Most Popular Books by Robert Masello

“My name is Legion: for we are many.” —Mark 5:9 They have been with us since the beginning of time. Walking the centuries in our myths, our art, our literature . . . and in our dreams. Victims of temptation and sin, they are spirits who fell from heaven’s grace, emerging anew as servants of darkness. Here, in one spellbinding volume, are the most infamous denizens of the Underworld—from Lucifer, the first angel who challenged God’s will, to the fathomless legions of demons and fiends who haunt us to this day. Explore their world, hear their stories, unravel their secrets, and discover for yourself that even angels can have a dark side . . .

The unearthing of a mysterious fossil of a creature older than the earth and the discovery of a long-lost legendary parchment bring paleontologist Carter Cox face to face with the forces of darkness as he is given the task of deciphering their sinister message that unleashes a mythic evil on modern-day New York. Original.

The gates between life and death have been opened. Musician Jack Logan holds the key. In the streets of New York, he brought a man back from the dead—in plain and shocking sight of a TV news camera crew. Now the whole world is aware of his miraculous power. The media wants to expose him; the scientists to exploit him. But worst of all, the tortured souls of the dead—including his own mother—are reaching out from the void, luring him into the eternal domain, transforming his gift into the ultimate curse. Living or dead, they struggle to seize and control the secret that lies beyond the . . . black horizon.

The 101 Rules You Need to Know *but no one has ever told you You already have a million writing books. You know the principles, the lectures, the "expert" techniques. And you''ve discovered that sometimes tried-and-true just equals tired. In Robert''s Rules of Writing, successful author Robert Masello stomps out status quo writing advice and delivers 101 uninhibited techniques to improve your writing that include: • Burn your journal (See rule 1) • Strip down to your briefs (See rule 38) • Spend time gossiping (See rule 61) • Buy the smoking jacket (See rule 56) • Skip the Starbucks (See rule 7) • De-claim! De-claim! (See rule 63) Whether you''re a fiction writer, freelancer, memoirist, or screenwriter, Robert''s Rules of Writing gives you the unorthodox advice to transform your writing life and get published!

Army epidemiologist Frank Slater is offered a job no one else wants -- to travel to a small island off the coast of Alaska and investigate a potentially lethal phenomenon: The permafrost has begun to melt, exposing bodies from a colony that was wiped out by the dreaded Spanish flu of 1918 and was once devoted to the mad Russian monk Rasputin. Frank must determine if the thawed remains still carry the deadly virus in their frozen flesh and, if so, ensure that it doesn''t come back to life.

A witty and candid firsthand account -- for writers by a writer -- on how to write, sell, publish, and promote a book. This invaluable book is written by a working writer -- not a professor, not a publisher, not an editor, not an agent. Robert Masello is a writer who speaks his mind with absolute candor on everything aspiring book authors need to know. He explains the publishing process step by step -what to expect, how it works, and what authors can do at each point to keep things going smoothly. Equally important, Masello has a lot of fun doing it. His book is filled with sometimes hilarious anecdotes from his own experiences in the trenches of publishing. Writer Tells All covers many topics along the way, both large and small, including the things every writer needs to know: choosing a book topic (fiction or nonfiction), writing the proposal, selecting an agent, understanding book contracts, finding an editor, losing an editor, following the production process from manuscript to bound book, using your own savvy and contacts to maximize the effect of marketing, and publicizing the finished product.

When Beth Cox, an art curator, is hired to restore an ancient bestiary illuminated with creatures from the Garden of Eden, her husband unwittingly opens the gates of hell after the artifact leads him into a world of horror.

Journalist Michael Wilde—his world recently shattered by tragedy—has come to the South Pole looking for solace and a new lease on life. But what he finds on a routine dive in the polar sea is something else entirely: the bodies of a young man and a young woman, bound with chains and sealed forever in a block of ice. Beside them is an ancient chest filled with a sinister cargo. Wilde’s search to unravel the mystery of this doomed couple will lead from the battlefields of the Crimean War to the unexplored depths of the Antarctic Ocean, where an age-old curse survives to this day. And as the ice around the lovers begins to melt, Wilde will witness what may be a miracle—or a nightmare—in the making. What is dead, it turns out, is not always gone.

As war rages in 1944, young army lieutenant Lucas Athan recovers a sarcophagus excavated from an Egyptian tomb. Shipped to Princeton University for study, the box contains mysteries that only Lucas, aided by brilliant archaeologist Simone Rashid, can unlock. These mysteries may, in fact, defy--or fulfill--the dire prophecies of Albert Einstein himself. Struggling to decipher the sarcophagus''s strange contents, Lucas and Simone unwittingly release forces for both good and unmitigated evil. The fate of the world hangs not only on Professor Einstein''s secret research but also on Lucas''s ability to defeat an unholy adversary more powerful than anything he ever imagined. From the mind of bestselling author and award-winning journalist Robert Masello comes a thrilling adventure where modern science and primordial supernatural powers collide.

Everyone hides a secret from the past . . . but Lucien’s secret is inescapable. A living thing that has followed him across the world, from the horrors of Southeast Asia to the penthouse suites of the rich and famous. Everyone craves money, power, and sex . . . but Lucien can satisfy his every urge, every decadent impulse, every erotic whim—for a price. Everyone has private demons . . . but Lucien’s demon is all too real. All too powerful. All too hungry . . . for human souls.

Bestselling author Robert Masello guides working and aspiring writers alike with the hard-won advice, tricks of the trade, and indispensable encouragement that only a seasoned professional can provide. Although there’s no shortage of books on writing and publishing, there’s none quite like Robert’s Rules of Writing: 111 Unconventional Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know. Drawing on his many years of experience as an award-winning journalist, TV writer, and the author of over twenty books published by mainstream houses and translated, to date, into nineteen languages, Robert Masello addresses all the issues that confront, and all the problems that beset, writers of all stripes. Whether you’re working on a novel or a script, a memoir or a blog, an epic poem or a newspaper piece, you’re going to have to find the best way to express yourself clearly, persuasively, and entertainingly. You’ll have to find your own personal voice (much harder than it sounds) and use that unique voice to convey your story, your thoughts, and your opinions, to the many readers out there that you’re eager to reach; with complete candor and welcome irreverence, Robert’s Rules of Writing offers the inside knowledge that will help you do just that. As provocative as they are amusing, these rules are purposely designed to challenge the old axioms and get you thinking afresh about your work. In well over a hundred short but pithy takes, Masello guides you over hurdles, around obstacles, and through the seemingly insurmountable barriers to completion and ultimately publication—hooray!—of your writing. It’s a lively, thought-provoking, and often downright funny addition to any veteran, or fledgling, writer’s shelf.

“A wonderful treat . . . Masello [is] a master entertainer unafraid to pull out all the stops.”—Chicago Tribune Benvenuto Cellini, master artisan of Renaissance Italy, once crafted a beautiful amulet prized for its unimaginable power—and untold menace. Now the quest to recover this legendary artifact depends upon one man: David Franco, a brilliant but skeptical young scholar at Chicago’s world-renowned Newberry Library. What begins as a simple investigation spirals into a tale of dangerous intrigue, as Franco races from the châteaux of France to the palazzos of Rome in a desperate search for the ultimate treasure—and an answer to a riddle that has puzzled mankind since the beginning of time. Aided by a beautiful young Florentine harboring dark secrets, pursued by deadly assassins, and battling demons of his own, Franco must ultimately confront an evil greater than anything conjured in his worst nightmares. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Robert Masello''s The Romanov Cross. Praise for The Medusa Amulet “Fascinating . . . an unpredictable and exhilarating journey . . . [Robert] Masello expertly blends contemporary thrills with a historical spin.”—Associated Press “In addition to its taut story, there is an impressive amount of scholarship, and enough detail to please art lovers or history buffs. Great writing and rich detail combine for a gripping read.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Engrossing and fun.”—Library Journal

Tips based on the experiences of the author, an ETHS graduate of 1970.

