Author Archives: Donna W. Hill

About Donna W. Hill

Donna W. Hill is a writer, speaker, animal lover and avid knitter from Pennsylvania's Endless Mountains. Her first novel, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, is an adventure-mystery with excursions into fantasy for general audiences. Professionals in the fields of education and the arts have endorsed it as a diversity, inclusion and anti-bullying resource for junior high through college. A songwriter with three albums, Hill provided educational and motivational programs in the Greater Philadelphia area for fifteen years before moving to the mountains. Her essay, "Satori Green" appears in Richard Singer's Now, Embracing the Present Moment (2010, O-Books), and her cancer-survivor story is in Dawn Colclasure’s On the Wings of Pink Angels (2012). From 2009 through 2013, Hill was an online journalist for numerous publications, covering topics ranging from nature, health care and accessibility to music, knitting and chocolate. She is an experienced talk show guest and guest blogger and presents workshops about writing and her novel for school, university, community and business groups. The Heart of Applebutter Hill is available in print and e-versions at Amazon, B&N, Apple, Sony, Smashwords, Create Space and other outlets. It is also available through Bookshare for readers with print disabilities.

Author Admits to a Mistake: Voting is Still Open! Diversity Novel #5 in Book Cover Comp!

Posted on October 29, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

OK, here’s the scoop. Voting for my novel in the book cover comp did not end Monday afternoon after all. It ends Thurs. Oct. 31, at 2:30pm Eastern. My mistake, I assumed it was like previous rounds. So, if you … Continue reading →

Posted in AllAuthor, authors, Blindness, Book Cover, novel, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, Uncategorized, Visually Impaired, young adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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

Posted on October 24, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

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

Outside Myself by Kristen Witucki: A Stunning Portrayal of Blindness Reviewed by Donna W. Hill

Posted on October 20, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

When you hear that someone is “having trouble adjusting to blindness,” you may be tempted to think that they need to accept the “fact” that they simply cannot do a laundry list of essential human activities. Can you set that … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, Accessibility, ADA, authors, Blindness, Book Reviews, bullying, Education, Kristen Wytucki, novel, Outside Myself, Uncategorized, Visually Impaired, young adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Blind Author’s Inspiring Message Transforms Book Cover Competition

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

October is one of my favorite months. It’s a great time to take a vacation, but this year, I’m doing no such thing. In fact, I’m working harder than I ever have. Earlier this month, my educator-recommended novel, The Heart … Continue reading →

Posted in AllAuthor, authors, Blindness, Book Cover, breast cancer, Cats & Dogs, Education, fantasy, novel, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, Uncategorized, Visually Impaired, young adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Inspiring Trail-Blazer Passes the Torch: Remembering Marca Bristo

Posted on October 6, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

The following tribute to the late disability rights pioneer, Marca Bristo, was written by Fun For The Disabled’s Vanessa Harris and Access Living’s Bridget Hayman. It is being re-printed with permission. Anyone with a disability, whether from vision loss, birth … Continue reading →

Posted in Accessibility, ADA, Disability, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Horrific Massacre Inspires Authors: International Writing Project Supports Terrorist Victims

Posted on September 29, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

On September 18th, representatives of Google, Facebook and Twitter met with members of Congress to discuss ways to curb extremist behavior on social media. They referred to the Christchurch, New Zealand Mosque attacks this past March. Remember? That was another … Continue reading →

Posted in authors, Blind Beauty and Other Tales of Redemption, Christchurch Mosque Attacks, Claire Plaisted, Haven, Meredith Burton, New Zealand, Patty Fletcher, Plaisted Publishing, PR, Rebecca's Refuge, Tell-it-to-the-World Marketing, Terrorism, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, Uncategorized, Wrighting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Indie Authors, Contests & Consternations: Win or Lose – You Can’t Do Either Without Entering

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

Winning a writing contest, no matter how small, seems to be a necessity for the modern author. Even if you aren’t qualified for the Pulitzer, there are more and more contests for indie authors. I’ve never won a contest, whether … Continue reading →

Posted in adventure-mystery, authors, Book Reviews, fantasy, Indie Authors, marketing, novel, Self-Publishing, The Heart of Applebutter Hill, Uncategorized, Wrighting, Writing Contests, young adult | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Bridging the Great Divide: Counting on a Fictional Blind Girl

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

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

Love of My Life: a song for all of us

Posted on August 3, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

I wrote this song in March of 1991, between episodes of breast cancer. Rich and I were long since together, and we had married that previous December. To me, this is about determination, and it’s a song I wished I … Continue reading →

Posted in Donna Weiss, Song Lyrics, songwriting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Sunday Interview – Human in every Sense of the Word -Ignoring VS. Acknowledging and Obeying My 6th Sense by Patty Fletcher

Posted on July 28, 2019 by Donna W. Hill

Today is the 2nd anniversary of Patty Fletcher’s marketing company, Tell it to the World, and I’m happy to have been a part of it since this spring. This is a great article about the 6th sense.

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments