Donna Bowman Bratton

  For Adults...

I've written oodles of newspaper and newsletter articles about very diverse topics. One thing is certain- everyone and every thing has a story.

 Here's a list of some favorite regional "soft news" assignments I covered:

*Christmas tree farming

* Community events

* Personal profiles

* vintage home architecture and histories.

*Steam trains and the plight of the Texas State Railroad

*Travel articles:

*History of a famous ice cream factory

*Miniature horses

*Book reviews

*Theater reviews

*Concert reviews

*Author interviews

*Butterfly farming

*Profile of the world's 2nd tallest horse

*County history.

*Profiles of charitable causes

Theatrical Scripts

A Tea for All Ages (theatrical skit written April 2004 for nonprofit organization)

Following are my theatrical productions produced locally:

Pebble by Pebble (performed November 2002)

What Child is This? (performed December 2001)

I Heard the Bells (performed December 2000)

The Gift (performed December 1999)

Awards and Contests

2006 Media Award for journalistic Excellence-                  Newspaper article

2004 - 2nd place- "The Word" - Double-digit fiction catergory - children's short story - San Gabriel Writers' League-

2006 - 1st place - "Then it Went Pop!" children's fiction catergory -San Gabriel Writers' League

Honorable Mention - "Slippery, Slimy Christmas" children's category- Byline Magazine.

2000 - 2nd Place- "Falling in Love was Murder" Austin American Statesman C'est L'amour essay contest

Topics of Interest to the Educational Book Publishers

I welcome assignments on any topic. Following are specific interests

*History

*Animals

*Inventions

*Biographies

*Obscure / Failed Inventions

*Horses

*Economics

*Science

*Natural Environments

*Land Forms

*National Monuments

*National Parks

*Parenting

*Careers

For Children...  

This is where it gets really fun for me. That crazy curiosity of my childhood has never gone away. It simply grew up. 

Published Works for Children

"Leader of the Band" appeared in the anthology, Mistletoe Madness (Blooming Tree Press 2004)

While "paying the fiddler" after breaking a window, baseball-loving Eric learns the spirit of giving and redemption just in time for Christmas. His reward is wrapped in the surprising friendship of a kind old man.

"To Save the Argentine Criollo"    Nonfiction article recounts the historic 10,000 mile horseback journey from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Washington, D.C. in 1925 to save a legendary horse breed from extinction.  (Serialized in CRICKET Magazine Sept/Oct/Nov 2007) 

"A Colossal Gift: The Statue of Liberty" Nonfiction article about the dramatic history of our country's most recognizable monument. (July/August 2008- Kid Zone Magazine)

Benjamin Franklin's favorite invention wasn't the lightning rod, or bifocals, or the Franklin stove. It was a musical instrument made of glass.

Click here to read an excerpt (link currently broken. Stay tuned.)  From Odyssey Issue: Glassworks, copyright 2008 Carus Publishing Company, published by Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, N.H. 03458. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of the publisher.

"Birthdays Around the World" nonfiction article introducing young readers to cultural birthday traditions. (pending)

Works in Progress

My file of as-yet-unpublished manuscripts include funny picture books, middle grade nonfiction, magazine articles, short stories, and middle grade novels.

 Currently being marketed: (as of April 2011)

Two completed picture book biographies

Currently in revision:

One picture book biography

One fiction picture book

What's new in the queue?

Historical novel

two magazine articles