Les Edgerton

The road to rejection is paved with bad beginnings. Agents and editors agree: Improper story beginnings are the single biggest barrier to publication. Why? If a novel or short story has a bad beginning, then no one will keep reading. It's just that simple. In Hooked, author Les Edgerton draws on his experience as a successful fiction writer and teacher to help you overcome the weak openings that lead to instant rejection by showing you how to successfully use the ten core components inherent to any great beginning. You'll find: Detailed instruction on how to develop your inciting incident Keys for creating a cohesive story-worthy problem Tips on how to avoid common opening gaffes like overusing backstory A rundown on basics such as opening scene length and transitions A comprehensive analysis of more than twenty great opening lines from novels and short stories Plus, you'll discover exclusive insider advice from agents and acquiring editors on what they look for in a strong opening. With Hooked, you'll have all the information you need to craft a compelling beginning that lays the foundation for an irresistible story!

Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go

Hooked

Find your voice - and make your writing sing! You know a great literary "voice" when you hear it: David Sedaris's humorous cynicism. Elmore Leonard's weary, smart-mouthed dialogue. Nick Hornby's simple yet imaginative descriptions. It's the kind of writing you should aspire to, right? Well, not quite. Each of these authors found success in part by developing their own unique voice: a writing style that helped define their work. Now Les Edgerton shows you how to develop a voice of your own, one that rises about the literary din because of its individuality, not in spite of it! Inside, he provides guidelines, advice and dozens of exercises of recognizing and developing a natural style that will make your characters, stories and dialogues better and more memorable. You'll lean: - How to make any piece you write unmistakably yours and your alone - What agents and editors really think about using your own voice - How to write better by ignoring the rules - The keys to getting your voice and personality on the page - How to get back the unique voice you may have lost by trying to write like someone else Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, Finding Your Voice is a must read. Editors, agents, and readers all want to read something fresh and new; by finding your voice, you'll be giving them exactly what they want!

How to Put Personality in Your Writing

Finding Your Voice

The Rapist introduces us to Truman Ferris Pinter, an amoral man occupying a prison cell for a heinous crime committed years earlier. Master storyteller Les Edgerton guides us on a haunting journey inside the criminal mind to show that no matter how depraved a person appears to be, there might still exist a spark of humanity.

The Rapist

Mark Wilson

Richard Godwin

Gerard Brennan

Martin Stanley

Keith Nixon

Allen Miles

Gareth Spark

Ryan Bracha

Paul Brazill

Craig Furchtenicht

Darren Sant

Everybody's here for a reason...At St. David's asylum for the criminally insane there are twelve residents. They call us that. Not inmates. We all have a favourite colour. A favouritemember of staff. A favourite method of receiving torture for the purposes of science.We all have our reasons for being here.Our stories. Our tales.Why don't you come and hear them?Twelve Mad Men is a groundbreaking literary collaboration. A novel which has a series of stories woven into the narrative, and featuring the finest independent authors from across the globe.The number one best selling author of Strangers Are Just Friends You Haven't Killed Yet and Paul Carter is a Dead Man, Ryan Bracha, voices the narrator as he embarks upon his first shift as a night guard at St. David's, and as he meets the residents there, it soon becomes apparent that there's something very wrong in the water...The phenomenally talented writers involved in this innovative and ambitious project are:Paul D Brazill (Guns of Brixton, A Case of Noir)Gerard Brennan (Fireproof, Wee Rockets)Les Edgerton (The Bitch, The Rapist)Craig Furchtenicht (Dimebag Bandits, Night Speed Zero)Richard Godwin (Mr Glamour, Apostle Rising)Allen Miles (18 Days, This is How You Disappear)Keith Nixon (The Fix, The Eagle's Shadow)Darren Sant (Tales From The Longcroft, The Bank Manager and The Bum)Gareth Spark (Black Rain, Shotgun Honey)Martin Stanley (The Gamblers, The Hunters)Mark Wilson (dEaDINBURGH, Head Boy)And narrated by Ryan Bracha (Paul Carter is a Dead Man, Strangers are Just Friends You Haven't Killed Yet)

