Wherever you are in your author's journey, this book is like teaming up with a personal writing coach who has more than a quarter century of editorial and publishing advice.

Thousands of writers--from first-time authors to #1 New York Times best-selling authors--have learned from Lisa Mangum's masterful literary advice and inspiration. Now she's collected the best of her writing and editing tips in this helpful book that covers the entire writing and querying process, from nurturing a story idea all the way to submitting a polished manuscript.

In the first half of the book, Lisa guides readers through the various steps of the writing process, including starting the story in the right place, developing characters with high-stake goals, mapping character relationships for increased conflict, and introducing tension and plot twists. She also shares tips and tricks for nailing a satisfying ending as well as helping authors discover their own unique voice that can help them break through writer's block.

With her decades of experience, Lisa then takes writers on a behind-the-scenes tour of the many levels of editing, including a handy flowchart that unravels the mystery of where the commas go in a sentence.

Finally, she helps writers prepare to get published by deconstructing what makes a query letter catch an editor's eye and how to answer the all-important question: What's your book about?

Packed with Lisa's own personal stories of encouragement and inspiration, Write Fearless. Edit Smart. Get Published. is a literary adventure that's as fun as it is informative.

You may not have ever seen them, but you know them: Bigfoot, Mothman, chupacabras, the Jersey Devil, and Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. Cryptids exist everywhere around the world on land, in the air, and under the water. Some creatures are recent discoveries; others date back centuries. But where did they come from? What is their hidden history?

Collected in this anthology are twenty short stories featuring a wide variety of cryptids as well as the cryptozoologists who discover them, hunt them, study them, or shelter them. Alongside the classic creatures of legend and lore are pixies, aliens, lizard-men, and dopplegängers-plus a few original and newly discovered cryptids that will capture your curiosity. With genres ranging from fantasy and science fiction to historical fiction and romance, there is something for everyone to enjoy. As an added twist, each story utilizes at least one form of epistolary writing to help tell the story, including text messages, podcast interviews, newspaper articles, and journal entries.

So, tune in to Bigfoot's podcast, write a love letter to Nessie, and then pick up a pair of tickets to the grand opening of the Cryptid Zoo. The world around us is full of the weird and the wonderful, and the creatures that were once long hidden are ready to come out of the woods.

Weird Wilderness: A Cryptid Bestiary is the tenth anthology edited by Lisa Mangum and Jessica Guernsey and published by WordFire Press. Profits support the various endowment and scholarship funds for Superstars Writing Seminars.

The bank is eroding. The barriers are thinning. And time is running out.

The hourglass door has closed behind Dante, sending him back in time to hunt down Zo, Tony, and V. Although giving him up was the hardest test she ever faced, Abby knows that Dante is the only one who can stop the others from destroying time itself. But almost immediately, things start to change, and Abby's worst fears are realized when Zo begins targeting her past specifically.

With each new change that ripples into her present, Abby's life continues to spiral out of control. Her relationships with Jason, Natalie, and even her family are threatened to the breaking point. Zo's power is greater than Abby ever imagined. Will her love for Dante be enough to turn the tide?

You may not have ever seen them, but you know them: Bigfoot, Mothman, chupacabras, the Jersey Devil, and Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. Cryptids exist everywhere around the world on land, in the air, and under the water. Some creatures are recent discoveries; others date back centuries. But where did they come from? What is their hidden history?

Collected in this anthology are twenty short stories featuring a wide variety of cryptids as well as the cryptozoologists who discover them, hunt them, study them, or shelter them. Alongside the classic creatures of legend and lore are pixies, aliens, lizard-men, and dopplegängers-plus a few original and newly discovered cryptids that will capture your curiosity. With genres ranging from fantasy and science fiction to historical fiction and romance, there is something for everyone to enjoy. As an added twist, each story utilizes at least one form of epistolary writing to help tell the story, including text messages, podcast interviews, newspaper articles, and journal entries.

So, tune in to Bigfoot's podcast, write a love letter to Nessie, and then pick up a pair of tickets to the grand opening of the Cryptid Zoo. The world around us is full of the weird and the wonderful, and the creatures that were once long hidden are ready to come out of the woods.

Weird Wilderness: A Cryptid Bestiary is the tenth anthology edited by Lisa Mangum and Jessica Guernsey and published by WordFire Press. Profits support the various endowment and scholarship funds for Superstars Writing Seminars.

Fear is primal. Instinctive. Unavoidable. And right now, there is something you fear--and you can feel it. Creeping up behind you. Lurking in the darkness that lives under your bed, or in your closet. A nameless dread.

In Undercurrents: An Anthology of What Lies Beneath, twenty-three talented authors, including New York Times bestsellers Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, and Jody Lynn Nye, have stood on the shores of their psyches and looked out over the ocean of possibility and wondered What lies beneath?

