Writers Books

Shwartz is a Boston trail lawyer with an unabashed love for the well-written word. In the introduction Shwartz wrote about reading, "I would read, as readers do, to tame the unfamiliar or see the familiar through new and enlightened prisms; to see how different or eerily familiar, another person's interior life could be from my own."

This is a book of short commentaries by 115 writers on the books they love most. And indeed it is hard to flip many pages without finding the word love. Shwartz set out to produce the very book he couldn't find in bookstores!

This is truly a book that your reading group could share. Buy one copy and bring it to meetings. It can give you a wealth of insights and ideas for books to read- read a book written by one of the 115 authors interviewed and then select a book to read that influenced that author. The bibliographical index is reason alone to buy this book. Shwartz has said that he always found himself asking what the authors themselves read; and here you'll find that answered both in text and in the index.

Penelope Fitzgerald, author of "The Bookshop" wrote in her commentary that "Fathers& Sons" was one of the books that made the greatest impression on her, "I still feel close to weeping when I get to the end. . . " John Irving, author of "The Cider House Rules" named "Great Expectations" and said, ". . .the intention of a novel by Charles Dickens is to move you emotionally- not intellectually . . . " And Anna Quindlen, author of "One True Thing" said, "The books I've loved most were the books I could inhabit."

Our interesting word selection was "Verity"" The quality or state of being true or real. Faithfulness to aesthetic truth.

Our favorite quote was by Anne Fadiman: "I was so ludicrously unprepared for Humanties 190 that the course nearly proved my undoing. With a doggedness born of panic, I defaced nearly every line of Aristitle's poetics with citron Hi-liter and crammed the margins with felt-tip notations."

Shwartz wrote that it was his hope that his book "might inspire people to read more. . . " Oh yes!

Anyone who has ever wanted to be a writer will hear from writing instructors all about the importance of constantly reading. Books on writing theory state the same thing as do works about writing by published authors. The importance of reading cannot be disputed, but many writers may wonder what would be appropriate to read. Fans of great writers may also wonder what would be a great next read. Ronald Shwartz has edited a book that answers these questions for all who wonder, what do great writers read and what books have inspired these writers to write?

The book includes many well known authors of both fiction and nonfiction, including notables such as Anne Bernays and husband Justin Kaplan, Robert Coles, Joyce Carol Oates, Penelope Fitzgerald, John Irving, Norman Mailer, and Anna Quindlen just to name a few. Some of the writers simply list the books, others explain why they include the books. Most of the entries are short and to the point, and all the entries are insightful. I only wish Norman Mailer had a bit more to say, but since he just published a book on writing, any questions I may have will probably be answered in that book.

Ronald Shwartz was curious about what books writers read, how and what influenced them, so he set about to seek answers. This book contains 115 different viewpoints. Each chapter, written by a different author, begins with a brief biographical blurb followed by two or three pages describing the authors' choices. Some, like Mario Puzo or Norman Mailer, were quite terse, just itemizing their choices, but most of the other entries were a bit more revealing, giving us a feel for what the books meant to them, when they read them, etc. Their passion for books and reading were truly inspirational.

I kept a pad and pen handy as I read this book to make a list of the books mentioned that sounded interesting to me. By the end of the book I had a huge list of books that I wanted to find and read.

This book not only served as a great source for recommended reading, but provided a wonderful window into all of these authors' lives.

A wonderful collection of some of the most remarkable authors likes and dislikes and what books influenced them most. From childhood memories to adult appreciation, each author shares their favorite titles as well as how they came to appreciate reading and the written word.

As a fellow author, I felt like I had a window seat into the soul of many great writers. "WAR AND PEACE" won many votes as a favored choice.

Some authors distinguish between historic works and current favorites. Most agree that readers make writers! Each author seems to highly respect the written word.

Truly enjoyed the stories told about what was viewed as the catalyst to an early appreciation of books. My only negative comment would have to be on the size of the text. Personal opinion is that with so much written word on a page, you can lose the interest of the reader. These stories should be appreciated and read.

Easy to see why this would make an excellent choice for any adult book/reading group.

the only drawback of this book is that it will rob you of precious hours devoted to reading other books! i'm being facetious, of course -- this is a wealth of reflections to (a) place by your bedside table, (b) in the glovebox of your car, and (c) dare i say, in the bathroom to savor whenever you get a spare moment -- or to enjoy simply for its own sake. it's very much like sitting down face-to-face with a garrulous, self-reflective author (or grandparent) and hearing a lifetime of wisdom squished into a few minutes. so grab a pencil -- you're going to need one! -- and mark what sounds interesting. funny how often "the brothers k" gets mentioned, "moby dick" etc. but so many wonderful surprises in store, too. thanks to kurt vonnegut's (brilliant) short essay, for example, i picked up "candide" and am much the wiser. oddly enough, no one recommends "les misérables" -- i can't imagine why not -- or "musashi" for that matter. but "the tale of genji" is recommended, so all is forgiven. "for the love of books" = beautiful!

