Showing results by author "Steve Alcorn" in All Categories

Theme Park Design: Behind the Scenes with an Engineer (20th Anniversary Edition) Have you ever wondered how theme parks create their magic? From soaring roller coasters to immersive dark rides, from spectacular shows to seamless park operations — discover the engineering secrets behind the world's greatest attractions. Written by Steve Alcorn, who helped design EPCOT Center and founded the leading manufacturer of theme park control systems, this insider's guide takes you behind the scenes of themed entertainment design. Whether you're considering a career in the industry or simply ...

Have you ever gone to a theme park and wondered, "How did they do that?" At last there's a book that tells you. Theme Park Design reveals the secrets behind some of the world's greatest attractions. Take a peek behind the scenes, with a theme park engineer. Aimed at theme park enthusiasts, the book features behind the scenes information based upon author Steve Alcorn's 35 years designing attractions.

Whether you're building galactic empires, magical kingdoms, or dystopian futures, this guide will help you bring imagined worlds to life — and keep readers turning pages. USA Today bestselling author Steve Alcorn has taught more than 100,000 students to structure their novels. In Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy, he breaks down the essential craft of speculative fiction with the same practical, no-nonsense approach that has made his writing courses a favorite at more than 1,500 colleges and universities worldwide. Inside you'll discover: • How to build worlds that feel real — from ...

Step behind the magic and into the madness of building Disney's most ambitious theme park. It's 1982, and hundreds of young, idealistic engineers have been recruited to create EPCOT Center — Walt Disney's greatest dream. Over three frantic years, they'll transform 27,000 acres of Central Florida swampland into a $1.2 billion showcase of innovation and imagination. But between the pixie-dusting and opening day, something happens: impossible deadlines, last-minute redesigns, hydraulic nightmares, and the constant challenge of making the truly impossible actually work. This is the story of ...

Building a Better Mouse is the story of the Electronic Imagineers who designed Epcot Center. It tells the tale of the "hundreds of mostly young, mostly bright and all embarrassingly idealistic people" who worked on Epcot, and gives a unique insider's perspective on what it was like to be in the trenches as a Disney Imagineer in the early 1980s, from pixie dusting - when new employees are indoctrinated into all things Disney - through the craziness of the engineering design process, right up until the last frantic dash to opening day.

Master the Art of Fear: Write Suspense and Horror That Haunts Readers Whether you're crafting psychological thrillers, supernatural horror, or edge-of-your-seat suspense, this comprehensive guide will teach you how to create stories that terrify, unsettle, and captivate readers long after the final page. USA Today bestselling author Steve Alcorn draws on more than 25 years of teaching experience to break down the essential elements of compelling horror and suspense fiction: building unbearable tension, creating atmospheric dread, developing unforgettable scares, and delivering satisfying ...

Master the Art of Short Fiction Whether you're crafting flash fiction, writing your first novelette, or submitting to literary magazines, this comprehensive guide gives you everything you need to write powerful short stories that captivate readers and editors alike. What You'll Learn: The six major forms of short fiction—from 50-word mini sagas to 17,500-word novelettes How to structure your story using the nine-checkpoint method that guarantees dramatic impact Character development techniques that make readers care The scene-and-sequel framework that professional writers use Publishing ...

This fun and exciting guide shows you how to write an autobiography or biography that will bring your story to life. It begins by introducing you to all the different forms a life story can take, from journals to blogs to magazine articles to complete memoirs. Then, it helps you organize your story into either chronological, thematic, or anecdotal form. You'll receive a powerful set of writing tools, and learn how to use story structure, viewpoint, dialogue, and settings to make your story clear and vivid.

Do you have a young adult novel idea but are unsure about where to begin? Have you started a novel, only to get stuck? Or perhaps you've completed a first draft, but you want to add the luster of professional writing? Then this audiobook is for you! Featuring lively interplay between authors of young-adult fiction Steve and Dani Alcorn, this engaging narration gives you all the inspiration and tools you need to create a best seller.

Master the Art of Making Readers Laugh Why do some writers effortlessly make us snort coffee through our noses, while others try desperately to be funny and land with a quiet, terrible thud? The difference isn't talent — it's craft. And craft can be learned. USA Today bestselling author Steve Alcorn draws on more than 25 years of teaching experience to break down the mechanics of humor writing: how to find comedy in everyday life, build jokes that actually land, sustain a funny voice across hundreds of pages, and get your humor out into the world. From Aristophanes to TikTok, from ...

Master the Art of Mystery Writing Whether you're crafting a cozy whodunit, a hard-boiled noir, or a psychological thriller, this comprehensive guide will teach you how to write mysteries that keep readers guessing until the final page. USA Today bestselling author Steve Alcorn draws on more than 25 years of teaching experience to break down the essential elements of compelling mystery fiction: intricate plotting, memorable characters, escalating suspense, and satisfying reveals. Through detailed examples from Agatha Christie, Michael Connelly, Gillian Flynn, and dozens more, you'll learn ...

Write, Publish, and Profit from Your Non-Fiction Book Whether you're an expert sharing your knowledge, a professional building your platform, or someone with a story to tell, this comprehensive guide will teach you how to write compelling non-fiction that informs, persuades, and sells. USA Today bestselling author Steve Alcorn draws on more than 25 years of teaching experience to break down the essential elements of successful non-fiction writing: choosing the right topic, organizing complex information, conducting thorough research, and crafting clear, engaging prose. You'll learn exactly ...

What happens when you spend your life chasing curiosity instead of climbing ladders? Steve Alcorn has designed theme park attractions for Disney, founded a company that powers rides worldwide, taught over 100,000 students to write novels, authored 27 books, traveled the globe, raised a family, and somehow managed to avoid taking himself too seriously. This is the story of how curiosity — not careful planning — led to an extraordinary life at the intersection of engineering and creativity. From the underbelly of EPCOT on opening day to a rooftop overlooking Future World at sunrise. From ...

A USA Today bestselling author returns with an epic sequel spanning two timelines, two cultures, and two women who refuse to be silenced. The sequel to Everything In Its Path 1542 AD. When Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sails into Chumash waters, Singing Bird's world changes forever. Kidnapped aboard the San Salvador, she must navigate a dangerous new world of conquistadors, mutiny, and cultural collision. Torn between duty to her people and unexpected love for a young Spanish sailor, she faces an impossible choice—and a storm that will test everyone's courage. 1929 California....

Just after midnight on March 13, 1928, the St. Francis Dam gave way, releasing a 160-foot-high wall of water. It was the worst American civil engineering disaster of the twentieth century. Everything in its Path tells the story of Kate, an archaeologist's daughter, who is helping excavate a Chumash Indian site below the dam when she makes an alarming discovery: the dam is leaking! Intertwined with Kate's story is that of the prehistoric Chumash settlement.

Have you started a novel, only to get part way into the manuscript and find yourself stuck? Or do you have an idea for a novel, but aren't sure where to begin? Have you completed a first draft, but feel it doesn't quite have the luster of professional writing?

What if the humans vanished—and the animals got smarter? When Jett’s owner disappears without a trace, the loyal pooch knows something is wrong. But he never expected the entire human race to be gone. As the world falls eerily silent, Jett and a growing group of animals begin to change. They’re learning. Remembering. Even communicating. And at the heart of it all is a strange, humming laboratory and a machine still running beneath the floor. What they uncover will lead them to secret archives, complicated machines, and one very grumpy rabbit. Now the smartest creatures on Earth must ...

Turn Your Wanderlust Into a Writing Career From travel blogs to magazine features, guidebooks to sponsored content—this comprehensive guide shows you how to write compelling travel stories and get them published. What You'll Learn: Master narrative travel writing that transports readers to distant places Write practical guidebook content that travelers actually use Craft unique angles that make your work stand out to editors Navigate travel journalism, corporate writing, and sponsored content Build a sustainable business as a freelance travel writer From First Draft to Publication: ...

The Quantum Selector has done it again—and this time, it’s not the humans who vanished. Jett and his team have been collected. Whisked away to a surreal robot paradise where everything sparkles, snacks arrive on command, and compliments are never ending, the animals are treated like royalty. But pampering can’t mask the truth: they’ve been chosen… and trapped. As they uncover the secrets behind the alien technology that started it all, the team discovers a terrifying future for Earth—one where smarter humans mean abandoned cities and weaponized intelligence. To fix it, they’ll...

Just before midnight on March 12, 1928, the recently completed St. Francis Dam collapsed, releasing a 160-foot wall of water into the canyon below. Massive chunks of concrete, some weighing thousands of tons, were hurled more than half a mile downstream. Within hours, the flood had carved a 50-mile path of destruction to the Pacific Ocean, leaving over 500 people dead or missing. It remains the deadliest civil engineering disaster of twentieth-century America. Everything In Its Path tells the story of sixteen-year-old Kate Thompson, whose father and his assistant Andrew are excavating a ...