The sea creatures and sea monsters that answered their calls range from a giant kraken that rules the deepest ocean to the smallest puffer fish that creates intricate works of underwater art. Creatures of classic mythology--mermaids, sirens, and sea serpents--swim alongside more unusual beasts--underwater cats and singing whirlpools. These stories dive deep into the fears many of us face, including loss, abandonment, death, and physical, mental, or emotional danger. When the fears we keep buried beneath the surface rise up and threaten to consume, we must make a choice: conquer or be conquered.

This anthology is the fourth volume produced by the alumni of the Superstars Writing Seminar, and all royalties benefit the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship Fund.

History may be written by the victors, but it is not always written in stone.

It comes down to a bit of luck.

What if the histories of Billy the Kid, Vlad Dracula, and Jack the Ripper had a new twist, an alternate history? What if the fictional world of The Great Gatsby had a hidden tale?

The stories that connect the past to the present can lead us into a world we never imagined.

Get a glimpse of history in a new light.

A Bit of Luck: Alternate Histories in Honor of Eric Flint.

This anthology is a must for lovers of fast-paced short stories with a historical and fantastical bent.-Booklist

Set sail on the high seas with this collection of 21 unforgettable short stories featuring dashing rogues, daring rebels, and wily pirates searching for treasures of all kinds, including a forgotten journal, a heavenly sword, a young girl's lucky sock, and even the Fountain of Youth.

Some pirates are familiar--complete with parrots, peg legs, and eye patches--but most are unique: a twelve-year-old computer hacker, a heroic rabbit on an unusual quest, a clump of cancer cells, and an alien setting sail among the stars.

X Marks the Spot: An Anthology of Treasure and Theft is about those men and women who live on the fringes of society, who are beholden to no man, no law, and who always have one eye on the horizon.

So grab your map and set your headings. There are adventures to be had, mateys, and treasures to be found.

This anthology is the fifth volume produced by the alumni of the Superstars Writing Seminars, and all royalties benefit the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Set sail on the high seas with this collection of 21 unforgettable short stories featuring dashing rogues, daring rebels, and wily pirates searching for treasures of all kinds, including a forgotten journal, a heavenly sword, a young girl's lucky sock, and even the Fountain of Youth.

Some pirates are familiar--complete with parrots, peg legs, and eye patches--but most are unique: a twelve-year-old computer hacker, a heroic rabbit on an unusual quest, a clump of cancer cells, and an alien setting sail among the stars.

X Marks the Spot: An Anthology of Treasure and Theft is about those men and women who live on the fringes of society, who are beholden to no man, no law, and who always have one eye on the horizon.

So grab your map and set your headings. There are adventures to be had, mateys, and treasures to be found.

This anthology is the fifth volume produced by the alumni of the Superstars Writing Seminars, and all royalties benefit the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship Fund.

History may be written by the victors, but it is not always written in stone.

It comes down to a bit of luck.

What if the histories of Billy the Kid, Vlad Dracula, and Jack the Ripper had a new twist, an alternate history? What if the fictional world of The Great Gatsby had a hidden tale?

The stories that connect the past to the present can lead us into a world we never imagined.

Get a glimpse of history in a new light.

A Bit of Luck: Alternate Histories in Honor of Eric Flint.

This anthology is a must for lovers of fast-paced short stories with a historical and fantastical bent.-Booklist

Fear is primal. Instinctive. Unavoidable. And right now, there is something you fear--and you can feel it. Creeping up behind you. Lurking in the darkness that lives under your bed, or in your closet. A nameless dread.

In Undercurrents: An Anthology of What Lies Beneath, twenty-three talented authors, including New York Times bestsellers Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, and Jody Lynn Nye, have stood on the shores of their psyches and looked out over the ocean of possibility and wondered What lies beneath?

The sea creatures and sea monsters that answered their calls range from a giant kraken that rules the deepest ocean to the smallest puffer fish that creates intricate works of underwater art. Creatures of classic mythology--mermaids, sirens, and sea serpents--swim alongside more unusual beasts--underwater cats and singing whirlpools. These stories dive deep into the fears many of us face, including loss, abandonment, death, and physical, mental, or emotional danger. When the fears we keep buried beneath the surface rise up and threaten to consume, we must make a choice: conquer or be conquered.

This anthology is the fourth volume produced by the alumni of the Superstars Writing Seminar, and all royalties benefit the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Unicorns, with their single ivory horn, are elusive and magical creatures of myth. Yet even more elusive are the purple unicorns.

First sighted at the Superstars Writing Seminars, their legend has grown year after year until it could only be contained in this anthology. Nineteen storytellers, including Peter S. Beagle, Todd McCaffrey, and Jody Lynn Nye, as well as new and rising authors, invite us into worlds both near and far, across a desert oasis, a pet shop, a Comic-Con exhibition floor, and more, and show us the many variations of purple unicorns, from the imaginary to the actual-and one very memorable half-unicorn, half-potato.

