Every writer needs a little help now and then.  Here are some books that can be found on my shelf, several of which I've used again and again to get me to the next page.
--From Back Cover
Not everything you see on your favorite crime show is accurate.  In fact, a lot of it is flat out wrong.  With Police Procedure &Investigation, you can finally get all your facts straight.  Author Lee Lofland draws on his nearly two-decade career in law enforcement to provide you with a true insider's look at fighting crime.  This comprehensive resource includes:
Police Procedure & Investigation is the next best thing to having a police detective personally assigned to your book.
Police Procedure & Investigation
by Lee Lofland
Book Description
The second book in the Write Great Fiction series, Plot & Structure offers clear and concise information on creating a believable and engaging plot that readers can't resist. Written by award-winning thriller and suspense author James Scott Bell, this handy instruction guide provides: * Easy-to-understand techniques on every aspect of plotting and structure, from brainstorming story ideas to building scenes, and from using subplots to crafting knock-out endings

* Engaging exercises, perfect for writers at any level and at any stage in their novel

* Practical and encouraging guidance from one of the most respected writers publishing today

Full of diagrams, plot brainstormers, and examples from popular novels, mastering plot and structure has never been so simple.

About the Author
A former trial lawyer, James Scott Bell is the award-winning author of The Darwin Conspiracy, Deadlock, Final Witness, and the Shannon Saga series. A frequent speaker at writing conferences, he resides in Woodland Hills, California.

Plot & Structure
by James Scott Bell
Growing Great Characters From The Ground Up
By Martha Engber

Synopsis

As Growing Great Characters From the Ground Up states, character development is the most important facet of any character-based book, because "readers won't follow for long if they find the people you're writing about dull, one-dimensional or unbelievable." After listing the three attributes of a great character, the book takes readers through a step-by-step process that teaches them how to develop characters from start to finish.

About the Author

A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism, Martha Engber has written about many famous peoplea€"former First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos, actress Marlo Thomas, choreographer Mark Morrisa€"for such publications as the Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Inside Karate Magazine. She is also a professional editor, speaker, and workshop facilitator.