#story bundle

My non fiction book The Heroine’s Journey is currently part of:

The Write for the Win Bundle

Curated by Melissa Snark & Mark Leslie Lefebvre

This bundle is for writers and contains all books tailored to building story brand and bookselling.

Do you want to write engaging books readers will love?

Are you interested in honing your storytelling skills?

Would you like to learn tips and tricks for managing your time and maximizing productivity?

Do you want to master the intricacies of social media platforms, author websites, and newsletter marketing?

New authors, midlist authors, and bestselling authors… The Write for the Win Bundle is a handpicked and selectively curated collection of writing craft and career books on the strategies and secrets of successful authors.

Books in the “pay what you want” bundle

Author Smarter Boot Camp: Hacks * Strategy * Mindset from the mind of… Michelle Fox.

Michelle Fox is a USA Today and NY Times bestselling author who has achieved success as an indie author through hard work and excellent storytelling. Michelle and I have been friends for many years. During that time, I have developed a profound respect for her marketing savvy. Michelle understands what readers want and excels at cultivating the loyalty of a devoted readership.

Playwriting: The Merciless Craft: Comprehensive Techniques for Mastering Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Playwriting by Carol Wolf.

Carol Wolf is an accomplished playwright and theatre veteran. Her plays have been produced on both coasts and five continents. She has also worked on films and video games and has won the L.A. Drama Critic’s Circle Award, the Bay Area Critic’s Award, and the London Fringe First. I had the good fortune to attend a Worldcon 76 workshop where Wolf was a panelist. Immediately after hearing her speak, I ran over to the dealer room to buy her book. Playwriting: The Merciless Craft has a special place on my “arms reach” shelf.

Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story by James Scott Bell.

I am a long-time fan of James Scott Bell’s books on storytelling, especially of Write Your Novel From the Middle. Prior to reading Bell’s book, I believed I was doing everything wrong. Afterward, I came to understand how much I had been doing right all along. Whether you are a Plotter or a Pantser at heart, Super Structure has fundamental and useful advice to offer, a solid foundation for every fiction writer. It is my honor and privilege to be able to include Mr. Bell’s book as a part of Write for the Win.

Taking the Short Tack: Creating Income & Connecting With Readers by Matty Dalrymple with Mark Leslie Lefebvre.

Taking the Short Tack is all about the genre of short fiction. Short fiction is an art unto itself, requiring discipline and brevity. Whether you are a short-form author seeking to expand your horizons or a long-fiction author interested in exploring new opportunities, this is a comprehensive resource for you. I am thrilled to have suspense thriller author Matty Dalrymple and her co-author Mark Leslie Lefebvre joining us in Write for the Win.

Books part of the bonus ($20 min)

The Heroine’s Journey: For Writers, Readers and Fans of Pop Culture by Gail Carriger.

Gail Carriger’s wildly funny paranormal and steampunk novels are loved and adored by her devoted readership. Carriger has penned over a dozen New York Times best-sellers and published in many languages. The Heroine’s Journey offers a fresh and insightful analysis of a classic storytelling chassis, as well as suggestions for improving your writing based on the tropes inherent in this narrative.

Wide for the Win: Strategies to sell globally via multiple platforms and forge your own path to success by Mark Leslie Lefebvre. Foreword by Erin Wright.

Wide for the Win is a must-read for aspiring authors seeking to prosper in the chaotic and ever-changing global marketplace. Mark Leslie Lefebvre brings a wealth of practical insight and real-world expertise to the table. His accomplished twenty-five-year career in the book industry includes his tenure as a former President of the Canadian Booksellers Association and the former Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations for Rakuten Kobo. The information is relevant, well-organized, and presented in plain yet articulate language. More than anything else, Mark embodies the epitome of that storied Canadian virtue–he is an epically nice guy.

Dear Writer, Are You in Burn Out? by Becca Syme.

Dear Writer, Are You in Burn Out? is a comprehensive guide to writer’s burnout, including the signs to watch for, how affects it people differently, and what we can take to prevent it. Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach Becca Syme holds a master’s degree in her field as well as fourteen years of experience in coaching for success. Syme helps authors learn how to lean into their strengths, discovering the way they work best.

It’s All Just a Draft by Tobias S. Buckell.

It’s All Just a Draft is a guide to the business of writing with a unique focus–helping authors decide what works best for you. Buckell is an NYT Bestselling Author and World Fantasy Award-winner who is both traditionally and independently published. Buckell is a successful blogger and frequent speaker at writing workshops and universities. This book is a collection of Buckell’s essays and speeches, including snippets and insights from his personal life, and plenty of writing tips.

Three Story Method by J. Thorn with Zach Bohannon.

The introduction of Three Story Method poses the great question that all fiction writers ask themselves at some point in their careers: “How do you turn an idea into a novel?” The authors are forthright when they state that there is no magic formula; however, the solution provided is far superior. Three Story Method is a process for creative development based on the most effective storytelling methodologies in history going back to the principles of Aristotle. J. Thorn holds is a full-time author, a part-time professor at John Carroll University, a co-owner of Molten Universe Media, as well as a podcaster, FM radio DJ, and musician. Co-author Zach Bohannon writes post-apocalyptic sci-fi, horror, and fantasy fiction. He is a co-owner of Molten Universe Media, a hockey fan, a drummer, and an avid gamer.

Prosperity for Writers: A Writer’s Guide to Creating Abundance by Honorée Corder.

Honorée Corder has authored dozens of books on the business of successful writing. Corder and her business partner, Hal Elrod, are business partners in the well-known The Miracle Morning book series. Prosperity for Writers provides an overview of the tools and techniques to help elevate your career goals to the next level. Corder’s publishing credits include You Must Write a Book, Vision to Reality, Prosperity for Writers, Business Dating, The Successful Single Mom book series, If Divorce is a Game, These are the Rules and The Divorced Phoenix.

How it works?

For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of four books in any ebook format—WORLDWIDE.

Author Smart Boot Camp by Michelle Fox

Taking the Short Tack by Matty Dalrymple with Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Super Structure by James Scott Bell

Playwriting: The Merciless Craft by Carol Wolf

If you pay at least the bonus price of just $20, you get all four of the regular books, plus 6 more books, for a total of 10, and a code for a free course!

It’s Just a Draft by Tobias S. Buckell

Wide for the Win by Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Prosperity for Writers by Honorée Corder

Empower Your Writing Coupon Code for Free Writing Course by Margie Lawson

Three Story Method by J. Thorn with Zach Bohannon

The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger

Dear Writer Are You in Burnout by Becca Syme

This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub, .mobi) for all books!

It’s also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.

Why StoryBundle? Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.

Get quality reads: We’ve chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.

Pay what you want (minimum $5): You decide how much these fantastic books are worth. If you can only spare a little, that’s fine! You’ll still get access to a batch of exceptional titles.

Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there’s nothing wrong with ditching DRM.

Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to Girls Write Now!

Receive extra books: If you beat the bonus price, you’ll get the bonus books!

StoryBundle was created to give a platform for independent authors to showcase their work, and a source of quality titles for thirsty readers. StoryBundle works with authors to create bundles of ebooks that can be purchased by readers at their desired price. Before starting StoryBundle, Founder Jason Chen covered technology and software as an editor for Gizmodo.com and Lifehacker.com.

For more information, visit storybundle.com, Twitter @storybundle & Facebook.

Find more tips & advice for writers in the Resources section of this website.

Yours, currently wiring the next book,

The 2018 LGBT+ Story Bundle!

In a week this steampunk bundle ends. So much goodness at a bargain price... oh and an anthology of the short stories written by our journalists! Try not to miss out on all this goodness...

The LGBT+ Bundle - Curated by Melissa Scott

A couple of years ago, Steve Berman at Lethe Press asked me to co-edit Lethe's annual year's best lesbian SF/F anthology, Heiresses of Russ.  I was, of course, honored to be asked, but I was even more delighted by the number and quality of the stories submitted.  When I started writing SF/F, including queer characters and themes was, I was told, an active bar to getting published, and was, at best, likely to get you branded as just and only a queer writer, trapped forever in a ghetto within a ghetto.  I knew that there had been a resurgence of queer spec fic in the 80s and 90s -- I'd been part of it -- but I hadn't realized how lasting that change had been.  Reading for Heiresses of Russ introduced me to dozens of new stories and writers for whom intelligent, sensitive, nuanced writing about lesbians was simply a normal part of their range.  When I proposed an LGBT+ StoryBundle to celebrate Pride, I knew I was going to run into the same abundance, but I had no idea just how abundant the field was going to be.  I realized immediately that there was going to be no easy way to winnow the field to a dozen books.