There is no story it's equal. When I think of a man truly loving a woman, this book comes to mind. It's the most deeply intimate telling of one man's heart, mind and soul. Is it possible love like this is possible by a man or a woman for the other? The story is to be nestled and protected for its lofty ideology. I view the Harvesters love for the woman as many saintly priests and nuns have loved God...deeply beyond what most of us can grasps with our worldliness. I might buy this book for my teenage nieces--they should read this story. Why? I wonder if they could, in their wildest fantasies, imagine a young man loving them similarily. Perhaps they may be more choosy in whom they date.

Gene Stratton-Porter is an excellent author. His books hold your interest and take you to a time where stress is far less an issue. His characters are fully developed and richly represented. An excellen book for peaceful reading.

I loved this book, although it definitely did not compare to The Girl of the Limberlost which is my all-time favorite.

I first read this book 37 years ago. It was the original book published in 1911 and belonged to my 1st husbands grandmother. It was written of a quieter time, the slower paced, clean living and was very inspirational. I loved all the information about the nature and plants. I started out trying to recreate the "Yellow Garden" several years ago. I now have a gorgeous garden with many of the same perennials and herbs listed in the book. The garden has certainly evolved from just yellow to every color in nature. I have passed down the love of gardening to my daughters by sharing the flowers and herbs from my own garden. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I can't count the number of times I've read and re-read this book. Pretty sentimental by today's standards, but the basic story tells of a country man of character who falls deeply in love with a city girl who has issues. That description doesn't do justice to Gene Stratton-Porter's touching romance, but if I had to pare my library down to just 20 books, this one would be in the "keepers."

So often today we find the victim and family of an horrific crime victimized the second time. When I read an excerpt of "Dead Man Walking" and then saw who was directing and starring in the movie version I realized that this cruelty was being visited upon the family of Faith Hathaway. I have always had my doubt about the death penalty however the writers have a very valid point about the alternative punishment: life without parole. As long as the murderer is alive there is a chance of commutation of sentence (the removal of a mandatory sentence makes an inmate eligible to be considered for parole) or an outright pardon. After researching the number of commutations allowed in the past I now realize that, with great deliberation, there still is a place for the death penalty.

This book is valuable for anyone interested in the debates about justice, but particularly for readers of Helen Prejean's Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account Of The Death Penalty In The United States. I also advise reading Debbie Morris' Forgiving the Dead Man Walking: Only One Woman Can Tell the Entire Story, and the Bourgue family's Dead Family Walking: The Bourque Family Story of Dead Man Walking, both written by victims of the murderers for whom Helen Prejean was such an eloquent advocate. This is not as appealing as Dead Man Walking, not as warm and fuzzy, but it is an unflinching, indeed horrific, look at the reality of murder and vicious cruelty.

I believe that if we, as a society, release someone whom we have good reason to believe is dangerous, we are responsible for future acts of violence. Not as a responsible as we are for executing an innocent person, but still bearing a burden of guilt. What I like best about the book is that he talks about the reasons that keep me from accepting the abolition of the death penalty. Varnado points out that the arguments that are advanced against the death penalty could, with slight editing, be advanced against any punishment; at 53, I can remember when they were. Executing the murderer doesn't bring back the victim, but neither does anything else. Many of the leaders of the abolition movement, currently begging us to be content with life-without-parole (LWoP), are the same people who have been opponents of any long-term imprisonment. I don't think that we would have LWoP if we didn't have a death penalty. Given the arguments against three-time loser laws, will people who don't accept LWoP for three felonies, even if they are all violent, continue to support LWoP for a murder, however heinous? I think they'd revert to their earlier and more sincere opinions.

It's not an easy question. The legal system is simultaneously too harsh and too soft. Innocent people have been convicted. Chills go down my spine when mayors, governors, etc., announce that heads will roll if someone isn't accused within 48 hours. "Testilying", i.e., false information by the police, is apparently all too common, but the defense is no better. Obviously our legal system is not too concerned about public safety: convicts are given probation, violate it, and are simply given probation again. I hear horrifying tales of the carelessness of parole boards.

