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nonfiction

Nonfiction books about or dealing with speculative fiction and spec fic topics. You can also check out these subcategories:

writing guides

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Word Count: 51200

Summary: Being An Indie Author Can’t Be That Hard, Right? So you want to be an indie author. Or maybe you're scared to do it all yourself and are looking for a publisher, but want to know more about the nuts and bolts of the book business. Either way, this book is for you. Scott is a thirty-year small press veteran who shares his knowledge—from the snarky to the sublime—and answers your questions: What should you consider before you start to write? What about when you get stuck? And what can you do when you start doubting yourself? This book is filled with practical advice, candid explanations, and emotional support for any writer navigating today's complicated publishing business, helping you to stay sane and define for yourself what being a “successful writer” means. In your career, you’ll have highs and lows. It’s important to put all the highs in a bottle and save them. And when the publishing world gets you down, pull it out and suck a little happy juice. “If I ever go off course, I will refer back to this guide to keep me going. The book's strength lies in its ability to demystify the writing and publishing process, making it a trustworthy companion for writers facing challenges. 5 Stars.” -Jaqueline Neves, Readers’ Favorite "Suck a Little Happy Juice is the kind of advice title one wishes every aspiring writer had in hand. Whether it's addressing getting ready to write or giving concrete examples contrasting tepid writing with captivating alternative approaches and revisions, Coatsworth sets aside ethereal advice in favor of the concrete examples writers need in order to prove more effective and hone their skills.. If libraries and readers were to select just a few titles on the subject of becoming an author, Suck a Little Happy Juice should be at the top of the list." --Midwest Book Review

COMING SOON
Suck a Little Happy Juice - J. Scott Coatsworth
Suck a Little Happy Juice
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Word Count: 119,312

Summary: Are you a fantasy author who wants to create more vivid worlds or give them greater depth?  If so, this is the book you have been waiting for.  Subjects covered include: - How to create complex characters and an epic cast - Detailed lists of intelligent fantasy beings from myths and the world of fantasy, including celestial and paranormal species - How to create a celestial world and an underworld - Planning a novel - Ideas for plots, sub-plots, plot twists and book themes - Twenty-seven individual sub-sections on creating every aspect of a fantasy culture, from its history and jobs to its level of technology - Another five sub-sections on creating a planet, from geography to different realms to the effects of the sun(s) and moon(s) on the planet - Seven sub-sections about every aspect of creating a magic system - A list of fantasy creatures and how to create your own - Find inspiration and add an extra layer to your writing by using real myths, legends, folktales, historical events and stories of the paranormal - Eighteen detailed sub-sections on fantasy subgenres - Ideas to help you market your books - Twelve templates that you can use again and again every time you begin a new fantasy novel or series, that let you take the ideas in the book and turn them into something unique of your own In addition to all this, the paperback version of “Writing Fantasy” also contains over 100 illustrations to give you extra information and even more ideas. This is the perfect book for writers of fantasy.  Get your copy now so that you can take your writing to a whole new level.

Writing Fantasy - C.J. Solomon
Writing Fantasy (The Ultimate Guide and Complete Reference Book)
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: The Untold Story of Lesbian Love in Japanese Anime and Comics Two decades in the making, By Your Side is a collection of essays, scholarly and approachable, by the Western Hemisphere’s authority on the subject. This landmark work should be in the library of any fan of anime, manga, lesbian relationships in media–or any combination of the three! -- “By Your Side is the complete Yuri resource I only ever dreamed could exist…Friedman graces readers with illuminating insights as they follow her through a century of the genre’s evolution and revolution.” Nicki Bauman, Yurimother -- “The first in-depth study of Yuri in English.” James Welker, Professor of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies, Kanagawa University

By Your Side
By Your Side: The First Hundred Years of Yuri Anime and Manga
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: What makes a writer tick? What happens when an author gives up pure entertainment and aims instead at a deeper meaning? Can books somehow save the world? Will readers even care? A/not A explores the life and meaning of the work Tracy Shew, science fiction and fantasy author. The book begins with a detailed autobiography, and Shew's various attempts to "make the world a better place" from an early age. Then, the author's philosophy is described in detail. The description contains aspects of religion, mind science, dreams, biocentrism and especially quantum mechanics. The author concludes with a hopeful revelation that understanding "A/not A" as a philosophy and a somewhat different way of looking at the world will assist people in gaining new perceptions and new tools for understanding reality. Common social stumbling blocks which lead to division and hate might be dissolved. The author has for the last five years "salted" aspects of A/not A into all his writing. At the very least, this book will help the reader understand Shew's more bizarre stories, how (and why) he has toyed with Abstract Surrealism as a writing form, and what he hopes to accomplish. This book is half autobiographical, half philosophy (with a strong flavoring of quantum physics and neuroscience). The most basic message is that the loss of dialog between people who disagree (the "division") is the greatest threat we face today. The author recommends a simple grassroots solution: Start talking and listening to one another.

A/not A - Tracy Shew
A/not A
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Do you write horror, speculative fiction, dark fantasy, paranormal romance, or fairy tales? Are you an author who wants to take your career to the next level? The Spooky Writer's Planner helps you get it done! The planner includes:

  • 13 undated monthly and weekly calendars
  • monthly goal and recap sheets
  • weekly check-ins and note pages
  • writing challenges
  • trackers for submissions, published works, and contacts
  • planners for marketing, newsletters, and blog posts
  • check-off sheets for website maintenance, social media profiles, and expenses
  • Also included are fun sheets to generate writing ideas, track your favorite TV series, or to be read and watched lists.

Spooky Writer's Planner - Loren Rhoads
Spooky Writer's Planner
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Word Count: 91

Summary: Even fictional characters gotta eat. These are their recipes. Now you can make the favorite foods of the fictional country of Industralia, from breakfast right on through to late night snacks. You’ll even learn how to make traditional New Year's “Coal Week” holiday treats.

Steamed and Steamy - Lori Alden Holuta
Steamed and Steamy
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Word Count: 8000

Summary:

Expanded 2nd Edition!

A collection of short poems in rhyme Inspired all by science; Outward to the edge of time; Or tied to earthly cadence. Light and written all for fun, There is no angst to hide. You're invited now to sample one Of my poems inside. These poems are inspired by Richard Feynman, who said "Poets say science takes away from the beauty of the stars - mere globs of gas atoms. I too can see the stars on a desert night, and feel them. Why do the poets of today not speak of it?" I take his words as a challenge and this book collects some of my science-inspired poems.

Rhyme and Reason - Kate Rauner
Rhyme and Reason
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