Category Archives: Guide dogs

Blind Author’s Young Adult Novel #5 in Book Cover Comp: Please Vote Before Thurs. 10/31, 2:30pm Eastern!

At this writing, TheHeart of Applebutter Hill is in 5th place in the book cover comp. Don’t have time to read this? Go vote! https://allauthor.com/cover-of-the-month/5725/ Introduction This post was originally published by Stephanae McCoy on “Bold Blind Beauty.” These are … Continue reading

Posted in acceptance, Accessibility, advocacy, AllAuthor, authors, Blindness, Book Cover, breast cancer, bullying, Disability, Education, fantasy, Guide dogs, Indie Authors, Knitting, novel, publishing, Self-Publishing, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, Uncategorized, Visually Impaired, Wrighting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bridging the Great Divide: Counting on a Fictional Blind Girl

At the center of my novel, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, is a plot to steal the powerful and dangerous Heartstone of Arden-Goth. the legend of the Heartstone (a blue, heart-shaped sapphire) was inspired by a passage from C.S. Lewis’s … Continue reading

Posted in adventure-mystery, authors, Blindness, bullying, Education, fantasy, Guide dogs, Self-Publishing, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, TheHeart of Applebutter Hil, Uncategorized, Visually Impaired, young adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Powerful New Song of God’s Love & Awesome Lifetime Opportunity

Do you remember your first Florida vacation? Mine was a bit of a saga for an old homebody. The result, however, was a wonderful trip with the love of my life and a new song, which led to an opportunity … Continue reading

Posted in authors, Bible, Christian, Dogs, Donna Weiss, Faith, Guide dogs, Harvest, memoir, Pennsylvania, Song Lyrics, songwriting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

#ShareAReviewDay Tuesday – The Heart of Applebutter Hill by Donna W. Hill

  Many thanks to Marcia Meara at the Write Stuff for posting this review of my young adult novel, The Heart of Applebutter Hill.

Posted in adventure-mystery, Education, fantasy, Guide dogs, novel, Service Dogs, Song Lyrics, songwriting, Supernatural Romance, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, TheHeart of Applebutter Hil, Uncategorized, Visually Impaired, Wrighting, young adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Song & the Songwriter: The 4th Watch of the Night by Donna Weiss

Throughout my life, I occasionally experience a pricking of my ears and an involuntary clunk in my spirit. It’s a language alert, bringing me up short with wonder. I understand that I have just encountered a signpost to some as … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Christian, Donna Weiss, Faith, Guide dogs, Harvest, memoir, Pennsylvania, Song Lyrics, songwriting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Head-Slappers from the Endless Mountains & the Homer Simpson Doll Caught in the Act

On Saturday, while listening to NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me,” I heard the true story of a gentleman who tried to kill a cockroach by throwing a gun at it. Sometimes, things happen in my own life that render … Continue reading

Posted in Blindness, Dogs, Guide dogs, Head-Slappers, Homer Simpson Doll, humor, Knitting, Pennsylvania, Rural Life, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Blindness & Faith Healing: an Old Street Performer’s Musings

As a blind woman who worked as a street performer for eleven years, I have experienced many wonderful moments with the public. I’ve also experienced some awkward, painful and infuriating ones. The ministrations of faith healers were particularly aggravating. Before … Continue reading

Posted in authors, Blindness, Braille, bullying, Cats & Dogs, faith healing, Guide dogs, memoir, nature, novel, Pennsylvania, Rural Life, songwriting, Uncategorized, Visually Impaired, young adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Getting Ducks to the Duck House: Implications for an Indie Author

Years ago, my husband Rich, my guide dog Hunter and I went on a bit of a lark. Friends of ours from the Folk Lore Society of Northeast Pennsylvania, who go by the name of the Young Geezers, were performing … Continue reading

Posted in authors, Guide dogs, nature, Pennsylvania, PR, Self-Publishing, songwriting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The New Dog Under the Table, Explanations of My Absence and a Request 

It’s been almost three years since my last original post. You would think I’d forgotten that I am a writer. In fact, The Hills have had major distractions in the intervening years — many of which have been unpleasant to … Continue reading

Posted in authors, Blindness, Cats & Dogs, Guide dogs, novel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Retiring Guide Dogs: No One-Size-Fits-All Solution

Weeks before Hunter’s 13th birthday on March 7, 2016, he and Donna walk along their favorite Trail; shows Greening Moss: photo by Rich Hill. Despite the many wonderful things guide dogs can do for their blind handlers, they share a … Continue reading

Posted in Blindness, Dogs, Guide dogs, Uncategorized, Visually Impaired | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments