Susan Shapiro

Kenan Trebinčević

A young survivor of the Bosnian War returns to his homeland to confront the people who betrayed his family At age eleven, Kenan Trebincevic was a happy, karate-loving kid living with his family in the quiet Eastern European town of Brcko. Then, in the spring of 1992, war broke out and his friends, neighbors and teammates all turned on him. Pero - Kenan's beloved karate coach - showed up at his door with an AK-47 - screaming: "You have one hour to leave or be killed!" Kenan's only crime: he was Muslim. This poignant, searing memoir chronicles Kenan's miraculous escape from the brutal ethnic cleansing campaign that swept the former Yugoslavia. After two decades in the United States, Kenan honors his father's wish to visit their homeland, making a list of what he wants to do there. Kenan decides to confront the former next door neighbor who stole from his mother, see the concentration camp where his Dad and brother were imprisoned and stand on the grave of his first betrayer to make sure he's really dead. Back in the land of his birth, Kenan finds something more powerful--and shocking--than revenge.

A Memoir of War, Exile, and Return

The Bosnia List

Newspaper, magazine, and web editors are desperate for new voices and anyone, in any field, can break in. So why not you? Over the last two decades, writing professor Susan Shapiro has taught more than 25,000 students of all ages and backgrounds at NYU, Columbia, Temple, The New School, and Harvard University. Now in The Byline Bible she reveals the wildly popular "Instant Gratification Takes Too Long" technique she's perfected, sharing how to land impressive clips to start or re-launch your career. In frank and funny prose, the bestselling author of 12 books walks you through every stage of crafting and selling short nonfiction pieces. She shows you how to spot trendy subjects, where to start, finish and edit, and divulges specific steps to submit work, have it accepted, get paid, and see your byline in your favorite publication in lightning speed. With a foreword by Peter Catapano, long-time editor at the New York Times where many of Shapiro's pupils have first seen print, this book offers everything you need to learn to write and sell your story in five weeks or less, including: * How to craft a cover letter and subject heading to get read and reviewed quickly * Who pay for essays, op-eds, regional, humor, or service pieces from unknown writers * Ways to follow up, build on your success, land a TV or radio spot, become a regular contributor, staff writer, and find a literary agent for your book with one amazing clip Whether you're just starting out or ready to enhance your professional portfolio, this essential guide will prove that three pages can change your life.

Get Published in Five Weeks

The Byline Bible

Aquilino Gonell

“American Shield is an all-American tale of duty and determination—beautifully told by an immigrant, a veteran, and a patriot.” —Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita of the United States House of Representatives Set against the extraordinary events of January 6, 2021, Aquilino Gonell’s inspirational memoir is rooted in the joys and struggles of the immigrant experience that have long defined the American experiment Aquilino Gonell came to the United States from the Dominican Republic as a young boy. Although he spoke no English, he dedicated himself to his adopted land, striving for the American dream. Determined to be a success story, he joined the army to pay for college. He saw action in Iraq and returned home with PTSD. Believing in the promise of our government, he focused on healing himself and supporting his family. His hard work paid off when he landed a coveted position with the United States Capitol Police and rose to the rank of sergeant. January 6, 2021, changed everything. When insurrectionists stormed the Capitol, Gonell bravely faced down the mob attempting to thwart the peaceful transfer of power. The brutal injuries he sustained that day would end his career in law enforcement. But when some of the very people he put his life on the line to protect downplayed or denied the truth of that day, he chose to speak out against the injustice done to him and the country. Chronicling what it means to live a life of conviction, one that adheres to the best ideas of our democracy, American Shield is a bold testament to the power of truth, justice, and accountability from a highly decorated officer and immigrant who exemplifies the greatest aspirations of a grateful nation.

The Immigrant Sergeant Who Defended Democracy

American Shield

Mary Laura Philpott

Gloria Fallon

Debbie Kasper

Abby Heugel

Amy Vansant

Suzy Soro

Dylan Brody

Arlene Schindler

Wendi Aarons

Eliza Bayne

Matthew Brozik

Becky Cardwell

Abbi Crutchfield

Sean Crespo

Carol Hartsell

Nancy Kho

Kelcey Kitner

Cathy Ladman

Kurt Luchs

Kelly Maclean

Vanda Mikoloski

Lisa Page Rosenberg

Marinka

Molly Schoemann

Peggy Pearl Vork-Zambory

Funny Stories by Funny People

Moms Are Nuts

An entertaining, poignant, and neurotic memoir describes one woman's life at the edge of turning forty, her midlife crisis, her obsession with the five men she had lusted after and lost between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five, and the impact of that obsession on her marriage.

