Books published by The Story Plant

Danny Boyle was hoping for a fresh start in Canada. With the help of his uncle Martin, he'd soon found a job and a regular gig with a bar band. And when his sweetheart, Deirdre, joined him, Danny seemed set for life.But Fate wasn't done with Danny, and when his uncle was stricken with AIDS, Deirdre did the only thing she could think of to save him from the darkness ¿ she got pregnant. Rising to the occasion, Danny became a father with enthusiasm.With the arrival of their second child, though, mortgages, day-care, and the press of the day took their toll on the young couple. Battling the voice in his head that told him he wasn't suited for this role, Danny found an ally in the bottle. Soon, drinking became the only thing that made sense to him.Deirdre, however, refused to give up without a fight. If she could only get Danny to join her, they might even win.The sequel to Born & Bred, Wandering in Exile is the second novel in the Life & Times Trilogy, a cycle of novels that charts the course of one star-crossed life. Filled with poetic prose and brimming with poignant observation, it is a work of uncommon depth and resonance.

SECRETS OF INFERNO is a reader's guide to the journey Dan Brown took us all on in INFERNO. The book gives readers the "back story" on particular plot points, Dante references, symbols, historical events, philosophy, art, music, and architectural works that Brown wrapped into his story. It is also an intellectually enriching, intriguing, fresh and fun look at Dante, THE DIVINE COMEDY, the world of ideas circulating in Florence on the cusp of the Renaissance, and the relevance of those ideas to our lives and our world today.Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer are the world's leading experts on Dan Brown's fiction. Beginning with their path-breaking SECRETS OF THE CODE, which spent six months on the New York Times bestseller list in 2004, and continuing through four other guidebooks to Dan Brown's fiction (as well as three film documentaries and two special editions of US News), Burstein and de Keijzer have sold more than three million copies of Dan Brown-related commentaries in more than thirty languages. In the wake of each Dan Brown title over the last decade, the media (from the History Channel to CNN to MSNBC to USA Today to the Washington Post) have turned to Burstein and de Keijzer for interpretations of Dan Brown's books, decoding of the hidden symbols and ciphers, explanations of the controversies, and thoughtful separation of fact from fiction in these supremely popular stories that somehow always manage to fascinate our culture well beyond the bounds of their pop fiction genre.The ultimate guide for any Dan Brown fan, SECRETS OF INFERNO is entertaining, thought-provoking, and will make the experience of reading INFERNO richer than you ever imagined.Contributors include: Teodolinda Barolini, Da Ponte Professor of Italian, Columbia UniversitySteven Botterill, Associate Professor of Italian Studies, University of California, BerkeleyJamais Cascio, Distinguished Fellow, Institute for the Future and Senior Fellow, Institute for Ethics and Emerging TechnologiesJoel E. Cohen, Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of Populations at The Rockefeller University and Professor of Populations at the Earth Institute of Columbia UniversityWilliam Cook, Distinguished Teaching Professor of History (Emeritus), State University of New York, GeneseoAlison Cornish, Professor of Italian, Romance Languages, and Literatures department, University of MichiganPaul Ehrlich, Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University, president of Stanford's Center for Conservation Biology, and author of The Population BombGlenn W. Erickson, Professor of Philosophy, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil)Laurie Garrett, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Coming PlagueCheryl Helm, Dan Brown codes and puzzles expertGiuseppe Mazzotta, Sterling Professor of Humanities for Italian, Yale UniversityJulie O'Connor, Fine art photographer and photojournalistDavid Orban, Futurist, CEO of Dotsub, and former chairman of Humanity+David A. Shugarts, Investigative reporter, author of Secrets of the Widow's Son, and contributing editor to the Secrets seriesGregory Stock, Biophysicist, biotech entrepreneur, and founding director of the Program on Medicine, Technology and Society at UCLA's School of MedicineNatasha Vita-More, Chairman, Board of Directors of Humanity+ and author of the "TranshumanistManifesto"

This evocative, moving, and gorgeously detailed novel is the story of Alex Soberano, a contemporary man in crisis. A tremendously successful New York businessman, Alex finds it difficult to embrace joy and accept love. When his life threatens to boil over, he escapes for a bri...

Victor Selo had blown up his life. A wannabe rock star turned tech savant, he'd wagered his Silicon Valley executive position on a corporate inside straight and lost. Having security escort him out of the building was the best thing that happened to him that day. The rest left him in the hospital, broken, broke, and with no prospects.That's when a shadowy stranger with questionable motives came with an offer: a chance to get his life back - and better - if he simply cooperates. It would require becoming invisible for a while, but he would be hiding in the spotlight, playing guitar in a Vegas cover band. Reluctantly, Victor accepts and begins an odyssey he never could have imagined. One that involves a charismatic lead singer who owns the stage but aspires to own an Elvis wedding chapel, a mesmerizing woman who can play anything on her keyboards and can really play with Victor's head, and two specters from his old life offering competing devil's bargains. Suddenly, multiple futures are opening up in front of Victor. All of them offer opportunity - and each comes with potentially catastrophic risk.Populated with a wide array of colorful characters, brimming with reflections on everything from love to God to the price of commitment, and backed by a great soundtrack, From Nothing is an endlessly engaging work of fiction that will resonate like your favorite song.

They have been coming to their grandmother Gloria's lake cottage since they were babies. Now Johnnie and Buddy have families of their own and C.C. has a life full of adult drama and adventure. And this trip ¿ the only stated purpose of which is to bring the family together for the last weekend of the summer ¿ seems full of portent. Gloria has been hinting that there's more on the agenda than grilling and swimming, and when the three siblings learn that their estranged father will also be in attendance, it becomes clear that this weekend will have implications that last far beyond the final days of the season.A touching, incisive view into the dynamics of a family on the verge of change and filled with characters both distinctive and utterly relatable, THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE SUMMER is a rich, lyrical reading experience that will resonate in your heart.

Rick and Abby grew up together, became best friends, and ultimately fell in love. Circumstance tore them apart in their early teens, though, and they went on to lives less idyllic than they dreamed about in those early days. Rick has had a very successful career, but his marriage flat-lined. Abby has a magical daughter, Paige, but Paige's father nearly destroyed Abby's spirit.Now fate has thrown Rick and Abby together again. In their early thirties, they are more world-weary than they were as kids. But their relationship still shimmers, and they're hungry to make up for lost time. However, Paige, now nine, is not nearly as enthusiastic. She's very protective of the life she's made with her mother and not open to the duo becoming a trio. Meanwhile, Rick has very little experience dealing with kids and doesn't know how to handle Paige. This leaves Abby caught between the two people who matter the most to her. What happens when the life you've dreamed of remains just inches from your grasp?PRESSED PENNIES is a nuanced, intensely romantic, deeply heartfelt story of love it its many incarnations, relationships in their many guises, and family in its many meanings. It is the most accomplished and moving novel yet from a truly great storyteller of the heart.Finalist: 2014 USA Best Book Award

Jessica Keener's extraordinary debut novel, "Night Swim" captivated readers with its eloquence, insight, and humanity. "This gripping first novel announces the arrival of a strong, distinct and fully evolved new voice," said Jennifer Egan, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of "A Visit from the Goon Squad." Sara Gruen, "New York Times" bestselling au