Donna McDine is an award-winning children’s author, Honorable Mention in the 77th and two Honorable Mentions in the 78^th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competitions. Donna’s stories and features have been published in many print and online publications and her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Her second book, The Hockey Agony is under contract and will be published by Guardian Angel Publishing. She writes, moms and is the Publicist Intern for The National Writing for Children Center and Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Musing Our Children.

You can visit Donna online at: http://www.donnamcdine.com, http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com, and http://www.thegoldenpathway.blogspot.com. She is also on Facebook, Twitter, JacketFlap, and LinkedIn.

Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Donna.  Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here today. I have had publishing success in online ezines and print publications. The Golden Pathway is my first children’s book.

Q: What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

Images of the Past. I’m in the editing process of this middle grade historical fiction manuscript.

Q: For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

The Golden Pathway was rejected by five different magazines as a short story before gaining an acceptance by Guardian Angel Publishing as a historical fiction story book. 

Q: How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

I have handled rejections much like how my youngest daughter handles sport competition. Each loss (rejection) brings on a new determination for success.

Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

August 12, 2010 by Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. We met at the Muse Online Writers Conference and I chose them for their unique personal handling of each author and they ultimately chose me and my manuscript.

Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

My goodness, I walked on air for days after initially signing the book contract. I celebrated with a special dinner with my family at my favorite Italian restaurant.

Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

Wrote and distributed a media release.

Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

No. Guardian Angel Publishing is wonderful.

Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

I’ve had several more online publishing credits and my writing has become much tighter.

Q: Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up?  What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

I honestly can’t complain about the speed of my publishing successes, it’s all about having patience. To avoid rushing the creative process, it’s essential to take one’s time to create the best manuscript possible.

Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

Since the publication of The Golden Pathway designing and getting up to speed on my media kit. 

Q: If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

Interior designer.

Q: Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

No, at this point in time life as an author is where I want to be. 

Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?

Writing for children combined with school and library visits with at least five more books in print.

Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

Don’t give up. Rejection is part of the publication dream. It takes many many rejections to achieve the ultimate acceptance. Read, read, read in the genre you want to write for.

Thank you for hosting me today. It was an honor to be here.