Town


Book Description

In this award-winning novel, James Roy uses the short story to explore the lives of the young residents of an Australian town and the social tapestry of their community. This town doesn't have a name. But if it seems familiar, its because we recognise the people who walk its streets. From the serendipity of an unexpected moment of connection, to...




Cool Characters


Book Description

Lee Konstantinou examines irony in American literary and political life, showing how it migrated from the countercultural margins of the 1950s to the 1980s mainstream. Along the way, irony was absorbed into postmodern theory and ultimately become a target of recent writers who have moved beyond its limitations with a practice of “postirony.”




Creating Characters


Book Description

Create characters that leap off the page--and into readers' hearts! Populating your fiction with authentic, vivid characters is a surefire way to captivate your readers from the first sentence to the last. Whether you're writing a series, novel, short story, or flash fiction, Creating Characters is an invaluable guide to bringing your fictional cast to life. This book is a comprehensive reference to every stage of character development. You'll find timely advice and helpful instruction from best-selling authors like Nancy Kress, Elizabeth Sims, Orson Scott Card, Chuck Wendig, Hallie Ephron, Donald Maass, and James Scott Bell. They'll show you how to: • Effectively introduce your characters • Build a believable protagonist • Develop strong anti-heroes and compelling villains • Juggle multiple points of view without missing a beat • Craft authentic dialogue that propels the story forward • Motivate your characters with powerful objectives and a believable conflict • Show dynamic character development over the course of a story No matter what your genre, Creating Characters gives you the tools necessary to create realistic, fascinating characters that your readers will root for and remember long after they've finished the story.




The Forgotten Book


Book Description

Emma is used to things going her way. Her father is headmaster of her prestigious boarding school, her friends take her advice as gospel, and she's convinced that a relationship with her long-time crush is on the horizon. As it turns out, Emma hasn't seen anything yet. When she finds an old book in an abandoned library, things really start going Emma's way: anything she writes in the book comes true. But the power of the book is not without consequences, and Emma soon realizes that she isn't the only one who knows about it. Someone is determined to take it from her—and they'll stop at nothing to succeed. A new boy in school—the arrogant, aloof, and irritatingly handsome Darcy de Winter—becomes Emma's unlikely ally as secrets are revealed and danger creeps ever closer.




The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep


Book Description

The ultimate book-lovers fantasy, this sparkling debut is a "delight of magic and literature, love and adventure" (Kat Howard) featuring a young scholar with the power to bring literary characters into the world. For his entire life, Charley Sutherland has concealed a magical ability he can't quite control: He can bring characters from books into the real world. But when literary characters start causing trouble throughout the city and threatening to destroy the world, he learns he's not the only one with his ability. Now it's up to Charley and his reluctant older brother, Rob, to stop them―hopefully before they reach The End. Praise for The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep: "A star-studded literary tour and a tangled mystery and a reflection on reading itself; it's a pure delight." ―Alix E. Harrow, Hugo Award-winning author "This beautifully-written novel is an exploration of the power fiction wields -- the power to inform and to change, even to endanger, our everyday world." ―Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches "Equal parts sibling rivalry, crackling mystery, and Dickensian battle royale, it'll be one of your most fun reads this year." ―Mike Chen, author of Here and Now and Then For more from H. G. Parry, check out: The Shadow Histories A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians A Radical Act of Free Magic




45 Master Characters


Book Description

Create unforgettable characters your readers will love! 45 Master Characters will make your characters and their stories more compelling, complex and original than ever before. You'll explore the most common male and female archetypes—the mythic, cross-cultural models from which all characters originate—and learn how to use them as foundations for your own unique characters. Examples culled from literature, television and film illustrate just how memorable and effective these archetypes can be—from "Gladiators" and "Kings" like Rocky Balboa and Captain Ahab to "Amazons" and "Maidens" like Xena and Guinevere. The mythic journeys of heroes and heroines—the progression of events upon which each archetype's character arc develops—are also examined. Building such a "journey" into your character's story will enable you to stop worrying about what happens next and get on with telling your tale. It's a power-packed method for creating characters that stand the test of time!




The Elephant Tree


Book Description

Reminiscent of Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting, this debut novel, The Elephant Tree challenges the reader’s sense of morality with shocking plot twists and vivid characters.Mark Fallon is an overworked detective investigating a spate of attacks at a string of high profile city centre nightclubs. Scott is a dejected 24 year old struggling to make ends meet working for his brother and supplementing his income with a small-scale drug dealing operation. Angela is an attractive 23 year old, raised by her father, a career criminal and small time drug dealer who supplies Scott with cannabis.This is a chilling tale spanning a few months in the lives of Scott and Angela, where realizations about the present combine with shocking revelations from the past leading to an apocalyptic climax where they no longer know whom they can trust.




How to Write a Novel


Book Description

Author and former literary agent Nathan Bransford shares his secrets for creating killer plots, fleshing out your first ideas, crafting compelling characters, and staying sane in the process. Read the guide that New York Times bestselling author Ransom Riggs called "The best how-to-write-a-novel book I've read."







Writing Characters Who'll Keep Readers Captivated


Book Description

How do you create characters with depth? How do you write the opposite sex, authentic teenagers, plausible antagonists and chilling villains? How do you inhabit a character who isn't like you? Whether you write literary or genre fiction, this book shows you how to create people who keep readers hooked and make you want to tell stories