Book Review: The Dragon and the Turtle by Donita K. Paul & Evangeline Denmark

Today I have a guest to review the book, The Dragon and the Turtle, by bestselling author Donita K. Paul and up-and-coming author Evangeline Denmark. I read the book to my daughter Christa and she's going to review the book!

So, Christa, did you like The Dragon and the Turtle?
I liked the book a lot.

What did you like about the book?
I liked both the story of Padraig and Roger and the artwork too.

Did you have a favorite part in the story?
There's so many good parts to choose from. I liked the personality of Roger and Padraig--they are fun. And I like the cookie recipe in the back of the book for Chocolate Chip Snappers. We're gonna make those, right?

Did you like having the book read aloud to you?
Yes, because I like listening to you read to me.

Would you read this book again?
Yes, I would! And I'd read it to someone else too--especially someone younger than me.

Note from Christa's mom (me!): Originally, after I invited Christa to review the book for me--and explained what that meant--I handed her the book to read. And then I thought, This is a read-aloud book! So, Christa and I snuggled on the couch while I read the adventures of a little lost turtle and a very helpful red dragon. It was fun to share the story with my daughter and to hear her giggles. And, yes, we are going to make the Chocolate Chip Snappers!

The writing life is a solitary life--Not!

My lifelong friend, Roxanne, and my new friend, Lisa J., at author Susan May Warren's pizza party at the American Christian Fiction Writer's (ACFW)Conference last weekend.


The friendly faces in all these photos are just some of the reasons I disagree with the statement: The writing life is a solitary life.

Oh, sure. I spend lots of time at my computer, alone. As a matter of fact, I'm typing this post at 12:09 AM and I'm the only one up in my house. Yeah, kind of lonely. But it's a productive kind of lonely.





Susie having fun--and her having so much fun with about 75 of her closest friends made me have a lot of fun too! I'm already planning on next year!


Sometimes writing can be so...so serious. It's a business. A calling. A ministry. The weight of the writing world is on your shoulders. Sometimes we just need to get out from underneath the deadlines and have f-u-n!





Gotta' get me a hat!





Me and my friend-who-will-one-day-be-a-bestselling-author, Evangeline, aka "E" or "Da Corruptor." (Don't ask.)


Evangeline likes to give people names. I am "The Evil Editor," which she assures me is a compliment. Yesterday at critique group, that name morphed to Picky Evil Editor, which we realized equaled "PEE." I asked her to go back to "TEE."





Me and Rocky--we had't seen each other in three years. She's the first person I told when I wandered over to the "Dark Side"--meaning, I started writing fiction. I know I would never have lingered this long if it hadn't been for her encouraging me to stay a while.






Me and Paula M. We became friends at a writers conference years ago. Paula and I were "blind date roommates," meaning we were randomly assigned to room together. And Paula brought china tea cups. And a tea pot. And beautiful encouraging Scriptures to place around the room. And I just knew I wanted to be her friend, forever.

The photos and this post will never capture all the fun I had, all the laughter that was shared, in the less than 24 hour period I was at ACFW. But let me leave you with this thought: Along the Writing Road, don't forget to make friends. Lots and lots of friends. It will make the journey all the richer.