A Memoir

Five Men who Broke My Heart

Edgy Manhattan shutterbug Rachel Solomon can't wait to escape her difficult Midwestern Jewish family of doctors—and her crazy, condescending WASP friend and photography mentor, Elizabeth Mann. Not so easy when Elizabeth marries Rachel's surgeon-brother, moves to the Midwest, and becomes the daughter Rachel's mother always wanted—one who pops out four babies in a row, who are named after Rachel's dead Yiddish-speaking relatives. Although Rachel long ago rejected the suburban female role, she's shocked to find she's been replaced. With unsparing candor, sparkling emotional insights, and hilarity, the girl who cut herself out of old photographs now has to fight her way back into the Solomons' photo albums, homes, and hearts. From the author of the hilarious fictional debut Speed Shrinking—which became an international phenomenon—and the acclaimed memoir of past passion Five Men Who Broke My Heart comes a new book that blows the lid off of the secrets of female friendship. Based on a true story, Susan Shapiro's darkly comic novel Overexposed chronicles the brilliantly twisted tale of two strong women who wind up switching lives.

A Novel

Overexposed

Manhattan self-help author Julia Goodman thinks she's got her addictive personality under control. Then her psychoanalyst moves away, her husband takes off to L.A. and her best friend moves to Ohio. Feeling lonely and left out, Julia fills in the void with food. This is a huge problem--especially since she's about to go on national television to plug her hot new self-help book about how she conquered her sugar addiction. Julia desperately sees eight shrinks in eight days, speed-dating for Dr. Replacement to help shrink back her body and anxiety in time for her close-up.

La terapia dei dolci

Frederick Woolverton

A specialist in treating addictions and a former patient outline a method of controlling any kind of addiction--including substance abuse and other compulsive behaviors that mask emotional pain--by understanding the underlying pain.

How to Quit Anything

Unhooked

Ever since her former boss introduced her to her handsome, brilliant husband-to-be, Susan Shapiro has been on a marital mission. So far, she's fixed up twelve marriages and countless couples. Unlike all those "relationship experts" who are incapable of having a real relationship, or who took off their first ring to pledge their vows to their second or third life partner, Shapiro has witnessed--and scored--on all sides of the setup spectrum. She learned to charm her own blind dates, walk down the aisle with her personal Mr. Perfect, keep her first and only marriage rapturous, and expertly set up dozens of other duets. Now the author of the acclaimed memoirs Lighting Up and Five Men Who Broke My Heart, and a self-proclaimed "diehard romantic optimist," shares her honest, provocative, and sometimes downright subversive slant on every stage of dating, sex, and domestic relations. She'll show you how to: - Fix yourself up first so you're really ready to be fixed up fabulously - Recognize raw marriage material and not let a good one get away - Break through your fears, insecurities, and dating defenses to land true love - Find love mentors who will set you up and help you close the deal - Decide which love and marriage myths to lose if you want to win - Keep fixing up your relationship so it stays warm and loving forever

How to Meet & Marry Your Match

Secrets of a Fix-up Fanatic

Sixty Years of Inspiration

Barbie

An entertaining, poignant, and neurotic memoir describes one woman's life at the edge of turning forty, her midlife crisis, her obsession with the five men she had lusted after and lost between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five, and the impact of that obsession on her marriage. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.

Five Men Who Broke My Heart

In a whimsical memoir, the author of Five Men Who Broke My Heart, describes how she quit smoking after more than twenty years and eliminated other self-destructive habits--including alcohol, dope, gum, bread, and her psychiatrist--from her life. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.

How I Stopped Smoking, Drinking, and Everything Else I Loved in Life Except Sex

Lighting Up

A Brilliant, Buoyant Guide to Publishing Your Book Hundreds of thousands of books come out every year worldwide. So why not yours? In The Book Bible, New York Times bestseller and wildly popular Manhattan writing professor Susan Shapiro reveals the best and fastest ways to break into a mainstream publishing house. Unlike most writing manuals that stick to only one genre, Shapiro maps out the rules of all the sought-after, sellable categories: novels, memoirs, biography, how-to, essay collections, anthologies, humor, mystery, crime, poetry, picture books, young adult and middle grade, fiction and nonfiction. Shapiro once worried that selling 16 books in varied sub-sections made her a literary dabbler. Yet after helping her students publish many award-winning bestsellers on all shelves of the bookstore, she realized that her versatility had a huge upside. She could explain, from personal experience, the differences in making each kind of book, as well as ways to find the right genre for every project and how to craft a winning proposal or great cover letter to get a top agent and book editor to say yes. This valuable guide will teach both new and experienced scribes how to attain their dream of becoming a successful author.

How to Sell Your Manuscript—No Matter What Genre—Without Going Broke or Insane

The Book Bible

"This collection of essays, poems and stories from 25 talented participants in a soup kitchen writers' workshop are funny, gritty and brutally honest—writing that attests to a raw spirituality formed and informed by life on the street. Sometimes sweet and

Selections from the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen Writers' Workshop

Food for the Soul

In advance of her TV interview to tout her book on conquering sugar addiction, Julia Goodman seeks solace in cupcakes after her therapist and best friend move and while her husband is away filming a television pilot, prompting her to see eight new therapists in eight days to help shrink back her anxiety, and her waistline, before her big close-up. Reprint.

