New World Library Unshelved

Successful writers write, rather than just think about writing, talk about writing, or plan what they’ll write when they get a cabin in the woods. Yet even accomplished writers sometimes get “blocked,” losing access to their in-the-zone writing mind. In his new book, Set the Page on Fire: Secrets of Successful Writers, publishing veteran Steve O’Keefe offers proven techniques and practices for jump-starting stalled ideas, honed during his many years of working in virtually every aspect of publishing. His innovative, often unconventional exercises will get you writing and accessing your own unique voice — a voice the world wants to read!

One of the youngest people ever to receive dharma transmission (the authorization to teach Zen) in the United States, Gesshin Claire Greenwood is also a skilled vegan cook, feminist, and author of the book Just Enough: Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan’s Buddhist Temples. When Greenwood was twenty-two and fresh out of college, she found her way to a Buddhist monastery in Japan. She was drawn deeply into Zen’s all-encompassing approach to life and how to live it, the way Zen practice does not shy away from the big questions of life while still resting in the perfection of the present moment. While at the monastery, she discovered a particular affinity for working in the kitchen, especially the practice of using what was at hand to create delicious, satisfying meals. 

Today, when our human family is facing so many challenges, it is more important than ever that we find peace and sustenance in our hearts. In the new book Love on Every Breath: Tonglen Meditation for Transforming Pain into Joy, author Lama Palden Drolma introduces Tonglen, a profound, ancient meditation that has been practiced in isolated mountain retreats in the Himalayas for centuries and that is now available to us in the modern world. 

Like yoga before it, mindfulness is now flourishing in every sector of society. It is a buzzword in everything from medicine to the military. In the new book From Suffering to Peace: The True Promise of Mindfulness, author Mark Coleman, who has studied and taught mindfulness meditation for decades, draws on his knowledge to not only clarify what mindfulness truly means but also reveal the depth and potential of this ancient discipline. Weaving together contemporary applications with practices in use for millennia, his approach empowers us to engage with and transform the inevitable stress and pain of life, so we can discover genuine peace — in the body, heart, mind, and wider world. We hope you’ll enjoy this excerpt from the book.

Until now, panic attacks have been a problem without a consistently viable solution. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America reports that 6 million Americans have a panic disorder, but the most commonly used therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), only stops panic in one out of seven people, and the drugs that are often prescribed to treat panic are highly addictive. 

Meditation can be a potent practice for creating focus and facilitating learning in the classroom. This is true for kindergarteners, grad students, and everyone in between. Longtime schoolteacher William Meyer has taught a variety of meditation techniques to students, fellow teachers, and parents with remarkable results. In Three Breaths and Begin: A Guide to Meditation in the Classroom, Meyer details how teachers can incorporate mindfulness into their curricula every day. He covers every aspect of teaching meditation, from creating a dedicated space in the classroom to meditating on field trips, during sports, and even in the midst of tragedy.