Writers Books

Even when Ray Bradbury isn't writing, his friends and fans and disciples are writing about him. This book will give you a couple of hours of joy, and make you wish you had read all 500 of Bradbury's published works, seen all his movies and television productions, heard all his radio plays, seen his stage productions, heard all his recorded books and stories, attended all his lectures, seen all his media interviews. Once hooked on Bradbury, no-one goes into recovery. Ray Bradbury's works are written for future generations of optimal behaviorists who want to see the world and its people survive and thrive.

--Jim Reed, author, DAD'S TWEED COAT: SMALL WISDOMS HIDDEN COMFORTS UNEXPECTED JOYS. Learn more about Reed: jimreedbooks.com

This coffee table book is a must have for Bradbury fans. Full of pictures and illustrations of his various stories and books are interweaved with text written by friends and associates of Bradbury's throughout his professional carreer. The book spends a great deal of time on his personal correspondance with William Gaines (comic book publisher and later MAD magazine). The correspondance shows a literary master who was truly fond of comics,then considered a trash medium during the 1950's. The book also spends a good deal of time on notes by Francois Truffaut, the french cinema genious who filmed farhenheit 451. Bradbury is also shown as a man who loved Hollywood from the time he was a small boy. This book is a great addition to have, both for the written word and the beautiful artwork.

There's a point in this book where the author says "You have to be an amazing writer to inspire so many illustrations and paintings." And that's why Bradbury is so great. After reading a book like The Martian Chronicles, you can easily imagine what he was describing. And if you can draw or paint, you'll want to create those images on canvas.

That's why almost every piece of artwork in this book is so beautiful. Just take the Illustrated Man as an example. Each artist who was commissioned to create a cover for the book had the task of showing an almost-naked man covered in tattoos. But the tattoos had to show scenes from dozens of short stories. One artist made the Illustrated Man an obese, shirtless guy in a carnival sideshow. Another gave him technicolor cartoons across his back and shoulders, depicting roaring lions and men in spacesuits. The third image is the most famous --- a nude man with his back to the viewer, sitting, with all of the skin below his neck covered in images.

This approach is repeated throughout the book --- different artists interpret the most vivid images from Bradbury's best books and stories. Over a hundred paperback book covers are reproduced (including a few that I was obsessed with when I was ten years old), along with movie posters, paintings, movie stills, and comic book pages.

The text is just as good. This book serves as a biography of Ray Bradbury, tracing the arc of his career from science fiction author to short story writer for 'the slicks' to comic book writer, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. Bradbury's relationship with EC comics is recounted through the correspondence between Bradbury and William Gaines. It's very interesting, especially when Bradbury catches Gaines stealing his stories and offers to write more for EC instead of suing.

If you're a Bradbury fan, you'll love this. It's the kind of book you'll pull off the shelf every month and flip through, just to marvel at all of the strange and beautiful images. If you don't know Bradbury's work, you'll still enjoy all of the artwork. Maybe the images will inspire you to read his books..

This treat of a book is unique in that it is not merely a collection of illustrations from Bradbury publications over the years, but seeks to document the whole spectrum of "visualizing" the rich prose of Mr. Bradbury, an almost impossible task! This includes films, stage productions, marginal doodles by Bradbury himself, books and films that inspired Bradbury in his early years, and much more - a rewardingly broad approach to crafting the book.
In addition wholeheartedly agreeing with the wonderful points noted by other reviewers, I would like to point out that the book features much rare material by Joseph Mugnaini, the definitive Bradbury artist, in the form of concept sketches for covers, stage backdrops, and some of the original paintings that inspired the Bradbury-Mugnaini partnership in the first place. The contribution of Mugnaini's works to Bradbury's success, as a visual carnival barker beckoning readers into Bradbury's world is tough to underestimate.
The book is beautifully printed, with one absolutely tragic exception - the reproduction of Charles Addams' original illustration for the story "Homecoming" is horrible! It is terribly blurry and there are some kind of liquid stains on the original work, which hung in the Bradbury home for many years. For comparison, look at the (reversed) reproduction used as the dust jacket for Bradbury's recent "From the Dust Returned" novel/collection. Just unfortunate that the one illustration botched - was the lone collaboration between two magnificent twentieth-century masters of the macabre. Still OVERWHELMINGLY worth owning however.