I have also come to think less of Helen Prejean, the more I know about her. I finished Dead Man Walking not convinced, but with great respect for her. As she has become more famous, and more information is available, it has become clear that she feels her cause justified lying and general carelessness with the truth. As Varnado and Debbie Morris point out, she simply accepted what Willie told her without any investigation. It was fine as his spiritual advisor to deal with the world as he saw it, but when she crossed the line into legal advocate and author, such sloppiness became irresponsible. Further, she apparently was knowingly telling a lie when she claimed Willie was remorseful. Not only did he contradict her in his own interview, but Debbie Morris told us that she admitted that she didn't think he was capable of remorse. She has now written a book about people who were supposedly innocent of the crimes for which they were executed; I suppose that I will read it, but at this point, I wouldn't take her word for it. She has co-founded a program for victims, but as Varnado points out, she remains extremely insensitive to them as individuals. Her prayer condemning the participants in an execution, including the victim's parents, is a case in point. She topped this off by not considering how they would feel about appearing in her book, let alone the movie! She's great at touching apologies, but they only mean something if one tries to do better.

Readers concerned about valuing the murderer over the victims may also be interested in reading The Victim's Song by Alice Kaminsky; Yale Murder by Peter Meyer; and The Killing of Bonnie Garland: A Question of Justice by Willard Gaylin.

Victims of Dead Man Walking has been the most difficult, tear-jerking, enraging, must read I have come across. Ever. This brutal rape and murder happened not far from my home, and Faith's memory is still well within the minds and hearts of people all over our area. She was a beautiful, smart, 18 year old young lady who had the world within her reach on graduation day. But a cruel, unrelenting Robert Willie and Joseph Vaccaro, both of them boasting about a life of crime without remorse, stole Faith Hathaway away from this earth. They raped her repeatedly, stabbed her until the gaping wounds nearly severed her head, and left her to die alone in Fricke's Cave, only to be discovered 8 days later by a then 25 year old whip detective Mike Varnado. Hollywood doesn't want you to know these things. They would rather you believe that a then 24 year old "Matthew Poncelet" (a dead ringer for Robert Willie if there ever was one), who received the death penalty by electric chair, became a remorseful repentant man when he met his fate. Nothing of the sort ever occured. His partner in crime, Joseph Vaccaro, sits this day in a federal penitentiary still serving out his sentence for yet another crime, the rape and kidnapping of a "16 year old from Madisonville".

This book is so very well written it feels as though Detective Mike is speaking to you personally. He makes it easy, while terrifying, to put yourself in his shoes, countless sleepless nights after discovering Faiths swollen, nude, decomposing body in the once family oriented Fricke's Cave. You can feel the anger rise up from the pages from a very cruel young man who boasted of his murders, who never showed remorse, but loved the attention he gained from the spectacle of a nun and the television news. After the book DMW and movie of the same name, the real story of Faith Hathaway was nearly forgotten until Detective Mike brought forth the true details of the crime. One need not be pro nor con death penalty to learn valuable lessons and true facts of Faith Hathaway. After speaking with Faith's mother personally, I learned that Mrs. Harvey (Faith's mother) asked Tim Robbins (DMW director) to at least visit the area of Fricke's Cave where her daughter was left to die. Mr. Robbins response was "I don't have the time". Please - make the time for this book, the REAL story of the Victims of Dead Man Walking. These words by Detective Mike will make you a litttle wiser to the facts of this young girl, the trial that followed, and could very well give you the knowledge to save your own life one day.

I lived in the area when this tragic, senseless, and incredibly brutal rape & murder took place near my hometown. Friends and relatives worked the case, and the entire area mourned the loss of Faith Hathaway as the peaceful innocence and sense of safety in our rural area was forever shattered.
The wounds were re-opened when Dead Man Walking came out. It was a slap in the face of everything good and true. It was an incredibly cruel blow to Faith's family, who deserved so much better after the tragic loss of their daughter.
Thank you Mike for setting the record straight, for honoring Faith's memory.

I read the book "Forgiving The Dead Man Walking" by Debbie Morris, who was also kidnapped and raped by Robert Lee Willie and Joe Vaccaro. Debbie lived to tell the story in her own words... I highly recommend it for those of you who care about this topic.

An eloquant and riviting writer, Jill Shure captures the 1990s and 1920s wonderfully. If you have ever watched the films "Somewhere in Time" and "The Great Gatsby" you must read "Night Jazz". You'll be happy you did.

I was Shure's publicist for "Jazz" and had the pleasure of working with her and the media to get articles, shows and whatever else profiling her first novel.

