Book Description
The second book in the Write Great Fiction series, Plot & Structure offers clear and concise information on creating a believable and engaging plot that readers can't resist. Written by award-winning thriller and suspense author James Scott Bell, this handy instruction guide provides:
* Easy-to-understand techniques on every aspect of plotting and structure, from brainstorming story ideas to building scenes, and from using subplots to crafting knock-out endings
* Engaging exercises, perfect for writers at any level and at any stage in their novel
* Practical and encouraging guidance from one of the most respected writers publishing today
Full of diagrams, plot brainstormers, and examples from popular novels, mastering plot and structure has never been so simple.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding and detailed analysis of plot structures.......2007-10-13
I'm still working my way through this book, but so far I'm very impressed. I've learned a great deal about the structure of plots and scenes. The author provides very practical and easily understood guidelines. Highly recommended.
For those who seek clarity, you may begin here........2007-10-08
Not having the luxury of an MFA, I struggled to create my interpretation of a marketable novel until I finally faced the truth. I didn't know what I was doing.
"Okay then," I thought, "what exactly am I lacking?"
I attended a very good workshop which revealed what I had already come to suspect. My writing had too much imagery and not enough, plot or structure. I went looking for a solution and, would you believe it, I found there was a book written just for me.
"Plot & Structure, Techniques and exercises for crafting a plot that grips readers from start to finish," by James Scott Bell was the first step on my road to literary recovery. I followed this wonderful little book with another, "Techniques of the Selling Writer" by Dwight V. Swain. The two volumes go together well, in my opinion, complimenting one another on a common list of topics.
I'd recommend them both as well as the rest of the "Write Great Fiction" series from Writer's Digest Books. You might also consider, "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, How to Edit Yourself Into Print" by Renni Brown and Dave King.
I needed to find better footing, to bone up on fiction basics. These books plus a subscription to "the Writer" magazine have been my school. If you desire a better grasp of the basics, you might want to start here.
Michael, doing better, in Seattle.
The first book that you must read.......2007-10-03
This is a good introductory book, and works for various types of media, like cinema (screenplay) and comics.
It's a simple and objective book, direct to the point. It's interesting to note that other books like Screenplay by Syd Field and Story by Robert Mckee will be more valuable after you read Plot & Structure, because now you will have a better understanding of story construction.
It's not a revolutionary book, but it's very solid and highly practical.
Recommended.
An Invaluable Writing Tool.......2007-09-08
This book is a must have for every fiction writer, non-fiction writer who wants to try fiction, or for someone who dreams of becoming an author.
I write my books intuitively. Then my first publisher suggested I start teaching creative writing workshops.
"Great idea," I told her.
But deep inside I was scared silly. How the heck would I go about teaching something that I was doing intuitively?
Thank goodness for this book! Now I can see and understand the process that I've been using as a writer. This is not only helping me improve my skills, it's also helping me have a lot more fun writing my next book.
Great book!.......2007-09-02
This is the only how-to book on writing that I have actually finished! I found it to be very entertaining, and SO useful! I am a very unorganized plotter; I just write the story. He actually had some tips for writers just like me that didn't entail "write an outline or else"!
I would definitely recommend this book!
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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Similar Items:
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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
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They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Average customer rating:
- Because I enjoyed it
- (three and a half stars) alternative history with an autobiographical twist
- Excellent, if flawed, novel
- Poorly constructed, fundamentally disappointing
- It could have happened here...
|
The Plot Against America
Philip Roth
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1400079497
Release Date: 2005-09-27 |
Amazon.com
"What if" scenarios are often suspect. They are sometimes thinly veiled tales of the gospel according to the author, taking on the claustrophobic air of a personal fantasia that can't be shared. Such is not the case with Philip Roth's tour de force, The Plot Against America. It is a credible, fully-realized picture of what could happen anywhere, at any time, if the right people and circumstances come together.
The Plot Against America explores a wholly imagined thesis and sees it through to the end: Charles A. Lindbergh defeats FDR for the Presidency in 1940. Lindbergh, the "Lone Eagle," captured the country's imagination by his solo Atlantic crossing in 1927 in the monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis, then had the country's sympathy upon the kidnapping and murder of his young son. He was a true American hero: brave, modest, handsome, a patriot. According to some reliable sources, he was also a rabid isolationist, Nazi sympathizer, and a crypto-fascist. It is these latter attributes of Lindbergh that inform the novel.
The story is framed in Roth's own family history: the family flat in Weequahic, the neighbors, his parents, Bess and Herman, his brother, Sandy and seven-year-old Philip. Jewishness is always the scrim through which Roth examines American contemporary culture. His detractors say that he sees persecution everywhere, that he is vigilant in "Keeping faith with the certainty of Jewish travail"; his less severe critics might cavil about his portrayal of Jewish mothers and his sexual obsession, but generally give him good marks, and his fans read every word he writes and heap honors upon him. This novel will engage and satisfy every camp.
"Fear presides over these memories, a perpetual fear. Of course, no childhood is without its terrors, yet I wonder if I would have been a less frightened boy if Lindbergh hadn't been president or if I hadn't been the offspring of Jews." This is the opening paragraph of the book, which sets the stage and tone for all that follows. Fear is palpable throughout; fear of things both real and imagined. A central event of the novel is the relocation effort made through the Office of American Absorption, a government program whereby Jews would be placed, family by family, across the nation, thereby breaking up their neighborhoods--ghettos--and removing them from each other and from any kind of ethnic solidarity. The impact this edict has on Philip and all around him is horrific and life-changing. Throughout the novel, Roth interweaves historical names such as Walter Winchell, who tries to run against Lindbergh. The twist at the end is more than surprising--it is positively ingenious.
Roth has written a magnificent novel, arguably his best work in a long time. It is tempting to equate his scenario with current events, but resist, resist. Of course it is a cautionary tale, but, beyond that, it is a contribution to American letters by a man working at the top of his powers. --Valerie Ryan
Book Description
In an astonishing feat of empathy and narrative invention, our most ambitious novelist imagines an alternate version of American history.
In 1940 Charles A. Lindbergh, heroic aviator and rabid isolationist, is elected President. Shortly thereafter, he negotiates a cordial “understanding” with Adolf Hitler, while the new government embarks on a program of folksy anti-Semitism.
For one boy growing up in Newark, Lindbergh’s election is the first in a series of ruptures that threaten to destroy his small, safe corner of America–and with it, his mother, his father, and his older brother.
Customer Reviews:
Because I enjoyed it.......2007-10-01
I really loved the first 300 pages. Roth's voice is wonderful as a child trying to make sense of chaos, and the nightmarish what-if built a good tension.
However, the ending was rushed and way too neatly wrapped up. I would prefer if the last 60 pages were just removed from the book. I'm still giving it five stars, because despite the ending, this was a fun, fast read.
(three and a half stars) alternative history with an autobiographical twist.......2007-09-18
I liked Philip Roth's "Plot Against America," but didn't love it. It seems to me that any alternative history novel (or time travel novel, for that matter), which maintains the possibility that the Nazis might prevail in World War II, is almost inevitably going to have its chilling moments. Indeed, it was quite terrifying to be reminded of how close Hitler came to invading all of Europe during the early phase of the war. Here, of course, Roth's alternative history centers on Charles Lindbergh, a known Nazi sympathizer, defeating FDR in 1940 (his unprecedented third term in real history). Of course, it is well known that a good percentage of the U.S. population didn't want to be involved in "Europe's War," until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, so it is not completely far-fetched that Charles Lindbergh, an aviation hero who strongly favored U.S. isolationism, might have had a chance to be elected President.
What makes "The Plot Against America" unique I suppose, is how Roth basically writes his "autobiography" as a young boy as it might have been through a Lindbergh administration, and the rising tide of anti-semitism that resulted. Some of it works quite well and we can feel the world closing in on the Roths in particular, and the Jews in general, especially through a nefarious plot to dilute the Jewish communities through the newly created "Office of American Absorption" and other such efforts. However, other parts of the book feel contrived such as how the Roths are one acquaintance away from Lindbergh himself, namely through Philip's Aunt Evelyn, who has married the much older Rabbi Bengeldorf: a complicit sympathiser of the new administration. (SPOILER!!!). The manner in which the clock sets itself back to zero in the second to last chapter also felt forced to me.
I found the afterward of the book very informative, where Roth reviews the actual series of events through the historical figures mentioned in the book. It would have been more interesting to me if Roth had covered in greater detail the war itself, and the consequences of the U.S. failing to enter the fray at the end of 1941. But I understand this wasn't Roth's principle focus.
I do think "The Plot Against America" serves well as a genuine warning about how a different course of events in the past could have lead to a very different America, and different World for that matter. Perhaps the frightening scenario portrayed in this book can also be used as a forewarning to future generations.
Excellent, if flawed, novel.......2007-08-26
The book appeals from different points of view: a gripping book of fiction, alternative history and a warning call to the complacent. The switch in history is scary and it is possible that things could have been this way. It is both chilling and fascinating to think of the German fascism of the 1930's and 1940's happening here. Roth's writing as usual is spectacular. I could not put it down. My only problem was that the resolution happens so glibly and quickly that it is hard to imagine it could happen so easily. I recommend this to Roth fans, people into Judaica,
historians.
Poorly constructed, fundamentally disappointing.......2007-07-10
The Plot Against America was occasionally interesting, well-styled, but generally bad. As a general rule I have mixed feelings about "alternative history" as a genre. Such stories can raise interesting questions and "what-if" scenarios. They can also, however, wander painful far into the realm of fantasy where suspension of disbelief becomes an exercise in rejecting rationality. Unfortunately, Roth's wanders from an interesting, well-constructed novel to a silly fantasy by its final chapters. Yet, this is not the most fundamental problem the story faces. The book is first and foremost a story of rising anti-semitism in 1940s America and its impact on, and the reaction of, a Jewish New Jersey family. My problem is that the fear felt and displayed by the family far exceeds what would be a reasonable reaction to the events with which they're faced at any specific point in the first half of the book. It's as if the effects (the family's responses) are always several chapters in front of the causes (government sponsored discrimination of Jews). This problem was so pronounced that I found myself wondering if the book was some kind of statement about what Roth calls "ghetto Jews" seeing anti-Semitism everywhere. (Its not)
It could have happened here..........2007-07-08
This book draws obvious parallels with the modern political situation in the U.S., how facism creeps up on us rather than appears overnight. It comes complete with a folksy, popular President in the guise of Charles Lindbergh, whose seemingly benign programs hide a more sinster agenda (this one against the Jews, who slowly and systematically begin to lose their rights throughout the book); people who are complicit in the plot against their own people; and a watchdog reporter who is speaking out against the administration, a la Edward R. Murrow or Keith Olbermann (Walter Winchell, who in the scope of this book, goes beyond his job as a gossip columnist). The characters are all drawn well, from the prideful father who is less than successful at protecting his family; the relative who becomes a bitter disabled war veteran; the aunt who falls under the spell of a power-hungry rabbi; and of course the protagonist, who slowly loses his childhood innocence as these events unfold around him.
The only problem I had with the book was its rather sudden ending, which I won't reveal here, but it sure seemed like everything was suddenly wrapped up nicely and neatly, and not in tune with the rest of the story. Still, I would say this was a good book and I would recommend it.
Book Description
Blowing Up Russia contains the allegations of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko against his former spymasters in Moscow which led to his being murdered in London in November 2006. In the book he and historian Yuri Felshtinsky detail how since 1999 the Russian secret service has been hatching a plot to return to the terror that was the hallmark of the KGB. Vividly written and based on Litvinenko's 20 years of insider knowledge of Russian spy campaigns, Blowing Up Russia describes how the successor of the KGB fabricated terrorist attacks and launched a war. Writing about Litvinenko, the surviving co-author recounts how the banning of the book in Russia led to three earlier deaths.
Customer Reviews:
Hear the Axes Grind Between the Lines.......2007-09-16
Interesting that a man who denounces the Russian FSB as a nest of intriguers and liars asks us - as a career KGB/FSB officer - to accept his words in this book at face value. After all, if FSB officers are such masters of deceit, why should anyone believe him now?
I don't doubt that much of the book may well be true, especially the blowing up of Russian apartment blocks in 1999 to kick off the second Chechen War. It's not just Russian intelligence agencies capable of such black operations, as the "P2 conspiracy" in Italy back in the 70s attests. The problem lies with the clandestine nature of Litvinenko's sources, which come across like mere shop gossip. Reader/listener beware.
There are inconsistencies galore. Yeltsin is painted a great democrat, even though he sent tanks to blow holes in the Russian Parliament building. The adoration of General Pinochet is attributed to Putin, though anyone who knew Russia in the 90s well remembers the love for Pinochet's Chile evinced by Yeltsin's staff. It was also Yeltsin who created the authoritarian Russian presidency after his destruction of Parliament in October, 1993 - not Putin.
The fact is, that Yeltsin created the FSB, as he did the oligarchs. Putin did not get where he is by being part of the anti-Yeltsin opposition. After Yeltsin it seems there was a power struggle for Russia between the FSB and the oligarchs, and the former won. But they could not have done so without Yeltsin's patronage. Yeltsin needed immunity from prosecution by the Russian Duma when he stepped down; a strong FSB guaranteeed this protection. Perhaps also he was afraid of the oligarchs whom he created in 1996, and wanted a counterforce to keep them in check.
At any rate, this book comes off like some internet conspiracy theory. While the core of its argument of FSB black operations may well be true, keep in mind that it was commissioned by Boris Berezovsky - no angel himself, and possibly responsible for assassinations in his own right.
Hard to Read.......2007-04-15
It's easy to see why Litvinenko was poisoned with Polonium when you read this book. It's laden with so many evil plots it leaves the reader with doubts about the authenticity of some of the material. Although most of it is believable, there is the problem of a lack of sufficient references. This, unfortunately, is due to the need to keep many of them secret in order to protect their lives.
The book is not well organized, and constantly jumps from one time period to another. There is an acronym page that I had to constantly refer to while I was reading. Felshtinsky admits the book is a hard read, and he is right. There are hundreds of Russian names which are hard to keep up with.
It could have been better. The subject matter is fascinating when you can figure it out..
Tragic Tale.......2007-03-15
This book is not about the murder of Alexander Litvinenko. But it is the book that got him murdered. If you imagine Russia as a nation on the mend from its communist sickness, think again. The former KGB and FSB operative (Litvienko) and his academic friend (Felshtinsky) published their book in Russia and it enraged Don Vito Putin. Putin, you'll recall, was the man about whom George W. Bush said: "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy . . . I was able to get a sense of his soul." As Litvenko lay dying he wrote the following to Putin:
"You may succeed in silencing me but that silence comes at a price. You have shown yourself to be as barbaric and ruthless as your most hostile critics have claimed.
"You have shown yourself to have no respect for life, liberty or any civilized value."
So much for President Bush's soul sense.
A fabulous book that is all too often read out of context.......2006-12-11
This is a book that should absolutely be read, but only with proper contextual background. Though there are true findings in this book, an overwhelming majority of the facts are completely unsupported (a fact which Litvinenko acknowledged--the book contains not a single footnote of reference). One should also be aware of the context in which it was written: Russian billionaire buisnessman Boris Berezovsky paid Alexander Litvinenko to write this book in order to discredit the Kremlin after the FSB ordered Litvinenko to kill Berezovsky (a mission which Litvinenko ultimately decided not to carry out). It's worth reading without a doubt, but factual assertions and accusations should be taken with a grain (or cup) of salt.
Author Murdered.......2006-11-25
To bad Litvinenko died for the truths he told. But so goes the dark underworld of espionage.
Product Description
Dr. John Corso's entertaining yet serious non-fiction book, Stupid Reasons People Die, illuminates why thousands of people die in the prime of life, from easily preventable causes, and how you can avoid becoming one of them. This is not another "eat-right, get-fit, lose-weight" guilt trip. Nor is it "twenty more secrets that your doctor doesn't want you to know." Engaging and comprehensive, you will learn the things that actually work. The state-of-the-art knowledge, imaging, medications and more, that identify and stop our most common killers before they can hurt us, all presented by a straight-talking doctor with two decades experience on the front lines of medical practice. Vital tests and treatments too often remain unknown and unused by most people because they are not on their menu of medical benefits and may never be mentioned by their physicians. With stinging candor and wry humor, this compelling page-turner lays out exactly which screenings and treatments you should consider and how to gain the control and knowledge needed to get the best that modern medicine has to offer. This book is a survival guide, a get-smart, take-charge, how-to book on diffusing our own medical time bombs. When someone dies before their time from heart attack, stroke, cancer, or other natural cause, it represents a failure on the part of the patient, doctors, and healthcare system to detect disease and intervene when it is easily curable. The book explores why we fail so often, and exposes the blind spots and traps inherent in our healthcare system, our culture, and in our own minds. It shows how to make sure you and your loved ones avoid them, offering a logical yet radically different view from what most of us believe to be healthy vs. unhealthy establishing how we focus our efforts towards longevity on all the wrong things.
Customer Reviews:
Straight and to the Point and a must have.......2007-06-13
This book is written with the patient / health-consumer in mind. Finally giving us straightforward answers to how we CAN take care of our health and take our care into our own hands by being informed. Letting patients know that THEY have the right to ask questions, demand respect. The cattle auction speed at which the public is pushed through their medical visits makes you feel like your worry doesn't matter, so you get tired of the cycle and end up never going back to a doctor, which can lead to devastating results. The book is great in its serious humor, a tell it like it is approach. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to prevent those serious illnesses that kill...which would be most everyone. I have passed mine along to all my family members to read. I'm not selling it though, I'm keeping it to check in once in awhile as a reminder!
Staying Alive in Oregon.......2007-06-13
The best written medical book around. Not only is it written so that the layman can understand it, but it is written with a humorous slant that makes the reader want to keep turning the pages. Pay attention to what this book is telling you and you'll be around for a lot more years. Thanks for writing a medical book that is understandable and with down to earth common sense.Stupid Reasons People Die, An Ingenious Plot For Defusing Deadly Diseases
Keeping Me Alive.......2007-06-11
How refreshing to read the words of a true professional who really cares about people! His patients are so lucky to have him as their physician. Dr. Corso's approach in presenting medical information in a very people friendly manner, allows everyone to truly become educated on these medical issues. His humor clearly comes through as you read the book. I recommend this book to anyone who really wants to help themselves live full and healthy lives.
A solidly practical, no-nonsense guide.......2007-06-10
Medical doctor John Corso puts his twenty years of professional experience to paper in Stupid Reasons People Die: An Ingenious Plot for Defusing Deadly Diseases, a thorough condemnation of the modern healthcare system's erosion of the quality, time, and rewards of medical practice. Chapters discuss how to avoid becoming a hostage of the insurance industry, a logically critical perspective of "all natural" treatments, advice for protecting oneself or spotting the warning signs of diseases that can be prevented or successfully treated, and much more. Specific common killers that are easily prevented, detected early, or treated, include brittle bones (especially in women), sleep apnea, and many cancers from colon cancer to prostate cancer, breast cancer, and others. A solidly practical, no-nonsense guide to avoiding senseless disease or medicine-related death in one's prime. Stupid Reasons People Die carries the highest possible recommendation, as reading it just might save one's life.
A Good Read for Proactive Health Care Consumers.......2007-04-11
Dr. Corso's does 3 things well in his book. He describes complex medical conditions in a straightforward manner with simple language. He explains how the relationship between patients, doctors, and their health insurers has become warped. Finally, he provides a strategy that we can all use to take control of our health care and make informed decisions to maximize our health. This is a good read for someone who wants to make sense of how to be proactive in health care.
Book Description
Jasper Fforde has done it again in this genre-bending blend of crime fiction, fantasy, and top-drawer literary entertainment. After two rollicking New York Times bestselling adventures through Western literature, resourceful literary detective Thursday Next definitely needs some downtime. And what better place for a respite than in the hidden depths of the Well of Lost Plots, where all unpublished books reside? But peace and quiet remain elusive for Thursday, who soon discovers that the Well is a veritable linguistic free-for-all, where grammasites run rampant, plot devices are hawked on the black market, and lousy books—like the one she has taken up residence in—are scrapped for salvage. To make matters worse, a murderer is stalking the personnel of Jurisfiction and itÂ's up to Thursday to save the day. A brilliant feat of literary showmanship filled with wit, fantasy, and effervescent originality, this Ffordian tour de force is the most exciting Thursday Next adventure yet.
Customer Reviews:
A good read, But.......2007-04-18
Hmm, it's a good book but I think that the series was a lot more fun when it was in the real world and not set entirely in the Book world.
I never really bought into the central plot device and I really didn't feel that the whole UltraWord® thing was fleshed out enough to make it that important not to mention that several of the drawbacks of it seem kind of tacked on.
All in all I think that this is definitely worth reading but not nearly as good as the first two Thursday Next novels and I definitely liked the Nursery Crime books better. They seem to take themselves less seriously and are just more fun.
A funny romp `behind the scenes' of literature........2007-04-07
I thoroughly enjoyed Jasper Fforde's "The Well of Lost Plots", the third in his Thursday Next series. In this fantasy/mystery "outlanders", i.e. real people, may enter books and interact with the characters. Thursday does so hoping for a rest but soon becomes tangled in a plot that will shake up all of literature. There is corruption, intrigue and murder!
At the same time, she must deal with Aornis Hades, her enemy from earlier books who is trying to make her forget her husband. This insidious being has the ability to make a person lose memories.
There are plenty of writing puns and jokes sprinkled through the story as well as literary references. Miss Havisham, the Cheshire Cat and Humpty Dumpty play a role. We also meet `generics', background characters that writers create but do not `flesh out'. Thursday helps a couple of them become more interesting characters.
This story and the fascinating world Fforde has created is quite inventive. I don't know yet how this compares to the other volumes in the series but I look forward to reading those and letting you know.
I am amazed.......2007-03-22
My first book by Jasper Fforde was The Eyre Affair and I didn't really like it. I just couldn't connect with its main character Thursday Next. She wasn't real to me. And only the book's version of England and the other characters in the book kept me somewhat interested.
Not expecting that to change I read The Well of Lost Plots and my indifference to Fforde's work turned into amusement, amazement and then devotion. Thursday Next is still not real to me but she's become the familiar narrator of a wonderful world. Jasper Fforde has tons of ideas and they range from interesting to endearing to hilarious to amazing and so on and so forth.
Thursday Next, who already traveled into books in The Eyre Affair, has found refuge in `the book world' where characters out of fiction live their lives inside and outside their books. One of the many amazing facts we learn is that books are not created by authors but in fact are just transmitted to their pens out of the book world. We also learn that the first operating system book world was called OralTrad, which was then upgraded by the rhyming OralTradPlus (for easier recall), followed by a split into CaveDaubPro and the picto-phonetic storytelling systems which started with ClayTablet V2.1 and eventually ended in the current version of book V8.3. We also learn why we are still waiting for Godot and what happens when books get scrapped.
If you haven't read any of the Thursday Next novels pick this one to start with. If you have read one and weren't enthused try this one and change your mind the way I did. I've ordered the second of the series and am looking forward to the fourth and then the Next one. Pun intended.
Has Thursday Next jumped the shark? .......2007-03-16
Is it too early to suggest that Jasper has jumped the shark? Maybe, but I'm less indulgent about whether Thursday Next has.
Was it sophisticated intentional irony to set a book in a world of chaotic, unfinished, badly written drafts that itself feels chaotic, unfinished and badly written? I carped at Fforde in `Lost in a Good Book' that he'd be better off dropping his pretensions of plot (particularly an `overplot' for the series) and running with enjoyable stand alone surreal episodes. Here he barely bothers: Thursday can't remember Landon but then - after a mere page of unintegrated dream flapdoodle - she can. How nice. Meanwhile she's still done nothing to attempt to restore this supposed core love of her life. OK, lets dismiss the utterly unsatisfying overplot, what about the one for this novel? UltraWord(tm). Oh, I get it - it's a bit like Microsoft. Ho ho, smirk. This joke (I think it'd be stretching things to call it satire) works for about a paragraph - yet he milks this baby dry. Pageturner 1.3. Bookmark version 2.6 (or whatever), Jasper, we get it already.
OK, so the series plot has stalled, and the central one of this particular book is weak. `Lost plots' indeed. Still, plot's never been his strong point - let's get onto some of his traditional strengths: amusing Douglas Adams style leaps of imagination, and charming characters. Well, for the former, yeah, OK, there are some cool ideas here and there (although I'm struggling a bit to recall them, um, maybe the generics. And I did like the way this book connected with `The Big Over Easy'. The mispeling vyrus was mildly amusing the first time - ah, hey, it's misspelt - Oh, Jaaaaasper) - and the whole notion of being able to wander into any book at any time has fantastic potential. But a lot of other writers do this better. For a start, Fforde's pool of books is tiny - it's like he did a couple of undergrad literature courses (Austen, Dickens, Bronte, Shakespeare) - even, perhaps just one on classic English literature - and there's not a lot more going on. We're either supposed to feel impressed that he's dropped some names we might have heard of, and/or smug that we get the reference. Hey, I got the Biggles cameo. I didn't feel that smug. More importantly, he name drops classic characters or genres or settings but that's about it. There's not even an attempt to recreate and improvise with them in novel ways. Ms Havisham is probably the one he tries hardest with, but there's not even a whiff of Dickens in more than name. Even if he had've dropped the Havisham name and tried just creating her as a character, there's very little going on of interest between her and Thursday: somehow they're supposed to have this great professional respect between mentor and acolyte, but this is assumed rather than built. So we don't get a rounded new character to enjoy, nor do we get an avatar of an old one. What we get is a lame reference - and it's not enough.
It would be really cool if we suddenly found ourself in a range of novels with a real awareness (and love of) their conventions. An Asimov novel, say, where Thursday would suddenly find herself stacked and doting on some arrogant lead male - or would deliciously subvert this. Or a few pages of Steven King desperation and suspense. Or dropping in some classic characters who act and talk like they did originally - so we're aware why they ever gained their popularity. In pops Sherlock Holmes, with his quirks and methods. Here's Bertie Wooster, and you know what, he's hilarious - no, he's not just called Bertie Wooster, he says the sort of things Bertie would say, with the same exquisite turn of phrase. Alternatively we could find out it's an act, and once he steps off set he's dry and maliciously urbane. It's not, and I think you might have got my point by now, merely Fforde pulling a name of a book and dropping it into this one. It's not enough.
Charm? It feels a bit like Groundhog Day (not overall - this was, in contrast, generally a clever, charming film. Stick with me, I mean it feels like a bit in the film. You'll get it. Sorry, am I going on a bit long in these parentheses?). You know, where Bill Murray has had some lovely romantic moments with Andy McDowell one night, but in trying to recreate them on the next and the one after that he loses the magic, "OK, OK, c'mon, I pat the dog, you laugh, we slip on the snow into each others arms, you're happy, blah blah, can we get on with it." Thursday's friends and family sometimes used to do and say some charming things, here they more sort of hint at them. Most of the dialogue is transactional, "Hey, look out, it's going to get you." Instead of building emotional ties, Jasper goes for the cheap soap opera technique, "Who will die tonight?" Nobody feels much for these characters, but surely if we kill one of them we'll get some sort of response?! Well, Jasper kills a few (again the irritating conventional clanger of suddenly killing off several characters in a week that have supposedly survived lifetimes of danger and intrigue, while the rookie inexplicably lives on to solve the crime), but we have to manufacture the emotion.
Finally, somewhere along the line I stopped liking Thursday. I really was quite fond of her in `The Eyre Affair', but now I'd really rather hang out with someone else. She's still smart, I suppose, but she's not a particularly sympathetic character. "Plock, plock", says Jasper, "I gave her a pregnant dodo, for goodness sake - how much more charm can you want!?" Sorry, it's trimming, it's not enough.
Third in a line of great reads!!.......2007-03-07
Fforde does it again. Thursday Next, still missing her husband and very pregnant, decides to take over for a character in a book. Good idea while she's pregnant. She is still active with the Jurisfiction detectives in Bookworld. But because she has taken over for a character she has to watch for her role everytime it comes up, or she could change the book forever. Aornis, the mind erasing menace, is trying her best to make Thursday forget her husband, but to no avail. I will probably cry when I am done with this series!
Book Description
Chris Baty, motivator extraordinaire and instigator of a wildly successful writing revolution, spells out the secrets of writing—and finishing—a novel. Every fall, thousands of people sign up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which Baty founded, determined to (a) write that novel or (b) finish that novel in—kid you not—30 days. Now Baty puts pen to paper himself to share the secrets of success. With week-specific overviews, pep "talks," and essential survival tips for today's word warriors, this results-oriented, quick-fix strategy is perfect for people who want to nurture their inner artist and then hit print! Anecdotes and success stories from NaNoWriMo winners will inspire writers from the heralding you-can-do-it trumpet blasts of day one to the champagne toasts of day thirty. Whether it's a resource for those taking part in the official NaNo WriMo event, or a stand-alone handbook for writing to come, No Plot? No Problem! is the ultimate guide for would-be writers (or those with writer's block) to cultivate their creative selves.
Customer Reviews:
No Plot? No Problem!.......2007-10-18
No Plot? No Problem! is written in an easy to read and understand manner, with lots of humour. However, that isn't what's important about the book. What is important is that it provides inspiration to any writer who really does need a kick in the pants to start writing.
After I read this book, I was motivated into planning my next manuscript and I know I'll get the whole thing written. Stop thinking about it...just write!
Perfect Preparation for National Novel Writing Month.......2007-09-29
*****
No Plot? No Problem! is written by Chris Baty, the founder of National Novel Writing Month, which takes place every November. During the month, people from all over the world unite over the Internet at NaNoWriMo.org and each writes their own 50,000 word novel (actually, a first draft) by writing 1,667 words per day.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to participate in the endeavor or not, because it sounded pretty overwhelming, but reading this book was truly the perfect preparation. It helped me to see what NaNoWriMo would be like, and gave me what I needed to decide if it was for me. (It is!)
If you are not thinking of joining NaNoWriMo, this book would be of limited usefulness for you, although it would be possible to use as a general writing guide---it's really all about NaNoWriMo. You find out what you need to do to get ready (including helpful exercises and equipment), what to expect during each of the four weeks, and most of all, motivation---why in the world would you want to do this? And how do you make it through? I found my answers in the book and they resonated with what my personal goals are.
It is written in a fun, sometimes hilarious style, and is very entertaining. Baty has recently written The No Plot? No Problem! Novel-Writing Kit, which I also ordered since I finished the book itself, because if it was half as helpful as the book it would be well worth it.
If you are reading this in the fall...hurry and buy and read this book as November is almost here!
Highly recommended.
*****
Not Like Other Writing Books - Which Is A GOOD Thing!.......2007-08-30
There are plenty of other well-written reviews here, so all I want to say is that after buying dozens of other books about the art and craft of writing, Baty got me to do something no one else had: WRITE A NOVEL! If anything, all of those other books (and there are some excellent ones) confused and intimidated me - and I've been writing professionally for decades. But Chris Baty magically took the pressure off, described how to approach the project in tasty, bitesized chunks and, miraculously, made it fun!
There are other books about technique which serious writers will do well to own. But this is the first and only book which somehow finally got me to do it. Not by pushing me, but by inviting me. Very highly recommended!
good... but the web site is better.......2007-08-25
The book does a nice job of going over the basics, but you get all the same information, and more, from the NaNoWriMo web site. I am a big fan of Chris Baty and the NaNoWriMo yearly event, and I own this book and enjoyed reading it, but I think it is more for fans of the site than a required manual on how to get a rough draft of a short novel done in 30 days.
Certainly a quick, and enjoyable read.
No Plot? No Problem...for a Rough Draft.......2007-07-13
This is a great book that works for some writers and not so much for others. Chris Baty's techniques are excellent advice for authors struggling to get their first drafts completed, although the timeline of 30 days is not "low-stress" as the cover states (I've found that 90 days is more appropriate for myself as a writer). First drafts are the largest hurdle to overcome, but are still just a piece of the puzzle: the real magic occurs during the rewriting stage. As fun as this book is, let's hope that Baty has a companion book on the revision process in the works.
Book Description
As a literary agent, Noah Lukeman hears thousands of book pitches a year.Often the stories sound great in concept, but never live up to their potential on the page. Lukeman shows beginning and advanced writers how to implement the fundamentals of successful plot development, such as character building and heightened suspense and conflict. Writers will find it impossible to walk away from this invaluable guide---a veritable fiction-writing workshop---without boundless new ideas.
Customer Reviews:
One of my best buys.......2007-08-16
As a working writer and teacher of writing, I feel THE PLOT THICKENS: 8 WAYS TO BRING FICTION TO LIFE is one of the best buys I've ever made, and I've bought dozens and dozens of books on writing and related subjects. I've used this book extensively in teaching my classes and recommended it to all my students, most of whom have bought copies for themselves. Lukeman not only explains concepts and techniques in a way that's easy to understand, he presents fresh ideas --- something that's sometimes difficult to find. The sections on conflict and suspense alone are worth the price of the book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
When the Plot Thickens, the writing improves.......2007-07-18
Lukeman promises in the introduction that by the end of the book, readers (writers) will take away plenty of new ideas and inspiration. At first I was skeptical, but ultimately he's right. The topics he covers are themselves nothing new, for they are basic fundamentals, but the depth to which Lukeman plunges into area makes the book an excellent reference. The amount of questions he compels you to ask of your own work is astounding, which leads you to deepen and broaden your writing. If you are well into your own project, it would be wise to stop and explore your work through the exercises he offers at the end of each chapter. The chapters on Characterization are especially good. If you don't have much material written, don't worry... this knowledge can be used going forward, so that you are saved some revising time.
Chock Full of Information and Ideas.......2007-02-16
I first read Mr. Lukeman's book The First Five Pages, liked it so much, I purchased this one. Now I like it better than the first one. It was full of ideas and helped me think about my characters in a new light. Well Done and Highly Recommended for anybody wanting to delve deeper into characterizations and how to drive plot through getting to know your characters.
Noah Lukeman's second read.......2007-02-13
I ordered this because I was so pleased with his first book that set me free from writing "rules." I found it more difficult and I've not read it through yet after having it for at least a month. Frankly, at first perusal I was disappointed, but with a good study I may change my mind.
A Handly List of Prompts.......2007-01-15
I found this book useful for the fiction writer working on an extensive, detailed manuscript. The book is a lengthy set of prompts. It assumes the writer already understands something about structure and the writing process. The book assumes character is king and that plot emerges from character. If your technique is different from this, you may find the book irritating. If you need help fleshing out characterization to either augment or fundamentally build your story, this book is for you.
Book Description
This book shows the reader how to take timeless storytelling structures and make them immediate, now, for fiction that's universal in how it speaks to the reader's heart and contemporary in detail and impact.
Each chapter includes brief excerpts and descriptions of fiction from many times, many genres - myth and fairy tale, genre and mainstream fiction, film plots of all types, short story and novel.
Find 20 fundamental plots that recur through all fiction - with analysis and examples - that outline benefits and warnings, for writers to adapt and elaborate in their own fiction. Ronald B. Tobias has spent his career as a writer moving from genre to genre, first as a short story writer, then as an author of fiction and nonfiction books and finally as a writer and producer of documentaries for public television. He is currently a professor in the Department of Media and Theatre Arts at Montana State University and the author of The Insider's Guide to Writing for Screen and Television. He lives in Bozeman, Montana.
Customer Reviews:
A Great "How To" Reference for Writers.......2007-09-10
This book provides a great analysis of plots and how to build them. Plots covered are quest, adventure, pursuit, rescue, escape, revenge, the riddle, rivalry, underdog, temptation, metamorphosis, transformation, maturation, love, forbidden love, sacrifice, discovery, wretched excess, ascension, and decension.
The author (Ronald B. Tobias) states on page 229 that, "the idea of this book is to give you a sense of what each plot looks and feels like". In my opinion he has successfully done that.
Excellent Reference for Writers .......2007-03-13
found it very informative and easy to follow. very good examples of each plot.
not really worth it........2007-01-14
I found about 5 pages of this usefull. Is that worth it?
It's helping me out constantly.......2006-12-29
This book is a really great help to me, a young writer. The book doesn't promise to solve all of my plotting problems for me, it makes me think! I'm constantly learning something about plotting each time I pick it up. (Now I need to buy a style guide....) Great buy-
My only complaint is that its sometimes too repetitive. In one chapter he said the same thing 4 different ways! Though I must admit, it did help me remember and understand a little bit better.
WORTH STUDYING.......2006-12-12
20 MASTER PLOTS (And How to Build Them), by Ronald B. Tobias, provides an interesting analysis of plot, in general, and then a chapter-by-chapter countdown of twenty specific master-plot scenarios. Whether you believe there are really only one or two basic plots upon which all stories are built, or whether you believe there are an infinite number of plots, 20 MASTER PLOTS is worth studying.
Book Description
Since its publication in 1984, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick has stimulated the minds of readers of all ages and backgrounds. Now the original fourteen drawings are available in a large portfolio edition of loose sheets. In addition, a newly discovered fifteenth drawing, titled The Youngest Magician, has been added, as well as an updated introduction by the author. The puzzles of these mysterious drawings will be even more provocative because of the larger size and the exceptional printing quality. For the first time, the drawings can be shared with groups or displayed singly. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 1984.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing........2007-05-12
Chris van Allsburg, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (Houghton Mifflin, 1984)
The copy of The Mysteries of Harris Burdick currently sitting beside me is its twenty-fifth printing since 1984. To put that in perspective, Gone with the Wind, first published in 1936, went through its hundredth printing in 1992. Twenty-five printings is nothing to sneeze at, especially for a childrens' book that is almost without language.
Van Allsburg, after a brief introduction, "presents" fourteen illustrations, each of which has only a title and a caption. Fans of the groundbreaking Twilight Zone magazine, which was at the height of its popularity at the same time as the book's publication, will be remarkably familiar with the general look and feel of the illustrations here; realistic, almost photographic, with one thing (major or minor) out of place in the scene; for example, in the illustration featured on the cover, four children are on a hand-powered railroad cart, except the seesaw has been replaced with a mainmast, and the contraption is in full sail. The railroad tracks jut up out of the sea, with it on either side. The title: "Another Place, Another Time." The caption: "If there was an answer, he'd find it here."
The book does exactly what it's meant to do: the illustrations combined with the paucity of text fire the imagination. The reader wants to create his own stories about these fourteen scenes. Van Allsburg's introduction speaks wryly of the thousands of stories that have been written based on these pictures. Wryly, in any case, in 1984. As I write this, in 2007, I have little doubt that he's quite accurate in his assessment of the situation.
Fantastic. Recommended for permanent inclusion in the libraries of people of all ages. **** ½
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.......2007-02-21
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by: Chris Van Allsburg is a puzzle that needs to be put together. Every picture is filled with mysteries. This book will tease your mind.
You flip through the pages and read the captions that make you think. Each captions can mean anything for the pictures. The intricate pictures are full of life and adventure. Each picture has its own story and meaning. This book will make wonder if the imaginary could be real. The pictures have some very imaginative things. There is a house taking off like a rocket and a pumpkin lighting up.
I highly suggest you read this book. It is full of imagination and mysteries. Each picture is a whole story by itself.
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.......2007-01-15
Couldn't wait to get my hands on my own copy of the this Portfolio edition of Chris Van Allsburg's book!! His illustrations stir the imagination to creative writing and was a "must have" for my homeschool library.
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.......2007-01-14
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick is one of my favorite titles for teaching creative writing! My students cannot put this book aside. It's a must-read!
Very creepy!.......2007-01-10
My students loved this book because it was "kind of creepy", as they put it. They loved to have it as an example of good leads for their own writing.
Books:
- Prentice Hall Reference Guide (6th Edition) (Prentice Hall Reference Guide to Grammar & Usage)
- Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, Deluxe Edition (Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (Deluxe))
- Reading, Writing and Learning in ESL: A Resource Book for K-12 Teachers (4th Edition)
- Remembering the Kanji I: A Complete Course on How Not to Forget the Meaning and Writing of Japanese Characters (Remembering the Kanji)
- Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary
- Roof Framing
- Schaum's Outline of Spanish Vocabulary
- Semiotics: The Basics
- Spanish All Talk Basic Language Course (4 Hour/4 Cds): Learn to Understand and Speak Spanish with Linguaphone Language Programs (All Talk) (All Talk)
- Stedman's Medical Dictionary (Stedman Medical Dictionary (Standard))
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions
- Who Was Albert Einstein
- Retirement Plan Types/With 2001 Quick Reference Guide
- The Thin Red Line
- The Financial System and the Economy: Principles of Money and Banking
- Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood
- Three Worlds Gone Mad: Dangerous Journeys through the War Zones of Africa, Asia, and the South Pacif
- Ethics Management - Auditing and Developing the Ethical Content of Organizations
- The Global Advantage: How World Class Organizations Improve Performance Through Globalization
- The Sorrows of Young Werther, Elective Affinities, and Novella
Write Great Fiction: Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint : (Techniques and exercises for crafting dynamic characters and effective viewpoints) (Write Great Fiction)
Dialogue: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Effective Dialogue (Write Great Fiction)
Description & Setting (Write Great Fiction)
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print
Beginnings, Middles & Ends (Elements of Fiction Writing)
