Sales Pipeline - Fact Or Fiction

As salespeople know, the pipeline is a vital part of the sales process. But what is the usual definition of a sales pipeline? It may be a list of prospects at various points in the sales cycle, from leads to those ready to close. At times, a sales pipeline could be a set of leads and nothing more. In order to maximize the sales process, the sales pipeline must be a well-planned management cycle with specific components. In this view, today's sales pipelines are not quite fact, but not quite fiction, either. Let's find out how to upgrade that sales pipeline into a true sales cycle management system.

The first component of sales cycle management is opportunity management. In short terms, opportunity management is the act of focusing on the most promising sales possibilities. When you manage opportunity, you are expending energy and time on probable sales instead of the "maybe's". But how do you go about managing opportunities? First, you must identify them. Which possible sales are moving forward? Which ones, based on forecasting, will be more likely to close? Next, prioritize the list based on expected income generation, time to close, and expense. Finally, allocate resources to those opportunities. Sales people can also maintain their list in "top ten" or "top five" format, that is, focus on the top opportunities and update them constantly as the sale moves forward.

Next, sales forecasting is an important component of your cycle. Forecasting is simply the prediction of sales based on past numbers - along with analysis of existing conditions. When you forecast, you're creating an objective view of the future and rooting your sales pipeline in reality as opposed to "fiction". Forecasting also gives a good view of the price of products as well as the cost of closing sales. But to be completely rooted in reality, your forecast must take into account the factors acting upon sales, including seasonal need, general economic conditions, competitors, and consumer conditions. There are various formulas for sales forecasting based on qualitative and quantitative measurements, but you have to determine which one is right for your organization, products, and sales measurements.

The third component of the sales cycle is account planning, or building a realistic sales plan. From your opportunity management and sales forecasts, you can establish sales goals, strategies, and tactics. As part of account planning, you should take these goals, strategies, and tactics all the way down to the individual customer level. By doing this, you'll be able to develop sales plans for the best opportunities - and break goals down into time periods. The combination of plans for opportunity and time-based goals will create a strong account plan.

The final piece of sales cycle management is performance analysis, which essentially closes the gap on your sales cycle. Sales performance analysis is sometimes brushed aside in favor of "keeping the cycle moving", but you should spend a considerable amount of time and energy here in order to adjust your entire process. In order to analyze performance, you first need to know your close rate. From knowing this bit of information, you can improve your definition of a qualified lead in opportunity management - if close rates are low, your opportunity management process is out of line. Through your analysis, though, you'll be able to shorten your entire cycle by spending targeted, quality time on the most probable sales. You also need to review sales goals consistently, by time period. Are sales falling far short of the goal or in constant excess? What you find out may again point to flaws in the other components of your process. Another point in performance analysis is to audit each sale and determine how much was spent to generate the income from the sale - everyone involved in the sale should understand the profit margin. As you consistently analyze sales performance, you'll be able to make adjustments at all phases of your sales cycle.

So a traditional "sales pipeline" is not necessarily "fiction", but it must be modernized to include the four components of sales cycle management. In our next series, we'll look at each individual sales cycle component in more detail so that you can move your pipeline into firm reality.

Copyright 2008 Bryant Nielson. All Rights Reserved.

Bryant Nielson - Managing Director and National Sales Trainer - assists executives, business owners, and top performing sales executives in taking the leap from the ordinary to extraordinary. Bryant is a trainer, business & leadership coach, and strategic planner for sales organizations. Bryant's 27 year business career has been based on his results-oriented style of empowering.

Subscribe to his blog - and learn the legendary secrets of top business training programs at: http://www.BryantNielson.com

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Is Science Fiction Writing Necessarily Not Serious Literature?

I love writing. I love writing science fiction. I also love to read.

There, I said it. The horrible truth, out in the open on the first line! Clearly this author knows nothing about suspense. What more could be expected from a science fiction writer?

To be slightly more serious for a second, I do indeed love writing. What I dislike are small minded people who think that writing should only occur in a particular way, in a particular genre, style or voice. For example, "expert book reviewers" who tell me a book is bad because of the author's style, or that science fiction (SF) is puerile.

Apart from the obvious considerations of spelling, grammar and punctuation, an author has a massive degree of freedom in how their thoughts reach the reader. Sometimes even these minimal rules are deliberately broken in order to tell the tale.

Of course, a writer wants his work to be read, but it is also about making an emotional connection with the reader. The form writing takes can be formal, like Dickens, or truly unique and free-flowing as in the case of Joyce's Ulysses. What really matters is the connection or, if you prefer, the emotional communication. If there is no emotional connection then you could just as well be reading a telephone directory. If science fiction writing can effectively form this connection with the reader then how can it be judged as "poor literature"?

How much poorer the world of literature would be without Joyce, Dylan Thomas, Wordsworth or Shakespeare. By the same token how much poorer also if there were no Asimov, Heinlein, Niven or Banks. This loss would surely be most severely felt in the world of ideas.

Science fiction is the world of ideas. It is the result of looking at the world and asking, "What if?"

Sometimes these ideas have changed the world: Star Trek's Communicators, once thought impossible, are now commonplace as mobile phones. On the darker side, the movie Aliens showed us robotic guns, power-assisted exoskeletons and various forms of scanners and image-enhancement technology. All of these things are now quite current and accepted in today's world.

With such power to change the world, should science fiction really be seen as the poor relation to "serious literature"?

Sometimes science fiction is not so much about the gadgets, but more about the sociology. Here SF gives the author the ability to explore a world that is different, yet uncannily like our own. Here too there are many notable works: H.G.Wells and The Time Machine as well as War of the Worlds can both be seen as social commentary. His lesser known short story, Tono-Bungay, satirises the advertising of the day and arguably predicted the atom bomb. Wells is of course just one author, but others could included here such as George Orwell (1984) or Aldous Huxley (Brave New World).

So what of the science fiction of the future?

Increasingly the gap between science fiction and science fact is narrowing. People talk seriously about a technological singularity in our near future, in which artificial intelligence will become a fact. With the current rate of improvement in computer data storage and processing power, who really knows?

Sadly, science fiction has not yet shown us a solution for the problems of today's world, but perhaps the book or movie that hints toward that solution is just around the corner.

Dave Felton is a forty something writer wannabe. Although I write a short stories, blog extensively, post widely on the web and am currently writing another novel, I consider myself a "wannabe" as that first published novel still eludes me. Until that day comes you might want to look up my personal blog at http://djfelton.com

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Science Fiction Literature Lecture Series Audio Book Review

There sure is a big difference in Science Fiction Literature or the modern label "Sci Fi" and you have to be careful when you tell people you like Science Fiction, as they are liable to label you a wacko. The Genre has certainly widened in the Twentieth Century and it has become very popular thanks to Hollywood making some of these classic novels into major movies.

Movies such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Gattaca, Logan's Run, 2001, and most recently the Blockbuster Matrix has done wonders in expanding the base of readers and fans of the genre. Of course to truly understand how all this came to be, perhaps it might be wise to understand the entire history. So, I'd like to recommend a very good Audio Book Lecture Series, which can be found on the NetLibrary System, easily accessible online once you have a library card to most major libraries;

"From Here to Infinity: An Exploration of Science Fiction Literature - Modern Scholar Lecture Series" by Drout, Michael D. C.; Publication: Prince Frederick, MD Recorded Books, 2006.

This audio book modern lecture series is 7 hours and 33 minutes long, and you might have to listen to it twice to really get acquainted with the history of Science Fiction. It explains all the authors, their styles, concepts, trilogies, series, and the sub genres, many of which are a little out there, not very politically correct and way outside the mainstream; such as Sci fi horror and fantasy.

Drout was very careful to give proper tribute and acknowledge the genius of the greats like Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series and the excellent and numerous works by Arthur C. Clarke and others. I hope you will enjoy this audio book as much as I have.

Lance Winslow enjoys community philanthropy - Lance Winslow likes small business. Lance Winslow has also been involved in the Oil Industry; http://www.oilchangeguys.com/aboutus.shtml/.

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The Gospels as Literature - Fiction? Or Non-Fiction?

The Gospels are, among other things, a certain type of literature. The question is: What type? Do they display the tell-tale characteristics of fiction, or do they have more of the nitty gritty feel of reality?

Gospel of John

The Gospel of John has a number of personal eyewitness touches such as recalling the fragrance of Mary's pure nard perfume which she poured on Jesus' feet in the house at Bethany. And then there is the episode of Jesus writing in the dust with his finger when they brought him the woman caught in adultery. Those realistic accounts go hand in hand with the natural sounding conversations John sprinkles throughout his narrative.

Here is a challenge: Read the Gospel. That's right, get a Bible, preferably a modern translation, and check out John's method of writing for yourself. Pay close attention to the dialogues. See how the conversation went on between Jesus and the woman at the well. (John 4:4-26) Next take a look at what follows the healing of the man born blind. (John 9:1-41) Then read the understated drama following Jesus' pronouncement: "One of you is going to betray me." (John 13:21-30)

What do we have here? In his essay Modern Theology and Biblical Criticism, C.S. Lewis muses over the possibility that " . . . some unknown writer in the second century, without known predecessors or successors, suddenly anticipated the whole technique of modern, novelistic, realistic narrative."

Probably not. But then, the only reasonable alternative is that John is recording what he saw and heard. Conceivably it could still contain errors, but as Lewis points out, John is close to the facts, about as close as Boswell was to Johnson. John's realism leads us to believe his Gospel is by and large a written report on events and conversations he witnessed himself.

Gospel of Luke

Luke writes his account like a historian. In his two books, the Gospel of Luke and Acts, we find some of the most powerful descriptive writing in the New Testament. This doctor turned historian left modern historians and archaeologists a bonanza of first century details to investigate.

From Luke's Gospel we know the approximate date of Jesus' birth (5 or 6 B.C.) and when John the Baptist began his mission (A.D. 25 or 26). Luke provides us with names and titles of numerous public officials. He identifies first century cities and villages and tells us where they are located. And he informs us of major events of the period such as Augustus' census and the riot in Ephesus. These were well-known episodes. If Luke didn't get his facts straight, he would have lost all credibility with his readers.

Legends and myths of ancient civilizations tend to have vague and somewhat hazy settings. Whoever composed them didn't consider such details relevant. The important thing was the story and that alone. Luke, on the other hand, knows details are important.

He takes an historian's interest in getting all his facts straight. That should inspire confidence. All the more so because the historical novel (a blending of historical personalities and settings with fictitious events) was an unknown form of literature until the eighteenth century. To paraphrase Lewis: "Did some unknown second century writer, without known predecessors or successors, suddenly anticipate the whole technique of the modern historical novel?"

Luke wasn't spinning a yarn. He gives us every indication of doing just what he said he would do. Luke took down eyewitness accounts, checked their accuracy, put them in order, and told us what they told him.

In my two previous articles: Was Jesus a Historical Figure? and How Reliable Are the Gospels? we concluded that Jesus was definitely a real historical character. Furthermore, the first three Gospels were in their final form twenty to thirty years after Jesus' death. That's not enough time for myth makers to turn a man into God. Besides too many people, friends and foes alike, were still alive who could remember the "real" Jesus.

And the oral tradition was not the first century equivalent of a rumor mill. Just the opposite. Men with excellent memories prided themselves on accurately passing on long narratives word-for-word just as they had received them.

Textual critics tell us that the Gospel stories are essentially the same today as they were when the authors composed them. The reliability of the New Testament text compares favorably with that of other ancient writings. Moreover, the Gospels of John and Luke read like reports of actual events. But there is more to consider.

What Skeptics Believe

It's a mistake to think skeptics have no faith. They do believe in one thing, and it is a myth. Here is the skeptic's Great Myth: Take a primitive society (by that they mean any society without television, radio, daily newspapers, the internet, and news reporters); let an important religious leader die; give those people a hundred years or so to build up the story; and they will turn the man into God.

Then the skeptics will point to their prime example -- Jesus Christ, and say, "See what we mean?" But if you ask them for another example, they start to look sheepish. They haven't got one.

The Jews, more than any other ancient people, firmly believed in the concept of one God. And no rumor mill ever promoted a dead prophet into God. A prophet is a prophet and God is God. They knew the difference. Outside of Israel, the story is pretty much the same.

Socrates was a Greek philosopher. He never claimed to be God. As far as I can tell, no one else thought he was either. Buddha was called the Enlightened One. He never pretended to be God. And he ordered his followers not to venerate him. Confucius was a Chinese philosopher. He taught his followers ethics not religion. He certainly didn't think of himself as God. Mohammad was a prophet. If you asked him if he were God, he would be quick to tell you, "Allah is God. I am just his humble servant."

All of these teachers and philosophers say something to the effect, "This is the truth about God, man, and the universe. And in light of that knowledge, here is how we ought to conduct ourselves."

Then Jesus comes along and says right up front: I am the Son of God. (John 10:36) "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) That makes him a minority of one in history. No one else ever made claims of that sort. Christ backed up his claims with the authority of his teachings, his miracles, and his resurrection from death.

The rumor mills were not to blame for manufacturing the man-to-God story. That story was there from the start. The Gospels just reported it.

Gospels are not Legends.

C.S. Lewis said it's obvious the Gospels aren't legends. They are not good enough to be legends. Doesn't he have a point here? Take Jesus' childhood for instance. "What childhood?" you say. That's the point. The Gospels tell us practically nothing of Jesus' life from early infancy to age thirty.

No myth maker worth his salt would let a golden opportunity like that slip through his fingers. He would have the young Jesus doing all kinds of fanciful things. But Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John refrain from that sort of embellishment.

Then there's Jesus' miracles. Each Gospel relates a number of supernatural events. But how do they present the miracles? There is no build up, no fanfare, they are merely stated as facts. John claims he could have listed more miracles if he really wanted to impress us. "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:30-31)

What strikes you as Jesus' most impressive miracle? (Let's leave the resurrection out of it for the moment.) Healing the sick? Giving sight to the blind? Walking on water? Or raising the dead? My guess is, after the resurrection, raising the dead would be number one on everybody's list. Notice modern day faith healers shy away from raising dead people. It wouldn't be an easy act to fake.

Now if you or I were concocting a myth about a god coming to earth in human form, wouldn't we want him to do something spectacular? Why not raise the dead, the more the merrier, preferably with a great deal of drama and fanfare? By all means we should include some who have been dead for weeks, maybe even months or years. Why? So critics won't question the "miracle" saying that the deceased was never dead in the first place. "Nothing but a coma!" they might cry.

All that makes perfectly good sense if you are making up the story. But look at the way the Gospels handle it. In all four books, Jesus only raises three dead people. Matthew and Mark relate only one event -- Jairus' daughter. Likewise, John tells us of just one back-to-life story -- Lazarus. Luke is the only writer to give us two raising-the-dead miracles -- Jairus' daughter and the widow's son at Nain.

Surprisingly enough, it appears that the Gospels actually understate this type of miracle. Also observe that Jairus' daughter had just died within an hour or so before Jesus brought her back to life. And from what we know of Jewish burial customs, the widow's son probably died sometime during the same day Jesus raised him from the dead. Of the three, Lazarus was the only one Jesus brought back who had been dead for more that a day. Lazarus was in his grave for four days.

If the Gospel writers were myth makers, we would expect plenty of these dramatic back-to-life stories. The sparse mention of these miracles lends credibility to their narratives. Evidently, these writers were not embellishing, they were just telling us what they knew of the events. Or is there more to it than that?

Narrative Christology

Brad T. Bromling, the Director of Biblical Research at Apologetics press writes:

"The view that the Gospels were exercises in 'Narrative Christology' is gaining great respect among scholars. According to this school, the Gospels are artfully constructed narratives that serve as vehicles for conveying important truths about Jesus Christ. They answer the question: 'Who is Jesus Christ?' for the specific (and diverse) communities of the Gospel writers. Gospels are thus a combination of theological reflection and artistic construction, That does not mean that the events or discourses are fictional (as in a historical novel), nor does it mean that each Gospel writer simply recorded the 'bare facts' (whatever that means.) Instead, this school sees the narratives as entirely true, but acknowledges that artistry was employed in the construction of the narratives."

Mr. Bromling is telling us in so many words that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John did not fall from the sky, signed and dated by the Holy Spirit. Of course, he's right. The Gospels are obviously different views and "artistic reconstructions" of the same story. These writers were a varied group of individuals.

Matthew, to be sure, wrote for a Jewish audience. His goal was to prove to his fellow Jews that Jesus is their Messiah. His basic theme is: Jesus is the fulfillment of biblical prophecies of the Messiah. Matthew crafted his Gospel into an introduction, five discourses by Jesus, and an inspiring epilogue.

Mark's Gospel is a simple but vivid account of Jesus. Unlike Matthew, Mark explains Jewish customs and Aramaic words which leads us to believe his work was intended for gentiles. He emphasizes persecution, the cross, and martyrdom.

When we read the Gospel according to Luke, we find an educated gentile physician with a flair for details and a knowledge of sailing. Luke emphasizes prayer, women, the poor, concern for sinners, and the Holy Spirit. His work was intended for Theophilus.

John's Gospel is noted for its eyewitness details. His work is designed to be evangelistic with emphasis on love and salvation. It has been said that John wrote his Gospel with the Greeks in mind; probably, he meant it for everybody.

These four Gospel writers can be compared to four reporters who are sent out to cover a story. They do their research and write up their accounts. What would you expect to find? Four different slants on the same story? Sounds reasonable. And that is just what we find in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Their different personalities, writing skills, sources of information, prospective audiences, and purposes for writing the story all lead to four separate accounts.

But here is the important point: All four writers give ample evidence they are telling us the truth from their own perspective. They show no signs of embellishing their accounts, and they certainly don't cover up their blemishes.

Jerry Boone, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States webmaster@merechristianity.us Mr. Boone is a sailor, author, and webmaster of [http://merechristianity.us] His works include: Mere Christianity.us and SAFETY LINE - EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN, an apologetic study published 1998.

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Young Adult Fiction - Literature or Fad?

In oral or written literature, telling the tales of adolescents is probably as old as human history. The type of fiction called young adult fiction, on the other hand, is the joint creation of the American experience and the second half of the twentieth century.

From ancient Greek myths like Daphnis and Chloe or Persephone to later works of drama, men and women have become the protagonists of adventures in their teen years. When Shakespeare told the tale of Romeo and Juliet, he was talking of adolescent lovers. After that time, novels and stories like Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Heidi, Little Women, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables and Rebecca of the Sunnybrook Farm found fascinated readers for decades.

What we call young adult fiction, shortened to YA fiction, came into existence after the Second World War with the onset of the Rock'n Roll era. The stories of young adult fiction are written for teenagers and are told from the point of view of teenagers. The protagonists are adolescents and a good number of the plots involve teen problems and the way the teens face and overcome them. Since with each decade the teen problems have changed, the stories portraying those problems have also changed.

From the inception of the young adult fiction, sociologists praise its stories, because the teens find out how problems similar to theirs can be handled. These problems can be loneliness, weight or health issues, family and peer troubles, teen pregnancy, or depression.

In contrast to those who applaud young adult fiction, a very small group claim that reading too much young adult fiction has been alienating the teen readers from real literature. Yet, the study of literature challenges these critics, because good fiction cannot be classified. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, some Stephen King novels like Carrie, and Lord of the Flies by William Golding may fit inside the definition of young adult fiction, but time has proven them to be a lot more than popular fiction of the moment. These books are classics.

In addition, quite a few young adult fiction awards have caused young adult fiction to qualify as literature. Some of these are: Newberry Award, National Book Award for Young People's Literature, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction, William C. Morris YA Debut Award, Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Novel, Michael L. Printz Award, Margaret A. Edwards Award, etc.

First young adult novels in the US came into being during the forties and fifties. Then, between the sixties and the nineties, young adult fiction flourished. Writers like Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume led the way in addressing teen dilemmas to become the icons of such literature.

Today, with the advent of e-books, religious fiction directed to teens, manga, graphic novels, and techno-thrillers, young adult fiction is branching out into subcategories and is becoming more deeply rooted in popular literature. Some of these stories, like that of J. K. Rowling's and Gabriel Zevin's, challenge the imaginations of teen readers by removing their plots and characters far away from reality into fantasy.

The history of young adult fiction may not be too old, but its future appears to be very bright. Since the best books are those that the readers can relate to, multitudes of teens have turned to reading voraciously, leaving unbeneficial pursuits aside. On the whole, this is no measly feat.

Joy Cagil is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/joycag

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Fantastic Literatures in English - Where Facts Meet Fiction

Fantastic literature encompasses three different literary streams namely science fiction, fantasy fiction, and weird fiction, each of which has a unique rhetoric and narration style. Fantasy literature is thought to have evolved in Victorian times during the times of writers including William Morris, Lord Dunsany, and George MacDonald.

Science fiction draws themes from scientific discoveries and technological inventions and it is often set in the future where as Fantasy fiction is more of fable than fact. The fanciful and fantastic elements became hugely popular not only among the kids but also fun loving adults. For instance, the literary history of France was enriched with references to the werewolf of loup garou, the sorcerer of Jean-Pierre Lavallée and the infamous witch of La Corriveau. Fantasy fiction is more related to folklores than reality and is typically set in the distant past or in an imaginative fantasy world that is not related to the universe.

