November 2016 - Laurie Donahue

It has been a long road. We have endured much in this 2016 election campaign. I see everything from disgust to elation, from rejoicing to riots in my Facebook feed and on the news on this day after the election. But one thing is for sure, we are all tired.

This 2016 election was painful for very many. It was full of anxiety and passion. And now, we have a new president. Some are happy some are depressed. Some are saying, “He’s not my president.” Some are flying on a cloud. I read one post this morning that simply stated, Can we just stop hating each other now?

Here are some more thoughts. I need to preface them with answering a few questions. Did I vote? Absolutely! Did I think this election was important? Absolutely! Will I tell you how I voted? Nope! Do I think we are to pray for new president. Absolutely!

The Bigger Issue

But I believe that is not the bigger issue. So many of us have been so wrapped up in this election, that we have forgotten, or at least compartmentalized, something really huge — that is that there is another Kingdom. That Kingdom is unseen, eternal, and without error. The King of the Kingdom is always perfect, always in control, and loves without ceasing. No matter how we feel about our earthly president, no matter how much we trust or don’t trust our earthly president, he has failed and will fail us again in some way because his human.

Let me remind you of God’s character. He is perfect, the definition of love, all-powerful, all-knowing, and is everywhere. He is faithful, he is just, he is holy, and he is sacrificial. There is no king or ruler like him and he will never change.

While I will do what I can to love and support my country, I know it is still a temporary kingdom. But God’s kingdom is forever. So what is my first and greater passion? —To be a part, and be a contributing part, of God’s Kingdom.

How to Help Your Kids

I guess we all do that in a different way. But one thing that is really important is to teach our kids about the God of that perfect Kingdom. In that kingdom they will learn that:

that Ruler is perfect
in that Kingdom they are loved
in that Kingdom they are secure
in that Kingdom they are forgiven
in that Kingdom they have hope
that King will never fail them
that King will grow them in time

This is my hope and prayer for all kids, as well as all Americans, that they know this King and are part of His kingdom.

So no matter how you feel about the 2016 election, turn your passions, your energy, and even your frustrations to lead your kids into hope… the hope that does not disappoint.

Hi Friends,

I have to make a big apology for the past months that I have not written. In the last months I have been distracted by broken bones, illness, and a medical mission trip to Indonesia. But I also have another reason, a bigger reason, of why I am excited to write to you. I have been working on a big project that I would like to share with you.

I have been focused on a new project- Virtual Author Day- that I think could completely change the way children’s authors connect with the readers of their books. This project will also change the way classrooms and homes across our country relate to authors, learn about writing kids books, and grasp the messages from published authors.

Imagine sitting in your child’s classroom. You are enjoying a video of a reading from an author of a delightful book, sitting in their yard or home, speaking directly to your kids. Then, your kids get to see a second video of the author speaking directly to them about why they wrote the book and more about its message. With these two videos, they will see authors as real, relational people. Then your kids get puzzle worksheets that help them understand the message more clearly. And to top it off, they get a scheduled live interview with the author by live video or phone. They can think of their own questions to ask! And if that’s not enough the teacher or parent has access to an author blog that enriches the teacher. This is the essence of Virtual Author Day.

I have been a published children’s author for 29 years. I know the ins and outs of writing, publishing, and marketing kids books. Direct contact with parents, teachers, and students has been by far the most successful. But direct contact is difficult and expensive to make, outside of one’s nearby towns.

All of the videos and PDFs are delivered monthly with additional bonuses, by Virtual Author Day, to the teacher or parent. Kids will feel like they know the author personally when they have seen them, read the book, heard their story, and been able to live-interview them. This is designed to bring new excitement, new perspective, and the kids will look forward to “author day” in their home or classroom. Sounds like fun, huh!

This is all going to be available soon through www.VirtualAuthorDay.com. We are in stage 2, of 3 stages.

Stage 1 is completed- The platform is all designed and ready to go.

Stage 2 is in progress- We are in the process of enlisting authors to become Virtual Author Day Authors. So if you know any children’s authors, send them our way! This will be the least expensive and most far-reaching advertising that they can do.

Stage 3 will be the final stage when we enlist teachers and parents to join (for an extremely small fee) to receive the monthly author listing where they can get to know and interact with the author personally.

So before Virtual Author Day can be fully functioning, we need to enlist 11 or more authors. Then we are ready to go! This should be easy to do when authors see the value they will get.

So here is what I would like to do for you. I am going to give you the first month’s sample listing. After you sign up, feel free to use it with your kids and see the huge advantage of having this monthly in the future. You can sign up for the free listing at

https://www.virtualauthorday.com/offers/2pTtn6d2

This takes you behind the curtain to the actual platform, where you can see the design of Virtual Author Day. You will see what it will look like when you have your listing. When you are inside, click on this page, go to the middle link, which is the grade 1-3 link and you will see the link to the sample.

If you like it, do you think it would be possible to do something for me?

I would also really love it- if you do like it- could you give a testimonial that we could use in future advertising? You could write in the comments of the videos or email me. That would be REALLY helpful!

Could you pass this on to a children’s author that you might know. (Or even one that you don’t know!) That is what will get the ball rolling. Once it starts to grow, I think it will have very far reaching impact!

Of course I will let you know when this will be fully available for teachers and parents on a monthly basis. Thanks for being a faithful subscriber to www.LaurieDonahue.com. I have enjoyed our relationship and I look forward to it continuing. When you sign up for the sample, it will include an interview with me. That will be fun. Please plan to introduce yourself if we haven’t met yet.

So l’ll be talking with you soon!

Laurie
L aurie@virtualauthorday.com
Laurie@lifesongpublishers.com

Your free sample of Virtual Author Day here

Please contact me with any questions! I will be happy to answer any and all!
Laurie Donahue is an author and speaker who lives in Southern California. She has written or co-written 6 books for children and teens, including the bestseller, “God Should I Be Baptized?” She holds a California Community College Teaching Credential. Laurie’s website is www.lauriedonahue.com.

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Monthly Archives: November 2016

The Morning After

the 2016 election

by Laurie Donahue