Download or read book Character Driven written by David Lubar and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2016-03 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his last year of high school, seventeen-year-old virgin Cliff Sparks has to figure out what to do with his life, including how to meet new girl Jillian and how to deal with old issues with his unemployed father.
Download or read book Character Driven written by Derek Fisher and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2009-09-08 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Three Time NBA Champion and starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers shares his Christian faith and inspirational values for success and happiness. Since his inaugural season with the NBA in 1996, Derek Fisher has had a dramatic impact on the great success of the Lakers. Playing alongside legendary players like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Lamar Odom, Fisher has held his position at point guard, participating in some of the most dramatic post-season games and moments in recent memory. In 2007 Derek Fisher and his wife Candace’s lives were upturned by news that their eleven-month-old daughter, Tatum, had been diagnosed with a degenerative and rare form of eye cancer called retinoblastoma. Although his team, the Utah Jazz, was in the midst of a heated playoff series, Fisher immediately put his family first to be with his daughter at the time of her required emergency surgery and chemotherapy. Nominated the best moment in the 2007 ESPY Awards, Derek was able to make a dramatic late entrance and performance in the fourth quarter of game 2 to help the Jazz to an emotional victory. Following the season, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him of his contract so he could devote his energies to fighting his daughter’s retinoblastoma without knowing if he would ever play basketball again. Fisher officially rejoined the Lakers, resuming his role as point guard, and provided a veteran influence alongside Kobe Bryant to a relatively young Lakers squad. In his compelling new book, Fisher shares the Christian values that have guided him on the court and off. With anecdotes from his personal and professional life, Fisher offers lessons learned along the way. Drawing on the power of faith, he shows how anyone can play for a successful team: whether that team is family, community, or just happens to be one in the NBA.
Download or read book Yerba Buena written by Nina LaCour and published by Flatiron Books. This book was released on 2022-05-31 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: FROM BESTSELLING AND PRINTZ-AWARD WINNING AUTHOR NINA LACOUR, PERFECT FOR READERS OF WRITERS AND LOVERS “A study of complex, modern love...Expertly illuminates the trauma that Sara and Emilie are both wrestling with, as well as their hope and healing...Lingers like a perfectly mixed cocktail.” —San Francisco Chronicle “A Carol for our times.” —Harper’s Bazaar Sara Foster runs away from home at sixteen, leaving behind the girl she once was, capable of trust and intimacy. Years later, in Los Angeles, she is a sought-after bartender, renowned as much for her brilliant cocktails as for the mystery that clings to her. Across the city, Emilie Dubois is in a holding pattern, yearning for the beauty and community her Creole grandparents cultivated but unable to commit. On a whim, she takes a job arranging flowers at the glamorous restaurant Yerba Buena. The morning Emilie and Sara first meet at Yerba Buena, their connection is immediate. But soon Sara's old life catches up to her, upending everything she thought she wanted, just as Emilie has finally gained her own sense of purpose. Will their love be more powerful than their pasts? At once exquisite and expansive, astonishing in its humanity and heart, Yerba Buena is a testament to the healing qualities of a shared meal, a perfectly crafted drink, a space we claim for ourselves. Nina LaCour’s adult debut novel is a love story for our time. "Trailblazing...One of my personal favorite authors." —Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop
Download or read book Fire Color One written by Jenny Valentine and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2017-01-31 with total page 141 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A finalist for the prestigious Carnegie Medal, this novel is a stunning tribute to fathers and daughters, and to the unique power of art to connect and change us. Sixteen-year-old Iris itches constantly for the strike of a match. But when she’s caught setting one too many fires, she’s dragged away to London before she can get arrested. At least, that’s the story her mother tells. Soon Iris finds herself in the English countryside, where her millionaire father—a man she’s never met—lives. Though not for very much longer. Iris’s father is dying, and her self-interested mother is determined to claim his life’s fortune, including his priceless art collection. Forced to live with him as part of an exploitive scheme, Iris quickly realizes her father is far different from the man she’s been schooled to hate, and everything she thought she knew—about her father and herself—is suddenly unclear. But there may be hidden beauty in Iris’s uncertain past and hopeful future, if only she can see beyond the flames. Praise for Fire Color One: "It’s not often—in fact, it has never happened to me even once—that I fall so hard for a young arsonist. The book moves swiftly, alternating between comedy and sadness, sometimes in the same paragraph. I loved Fire Color One." —Daniel Wallace, critically acclaimed and bestselling author of Big Fish * "Valentine writes about family dysfunction, arson, and art with equal levels of beauty and lyricism, creating a vivid landscape of heartache and redemption....A story about an ugly situation that explodes into beauty through cunning and resilience." —Kirkus *STARRED* * "From the first page to the last, Valentine has crafted a masterpiece." —BCCB *STARRED* "[T]his is a poignant story about the power of art to connect and transform." —SLJ "Beautifully written...a quiet, reflective novel that blooms into a thrilling mystery." —Booklist "Fire Color One is a stunning journey of a teenage girl’s struggle to find her place in a world that tries its hardest to keep her out....For fans of stories in which the good guys prevail, this book is perfect." —VOYA "Wise, brilliantly plotted." —The Sunday Times "Beautifully written...this latest creation is her most spectacular yet." —The Guardian Children's Books review “A beautifully written, darkly funny and surprisingly poignant story of art, family and discovering the people we thought we knew.” —Kerry Kletter, critically acclaimed author of The First Time She Drowned Praise for Me, the Missing, and the Dead: A Morris Award finalist Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (under title Finding Violet Park) * “Compulsively readable. A memorable new voice.” —Publishers Weekly *STARRED* * “Lucas’ pitch-perfect voice and authentic family relationships...and the poignant, coming-of-age mystery will stay with the reader long after the book ends. Valentine’s debut novel shines richly.” —Booklist *STARRED* * “Engaging from start to finish.” —School Library Journal *STARRED* “An impressive debut. Valentine offers a rich cast of characters and marvelous writing.” —Buffalo News “Charmingly told, this mystery manages to be both frothy and nourishing.” —Kirkus
Download or read book Of Blood and Rain written by Beth Alvarez and published by Beth Alvarez. This book was released on 2017-06-12 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Until the riddle is answered, the curse will grow. It’s been twenty years since a curse drove the kingdom of Strale into drought, leaving only a witch’s riddle to offer clues how to break it. Countless people have tried and failed, their bones littering the kingdom's deserts. When one last, desperate plea goes out, the call is answered by the Knights of Sonus, an all-female band of mercenaries whose ancient order serves a water spirit. There is no one better suited to breaking the curse and, as a first-year Knight, Aryina craves victory more than most. But the desert can only support so many, so when the king turns away all but two Knights, the task of solving the witch’s riddle falls solely on Aryina’s inexperienced shoulders. If she can't unravel the puzzle and break the curse before their water supply runs out, then all that's left of Strale--and the reputation of the legendary Knights of Sonus--will crumble like the desert earth. Of Blood and Rain is a fantasy novella approximately 20,000 words long. Enjoy this complete adventure in one sitting!
Download or read book The Nutshell Technique written by Jill Chamberlain and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2016-03-01 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Veteran script consultant Jill Chamberlain discovered in her work that an astounding 99 percent of first-time screenwriters don’t know how to tell a story. These writers may know how to format a script, write snappy dialogue, and set a scene. They may have interesting characters and perhaps some clever plot devices. But, invariably, while they may have the kernel of a good idea for a screenplay, they fail to tell a story. What the 99 percent do instead is present a situation. In order to explain the difference, Chamberlain created the Nutshell Technique, a method whereby writers identify eight dynamic, interconnected elements that are required to successfully tell a story. Now, for the first time, Chamberlain presents her unique method in book form with The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting. Using easy-to-follow diagrams (“nutshells”), she thoroughly explains how the Nutshell Technique can make or break a film script. Chamberlain takes readers step-by-step through thirty classic and contemporary movies, showing how such dissimilar screenplays as Casablanca, Chinatown, Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Silver Linings Playbook, and Argo all have the same system working behind the scenes, and she teaches readers exactly how to apply these principles to their own screenwriting. Learn the Nutshell Technique, and you’ll discover how to turn a mere situation into a truly compelling screenplay story.
Download or read book Writing Irresistible Kidlit written by Mary Kole and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2012-12-04 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers! Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just "kid's stuff" anymore--it's kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to: • Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing. • Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership. • Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more. • Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords. Mary Kole's candid commentary and insightful observations, as well as a collection of book excerpts and personal insights from bestselling authors and editors who specialize in the children's book market, are invaluable tools for your kidlit career. If you want the skills, techniques, and know-how you need to craft memorable stories for teens and tweens, Writing Irresistible Kidlit can give them to you.
Download or read book Elmer Gantry written by Sinclair Lewis and published by Standard Ebooks. This book was released on 2023-01-01T20:36:53Z with total page 567 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Elmer Gantry isn’t suited to be a lawyer, so he becomes a preacher instead. Although he experiences a variety of failures, and even more successes, Gantry ultimately finds this new career path suits him very well indeed—despite his drinking and womanizing. Throughout his time as a preacher Gantry progresses through the hierarchies of the Baptist and Methodist churches, dabbles in revivalism and “New Thought,” and even experiments with politics, all the while emerging from scandals relatively unscathed and ready to move onward and upward once again. Sinclair Lewis published the satirical Elmer Gantry in 1927 much to the dismay of the religious community. It was denounced from the pulpit, banned by many, and even engendered threats of violence. Despite this—or perhaps because of it—it went on to become a massive success and the best selling novel of that year. One of the most savage satirical assaults against institutionalized religion and its hypocrisy in American literature, Elmer Gantry continues to be a window into a particularly important aspect of American history. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.
Download or read book Detective and Mystery Stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2008-11 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains ones of the sets of linked short stories that Conan Doyle centred on his character of Brigadier Gerard, and six short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes. The other is also available in a volume from CSP.
Download or read book Writing the Character Centered Screenplay Updated and Expanded edition written by Andrew Horton and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2000-02-23 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "We need good screenwriters who understand character." Everywhere Andrew Horton traveled in researching this book—from Hollywood to Hungary—he heard the same refrain. Yet most of the standard how-to books on screenwriting follow the film industry's earlier lead in focusing almost exclusively on plot and formulaic structures. With this book, Horton, a film scholar and successful screenwriter, provides the definitive work on the character-based screenplay. Exceptionally wide-ranging—covering American, international, mainstream, and "off-Hollywood" films, as well as television—the book offers creative strategies and essential practical information. Horton begins by placing screenwriting in the context of the storytelling tradition, arguing through literary and cultural analysis that all great stories revolve around a strong central character. He then suggests specific techniques and concepts to help any writer—whether new or experienced—build more vivid characters and screenplays. Centering his discussion around four film examples—including Thelma & Louise and The Silence of the Lambs—and the television series, Northern Exposure, he takes the reader step-by-step through the screenwriting process, starting with the development of multi-dimensional characters and continuing through to rewrite. Finally, he includes a wealth of information about contests, fellowships, and film festivals. Espousing a new, character-based approach to screenwriting, this engaging, insightful work will prove an essential guide to all of those involved in the writing and development of film scripts.
Download or read book Return on Character written by Fred Kiel and published by Harvard Business Review Press. This book was released on 2015-03-17 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Does the character of our leaders matter? You may think this question was answered long ago. Countless business authors and analysts have assured us that great leadership demands great character. Time and again, we’ve seen that truth play out, as once-thriving organizations falter and fail under the guidance of leaders behaving badly. Why, then, do so many executives remain skeptical about the true value of leadership character? A winning strategy and a sound business model are what really matter, they argue; character is just the icing on the cake. What’s been missing from this debate is hard evidence: data that shows not only that leadership character matters for organizational success, but how it matters; and concrete evidence that it leads to better business results. Now, in this groundbreaking book, respected leadership researcher, adviser, and author Fred Kiel offers that evidence—solid data that demonstrates the connection between character, leadership excellence, and organizational results. After seven years of rigorous research based on a landmark study of more than 100 CEOs and over 8,000 of their employees’ observations, Kiel’s findings show that leaders of strong character achieved up to five times the ROA for their organizations as did leaders of weak character. Return on Character goes on to reveal: • How leadership character is formed, how it creates value, and how that value spreads throughout the organization • How low-character leaders undermine the success of even the best business plans • How leaders at any level can develop the habits of strong character and “unlearn” the habits of poor character The book also provides a character-building methodology—step-by-step advice and techniques for assessing your own character habits and improving your performance and that of your organization. Return on Character provides the blueprint for building your own leadership character and creating a character-driven organization that achieves superior business results.
Download or read book Plot Versus Character written by Jeff Gerke and published by Writer's Digest Books. This book was released on 2010-11-16 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What's more important to a story: a gripping plot or compelling characters? Literary-minded novelists argue in favor of character-based novels while commercial novelists argue in favor of plot-based stories, but the truth of the matter is this: The best fiction is rich in both. Enter Plot Versus Character. This hands-on guide to creating a well-rounded novel embraces both of these crucial story components. You'll learn to: Create layered characters by considering personality traits, natural attributes, and backgrounds Develop your character's emotional journey and tie it to your plot's inciting incident Construct a three-act story structure that can complement and sustain your character arc Expose character backstory in a manner that accentuates plot points Seamlessly intertwine plot and character to create a compelling page-turner filled with characters to whom readers can't help but relate And much more Filled with helpful examples and friendly instruction, Plot Versus Character takes the guesswork out of creating great fiction by giving you the tools you need to inject life into your characters and momentum into your plots.
Download or read book A Madness So Discreet written by Mindy McGinnis and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2015-10-06 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery Mindy McGinnis, the acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, combines murder, madness, and mystery in a beautifully twisted gothic historical thriller perfect for fans of novels such as Asylum and The Diviners as well as television's True Detective and American Horror Story. Grace Mae is already familiar with madness when family secrets and the bulge in her belly send her to an insane asylum—but it is in the darkness that she finds a new lease on life. When a visiting doctor interested in criminal psychology recognizes Grace's brilliant mind beneath her rage, he recruits her as his assistant. Continuing to operate under the cloak of madness at crime scenes allows her to gather clues from bystanders who believe her less than human. Now comfortable in an ethical asylum, Grace finds friends—and hope. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who will bring her shaky sanity and the demons in her past dangerously close to the surface.
Download or read book The Wolf of Oren Yaro written by K. S. Villoso and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2020-02-06 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Intimate and epic' Evan Winter 'An action-packed plot and deep, vivid world-building' Melissa Caruso 'Intricate, intimate and intensely plotted' Nicholas Eames 'They called me the Bitch Queen, the she-wolf, because I murdered a man and exiled my king the night before they crowned me.' Born under the towers of Oren-yaro, Queen Talyien inherited a deeply divided kingdom, devastated by years of war. Her marriage to the son of a rival clan was meant to herald peace, yet her fiancé disappeared before their reign could even begin. Now, years later, Talyien receives a message that will send her across on the sea. Yet what was meant as an effort to reconcile the past leaves her stranded in a land she doesn't know, with assassins at her back and no idea who she can trust. If Talyien is to survive, she must embrace her namesake. A wolf of Oren-yaro is not tamed. Further praise for The Wolf of Oren-Yaro: 'Deeply compelling and wonderfully entertaining' Josiah Bancroft 'A powerful new voice in epic fantasy' Kameron Hurley '[A] remarkable tale of non-stop tension, action and betrayal' Publishers Weekly (starred review) 'Balanced on a blade's edge between intrigue and action' Gareth Hanrahan
Download or read book The Hero Succeeds written by Kam Miller and published by High & Low Media. This book was released on 2016-01-26 with total page 506 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Hero Succeeds, veteran TV writer Kam Miller shows you exactly how to create your own TV series-from concept to writing a professional pilot script. Drawing from her career as a successful TV pilot writer, Miller shares her hard-earned knowledge about creating TV series that sell to Hollywood. She covers essential elements such as character, world of the show, story engine, tone, and themes for dramas and sitcoms. In this book, Miller introduces the groundbreaking character-driven structure that will help you solve even the most difficult script problems and create structurally sound, emotionally satisfying stories. Miller illustrates the practical application of her character-driven script structure in current successful TV shows, including Cinemax's The Knick, NBC's Hannibal, Amazon's Transparent, BBC America's Orphan Black, ABC's Modern Family, FOX's Empire, FXX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, AMC's The Walking Dead, FOX's Brooklyn Nine-Nine, ABC's How To Get Away With Murder, Starz's Outlander, CBS's The Good Wife, Showtime's Episodes, and many others. The Hero Succeeds shares professional screenwriting expertise, tools, and techniques previously available only to Miller's students at USC's School of Cinematic Arts and Boston University's Film & Television program. Whether you write drama or comedy for broadcast, cable, or digital distribution, The Hero Succeeds is the guide you need to build or expand your TV career.
Download or read book Character Driven Game Design written by Petri Lankoski and published by Taik Books. This book was released on 2011-05 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do game characters contribute to shaping the playing experience? What kinds of design tools are available for character-based games that utilize methods from dramatic writing and game research? Writer Petri Lankoski has a theory for this. There is a need to tether character design to game design more tightly than has been the case in the past, as well as to pay attention to social networks of characters by the means of finding useful design patterns. “The use of Lajos Egri’s bone structure for a three dimensional-character and of Murray Smith’s three levels of imaginative engagement with characters allows the candidate to expose the full complexity of the imaginary persons represented and controlled in a single-player game. What makes his design-center approach even more interesting is that game play is an integral part of it.” Comments Bernard Perron, Associate Professor of Université de Montréal on Lankoski´s work.
Download or read book Character Driven written by David Lubar and published by Tor Teen. This book was released on 2016-03-01 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Character, Driven is a powerful and hilarious coming-of-age novel for young adults by acclaimed author David Lubar. With only one year left of high school, seventeen-year-old Cliff Sparks is desperate to "come of age"—a.k.a., lose his virginity. But he's never had much luck with girls. So when he falls for Jillian, a new classmate, at first sight, all he can do is worship her from afar. At the same time, Cliff has to figure out what to do with the rest of his life, since he's pretty sure his unemployed father plans to kick him out of the house the minute he turns eighteen. Time is running out. Cliff is at the edge, on the verge, dangling—and holding on for dear life. "Readers will giggle and guffaw at Lubar’s trademark humor, while their heartstrings are tugged and feelings are tied in knots. This exquisitely crafted coming-of-age novel gets down and dirty—and even rebellious—without sacrificing honesty, thoughtfulness, or respect." —Booklist, starred review "Readers will relish clever wordplay, fantasies, and a major secret. In a genre full of barely likable teenage protagonists, Cliff is a charmer, and readers will be cheering him on to finally come of age. Cliff is a character driven to fulfill his quest, and readers will be with him every step of the way." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Filled with wordplay and moments of wry observation and revelation, this contemporary coming-of-age-novel follows the trials of a big-hearted teen who suffers some hard knocks. . . . Cliff’s humorous perspective on his predicaments doesn’t lessen their sharp impact." —Publishers Weekly, starred review At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
