This marvelous guide begins where other books on writing and the writing life leave off. Delving deep into the creative process, Bret Lott reveals truths we scarcely realized we needed to know but without which we as writers will soon lose our way. In ten intimate essays based on his own experiences and on the seasoned wisdom of writers including Eudora Welty, E. B. White, Henry David Thoreau, Henry James, and John Gardner, Lott explores such topics as • why write? why keep writing? • the importance of simple words • the finer points of character detail • narrative and the passage of time • the pitfalls of technique • making a plan–and letting it go • risking failure–and reaping the benefits • Accepting rejection Writers travel alone, but Bret Lott’s book makes the journey less lonely and infinitely more rewarding. Before We Get Started will help you make your work as good as it can be: “Pay attention recklessly. Strain to see through the window of your own artistic consciousness in the exhilarating knowledge that there is no path to the waterfall, and there are a million paths to the waterfall, and there is, too, only one path: yours.”

It's more precious than gold… The discovery of gold on Drake land significantly increases middle son Warren's already overflowing coffers. His ranch is the talk of exclusive Paradise Cove. But it's his gorgeous neighbor who's arousing the California cowboy's fantasies. Charli Reed sits a horse like no woman Warren's ever seen. Instead of pushing him away, her blatant lack of interest only increases his desire to execute the ultimate seduction. Just because Warren's as rich as Midas doesn't make the entrepreneur turned rancher a hero in Charli's eyes. And how can she trust a Drake—her family's most hated enemy? But Warren's sensual passion is slowly melting her resistance. Working together to catch the thieves who could turn their dreams to dust, Charli has to choose: hold on to the past or risk her heart for a love that's the most priceless treasure of all….

July 9, 1947. Roswell, New Mexico. A young boy tags along with his father to the Roswell Army Air Field and witnesses something he was not to see or know about until fifty-three years later. August 5, 2000. Garden Plains, Kansas. A massive alien craft is spotted hovering by local citizens and darts off to the Northwest somewhere in Colorado, where it starts to tailgate commercial Flight 311 on its way to Oklahoma City. Three F-15 aircrafts are scrambling to intercept and investigate this unknown intruder. The alien craft darts off to the Southeast, and the three F-15s give pursuit of the unknown intruder. The alien craft is able to lose the F-15s in a thunderstorm near Roswell, and history repeats itself some fifty-three years later.

In his new guide, author C. David Crouch reveals the eighty-three principles of excellentology to help you build excellence in your life. Using "building a house" as a metaphor, he guides you in your own personal journey toward excellence. You can learn how to - lay a strong foundation by developing a mission, vision, principles, and standards; - recognize five pillars of performance that map a clear path toward excellence; - assemble a roof that allows you to measure your progress at the organizational, team, and individual levels; and - improve your ability to lead yourself and others toward excellence. By applying the model in five diverse environments-an organization, a team, a church, a family, and an individual life-Crouch demonstrates its effective use for any endeavor. He also applies his model for excellence to a sixth environment-the United States of America-revealing some interesting considerations. Build a life of joy, peace, significance, and fulfillment for yourself and those around you with The Excellent Experience.

Pizza, murder, and deeply buried Southern secrets are served in this fifth slice of Cavender's A Slice of Delight pizzeria mystery series.

Two young civil engineers build a railroad across quicksand while they fight off a dangerous gambler and his cutthroat followers.