To get there, I've made some arbitrary decisions.  First, no novels in which being queer means you're evil, nor any in which it's a doomed and tragic fate.  There are places for the latter, but this is June and Pride Month, and I want to share books that celebrate queerness.  I've also decided to focus on small press offerings, as they are more likely to be overlooked than books from the mainstream houses.  I've tried to pick newer novels, and to reintroduce some older writers, and in general to include books and writers who you might not have seen yet.  Unfortunately, this didn't narrow things down very much at all.  In the end, I went with books I loved, books that showed me new facets of the LGBT+ experience, books that made me feel proud of being queer and an SF/F fan.  This is an admittedly eclectic group — you'll find historical fantasy, contemporary werewolves, superhero adventures, Victorian adventure, a YA ghost story, secondary world fantasies, a noir-inflected war between Heaven and Hell, and a couple of short story collections that individually span just as wide a range — but they are all written by authors at the top of their game.  Six Spectrum and Lambda Literary Award finalists and winners are included in the group, and Riley Parra has been turned into a web series by Tello Films (and will debut in August, soon after our bundle ends!).  You'll also find a diverse group of characters, worlds where the rules of sex and gender are profoundly different from our own, and stories that will hold you entranced until the very last word.

I don't claim that this is the (or even "a") definitive LGBT+ collection.  The field is far too large now for anyone to claim that.  What I can promise is that this is a celebration of queerness, a range of stories — gay, lesbian, bi, trans, and just plain queer — that shows off some of the best writers working today.

StoryBundle has always allowed its patrons to donate part of their payment to a related charity, and the appalling situation in Chechnya seemed to be one where donations could make a real and immediate difference.  If you choose, you can donate part of the bundle's price to the Rainbow Railroad, a group helping LGBT people escape persecution and violence worldwide.  At the moment, they are concentrating on helping the victims of the attacks on gay men in Chechnya; your donation will be a potentially life-saving gift. – Melissa Scott

The initial titles in the LGBT+ Bundle (minimum $5 to purchase) are:

The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles

Wonder City Stories by Jude McLaughlin

The Mystic Marriage by Heather Rose Jones

Riley Parra Season One by Geonn Cannon

Out of This World by Catherine Lundoff

If you pay more than the bonus price of just $15, you get all five of the regular titles, plus seven more!

The Marshal's Lover by Jo Graham

Vintage: A Ghost Story by Steve Berman

Point of Hopes by Melissa Scott and Lisa A. Barnett

Death by Silver by Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold

The Kissing Booth Girl and Other Stories by A.C. Wise

Trafalgar and Boone in the Drowned Necropolis by Geonn Cannon

Silver Moon by Catherine Lundoff

This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com.  It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods.  You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub and .mobi) for all books!

It's also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.

Why StoryBundle?  Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.

Get quality reads: We've chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.

Pay what you want (minimum $5): You decide how much these fantastic books are worth. If you can only spare a little, that's fine! You'll still get access to a batch of exceptional titles.

Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there's nothing wrong with ditching DRM.

Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to Rainbow Railroad!

Receive extra books: If you beat the bonus price, you'll get the bonus books!

For more information, visit our website at storybundle.com, tweet us at @storybundle and like us on Facebook.

The Kickass Heroines Bundle - Curated by Melissa Snark

What does it take to qualify as a kickass heroine? Tough question. Curating this bundle has taken me on a journey of discovery into nuances—everyone has their own definition. Often while talking to a prospective author, they would say, "I'm not sure my heroine kicks ass, BUT…"

She does in her own way.

Every woman is the heroine of her own heroic journey, and that doesn't always mean what we might assume. Heroism is about helping others; acts of heroism can be great or small. I would like to give a shout-out to the real-life heroine-volunteers of Knitted Knockers [https://www.knittedknockers.org/] who make special handmade breast prostheses for women who have undergone mastectomies or other procedures.

A portion of the proceeds of this bundle will go to benefit the Knitted Knockers charity.

So back to the question… What turns a female lead character into a kickass heroine? TV Tropes characterizes Action Girl as "a female badass who is tough and kicks butt." (This definition must have been written by a man.) If you're a feminist (men and women and all others inclusive), right now you're making a sour pucker mouth. Fans want more. Kickass heroines are not just girls. While we can be girls, we are women of all ages and ethnicities and origins who have endured hardships and adversity. We want strong and diverse women protagonists that embody admirable traits.

Kickass heroines are smart.

They achieve their goals through intelligence and education. In Ann Gimpel's Feral Ice, Dr. Erin Ryan is a doctor and biochemist at a floating research station in Antarctica. Stephanie Burgis's heroine in Thornbound is the first female magician and the founder of a school for girls.

The steampunk heroines of Shelley Adina's and Gail Carriger's books solve their problems with smarts and savvy. Having praised intellect, my personal favorite heroines tend to be more action oriented.

Kickass heroines are tough.

I love heroines who are literally capable of kicking ass and taking names. That scene in Aliens when Ripley declares, "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

I get chills. Every. Single. Time.

My gender-swapped Captain Hook is a hardened buccaneer and brilliant naval commander. Thankfully, my pirate captain is in good company. Pauline Baird Jones has heroines who are a professional solider and an interstellar spy in turn. Nicole Zoltack delivers a detective champion with a badge and you can bet that Skye MacKinnon's panther-shifter has wicked sharp claws.

Kickass heroines are clever.

Wait. What about the heroine who has street smarts and survives by guile? Never fear. We do love lady rogues as well. J.C. McKenzie's raven-shifter heroine embodies the cunning of a trickster and Michelle Fox's private investigator is a psychic with punch.

So, what does it take to qualify as a kickass heroine? She's smart, tough, and clever—someone readers can care for and cheer for. Most importantly, she's a champion to those in need. We, the authors of the collection, hope you fall head over heels for our Kickass Heroine StoryBundle.

By Melissa Snark

Guest hosted by Gail Carriger because Romancing the Inventor is part of this bundle!

For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay.

For $5 (or more, if you're feeling generous), you'll get the basic bundle of four books in any ebook format—WORLDWIDE.

 Meow - Catnip Assassins - Book One by Skye MacKinnon

 Conspiracy of Ravens by J.C. McKenzie

 Feral Ice - Ice Dragons Book One by Ann Gimpel

 Hook - Dead to Rights by Melissa Snark

If you pay at least the bonus price of just $15, you get all four of the regular books, plus NINE more books!

 Thornbound by Stephanie Burgis

 Magnificent Devices Series - Books 1-2 by Shelley Adina

 Project Enterprise Bundle - Books 1-2 by Pauline Baird Jones

 When Vamps Bite - Bedlam in Bethlehem Book 1 by Nicole Zoltack

 Psychic P.I. - The Zombie Heist Case File by Michelle Fox

 Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger

 Hook - Dead Wrong by Melissa Snark

Looking for a new, compelling, and electrifying science fiction story? With the Space Opera StoryBundle it’s easier than ever to escape the mundane nature of everyday life and fly through space and time. With authors including, Robert Jeschonek, Kevin Anderson, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Blaze Ward, CS Ferguson, Leah Cutter, Chris Pourteau, Ron Collins, and Dean Wesley Smith, you can enter a world of aliens, war, and chaos all from the comfort of your home. Now available on Storybundle.com, these compelling and electrifying reads are accessible to everyone.

With StoryBundle.com, you have the power to pick your own price, and with no DRMs, they make the process of purchasing easy by allowing your downloaded eBook to be read on your favorite device that supports common eBook files.

One of the amazing stories included in this limited time offer is “Veiled Alliances” by Kevin Anderson. Anderson has written over 165 books with twenty-three million books in print worldwide. Winner of The SFX Readers’ Choice Award, Golden Duck Award, Scribe Award, and a New York Times Notable Book, Anderson has more than a few bestselling and critically acclaimed novels.

“Veiled Alliances” reenters the world of Anderson’s best-selling space opera “Saga of Seven Suns.” Journey through space as humanity finally discovers what they’ve wondered for hundreds of years: what exactly is out there? Learn more about robots entombed in an ancient alien city, the rescue of the Burton, and even the origins of the green priests on Theroc. This short but thrilling novella introduces you to the world of Ildirans and insect-like Klikiss as readers explore the vastness of space and its inhabitants.

Ready to go Beyond Twilight?

A limited time, 11 book collection featuring vampires mixed with FBI agents, witches, assassins, and Greek gods that takes you from Chicago to Jamaica to Budapest and beyond. A portion of the proceeds help support the Southern Ohio Wolf Sanctuary. Go beyond Twilight and read Team Vampire for Team Shifter.

Rare Stakes by Michelle Fox

“When did you know you were psychic?” The detective looked…

Christmas, sooner than expected

Back in the heyday of my blogging, I did a review of a Kim Stanley Robinson story called The Lucky Strike – a classic what-if alternate history that imagined a different development of the bombing of Hiroshima. A good story, with a strong anti-war theme and message. Some comments on my Italian blog were scathing, to say the least: war is good, bombing Hiroshima was a great idea, thing could never…