Neil Simon's plays are to some extent a reflection of his life, sometimes autobiographical, other times based on the experiences of those close to him. What the reader of this warm, nostalgic memoir discovers, however, is that the plays, although grounded in Neil Simon's own experience, provide only a glimpse into the mind and soul of this very private man. In Rewrites, he tells of the painful discord he endured at home as a child, of his struggles to develop his talent as a writer, and of his insecurities when dealing with what proved to be his first great success -- falling in love. Supporting players in the anecdote-filled memoir include Sid Caesar, Jerry Lewis, Walter Matthau, Robert Redford, Gwen Verdon, Bob Fosse, Maureen Stapleton, George C. Scott, Peter Sellers, and Mike Nichols. But always at center stage is his first love, his wife Joan, whose death in the early seventies devastated him, and whose love and inspiration illuminate this remarkable and revealing self-portrait. Rewritesis rich in laughter and emotion, and filled with the memories of a sometimes sweet, sometimes bittersweet life.

This follow-up to the bestselling The Weekend Novelist will guide writers of all levels through the next phase in crafting their novel: the rewrite. You’ve finished your first draft—congratulations! Think it’s ready for publication? Think again. The next stage is all about revising and reworking your manuscript—fine-tuning the plot, adding or improving subplots, and fleshing out characters; in short, addressing important structural issues that make or break a novel. Robert J. Ray, who helped thousands of writers get from blank page to first draft in The Weekend Novelist, now guides the same audience through a series of seventeen weekend revision exercises designed to fit into any busy lifestyle, focusing on everything from rewriting scenes to developing sound flashbacks to refining characters’ back stories. Throughout the book, Ray illustrates his lessons with examples from such great works of literature as Jane Eyre, Gorky Park, and The Great Gatsby so that writers may more easily identify how and why a certain technique or structural element helps or hinders their own work. Also included are checklists, timed exercises, plot diagrams, and charts—all aimed to get you rewriting and revising your draft with confidence. Whether you’re an amateur novelist, a seasoned writer who’s hit a mental block, or a creative writing teacher looking for proven exercises for better instruction, The Weekend Novelist Rewrites the Novel provides the tools to transform first drafts into successful novels.

Get all three Fixing Your Revision Problems books in one omnibus This book contains Fixing Your Character & Point-of-View Problems, Fixing Your Plot & Story Structure Problems, and Fixing Your Setting & Description Problems--PLUS a BONUS workshop: How to Salvage Half-Finished Manuscripts. A strong story has many parts, and when one breaks down, the whole book can fail. Make sure your story is the best it can be to keep your readers hooked. Janice Hardy takes you step-by-step through the novel revision process, from character issues, to plot problems, to description issues. She'll show you how to analyze your draft, spot any problems or weak areas, and fix problems hurting your manuscript. With clear and easy-to-understand examples, Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft offers eleven self-guided workshops that target the common issues that make readers stop reading. It will help you: Flesh out weak characters and build strong character arcs Find the right amount of backstory to enhance, not bog down, your story Create unpredictable plots that keep readers guessing Develop compelling hooks to build tension in every scene Determine the right way to include information without infodumping Fix awkward stage direction and unclear character actions Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft starts every workshop with an analysis and offers multiple revision options in each area. You choose the options that best fit your writing process. Learn how to: Develop a strong and effective revision plan Analyze your manuscript to find its strengths and weaknesses Spot common red flag words for problem areas (such as told prose) Determine the best way to revise a scene, plot, character, or novel Fix problems holding your novel back Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft is an easy-to-follow guide to revising your manuscript and crafting a strong finished draft that will keep readers hooked.

The refereed proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Rewriting Techniques and Applications, RTA 2003, held in Valencia, Spain in June 2003. The 26 revised regular papers and 6 system descriptions presented together with 3 invited contributions were carefully reviewed and selected from 61 submissions. All current aspects of rewriting are addressed.

Maude is a language and system based on rewriting logic. In this comprehensive account, you’ll discover how Maude and its formal tool environment can be used in three mutually reinforcing ways: as a declarative programming language, as an executable formal specification language, and as a formal verification system. Examples used throughout the book illustrate key concepts, features, and the many practical uses of Maude.

When a workaholic lawyer meets a fun-loving music marketing executive for opposites attract, friends-to-lovers adventures, which partnership will she choose? Workaholic lawyer Audrey Willems is not going to take any chances with her bid to become a partner at her New York law firm—especially with only six months until the decision. Until she bumps into Jake—her new neighbor. Jake is a fun-loving music marketing executive who might just be The One. He’s funny, caring, supportive—and able to kill water bugs in the bathroom. But Jake will never date a woman married to her job. His father was a workaholic lawyer who never had time for family. And she’s just got the case of a lifetime—the one she needs to win to make partner. Working 24/7 at the office may not even be enough hours to pull off a victory. If only she had not met him now. Audrey is determined to prove that she can juggle work and romance—even if managing court cases, candlelit dinners, and bike rides around Manhattan is a lot harder than it looks. She keeps canceling dates for yet another case crisis. But when making partner is like a game of musical chairs and the last seat is a business-class alone, which partnership will she choose? Search terms: romantic comedy, women's fiction with romance, opposites attract, lawyer romance, lawyer romantic comedy, legal romantic comedy, feel-good fiction

An ancient power. A desperate quest. The clock is ticking. When psychologist and religious expert Dr. Morgan Sierra's sister and niece are kidnapped, she's thrust into a deadly race against time to find twelve ancient stones that could unleash unimaginable power. With only days until Pentecost and the kidnapper's deadline, Morgan must use all her knowledge and resources to track down the artifacts. She's not alone in the hunt. Jake Timber, an enigmatic agent of ARKANE, a secret British agency investigating the supernatural, has his own orders to retrieve the stones at any cost. Torn between her desperate need to save her family and Jake's mission to secure the stones, lines blur as Morgan and Jake forge an uneasy partnership. From the holy sites of Israel and the Vatican to the desert of Tunisia and the Sonoran wilderness of Arizona, Morgan and Jake face sinister forces, ancient traps, and a fanatical enemy determined to use the stones' power for their own dark purposes. Danger, betrayal and a growing attraction complicate their quest. With Pentecost approaching and a storm of apocalyptic proportions brewing, Morgan must confront her past and unearth long-buried secrets to have any hope of saving her family and preventing global catastrophe. Emotions run high and faith is tested as the clock ticks down. Can Morgan stop the stones from falling into the wrong hands, or will she have to choose between saving her family and saving the world? Fast-paced and gripping, Stone of Fire is a thrilling adventure that weaves together history, archaeology, and the supernatural into a pulse-pounding race against time. Perfect for fans of Dan Brown, James Rollins, and Steve Berry, this action-packed novel will keep you turning pages late into the night. Stone of Fire is book 1 of the ARKANE Thriller series by award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, J.F. Penn. It can also be read as a stand-alone story.