In this book, Linda Seger shows how to create strong, multidimensional characters in fiction, covering everything from research to character block. Interviews with today's top writers complete this essential volume.

What will take your fiction from good to great? From decent to dazzling? From lackluster to blockbuster? Characters who "jump off the page." Of course plot matters. So does conflict, and scenes, and every other aspect of the fiction craft. But without unforgettable characters, your books will always be less than they could be. Don't let that happen. In WRITING UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS you'll learn: -How to lay the foundation for a memorable character -How to bond the reader with the main character from the start -The super power of unpredictability -The secrets of grit, wit, and moxie -How to bring your character to life on the page-How and when to reveal backstory -All about arcs and what they truly mean -The key to unforgettable villains-How to make minor characters memorable, too -How to create a great series character And more, PLUS the powerful exercises James Scott Bell has taught in his sold-out writing workshops. No more flat stories! Give your readers what will turn them into career-long fans-characters who jump off the page.

Scarlett O'Hara, Anne Shirley, Wilbur the pig, Katniss Everdeen. Why do we love these characters? Why do we remember them long after we've forgotten the details of their stories? In this second book in the Writing Lessons from the Front series, Angela Hunt explains how you can create unforgettable characters that will bring your fiction to life.These lessons, Hunt says, "are brief for a reason-I don't want you to spend most of your time reading how-to books. I will give you what you need so you can put what you've learned into practice. That's the best way to improve."Enjoy this writing lesson for a fraction of the cost of attending one of Angela's writing classes--your writing will never be the same.

A gripping standalone thriller from the No.1 bestselling author of Little Bones and The Dark Room As temperatures soar across Europe during the hottest summer for forty years, a series of hoax terrorist attacks is generating panic in London. Then a bus blows up on Oxford Street and the hoaxes have suddenly become real. Student Brioni O'Brien has been desperately trying to contact her older sister since she unexpectedly returned early from travelling, so when Marissa's bag is found near the site of the explosion, she fears the worst. Teaming up with terrorism expert Anna Lockharte to search for Marissa, Brioni discovers that her sister had got herself into a very dangerous situation - and that now she and Anna could be caught in the fallout.

Discusses back stories, psychology, research, relationships, supporting characters, stereotypes and character problems, and offers advice on writing dialogue.

Former private investigator and New York Times notable author David Corbett offers a unique and indispensable toolkit for creating characters that come vividly to life on the page and linger in memory. Corbett provides an inventive, inspiring, and vastly entertaining blueprint to all the elements of characterization-from initial inspiration to realization-with special insights into the power of secrets and contradictions, the embodiment of roles, managing the "tyranny of motive," and mastering crucial techniques required for memorable dialogue and unforgettable scenes. This is a how-to guide for both aspiring and accomplished writers that renders all other books of its kind obsolete.

Part of Penguin's beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith, these delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design. Charlotte Brontë's first published novel, Jane Eyre was immediately recognised as a work of genius when it appeared in 1847. Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. How she takes up the post of governess at Thornfield Hall, meets and loves Mr Rochester and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage are elements in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than that traditionally accorded to her sex in Victorian society.

This valuable book identifies and solves a major problem for writers -- creating characters who are so real they literally jump of the page. Halperin has developed an easy-to-understand, logical system which gives all screenwriters a foolproof and fail-proof method of developing great characters. Writing Great Characters is a book for all writers, from the expert who is looking to polish his techniques to the novice who wants to learn the craft from an expert.

In Leaving Haven, Kathleen McCleary, author of A Simple Thing, explores the intricacies of love, friendship, and parenthood. Georgia longs for a baby, but she's had miscarriage after miscarriage since her daughter was born more than a decade ago. Through a miraculous egg donation, Georgia is thrilled to find herself pregnant—until she makes a startling discovery that changes her mind about how much she really wants the baby… Georgia’s best friend, Alice, has a happy teenage daughter, a faithful husband, and a perfectly organized life. But her world spins off its axis when she falls for a man who is everything she knows she doesn’t want… Leaving Haven is a provocative and touching novel that will appeal to readers of contemporary fiction and fans of Jodi Picoult, Luanne Rice, and Kristin Hannah.

The story of a woman who loves her house so much that she'll do just about anything to keep it. Ellen Flanagan has two precious girls to raise, a cozy neighborhood coffee shop to run, terrific friends, and a sexy husband. She adores her house, a yellow Cape Cod filled with quirky antiques, beloved nooks and dents, and a million memories. But now, at forty-four, she's about to lose it all. After eighteen roller-coaster years of marriage, Ellen's husband, Sam--who's charismatic, spontaneous, and utterly irresponsible--has disappointed her in more ways than she can live with, and they're getting divorced. Her daughters are miserable about losing their daddy. Worst of all, the house that Ellen loves with all her heart must now be sold. Ellen's life is further complicated by a lovely and unexpected relationship with the husband of the shrewish, social-climbing woman who has purchased the house. Add to that the confusion over how she really feels about her almost-ex-husband, and you have the makings of a delicious novel about what matters most in the end. . . . Set in the gorgeous surroundings of Portland, Oregon, Kathleen McCleary's funny, poignant, curl-up-and-read debut strikes a deep emotional chord and explores the very notion of what makes a house a home.