Synopsis CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF WRITING with fresh testimonials from fellow writers about why they love Stephen King and On Writing—and a few new words on the joy of writing from King himself. *ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S TOP 100 NONFICTION BOOKS OF ALL TIME* Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s […]
Nonfiction
Review: The Art Of The Lord Of The Rings By J.R.R. Tolkien, ED by Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull
Synopsis J.R.R. Tolkien’s complete artwork for his magisterial novel, published on the sixtieth anniversary of The Lord of the Rings As he wrote The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien’s mental pictures often found expression in drawing, from rough sketches made within the manuscript to more finished illustrations. Only a few of these were meant for publication; […]
Review: Astronaut Hayley’s Brave Adventure by Hayley Arceneaux & Lucie Bee
I don’t know if there have been children’s book reviews on FFA before, but this one was just too good not to share. My daughter and I absolutely loved it and I figured there might be other space nerds that would love this for their toddlers. Synopsis An imaginative, inspiring, and beautifully illustrated picture book […]
Review: Is it Real? The Loch Ness Monster by Candace Fleming
Synopsis Put on your detective hat and prepare all your investigative tools, because you’ve been assigned a new case to solve: the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster! Follow along as award-winning author Candace Fleming uses all of her nonfiction tools and storytelling prowess to investigate the enduring mystery surrounding the existence of the Loch […]
Review: The Fright Before Christmas by Jeff Belanger
Synopsis Step into the dark roots of Christmas past where the Krampus punishes the bad boys and girls. Christmas time is truly the darkest and creepiest time of the year filled with devilish creatures lurking in the shadows waiting to get us. Best known is the Krampus who has been the subject of films and […]
Review: Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know by David Hone
Synopsis How scientists are unravelling one of the most tantalizing questions in paleontology Our understanding of dinosaur behavior has long been hampered by the inevitable lack of evidence from animals that went extinct more than sixty-five million years ago and whose daily behaviors are rarely reflected by the fossil record. Today, with the discovery of […]
Review: Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You’re Too Scared to Watch by Emily C. Hughes
Synopsis A smart, funny crash course in 25 iconic horror movies, from Psycho to Hereditary, for people who love getting the reference but hate being scared. You don’t have to miss out just because you don’t like to be frightened! Stop trying to read nonsensical Wikipedia plot summaries (we know you’re doing it), and let an expert tell you […]
Review: Finish Your Story by Colton Iverson
Synopsis Embark on a transformative journey from a mere idea to a completed manuscript! If you’ve ever dreamt of finishing that novel or turning your creative sparks into tangible work, “Finish Your Story: A Guide to Completing Your Book.” is the book for you! This comprehensive resource is not just a manual but a companion […]
Review: Your Table is Ready • Tales of a New York Maître D’ by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina
This is a book for anyone who has worked in the service industry.
Review: Into Every Generation a Slayer is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts by Evan Ross Katz
A perfectly balanced celebration, scrutinization, and discussion of the cultural phenomenon that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Review: Fantasy Worldbuilding Workbook (Forging Fantasy Realms #2) by M.D. Presley
Synopsis This book is a collection of essays based on the author’s vast knowledge and appreciation for worldbuilding in fantasy. Also contained with are sources for worldbuilding prompts and diagrams to make this not only a useful guide to any writer, but also to foster an appreciation in the reader for the sheer colossal task […]
Review: Writing Monsters by Philip Athans
Philip starts by leveling the field and properly defining what a good monster is; what makes them scary, where they come from and how to define them as a monster or a villain (or both). Then he continues by encouraging us to describe their attributes, digging deep into creating three-dimensional creatures with skill descriptions that resemble a Dungeon & Dragons scoring system. I really enjoyed printing the monster creation form and going through each question to develop (or re-develop) the main villain of my story. He proceeds with an amazing section on how to write them properly on the page using the appropriate reveal, leveraging your five senses and some tricks to make them scarier and less cliché (ex.: don’t use vampires, werewolves or write them in a whole new perspective).