12 Mad Men

Adrenaline Junkie is more than a renowned, multi-award-winning author entertaining with his life history. Les Edgerton understands that backstory matters. It influences the present. So he journeyed through his past seeking answers for why he was the way he was. Seeking answers for his thrill-seeking, devil-may-care, often self-destructive, behaviors. Seeking a sense of personal peace. Why was he compelled to be the best he could be in all his endeavors—legal or otherwise. What drove him to excel, then flee success, only to strive for supremacy in another field? Adrenaline Junkie holds the answers. With nothing held back. With his life-saving humor, an indomitable spirit, and a fierce courage to expose the ugly and painful. Like the tough, raw, vulnerable characters Les writes about in his short stories and novels, he exposes us to a man fighting against family, society, and his own sense of injustice. Fighting for a moment—regardless of how fleeting—to feel in control of his life. And, as uncomfortable at times as Les’s life adventure may be for us to witness, we come away grateful he took us with him. So settle back. Meet a real-life, twenty-first-century Renaissance man. A real-life adrenaline junkie. Praise for ADRENALINE JUNKIE: “Adrenaline Junkie is a raw and harrowing memoir that brilliantly combines great sensitivity with brutal honesty. Les Edgerton is never afraid to reveal his vulnerability—and culpability—as he takes us on a head-spinning ride through the bizarre and terrifying experiences in a life that was often defined by violence. The result is a breathtaking page-turner that will keep readers hooked from page one and will never let them go.” —Lisa Lieberman Doctor, former Warner Bros. prodco president, president of Robin Williams prodco, Blue Wolf Productions “Filled with stories of knifings, armed robberies, brutal prison fights, and Charles Manson (yes, that Charles Manson!), Edgerton proves that life can be stranger (and certainly more violent) than fiction. But Edgerton isn’t just a guy with a tough story to tell. He’s a poet who startles you with sentences both stark and darkly beautiful. An astonishing accomplishment.” —Jon Bassoff, author of Corrosion “Adrenaline Junkie is the compelling, beautifully written story of an extraordinary man who has lived on both sides of the tracks. Les Edgerton achieves a sort of sainthood among sinners, an apotheosis of rebellion and force, much like Harcamone at Fontevrault, or a hero in a Johnny Cash song, a huge, Promethean work of major significance and scale.” —Richard Godwin, critically acclaimed author “Edgerton's prose hits with the force of a hammer—as does his recollection of an America, both deeply flawed and wonderful, that is now more important than ever to keep in our sights. Adrenaline Junkie makes sense of one man's life while showing us all new aspects of our own.” —Jenny Milchman, USA Today bestselling and Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of Cover of Snow and Wicked River “No one can accuse Les of being a ‘crime tourist’. He’s lived the life, done the bird, and now he’s written the book. Adrenaline Junkie should be on any prospective (or established) crime writer’s list. An entertaining, darkly-rendered tale of one man’s adventures in the very belly of the beast.” —Tony Black, author of Her Cold Eyes “Sometimes shocking, often poignant, occasionally distasteful, frequently funny, and always brutally honest, Adrenaline Junkie tells the story of one man’s harrowing yet ultimately successful quest for redemption. Written with razor-sharp clarity, Edgerton’s memoir is a triumph.” —Robert Rotstein, author of We, the Jury

Adrenaline Junkie

A mix of Cajun gumbo, a couple tablespoons of kinky sex and a dash of unusual New Orleans settings and you wind up with Les Edgerton’s latest romp fest! Pete Halliday is busted out of baseball for gambling and travels to New Orleans to make his fortune hustling. Five years later, he’s deep in debt to a bookie and in cahoots with Tommy LeClerc, a Cajun with a tiny bit of Indian blood who considers himself a red man. Tommy inveigles a reluctant Pete into one scheme after another, the latest a kidnapping scheme where they’ll snatch the Cajun Mafia King and hold his amputated hand for some serious jack. Along the way, Pete is double-crossed by Tommy and falls in love with part-time hooker and full-time waitress Cat Duplaisir. With both the Italian and Cajun mobs after them, a chase through Jazz Fest, a Tourette’s outbreak in a black bar and other zany adventures, all seems lost. Fans of Tim Dorsey’s character Serge Storms, and readers who enjoy Christopher Moore and Carl Hiaasen, will enjoy this story. Praise for THE GENUINE, IMITATION, PLASTIC KIDNAPPING: “A hard-driving, relentless story with grab-you-by-the-throat characters.” —Grant Blackwood, New York Times bestselling author “The Genuine, Imitation, Plastic Kidnapping is not for the faint of heart, and that’s just one of its selling points. If you like crime fiction that cracks wise while offering a peek into the darker recesses, this is the book for you.” —Bill Fitzhugh, author of Pest Control and The Exterminators “… a dark crime comedy that will have you laughing from page one. It crackles with manic energy and mad thrills. If you’re looking for a different kind of edgy crime novel, this is the one to grab.” —Bill Crider, author of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes Mysteries “Les Edgerton’s latest book is the real deal, and has everything to keep you turning the pages. It’s a caper, full of fun and high-jinx, but it’s also bitter-sweet, engendering a full range of emotions. You’ll smile, you’ll wince, you’ll laugh out loud, and sometimes you’ll even cringe, but you’ll come away from the read feeling thoroughly satisfied and entertained. A terrific read.” —Matt Hilton, author of the bestselling Joe Hunter thrillers

The Genuine, Imitation, Plastic Kidnapping

Based on the concept that the purpose of public services is to meet needs, scholars from the Policy Research Institute at Leeds Metropolitan University present ten papers that examine the theory, context, and methodology by which those needs are assessed, and provide case studies in a number of areas. Among the case studies are community care, health, housing, legal services, and employment and training. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The Death of Tarpons

For decades baseball scouts have beat the bushes for talent, wandering throughout the United States in search of promising young players. But technology and competition have recently brought about big changes, as potential stars are identified as early as Little League. The largest such scouting and development service, Perfect Game USA, has become the primary pipeline to college and professional baseball, with its participants accounting for more than 70 percent of the players taken in the 2007 amateur draft. This book looks at the history, methods, and impact of Perfect Game USA, which continues to change the landscape of youth baseball.

How the Remaking of Youth Scouting Affects the National Pastime

Perfect Game USA and the Future of Baseball

When criminal genius Charles "Reader" Kincaid accidentally alerts a retired cop to the impending commission of the perfect crime, the crime becomes a lot less perfect. The plan is to wire a prominent banker with a remote control bomb and thereby capture untold millions from a dangerous drug czar. Or is the plan something else? The plot thickens as hidden family connections come to light and who is betraying who-and why-becomes a matter of life and death for perpetrators and victims alike. With wry wit and first-hand knowledge of the underworld, author Les Edgerton unleashes a cast of quirky characters and dark ambitions that collide in a tale nothing short of explosive. Raves about Les Edgerton and BOMB: "Les Edgerton has swiftly become my favorite crime writer. Original voice, uncompromising attitude and a pure hardboiled style leap him to the front ranks of my reading list. He will become legendary." -Joe R. Lansdale, Paradise Sky, The Bottoms, Edge of Dark Water, The Thicket, the Hap and Leonard series, the books behind the TV series of the same name, and many others "Les Edgerton is the new High King of Noir." -Ken Bruen, The Emerald Lie, The Guards, Pimp and many others "Les Edgerton is the perfect reason for both of my favorite maxims: Don't trust anyone over thirty and: Don't trust crime fiction from anyone under thirty. The weight of experience behind Les's books is my anchor in the choppy waters of criminal literature." -Jedidiah Ayres, Peckerwood and others "Edgerton commits the perfect crime story." -Dietrich Kalteis, Triggerfish, The Deadbeat Club and Ride the Lightning "I'm not sure which is more fascinating, Les Edgerton's IED of a suspense novel, BOMB! or the convoluted, heartbreaking story of its journey to publication. Both had me hooked. The good news is that you get it all with this fine new release from Gutter Books . . . With multiple story lines (each burning like a fuse), an authentic New Orleans setting, flawed good guys, and seriously-seriously-flawed bad guys, BOMB! is the work of a gifted writer who knows how to ratchet up the suspense. If you're high strung, this is not the book for you. Adrenaline junkies won't be disappointed." -Grant Jerkins, Abnormal Man: A Novel, A Very Simple Crime, The Ninth Step and others"

Bomb!

Find your voice–and make your writing sing! &break;&break;You know a great literary "voice" when you hear it: David Sedaris' humorous cynicism. Elmore Leonard's weary, smart-mouthed dialogue. Nick Hornby's simple yet imaginative descriptions. It's the kind of writing you should aspire to, right? &break;&break;Well...not quite. Each of these authors found success in part by developing their own unique voice: a writing style that helped define - and throw the spotlight on - their work. &break;&break;Now Les Edgerton shows you how to develop a voice of your own, one that rises above the literary din because of its individuality, not in spite of it! &break;&break;Inside, he provides guidelines, advice and dozens of exercises for recognizing and developing a natural style that will make your characters, stories and dialogue better and more memorable. You'll learn: &break;&break; How to make any piece you write unmistakably yours and yours alone&break; What agents and editors really think about using your own voice&break; How to write better by ignoring the rules&break; The keys to getting your voice and personality on the page&break; How to get back the unique voice you may have lost by trying to write like someone else &break;&break;Whether you write fiction, non-fiction or poetry, Finding Your Voice is a must for your personal library. Let's face it - editors, agents and readers all want to read something fresh and new. By finding your voice, you'll be giving them exactly what they want!

Jon Bassoff

Seventeen stories of hard-bitten souls hurtling over asphalt, the desert, the sea, and even through space itself in adventures fueled by vengeance, betrayal, madness, and murder.

