A good option is 'Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft' by Janet Burroway. It offers in - depth analysis of different elements of fiction writing, like point of view, dialogue, and setting. It also has exercises to help you practice what you've learned.
'Story Engineering' by Larry Brooks is another great choice. It focuses on the architecture of a story, teaching you how to build a solid structure for your fiction. It helps you understand how different parts of a story, such as the inciting incident, the midpoint, and the climax, all work together to create a compelling narrative.
Ploughshares is well - regarded for new fiction. It has been around for a long time and has a reputation for nurturing new talent. They have a rigorous selection process that results in high - quality new fiction being published.
Aesop's lesser-known stories include 'The Ass in the Lion's Skin' and 'The Eagle and the Jackdaw'. He was quite prolific, and many of his works have been passed down through the ages.
You could also check out 'Mr. Creepypasta'. He has a large collection of horror stories and his narration style is really engaging. He adds his own touch to each story, making them even more interesting and scary.
There's 'Cimarron Review'. It often features short stories that have a unique voice. 'The Missouri Review' is also good. It has a strong selection of short fiction. And 'Blackbird' is worth checking out as it publishes some really engaging short stories.
S.E. Hinton has several lesser-known novels like 'That Was Then, This Is Now' and 'Rumble Fish'.
Another one is 'The Infinity Entity'. This comic delves deeper into the nature of the Infinity Stones. It explores the idea of an entity that is somehow related to the stones and how that affects the Marvel universe. It's not as well - known as some others but offers a unique perspective on the infinity stones story.
One exercise is to create a fictional map of a place. As you draw the map, think about the geography, the cultures that might exist there, and the stories that could come from it. Then write a story set in that place. Another is to write a story in exactly 500 words. This constraint forces you to be concise and make every word count. You can also take a line from a song and build a story around it.
A lesser - known but great EMP prepper fiction book is 'Surviving the Collapse' by James Wesley, Rawles. It offers a different perspective on post - EMP survival with some unique survival strategies. Another one is 'EMP: End of the Grid' by Mark Goodwin. It has an interesting plot that keeps you engaged while also teaching some valuable prepping lessons.
One that's not as well - known but really good is 'The Mahabharata Secret' by Christopher C. Doyle. It combines the Mahabharata with modern - day mystery. Also, 'My Gita' by Devdutt Pattanaik is an interesting take on the Bhagavad Gita in a more accessible and fictionalized form. And 'Ahalya' by Kavita Kane, which tells the story of Ahalya in a very engaging manner.
Not that I'm aware of. Oda is mainly known for his prominent and popular manga series.