Wolf in White Van


Book Description

Beautifully written and unexpectedly moving, John Darnielle's audacious and gripping debut novel Wolf in White Van is a marvel of storytelling and genuine literary delicacy. Welcome to Trace Italian, a game of strategy and survival! You may now make your first move. Isolated by a disfiguring injury since the age of seventeen, Sean Phillips crafts imaginary worlds for strangers to play in. From his small apartment in southern California, he orchestrates fantastic adventures where possibilities, both dark and bright, open in the boundaries between the real and the imagined. His primary creation, Trace Italian, is an intricate text-role playing game that enables participants far and wide to explore a dystopian America, seeking refuge amidst the ruin. However, when two high school players, Lance and Carrie, extend the game into their reality, the consequences are horrifying, leaving Sean to account for it. Darnielle’s Wolf in White Van invites us to comprehend the depth and intricacy of Sean's life. Told in reverse, the story draws us back to the moment that fundamentally altered Sean’s life as he knows it.




The Memoir Project


Book Description

An extraordinary "practical resource for beginners" looking to write their own memoir—​now new and revised (Kirkus Reviews)! The greatest story you could write is one you've experienced yourself. Knowing where to start is the hardest part, but it just got a little easier with this essential guidebook for anyone wanting to write a memoir. Did you know that the #1 thing that baby boomers want to do in retirement is write a book—about themselves? It's not that every person has lived such a unique or dramatic life, but we inherently understand that writing a memoir—whether it's a book, blog, or just a letter to a child—is the single greatest path to self-examination. Through the use of disarmingly frank, but wildly fun tactics that offer you simple and effective guidelines that work, you can stop treading water in writing exercises or hiding behind writer's block. Previously self-published under the title, Writing What You Know: Raelia, this book has found an enthusiastic audience that now writes with intent.




Improve Your Writing with NLP


Book Description

This timely book details the Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) strategies that can transform a tentative, novice writer into a passionate, productive dynamo, adapting the resourceful states, beliefs, cognitive strategies and behaviours of highly accomplished writers. If you are new to the game of writing, if you feel intimidated by a blank page, if you have ever started a writing project but run out of steam, then this book is for you. Your guide is Dr. Judith E. Pearson, an NLP Trainer and author of three books on NLP and over 200 published articles and reviews. Through the magic of NLP you'll discover the thinking patterns and cognitive strategies of accomplished writers. You'll learn the writing process from beginning to end - from romancing your idea to ruthless editing and revision - and you'll learn strategies for overcoming writer's block. The secret to great writing lies in learning how to alternate between three mindsets: Dreamer, Realist and Critic. The author will tell you exactly how to get into each mindset and how to apply it. This book will teach you the NLP models for creativity, tenacity and meticulous attention to detail. Read this book and you'll know how to write persuasively, hypnotically and prolifically.




Unblock Writer's Block


Book Description

Writers get stuck and blocked. It’s annoying and inevitable. Unblock Writer’s block is a short, practical book that shares techniques, mindsets and insights that will help any writer overcome their blockage and continue writing. Whether you are a seasoned professional writer or an absolute beginner, Unblock Writer’s Block will help you resolve whatever the issue is and get back to your writing work. Based on David Chislett’s 40 years of writing experience in many genres and formats, the book includes techniques, practical exercises, key takeaways and reflection questions designed to get you thinking and help you keep moving forward with your writing project.




Creative Block


Book Description

Creative block presents the most crippling—and unfortunately universal—challenge for artists. No longer! This chunky blockbuster of a book is chock-full of solutions for overcoming all manner of artistic impediment. The blogger behind The Jealous Curator interviews 50 successful international artists working in different mediums and mines their insights on how to conquer self-doubt, stay motivated, and get new ideas to flow. Each artist offers a tried-and-true exercise—from road trips to 30-day challenges to cataloging the medicine cabinet— that will kick-start the creative process. Abundantly visual with more than 300 images showcasing these artists' resulting work, Creative Block is a vital ally to students, artists, and creative professionals.




The Scribe Method


Book Description

Ready to write your book? So why haven’t you done it yet? If you’re like most nonfiction authors, fears are holding you back. Sound familiar? Is my idea good enough? How do I structure a book? What exactly are the steps to write it? How do I stay motivated? What if I actually finish it, and it’s bad? Worst of all: what if I publish it, and no one cares? How do I know if I’m even doing the right things? The truth is, writing a book can be scary and overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. There’s a way to know you’re on the right path and taking the right steps. How? By using a method that’s been validated with thousands of other Authors just like you. In fact, it’s the same exact process used to produce dozens of big bestsellers–including David Goggins’s Can’t Hurt Me, Tiffany Haddish’s The Last Black Unicorn, and Joey Coleman’s Never Lose a Customer Again. The Scribe Method is the tested and proven process that will help you navigate the entire book-writing process from start to finish–the right way. Written by 4x New York Times Bestselling Author Tucker Max and publishing expert Zach Obront, you’ll learn the step-by-step method that has helped over 1,500 authors write and publish their books. Now a Wall Street Journal Bestseller itself, The Scribe Method is specifically designed for business leaders, personal development gurus, entrepreneurs, and any expert in their field who has accumulated years of hard-won knowledge and wants to put it out into the world. Forget the rest of the books written by pretenders. This is the ultimate resource for anyone who wants to professionally write a great nonfiction book.




The Artist's Way


Book Description

"With its gentle affirmations, inspirational quotes, fill-in-the-blank lists and tasks — write yourself a thank-you letter, describe yourself at 80, for example — The Artist’s Way proposes an egalitarian view of creativity: Everyone’s got it."—The New York Times "Morning Pages have become a household name, a shorthand for unlocking your creative potential"—Vogue Over four million copies sold! Since its first publication, The Artist's Way phenomena has inspired the genius of Elizabeth Gilbert and millions of readers to embark on a creative journey and find a deeper connection to process and purpose. Julia Cameron's novel approach guides readers in uncovering problems areas and pressure points that may be restricting their creative flow and offers techniques to free up any areas where they might be stuck, opening up opportunities for self-growth and self-discovery. The program begins with Cameron’s most vital tools for creative recovery – The Morning Pages, a daily writing ritual of three pages of stream-of-conscious, and The Artist Date, a dedicated block of time to nurture your inner artist. From there, she shares hundreds of exercises, activities, and prompts to help readers thoroughly explore each chapter. She also offers guidance on starting a “Creative Cluster” of fellow artists who will support you in your creative endeavors. A revolutionary program for personal renewal, The Artist's Way will help get you back on track, rediscover your passions, and take the steps you need to change your life.




Unblock Writer's Block


Book Description

If you have writer’s block, or are having difficulty writing, then this book should help you beat back whatever is blocking you, get you writing and keep you writing. The exercises in this book--there are over 70 of them--will help you move beyond your block, and write, write, write. If you feel as if you are stuck in a prisoner’s block, then consider this book a set of tools baked in a cake and delivered to your cell. They will help you break out of the block, so you will be free to write again. If you use the tools in this book and put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, letters will appear. And some of those letters will form words. And some of those words will form sentences. And some of those sentences will form paragraphs. And so on and so on... And here you thought you were blocked! So get ready to buckle down and write!




The Writer's Block


Book Description

Anxious to write that Great American Novel but don't know where to begin? Help is on the way with our Writer's Block! This guide to beating writer's block comes packaged in the shape of an actual block: 3" x 3" x 3", with 672 pages and more than 200 photographs throughout. Next time you're stuck, just flip open The Writer's Block to any page to find an idea or exercise that will jump-start your imagination. Many of these assignments come straight from the creative writing classes of celebrated novelists like Ethan Canin, Richard Price, Toni Morrison, and Kurt Vonnegut: Joyce Carol Oates explains how she uses running to destroy writer's block. Elmore Leonard describes how he often finds ideas just by reading the newspaper. E. Annie Proulx discusses finding inspiration at garage sales. Isabel Allende tells why she always begins a new novel on January 8th. John Irving explains why he prefers to write the last sentence first. Fresh, fun, and irreverent, The Writer's Block also features advice from contemporary editors and literary agents, lessons from the awful novels of Joan Collins and Robert James Waller, a filmography of movies concerning writer's block (e.g., The Shining, Barton Fink), and countless other surprises. With this chunky little book at your side, you may never experience writer's block again!




The No-Bullshit Guide to Succeeding in Culinary School


Book Description

Culinary school is a big investment and a big time commitment. This no-bullshit guide will help you get the most out of school, and launch into a rad professional cooking career. We'll start with basics, like how to pull your kit (and all the other start-of-school shit) together. How to quickly establish competence and confidence, so you can start learning fast and effectively. Then we'll talk strategy:- Why do you need a SWAT team? And what the hell is a SWAT team anyway? - Your instructors will teach everyone, but mentor just a few. How do you become one of those students? - What do you need to know to kick ass in both the classroom and the culinary school kitchen? - What steps can you take now that will help you build a solid foundation for a kick-ass professional cooking career? This is not a boring goddamn textbook - you'll have plenty of those soon enough. It's a ninja-level tactical field guide, full of crass language and kitchen humor. If you want to kick ass in school and beyond, read this no-bullshit book."With its frank discussion of the pros and cons of culinary school, Kim's guide is like the Grim Reaper, killing your misconceptions about the professional kitchen with fair but ruthless efficiency."- The Surly Gourmand"This language is appalling! You have to take out all of these swear words." - My Mom"Maybe just take out half the f**ks." - My Dad