Bøker av William Bernhardt

The Grim Reaper is coming to the courtroom-where Daniel Pike and Ben Kincaid may face their final judgment.In Florida, defense attorney Daniel Pike is stunned when his legal files are ransacked and his lover, Maria Morales, disappears. In Oklahoma, semi-retired attorney Ben Kincaid is horrified when his connection to this apparent abduction endangers the people he loves most. Desperate for help, Pike seizes Kincaid and hauls him on a cross-country road trip to discover what happened to Maria...and why a killer is so interested in a California murder case.During the journey, Dan and Ben encounter Roswell aliens, San Diego cosplay, snowstorms, barroom brawls, assassination attempts, a cartel rubout, and an old acquaintance now behind bars. But someone dressed as the Grim Reaper is leaving a bloodstained trail of victims from one coast to the other. Every new clue points to a West Coast murder conviction-and a pending motion that might prevent a major injustice. Reluctantly, Dan and Ben agree to represent the defendant who might hold the answers they seek-or might make them the next victims. Will this be the capstone to their distinguished careers-or the final ride into the sunset?Enthralling for newcomers and fans, Partners in Crime launches a new Daniel Pike series and also features Ben Kincaid, the author's first fictional attorney returning after more than a decade. If you like spellbinding courtroom drama, unexpected revelations, and jaw-dropping action, you'll love William Bernhardt's thrill-packed legal road trip.

Even the most unique and interesting characters will not engage readers if their journey-the plot-fails. In this book, bestselling author William Bernhardt reveals the secrets that will keep readers riveted to the page. He explains the importance of matching character to plot and the key distinction between surprise and coincidence. Bernhardt discusses how to enrich your story by layering three levels of conflict and, in the final chapter, analyzes the primary plot structures that have delighted readers since the first story was told. The book also includes exercises designed to help writers apply these ideas to their own writing. William Bernhardt is the bestselling author of more than thirty books, including the blockbuster Ben Kincaid novels. Bernhardt is also one of the most sought-after writing instructors in the nation. He is the only person to have received the Southern Writers Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (U Penn) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (OSU), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large." The Red Sneaker Writing Center is dedicated to helping writers achieve their literary goals. What is a red sneaker writer? A committed writer seeking useful instruction and guidance rather than obfuscation and attitude. Red sneakers get the job done and so do red sneaker writers, by paying close attention to their art and craft, committing to hard work, and never quitting. Are you a red sneaker writer? If so, this book is for you.

"This book sparkles like a jewel in a cosmic clockwork-an uplifting gift to readers everywhere." - Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful WarriorWhy are the churches closed on Christmas Eve in Florence's San Frediano district? This mystery perplexes an acclaimed American poet who journeys to the fabled city seeking inspiration. The proprietor of his hotel, raconteur Alberto Giannotti, reveals that it has nothing to do with the holiday-and everything to do with poetry.With charm and Tuscan flair, Giannotti relates the story of Pietro Begnini, who was blessed with the sign of the sonnet. He wants to become a poet and marry his beloved Sophia-but a devastating blow from a jealous enemy, the Grand Inquisitor for the Academy of Poetic Arts, sends him reeling throughout Italy and beyond. Pietro meets the great genius Leo (from Vinci), the doomed beauty Lucy (eventually a Borgia), the publishing pioneer Aldus Manutius, the poetry instructor Vito (the Vituperative), and the renowned pirate Jean-David Neu, the Italian Flail. He is even tempted by The Evil One. But eventually, Pietro returns to Florence for one last chance to achieve his dreams.If you cherish passion, perseverance, or poets, you'll be enthralled by this enchanting story of what one man can achieve for love. The Florentine Poet is bestselling author William Bernhardt's most personal and unique work, illuminated by Brian Call's delightful illustrations.

In his latest collection, William Bernhardt again demonstrates that he is a true poet, one whose work accomplishes the difficult task of being both accessible and profound. He communicates with grace and illumination, avoiding the obscurity and obfuscation that sometimes causes readers to avoid modern poetry. He writes about the subjects that matter most: personal relationships, family, children, and the challenges of everyday life. Bernhardt is a poet who appeals even to those who think they don't like poetry and is cherished by those who do.While addressing subjects of everlasting import, Bernhardt's poems are engaging, relevant, and sometimes playful, reminiscent of beloved predecessors such as Billy Collins and Robert Frost. Readers will be struck by the versatility of the poems and the wide range of form. Smart, lyrical, observant, and textured, these poems explain why Rilla Askew (Kind of Kin) called Bernhardt "a compelling new voice in American poetry" and R.C. Davis-Undiamo (World Literature Today) named him one of "the nation's literary treasures.""William Bernhardt writes with warmth, wit, and a clear desire to commune with his reader. Whether he is working in free verse or in meter and rhyme, Bernhardt makes of poetry a way of connecting person to person. Like Montaigne, Bernhardt is a man consubstantial with his book, and the full range of human feeling is on display in these poems with great honesty and ardent empathy." -Benjamin Meyers, OK Poet Laureate, Crouch-Mathis Professor of Literature, OBU"In this new collection, Bernhardt comes out guns blazing with the wonderful manifesto "Get This Over With"...and in the title poem "Traveling Salesman's Son," we get a solid taste for the pace, honesty, and power of the book overall...These poems rove through the minefields of society and culture with the eyes of a seasoned soldier. They roam love's hall of mirrors, knowing when to laugh and when to cry at the distortions. And they take a long thoughtful walk with what it means to be "family." It's all here." -Nathan Brown, former Oklahoma Poet Laureate

