English Storytelling

The hardest yet most essential element of writing great fiction is character—specifically, creating a central hero who is relatable, compelling, and worth the audience's precious time. In this entertaining and practical guide, popular blogger, writing coach and screenwriter Matt Bird breaks down what makes characters embraceable and unforgettable, and presents insider tips and tricks for writers of all levels and genres.

Weaving a rich tapestry of multicultural myths, ancient legends, and simple folktales, Anita Johnston, PhD, inspires women to free themselves from disordered eating by discovering the metaphors that are hidden in their own life stories.

Stand-up is all well and good, but observational humor that’s funny and warm may work best in books. And Tom Papa, whose loyal audiences are packed with “date night” couples of all ages, has perfected the form. In We're All In This Together, Papa’s thirty-seven short essays tackle these universal American topics,

🌿✨ Step into a world where magic lingers in the mist, the kettle is always warm, and the forest whispers its ancient secrets. ✨🌿 Nestled deep in the woods, a cozy cabin awaits—a place where the scent of herbal tea mingles with the stories of the trees. In this collection of gentle, enchanting tales, you’ll find: 🍵 A tea shop where the brews whisper forgotten memories. 🌙 A hidden glade where fireflies carry the wishes of the lost. 🍄 A wandering fox with a lantern, guiding those who need it most. 📖 A book that only appears during the first snowfall of winter. Perfect...

Introducing Butterflies In the End Zone, an emotionally charged YA romance novel that explores the power of friendship, self-discovery, and the resilience of love. Join Alex, the popular quarterback of Scalia High's football team, as he navigates the complexities of his seemingly perfect life. Despite his stellar grades and an enviable social circle, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to Jamie, the new kid from the Bay Area. Jamie, a closeted Jewish student, never expected the attention of someone like Alex, especially in the midst of his own struggles after moving to Jacksonville. With ...

The creators of the podcast The Dollop present profiles of the weird, outrageous, NSFW, and downright absurd tales from American history that you weren't taught in school. The United States of Absurdity presents short, informative, and hilarious stories of the most outlandish (but true) people, events, and more from United States history.

Detective Laci Jolett and her K9 Bell have a new case with dangerous and deadly consequences. A woman from the local safehouse has been poisoned and her ex-husband is the number one suspect. Time is not on Detective Jolett’s side and Bell may pay the ultimate price when someone decides one less K9 is a good thing. With so much on their plate, the last thing Laci and Bell need is an irritating cat who puts notches on its scratching post each time it antagonizes Bell. After Laci’s puts a grumpy old man with a roving eye in his place, the forever enemies are stacking up and Bell will do ...

Transform the Way You Connect, Inspire, and Influence—One Story at a Time. Have you ever struggled to tell a story that truly captivates your audience? Maybe you’ve admired natural storytellers who effortlessly inspire a team, entertain a crowd, or make a lasting impression. The truth is, storytelling isn’t magic—it’s a skill anyone can learn. In Applied Storytelling, Victor Odåsnac introduces a Simple Formula—Desire + Conflict = Resolution—that makes storytelling easy, impactful, and accessible to all. Whether you’re leading a meeting, sharing a personal anecdote, or ...

This bundle includes The Mystery of the Grinning Gargoyle, The Mystery of the Missing Pop Idol, and The Mystery of the Stolen Dinosaur Bones.

One warm night four children stood in front of a bakery. No one knew them. No one knew where they had come from. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are orphans. Can they find a home where they can stay together as a family?

In Planet Funny, Ken Jennings explores this brave new comedic world and what it means - or doesn’t - to be funny in it now. Tracing the evolution of humor from the caveman days to the bawdy middle-class antics of Chaucer to Monty Python’s game-changing silliness to the fast-paced meta-humor of The Simpsons, Jennings explains how we built our humor-saturated modern age, where lots of us get our news from comedy shows and a comic figure can even be elected president of the United States purely on showmanship.

Dive into this animal cozy mystery where a group of quirky cats and clever dogs become unlikely heroes, proving that sometimes it’s the pets solving a crime that leads their humans to the truth. In the gossip-filled small town of Sunridge Junction, Leona Willis, known as the reclusive “crazy cat lady,” suddenly finds herself a suspect when a prominent resident is discovered dead under mysterious circumstances. With her reputation on the line, although reluctant, Leona teams up with retired police detective Maya Thompson, a friend she hasn’t spoken to in years. Maya brings along her ...

The brother of patriarch Phil Robertson, Uncle Si has a limitless supply of stories about his childhood, duck hunting adventures, his days in Vietnam, and everything in between. Now the best of those tales are gathered into this roaring collection.

Si shares stories of the more than 25 marriage proposals he's received in the mail (some with photos!), how he came to use a green Tupperware cup for his ever-present sweet tea, and how his cigarette smoke made a deer cough (he's since quit smoking).

***From the bestselling author of the Greek Island Mysteries series (50000 books sold!)*** ***Approved by the Teacher Association of Cyprus*** 'I love this book!' -R.Rowley (Teacher) 'Wonderful! Wish I had this book when I was teaching!' - Elaine Bertolotti (Author, teacher) Aesop's Fables are a collection of fables credited to the great ancient Greek storyteller Aesop. His fables have been children's and adult's favorite fables through-out the centuries. Simple stories with powerful messages. This book, written by an English teacher, provides a humorous, modernized version of the fables. ...

The Power of Storytelling: How Personal Narratives Can Open Doors to Connections explores the timeless art of storytelling as a powerful tool to foster relationships, create emotional bonds, and spark meaningful conversations. Whether in business, personal life, or creative endeavours, our stories are the key to building trust, inspiring action, and forging deeper connections with others.

In a major work of scholarship both erudite and very funny, Jeremy Dauber traces the origins of Jewish comedy and its development from Biblical times to the age of Twitter. Organizing his book thematically into what he calls the seven strands of Jewish comedy - including the satirical, the witty, and the vulgar - Dauber explores the ways Jewish comedy has dealt with persecution, assimilation, and diaspora through the ages. He explains the rise and fall of popular comic archetypes such as the Jewish mother, the JAP, and the schlemiel and schlimazel.

Three complete stories in one collection! This volume includes The Mystery of the Secret Message, The Firehouse Mystery, and The Mystery in San Francisco.

Let the world's funniest sportsman tickle your funny bone with quirky homespun stories and whimsical perspectives on life. Patrick F. McManus gently pokes fun at the oddities of sacred institutions like friendship, marriage, and even hunting and fishing. Soon his crazy theories start making sense, and you know you've crossed the border into McManus country, where life is a little lighter - and much more amusing.

The always-outspoken hard rock vocalist Corey Taylor begins America 51 with a reflection on what his itinerant youth and frequent worldwide travels with his multiplatinum bands Slipknot and Stone Sour have taught him about what it means to be an American in an increasingly unstable world. He examines the way America sees itself, specifically with regard to the propaganda surrounding America's origins (like a heavy-metal Howard Zinn) while also celebrating the quirks and behavior that make a true-blue American.

The Woodshed Mystery: The Alden children are staying at the New England farmhouse where their grandfather grew up. There are many stories and legends about the old farm, and there’s a woodshed near the house that holds a surprising secret... a secret that dates all the way back to the Revolutionary War! The Lighthouse Mystery: When the Aldens take a summer trip to the New England coast, they have a fun place to stay: a lighthouse!