Now that Sam Weller's "The Bradbury Chronicles:the Life of Ray Bradbury" is selling like water at the bookshops,we'll see the importance of Jerry Weist's "BRADBURY,AN ILLUSTRATED LIFE,A JOURNEY TO METAPHOR".I didn't read yet Weller's book,but I know that Frederik Pohl didn't like it.I own a copy of "Bradbury,an illustrated life...", since it appeared.And I loved it.What a gorgeous "objet d'art"!The ailing Bradbury must be proud to have inspired a book as beautiful-and good-as this one.The text by Jerry Weist is well written,professional,competent.The Foreword,by Bradbury's archivist ,collector and friend,Donn Albright,is very informative about a few of Bradbury's illustrators.The Introduction,penned by Bradbury himself,is enlightening.
As an admirer of Science-Fiction illustration and collector of SF Memorabilia ,this work was a visual feast to my eyes ,taste and, sensibility.
Called my attention:firstly,the reproductions of book and magazine(AMAZING STORIES,WONDER STORIES QUARTERLY)covers,interior illustrations,movie stills and posters(the famous one-sheet poster for the silent "THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA" and the glorious six-sheet poster designed for William Cameron Menzies's/H.G.Wells's "THINGS TO COME")and the Sunday comic strips(TARZAN,BUCK ROGERS),that influenced Bradbury's visual taste and literary preferences.Secondly,the reproductions of publications(fanzines)like IMAGINATION and FUTURIA FANTASIA(with Bradbury as editor)that enriched his beginnings as a science-fiction fan ,nurturing his creative juices and his friendship with the future great illustrator Hannes Bok,plus the moving photos made when Ray was visiting New York City during the (First)1939 WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION financed by his buddy Forrest J. Ackerman, or made in Los Angeles ,like the amazing photo showing a youthful Ray at a meeting of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society(LASFS) in 1940,when nineteen-year-old Bradbury was just beginning his writing career.This photo is sensational because it shows us other famous(now)members of the LASFS:FORREST J. ACKERMAN,MOROJO,RAY HARRYHAUSEN,ARTHUR K. BARNES,EDWARD E. "DOC" SMITH,CHARLES HORNIG,ROBERT HEINLEIN(seated at the table,only his face showing).Also appearing in the photo :JACK WILLIAMSON and EDMOND HAMILTON(standing near the wall in the background).The other photograph that moved me was taken(circa 1946/47)probably in Los Angeles, too. In this one , Ray appears side by side with the couple EDMOND HAMILTON/LEIGH BRACKETT and with Hamilton's sister.Thirdly,I was enraptured by the exquisite beauty of the interior B&W drawings(Oh,the marvelous B&W drawings by HANNES BOK,LEE BROWN COYE,BORIS DELGOV, VIRGIL FINLAY&LAWRENCE STERN STEVENS) illustrating Bradbury's stories in pulp magazines ;the outstanding colour paintings printed as illustrations for Bradbury's stories in the 'slicks'(ESQUIRE,THE SATURDAY EVENING POST,COLLIER'S,and so on).His stories(for instance,"A Sound of Thunder","The Beast from 20000 Fathoms","The Illustrated Man" and "Mars is Heaven")were,then, interpreted by great artists like STANLEY MELTZOFF,REN WICKS,JAMES R. BINGHAM&JAMES BAMA;the futuristic cover designs for Hardcovers ,like GEORGE BARROWS'S Arkham House(American edition) and MICHAEL AYRTON'S Hamish Hamilton(British edition) cover designs for "DARK CARNIVAL",ARTHUR LIDOV'S cover illustration for "THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES"(1950)and JOSEPH MUGNAINI'S cover painting for the british edition(1963)of "SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES" ;the catching paperback's covers for the BANTAM edition of "THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES"(1951)and the BALLANTINE editions of "FARENHEIT 451" &"THE OCTOBER COUNTRY"(1953&1956 respectively,both JOSEPH MUGNAINI'S covers).Deserve special mention the series of JOSEPH MUGNAINI'S(1912-1992) litographs,preliminary watercolor sketches,original B&W drawings and paintings inspired by Bradbury's stories and books.The italian-born MUGNAINI was considered the best interpreter of Ray's dreams.
Finally,the chapter dealing with 'EC COMICS and Ray Bradbury:The Untold Story' is precious.Jerry Weist is in his terrain here.As he says in the opening of the chapter:"The story of how Ray Bradbury came to have his writing adapted by a small,energetic company named Entertaining Comics in the 1950's is now a legendary chapter of comics history".How very true this is.I was enchanted by fantastic reproductions of originals by FRANK FRAZETTA,AL WILLIAMSON,AL FELDSTEIN(his recreations are amazing).And it is always rewarding for me to admire the fabulous adaptations&splash-page arwork by the great WALLACE(WALLY)WOOD,a real genius of the comics.'Last,but not least' I was thrilled reading and seeing the archive of photos and Film Memorabilia reproduced.My favorites:the promotional photographs of Ray with the lovely Barbara Rush during the production of "IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE"(Universal,1953);the Half-sheet &Insert posters & Window lobby card for the same film and the known(signed) One-sheet poster for "THE BEAST FROM 20.000 FATHOMS" .
Many years ago I saw "THE BEAST FROM 20.000 FATHOMS" at an old movie theatre in my home town.It was an unforgettable experience for me.A few years later ,I read the famous Bradbury's terrifying short story "MARS IS HEAVEN",the first yarn by this great writer that I read.I was definitely hooked.From then on I've been reading almost all his SF&Horror stories and a good number of his novels(novels?).
So,I love this book and I warmly recommend it.

This is one of the best books I have read on gambling in a long, ling, time! His style of writing is straightforward and clear and concise. He explains the odds on craps, blackjack and slots in a manner I can understand and apply. I especially appreciated his payoff schedules on each of the games and the strategy on the video games.
One of the few books I have bought that were worth the money!

A great switch from the mundane world of gambling books, this author presents his own personal experiences in a humorous yet professional manner. His own expertise is relayed through statistical and easy to understand information. I would highly recommend this book to any casino regular who is still not confident in their game.

I really enjoyed reading James Crowder's book, Casino Gambling for Fun and Profit. It was very informative and helpful to the beginner and the experienced player. I have read a lot of gambling books, but I was especially impressed with the way Dr. Crowder mixed some humor and some of his own experiences into the book. Anyone can write statistics down, but this book captures my attention and makes for enjoyable reading and learning.

This book would be a very insightful tool to any inexperienced gambler as well as professionals with years of experience. It provides strategic tips and documented accounts of the author's personal research relating to Video Poker and Blackjack. Following this author through his analysis of the sport is quite intriguing. He cleverly uses humor to help paint the true casino atmosphere. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his book, and have monetary proof he knows what he writes.

Casino Gambling for Fun and Profit is extremely informative on the subjects of blackjack and video poker. The amusing stories from the author's past experience holds the readers' attention as well as reinforces the technical explanations. As a novice gambler this book gave me the confidence to play other casino games besides slots and actually walk away a winner.

I found the book extremely entertaining and easy to read. In fact, I could not put it down. The author does a great job combining humor, action, intrigue and romance. The argument and the manner in which the story evolves is not only original and witty but it grabs your attention and keeps your interest throughout. I fell in love with the characters: they made me laugh and worry.... A must read!!

I found the book extremely entertaining and easy to read. In fact, I could not put it down. The author does a great job combining humor, action, intrigue and romance. The argument and the manner in which the story evolves is not only original and witty but it grabs your attention and keeps your interest throughout. I fell in love with the characters: they made me laugh and worry.... A must read!!

I found Chief Executive Officer to be quite a "page turner", easy to read, quite well written and very entertaining. Well recommended.

Mark Hanson's Chief Executive Officer is an unorthodox novel about two men who, disillusioned with the roles they have played so far, switch identities in hope of improving things for the better. An urbane, business-savvy CEO dares to run a miners' union with numerous thugs and knuckle-breakers, while a labor leader who once fought in the Vietnam War struggles to do something about a rapidly failing 16-billion dollar insurance corporation. Unprepared and caught in totally unfamiliar environments, each leader must adapt to change not only to survive, but to succeed where the other has failed, until ultimately their paths cross once again - as business antagonists at the negotiation table. Chief Executive Officer is a highly intriguing, unforgettable read about being caught in the Fast World and struggling to run just as fast as you can to keep up.

I recently finished reading Mark Hanson's Chief Executive Officer and found it to be thoroughly enjoyable. The book's pace was excellent. I found the twist in the main character's roles, and how their previous professions allowed them to succeed in their new lives, both humorous and encouraging. I have already recommended the book to many as an entertaining, and rewarding experience. It makes me think of how my own past experiences help shape my future.

I was only recently introduced to Harry Crews, but this memoir should be required prior to reading any of his compelling fiction. One does not need to know about Mr. Crews to enjoy his fiction, but to read this book first is to build an affinity for the author. His memories of southern Georgia during the great depression and war years are the most accurate in tone of any non-fiction that has come out of the South. He has been linked to Flannery O'Connor, but to me he seems to be a more existential William Faulkner.

Although this book is not a typical work by the literate master of the hard South, it is a testament to his talent. This book made me see and feel the life of a 6 year old dirt farmer in Bacon Co, Georgia, and also give some insight into the basis of characters in Crews' fictional works. This is one of the best quasi-memoirs ever written, and even has a slight belief in human goodness not seen in his other work. Mr. Crews' more typical works (such as Feast of Snakes or All We Need of Hell) are very good novels in their own right, yet Childhood stands apart and above all of his other books combined. If you read nothing else by Harry Crews (which is not a good idea--you should read many of his books), this is the one to choose.

I would suggest this book to anyone who has ever read anything published by Harry Crews; specifically to those who haven't read anything by him, but who are interested in this magnificent author. After reading it, I found myself wondering how Crews was able to escape childhood, much less become of the the greatest Southern authors since Faulkner. Truly a fantastic book that will stand the test of time and inevitably cast Crews as one of the greatest authors of the 20th century!

Several associations, as I was born in Bacon County in the unincorporated community of ScuffleTown.I have never written A review of a book before. I really enjoyed the book because of all the associations of the area of my birth. My qeestion in my review would be. "How does one get from Bacon County to becoming A Professor at the UF?"

I was assigned this book in a tutorial class on the "mind of the south" by a professor during my senior year of college. I was immediately drawn to the author's experiences with tenant farming; being the son of a mother whose own father was a farmer that oversaw several tenents to his own farming operation prior to, and shortly after WWII. Crew's accurate depection of tenant farmer life was valididated, to this reader at least, by his portrayal of an agricultural system that was difficult to not only rural agricultural African Americans, but their white supervisors. Crews has done a wonderful job of incorporating the distinctly southern phrases and dialogue of the rural, agrarian south. I though my own mother was the only person who pronounced "hurricane" as "harrakin". Charachters such as Willalee Bookatee and his family were strikingly similar to those poor blacks, and whites, described in my mother's stories of working in the tobacco fields of rural NC. This book will shed some much needed light on the fact that the hard-core, rural south is not so far removed from the remodeled "New South".

Glyer's book provides valuable insight for fans and scholars of The Inklings collective works. She has a fresh slant on material that most Tolkien and Lewis readers have seen in other formats. Her agenda, though, presents the idea of "influence" in a changing light. I think that she opens doors of critcical opportunity that will allow much more fruitful sorts of investigations of Lewis, Tolkien, and William's work.

The Company They Keep is scholarly writing at it's best. I used it with gifted high schoolers with excellent results. The students became excited about how Glyer did such extensive research and then wrote about it in such an interesting and readable way.

If you're interested in community, the writing process, or Tolkien and Lewis, this is the best book out this year. I have to be careful not to pick up the book when I'm supposed to be doing homework. It's entertaining reading full of fascinating facts and an inside look at how works like Lord of the Rings got written.

The fantasy literature of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein is so imaginative and idiosyncratic that one accepts that they wrote such lasting works somewhat obstinately and mainly privately almost as a hobby with little hope they would ever be published, much less popular. The picture of J. R. Rowling writing the beginnings of the first Harry Potter book sitting along at a table in an English shop comes to mind with this image of the earlier authors. Lewis and Tolkein are known to be good friends as well as professional colleagues at Oxford University. But as professor of English at Azusa Pacific U. in California Glyer puts forward, Lewis and Tolkein were part of a circle of academics and writers who had a large, discernible, and often documented influence on their works. From diaries, memoirs, letters, and other sources, Glyer finds that this influence is most evident with Tolkein. This circle which acquired the name "The Inklings," "modeled the behavior of poets and storytellers, provided feedback on his drafts, helped him develop his own critical faculties, recommended reading material that supported and shaped his imagination, and suggested that certain pieces be started, reworked, completed, or submitted for publication." Glyer continues, "It is no small matter that all of this early influence took place within a highly interactive group setting." What the author says with respect to Tolkein applies as well to Lewis, though not quite so overtly recognizably. In their turn, Tolkein and Lewis were active participants in the group offering the same support and suggestions to its other members. Shortly after arriving at Oxford as a student, Tolkein founded the literary society named the "Apolausticks."

In an appendix by a David Bratman, relevant background on 17 members of the Inklings besides Tolkein and Lewis is given. Most became university professors of English or medieval literature or of language studies, with most doing scholarly writings on literary criticism. This work of literary criticism and author biography is obviously timely given the current interest in these authors as evidenced by widely-popular movies made from books of theirs.

This book shows scholarly intellect, hard work, dedication, and insightful thought that I have only achieved in lofty dreams. Diana Glyer presents interesting, insiteful, and inspiring information about the Inklings that you will not find anywhere else. I have never read a book that so skillfully puts scholarship in such an accessable read. For anyone who is a fan of the Inklings, Lewis, Tolkien, Williams, or anyone remotely related to these men do yourself a favor and read this book.

This book is more suited for one who has started writng poetry. There are numerous exercises which may discourage the novice.

A fun and easy-to-read introduction to poetry for anybody. A must for a beginning poet. There is something to chuckle about on every page, I wrote a poem about one:

Assignment No. 12

Read something that seems impossibly difficult.
John Drury, you say things so impossibly easy,
You may as well be a Zen teacher.

Do you care to explain what you meant,
Or shall I tie you to a chair and torture you
To get a confession out of you?

Wait, Billy Collins told us to waterski
And wave at your name on the shore.
I know it was an assignment, not a poem.
But you wrote it so poetically,
I won't bring out a hose to beat you
To find out what you really meant.

Anyway, that's why I love to write poems:
I can leave a line hanging in the air,
Without explaining why or what it means,
For readers to imagine and discover.

"The first line of any poem is a kind of door, an entrance into the rooms of the stanzas, an opening. There are many kinds of doors, some plain, some ornate..." ~John Drury

Creating Poetry is not a book, it is a muse disguised as pages of paper within a cover! I cannot express my appreciation enough for this beautiful gift. John Drury's wisdom and attention to detail is inspiring and the warmth with which he writes inspires you to write poem after poem.

You can literally read this book and compose poems instantly as the inspiration flows through you. I was amazed at how Creating Poetry invoked the muse so effectively! Most of my poems appear as a singular thought or moment and then the first sentence will keep repeating itself until I start writing, then a poem flows through the pen. Reading this book, you need to keep paper and pen nearby because poems will appear as if called from a never-ending well of creativity.

"Some poets do depend on a flash of inspiration, maybe a good first line, before they sit down to work...waiting is their discipline. Like all poets, they are constantly preparing for the poems they will write." ~ John Drury

John Drury explores a wide variety of poetic forms and teaches poets how to develop style and feeling that will be conveyed to the reader and enhance the experience. For a long time I wrote poems without knowing what I was doing. In fact, my first book of poems appeared so spontaneously, I had no idea I could even write poems.

One of the suggestions he gives in this book is to read lots of poems and to indulge in the experience of reading them frequently. I cannot agree more! He also talks about playing music while you write. These suggestions are all very helpful. Some of the brilliant ideas include thoughts on myths. You can put yourself into the story and write about yourself as a mythical creature or you could write a poem about a painting or sculpture. The main sections introduce you to:

Developing your poetic sensitivity
Learning the fundamental tools of poetry
Refining sight - image, metaphor, symbols, vision
Sensitizing yourself to the music of words - alliteration, assonance, rhyme, sound effects
Developing the rhythmic qualities that make poems sing
Understanding the basic units of which poems are made - visual shape, stanzas, lines
Taking advantage of poetic forms - Ballad, Haiku, Ode, Villanelle, Song, Pantoum
Becoming aware of fine nuances - tone, understatement, dramatic monologue
Opening to potential sources - love, dreams, chance, thinking, memory, journals
Things to write about - stories, people, occasions, modern life, objects, subjects
Appreciation for Life - history, science, music, myths, painting, photographs
Bringing each poem to completion - revision, omissions, endings

Reviewing poetry stirred my interest as I noticed similarities within the uniqueness of style. What was it that so captured me in some poems and drew me in deeper into a poet's world? How do poets create a connection of souls in just a few lines? Often what a poet needs is an idea and then the full experience appears.

This book inspired me to write poems about love, silence, cinnamon, bookshelves, reviewing, bubble baths, candles, travel, eternity, hunger, dreams, music, friendship, autumn, wolves, castles, plum blossoms and even a poem about ships in a sea of emotion.

Reading "Creating Poetry" will inspire you to the point where reading this book may in fact inspire you to write 50-70 poems! You can read a book and write your own book at the same time! I'm working on publishing the book this book inspired, but I keep writing more poems! Creating Poetry Creates Poets!

~The Rebecca Review
Author of Moonbeam Moths

There are a few books in my personal library which I have acquired without really knowing the exact reasons for my ultimate decisions at the point of purchase. It could be the spur of the moment. Or something just grabs me. I really don't know.

This is one particular book (in fact, the only one of its genre, which I had bought) that fell under those impulses.

But there is something I am very sure of & that is, I am often fascinated by people who write literature, plays & poems, as well as the aesthetics of their creative work. I once heard this story from a government minister: "Math & Science give you the capability to build a gun. Literature & Poetry help you make the decision when to use it."

Neverthless, I took the trouble to read - & reread - this book on how to begin a poem. Through the hundreds of practical exercises to get going, I even invoked my muse & wrote a few short poems along the way. Not the best, but not bad for a beginner after all!

Personally, I really appreciate the author's constant encouragement: explore, practise, open yourself to all the potential sources of poetry - all around you & within you. I also like his beautiful presentation through twelve thematic chapters (each a self-contained unit), to name a few as follows:

- Preparing: developing your poetic sensitivity;
- Language: learning the fundamental tools of poetry & using them effectively;
- Sight: refining sight & insight to make your poetry come alive within themind's eye...& the heart's eye, too;
- Sound: sensitizing yourself to the music of words - both singly & in combination;
- Movement: developing the rhythmic qualities that make poems sing...& shout, match, croon & whisper;
- Voice: becoming aware of the fine nuances of how the words are said & connected, revealing each poem's implied speaker & "stance";
- Finishing: bringing each poem to successful completion;

As far as I am concerned, the author has also done a terrific job in addressing the imagery, metaphor & different methods of constructing & experimenting with new poetic forms.

On the whole, even though I cannot compare this book with others (this is the only one of its genre in my library & the only one I have perused), I would like to rank it with the highest marks.

Beginners and veteran poets alike are sure to find inspiration in this complete guide to writing poetry.

There is inspiration here in the form of exercises to invoke your muse, as well as practical advice on the "nuts and bolts" of writing and submitting your work.

Just about every aspect of writing poetry is covered, making this a wonderful resource for any poet.

I have shelves and shelves of books on writer's techniques, the writer's life, writer's dreams, writer's habits, overcoming writer's block, etc., etc., etc. They are on my shelves because after I read them, that's where I put them. Creativity Rules! does not share space with those books. It's on my desk next to my writing spiral. It's like a basic fiction writing class in which the author speaks in a soothing voice--low and encouraging. Each tiny lesson builds on the tiny lesson before it, and before you know it, you've got some ideas and then a sentence or two and then - what's this? - a story. If you've been dissatisfied with other how-to books, give this one a try. You'll be writing before you know what hit you.

No one writes like Vorhaus. His books are practical, funny, and they provide actionable techniques developed by professional working writers, not academics. I was feeling stuck and despairing before I revisited "Creativity Rules!" and now I'm back on track, generating ideas for characters, plots, etc. Vorhaus' genius lies in isolating techniques, breaking them down to small chunks that even a blockhead like me can understand. He then has you drill those chunks until you get fluent with them. Eminently useful and a pleasure to read. Not recommended for people who "would like to write someday"--this book is meant to be used by writers who write.

I recieved this book as a gift (Thank you, Raxum!) and from the first few minutes I worked from it, I was scribbling away.... not exactly "filling pages" yet, but writing SOMETHING. It's more than I've done in a long time.
The book is written in a style that makes sense and leaves me wanting to try out the ideas, to see if they WILL work for me.
Overall, I find it a great and fun book to work with.

I can't tell you how long I've been looking for this kind of information. All the theory I've read about stories seemed to make perfectly good sense until I sit down to actually write a solid story on my own. Then I suddenly start drowning in my own words, feeling often as though I am losing my mind (I'm not joking). This book holds all those insights and keys to good writing that have been eluding me for so long. And it's so simple! All I can say is bless this guy's soul for sharing this with the world. I cannot praise Vorhaus and his ridiculously simple book enough!

P.S. Another good book (especially for the intricacies of weaving a complex story) is Building Better Plots, by Robert Kernen.

"Creativity Rules" covers the fundamentals of writing compelling fiction and will absolutely unlock more of your creative potential. This book successfully teaches how to be more creative AND shows exactly how to flesh out the ideas into good stories.

John Vorhaus's books on writing are some of the only ones worth reading. Every writer owes it to himself and his readers to get this awesome tutorial.

I am an avid writer. I have written several novels and some nonfiction. As part of my writing regimen, I read at least one writing instructional book between each draft of each project.

I picked up a copy of Curse of the Misplaced Modifier and read it. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite grammar book. In this book, Bonnie Trenga tackles 7 of the most common writing problems; passive voice, nominalization, -ing words, weak verbs, misplaced modifiers, long sentences, and wordiness. She worked as an editor and has drawn from her professional experience to narrow most writing errors into these categories.

I enjoyed the examples of bad and corrected writing. I enjoyed her selection of common errors and her advice to writers about how to correct these errors by forming better writing habits. I wasn't so enamored by the cuteness of her prose. I am more of a nuts and bolts man. I like to roll up my sleeves and get right down to the rules of good writing without a lot of fluff. However, for some her lighthearted approach might be just the thing.

Good job, Bonnie.

-Craig Nybo, co-author of Total Human: The Complete Strength Training System

Bonnie Trenga has created a fun book that also helps you hone your writing skills. The seven most commonly corrected errors editors fix have been disected into seven interesting and fun chapters complete with exercises to help you stop the errors and create a more readable, intriguing story. I have been using this book while editing my manuscript, and find it indispensable. I highly recommend it for anyone serious about honing their writing craft.

A decade as a professional copyeditor and proofreader prompted Bonnie Trenga to write a reference book. She noticed that beginning and experienced clients alike made the same mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes lay with grammar or punctuation, but usually sentence structure was the problem.

At the time, none of the available grammar books addressed the problems she continually encountered. She felt that writers needed a guide covering the seven common writing mistakes she saw most often.

The Curious Case of the Misplaced Modifier is the result of her effort.

Writing well takes more than correct grammar. A sentence with ackward phrasing can cause readers to lose interest. So, instead of focusing on grammar, Misplaced Modifier concentrates on writing clear sentences that inform and entertain readers.

Each chapter begins with a short mystery story full of the writing mistake addressed. The chapters are short, direct and supported by examples. Each one is concluded by a recap and a summary. Trenga tells us what she's going to tell us, tells us what she told us, and then tells us again.

The problems discussed in the book include passive voice, nominalization, vague -ing words, weak verbs, misplaced modifiers, long sentences and wordy prose. Although the example stories are mysteries, the information is useful for any form of writing.

After the seven chapters on writing felonies comes a list of ten writing misdemeanors. The list covers punctuation, clichés, spelling and vocabulary. An answer key for the mistake-ridden mysteries and a glossary follow.

The book concludes with a weak writing rap sheet. The rap sheet repeats the information presented in the book in a graph form. It's format, which lists problems, examples and fixes, makes it easy to find the answers to specific questions.

This is, quite simply, a wonderful book for writers of all levels; whether high school, college, professional, or otherwise. If your writing is sick, because of weak sentence structure and improper grammar usage, reading this book will help heal it. The lessons found here will mend your words, and they will flow strong and true right from the heart of your writing, coursing through every sentence, bringing new life to your meaning.

I'm a professional writer who is always in search of ways to improve my craft, and have shelves of writing books; many of which are on the subject of grammar. They, for the most part, are dry, lifeless, and make for very dull reading. But 'The Curious Case Of The Misplaced Modifier' is different. It presents explanations of seven common grammatical mistakes in an easy to grasp, personal, and thoroughly enjoyable way. It's almost as if the author was sitting on the couch next to me, sipping tea, while explaining why and how to build better sentences through the proper use of grammar.

Although a physically small book, measuring just 8"x5" with some 150 pages, it packs a huge wallop.

Yes, Gracie, good things do come in small packages. Buy it, you will not be disappointed.

Barry Gluck

Grammar is something that so many people struggle with, and it can be tough to find a book on it that you're really willing to sit down and read. I've found some good ones over the years, such as "Keys to Great Writing" by Stephen Wilbers. I've also found one or two that were painful to read. Still, while I enjoyed "Keys", many people would prefer something... shorter. Simpler. Perhaps because they're deathly afraid of grammar, or perhaps because they already know much of it and just want to brush up on the details now and then.

The Curious Case of the Misplaced Modifier, by Bonnie Trenga, is perfect for these people. Each chapter on a particular "grammar crime" begins with a case for Detective Pinkersolve. These case write-ups deliciously skewer the English language in some way. Each chapter goes on to explain why this type of grammar error confuses and confounds readers and how to fix it, with the help of many examples. Finally you're encouraged to fix up the opening case to make it more readable, then compare it to a sample rewrite in the back of the book.

This book will be particularly fun for those who enjoy reading mysteries, as the examples all draw on aspects of crime and police-work. The examples are hilariously comical and over-the-top, making them entertaining to read rather than headache-inducing or boring. The humor here is sly, ironic and delightful.

It's clear that Ms. Trenga has carefully thought through the content of this book; nothing here is off-handed or rushed. Rather than simply stating that passive voice is bad, as many people do, she details the situations in which it would be appropriate.

Instead of simply showing us "incorrect" and "correct" examples, she often details incorrect, correct, and "even better." This beautifully shows the reader that there can be a difference between writing that is technically correct and writing that is good.

Ms. Trenga tells us why the various "crimes" detailed in this book confuse readers or weaken our writing, rather than expecting us to follow them simply because they are the rules. She also explains that there's a difference between getting your ideas down on paper--which can be easier to do if you write quickly and ignore the rules--and polishing them up afterward for public viewing.

This is the HOT Fantasy novel of the year! If you like adventure, you will love Dark Lord. This tale of war and romance takes you through the struggles of not just one, but many of the characters as they cope with facing a seemingly unstoppable foe. The insights into the characters is in depth and revealing in very direct as well as subliminal ways. The dialogue is believable, and entertaining. It is a book that will pull every emotional response from you, with each paragraph you read. A truely magnificent work! Hats off to Greywolf and Diana!

Have you heard of this author? Chances are you probably have not. However, if you are will to take a chance and read a few chapters of this epic fantasy, then I am positive you'll be swept up in the dramatic storline and dynamic characters. Tolkienesque in scope, it nonetheless manages to wrap things up in the space of one novel, something I greatly appreciated.

Having read quite a few fantasy novels/sagas over my lifetime, I can honestly say you've never read a tale quite like this. If you want a page turner that will keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning, then I heartily recommend Dark Lord.

General Greywolf leads a cast of "a thousand" intriguing and endearing creatures (mostly elves) in a war against the Evil Dark Lord who is set on invading the idyllic land of Tir-na-nog. When the charming Goddess Diana enters the scene, Greywolf looses his heart even as he wins battles. If you loved Flash Gordon, the movie, and enjoy mythology as much as romance, then let Dark Lord enchant you. I was highly entertained and found myself charmed by a certain Pegasus.

Dark Lord is wonderfully written! It kept me up way past my bedtime, and its been awhile since a book has done that to me! I'm definatly adding this book to my list of favorites! I can't wait until the next book comes out!

Readers of quality fantasy take note: Dark Lord, the new epic fantasy from iUniverse.com, is a sweeping adventure that contains in equal measures tragedy and triumph, treachery and justice, death and rebirth, villainy and heroism, magic and brute force, war and peace. Readers of Dark Lord will find themselves firmly engaged in a war between two worlds - between humans and the fey - but as in all such things the lines separating one from the other is often blurred. A sweeping back-story lifts this novel above others in its class, and treats the reader to a rich universe containing elves, dwarves, fearies, dragons, winged horses, gods and goddesses, and more.

David M. Roundtree (Greywolf the Wanderer) and Diana Sinclair (The Goddess Diana) write with an engaging and fast-paced style that grips you from the first paragraph and puts you inside the skin of the characters themselves. While kings and kingdoms fall you will experience the pain of death and the bitter-sweet uncertainty of budding love, the heat of hand-to-hand combat and the wonder of powerful magic, th pain of burying loved-ones and the joy of celebrating victory hard-won.

I recommend Dark Lord without reservation.

John Berkowitz, Publications Director and graphic designer and fantasy writer

This well-researched book includes the a "Cultural Poisoning" self-test. The idea is that with the help of the book, one can move from a state of being Culturally Poisoned and onward to a state of Cultural Literacy and even to a Zone of Optimal Development.

This book is very useful for people of all races and backgrounds.

I must commend brothah Aunk for his scholarship. "DoubleSpeak in Black and White", a book which has been obviously put together with much thought, and investigation/research, in those areas concerning some of the particulars in providing specific tools for those of us who have not had much success in articulating concerns relative to understanding much of what has been passed down to us here in the western civilizations. Yes, I said "tool". 'Doublespeak" can certainly be considered a "tool" or a handy guide of the present and future. For those of you who have not had time to read "doublespeak", I would highly recommend that you do.

"DoubleSpeak" addresses areas of concern pertinent to what our understanding of not only the culture we live in, but also, how we view ourselves as "Africans" in a world colonized by "antihumanist". [An American who is in favor of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness for some] as written by brothah Aunk.

Brothah Aunk cleverly coins the term "AIDS" [Acquired Information Deficiency Syndrome] as a descriptive diagnosis of some of the ills or dis-ease we manifest [unknowingly most times] due to programming and conditioning via the various institutions set up here in the west and other parts of the world. [educational, political, religious, ect.] For example Aunk refers to some of the strains of AIDS as WorldView AIDS, Medical AIDS, Image AIDS, Geography AIDS, American History AIDS, Melanin AIDS, ect.

As you will notice these phrases have been sectioned into small groups of information assisting you in your understanding of Cultural Illiteracy and Cultural Poisoning. [See Aunk's "DoubleSpeak in Black and White" for further details on cultural literacy...cultural poisoning] "DoubleSpeak in Black and White" is a tool, which is able to provide us with concise terms and information relative to each of the strains of AIDS, which in some cases may have affected our ability to communicate information, and to be able to recognize the "mis-information in each of the strains of cultural AIDS. I would also like to point out, that in the context of the book, you'll also find very interesting models and illustrations, which provides you with a visual of important points in the book. Aunk provides several models of the Aunk illustrating it's many functions as used by the ancient kamitians. Fascinating photos and descriptions of melanin, even more interesting are the various step by step models of achieving Cultural Literacy and on to cultural harmony, final phase!...fantastic job Aunk!

Finally, after reading Aunk's DoubleSpeak in Black and White", I have become conscious of certain terms and phrases I had been accustomed to using, which once it had been brought to my attention, via Aunk's book, I realized I had to make certain changes in how I communicate cultural ideas. I was able to recognize how some of what I may have said and how I said them, may have, in essence, been perpetuating Cultural Poisoning. In a time where "race" issues have been the highlight of much our societies discussions, it is certainly good to know that we now have a concise reference guide/tool that can help us to be able to bring to political forums on "race", terms and phrases which can be used universally in articulating our views in a way that everyone present can understand/comprehend, thus providing us with the opportunity to be well on our way to resolving some of the "race" issues in America and abroad.

This handy tool..."DoubleSpeak" can certainly be considered a universal reference guide for not only us but our children and those of other ethnicities as well, present and future! Let's provide a brighter future for generations to come, become Culturally Literate! Also I would like to recommend that we all take time to take the "Cultural Poisoning Self Test" [see Aunk's "DoubleSpeak in Black and White"] in conclusion...I would like to say th-ankh you brotha Aunk for all the positive energy you invested in not only your book...but in "us" as well. For caring enough to provide us with such a valuable tool, which by the way, in developing "our" own schools in the future and for those of us who teach, this book can be used as an excellent reference guide for teaching adults and children in schools, or wherever it is you teach...Aunk's book, "DoubleSpeak in Black and White" comes highly recommended by me!... ....in keeping the cypher in motion... Omniversal love and respect to all!!

"... If you and I would just realize, that once we learn to talk the language that they understand, they will then get the point. You can't ever reach a man if you don't speak his language. If a man speaks the language of brute force, you can't come to him with peace. Why goodnight! He'll break you in two, as he has been doing all along. If a man speaks French, you can't speak to him in German. If he speaks Swahili, you can't communicate with him in Chinese. You have to find out, what does this man speak? Once you know his language, learn how to speak his language. He'll get the point, there will be some dialogue, some communication, and some understanding will be developed." El-Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X)

I have "zero tolerance" when it concerns overtly racist white folks or patronizing white folks who call themselves "liberal." I cannot afford to waste my valuable time explaining the concept of a "just" society to those who supposedly advocate and practice it. I am a part of that generation, born into segregation; weaned into integration; now traumatized by the intransigence of white supremacy. It took me a long time to adjust, but I am clear now. Maybe if I would have had Rudy Aunk's book, "DoubleSpeak in Black and White," when I was younger, I might have become clear sooner and saved myself the heartache.

It is only appropriate that Aunk starts his work in the context of America's last chance to begin any type of racial healing, President Clinton's failed national discussion on race, a plan that I have had very personal experience with. Aunk underlines the reasons why I, and the rest of the country, had difficulty with this discussion-we came to the conference table unprepared because we did not speak the same language. Aunk makes a critical point that if the medical and sales profession can standardize speech within those professions, then the same can be done to raise the ''language efficiency' in our discussions on 'race'. Aunk even offers standard definitions to many of the terms surrounding 'race' in order to begin the standardization process.

From there, Aunk traces the roots of this unpreparedness as being grounded in the cultural poisoning that has taken place since our childhoods. Not convinced of the level of your poisoning? The book even has a very enlightening self-test, if you are not afraid to face the truth!

Need validation of Aunk's position? All you have to do is look at the results of the National Geographic-Roper 2002 Global Geographic Literacy Survey. This study surveyed over 3,000 18- to 24-year-olds in Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden and the United States and found that American students scored next to last lowest score. It is frightening and unfortunate that no one has put forth any "clear" plans to do anything about this except Aunk and a few others. Prevention is a central theme of the book, however, Aunk offers clear solutions for today's stalemated issues. For example, Aunk's commentary of the educational voucher controversy should offend no one, especially if they are really about teaching the children.

Aunk then goes about the task of exploding popular myths and other miseducation while offering an action plan that will help us de-toxify and empower ourselves with cultural literacy.

Probably the greatest concept Aunk puts forth in the book is a question few dare, in this culture of obfuscation, to ask. That is, "now that you know, what are you going to do about it?"

Aunk's book is definitely a must read for those individuals not afraid to explore the possibility of creating another mindset. I think this book should be used as a primary textbook for the millions of institutions in the United States and the Western world responsible for "Diversity" programs. Certainly, the book should be required reading at my job, however, the whites and blacks are severely poisoned, close to cultural death

By Tolbert

I am a European American young woman. My relationships with African Americans at school and work, was not where I wanted it to be. I read DoubleSpeak in Black and White, most of the info was new to me, and has made a big difference. Aunk is right, detecting Cultural Poisoning, and deleting these negative programs from your bio-computer is easy, once you know how. I have recommended this book to everyone in my family, and highly recommend it to YOU!

I am an African American educator. I use to be defensive about my culture. I used the information in DoubleSpeak in B/W to move from cultural defense to cultural offence. As an Elder, I now enjoy helping others do the same.