He writes gunfights and ticking time bombs. But when he's kidnapped and forced to plan a real-world crime, every plot twist will be explosive...Dylan Taggart channels his demons through the keyboard. Knocked around by a father who believed weakness was failure, the bestselling suspense author grabs a measure of peace in his gorgeous girlfriend's arms. But he sees fiction come horrifyingly to life when masked fanatics break in demanding he put his brilliant mind to work and help them steal a secret military super-weapon.Dylan tries to refuse, but his resolve shatters when they leave his lover for dead and punish him mercilessly. Torn between terror and grief, he starts writing the heist scheme as ordered...while feverishly building a cunningly disguised sabotage.Can this tortured artist use his own ingenious plotting skills to prevent the death of millions?Plot/Counterplot is a fast-paced standalone thriller. If you like resourceful characters, intense drama, and endless surprises, then you'll adore William Bernhardt's clever caper."A man on the run... a woman on the run... in a thriller that hits the ground running... then running faster... then absolutely flying. And you're flying, too, flying through the pages with one of the masters of the modern thriller at the controls. William Bernhardt knows when to soar and when to dive, when to make you sweat and when to let you breathe, when to throw this flying machine into a barrel roll that will absolutely shock you and when to bring you home safe and satisfied. A terrific entertainment." -- William Martin, New York Times-Bestselling Author of The Lincoln Letter and December '41

Out of corporate life and on his own, lawyer Ben Kincaid sees the seamy side of the law every day. There's no glamour and little reward when it comes to defending the lowlifes who beat down his door. But when a friend is set up for murder, Ben has no choice but to enter the world of hardball litigation and face a judge who despises him in a trial he is guaranteed to lose.BLIND JUSTICE is a riveting, emotion-packed thriller in which guilt and innocence remain obscure and justice is a matter of opinion.

Suffering from courtroom burnout, attorney Ben Kincaid heads to the picturesque Pacific Northwest for some much-needed R and R. But Ben's blissful getaway becomes a busman's holiday in the small town of Magic Valley, where a pitched battle between the local logging industry and crusading conservationists has led to brutal murder.Years earlier, professional activist George Zakin was successfully defended against a charge of murder by a fledgling attorney named Ben Kincaid. Now, accused of viciously killing a lumberjack, Zakin is counting on Ben to duplicate that long-ago courtroom coup. With the odds stacked against him, Ben walks into a war zone in the courtroom . . . and a potential killing field in Magic Valley, an explosive place where allies and enemies are hard to tell apart--and digging for the truth is as good as digging your grave.

Kenzi Rivera agrees to handle her dad's messy divorce... only to see his wife charged with his mistress's murder. When her research uncovers hacking, adult films, and sex trafficking, she fears the true culprit is closer than she believed.

Includes a recipe and a sneak peek of Splitsville.

This time, Dan's putting everything on the line. Will his dangerous scheme reveal a killer...or cause a fatal injustice? Defense lawyer Daniel Pike believes he's closer than ever to proving his late father was no murderer. But with key witnesses snuffed out and his archnemesis pulling all the strings to ensure no one talks, his frustration is about to boil over. His only remaining option is a high-stakes gamble to force the arrogant powerbroker onto the witness stand. Risking the wrath of a ruthless cartel, Pike relentlessly pursues the evidence he desperately needs. But as he uncovers his own family's shocking history and navigates a blossoming romance, the determined attorney finds himself back in the courtroom on the losing end of the biggest case of his life with many lives hanging in the balance--including his own. Will Pike's pursuit of justice come back to bite him when he learns the tragic truth? Judge and Jury is the sensational fifth novel in the Daniel Pike Legal Thriller Series. If you like David-versus-Goliath stories, stunning twists and turns, and genius court moves, then you'll love William Bernhardt's gripping fight. Buy Judge and Jury and uncover the truth today!

Are you a Red Sneaker Writer?Even the most unique and interesting characters will not engage readers if their journey-the plot-fails. In this book, bestselling author William Bernhardt reveals the secrets that will keep readers riveted to the page. He explains the importance of matching character to plot and the key distinction between surprise and coincidence. Bernhardt discusses how to enrich your story by layering three levels of conflict and, in the final chapter, analyzes the primary plot structures that have delighted readers since the first story was told. The book also includes exercises designed to help writers apply these ideas to their own writing.

If he loses this case, the consequence is death. Ever since his father's wrongful incarceration, defense lawyer Daniel Pike has defended the innocent at any cost. But he's stunned when his archrival DA is found shot dead and brutally crucified. And after Pike himself lands in jail for the crime, he smells a terrifying setup. Fearing he'll suffer the same fate as his parent, the determined attorney uncovers evidence that the DA was involved with a sinister sex-trafficking ring. But with the prosecution presenting an ironclad case against him, it's clear someone wants Pike out of the way. And if they can't get him with a lethal injection, they may resort to bullets. Can Pike get to the truth before he's condemned to die behind bars?