Fiction & Nonfiction Books

From the mechanics of the word to the magic of the myth, because well-told stories have always had the ability to change the world

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Yuval Noah Harari meets Brené Brown, with a touch of the macabre.

When darkness, fear, and instability inundate our daily lives, folktale figures like Baba Yaga speak to the dichotomy of our existence—the hope and the horror, the magic and the mundane. At once an old hag and an enchantress, a demon and wish granter, a feminist and nothing more than a fairytale, Baba Yaga is an endlessly complex folktale character.

Becoming Baba Yaga provides an in-depth look at the Baba Yaga mythos and history through Slavic folklore. Filled with historical and cultural context, analyses, and the stories themselves that add depth to the conversation, Becoming Baba Yaga is a comprehensive resource for anyone hoping to learn more about this ambiguous character and how her multifaceted presence still ripples through the present day.

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The Baba Yaga Mask - a novel by Kris Spisak

“A complex, poetic tale, strongly linking past and present through folk art’s rich traditions.” – Kirkus Review

When their grandmother is lost after a trans-Atlantic flight, two Ukrainian-American sisters are swept into a quest across Eastern Europe to find the woman who always told more tales than truths. From Poland to Slovakia to Hungary and beyond, Larissa and Ira navigate the steps of Ukrainian folk dance, the cliff-side paths of Slovak Paradise National Park, and the stark realities of love and war. Their grandmother’s obsession with the wisdom and ferocity of Baba Yaga folktales is only the beginning of what they uncover.

Larissa and Ira’s journey in The Baba Yaga Mask is cross-stitched with their grandmother’s narrative of survival within the epic panorama of World War II in Western Ukraine, where her coming of age echoes a country’s fight for identity and independence. For teenage Vira in 1941 and her modern-day granddaughters, understanding their family’s roots means everything.

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The Novel Editing Workbook - 105 Tricks & Tips

Finishing your book is awesome. Finishing your editing is what makes all the difference.

The novel editing process is your opportunity to tweak, cajole, twist your words like licorice, and buff the imperfections out of your story structure until it shines like new. It’s your chance to transform that first draft that trickled out of your fingers and onto the page, turning your story into the book you always knew it could be.

Whether you’re planning to traditionally publish or go the indie publishing route, self-editing is essential before any next steps. But don’t just do the job most of the way. “Most of the way” won’t sell your book.

Writing a novel is an intimidating idea, but you know what? You did it. How amazing is that? Now finish the job. The Novel Editing Workbook is your resource to make it happen.

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A word to the wise for collecting the words of the wise.

Have you ever wanted to write down the story of your family but never known where to start? Have you ever wanted to write your memoir, but you weren’t quite sure what tales of your life best fit the narrative you hoped to capture? Have you ever wanted to reflect on the moments that transformed you into the person that you are today? Have you ever wanted to have a shared project between family members?

The Family Story Workbook is designed for all of these reasons and more.

Write it down because who else is going to? Write it down for you. Write it down for your family. Write it down for the historical record, whatever that means to you.

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An Elements of Style for the modern generation.

Just as we should think before we speak, we need to think before we write.

Most of us are not poets or novelists, but we are all writers. We email, text, and post; we craft memos and reports, menus and outdoor signage, birthday cards and sticky notes on the fridge.

Get a Grip on Your Grammar is a grammar book for those who hate grammar books, a writing resource filled with quick answers and a playful style―not endless, indecipherable grammar jargon. Designed for student, business, and creative-writing audiences alike, its easily digestible, occasionally witty writing tips will finally teach you what you need to know about the English language.

Writers owe it to themselves and to everyone who sees their written words to get it right. With Get a Grip on Your Grammar, they finally can.

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Why Do We Write?

There are so many answers to that question. In Kris’s opening address of the James River Writers Conference in 2010 in Richmond, Virginia, she had the chance to give hers.

What’s your answer? Kris would love to hear all about it.

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Humanitarian Aid Book Club Challenges

Kris Spisak frequently transforms her book talks, book club visits, and signings into humanitarian aid programs. What began as a diaper drive for Ukrainian families in need in 2022—at the launch of her debut novel, The Baba Yaga Mask—has grown to so much more.

Ready to Join the Challenge?