One Horn to Rule Them All is an unforgettable collection of imagination and creativity. So, saddle up, and take a ride beyond the rainbow.

All profits benefit the Superstars Writing Seminars Scholarship Fund.

The only way to rescue the future is to alter the past.

When Abby stepped through the hourglass door, leaving her beloved Dante blind and bleeding on the other side, it was in full faith that she could find a way to repair the damage to the river of time and restore him--as well as her family. It was a desperate chance that seemed worth taking.

But Zo had other plans.

Now Abby is trapped in a full-fledged battle for her own mind and life and heart. Even worse, Zo's evil intent reaches beyond simple revenge against her and Dante. The whole world is in danger of collapsing unless Abby can summon her courage and undertake a journey that will lead her beyond the origins of the hourglass door.

Red. The color of blood, of war, of passion-and of a new unicorn herd.

A Game of Horns: A Red Unicorn Anthology has gathered 21 original stories about red unicorns from famous and soon-to-be-famous authors, including New York Times best-selling authors Jody Lynn Nye and David Farland. Some stories feature physical unicorns; most do not. Some unicorns are kind; most are not.

From a battlefield to a candy store, from zombie unicorns in rural America to telepathic unicorns on the dark side of Europa, from the fantastical past to the possible future, no creative avenue or conflict remains unexplored by these talented storytellers.

Pick a story. Take a chance. And play A Game of Horns.

All profits benefit the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship Fund.

An entertaining short story collection of speculative fiction . . .-Booklist

Food. We use it to celebrate, to provide both comfort and energy, and to show our love. There's something about mixing a pinch of this and a dash of that to create something new. And when you pair it with the perfect drink . . . *chef's kiss*

Stories can do the same thing. They can be a celebration, bring us comfort and energy, and help us express our love. And when the perfect character is paired with the perfect plot . . . well, then you have something worth devouring.

So take a place at the table, and let's see what's on the menu.

For starters, gather your pennies to bid for the last two jars of peaches for sale in an apocalyptic future. Follow it up with a slice of pizza guaranteed to bring love into your life. Dig into a shrimp and pasta dish so flavorful, you'd swear it was some kind of witchcraft. Grab a plate of Lloyd's Secret Surprise-it's out of this world! And for dessert, choose between some very memorable homemade cookies, a slice of chocolate cream pie worth dying for, or a life-sized gingerbread house-just make sure it's not occupied before you start nibbling at the door.

This collection of nineteen stories is packed full with hearty plots, meaty characters, and a surprising and mysterious twist at the end to serve as the perfect dessert. Eat, Drink, and Be Wary: Stories with a Delicious Twist is the seventh anthology edited by Lisa Mangum and published by WordFire Press. Profits support the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship fund for the Superstars Writing Seminars.

An entertaining short story collection of speculative fiction . . .-Booklist

Food. We use it to celebrate, to provide both comfort and energy, and to show our love. There's something about mixing a pinch of this and a dash of that to create something new. And when you pair it with the perfect drink . . . *chef's kiss*

Stories can do the same thing. They can be a celebration, bring us comfort and energy, and help us express our love. And when the perfect character is paired with the perfect plot . . . well, then you have something worth devouring.

So take a place at the table, and let's see what's on the menu.

For starters, gather your pennies to bid for the last two jars of peaches for sale in an apocalyptic future. Follow it up with a slice of pizza guaranteed to bring love into your life. Dig into a shrimp and pasta dish so flavorful, you'd swear it was some kind of witchcraft. Grab a plate of Lloyd's Secret Surprise-it's out of this world! And for dessert, choose between some very memorable homemade cookies, a slice of chocolate cream pie worth dying for, or a life-sized gingerbread house-just make sure it's not occupied before you start nibbling at the door.

This collection of nineteen stories is packed full with hearty plots, meaty characters, and a surprising and mysterious twist at the end to serve as the perfect dessert. Eat, Drink, and Be Wary: Stories with a Delicious Twist is the seventh anthology edited by Lisa Mangum and published by WordFire Press. Profits support the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship fund for the Superstars Writing Seminars.

A memorial anthology for fantasy master David Farland

A good story can entertain us. A great story can transform us.

Two iconic archetypes in fantasy and fairy tales are wizards and wolves, and both are known for their ability to transform. Wizards can work magic to change the rules of the world to fit their wants and needs. Wolves can transform from man to beast under the light of a full moon. Both can represent power and danger as well as inspire loyalty or fear.

This collection of eighteen short stories celebrates a wide variety of both wizards and wolves-often in the same story-as well as peels back the layers of what it means to be transformed. You'll read stories of people turning into wolves-or wolves turning into people-but you'll also read stories of a wizard passing on his legacy before he dies, and a hockey game played to reclaim part of a stolen soul. You'll find a twist on the familiar story of a young girl in a red cape, and a tale of a pinball machine that is more than it appears to be.

