THROW BACK TO A Summertime Adventure

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner
AROUND THE ALPS IN EIGHTY MINUTES
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A LEAP OF FAITH – The Jump-off Line

Posted on June 26, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

When I have a moment of writer’s block, I like to use a jump-off line to get the words flowing…

No. Not that kind of line. I would only come up with one word if I jumped off that. And it would be rated triple R.

 

The line I used today is one I grabbed from The Amulet of Samarkand by Johnathan Stroud. I randomly opened the novel and chose a number between 1 and 33. The 13th line on the right hand page was just the kick I needed to get started.

 


I was thinking of the helpless djinn trapped inside the ruined mannequins as I serpentined my way past far-flung bits of flaming fabric, fiberglass body part fragments, splintered display cases, and shattered glass to the winding mahogany staircase. Smoldering debris mixed with Mojave Ghost Eau de Parfum fumes stung my eyes, nearly choking me to death. In my defense, Continue reading →

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THERE WILL BE NO DRAGONS AT THE BAY AREA BOOK FESTIVAL FAMILY DAY this Saturday, May 4th

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

I am thrilled and honored to be part of this year’s Bay Area Book Festival Family Day!

I can’t wait to share my debut picture book, “There Are No Dragons In This Book” with you at 2:30 on May 4th on the Story Time: Monster Fun panel with JaNay Brown-Wood, Charlotte Cheng, J. P. Takahashi, and Rev Valdez.

 

Stop by my table as well between 11:00 – 2:00 for a chat, to pick up a couple of coloring pages, and to add your name to my newsletter list (with my promise not to inundate your inbox) for a chance to win a copy of  THERE ARE NO DRAGONS IN THIS BOOK. See you this Saturday for a day of creativity and fun!

❤

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3 Days And Counting…

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

 

THERE ARE NO DRAGONS IN THIS BOOK
is home from the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Illustrator Carla Haslbauer with our book baby at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2024

To win a copy, hop over to KidLit411,
an invaluable website for children’s book writers and illlustrators.

❤ GOOD LUCK ❤

(Here’s a peek…)

“There are No Dragons in this Book” by Donna Lambo-Weidner, illustrated by Carla Haslbauer © 2024 NorthSouth Books, an imprint of NordSüd Verlag

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FIRST GRADE AGAIN? Third Time’s A Charm

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

A white banner boasting black letters in varied sizes stretched from one end of the chalk board to the other.
Mrs.  Old’meany,  or  Pinchedpuckeredface,  or
I. Don’trememberhername smoothed her pleated skirt, pointed a long, rubber-tipped stick at one of those dark figures, and called my name. My six-year-old heart pounded in my throat. Was I supposed to slide from my seat, stand up, and answer a question I knew would be wrong? Then what? Continue reading →

Posted in ADVENTURES, BOOK LAUNCH, CHILDHOOD, Donna Lambo-Weidner Books, EVENTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

KidLit.TV SHARES There Are No Dragons In This Book Trailer

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

A gargantuan THANK YOU to KidLit.tv for including There Are No Dragons In This Book book trailer on their award winning website dedicated to creating fun ways to inspire a love for reading.

I heartily agree with the Children’s Book Council when they say KidLit.tv is an exciting and informative destination for authors, illustrators, teachers, publishers, and anyone with a passion for children’s literature. It is indeed a treasure trove of crafts and activities, read-out-louds, interviews, tutorials, and…book trailers!

Book Trailer Premiere! THERE ARE NO DRAGONS IN THIS BOOK

I first met KidLit.tv’s founder and author Julie Gribble at the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators Winter Conference in 2012. Julie was much further along on her picture book project than I was on my novel. Her Bubblegum Princess, illustrated by Lori Hanson, released the following year. If you love princesses I, and even if you don’t, press HERE. Eighteen months later we attended the Stony Brook University’s South Hampton Writer’s Conference. Julie was nearing the end of a fellowship and I attended to learn more on the craft of writing a picture book. Five days later, I packed my toolkit with meaningful lessons from renowned picture book author and illustrator Dan Yaccarino and Julie went on to manifest her vision – KidLIT.tv – I suggest you immediately check it and the podcasts on KidLit Radio out. Wow…just WOW!

Thank you dear Reader (writer, illustrator, and lover of children’s books)
for stopping by today
❤ Be Well ❤

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MY DEBUT BOOK BLOG TOUR FAUX PAS…

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

Apologies to Kathleen Temean for not reposting her interview with me to my blog. She did me a solid to help get the word out about my debut picture book There Are No Dragons In This Book a few weeks ago and I somehow failed to reach out to you to show what a phenomenal job she does for the KidLit community.

Besides sharing authors’ and illustrators’ good news, she introduces agents willing to critique four work-in-progress first pages each month, as well as informing her readers of industry changes, contests, writing and illustration tips, and retreats. In fact, there are still a few spots open HERE for her virtual full manuscript 2024 retreat, one she holds each year. Kathleen’s site is a font of information you will not want to miss…and it’s FREE! 

 You, Kathy
have my ❤ felt apologies for my oversight
To everyone else…check out her site 
and thank you for stopping by ❤

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DRAGON IS COMING: My Debut Picture Book Blog Tour Continues…

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

Many thanks to prolific children’s book author Susanna Leonard Hill for sharing another version of my journey to publication on her DEBUT TUESDAY  post. With only six days to go until the release of my picture book There Are No Dragons In This Book on March 5, 2024 🥳 her interview is an honor for me to share.

Are you still a wee bit curious? Come…follow me. Press HERE  ❤️

Posted in ADVENTURES, BOOK LAUNCH, Donna Lambo-Weidner Books, EVENTS, HUMOR, INTERVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

And So Begins My Debut Picture Book Blog Tour…

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

In the countdown to the release of my debut picture book There Are No Dragons In This Book on March 5, 2024, children’s book author Sandra Nickel  invited me to tell the story behind the story that won the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair’s prestigious Serafina Award…

Are you a wee bit curious? Come…follow me and
press HERE  ❤️

Posted in ADVENTURES, BOOK LAUNCH, Donna Lambo-Weidner Books, EVENTS, INTERVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

3-2-1 MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner

The 31 day countdown began on December 1, 2023. I thought I could do it…write my next blog post before the holidays. After all, twelve years ago I began blogging once a week. A few years later it reduced to bi-weekly and finally a couple of years ago it dwindled down to once a month. Sounds easy enough. Right? Except the clock’s ticking again…

this time it’s been nearly two months since my last post even though there were sixty-two days between December 1st and January 31st – plenty of time for an idea to funnel from the heavens into my brain thru my fingers and onto the keyboard. That’s 1,488 hours! Minus an average of 434 hours spent sleeping, that would leave me with 1,054 to bang out a post or two to fulfil my commitment to you, my intrepid follower, and myself.

Yet, with 8.5 hours to go until the calendar page turns to February, here I sit…not reading a book, as I am in my cameo appearance in my daughter-in-law’s debut early reader “My Day With Dad”, but checking out a few bloggers that I follow to distract me from my conundrum.

I’ve barely begun reading when Continue reading →

Posted in ADVENTURES, BOOK LAUNCH, Donna Lambo-Weidner Books, EVENTS, FAMILY, HUMOR, PONDERINGS, WRITING CHALLENGES | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments