It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences - A Writer's Guide to Crafting Killer Sentences
Great writing isn’t born, it’s built—sentence by sentence. But too many writers—and writing guides—overlook this most important unit. The result? Manuscripts that will never be published and writing careers that will never begin. In this wickedly humorous manual, language columnist June Casagrande uses grammar and syntax to show exactly what makes some sentences great—and other sentences suck. With chapters on “Conjunctions That Kill” and “Words Gone Wild,” this lighthearted guide is perfect for anyone who’s dead serious about writing.
From the internationally bestselling author who brought us Ender's Game, a brand-new series that instantly draws readers into the world of Rigg, a teenager who possesses a secret talent that allows him to see the paths of people's pasts. Rigg's only confidant is his father, whose sudden death leaves Rigg completely alone, aside from a sister he's never met. But a chance encounter with Umbo, another teen with a special talent, reveals a startling new aspect to Rigg's abilities, compelling him to reevaluate everything he's ever known.
Where exactly did Santa Claus come from? How did he meet Mrs. Claus? Who named the reindeer? We've all asked these questions and a million more, and Jeff Guinn uses a wonderful mix of scholarship, fantasy, folklore, and faith to answer them all. According to this "authoritative" autobiography, St. Nicholas began giving gifts in the third century A.D. and never looked back. John H. Mayer's warm and leisurely reading certainly puts one in mind of the classic nineteenth-century Claus, but it's the generous sprinkling of facts that draws one in.
Corruption, murder and a missing girl: routine for Cliff Hardy - except this time it's personal. Cliff Hardy is stunned to get a phone call from his ex-wife Cynthia. It's been over 20 years since she last shouted she never wanted to see him again... and she was never a woman to change her mind. But that surprise is nothing to the bombshell Cynthia is about to drop. Dying of cancer, she's desperate to get in contact with the daughter she gave up for adoption - and the daughter in question, she confesses, is Cliff's! A shocked but sceptical Cliff agrees to search for their missing daughter. But this is never going to be a straightforward investigation..