How to use this Page

Leah is eager to catch up with her friends Nicole and Hayley at the beach this summer. When a dead whale washes up on shore and some mysterious men start hanging around, the girls aren’t quite sure how they can help.

Award-winning children’s author Donna McDine tackles the issue of poaching in this entertaining tween chapter book. A Sandy Grave finds a group of friends meeting up at the beach for the summer. But their fun is interrupted by a dead whale washing up on shore and some mysterious men hanging around. The girls then learn about the illegal practice of poaching and Leah is concerned those men hanging around the beach are up to no good. There must be something the girls can do to help out.

A book like this empowers children to make a difference while educating them about their world in a fun way. The delightful illustrations by Julie Hammond are the perfect complement to McDine’s story. This is a quick read that will leave a lasting impression.

Rating:

PURCHASE AT:

GUARDIAN ANGEL PUBLISHING: http://guardianangelpublishing.com/sandy-grave.htm

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Sandy-Grave-Donna-M-McDine/dp/1616334541/

BARNES AND NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sandy-grave-donna-m-mcdine/1118285403

Title: A Sandy Grave
Author: Donna M. McDine
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing
Pages: 24
Language: English
Genre: Tween chapterbook
Format: Paperback, hardcover & eBook

TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzzVjJWd4hM

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, Literary Classics Silver Award & Seal of Approval Recipient Picture Book Early Reader, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention, Global eBook Awards Finalist Children’s Picture Book Fiction, and Preditors & Editors Readers Poll 2010 Top Ten Children’s Books ~ The Golden Pathway.

Her stories, articles, and book reviews have been published in over 100 print and online publications. Her interest in American History resulted in writing and publishing The Golden Pathway. Donna’s 2013 releases of Powder Monkey and Hockey Agony and the 2014 release of A Sandy Grave will be joined by an additional book to be published by Guardian Angel Publishing, Dee and Deb, Off They Go. She writes, moms and is a personal assistant from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI, Children’s Literature Network, and Family Reading Partnership. 

Visit Donna online at www.donnamcdine.com or her blog at www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com

Donna McDine is giving you a chance to win a $50 Barnes and Noble Gift Card.

Terms & Conditions

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $50 Barnes and Noble Gift Card
• This giveaway begins March 3 and ends on April 25, 2014.
• Winner will be contacted via email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A SANDY GRAVE TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, March 3

Book trailer reveal at If Books Could Talk

Tuesday, March 4

Interview at As the Pages Turn

Wednesday, March 5

Guest post at My Sister Is My Best Friend

Friday, March 7

Book review at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection

Monday, March 10

Guest post at Literarily Speaking

Tuesday, March 11

Book featured at The Writer’s Life

Wednesday, March 12

Interview at Rebecca’s Writing Services

Thursday, March 13

Book review at Rebecca’s Writing Services

Book review at Farm and Fru Fru

Monday, March 17

Book feature and giveaway at My Sister Is My Best Friend

Wednesday, March 19

Interview at Straight from the Author’s Mouth

Friday, March 21

First chapter reveal at Read My First Chapter

Monday, March 24

Book feature at Between the Covers

Tuesday, March 25

Book feature and giveaway at The Busy Mom’s Daily

Wednesday, March 26

Interview at Nancy Stewart’s Books

Guest post at Mayra’s Secret Bookcase

Thursday, March 27

Book review at My Devotional Thoughts

Friday, March 28

Interview and giveaway at PUYB Virtual Book Club

Tuesday, April 1

Guest post at Strands of Thought

Wednesday, April 2

Guest post at Lori’s Reading Corner

Thursday, April 3

Character interview at Beyond the Books

Book trailer reveal at A Leisure Moment

Friday, April 4

Book review at A Leisure Moment

Monday, April 7

Book review at Blooming with Books

Tuesday, April 8

Interview at Blooming with Books

Wednesday, April 9

Book feature at 4 the Love of Books

Thursday, April 10

Guest post at The Story Behind the Book

Friday, April 11

Book review at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Monday, April 14

Book trailer reveal at 4 the Love of Books

Wednesday, April 16

Book feature and giveaway at Blooming with Books

Thursday, April 17

Book review at Mary’s Cup of Tea

Friday, April 18

Book review at By the Book

Monday, April 21

Book feature at Plug Your Book!

