Non-Fiction Books

Recounts the story of the Moore family, whose eldest daughter, Serena, confessed in her diary to killing her four-year-old sister, Mallory, and describes the ensuing trial that revealed the family's history of abuse and neglect. Original.

Want to bring characters to life on the page as vividly as fine actors do on the stage or screen? Getting into Character will give you a whole new way of thinking about your writing. Drawing on the Method acting theory that theater professionals have used for decades, this in-depth guide explains seven characterization techniques and adapts them for the novelist's use. In this unique and practical book, you'll discover concepts that will help you understand and communicate the behavior, motivation, and psychology of every fictional character you create. Examples from classic and contemporary novels show you how these techniques can be used to help you write scenes as effective as Jane Austen, Mark Twain, Steve Martini, Anne Rivers Siddons, and others. These simple yet highly effective techniques will help you: * Create characters whose distinctive traits become plot components * Determine each character's specific objectives and motivations * Write natural-sounding dialogue rich in meaning * Endow your characters with three-dimensional emotional lives * Use character to bring action sequences to exuberant life * Write convincingly about any character facing any circumstance

FOR NOVELISTS OF ALL GENRES. Are your plots too predictable? Do you have trouble creating surprising twists? This short booklet will lead you through a unique process to discover unexpected events for your story. Both "plotter" and "seat-of-the-pants" novelists will find this technique useful. The 2000-word article is based on a popular workshop taught at writers conferences by Brandilyn Collins. Bonus material added at the back. A few reactions from novelists who have attended these workshops: "This is brilliant! A brand new way of looking at twists for me." ~ Author of over 100 books. "Wow. [Brandilyn Collins] has such a unique way of looking at issues. I love this!" "This process really works. Thanks!" "I have no excuses for dull plots now. [Collins] has given me a lot to work with."

If you love reading and discussing fiction, this book is for you.Ever wonder why you respond to a novel in a certain way? You loved it. You hated it. Or somewhere in between. Maybe the story started slowly, then improved. Maybe it hooked you in the beginning, then lagged. Maybe the dialogue didn’t sound true to life. Or the characters seemed flat. Or maybe all these aspects were wonderful. Why? What fiction techniques did the author use or fail to use?WHY Did I Love (Hate) That Novel? explores four techniques used in writing page-turning fiction. These concepts are fun and fascinating, and will open your eyes to how a novel is created. They’re explained in an easy-to-understand way, with multiple examples. Once you’ve learned them, you’ll enjoy reading all the more. And, if you’re in a book club, you’ll be better equipped to discuss your opinions.