Speed Shrinking

Daniel Shapiro

Lisa Pilsitz

Annotation "Conflict and Communication offers educators a practical curriculum on conflict management that helps students understand the nature of conflict and learn the skills that will enable them to deal with conflicts in their lives. The book is divided into two parts: Conflict Management and Student Mediation." "Conflict Management contains 60 hands-on activities that help students understand how personal values are formed, how misperceptions and misunderstandings arise and affect relationships, and how they can communicate effectively. The activities explain the roots and consequences of conflict, offer specific strategies for dealing with conflict, and help students discover basic human rights and their connection to conflict."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

A Guide Through the Labyrinth of Conflict Management

Conflict and Communication

Ever since her former boss introduced her to her handsome, brilliant husband-to-be, Susan Shapiro has been on a marital mission. So far, she’s fixed up twelve marriages and countless couples. Unlike all those “relationship experts” who are incapable of having a real relationship, or who took off their first ring to pledge their vows to their second or third life partner, Shapiro has witnessed—and scored—on all sides of the setup spectrum. She learned to charm her own blind dates, walk down the aisle with her personal Mr. Perfect, keep her first and only marriage rapturous, and expertly set up dozens of other duets. Now the author of the acclaimed memoirs Lighting Up and Five Men Who Broke My Heart, and a self-proclaimed “diehard romantic optimist,” shares her honest, provocative, and sometimes downright subversive slant on every stage of dating, sex, and domestic relations. She’ll show you how to: • Fix yourself up first so you’re really ready to be fixed up fabulously • Recognize raw marriage material and not let a good one get away • Break through your fears, insecurities, and dating defenses to land true love • Find love mentors who will set you up and help you close the deal • Decide which love and marriage myths to lose if you want to win • Keep fixing up your relationship so it stays warm and loving forever

It's dangerous to search for an old flame you never got over. What if you find him-and he doesn't remember you? In her captivating new novel, Susan Shapiro explores the perils of revisiting past passion. Lila Penn leaves Wisconsin for graduate school in the big city, where she falls for her professor Daniel Wildman. Decades after their tangled link, she arranges a tete-a-tete in downtown Manhattan. But the shocking encounter blindsides Lila, causing her to question her memory-and sanity. Switching between Greenwich Village and Tel Aviv, the saga unravels the sexual secret that's haunted Daniel and Lila for thirty years. PRAISE FOR SUSAN SHAPIRO: "Frank, darkly funny, entertaining..." -New York Times Book Review "A promiscuously readable guilty pleasure..." -Elle Magazine "Sly, candid, disarming..." -Pam Houston "Shapiro's voice is so passionate and honest, it's bewitching." -Erica Jong "Irresistible energy, winning humor... breathtakingly frank honesty." -Philip Lopate "Unputdownable." -Gael Greenereal"

What's Never Said

Is smoking, alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, the Internet, or sex addiction holding you back from getting what you want most—in work and in love? We’re all addicted to something—but when the crutch gets in the way of living a happy and productive life, it must stop. Over the past twenty-five years, renowned addiction therapist Dr. Frederick Woolverton has used his dynamic, empathetic approach to help thousands of addicts achieve long-term recovery—including himself. He sees the specific habit as less important than the underlying chaos and fear that motivate the urge to sooth ourselves with bad habits. The solution, he has found, requires only a better understanding of yourself and a change in attitude. Unhooked: How To Quit Anything is an intelligent, readable, and actionable guide to conquering any addictive habit. Using real patient examples as well as research and his own experience, Dr. Woolverton and coauthor (and former patient) Susan Shapiro show how to thrive without self-medicating. The approach involves an unorthodox blend of straightforward changes to behavior and open and honest conversation with another person. Woolverton’s specific instructions do not require an expensive therapist, rehab, 12-step program, or a higher power (but he does make readers aware of those viable options). Let him help you kick your addiction and find what’s missing in your world. When you conquer a toxic habit, you are leaving room for something more beautiful to take its place.

Kenan Trebincevic

Co-written by a New York Times best-selling author, this moving story of a Muslim boy's exile from war-torn Bosnia to the United States offers a riveting refugee saga.​ Kenan loves drawing and playing soccer with his friends. He wants to be a famous athlete, hates it when his classmates trash his buck teeth by calling him "Bugs Bunny," and fights with his big brother, who's too busy and cool for him lately. Sometimes his parents drive him crazy, but he feels loved and protected--until the war ruins everything. Soon, Kenan's family is trapped in their home with little food or water, surrounded by enemies. Ten months later, with help from friends and strangers, they finally make it out of the country alive. But that's only the beginning of their journey. An action-packed page-turner with heart about a kid doing his best during difficult times, World in Between celebrates the power of community and resilience, hope and kindness.

Susan Shapiro

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