The Graceful Lie: A Method for Making Fiction
I'll be blunt: I love the book!  This is the only text I've seen which distinguishes for students both the characteristics of genres such as mysteries, historical fiction, and science fiction, along with the concerns of their creators ... and it does so with intelligence, integrity, and pragmatism.  The writing activities are among the best I've seen.  They encourage students' process of discovery while fostering the development of specific skills.  --Berwyn Moore, Gannon UniversityPetracca brings an infectious enthusiasm to the book.  It's obvious that he loves writing, and his style reflects that love.  I think a student may grow to care about the art as much as Petracca does, just from his writing style alone.  In the preface Petracca states, " ... writing The Graceful Lie turned out to be not merely a practical career move, but a life's work."  It is the author's perception of his intent, I think, that gives the book its grace and power.The Graceful Lieis a kind of hymn to the art, and not many textbooks carry that kind of weight."  --Keith Coplin, Colby College