Blog Posts for Dave Donelson

Heart of Diamonds Gets Four-Star Review

Dave Donelson — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:47:04 -0800

Heart of Diamonds got a four-star review at J. Kaye's Book Blog. Among other things, J.Kaye said, "...one of the most positive aspects of the book was Donelson’s realistic portrayal of the main characters and the warlike conditions in Africa."For links to more reviews, visit www.heartofdiamonds.com. Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds ...

World AIDS Day in Congo

Dave Donelson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:59:44 -0800

The spread of HIV/AIDS is among the many deplorable effects of the continuous violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While the country as a whole has an estimated adult HIV prevalence of 3.2%, UNAIDS reports that prevalence of the infection among women who have suffered sexual violence in areas of armed conflict may be as high as 20%. The eastern provinces have seen an astounding number ...

Interviews and Reviews from the Heart of Diamonds Tour

Dave Donelson — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:13:15 -0800

Interviews and reviews highlighted this week's Heart of Diamonds virtual book tour. The Printed Page Review Your Book The Plot - An Interview with Valerie Grey The Plot - An Excerpt from Heart of Diamonds The Book Connection Fiction Scribe Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo

Heart of Diamonds Online Tour Continues

Dave Donelson — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:10:17 -0800

My virtual book tour is proceeding apace, with more stops logged this week: Book Publishing Secrets If Books Could Talk The Writer's Life Divine Caroline You'll find posts such as an account of how Heart of Diamonds made it from my scribblings to the bookstore shelves, an examination of my work habits (good and bad), and the inside details on the creative process that produced Heart of ...

An Open Letter To NY Governor Paterson

Dave Donelson — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:25:22 -0800

Dear Governor Paterson, The fiscal abuse of libraries in the state of New York has gone on long enough. I urge you to rescind your proposed 20% cut in library aid for the good of your constituents and the health of our state's economy. Please remember that New York's libraries don't just have shelves full of books, but provide help with job searches, coach people through career changes, assist ...

One Refugee's Story

Dave Donelson — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:40:34 -0800

The refugee count keeps climbing in the Democratic Republic of Congo as fighting between the Congolese army and rebel warlord Laurent Nkunda drives more and more people from their homes. Recent tallies by the United Nations add more than 250,000 people to the rolls of displaced persons, bringing the total to over a million. Numbers are only part of the story, of course. It's highly ...

The Story Behind Heart of Diamonds

Dave Donelson — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:47:39 -0800

I started a virtual book tour today to talk about Heart of Diamonds and the situation in the Congo. Three of the early stops tell the story behind the story and how I came to write a romantic thriller about blood diamonds. You can read more at Beyond The Books, The 1st Page, and The Story Behind The Book. Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in ...

Helping Women In The Congo

Dave Donelson — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:02:11 -0700

Today was a great day at Roosevelt Island in New York, where hundreds of people gathered to run, walk, and otherwise offer support for women in the Congo who have been victimized by the endless war that forms the setting for Heart of Diamonds. It was the NY Run for Congo Women, a fundraiser for Women For Women International.This four-star charity helps women provide for their families by ...

Why Write About Congo?

Dave Donelson — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 07:22:49 -0700

Why did I choose the Congo as the setting for Heart of Diamonds? That's one of the most frequent questions I get from readers. The answer is really pretty simple: there are few places on earth where such action and adventure are daily events. War is a horrible thing—and the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the worst ...