Sizzling Style is what distinguishes a spellbinding book from an ordinary one. The writer who understands the fundamentals of fictional writing style knows how to capture readers and never let them go. Too often aspiring writers are frustrated by rejection, not realizing that the problem is not the story but the way they are telling it. In this book, bestselling author William Bernhardt brings his down-to-earth approach to the subject of style, revealing...

Dynamic dialogue can turn an otherwise ordinary novel into a delightful read, but dull, uninspired dialogue will cause readers to lose interest and try something else. In this book, bestselling author William Bernhardt, renowned for his handling of dialogue, explains his techniques for making characters come to life through their words. He explains the importance of matching character and dialogue, of avoiding dialogue that's "on-the-nose," and the...

"This book sparkles like a jewel in a cosmic clockwork-an uplifting gift to readers everywhere." - Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior Why are the churches closed on Christmas Eve in Florence's San Frediano district? This mystery perplexes an acclaimed American poet who journeys to the fabled city seeking inspiration. The proprietor of his hotel, raconteur Alberto Giannotti, reveals that it has nothing to do with the holiday-and everything...

Writing is structure, William Goldman said, but too often aspiring writers plunge into their work without grasping this fundamental principle. Story structure is one of the most important concepts for a writer to understand and ironically, one of the least frequently taught. In this book, New York Times-bestselling author William Bernhardt explains the elements that make stories work, using examples spanning from Gilgamesh to The Hunger Games. In...

Thirtysomething lawyer Megan McGee is facing a quiet Christmas with her bulldog when Bonnie Cantrell, a battered wife, comes looking for legal protection from her violent ex-cop husband, Carl. In a recent bout of rage, Carl vowed to kill their seven-year-old son, Tommy, rather than be separated from the boy. It's no idle threat, either--as Bonnie assures Megan: "He's tried before." And when Tommy's school unwittingly allows him to leave with his...

When the mayor is arrested for murder, Ben Kincaid is the only man who can save him With his winning smile, acting experience, and history as one of the best quarterbacks Oklahoma University has ever seen, Wally Barrett had no trouble becoming Tulsa's first black mayor. But this perfect politician has a dark side, too. One afternoon at an ice cream parlor, a dozen people watch as he nearly hits his wife during an argument about their children. That...

Getting his client off death row could save his career… or make him the next victim.After his courtroom career goes up in smoke, Daniel Pike receives a mysterious job offer from a secretive boss offering him a lifeline-a one-time opportunity to join The Last Chance Lawyers, a group with mysterious origins and funding. He's offered a generous salary with the condition that he accepts the cases assigned to him. He's told all the cases will be for...

When Ben Kincaid gets an accused cop-killer off the hook, the police declare a vendetta It is one of the most gruesome murders Oklahoma has ever seen. A horribly mutilated man is found chained to a statue in the middle of downtown Tulsa, secured so tightly that it takes the police hours to get him down. As the city's workforce stares, the police realize something terrible: The victim is one of their own.   They arrest the dead cop's girlfriend, a...

In the near future, a few young women manifest extraordinary abilities called "Shine." Each girl's ability is different. Some develop extraordinary mental abilities. Some become physically strong. Others have powers that defy description. But the world does not embrace these Shines. It fears them.Aura was only trying to use her healing powers to help a small child. But when she Shined, something went horribly wrong—and Seattle was destroyed. In...

Ben Kincaid falls in with a gang of eco-terrorists, and joins their fight against corrupt loggers The trouble all begins when Ben Kincaid meets Margery. Kincaid is a lawyer on a book tour, at a poorly attended signing in Washington state, and she is the bookseller's cat. When he learns that the perfectly healthy cat is to be euthanized, Kincaid breaks into the bookstore, planning a rescue. Instead, he lands himself in jail, where he learns of a non-feline...