An occultism reference chronicling the quest for metaphysical truth, from astronomers to astrologers, necromancers to sorcerers, alchemists to prophets. If the history of black magic and the occult reveals anything, it’s that the drive to marshal the unseen powers of the dark, and bend them to mortal will, is as old as mankind itself. Men and women have believed, in virtually every age and in every land, that there is another world—a world of spirits and souls, angels and demons, gods and monsters, a world that might hold the answers to the great mysteries: What is the meaning of life? Do humans decide their own fate? Is there a Heaven? And, perhaps more important, is there a Hell? As they sought the answers to these questions, the occult pioneers often stumbled upon real and verifiable truths. Here, in one spellbinding volume, is a history of the major occult arts—necromancy, sorcery, astrology, alchemy, and prophecy—as they have been practiced from ancient Babylon to the present day. Raising Hell weaves history with mythology, quotes, anecdotes, and illustrations to provide a vivid chronicle of the evolution of the occult arts. From the origins of the pentagram and the sacred circle, to the incantations of necromancers, to the prophecies of Nostradamus, this definitive source offers a compelling look at the black arts and those who risked their lives—and some say their souls—to explore them.

The essential gentleman''s handbook for the ''90''s by one of the gentlemen of the ETHS class of 1970.

When Peter Constantine inherited the remote estate, he and his wife, Meg, could relax, free at last from money worries. Then, as Peter began to explore his mysterious home, he heard the music and saw the beautiful woman who beckoned him into the woods. . . into an ancient ritual, a blood curse--a world of unbridled lust.

Quotations and stories from the great and famous as well as from the man-in-the-street about love, compiled by an ETHS graduate of the class of 1970.

A charming collection of over 1,000 of the most memorable, amusing, and useful proverbs spanning cultures, centuries, and topics. Each saying is identified by country or culture, making this book an invaluable reference tool as well as an entertaining anthology of wit and wisdom collected from all over the globe.

"While on routine patrol in the tinder-dry Topanga Canyon, environmental scientist Rafael Salazar expects to find animal poachers, not a dilapidated antique steamer trunk. Inside the peculiar case, he discovers a journal, written by the renowned Robert Louis Stevenson, which divulges ominous particulars about his creation of ''The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.'' It also promises to reveal a terrible secret--the identity of Jack the Ripper. Unfortunately, the journal--whose macabre tale unfolds in an alternating narrative with Rafe''s--isn''t the only relic in the trunk, and Rafe isn''t the only one to purloin a souvenir. A mysterious flask containing the last drops of the grisly potion that inspired ''Jekyll and Hyde'' and spawned London''s most infamous killer has gone missing. And it has definitely fallen into the wrong hands"--Back cover.

"It begins among the Carpathian peaks, when an intrepid explorer discovers a mysterious golden box. She brings it back with her to the foggy streets of Victorian London, unaware of its dangerous power--or that an evil beyond imagining has already taken root in the city. Stoker, a successful theater manager but frustrated writer, is drawn into a deadly web spun by the wealthy founders of a mission house for the poor. Far from a safe haven, the mission harbors a dark and terrifying secret. To save the souls of thousands, Stoker -- aided by the explorer and a match girl grieving the loss of her child--must pursue an enemy as ancient as the Saharan sands where it originated. Their journey will take them through the city''s overgrown graveyards and rat-infested tunnels and even onto the maiden voyage of the worlds first unsinkable ship." -- provided.

