This text for advanced grammar courses is a comprehensive description of sentence structure that encourages students to recognise and use their innate language expertise as they study the systematic nature of sentence grammar.

    While no one knows exactly how or why, birthdays do tend to be uncannily accurate predictors of psychological tendencies. The Secret Language of Birthdays by Gary Goldschneider and Joost Effers describes in detail the characteristics and quirks of personality associated with being born on a particular day of the year.The 366 personality profiles in The Secret Language of Birthdays are based on a combination of astrology, numerology, the tarot, and Gary Goldschneider's many years of observation of more than 14,000 people, including contemporary and historical figures. Goldschneider's theory of "personology" proposes that all of life is cyclical: people born on the same day occupy the same point in the year's cycle and thus share certain characteristics.Learn what famous personalities were born on your birthday....Study your astrological sign and your personology profile....Your strengths, weaknesses, and major concerns will be illuminated while you are given practical advice and spiritual guidance. While you study your profile, you will find it hard to resist examining those of family, friends, colleagues, and favorite celebrities.Non one who reads this book can feel left out, since each one of us has a birthday. The Secret Language of Birthdays may help to bring people to a better understanding of themselves and of others, including those living now, those who have gone before, and even those yet to come. The Secret Language of Birthdays is truly a celebration of our differences and similarities as human beings.

    The anthology offers more poetry by women (40 new poets), with special attention to early women poets. The book also includes a greater diversity of American poetry, with double the number of poems by African American, Hispanic, native American and Asian American poets. There are 26 new poets representing the Commonwealth literature tradition: now included are more than 37 poets from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Caribbean, South Africa and India.

    His approach is especially helpful to people who get stuck or blocked in their writing, and is equally useful for writing fiction, poetry, and essays, as well as reports, lectures, and memos. The core of Elbow's thinking is a challenge against traditional writing methods. Instead of editing and outlining material in the initial steps of the writing process, Elbow celebrates non-stop or free uncensored writing, without editorial checkpoints first, followed much later by the editorial process. This approach turns the focus towards encouraging ways of developing confidence and inspiration through free writing, multiple drafts, diaries, and notes. Elbow guides the reader through his metaphor of writing as cooking: his term for heating up the creative process where the subconscious bubbles up to the surface and the writing gets good. 1998 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Writing Without Teachers. In this edition, Elbow reexamines his program and the subsequent influence his techniques have had on writers, students, and teachers. This invaluable guide will benefit anyone, whether in the classroom, boardroom, or living room, who has ever had trouble writing.

    Most students worry about what an admissions officer looks for in a writing sample. But that’s the wrong way to approach this vital component, says former college admissions officer Harry Bauld. At Brown and Columbia, he saw what prospective students often did wrong—and now tells you how to do it right.On Writing the College Application Essay is his inside guide to writing a college application essay that will stand out from the pack. Baum advises you on how to avoid platitudes and find your authentic voice, gives you tools and ideas that will spark your imagination, and shows you how to approach themes with originality and panache to make even the most tired topics—the ones most students should stay away from—fresh, such as:The trip (“I had to adjust to a whole new way of life.”)My favorite things (puppy dogs, freedom, and chocolate chip cookies)The pageant contestant (“I think World Peace is the most important issue facing us today.”)The jock (“Through wrestling I have learned to set goals and to work with people.”)The autobiography (“Hello, my name is . . . ”)Tales of my success (“But, finally, when I crossed the finish line . . . ”)Pet death (“As I watched Buttons’s life ebb away, I came to value . . . ”)Getting into the college of your dreams is tough. The competition is fierce. For more than twenty-five years, On Writing the College Application Essay has helped thousands of students improve their chances. Now, let it work for you.

    In The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense you'll learn the skills you need to respond to all types of verbal attack. Specific strategies fro your defense include:* Twelve rules of clear, effective interaction* Recognition of five verbal modes--the Placator, Blamer, Distractor, Computer, and Leveler* Tone of voice--make yours bolder and more assertive* Alternative scripts--better approaches to common confrontation* Body language--how it supports what you say* and in special chapters directed to both men and women, the author explains how women have long been the verbal victims of men and what both sexes can do to break this destructive patternWith numerous examples of verbal confrontations and a journal to help you keep track of your progress, The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense will give you the perception you need to deal confidently in any interaction.

    The stimulating visuals laced throughout the book uniquely capture the essence of the literary imagination and provide salve for the writer's soul. Wood delves below the surface of a writer's life and illustrates her apt points with both pictures and words. She says, "Treat yourself! Buy an expensive pen, a box of colorful paperclips, a fine, handmade notebook or a leather bookmark." In other words, allow yourself a moment to luxuriate in your gift of words. She also reminds us of the need to be disciplined and to avoid being sidetracked by those little distractions -- for example, you might hold off on checking your email in the morning until you've written at least three pages. In relation to character development in fiction, the author points out that a good plot complication will either thwart or alter the character's desire. She reminds you to instill your characters with life. And, she offers an extremely useful tool -- using differently colored markers to highlight action, reflection, and dialogue in your prose. This ingenious technique will assist you in knowing when you are telling rather than showing and will allow you to create vivid action that will involve the reader in your characters and plot. All in all, Wood has authored an innovative, inspirational pocket muse that is produced in a handy carry-along size and is so unique it doesn't even require numbered pages. It is all about inspiration, digging deep, and keeping the faith as you spin out prose that will long be remembered. (Evie Rhodes)

    These tales gain their power through plots that connect with the audience on both an emotional and intellectual level.Inside, Ronald B. Tobias details these 20 time-tested plots. Each is discussed and analyzed, illustrating how a successful plot integrates all the elements of a story. Tobias then shows you how to use these plots effectively in your own work.Tobias then goes to the next level, showing you how to choose and develop plot in fiction. He shows you how to craft plot for any subject matter, so that you develop your work evenly and effectively. As a result, your fiction will be more cohesive and convincing, making your story unforgettable for readers everywhere.

    Informed by story consultant Lisa Cron's science-based insights into how story structure is built into the architecture of the brain, this guide shows writers how to plumb the nitty-gritty details of their raw idea to organically generate a story scene by scene. Once writers reach the end of Cron's program, they will have both a blueprint that works and plenty of compelling writing suitable for their finished novel--allowing them to write forward with confidence.

    Listen and speak more effectively, engage people through empathy (the most powerful word in the English language), avoid the most common conversational disasters, and use proven strategies that allow you to successfully communicate your point of view and take the upper hand in most disputes.

    This modern section has been overhauled to reflect the diversity of American writing since 1945. A section on 19th-century women's writing is included.

    Here's the book writers have been waiting for! Covering every aspect of the creative journey, The Novel Writer's Toolkit shows readers how to: - Develop salable ideas- Set a writing schedule and stick to it- Develop compelling characters and plot- Find an agent or an editor who will help publish their work- Understand the submission and publishing process- Write dialogue that sounds real and engaging- Dissect bestsellers in order to discover what makes them work- Stay alive and inspired through it all- Turn ideas into stories- Conduct accurate research- Promote their work

    Covey presents a practical and philosophical guide to solving the problems--large and small, mundane and extraordinary―that confront all families and strong communities. By offering revealing anecdotes about ordinary people as well as helpful suggestions about changing everyday behavior, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families shows how and why to have family meetings, the importance of keeping promises, how to balance individual and family needs, and how to move from dependence to interdependence. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families is an invaluable guidebook to the welfare of families everywhere.