From fantasy to horror, to science fiction to humor, these stories offer something for everyone.

David Farland transformed lives, not only with his writing and imagination, but also with his mentoring of new writers. This anthology supports the scholarship fund of the Superstars Writing Seminars, which he co-founded.

By turns heartbreaking and humorous-but always magical-this anthology is a fitting tribute that's sure to please Farland's fans.-Publishers Weekly

Don't miss the other anthologies that support the scholarship fund.

A memorial anthology for fantasy master David Farland

A good story can entertain us. A great story can transform us.

Two iconic archetypes in fantasy and fairy tales are wizards and wolves, and both are known for their ability to transform. Wizards can work magic to change the rules of the world to fit their wants and needs. Wolves can transform from man to beast under the light of a full moon. Both can represent power and danger as well as inspire loyalty or fear.

This collection of eighteen short stories celebrates a wide variety of both wizards and wolves-often in the same story-as well as peels back the layers of what it means to be transformed. You'll read stories of people turning into wolves-or wolves turning into people-but you'll also read stories of a wizard passing on his legacy before he dies, and a hockey game played to reclaim part of a stolen soul. You'll find a twist on the familiar story of a young girl in a red cape, and a tale of a pinball machine that is more than it appears to be.

From fantasy to horror, to science fiction to humor, these stories offer something for everyone.

David Farland transformed lives, not only with his writing and imagination, but also with his mentoring of new writers. This anthology supports the scholarship fund of the Superstars Writing Seminars, which he co-founded.

By turns heartbreaking and humorous-but always magical-this anthology is a fitting tribute that's sure to please Farland's fans.-Publishers Weekly

Don't miss the other anthologies that support the scholarship fund.

Unicorns, with their single ivory horn, are elusive and magical creatures of myth. Yet even more elusive are the purple unicorns.

First sighted at the Superstars Writing Seminars, their legend has grown year after year until it could only be contained in this anthology. Nineteen storytellers, including Peter S. Beagle, Todd McCaffrey, and Jody Lynn Nye, as well as new and rising authors, invite us into worlds both near and far, across a desert oasis, a pet shop, a Comic-Con exhibition floor, and more, and show us the many variations of purple unicorns, from the imaginary to the actual-and one very memorable half-unicorn, half-potato.

One Horn to Rule Them All is an unforgettable collection of imagination and creativity. So, saddle up, and take a ride beyond the rainbow.

All profits benefit the Superstars Writing Seminars Scholarship Fund.

Red. The color of blood, of war, of passion-and of a new unicorn herd.

A Game of Horns: A Red Unicorn Anthology has gathered 21 original stories about red unicorns from famous and soon-to-be-famous authors, including New York Times best-selling authors Jody Lynn Nye and David Farland. Some stories feature physical unicorns; most do not. Some unicorns are kind; most are not.

From a battlefield to a candy store, from zombie unicorns in rural America to telepathic unicorns on the dark side of Europa, from the fantastical past to the possible future, no creative avenue or conflict remains unexplored by these talented storytellers.

Pick a story. Take a chance. And play A Game of Horns.

All profits benefit the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Readers looking for short bursts of inspiration will be pleased.-Publishers Weekly

Creativity comes from many places, but often the initial spark of inspiration can be traced to something or someone who challenged us to first put pen to paper or brush to canvas, to pick up a camera, to look at the world with new eyes. Maybe it was the lyrics of a favorite album. Maybe it was the encouragement from a beloved teacher. Maybe it was seeing a wonder of the natural world.

Maybe it was just a feeling deep down inside that demanded to be set free, a voice ready to be heard, a story begging to be told.

Hold Your Fire is a collection of nineteen short stories celebrating the power and influence of inspiration in all its forms-art, literature, music, astronomy, science, inventions, epiphanies.

Here you will find stories of people being inspired as well as stories of people inspiring someone else. Stories not only of artistic inspiration but of scientific discoveries. The Eureka moments that change the whole world and the small moments when someone dares to fight one more day.

From a romance about a teenager's attempts to win over his first crush with poetry to musicians and artists harnessing the inspiration of unexpected muses to a fairy tale princess seeking for happiness, every story in this anthology shines brightly. And since every fire casts a shadow, there are also a few horror stories that thrive in the dark.

Hold Your Fire: Stories Celebrating the Creative Spark is the sixth anthology edited by Lisa Mangum and published by WordFire Press in support of the Don Hodge Memorial Scholarship fund for the Superstars Writing Seminars.

Hold Your Fire is an exceptional collection of stories, written by an all star cast of authors, that kept this reader turning pages in anticipation from one story to the next.-Kaye Lynn Booth at Writing to be Read