High-Octane, High-Velocity Action

Blood and Gasoline

You will never again pass a mirror without a slight chill once you have read Mirror, Mirror… Elizabeth Mary Downing is a typical American teenager...almost. When she peers into a mirror, she sees someone else staring back—an image identical to herself in every detail save one: the mirror image has blue eyes. Elizabeth’s eyes are brown! She is told by her mirror counterpart, “Liz,” that she can enter any mirror she wants through “trans-starence” and when curiosity prevails over fear and she enters the mirror, trading places with Liz, the horror begins as Liz wreaks havoc with what was a normal life. Elizabeth’s attempts to trick Liz into going back into the mirror reflect both suspense and humor and just when all hope seems lost, she succeeds...only to discover she has to return to the mirror to reverse events and get her life back to where it was. She succeeds...only she leaves part of herself forever in the mirror. Praise for MIRROR, MIRROR: “Edgerton is one of the best writers around for inventing dire dilemmas for his protagonists, and here he’s at his best because he’s created a paranormal environment where he’s not bound by laws of physics, time, or space. Turn Les loose like that and you’re in for a scary ride.” —Carl R. Brush, author of The Second Vendetta “Fantastic! Fast-paced and written in Edgerton’s distinctive, take-no-prisoners-style. I’m not your usual YA fan, but this was right up my alley.” —Maegan Beaumont, author of the Sabrina Vaughn novels “This is Les Edgerton’s only YA book, and it’s a great one. It reminds me a little of some old-school Twilight Zone tales, in that Edgerton starts with an original premise and then executes it with precision and thoughtfulness. He keeps the tension bouncing along nicely, too.” —Rob Boley, author of the Scary Tales books

Mirror, Mirror

Tempi difficili

The stories in this collection represent a range in topics and styles and feature a wide assortment of individuals who, although diverse, all have in common a singular element—trouble in their lives. That’s what fiction is about—trouble—and short stories have a particular mandate to be about the frailty of the human condition as well as its strength. The author has an affinity for the disenfranchised among us and it is those often heroic people that interest him the most. In these stories he treats them with the sensitivity and dignity they deserve. Praise for MONDAY’S MEAL: “Les Edgerton brings to this short story collection an unerring ear for dialogue and a sure-handed sense of place. He has affection for even his most despicable characters but he never takes the reader past the brink of horrible fascination into a deeper understanding.” —The New York Times Book Review “Les Edgerton is much more than a fiction writer or a story teller. When you read his work, your ears prick up, your eyes go wide, and your spine tingles. You get the sense that Edgerton has been there, lived the lives of his characters, fought their fights, cried their tears, placed their bets, drank their Wild Turkey, smoked their cigarettes. He writes with a stunning accuracy, a convincing authority and a stark reality.” —Vincent Zandri, author of As Catch Can, Permanence, and Godchild “Filled to bursting with writing you can taste. Whether dining on bisque and blackened redfish at an upscale cafe, or eating rank mule meat in a pine board cabin, the characters in Edgerton’s world bite down hard and grind up one another with their back teeth. Monday’s Meal is a most satisfyingly vivid and visceral feast.” —Melody Henion Stevenson, author of The Life Stone of Singing Bird “This collection of 21 unsettling stories will appeal to readers looking for nontraditional contemporary plots with characters living on the fringes of society. Several selections will haunt readers for some time as events often take a morbid twist; others will leave them wondering about the endings.”—School Library Journal

Monday's Meal

Mike Edgerton

A humorous look at the experiences and people connected with Little League baseball.

For Players, Parents, and Coaches

Surviving Little League

A collection of twenty-one stories dealing with characters who live on the fringes of society include such events as murder, kidnapping, cannibalism, and dismemberment

Stories

In 1930s East Texas, fourteen-year-old Amelia Laxault's father insists she marry Arnold Critchin, a local boy who assaulted her on their first date. When Arnold's alcohol-fueled brutality devastates their family, his ineptitude with crops destroys their farm, and his poorly run moonshine business lands him in prison, Amelia struggles to feed her four children as the Depression worsens and a secret from her past looms large. Three hundred miles away, Lucious Tremaine tangles with a white police officer. Fleeing to Houston, a second altercation leaves him with a gunshot wound. Desperate and weak, he makes his way into the backwoods. As Lucious encounters increasing obstacles and Amelia's challenges escalate with Arnold's return from prison-and a visit from her first love, who is now the local sheriff- an explosion looms. Will Lucious make it to Houston? Can Amelia save her children from both starvation and Arnold's increasing, vengeful violence? As the odds stack up and the food runs out, Amelia must summon all her courage, strength, and ingenuity to attempt to save her family.

Les Edgerton

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