Wednesday, April 23

Book review at 4 the Love of Books

Book review at Mymcbooks’s Blog

Thursday, April 24

Book review at WV Stitcher

Friday, April 25

Book tour highlights at The Book Rack

I received a free digital version of this book. The author paid me to promote this book through a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book. That fee did not include a review. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

“As daughter of our ruler I grew up in the crossfire of an ongoing war… All I’d ever wanted to be was a great warrior and ultimately lead my people into victorious battles.”

With only a small army at her command Halíka Dacomé, a skilled warrior and daughter of the Elemental King, is ready to lead one final battle to save her planet. A battle against the savage, bloodthirsty Primords who want to extinguish the diminished race of Elementals once and for all.

But before battle commences her father is given an ultimatum from the enemy leader, Arfron Uhnok. If the king agrees, Halíka Dacomé must marry Arfron Uhnok to prevent further bloodshed. If the king disagrees they, as a race, will all perish.

Horrified by her father’s decision, Halíka Dacomé leads her army onward regardless of the consequences. Because her heart belongs to another. A love that blossomed many years ago. A love that her father has forbidden.

Halíka faces her toughest battle yet and learns that not all battles are those fought with a sword…
The Battle for Arcanon Major is an epic love story set against the backdrop of war and is the first Prequel to Elemental: The First.

What do we want from a Strong Female Character? by Alexandra May

It’s hard to decipher what the term ‘Strong’ Female Character actually means. Do readers want to read about a heroine who takes no prisoners, fights to the death and answers to no one? Or do we want to read about a character that tries her best, has flaws but deals with situations to the best of her ability.

What does ‘Strong’ mean exactly? Strong as in strength? Strong as in compassion? Strong as in confidence? Many of our leading female protagonists in YA literature are strong characters, but flawed as much as they are strong.

One of my favourite characters is Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series. She’s sassy, mouthy, kicks a mean roundhouse and is devoted to her bonded best friend, Lissa. Critics might say that being bonded creates the first flaw in Rose’s character. The fact that she devotes her own life to ensure Lissa stays alive is maybe a flaw but shows strength of character. She’s already accepted that Lissa’s life comes first in all things. At the end of Book 3, Shadow Kiss, though, Rose takes an unexpected path. She’s about to follow her love, Dimitri to kill him. This is where her strength reaches out revealing that not only is she flawed, she’s also human (or dhampir, whichever way you look at it.). She’s leaving Lissa behind for the first time ever.

The most important points when I created Halíka Dacomé were not only to show her strong character but also show how human she was. She’s an Overlord, or General, of a mostly male army. She’s fights well, takes ownership of her decisions, and accepts advice from others and ultimately her strength in character is what drives her army to follow her. They believe in her, wholeheartedly.

Underneath all of that she’s deeply flawed. Her love for her brother brings on an awkward situation when he won’t return to his post, preferring to stay with her in the final battle. Not even her strong will can remove him. He is her weakness but also her strength. When her childhood friend and love interest arrives, her emotions become twisted. She even sheds a few tears in his close company. He is also her weakness. Some might say that her love is her strength. This really all comes down to how the writer wants to define that particular aspect of the character. Love can always make a situation better or worse.

The next most important aspect when writing a romance with a strong character is writing an equally strong opposite. Some readers were upset at the end of book 6, Last Sacrifice of the Vampire Academy series. Rose Hathaway chose Dimitri over Adrian. In truth Adrian was never Rose’s equal. The relationship was born more of friendship and lust rather than equalling Dimitri in other ways. Dimitri and Rose know, really know each other. They work because they’re in sync. They know each other’s strengths and weakness as though they were their own. They balance one another in a way that Adrian and Rose never had.

For Halíka Dacomé her biggest weakness, her biggest flaw was her compassion. She followed her heart and was led by it to make a decision that she would not have normally made. That decision led to her downfall.

So, my next task when I write the sequel to The Battle for Arcanon Major is to show how she overcomes the realisation that her heart got in the way of her rational thinking. Will her strong character enable her to overcome her moment of weakness?

Alexandra May is an English author of three books, bringing together the epic saga of Halíka Dacomé and her modern day equivalent, Rose Frost.

Elemental: The First, Elemental: Origin and The Battle for Arcanon Major draw in Alexandra’s love of strong women characters, sci-fi, history, romance and a little warmongering on the side!

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/13/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway