William Bernhardt

Premium Audiobooks

Court of Killers

Court of Killers

The court of public opinion found her guilty. But one attorney resolved to change the verdict…Attorney Daniel Pike knows the dire consequences of crossing the government. So when rising political star Camila Perez faces charges in a gruesome quadruple...

Creating Character: Bringing Your Story to Life

Creating Character: Bringing Your Story to Life

All fiction is character-driven, according to William Bernhardt, despite what you might have heard elsewhere. If your characters don't interest readers, even the most exciting plots will fail. "Action is character," Aristotle wrote, but what does that...

Dazzling Description: Painting the Perfect Picture

Dazzling Description: Painting the Perfect Picture

How do you create a fictional world that readers will want to visit? How do you paint a picture that springs to life on the page? William Bernhardt explains how to use description and setting to enhance your story without slowing the pace. Bernhardt...

Dynamic Dialogue

Dynamic Dialogue

Dynamic dialogue can turn an otherwise ordinary novel into a delightful read, but dull, uninspired dialogue will cause readers to lose interest and try something else. In this book, bestselling author William Bernhardt, renowned for his handling of...

Excellent Editing

Excellent Editing

Why do so many people talk about writing a book but never get the job done? Why do so many start books they never finish? And why is the final product often so much less than what editors and agents want? Because writing is a process, and no steps can...

Exposed (Splitsville Legal Thriller Series)

Exposed (Splitsville Legal Thriller Series)

When a scandalous divorce trial interferes with a ruthless killer, can one tough lawyer find the truth before she becomes the next victim?Kenzi Rivera is classy, compassionate, and ready to buck the status quo. Sick of being patronized by judges and...

He has one chance to find the facts he’s searched for his entire life. All he has to do is prove his Number One enemy is not a killer…Daniel Pike has devoted his legal career to ensuring that no wrongly convicted person dies in prison like his father...

This time, Dan’s putting everything on the line. Will his dangerous scheme reveal a killer…or cause a fatal injustice?Defense lawyer Daniel Pike believes he’s closer than ever to proving his late father was no murderer. But with key witnesses snuffed...

Partners in Crime

Partners in Crime

The Grim Reaper is coming to the courtroom—where Daniel Pike and Ben Kincaid may face their final judgment.In Florida, defense attorney Daniel Pike is stunned when his legal files are ransacked and his lover, Maria Morales, disappears. In Oklahoma,...

Perfecting Plot: Charting the Hero's Journey

Perfecting Plot: Charting the Hero's Journey

Even the most unique and interesting characters will not engage readers if their journey—the plot—fails. In this book, bestselling author William Bernhardt reveals the secrets that will keep readers riveted to the page. He explains the importance of...

Plot/Counterplot

Plot/Counterplot

He writes gunfights and ticking time bombs. But when he’s kidnapped and forced to plan a real-world crime, every plot twist will be explosive…Dylan Taggart channels his demons through the keyboard. Knocked around by a father who believed weakness was...

Powerful Premise

Powerful Premise

Why do some books attract readers while others don’t? What are the essential qualities of an irresistible read, a story people can't wait to start? And what’s the secret to attracting a literary agent or publishing deal? The answer to all three...

When her shocking new case hits too close to home, can Kenzi prevent a miscarriage of justice?Kenzi Rivera wants her day in the sun. Now the highest-earning name at her father’s firm, the spitfire attorney is furious her brother was chosen to manage...

Sizzling Style is what distinguishes a spellbinding book from an ordinary one. The writer who understands the fundamentals of fictional writing style knows how to capture readers and never let them go. Too often aspiring writers are frustrated by...

A struggling lawyer. A bitter custody battle. A deadly fire. This case could cost Kenzi her career—and her life.Kenzi Rivera is furious. Passed over for promotion at her own father’s firm, the talented divorce lawyer is tired of fighting chauvinism...

Story Structure: The Key to Successful Fiction

Story Structure: The Key to Successful Fiction

"Writing is structure," William Goldman said, but too often aspiring writers plunge into their work without grasping this fundamental principle. Story structure is one of the most important concepts for a writer to understand—and ironically, one of...

The Florentine Poet

The Florentine Poet

“This book sparkles like a jewel in a cosmic clockwork—an uplifting gift to readers everywhere.” — Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful WarriorWhy are the churches closed on Christmas Eve in Florence’s San Frediano district? This mystery...

The Last Chance Lawyer

The Last Chance Lawyer

Getting his client off death row could save his career… or make him the next victim.Daniel Pike would rather fight for justice than follow the rules. His unique ability to "connect the dots," to observe what others do not, has made him the most...

Why do some books linger in memory long after they are read? Why are some books reread, recommended, shared in the classroom? How can you add your book to this distinguished company? The key is theme, giving your story a dynamic idea that lends it...

Traveling Salesman's Son

Traveling Salesman's Son

In his latest collection, William Bernhardt again demonstrates that he is a true poet, one whose work accomplishes the difficult task of being both accessible and profound. He communicates with grace and illumination, avoiding the obscurity and...

A billion-dollar inheritance. A relative’s suspicious reappearance. Can Dan dig up the secrets of the past before he’s buried six feet under?Attorney Daniel Pike’s flashy courtroom antics have earned him plenty of enemies--but also freed many innocent...

Twisted Justice

Twisted Justice

If he loses this case, the consequence is death…Ever since his father’s wrongful incarceration, defense lawyer Daniel Pike has defended the innocent at any cost. But he’s stunned when his archrival DA is found shot dead and brutally crucified. And...

What Writers Need to Know: Essential Topics

What Writers Need to Know: Essential Topics

What must a writer know to survive in the modern publishing world?In this volume, William Bernhardt tackles essential topics that, while smaller in scope, are nonetheless necessary to a contemporary author's survival. How do you create a memorable...

Yuletide Splitsville (A Kenzi Rivera Legal Thriller Short Story)

Yuletide Splitsville (A Kenzi Rivera Legal Thriller Short Story)

In this story, William Bernhardt sends his crusading attorney Kenzi Rivera (Splitsville) to solve the mystery of a missing family heirloom—with several lives hanging in the balance. Pull up a chair by the Christmas tree, put on your holiday music,...