Equality for Women an Impossible Dream? by Eva Tutchell and John Edmonds
Pre-Teen Fiction - A Calf Named Brian Higgins by Kristen Ball
Psychology - Excelling with Autism: Obtaining Critical Mass Using Deliberate Practice by Brenda Smith Myles Ph.D., Ruth Aspy Ph.D., Kerry Mataya M.Ed., and Hollis Shaffer
Public Relations - Mastering Business for Strategic Communicators: Insights and Advice from the C-Suite of Leading Brands by Matthew W. Ragas, Ph.D. and Ron Culp
Relationships – The Color of Pain by Melisa Arnold
Religion - The Runaway Prophet by Michele Chynoweth
Romance - Warwolfe by Kathryn Le Veque
Science Fiction - The Last Dog by Dawn Greenfield Ireland
Self Help - Calmer Waters: The Caregiver's Journey Through Alzheimer's and Dementia by Barbra Cohn
Spirituality - Your Soul Is Calling: Healing Our Ego Addiction by Jerry Hirschfield, Ph.D.
Suspense - 3 Women, 4 Towns, 5 Bodies by Townsend Walker
Technology - Autonomous Driving: How the Driverless Revolution will Change the World by Andreas Herrmann, Rupert Stadler, and Walter Brenner
Thriller - Do Not Ask by Elaine Williams Crockett
True Crime - Recounting the Anthrax Attacks: Terror, the Amerithrax Task Force, and the Evolution of Forensics in the FBI by Scott Decker
Western - Where's My Wife? by Clark Selby
Writing and Publishing - Ditch the Fear and Just Write It! by Alexa Bigwarfe
Young Adult Fiction - Becoming Jonika by PJ Devlin
About the Book Excellence Awards – The Book Excellence Awards is an international awards competition dedicated to providing authors from all genres and backgrounds the opportunity to showcase their work on a global platform. The organization accepts entries from countries all over the world in over 100 unique categories. To learn more about the Book Excellence Awards, visit www.bookexcellenceawards.com.
Related Links
Book Excellence Awards



Press Release Service by Newswire.com

Original Source: Announcing the 2018 Book Excellence Award Winners

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3838642#ixzz5K7AlCVOs


The Dragon Grammar Book is a 2018 Book Excellence Award Winner in Education and Academics. To see more dragon books for children by Diane Mae Robinson: https://www.dragonsbook.com