Topsy Turvy Christmas

Click HERE to read "Topsy Turvy Christmas."
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Topsy Turvy Land - 25% off until December 31

ON SALE: 25% OFF Topsy Turvy Land until December 31

Click HERE to order.

A Coloring Page/Hidden Picture Puzzle for Father's Day

Visit Topsy Turvy Land to print out a hidden picture puzzle to solve and then color from Liz Ball, Hidden Pictures Publishing.

Click HERE!

Shopping for Christmas?

Check your Christmas list. Do you have children to buy for? May I suggest a copy of Topsy Turvy Land? Here are a few of the stores with Topsy Turvy Land in stock. You can also order the book from almost any bookstore (presently through Baker & Taylor, Inc. and/or Partners Book Distributing, Inc.), or order directly from the publisher! Click here!

Online Stores:

Hidden Pictures Publishing
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Abebooks
Amazon FR
Amazon UK
Amazon Marketplace
Biblio
Buy.com
Half.com

Brick and Mortar Stores:

Family Christian Stores #95
Towne Mall Blvd
Franklin, OH 45005-5530
Phone: (513) 424-1593

Family Christian Stores #50
Prestige Plaza
1 Prestige Plaza
Miamisburg, OH 45342-3767
Phone: (937) 435-0583

Books & Co.
350 East Stroop Road
Dayton, OH 45429
(937) 298-6540

Family Christian Stores #460
9938 Waterstone Blvd
Cincinnati, OH 45249-8295
Phone: (513) 583-5100

Family Christian Stores #468
Hyde Park Plaza
3802 Paxton Ave #12Cincinnati, OH 45209-2399
Phone: (513) 321-0300

Ashton's Ben Franklin
Carrollton, OH

Little Professor
Troy, OH

Angel Heaven Gifts & Gallery
11 South Main Street
West Milton, OH 45383
(937) 698-9464

Order can be placed at any Waldenbooks. My other books, Chizzy's Topsy Tale and No More Gunk & OUCH! Sunburn can also be ordered at any bookstore or through the publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing.

Dotty's Topsy Tale - Coming soon!

Dotty's Topsy Tale, written by Donna J. Shepherd, illustrated by Kevin Scott Collier, the long awaited print sequel to Topsy Turvy Land, introduces a purple baby hippo named Violet into the inspirational series to explore the topic of discrimination. Kevin created 14 fun, colorful illustrations for the book.
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Snowman Hidden Picture Puzzle for Christmas!

A special treat! A hidden picture puzzle by Liz Ball. To order books with her hidden picture puzzles and Topsy Turvy Land, click HERE. Enjoy!

*Click on the picture, then print! It will print out full size ready to be colored. If that doesn't work with your printer, right click on the picture, and then 'save picture as...' and then you can print it out using your photo program.

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Topsy Turvy Time!

Something new! Devos for Kids! Click HERE for

Topsy Turvy Time!

Starting May 1st, Topsy Turvy Time will be on CWAHM.com, too!

Topsy Turvy Tour

Here's a peek at an illustration in Topsy Turvy Tour, a mini-topsy turvy tale written by me, Donna, and illustrated by who else but Kevin Scott Collier! We are pleased to announce the story is featured in a new Children's E-Zine called Stories for Children. You can download it either as a .pdf file OR in a program that opens it up like a magazine right on your computer!

Bringing Words to Life

*For something different, I'm including a few posts on writing. I have a lot of readers who write, too!

Several of my friends are novelists. Anyone who can write a novel has my respect. I’m in awe of writers who write thousands of words in a day. When I write devotionals, I may write a thousand words. Then I start cutting, honing in on the central message, slashing the excess. For one project, I had to keep each devotional to five hundred words or less.

When I write for children, I have even fewer words with which to play around. Most of the children’s magazines want poems of up to twelve lines. In today’s market, picture books run less than a thousand words. The trick is to write a book where part of the story itself is dependent upon the illustrations in a picture book. As it’s written, the author actually ‘sees’ the pictures as if they already existed. Of course, sometimes, the illustrator comes up with new possibilities the author never dreamed.

Like most people, I’m fascinated by the story of God’s creation. By His Word, something came of nothing.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” – Hebrews 11:3

Mind-boggling, isn’t it?

In my children’s book, a few lines say,

“He (God) made the giraffe with his very long neck,

And the toucan with gigantic beak.

God must have had fun

Creating each one,

And all in just under a week!”

I like to think of God’s pleasure as He created. Can you imagine Him smiling when he put that humongous beak on the toucan? And then, with a flourish, added all the beautiful colors?

As writers, we are blessed to be able to create. And as a children’s writer, sometimes I’m really blessed, and the words I write are illustrated with pictures. It’s so much fun to see my words come to life. I thank God every day for the joy of writing, and for allowing me the pleasure of seeing my words in print, and sometimes illustrated.

Recently, Kevin Scott Collier and I worked on a short story for a new children’s e-zine. Here's a sneak peek at the cover of Topsy Turvy Tour, a mini-topsy turvy tale.

When Kevin sent the final draft of our creation, I felt giddy. Like a child again. The way I felt as a first grader when I brought home a masterpiece created with finger paint, and mom displayed it on the refrigerator.

Have you lost the joy of writing? I have a friend who’s a fantastic writer, but does she write? No. She’s lost the joy.

Now I’m not discounting the hard work. Anyone worth his salt will put a lot of time and energy into every creation. Not long ago, I finally finished a picture book I’d been working on, and it took more time than I dreamed possible when I began. It’s only 320 words long.

As a Christian, I feel a call to write. Even when it’s what some would think is a silly children’s story, I still consider it worship to God when I use the talent He’s given me to create. What keeps you writing? Does a finished product give you the impetus to start something new? Does an acceptance make you roll up your sleeves and get back to work? Are you called to write? We’re created in God’s image. Let’s create.

Amos 4:13 niv, “He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth— the LORD God Almighty is his name.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the talent you've given. Help me to glorify You in all I do, in life and with my artistic endeavors. I stand in awe of Your creation. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

* Read this post on The Master's Artists blog. I have shared another picture from Topsy Turvy Tour. Click HERE to check it out.

Donna J. Shepherd © 2007 All rights reserved. No portion of this Website may be reproduced by Crossmap or any other website without dated written permission from Donna. - Thanks!

Good Press for Topsy Turvy Land

Someone (Thank you, writermom!) sent me an email letting me know that Topsy Turvy Land is mentioned in World Magazine. It's an issue highlighting children's books. I'm very flattered to be included!

Here's a link (the cover is in left sidebar):
http://www.worldmag.com/articles/12466

Since I don't have a subscription, all I've seen is what's on the website, but even that's exciting! I'm on the same page as Dr. Seuss and Charlotte's Web. Boy, am I intimidated!

Chizzy's Topsy Tale by Donna J. Shepherd - a FREE ebook!

Chizzy's Topsy Tale Book

For a peek into the world of Chizzy, click above on the cover of the book, and then click "Slideshow." If you need more time to read each page, you can set the number of seconds to more than 4. Hope you enjoy it!

If you'd rather have a file for your computer or to print out, click HERE for a .pdf of Chizzy's Topsy Tale.

This ebook follows the adventures of Chizzy, the monkey on the front of the print book, Topsy Turvy Land. For more information about Topsy, click HERE.

Pumpkin Prank

I posted a coloring page by Kevin called "Pumpkin Prank" on my blog for children (and some adults! :)

Click here: Topsy Turvy Land

Hope the kids are still enjoying coloring the pictures!

Coming Soon! "Dotty's Topsy Tale"

A brand new tale in the Topsy Turvy Land series will be released soon - Dotty's Topsy Tale, written by myself and illustrated by the multi-talented Kevin Scott Collier. Watch for details, and here's a sneak peek at the cover!

Author Chat

Twice each season on his website, Kevin Scott Collier, the illustrator of Topsy Turvy Land, features an interview with a writer or author with whom he has worked. For the end of winter 2006, he chatted with me! We discuss our joint creation of Turvy Turvy Land, Chizzy's Topsy Tale, and The Lonely Lightning Bug, and a few other topics. To read, click here!

Chizzy's Topsy Tale by Donna J. Shepherd

Click HERE for an announcement on the Topsy Turvy Land site!