The Turn of the Screw: A Study Guide

The_Turn_of_the_Scre_Cover_for_Kindle

What ghost story inspired James’ novella?

Are the ghosts in the novel real or figments of a neurotic imagination?
How does James use an unreliable narrator to create suspense?
How does James generate such a sinister atmosphere in the story?
For the price of a chocolate bar, you can become an expert on one of the greatest novellas in the language.

This is a detailed study guide for anybody either studying or teaching Henry James’s novella. It is tailored to help students write an excellent piece of coursework on the book, or assist them with studying for an exam — but it will be of interest to the general reader too. For the teacher, it quotes important passages in the book and offers literary analysis of them. The guide is distinctive because it is a) modern in its approach b) encourages a personal response to the text — vital if a candidate is going to get a higher mark in an assessment. There is a detailed discussion of the context in which James’s work arose and an exploration of how different readers might interpret the text now. Lively and engaging, it is written by an experienced teacher who understands what needs to be covered in a study guide. An excellent resource for GCSE and A Level students, or anyone studying the book at school or university.

To sum up, this study guide is useful in the following ways:

It is a great resource for students aiming for top grades;
It offers a fantastic stimulus for encouraging students to develop personal responses to the text, which are vital if they are going to achieve at a high level;
It could prove to be a great classroom resource for teachers too: the important sections of the novel are quoted in full here, together with useful discussion points/comprehension questions;
It is written by an experienced teacher who has taught the text in “real” classroom situations and knows what students need to learn.

Why did I set up FGI Publishing?

I have set up my own publishing company, FGI Publishing, because I want to promote books which are genuinely useful, informative and engaging. I began by publishing my own books but I am now branching out to publish other people. In the near future, I will be publishing Roger Titcombe’s Learning Matters, an essential guide to the inner-workings of our education system and how children learn. Roger’s book is packed full of important research into the ways in which the English education system has both failed and succeeded our pupils.

I aim to expand the remit of FGI Publishing in the future. I’m interested in looking at submissions which are well-written, original, imaginative and socially relevant, whether they are fiction, non-fiction, drama or poetry. I am not seeking to publish genre fiction at this moment in time, but if a writer feels they have invented a new genre then I may consider a proposal. At the moment, I am using Amazon’s CreateSpace platform to publish paperback books on, and using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing to publish e-books on Kindle: this means all FGI Publishing’s books are available on all Amazon websites across the world. However, I may use other platforms and printers to publish books in the future.

What do I offer writers that other publishers don’t?

First, I offer much more generous royalty rates than most publishers.

Second, I have good contacts in the media world and feel I can promote a book I believe in.

Third, I have quite a bit of experience of publishing my own books and so know the pitfalls regarding publishing books.

What is to stop me self-publishing my own book?

Nothing whatsoever! It’s never been easier! And if you’re interested in doing that, I would urge you to do so. However, I’ve found that some people like to work with someone else who believes in their book, and also feel that they lack the technical expertise or the time and energy needed to self-publish.