What's the secret behind the successful and prolific careers of critically acclaimed novelists and short story writers Amy Bloom, Steve Almond, Jayne Anne Phillips, Alison Lurie, and others? Divine assistance? Otherworldly talent? An unsettlingly close relationship with the Muse? While the rest of us are staring at blank sheets of paper, struggling to come up with a first sentence, these writers are busy polishing off story after story and novel after novel. Despite producing work that may seem effortless, all of them have a simple technique for fending off writer's block: the writing exercise. In Now Write!, Sherry Ellis collects the personal writing exercises of today's best writers and lays bare the secret to their success. - In "The Photograph," Jill McCorkle divulges one of her tactics for handling material that takes plots in a million different directions; - National Book Award-nominee Amy Bloom offers "Water Buddies," an exercise for writers practicing their craft in workshops; - Steve Almond, author of My Life in Heavy Metal and Candyfreak, provides a way to avoiding purple prose in "The Five-Second Shortcut to Writing in the Lyric Register"; - and eighty-three more of the country's top writers disclose their strategies for creating memorable prose. Complemented by brief commentary from the authors themselves, the exercises in Now Write! are practical and hands-on. By encouraging writers to shamelessly steal proven techniques that have yielded books which have won National Book Awards, Pulitzers, and Guggenheim grants, Now Write! inspires the aspiring writer to write now.

    Trouble is, plot is where most writers fall down--but you don't have to be one of them. With this book, you'll learn how to create stories that build suspense, reveal character, and engage readers--one scene at a time.Celebrated writing teacher and author Martha Alderson has devised a plotting system that's as innovative as it is easy to implement. With her foolproof blueprint, you'll learn to devise a successful storyline for any genre. She shows how to:Use the power of the Universal StoryCreate plot lines and subplots that work togetherEffectively use a scene tracker for maximum impactInsert energetic markers at the right points in your storyShow character transformation at the book's climaxThis is the ultimate guide for you to write page-turners that sell!

    Brande believed passionately that although people have varying amounts of talent, anyone can write. It's just a question of finding the "writer's magic"--a degree of which is in us all. She also insists that writing can be both taught and learned. So she is enraged by the pessimistic authors of so many writing books who rejoice in trying to put off the aspiring writer by constantly stressing how difficult it all is.With close reference to the great writers of her day--Wolfe, Forster, Wharton and so on--Brande gives practical but inspirational advice about finding the right time of day to write and being very self disciplined about it--"You have decided to write at four o'clock, and at four o'clock you must write." She's strong on confidence building and there's a lot about cheating your unconscious which will constantly try to stop you writing by coming up with excuses. Then there are exercises to help you get into the right frame of mind and to build up writing stamina. She also shows how to harness the unconscious, how to fall into the "artistic coma," then how to re-emerge and be your own critic.This is Dorothea Brande's legacy to all those who have ever wanted to express their ideas in written form. A sound, practical, inspirational and charming approach to writing, it fulfills on finding "the writer's magic."

    These were for the most part dogs discarded and left to fate - tied to the railings of Kensington Gardens, found with a broken leg in the wilds of Turkey, adopted from an animal rescue home, passed on by the vet - but there was also a whippet of noble pedigree and three generations of a family of crossbreeds in which the whippet strain was strong. They were not pets, but indulged friends and companions, with all of whom he shared his bed, and who richly rewarded him with loyalty and affection. This is not a sentimental or determinedly anthropomorphic book - the dogs remain steadfastly dogs. It is observant and records the canine society of dog and dog as much as the relationship of man and dog. It is, at the same time, a deeply touching account of the lives and very different characters of seventeen dogs over eighty years or so, ranging from Jack Russell to Alsatian through half-boxer, half-pointer and half-Karabas, to purest indecipherable mongrel.

    

     Ark is the Commander of the Bombardiers, the transformed soldiers working as the United Guild's army in space. Two hundred years earlier, aliens used mankind's own DNA to destroy Earth. Now, the Bombardiers hunt for the enemy aliens, destroying them wherever they are. Book One: Tyranny Ark is preparing to take over the Bombardier army. Traveling with his mentor, Tank, he discovers the Guild is committing genocide against any planet with even a hint of enemy DNA. Learning he is part of a tyrannical empire, he must decide whether to start a war against Earth. Book Two: Treason Armed with advanced weapons and ships, Ark finds out Dunk hasn't been idle. Hopelessly outnumbered, Bombardiers take on the Navigator fleet with devastating consequences. An epic space war begins. Book Three: Empire Both sides have made a mistake by forgetting their true enemy. Earth is once again under attack, but Ark is in another galaxy looking for a solution. The true face of the enemy aliens is revealed, proving they have all been taken for fools. Bombardier is an epic fight for control of the universe, filled with alien species, cool technology and politics. Also by SD Tanner Books in Bombardier Bombardier Trilogy Books in Navigator Enemy Lines Blind Sighted Killer Edge Broken Arrow Navigator Boxset (Books 1-4) The Hunter Wars series Books in Hunter Wars Eve of the Hunter Wars Heaven Meets Hell Army of Angels Gift from God Right to Rule Call to War Books in Eden Lost Trilogy Hidden Evil Dead Alive Divine Death Standalone Books Time to Die Twisted Daze Website: http://www.sdtanner.com Twitter: @SDTanner1

    

    

    

    A small town where football players are the top of the social hierarchy and heroes are held in high esteem long after their final game is played.For the past three years, Clay Hendricks has realized that dream unlike few others. As the starting quarterback for the Hornets, he has dated the head cheerleader, been greeted by name everywhere he went and served as the visible leader of the community as a whole.Now, faced with his final game, Clay is forced to actually make peace with the impending conclusion of it all. In doing so, he slowly starts to realize that what he was doing all those years was far greater than just playing quarterback and that the impact football has had on himself, his family, and his community is far greater than being just a game.

    Work has not been altered. Ashley "Ash" Thomas is a young boss, who's known for his ruthless ways and no-nonsense attitude. After running his family's business alongside his brothers for years, Ash no longer wants any part of that life. Nearly losing his life as a result of one of his brother's reckless actions was an eye opener for him and the main reason he is more than ready to step away from the game. Now, all Ash wants to do is run his tattoo business with his best friend, Marcel, and continue to stack his paper. Unfortunately, a lot of people aren't feeling the "new" Ash. His girlfriend Misty being the main one. Misty didn't bother to hide her distaste for Ash's newfound career. She didn't like the possibility of the lifestyle she'd grown accustomed to, changing. She was used to having money at her disposal and Ash wrapped around her finger, but she was slowly noticing that things had changed. Their relationship wasn't the same and she could feel them drifting apart. As much as she tried to stay in Ash' s good graces and keep his attention focused on her, it was no use. There seemed to be a new chick on the scene that had managed to catch Ash's eye without even trying. After finally putting an end to a dead relationship, Jordyn's main focus is on finishing school. Being hit with setback after setback, she's only trying to keep her head above water and survive. She had no time for distractions and money was her only motive. The last thing she needed was to fall for her handsome, quick-tempered boss. As much as Jordyn tries to convince herself that he isn't what she needs, she finds herself drawn to him and the attraction between the two is undeniable. Will she be able to stick to her guns and keep things between them strictly business or fall victim to this savage's charm?

    

    Meeting him when she was young and looking for a come up, Courtney would have never imagined the turmoil that being money hungry would leave her. Determined to let him go and start fresh, Courtney packs up and goes to Raleigh where she vows to find herself and never again depend on a man. Meeting the sexy Montego Carter almost immediately, Courtney continues to tell herself that she has no time for love and relationships, but Montego has other plans. 
 Adijah is a teenaged mother with a pro athlete for a baby daddy. No one understands why she won’t take him to court and try to come up off his newfound riches, but that’s the last thing on her mind. Adijah wants to get it out the mud, and when she meets the sexy Dom, she begins to do small favors for him in an effort to earn money. Adijah soon becomes smitten with the sexy thug who is the complete opposite of everything she’s used to, and soon, she’s addicted to a man that she knows is no good for her.

    

    Certified and ruthless, Young Hollywood is worth a half a million before the age of sixteen, and is well on his way until tragedy strikes. Young Hollywood s home is invaded, and his son is held for ransom. Violated, blood thirsty and reckless, he vows for revenge as he combs the city for answers. Once inside the Georgia Penal System, Young Hollywood continues on his ruthless traits until he is placed on high max with hardened criminals. There, Young Hollywood meets up with a man he never knew before. After they untie, the real A-Town Veteran is released from prison after serving twenty straight years, but not before sucking up every piece of game and knowledge he could. This entertaining triumph goes from the streets, to the prison system and to the corporate world of record labels and rap entertainment. This highly anticipated, descriptive urban novel about crime, corruption and passion in Atlanta's own underworld will have you on your toes from the first page to the very last. This is one masterpiece you'll never want to end.