"Jazz" is a page-turner and leaves you on the edge at the end of the book wanting more. Will Shure write another novel with main character Jeri Devlin? I've been wishing!

Jill Shure's first novel Night Jazz is a highly readable light-hearted romp through the final days of the delightfully decadent Jazz Age. Reminiscent of Herman Wouk's Marjorie Morningstar, Night Jazz doesn't fit neatly into any specific genre. Not simply science fiction or murder mystery, it is also far more complex than most romance novels. Night Jazz is fast-paced fun. So, tuck into a box of chocolates, curl up on the couch, and give in to the pleasure of an old-fashioned love story. It's delicious.

Jill Shure chose an ambitious setting for her delightful love story between Jeri Devlin who finds her passion in the past, and the dashing Lex Rose. The details and facts about the 1929 people and events she sprinkles throughout this engaging romantic novel where well researched and add an interesting element to the story. The ending left me hoping that there will be a sequel.

The story pulls you in from the beginning. I found the premise unique and intriguing. The attention to detail and the emotional connection I developed with Jeri kept me going. I had to know what happened next. Would she find her bother, would he know her, would they get back to the modern day... did she want to return to the modern day? To me, a great story is one that pulls you in and doesn't let you go until it's complete. Night Jazz did just that.

The story is about a 90's executive single woman searching for her brother who has disappeared. She gets transported back in time to the days before the Stock Market Crash, and while searching for her brother meets socialites, gangsters and business people. She experiences discrimination for being an intelligent woman and has trouble finding and holding jobs. The relationship that develops between the gangster and Jeri is wonderful and unexpected and what transpires is incredible.

Night Jazz is not a typical romance novel! It is a fantastic journey that takes you away to the roaring twenties. I was so wrapped up in the story that I could smell the fragrances mentioned, picture the fabulous gowns the socialites were wearing and vividly imagine the hustle and bustle of the crowded city streets of New York.

I was hesitant at first - time travel and romance - probably typical girl meets guy, they hate each other, they fall in love - but NO! It was incredible, the surprises, the turn of events, the secrets, the mystery, the gangsters. It was totally romantic, exciting and unpredictable.

I highly recommend it for romance readers and people who like a good story with a little bit of mystery, time travel, history, fun intertwined with a little romance.

Glatzer has an exceptional talent. She has writing experience that smacks you in the face with its authenticity. She says, "Writers block is really more a case of opportunity knocking and you having your radio tuned up too loudly to hear it." (p. 10) and then goes on to explain how you might benefit from the big WB.

Glatzers's book sets an example for writers because it is fresh, carefully crafted, and entertaining. There are, to be sure, other books that address writer's block but this one is far more fun and less dogmatic than most. These are the fraternal twins that let this volume fill a much-needed niche in advice books for writers.
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Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson. ...

If you've ever found yourself staring at a blank page all day, or doing mundane chores over again just to avoid that lost feeling, then you've experienced writer's block. And Jenna Glatzer says, "That's good news - it means you're a writer!" Even highly successful writers can't avoid this problem, it's like failure, it happens and we learn from it. What's more important, is that you learn how to manage it.

I believe all writers should now celebrate, because Jenna has written a humorous and practical guide that is chock full of tricks of the trade, versatile tools, and writer's block busting exercises that tackle this problem from all angles.

It's worth more than a quick read, I plan to keep my copy close by so I can refer to it when those 'moments' happen, and more importantly, I consider most of her strategies to be a proactive way to increase my creativity and amount that I write.

I interviewed Jenna Glatzer on "The Inside Success Show" and was captivated by her charm and wit. She's dedicated and a great example of how to proactively manage problems, not just hide from them.

Here's some other things I learned from Jenna:
** How Jenna Glatzer went from art to acting, and then finally found her creative outlet in a professional writing career!
** What determines when an idea isn't going to work (in advance)
** Why you need to rid yourself of myths and rules to write well.
** How to apply relaxation techniques to get back into "the flow"

** What 3 things you can do optimize your performance as a writer
** And much, much more ...

Whether you're a professional writer needing to jump-start your creativity, a college student needing to meet your deadlines, or a business person who needs to increase output, I believe you will find this book rewarding.

Randy (Dr. Proactive) Gilbert, Host of The Inside Success Show (TheInsideSuccessShow.com) and best-selling author of "Success Bound"

I'm buying a copy for each of my clients for Christmas. It helped me break out of the block, so I know first hand that this is a gem to share! Editors: I suggest you do the same for your clients!

