“An essential reference to the best publishing resources for every self-published author. Highly recommended.” -- Mark Coker, Smashwords founder“This short-cut to the top pros—editors, designers, marketers, bloggers, distributors—is just exactly what we’ve all been waiting for. This book is a must-have for any author or publisher.” --Penny Sansevieri, Author Marketing ExpertsHere, for the first time, dozens of leaders in the self-publishing industry—editors, designers, book...

Independent authors don’t just toss their works online anymore. They are increasingly learning to act as publishers when they decide how to design and print their books. And like publishers, they need to make sure their products are the best they can be.The Book Blueprint examines each part of the book, explaining its logic and structure, which in turn influences each part of the book’s design. It brings together all the writing on this subject by blogger and book designer...

Powerful Character Arcs Create Powerful StoriesHave you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters—but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.By applying the foundation ...

Being a writer is not just about typing.It’s also about surviving the rollercoaster of the creative journey.Self-doubt, fear of failure, the need for validation, perfectionism, writer’s block, comparisonitis, overwhelm, and much more. When you’re going through these things, it can feel like you’re alone. But actually, they are part of the creative process, and every author goes through them too.This book collects the mindset issues that writers experience, that I hav...

Ever dreamed of winning the lottery? One of those massive, life-altering purses?Join Keith Whipple and his daughter Kate as they do just that, netting ten million dollars in a single-winner draw. Share in their excitement, the dreams that leap into their lives fully-formed, suddenly within easy reach.But that kind of money, the heady sense of power it brings...do we control it? Or does it control us?Join the Whipples and their ill-fated ticket on a blood-fueled ride...

Forty-eight years after a catastrophic solar event destroys all life and technology on the planet's surface, nineteen-year-old Reid Landers lives in the old NORAD facility deep inside Cheyenne Mountain with other descendants of Originals, barely subsisting on canned food and rats. For all they know they are the last hundred souls on Earth...until Reid meets the first stranger he has ever seen, a stranger with a grown apple.This catapults him on a journey to California to find seeds...

From USA Today bestselling author Julianne MacLean comes the next instalment in her popular Color of Heaven series - a gripping, emotional tale about real life magic that touches us all during the holiday season…Boston cop, Josh Wallace, is having the worst day of his life. First, he’s dumped by the woman he was about to propose to, then everything goes downhill from there when he is shot in the line of duty. While recovering in the hospital, he can’t seem...

Weredragons, men call them. Monsters. Cursed ones. People who can turn into beastly reptiles.In an ancient world just rising from darkness, they are everywhere. Some wander the plains with clans of mammoth hunters. Others are born in riverside huts. Some live across the ocean where seafaring tribes are discovering the secrets of bronze and writing in clay. Everywhere their curse is the same--people who can grow wings, breathe fire, and take flight as dragons.And everywhere,...

Uncover the Secrets to Creating Characters Readers Will Never ForgetAward-winning author K.M. Weiland's previous book, the acclaimed Creating Character Arcs, showed writers how to identify the five most important types of character arcs and use them to bring your own characters to life with stunning and powerful realism.Now it's time to put those lessons to use! Building upon the principles you've already learned, the Creating Character Arcs Workbook presents a guided appro...

"Like Nick Hornby writing an episode of Californication!" -- Sarah Maclean, New York Times bestselling author."Funny…interesting and complex… honest and doesn't shy away from the raw/uncomfortable truth" — Maria V. Snyder, author of Poison Study"Lyga's take on the devil is as clever, and unique, as Twain's or Lewis’s." — David Lubar, author of ExtremitiesIf you love Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow, Kevin Smith, or stories that are so wrong they’r...

DIY Publishing: A step-by-step guide for print and ebook formatting and distributionMaggie Lynch demystifies publishing technology in her easy-to-read explanations. Each step is illustrated with examples and screen shots. She also provides resources and links to additional software products and options that the more technically-inclined writer may wish to pursue.Lynch has already done the work of testing a variety of technical solutions. In this book she sh...

Crafting likable, interesting characters is a balancing act, and finding that perfect mix of strengths and weaknesses can be difficult. Not only does a well-drawn protagonist need positive attributes to help him succeed, he must also have flaws that humanize him and give him something to overcome. The same is true of villains and the rest of the story’s supporting cast. So how can writers figure out which flaws best fit their characters? Which negative traits will create personality clashe...