En el siglo XVI, Benvenuto Cellini fue el maestro artesano de la Italia del Renacimiento: orfebre, escultor, nigromante y creador de un amuleto tallado con esmero que en su tiempo fue la preciada posesión de papas y príncipes, reinas y conquistadores. Una obra de inimaginable poder... y peligro. David Franco es un joven y escéptico erudito que trabaja para la biblioteca Newberry de Chicago, tratando de recuperar una reliquia legendaria y dilucidar sus secretos. Pero su investigación pronto se convierte en una trepidante aventura, una carrera contrarreloj desde Chicago hasta los castillos franceses y desde la Revolución Francesa a los palacios romanos, buscando la respuesta a un enigma que ha intrigado a la humanidad desde el principio de los tiempos. Franco se verá atrapado en una lucha a vida o muerte, perseguido por letales asesinos y por sus propios demonios, y enfrentado a un mal que desborda sus peores pesadillas. Un nuevo thriller escalofriante de Robert Masello, autor del best seller Sangre y hielo.

Hace casi cien años una joven llegó a las desoladas costas de Alaska con un terrible secreto y una cruz de esmeraldas. Un siglo después, el epidemiólogo militar Frank Slater afronta una investigación de consecuencias impredecibles: al derretirse los hielos perpetuos, han aparecido cadáveres de una antigua colonia rusa fundada por los seguidores de Rasputin y diezmada por la terrible gripe española de 1918. El equipo de Slater deberá decidir si quedan restos del virus letal y asegurarse de que no vuelva a la vida. Pero hay otros secretos que Slater ignora, y que unidos a la acción del hombre y a las fuerzas de la naturaleza pueden resultar letales. La única esperanza reside en aceptar que la ciencia tiene sus límites, y que la vieja sabiduría del pueblo inuit es tan efectiva como la tecnología de vanguardia. Mezcla de thriller científico y paranormal, La cruz de los Romanov recrea uno de los episodios más controvertidos de la historia y trata de un amor tan insólito como inevitable. Con su habitual mezcla de fascinantes datos históricos y una fantástica imaginación, Robert Masello construye un aterrador relato sobre acontecimientos del pasado que regresan para amenazar al presente. "Masello es un auténtico maestro a la hora de mezclar ciencia de vanguardia, intriga histórica y fascinantes enigmas". James Rollins, New York Times

En 1856 un barco se pierde en los confines del mundo, en las estribaciones de la Antártida: a bordo, una pareja con una extraña enfermedad que aterroriza a la tripulación. En nuestros días, un fotógrafo de naturaleza, atormentado por el accidente que hizo que su prometida quedara en coma irreversible, acepta participar en una misión científica al Polo Sur. Una historia de misterio y terror en la que el amor desempeña un papel fundamental. Inglaterra, 1853. El teniente de lanceros Sinclair Copley, heredero díscolo de una noble familia, lleva una vida disoluta y desperdicia sus días en francachelas, timbas y prostíbulos londinenses hasta que conoce a una joven enfermera, Eleanor Ames, una muchacha idealista empleada en el hospital de la superintendente Florence Nightingale, cuyas innovaciones están revolucionando la asistencia sanitaria británica. Sinclair se convence de que Eleanor es la mujer de su vida a pesar de la diferencia de clases existente entre ambos; pero la Historia está decidida a entorpecer el idilio, pues Inglaterra moviliza al ejército a fin de frenar los apetitos expansionistas de Rusia en la península de Crimea. El Gobierno británico, asustado por las bajas de la campaña, opta por ofrecer a la competente Nightingale una oportunidad de probar sus teorías. Eleanor hace todo lo posible por formar parte del reducido grupo de enfermeras utilizadas por la superintendente en los hospitales de campaña, tanto por convicción personal como por estar más cerca de su amado. Entretanto, Sinclair descubre en sus propias carnes cómo los sueños de gloria en el campo de batalla se convierten en una pesadilla cuando las tropas británicas entran en liza, librando la batalla de Balaclava, donde tiene lugar uno de los momentos inmortales de la historia bélica: la carga de la caballería ligera, donde hay más héroes que supervivientes. Cuando las baterías rusas abrieron fuego en el campo de batalla, poco podía imaginar el teniente Sinclair que le amenazaba otro peligro mayor. Los turcos tenían un nombre para el mismo: Kara-kondjiolos. Chupadores de sangre. Unos temibles seres carroñeros cuya sola mención espantaba a los guías nativos del ejército inglés. Eleanor descubre a Sinclair en una cama del hospital. Está vivo y se recupera con una velocidad poco común, pero como no van a tardar en descubrir, hay cosas mucho peores que la muerte y la mutilación.

