Recent polls have consistently declared that J.R.R. Tolkien is "the most influential author of the century," and The Lord of the Rings is "the book of the century." In support of these claims, the prominent medievalist and scholar of fantasy Professor Tom Shippey now presents us with a fascinating companion to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, focusing in particular on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.

Right now you can see free video tutorials to help you write your novel and finish it by the end of this month. Check out Tara Maya's 30 Novel Facebook page to find out more.
The techniques here are designed to help you streamline your writing...and that includes not wasting your time on false starts or novels with huge, gaping plot holes that torment you during revisions. These are my best No Fail Formulas for starting or re-starting a new or broken novel, for kicking myself out of writer's block, and for making the most of every precious writing minute in a tight schedule.

What you need to know when you are ready to go beyond “how to write a novel”
How to Craft a Great Story takes you step by step through the process of creating a compelling and coherent plot and structure. It covers such basics as the traditional story arcs and such advanced information as finding balance and marrying structure and form. Each chapter contains a diagnostic test, case studies, practical exercises and Aide Memoire boxes.

This first volume covers The Middle Ages (to 1500) in two sections: The Old English Period (to 1100) by Kemp Malone (John Hopkins University), and The Middle English Period (1100-1500) by Albert C. Baugh (University of Pennsylvania).

As the British empire expanded throughout the world, the English language played an important role in power relations between Britain and its colonies. English was used as a colonizing agent to suppress the indigenous cultures of various peoples and to make them subject to British rule. With the end of World War II, many countries became gradually decolonized, and their indigenous cultures experienced a renaissance. Colonial mores and power systems clashed and combined with indigenous traditions to create postcolonial texts.