Determined to reinvent himself and explore new territory in his work, Gore Vidal published a provocative satirical work destined to be on a collision course with social conventions in 1968. Written as a diary, Myra Breckinridge, someone determined not to be possessed by any man, recounts her day as she lives it out in the Hollywood of the '60s. Feminism, transsexuality, and a host of cinematic jokes abound.

Gone in a Flash is an assortment of five short stories, to be read separately, or be devoured all in one sitting. Each story is between 400 and 550 words.Gone in a Flash is an assortment of five short stories, to be read separately, or be devoured all in one sitting. Each story is between 400 and 550 words.One of the stories, Flash Cleaner, was written for a challenge on a writing website. Convention says that we must never start a sentence with the word 'And', but it was suggested that Jerusalem would not be right without 'and' starting the opening line, and that there could be more instances where 'and' sits comfortably at the beginning.Flash Card is available as a PDF from the OLD NEWS page of my website.

The newest tour de force from The New York Times bestselling author of Thursday Next and Shades of Grey. Jasper Fforde's exuberant return to the fantastical BookWorld opens during a time of great unrest. All-out Genre war is rumbling, and the BookWorld desperately needs a heroine like Thursday Next. But with the real Thursday apparently retired to the Realworld, the Council of Genres turns to the written Thursday. The Council wants her to pretend to be the real Thursday and travel as a peacekeeping emissary to the warring factions. A trip up the mighty Metaphoric River beckons-a trip that will reveal a fiendish plot that threatens the very fabric of the BookWorld itself. Once again New York Times bestselling author Jasper Fforde has a field day gleefully blending satire, romance, and thriller with literary allusions galore in a fantastic adventure through the landscape of a frisky and fertile imagination. Fans will rejoice that their favorite character in the Fforde universe is back. Watch a Video

Roscoe Riley doesn't mean to break the rules Don't Tap-Dance on Your Teacher Rat-tat-TAT! Tap shoes make the best noise ever! But tap dancing? The big boys say that's just for girls. Roscoe promised to tap in the school talent show. When the teasing starts, will he keep his word?

Hurrah! The final instalment of our Christmas Story and the race is on to make the wishes come true. Neddy has travelled home with little Joe from the magic of the Returns Dept and watches from his bedroom window as there is a new and exciting arrival into the empty flat below! Could this be the magical answer to those wishes? Do enjoy our story and tonight make your wish on that special star!xWonka presents the final instalment in time for Christmas! Whilst Neddy returns to earth with little Joe, the Administrator is busy doing the right thing and wonder of wonders, who is this moving into the flat below number 11? Meet some more magical characters and more fun in the last part of the adventure, where for little Joe and his Mum, Christmas wishes are processed. From stars in snowstorms to the secrets of the mysterious Returns Dept, enjoy this gift from us to you. And tonight, look for that special star and make your wish! Merry Christmas everyone. x

The long hot Louisiana summer just got hotter for Reni LeDeux. He's burned out by D.C. politics and only wants to build his cabin in peace. But if his wacky, matchmaking aunt has her way, Bayou Black's prodigal son will be hitched before he can say butt-naked! That honor goes to Valerie Ice Breaux, Reni's high school nemesis turned Trial TV anchor, who's been abducted by Reni's activist friends. Mon Dieu! It's a heat wave, guar-an-teed!Available only in Americana 5.

A sequel to critically acclaimed THE NEDDIAD told from the point of view of Ned's friend, Iggy La Brea Woman is missing. Valentino, too. The ghosts of Los Angeles are disappearing right and left! Iggy Birnbaum is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, no matter what Neddie Wentworthstein and Seamus Finn say. There’s just the little matter of traveling to another plane of existence, first…and then, of course, not pissing off a witch once she gets there. From L.A. to Old New Hackensack, fans of The Neddiad will be delighted to join up with Iggy, Neddie, Seamus, and the usual apparitional entourage for another weird and wonderful adventure by Daniel Pinkwater. As Neil Gaiman said about the first book: "it's funny and tender and strange and impossible to describe. What Pinkwater does is magic and I'm grateful for it." THE IGGYSSEY is vintage Pinkwater: laugh out loud funny, incredible characters, dialogue, humor. And like THE NEDDIAD, this book will be similarly illustrated throughout by Calef Brown.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Sewell Ford was a 20th century American author who wrote a number of books that are still read across the world today.

The man in the photo is so blurry, it's impossible to make out what he really looks like. And that's before he was run over by a steamroller!

Six hilarious months in the life of Elmo Jenkins. Elmo Jenkins is 25 years old and about to graduate from seminary. But then what? Follow Elmo as he stumbles through a six-month internship at a large downtown church. It's Ferris Bueller meets Holden Caulfield as he learns how to be a minister. Elmo pulls back the sacred curtains for a irreverent inside look at the inner workings of a mega-church.Six hilarious months in the life of Elmo Jenkins. Elmo Jenkins is 25 years old and about to graduate from seminary. But then what? Follow Elmo as he literally stumbles through a six-month internship at a large downtown church. It's Ferris Bueller meets Holden Caulfield as he learns how to baptize and bury, visit and marry the faithful flock. Take a peek as Elmo pulls back the sacred curtains for a irreverent inside look at the inner workings of a mega-church. Watch as Elmo's cynicism is transformed, as he solves a hundred-year-old church mystery and even finds true love along the way. This fast-pace novel will keep you smiling from beginning to end.

The greatly desired publishing contract eludes a young author with a growing collection of rejection letters and an obsessive belief in the quality of her work. Despising vanity publishing and never daunted she and her stage mother will go to any lengths to see her published and have in place a program of regular, if expensive, events designed to promote her fortunes.The revolution in self-publishing and becoming an indie author is not for everyone. It is often disparaged and disdained as lacking credibility and the prestige of recognition by traditional publishers. There are still true believers so convinced of their own talent and the consequent stupidity of those who continue to reject them, who disdain the indie reality of giving up on traditional publishing after enduring universal rejection. True believers desire, crave and are obsessed with the status and inevitable fortune that must follow obtaining a contract with a traditional print publisher. For them such a contract will lead to best seller status for their work. There is no sacrifice that won't be made or humiliation too great to secure the longed for and just reward for their writing talent. As a consequence, some budding writers still believe in and actively follow the traditional regime of submitting their work to literary agents and publishers which all too often ends in tears when the rejection letter or form email ever so politely declines the latest attempt by an unknown writer. Such blinkered hopefuls fail to appreciate the current obsession of publishers with celebrity and the phenomenon of 'famous for being famous' so graphically demonstrated in reality TV series such as Keeping up with the Kardashians, which forms the backdrop to this firmly tongue in cheek and funny short story with a surprising ending. The unnamed heroine of the story is one such believer. Despising fan fiction authors and vanity publishing and never daunted, she and her stage mother will go to any lengths to see her published. However, to date, the greatly desired recognition and a lucrative publishing contract has eluded our young author who has a growing collection of rejection letters and an obsessive belief in the quality of her work that endures despite her never completed attempts at writing in a number of genre. The talent she feels should be recognised, applauded and is so carefully nurtured by her ambitious mother and long suffering father, eludes the many literary agents and publishers subjected to her constant stream of submissions. The clock is ticking as her frustration grows and a fear that she will be too old to be an acceptable face to the increasingly celebrity obsessed publishing industry. She prepares for the life of fame and fortune that awaits her when her talent is recognised by doing what is necessary and expected by 21st century publishers who encourage the completion of creative writing degrees as the road to success. Our heroine and her mother are so active in the pursuit of the elusive publishing contract they have a program of regular, if expensive, events in place designed to promote the fortunes of the budding JK Rowling. One such event in a shopping mall where our heroine demonstrates her versatility with the written word and no musical talent goes awry leading to a chain of events that not only brings her the attention she has desired for all of her nearly nineteen years but unwelcome consequences and a brush with an unsympathetic authority figure.

Once upon a time there was a very nice but very plain princess named Jennifer, who, following proper fairy-tale protocol, fell for a very handsome but very conceited prince named Alexander. When Alexander offends a powerful witch, it falls to Jennifer to save him. In the course of doing so, she meets a wizard and soon wonders if she’s such a proper fairy-tale princess after all—a good little princess would love Alexander, but does she?

This is a short, fictional story. A humorous look at the plight of a short story writer. Written from the writer’s perspective, consulting an imaginary filing cabinet full of unused short stories. The writer tries to determine the merits of various stories they have written, all the while searching for a unique idea to pitch in a writing competition.This is a short, tongue-in-cheek, fictional story. A humorous look at the plight of a short story writer, wondering which story to put forward in a writing competition. Written from the writer’s perspective, consulting an imaginary filing cabinet full of unused short stories, the writer tries to determine the merits of various stories, all the while searching for a unique idea to put forward in a writing competition.