Melissa Koons

The portal has expanded to bring 24 new fictional possibilities from 15 authors With the introduction of a Dinosaur and Psycho Killer as characters, you can place them, and the five previously introduced oddities, in seven different settings. Now, you can take your characters to Space or an Alternate Future. Reenter the crash portal to choose any character or setting combination for a new story pairing. With combinations from authors who write in wildly different genres, each story gives you a different experience. The only question you have to ask is, "How will you crash?" Read the First Collision from Nerdy Things Publishing with 25 combinations from the original five characters and settings.

If you're writing a series, there's a lot to consider before you drop some prose onto paper. Should every installment stand on its own? How do I keep the characters fresh and with significant arcs? What if I don't have the "big picture" yet? These are all factors to consider when writing a series. From building your world's rules and limitations to determining your character's journey in the overall series, you'll get your direction ready to write your series.

Previously published as "John: A Tale of a Knight" by Melissa Koons, winner of the Editor's Choice Award in 2013 upon first publication. Stationed on Wake Island in the fall of 1941, a wise-cracking soldier has to decide if saving his childhood friend from a path of self-destruction is worth exposing his greatest betrayal. Ben is irresponsible and immature; he only enlisted in the marines because his best friend asked him to, but he has no interest in saving the day. John has a hero-complex and a need to prove himself in order to overcome his abusive past, and joining the Marines during World War II seemed like the best opportunity to do so. John is trying to prove himself better than his past, but he is risking not only his future, but his life as well. John doesn't seem to see what all is at stake, but Ben knows that this is not the fantasy game of knights and King Arthur that they played as boys: it is a very real war. He can save John, but to do so would mean exposing his greatest act of betrayal which will destroy their friendship forever. Ben must make a choice fast: save his friend or preserve their friendship; time is running out as the war closes in on Wake Island.

The ability to write a critical essay is an essential skill for every student to learn. Learning how to write the critical essay begins in secondary education, but it doesn't stop there. The critical essay is a specific style of essay that analyzes and interprets the author's purpose, intent, theme, or thesis of a specific body of work. Learning how to write a proper critical essay is crucial for being able to enhance, practice, and apply critical thinking skills. This book will teach students and learners of any age how to write a critical essay. It will take an introductory approach and assume that the reader has never written a critical essay before. This book will teach students: -What a critical essay is-The basic structure to a critical essay-How to organize a critical essay-How to write a critical essayWhile a person or student may excel at critical thinking skills, it can be difficult to organize those thoughts into a coherent essay that clearly communicates the writer's ideas and interpretations of the text. Learn the basics and transform your writing into proficient communication and analysis.

Thrilling adventures, compelling characters, creative plots and twists readers will never see coming Writing fiction can be as entertaining to write as it is to read, but every good writer needs a good push to get things flowing. These prompts are designed not only to get the creativity flowing, but also to help you improve your technique and experiment with different writing styles. From Spine Press + Post comes Porcelain Prompts: Fiction, featuring 20 prompts from a variety of fiction genres and styles to give your creative process the flush it needs. PorcelainPrompts.comSpinePressandPost.com

Have too many ideas? Getting stuck and unsure how to transition? Outlining your novel or story is an important skill to develop to be able to reach that oh-so-satisfying completion. If you're not an organized writer, or have never tried to outline before, do not fear These prompts are designed to help you find whichever organizational outline works best for you and your story. From Spine Press + Post comes Porcelain Prompts: Outlining Your Novel, featuring 20 prompts with a variety of strategies and questions to help your thoughts become more cohesive so that you can complete your novel.

Taking the high road is easy, but taking the low road and making it look appealing-now that's talent. A great hero is only as good as their villain. Without a villain, there is no conflict or moral dilemma; the hero simply wins and isn't that dull. Writing a great villain is delicate work. These prompts will help you determine what is your villain's motivation, why they chose the low road over the high road, and how can they make that choice look like the right one to make. From Spine Press + Post comes Porcelain Prompts: Villains, featuring 20 prompts that will make you think differently about the villain and let you explore writing different types of big bads. PorcelainPrompts.comSpinePressandPost.com

Adventure, intrigue, twists and surprises are all parts of an entertaining story but if you don't have quality characters to drive it forward, then all the entertainment in the world won't keep your readers engaged. Your characters are the heart and soul of your story, and without proper development it can make your story come up short. From Spine Press + Post comes Porcelain Prompts: Creating Characters, featuring 20 prompts intended to make you think deeper about your characters and all the little nuances that make them relatable, multi-dimensional, and memorable.

Everybody can rally behind a good hero: someone who saves the day just in time. What makes a hero great? What makes readers rally behind them and want to watch them succeed? Creating a great hero, or even a good hero, is harder than you may think. These prompts are intended to get you thinking outside the traditional hero box and start creating heroes that had depth and a refreshing uniqueness to them. From Spine Press + Post comes Porcelain Prompts: Heroes, featuring 20 prompts which will make you delve deeper into what motivates a hero, the different types of heroes, and the boring pitfalls your hero should avoid. PorcelainPrompts.comSpinePressandPost.com