HAUNTED

want to see Barbara Haworth-Attard read her brand new paranormal murder mystery/romance— and who wouldn't? (crowds are packing appearances in Canada) —click here.

this title is not yet in the U.S. BUT it will be, just you wait.

have you read Art Slade's THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS? if not why not?

New Twitter Account

Hey gang,

Come follow me on Twitter!

Plus, see the amazing picture of the colonnade I found:



-John

THE DARK DEEPS

Here is a peek at Chris Steininger's cover concept for the Harper Canada edition of the second book in Art Slade's steampunk series THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS. Random House U.S. is cooking up something cool, too.

The Dark Deeps includes an underwater city (New Barcelona) and an invisible no-goodnik. Also a hunchback!

THE HUNCHBACK ASSIGNMENTS is already a Canadian best-seller (after Twilight) and reviews are marvelous: "A terrific entertainment" Quill and Quire (Canada's PW)— a starred review; "an excellent start to a promising series" Kirkus; "thrilling . . . more than the straightforward adventure it may appear" PW.

Checkout the website!

"Stringent," Explained by Saunders

We often say we're looking for "stringent" writing. To better explain what we mean, here's a fantastic essay by George Saunders on precision. The first example he sites? Johnny Tremain.

An excerpt:

"When a person resolves to improve his prose, everything he is and everything he believes in, consciously or unconsciously, must be brought to bear. The movements from vagueness to precision, from generality to specificity, length to brevity, passivity to activity, involve, mysteriously, a corresponding movement from falsehood to truth."

-JMC

Cyndy Szekeres, A Classic Illustrator

A Back-to-School Rhyme

English

Nouns name things.

Adjectives describe them.

Verbs act up.

Adverbs poke and jive them.

Construct a sturdy sentence

From your toolbox of good grammar,

And if your sentence wobbles,

Smartly smash it with the hammer.