At the 2014 SCBWI Midsouth conference. They set me up set to the amazing Ruta Sepetys. I was fan-girl-ing all evening.
Where to find me:
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Email:
donnadriver68@gmail.com
Tumblr
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Email:
donnadriver68@gmail.com
Speaking on a panel about the popularity of speculative YA fiction at Chattacon, 2015.
I always liked writing, but what I really wanted to be was a performer. I grew up in Southern California and got my degree in Drama. I wrote a lot, but it was just a hobby. Well, a time-consuming hobby. While in college, thanks to a summer of ghost-hunting with a group of friends after graduating from high school, I spent every Winter Break, Spring Break, and Summer writing a horror novel on a lap top my dad would bring home from work. Technically, this was my first YA novel, as all the main characters were teenagers. Alas, it pretty much stinks, so I never did anything with it. Plus, as you recall, I wanted to be an actress/singer, so I was doing back-to-back shows all through this time and never put much thought into how to fix the darn thing up and get it published. It’s still in a box. Maybe someday I’ll come back to it.
I spoke on a panel with amazing Nashville YA authors Helene Dunbar, Rae Ann Parker, and Kristin O'Donnell Tubb at the Franklin, TN library (2015). I've read all their books, and they are wonderful!
After the horror novel, I began writing a series of original fairy tales (some of which are on Wattpad) and a couple grown-up fantasy novels. I slowly discovered that I liked writing more than acting. In 1995 my first story was published, in Catalyst Magazine, and from that point forward I was all about moving my career in that direction. I did act professionally for a long time, and now I do community theater in Nashville with my family for fun. I joined SCBWI a while back, and it’s because of a couple revision workshops I took with them that I decided to rewrite my fledgling mermaid novel into something a publisher decided to put into print. I’m a big fan of looking back into that box full of poorly written ideas and trying again. That is the main theme of my blog Write and Rewrite.
What am I working on right now? Keep scrolling down for my update.
What am I working on right now? Keep scrolling down for my update.
Speaking at West Wilson Middle School in Tennessee
For Teachers and Librarians!
From concept to publication, it took 13 years to make Cry of the Sea the story I wanted it to be. My presentation for schools, libraries, and special events is about the process of revision. Sometimes the first version of a story, poem, song, drawing, etc. isn't the best it could be. Sometimes it takes stepping away for a while and looking at it with fresh eyes. Sometimes it takes several times to get it right.
I tell the story of how I came up with the idea for this novel and the process I went through to write it and revise it until it was of publishable quality. It is an education and motivational presentation perfect for students 6th-12th grade or any creative people!
In addition to speaking about writing and revision, I have a presentation about the environmental themes in this award-winning series. I will be happy to speak to classes about the effects of ocean pollution, oil spills, and logging.
If you are interested in having me speak at your school, library, or special event, email me at donnadriver68@gmail.com and I'll send you some information.
From concept to publication, it took 13 years to make Cry of the Sea the story I wanted it to be. My presentation for schools, libraries, and special events is about the process of revision. Sometimes the first version of a story, poem, song, drawing, etc. isn't the best it could be. Sometimes it takes stepping away for a while and looking at it with fresh eyes. Sometimes it takes several times to get it right.
I tell the story of how I came up with the idea for this novel and the process I went through to write it and revise it until it was of publishable quality. It is an education and motivational presentation perfect for students 6th-12th grade or any creative people!
In addition to speaking about writing and revision, I have a presentation about the environmental themes in this award-winning series. I will be happy to speak to classes about the effects of ocean pollution, oil spills, and logging.
If you are interested in having me speak at your school, library, or special event, email me at donnadriver68@gmail.com and I'll send you some information.
New presentation! I am available to speak at elementary and middle schools about my new middle grade novel No One Needed to Know. This book is based loosely on my personal experience growing up with an older Autistic brother. My presentation will include:
- An overview of Autism
- A discussion about being kind to people with special needs
- Sharing some of my memories as an Autism sibling and teacher of special needs students
- Talking about how I used my memories to write this novel.
- Take a pledge to not be a bully.
What am I working on right now? (as of May 25th, 2017)
I have decided to write two companion stories to my novella Passing Notes. I've finished one and started the second one. My hope is to put them with a new and improved version of Passing Notes to have a full-length book about Mark, Bethany and love letters available early next year. I'm also cleaning up an older manuscript of mine, another ghost story, to submit to Fire and Ice YA Books. To keep up with my progress, please follow me at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/donnagdriver/
Last year was a good year for short stories, and I've been invited to participate in another anthology this year. I'm being asked to write Christmas themed short stories based on my characters from Cry of the Sea and No One Needed to Know for this project. I'm in the brainstorming phase right now. I've also been asked to write a short play about bullying based on No One Needed to Know for a new theater company here in Tennessee.
As always, I post cool mermaid and fantasy pictures regularly on my Instagram account, and I'm starting a "kindness campaign" with quotes and images to help promote more kindness in this judgmental world. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter to participate or enjoy the posts.
I have decided to write two companion stories to my novella Passing Notes. I've finished one and started the second one. My hope is to put them with a new and improved version of Passing Notes to have a full-length book about Mark, Bethany and love letters available early next year. I'm also cleaning up an older manuscript of mine, another ghost story, to submit to Fire and Ice YA Books. To keep up with my progress, please follow me at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/donnagdriver/
Last year was a good year for short stories, and I've been invited to participate in another anthology this year. I'm being asked to write Christmas themed short stories based on my characters from Cry of the Sea and No One Needed to Know for this project. I'm in the brainstorming phase right now. I've also been asked to write a short play about bullying based on No One Needed to Know for a new theater company here in Tennessee.
As always, I post cool mermaid and fantasy pictures regularly on my Instagram account, and I'm starting a "kindness campaign" with quotes and images to help promote more kindness in this judgmental world. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter to participate or enjoy the posts.
