Nowhere will you find a more comprehensive, current, and detailed writing skills course designed specifically for writing children and teen books, written by a children's and young adult author who is in the field today. WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: A CRASH COURSE is a ten-step course that relays all the nitty-gritty details of the business, beginning with how to evaluate your book idea all the way to pitching your book to editors and agents. Within each step, you'll find clear and specific information covering topics such as the children's book market, manuscript format, commonly made mistakes and editing tips to beef up your writing skills, finding the right literary agent or children's book publisher, and professional submission etiquette. This book will even tell you what kind of paper you should use and exactly how you should write your email or letter pitches to editors and agents. Bonus materials include templates for all of your submission needs as well as examples of real-life editorial letters sent to authors from editors today. You will get a complete inside peak to the children's and YA fiction writing market for those who want to write picture books, easy readers, chapter books, and middle grade or young adult/teen novels.

The perfect Mother's Day gift: A collection of witty one-line advice New Yorker writer Patricia Marx heard from her mother, accompanied by full-color illustrations by New Yorker staff cartoonist Roz Chast. Every mother knows best, but New Yorker writer Patty Marx's knows better. Patty has never been able to shake her mother's one-line witticisms from her brain, so she's collected them into a book, accompanied by full color illustrations by New Yorker staff cartoonist Roz Chast. These snappy maternal cautions include: If you feel guilty about throwing away leftovers, put them in the back of your refrigerator for five days and then throw them out. If you run out of food at your dinner party, the world will end. When traveling, call the hotel from the airport to say there aren't enough towels in your room and, by the way, you'd like a room with a better view. Why don't you write my eulogy now so I can correct it? Every child will want to buy this for mom on Mother's Day!

Jewish dedication and commitment to studying Scripture is nothing short of inspiring. Jews have long been known as careful examiners of the Bible, dedicated to understanding and growing from God’s word. In traditional synagogues, the Torah is read three times per week, and each week, one of the Torah portions is examined. These encounters not only allow Jews to study God’s instruction for faith but also provide valuable inspiration for living that faith in the everyday. In Shalom for the Heart, popular author and speaker Rabbi Evan Moffic reveals the wisdom of the Torah for today’s Christians. Beautifully written weekly Torah-inspired devotions are offered to encourage readers throughout the year. Through his readings, Moffic invites Christians to engage in a study pattern of the Jewish founders of the faith, to grow deeper in relationship with Jesus, and find meaning, comfort, and direction for our lives. Endorsement: “Most Christians—myself certainly included—have so much to learn from the Jewish tradition and the study of the Torah, and from Judaism’s respect for the law and value on ritual and connection within their community. … This book is a gift for every Christian, anchoring us to a beautiful shared history that can deepen and enrich our understanding and our faith.” ~ Shauna Niequist, best-selling author and speaker

If you were to ask ten people, Who started Christianity? you might hear ten voices giving the same quick response: Jesus. But those ten people would be wrong. Jesus wasn’t a Christian. Jesus lived and died as a Jew. Understanding the Jewishness of Jesus is the secret to knowing him better and understanding his message in the twenty-first century. Walking through Jesus’ life from birth to death, Rabbi Evan Moffic serves as a tour guide to give Christians a new way to look at familiar teachings and practices that are rooted in the Jewish faith and can illuminate our lives today. Moffic gives fresh insight on how Jesus’ contemporaries understood him, explores how Jesus’ Jewishness shaped him, offers a new perspective on the Lord’s Prayer, and provides renewed appreciation for Jesus’ miracles. In encountering his Jewish heritage, you will see Jesus differently, gain a better understanding of his message, and enrich your own faith.

ABOUT THE BOOK A loved one has passed, and you’ve been given the task of writing a eulogy. Where to begin? Writing a eulogy can seem like a daunting task; in fact it has been said that people fear public speaking more than death. When writing a eulogy, you are preparing to speak publicly about death — probably the death of a loved one or close acquaintance. Though this is undoubtedly a difficult time, writing a eulogy doesn’t have to add to your stress. With proper planning and organization, composing a eulogy can be done relatively quickly and painlessly. MEET THE AUTHOR Kate has over 10 years of experience writing, researching and editing articles, eNewsletters, web content, press releases, and resource books. She's a huge nerd, and is interested in everything from science and the latest technology to crafts, food and celebrity gossip. Because of her eclectic tastes, she has written about topics ranging from childhood brain development to fuel efficiency to micro-breweries. Kate loves writing and researching, it gives her a chance to inform and entertain readers, and also as an opportunity to learn something new. Kate a native Mainer, and when she is not shoveling snow or writing, she's huddled near the fire with her daughter, her husband, and her dogs. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK The first stage of writing a eulogy is often referred to as information gathering. Experts recommend sitting down and brainstorming about the person you are commemorating before you begin the actual eulogy writing. By getting thoughts down in a free flowing manner, you may come up with details, stories, or attributes about the person that you may not if you try to follow a strict outline setting from the outset. Think about what the person looked like, hobbies, career, family life, and any stories you might want to share. The more details you can add the better. Don’t worry about flow or organization at this point. All you are tying to do is get some ideas down on paper. Next, call some family or friends of the deceased and ask them if they have any stories or memories they would like to share, find out if the deceased had any favorite songs, poetry, or literature that would be good to include. Next you will want to start organizing your eulogy. Some people like to prepare an outline. You will want to include biographical information, perhaps a bit about where the person grew up, their family life, places they lived, also mention their children and spouse if applicable. You could also include career information in this section as well. Buy a copy to keep reading!

Feeling overwhelmed and unproductive? The answer isn’t to do more. What image forms in your mind when you think of productivity? An assembly line? Spreadsheets? Business suits or workplace uniforms? In the ancient world, productivity didn't conjure images like these. Instead, it referred to crop yield and fruit bearing. This agrarian imagery helps us understand productivity through a biblical lens. Jesus taught, By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8). Who doesn’t want to have a truly productive life—to bear much fruit? But how does this happen in the places we hold dear—the home, workplace, and in our communities? We often feel overworked and overrun, defeated and discouraged. The world says be productive so that you can get all you can out of this life. The Bible says be productive so you can gain more of the next life. In Redeeming Productivity, author Reagan Rose explores how God’s glory is the purpose for which He planted us. And he shows how productivity must be firmly rooted in the gospel. Only through our connection to Christ—the True Vine—are we empowered to produce good fruit. This book shows how we can maintain the vitality of that connection through simple, life-giving disciplines. Readers will discover manageable applications like giving God the first fruits of our days. Additionally, Reagan discusses how our perspective on suffering is transformed as we see trials as God’s pruning for greater productivity.