The heroine waits for you to guide her through the perilous, emotionally charged journey upon which you have started her. Nothing! Absolutely nothing comes to mind. You are as blank as the page that stares back at you. Deadlines loom overhead and time just keeps on ticking by. Crossing your fingers, you begin to pick up where you left off. It's just that simple, right? Wrong - you stop as suddenly as you start. Nothing! Perhaps you should do something else to take your mind off of everything for a few minutes. Suddenly you remember the last time you took "a little break" but it took you weeks to get started again. Where is she? Where is the muse that helped you get this far? Abandoned now, alone with the blank pages, panic sets in as you realize that you have it. You have caught that dreaded writer's disease. You have writer's block. What do you do now?

Just grab a copy of Jenna Glatzer's OUTWITTING WRITER' S BLOCK AND OTHER PROBLEMS OF THE PEN. As an experienced, published writer, Glatzer understands the frustration of having a blank page glare at you. Not only does she understand the frustrations that plague a writer, she has developed a comprehensive and easy to follow guide that offers a multitude of ways to combat the enemies of the creative process.

Glazter wants the writer to understand that a block is nothing to panic about. She considers it an occupational hazard that even the greats have to conquer. Glatzer lets the writer know that hope is not lost when the page continues to remain blank because there are many effective ways of slaying the beast. In each chapter the writer is encouraged to stay one step ahead of the game by examining reasons why writer's block may rear its ugly head. Exploring the psychological causes of a block such as anxiety, self-doubt, along with unreasonable expectations, Glatzer engages the writer to battle the enemy within first. Included with each chapter are creative writing prompts to help get the creative juices flowing once more.

OUTWITTING WRITER'S BLOCK AND OTHER PROBLEMS OF THE PEN is a witty and inspiring way of tackling troublesome roadblocks writers are sure to encounter. From exposing the psychological reasons behind roadblocks to effective ways of eradicating these problems, Glatzer offers encouraging and motivating words to help the writer to write. So whether you are just a novice looking to get that first manuscript completed or an established veteran who needs a little encouragement this is one book no writer should be without.

Reviewed by L. Raven James
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Glatzer's entertaining writing style not only pokes fun at the dreaded "writer's block," but offers advice on other writing topics such as: how to find ideas, how to handle self-doubt and deadlines. Through her clever use of humor and seasoned with personal and other writing anecdotes, she demystifies and offers excellent advice on how to outwit this bane of writers everywhere.

For example, under a section entitled "Where to Get Ideas," Glatzer writes: "Another myth is that great ideas are supposed to just come to writers. Like we're all just walking around, minding our own business when wham! A great idea falls out of the heavens and lands in our brains. I, on the other hand, am idea-challenged. The idea fairy rarely visits my home without my asking. I have to invite her, cajole her, and then sometimes bang her over the head with a stick and drag her unconscious body into my abode without my neighbors calling the police. My muse is my mortgage."

Her book, her advice and her writing style will inspire writers everywhere not to give up -- no matter what. Her book is also one that writers will return to again and again if not for advice and support then for a great pick-me-up when the writing gets tough.

The thing that surprised me the most in this breezy, charming bio by Goldberg, who made Michael J Fox a star when he created 'Family Ties', is how choked up I got while reading it. It reads like those light, smart sit-coms you're watching and laughing hysterically at, and then suddenly something happens that's so touching, so human, you're welling up before you know it. A large portion of the book is, like so many have previously stated, a love letter to his wife, and it's nice to see Hollywood endings can come at the end of a romantic fairy tale.

What a refreshingly funny, sincere, and insightful read. I laughed out loud so many times I lost count. I loved the way he included just the right amounts of different aspects of his life, none dominating the story - his work in television, his adorable chocolate Lab Ubu, his friendships, and his heartwarming relationship with his wife Diana. It was simply delightful cover to cover. I read few books more than once; this will be one of them.

I've read sooooooo many books in my day, but this one has the charm, warmth and insight into Gary's humanity, that I couldn't put it down. Now what do I read????!!!! Please, Gary, write another one!!!

Sit Ubu Sit is a heart warming,entertaining and thoroughly engaging memoir. The life experiences of Gary David Goldberg are interesting in and of themselves and the lessons learned from his life's path are invaluable to just about everyone.The book is like a Philosophy 101 course putting into perspective the priorities of life using Hollywood and Brooklyn as two polar opposites of life's spectrum. Gary Goldberg is the friend we all want...........the father we all crave........the husband we all dream of......His warmth, sense of humor, family devotion,intelligence and uniqueness all interplay to make this a fabulous read.

Reading this book feels like watching a sitcom, but you don't have to wait from episode to episode to get a few laughs. You get a concentrated dose of humor mixed with some tragedy. Another reason it is better than a sitcom is that all of the stories are true. The book is hard to put down and when you are finished it leaves you feeling uplifted, despite the parts that make you cry.

Excellent, excellent book! I have been in aviation for 20 years as a flight attendant at three airlines. The variety of quotations is excellent. The book makes me appreciate aviation even more. These are exciting times and this book helps me navigate the past and apply great quotes for my continuing aviation career.

I am very thankful for this book. I will keep it by my bedside and take it on trips.

I bought this book as gifts for my rc- aviation friends and it was an instant hit! This book makes an awesome bathroom quote book- or a lovely coffee table book. It is small but thick. A great read. I gave it 5 stars, but I will say that I expected pictures to go along with the great quotes.-this is just a minor flaw. Most probably wouldn't expect pictures anyway. The words inspire scenery in the mind by themselves. Definitly worth the buy!

My husband likes to fly (we have a small plane) so I thought he'd enjoy this book even. He loved it! And I loved it too I n=must say. Its a terrific collection of quotes the reference or talk about flight and flying. The quotes are organized into chapters: high flight, magic & wonder of flight, predictions, first flights, air power, combat, bums on seats, cliches, misc., piloting, safety, space, women fly, last words. There must be hundreds of quotes in here. There are some photographg (B/W). Its a terrific collection! Highly recommended!

My father was an air traffic controller (firstly in the air force and then in civil aviation) so I grew up around airports and aeroplanes.

I can just sit with this book for half an hour any time. It is a wonderful combination of humour - "Airplane travel is nature's way of making you look like your passport photo." (Al Gore) - might be my favourite. But there is also the deeply profound and quite moving.

It'll be a well thumbed and much quoted book for years to come.

Flying is a PASSION and "Slipping the Surly Bonds" is a great book for anyone who shares that passion....

This is a must read for pilots or ANYONE interested in flying or connected with the aviation industry. It is NOT a " sparse, flowery book of aviation poetry," - it is a very thorough book of aviation history in the form of various quotes. I would estimate that there are approximately 1000 quotes contained in this easy to read format.

This book makes a WONDERFUL gift for pilots and those who have always been fascinated with flying. However, unlike most books that contain a few poetic lines on each page - this book centers more around historic and literary quotes. Although it is more than a "coffee table" book, it is certainly a book that would easily interest most guests.

"Slipping the Surly Bonds" is divided into 14 areas and has an index for easy referencing. Areas of interests include: First Flights, Magic and Wonder of Flight, Air Power, Combat, Predictions, Piloting, Safety, Space, and Women Fly and more.

As a female Vice President of two small Aviation Companies, I have often searched for gifts for pilots, etc. who have been difficult to buy for. I have never gone wrong when purchasing this book as a gift.

I'm an English teacher and a part-time, professional non-fiction writer. I walked past "The Writer's Toolbox" in a bookstore this past weekend, sniffed at the creative packaging, and muttered, "All fluff, but no substance, I'll bet!" And yet, I found myself going back to it. Finally, I bought the damned thing, hoping to scratch the itch.

At home, I opened it, expecting buyer's remorse. No way!!! This kit is amazing. I plan to use it in the classroom next year, both during school hours with my writing students and after hours with my Writers Guild. I especially like the sample story -- in the directions -- that is essentially the result of the toolbox games.

My favorite device? The non sequiter sticks. I plan on using them to help keep some of my non-fiction writing dynamic. Of course, I'll have to modify the items to my own research and reality, but that strikes me as half the fun.

A very clever little box full of games, ideas, and methods for creative writing. Thanks!

Scott Snair

The Writer's Toolbox is fun and engaging-- not only for me, but for our weekly writers' group! The group of six to eight of us come to the table with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. The Writer's Toolbox inspirational and fun exercises are relational and help us to jump 'write' in with our warm-ups! Thanks for sharing your fabulous ideas and instruction, Jamie!
Tanja Moriarty, "Encouraging Words", Haddam, Connecticut.

This is truly a wonderful product! Simply put, the Writer's Toolbox is a necessity for every writer. Who among us has not been faced with a blank page at one point or another during our writing careers? The writing exercises in this package are perfect for moving beyond "I want to write" to "I am writing." In fact, it was a writing exercise from Jamie Cat Callan that inspired me to write my novel, due for completion in August 2008. Kudos to Ms. Callan for a brilliant creation!

Jamie has been one of my most inspiring writing mentors, and it looks like she literally "picked up" her classroom and placed it into this clever and eye-appealing keepsake! How ingenious that she put her creative teaching techniques INSIDE a box in order to motivate writers to think OUTSIDE of it. The only thing missing from this toolbox is a badge that says, "I am a writer," as the person who utilizes her time tested techniques will certainly be able to make this declaration after using it!

As a homeschooling parent with a high school age daughter, I bought The Writer's Toolbox to use as part of our writing program. After years of focusing on sentence structure and grammar rules, I was afraid I had completely destroyed my daughter's desire to write. Jamie's toolbox provided the breath of fresh air that our writing life needed. With just the right amount of instruction and loads of room for creativity, the exercises offered quickly restored to my daughter the joy of writing. When we break out the Tool Box, the spinners, cards, timers and sentence starting sticks have us feeling like we're playing a game. When learning and fun are synonymous, both teacher and student are winners. Thanks, Jamie for this great writing tool!

I really like this book. I have written short stories before, but I am actually writing my first novel. This book has been very helpful as far as style and writing. I was stuck on POV, and it really helped me through it. And then the fact that it is also written by a publisher is great for when I get to that stage. Most books for writing I don't like, but I recommend this one.

I am so glad I bought this book! I write as a hobby and my goal is to become an author. A few years ago I quickly wrote a story, randomly picked a publisher off the internet, and sent it off with dreams of success. I thought it didn't need to be absolutely perfect--that's what editors are for, right? Won't they help me develop my story into what they want? After reading this book, I now know why 6 months later I received a cold, generic rejection letter. (I was probably lucky to even get that!) I unwittingly sent in a rough draft and an awful query letter that publishers/agents despise and toss in the garbage minutes after it hits their desk. Left to my own devices, I'm sure I would have sent another quick rough draft to yet another publishing company or agent and wondered why no one seemed interested in my work.

The truth is, publishing companies and agents are swamped with desperate pleas from new writers and piles of awful manuscripts, and they aren't going to look at anything that isn't the best. This book shows you, step by step, how to develop YOUR skills to write a terrific novel and revise and polish it to perfection. Lots of reviewers said they skipped this section, but I encourage any writer to read it. What writer doesn't appreciate great advice from another writer who has achieved success? The second section of the book actually left me scared and ready to give up in despair! So few manuscripts are even looked at by publishers, let alone go on to become a best seller, that it seems hopeless. However, the agent gives you valuable (and sometimes harsh) information that every author mailing out large envelops stuffed full of sloppy, rushed chapters and dreaming of the day they are rolling in royalties needs to know.

I feel like I now have insider tips into the world of publishing, my blinders are stripped off, and my novel will stand out from the others laying on an agent's desk. This book is invaluable to me, and I expect it to be worn thin as I write and attempt to publish my work.

Finishing my first novel was a long, often painful, often exciting journey. But when it was done, what came next? I really had no idea.

Having accomplished one of my life's major goals, I was thrilled just to complete the darn thing. But would it ever get published? Would anyone ever read it?

I felt like Peggy Lee singing "is that all there is?"

I needed help. After taking a look at many of the resources out there, I settled on Ann Rittenberg's and Laura Whitcomb's excellent Your First Novel as my primary guide.

I'm so glad I did. Now, to be honest, since my book was already done, I didn't read Ms. Whitcomb's chapters, which focus on the writing process. Instead, I hungrily jumped to Ms. Rittenberg's sections on how to sell it.

And sell it I did. Following Ms. Rittenberg's very clear and logically organized advice, I was able to obtain an agent and a publisher. I knew what questions to expect, what objections I'd have to overcome, and how best to package and present my work.

I've looked at many books of this sort, and Your First Novel was the most helpful for me. In fact, now that I'm writing my second novel, I've started to read Ms. Whitcomb's writing advice. Hopefully, it will be as rewarding as Ms. Rittenberg's contributions were, and it will help me avoid the dreaded sophmore slump.

Good luck to you in your journey!

Scott Sherman, author, First You Fall: A Kevin Connor Mystery

This book is a great way for those who are struggling to even get started writing their first novels to sit down and map out the process. It is a step-by-step guide that helps give you ideas and resources about how to go about writing a novel. Be prepared to want to buy some of the recommended books the authors discuss!

This book was very helpful. I have just finished my first novel after a year and a half of work. I only wished I had read this book before typing out over 250 pages. Depending on your reason for writing, this book could either be a help or a major discouragement. When I read the second half of the book which was written by a literary agent I was shocked by how hard it is to even get a book considered, let alone published. She describes one agent who decides whether to read a manuscript by how much dialog is in the work. If there is too much empty page or not enough the manuscript gets tossed into the slush pile. One wonders how many great works of art have been passed over by such approaches. However, you can't hold the agents too accountable. Do you actually expect them to read each of the 20 manuscripts they get a day. So first and foremost, if writing is not a passion you would endulge in whether you became rich and famous, then proceed. If you think it is a quick and easy way out of your dead end job, you might find another hobby. According to these authors, the writing field is one litered with broken spirits and rejection. Nonetheless, there are a great many tips on both writing and manuscript submisssion that are very very important. You owe it to yourself to invest in this book. Good Luck!

I am not a reviewer but I am a soldier. This book has everything in it you could want in an action novel. I really liked how the author got all his facts right on the ordinance and gear used by the various military units and the descriptions of their effect is dead on. The plot was so imaginative I couldnt believe it! It not only kept me reading but scared me a little with how real it was. The way the book started out I thought it would be about how bad slavery is in the Arab world but in the middle of the book it took a surprise turn. I have been briefed by experts on al-Qaida and thought I knew a lot about how they operate but this story detailed new information that I later found was accurate. Every day citizens back in the world should also pay attention to the lessons you can learn from this great book, we are at war with terrorists and it will not end soon.

I read Elephant Gun by Phillip E. Carpenter and liked it so much I knew I had to read Arabian Assignment.If you read Elephant Gun first you will enjoy Arabian Assignment more as you will understand the characters and the direction of the book.Arabian Assignment is another masterpiece from Phillip E. Carpenter.This author has the type of writing skill that as you read the book you feel as if you are in the storyline yourself.You will be so involve with the characters that you just can't stop reading.This book is fiction but you will start to believe that it is really non fiction and you start to realize how little we know and understand terrorist.This book should be a must read for all armed service personnel as it will help them understand terrorist and just how evil they think.You will enjoy this book so much that when you are finish you will be e/mailing your friends and telling them they must read this book.I can't wait until the next book by Phillip E. Carpenter comes out.

Finally, a novel in the tradition of Hemingway and other great adventure novelists of the past. Not only does Carpenter create a plot with all the necessary elements, altruism, danger, evildoers, captures, escapes, rescuers, battles, personality clashes, politics, religion, international crises and final solutions, but he does it by using today's news events and real situations. Applause to the courage of an author who thought of making Osama bin-Laden one of the key manipulators of a novel's plot before Sept.11th, 2001, and using the abominable slavery trade in Africa as a stepping stone to uncover al-Qaeda's horrific terrorist plots. ... I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading this lengthy and satisfying novel, perhaps the best adventure story I've run across in years.

Arabian Assignment by Phillip Carpenter is by far one of the most interesting books I have read. This man is so well versed in the ways, not only of the world, but of this part of the world. It is hard to believe that this writer knows so much about this world which is so foreign to us. Further, Carpenter has an extraordinary command of the English language - used long (sometimes VERY long)sentences/descriptions without duplicating words. He has taken his enviable talents and his life experiences and used them to write a fascinating story with people who seem so real. They have real-life flaws and faults. They are very human, react in very human ways - terrified but courageous women - so much more. Also interesting, and frightening is his knowledge of Bin Laden, etc.,long before Bin Laden became,tragically, a household name. I heartily recommend this book. I am about to read Elephant Gun, written first and which I probably should have read first, to learn more about the characters in Arabian Assignment. Am looking forward to more from this author. Barbara Williams

I can't say that I liked every single thing about this book. For example, on occasion characters went on for uninterrupted paragraphs telling one another things that would have been well known by the listening characters and were obviously for the benefit of the reader alone (at times they are things even the reader does not need to hear).

That aside, I still give Arabian Assignment five plus stars. What a remarkable book to have written at any time, but especially prior to September 11, 2001! Carpenter is obviously not merely smart, he also possesses an astounding background including an insiders understanding of Arab culture. I've visited some of the regions of Africa he writes about, and have long been interested in African/Arab politics. In Arabian Assignment I had the opportunity to see some of the macro behavioral things I've learned about functioning on a micro (albeit fictional) scale. Fictional or not, there can be no doubt that these sorts of characters exist.

Arabian Assignment may be the most graphic book I've ever read. It's not for those who'd rather remain oblivious to the sub-sewer levels mankind can and does stoop to. The many scenes of this nature are not gratuitous, though. They are there because they are relevant. I suspect that many readers will complete this book with impressions vastly changed from those they brought to it. Given the current state of the world, understanding the mindset of both our allies and enemies will be immensely valuable to knowing what actions we should and should not take. Arabian Assignment becomes more encompassing as it progresses, until by the end it has some important things to say about how freedom might be protected. How many novels can you say that about?