Na severním pobřeží Aljašky, na dohled od Sibiře, vyplavilo moře rakev s mrtvolou Rusa, který zemřel na španělskou chřipku v roce 1918. Hrozí, že chřipkové viry, jež tehdy zabily víc lidí než celá světová válka, zůstaly aktivní a mohou způsobit globální katastrofu. Bývalý vojenský epidemiolog Frank Slater má vést vojenskou operaci s úkolem prozkoumat hřbitov osady ruských uprchlíků na malém ostrově u aljašského pobřeží a zajistit útes s hřbitovem před dalším rozpadem, aby nedošlo k novému vzplanutí epidemie. Drsné listopadové počasí u Beringova moře Slaterovi práci neulehčuje, navíc se do hry zapojí drobní zlodějíčci z blízké inuitsko-bělošské osady. Těm padl do rukou drahocenný, smaragdy vykládaný stříbrný kříž, věnovaný legendárním mnichem Rasputinem princezně Anastázii na ochranu před silami zla, a navzdory probíhající vojenské operaci vyrážejí na nebezpečný ostrov s cílem vykopat další poklady. Podaří se Slaterovi a půvabné inuitské starostce zabránit celosvětové katastrofě? Kudy se dostal Rasputinův kříž až na Aljašku? Jak přežila princezna masakr carské rodiny v Jekatěrinburgu?

"It''s 1914. The Great War grips the world--and from the Western Front a strange story emerges...a story of St. George and a brigade of angels descending from heaven to fight beside the beleaguered British troops. But can there be any truth to it? H. G. Wells, the most celebrated writer of his day--author of The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man--is dispatched to find out. There, he finds an eerie wasteland inhabited by the living, the dead, and those forever stranded somewhere in between...a no-man''s-land whose unhappy souls trail him home to London, where a deadly plot, one that could turn the tide of war, is rapidly unfolding. In league with his young love, the reporter and suffragette Rebecca West, Wells must do battle with diabolical forces--secret agents and depraved occultists--to save his sanity, his country, and ultimately the world."--Provided by publisher.

Historik umění Lucas Athan, toho času důstojník americké armády pověřený zachraňováním kulturních památek naloupených nacisty, objevil na sklonku války v tajném skladu v srdci Německa egyptský sarkofág, o který se mimořádně zajímaly jak nejbližší kruhy kolem Adolfa Hitlera, tak americká tajná služba. Na půdě Princetonské univerzity se pak spolu s brilantní archeoložkou Simone Rashidovou snaží odhalit jeho tajemství, která mohou naplnit - nebo vyvrátit - Einsteinovo temné proroctví. Při svých pokusech Lucas a Simone nevědomky vypustili na svobodu síly dobra i nepokrytého zla. Osud světa nyní nezávisí jen na výzkumu profesora Einsteina, ale i na tom, zda Lucas dokáže porazit temného protivníka mocnějšího než vše, co si kdy dokázal představit. Podaří se Lucasovi se Simone s pomocí největších géniů fyziky a matematiky Alberta Einsteina a Kurta Gödela - potlačit zlo a zachránit svoje životy? Je možné, že obětí temných sil má být samotný Einstein? A proč? Zachrání mu život jeho jachtařské schopnosti.

A collection of bits of endearing, amusing, and surprising fatherly advice and sayings includes "This hurts me more than it hurts you," "Don''t be ashamed to ask a question," and "Always buy American." Original.