Weird fiction also known as 'horror fiction' or 'dark fantasy' set in realistic world. However the presence of some supernatural elements would make them weird and fearful. An example of this type of writing would be Cold heaven that deals with a dead man who refuses to die

Stories involving magic or terrible monsters have been in existence ever since the evolution of printed literature. Homer's Odyssey satisfies the definition of the fantasy genre with its magic, gods, heroes, adventures and monsters.. R. R. Tolkien had played a key role in the popularization of the fantasy fiction through his highly successful publications The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien was particularly influenced by an ancient body of Anglo-Saxon myths, including Beowulf apart from many modern works such as The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison.

The contemporary authors like Terry Pratchett, J.K.Rowling, Brandon Sanderson and Scott Lynch have played a great role in enhancing the popularity of fantasy fiction. Some of the novels in this genre have also made it to the prestigious New York Times Best Seller list. The only fantasy novelists whose works have debuted at number include Robert Jordan, R. R. Martin and Neil Gaiman.

The earliest fantastic tales dating back to the Aboriginal populations were told in thirteen different languages which in itself is a proof of their popularity. These folklores that talk about witches, shamans and oracular shaking tents have become popular though the adult story tellers.

Fantastic literature stands outs by their unique narrative style and themes. With an emphasis of fiction rather than facts, these have become hugely popular among the readers. The free search engine of Jrank would help you to access some of the updates on this exciting stream of literature.

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The Death of Popular Fiction Writer Cyprian Ekwensi is a Big Loss to African Literature

Cyprian Ekwensi (September 26, 1921 - November 4, 2007), one of the grand old men of African fiction-and one of the few who made the transition from Onitsha-market-pamphlet-fiction to an author with at least something of an international reputation passed away as The Literary Saloon announced on Sunday 4th of November in Enugu at the age of 86. DARKNESS fell again in the Nigerian literary firmament .. when veteran novelist, pharmacist and public commentator, Cyprian Ekwensi passed on. So another Lagos-based paper The Guardian announced this sad event.

The author of the popular Jagua Nana series of novels died at the Niger Foundation in Enugu where he he had undergone an operation for an undisclosed ailment.

He is the author of the earliest published fiction depicting social life in the Lagos Metropolis with his down-to-earth style of writing and his prolific output, with over 20 novels to his credit. Ekwensi thus became celebrated as the ancestor of the city novel, which stressed ample description of the locale with a largely episodic style drawn from his earlier pamphleteering.

Mrs. Ekwensi, who is in her late 60's said that she cut short her visit overseas after spending two weeks to fly him from Lagos back to Enugu, adding that in the last one month, they had regularly visited the hospital. "Since we left Lagos, we have not rested. It is from one thing to another ...", she said.

Mrs. Ekwensi, who reeled in waist pain as she told her story, disclosed that the pains increased during their long days at the hospital, while attending to her husband. "The hospital bench became my bed," she complained adding that her husband's condition remained critical until his death. The deceased's eldest son, George who flew in from the U.S. when he learnt about his father's ailment, began consultations with relations and notable indigenes of Anambra State on burial plans.

Speaking with the Daily Sun, the novelist's son, Ike, noted that his father's burial would not be determined by family members only, considering his outstanding contributions to national development.

Ekwensi was due for an award in Lagos, on November 16. He had left Lagos in good spirit a month before with the hope of picking the award later not knowing that he would not make it.

Following the death of this renowned novelist , the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, past and present governors, ministers of government, writers and All Progressive Grand Alliance have expressed shock over his demise.

They described Ekwensi's death as a great loss to Nigeria and the entire literary world. Factional President-General of Ohanaeze, Dozie Ikedife, said a great Igbo son had departed, stressing that he left enviable legacies that would last for generations to come. "It is a pity. He is one of the greatest authors of our time. . . . He has been around for sometime....Nigerians and the entire literary world will definitely miss him. . . .," he said. Ikedife urged the family to bear the loss with fortitude, trusting in God and believing that he had contributed his best to writing and social engineering.

The governor said Ekwensi's death has created a gap in the state and in the literary world and made assurances that the state government would fully participate in the burial arrangements. Being a traditional chief and titleholder, Ekwensi's family will first meet before officially communicating the news of his passing to the government.

In his tribute, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance Chief Victor Umeh said Ekwensi's death has robbed Nigeria, of one of the greatest literary minds to have passed through the land. He observed that his works had contributed immensely to the development of literature in Nigeria, adding that he would be greatly missed by all Nigerians.

Former Health Minister, Professor A.B.C Nwosu recalling that the late literary icon who had started life as a pharmacist, played a crucial role in the eradication of the then dreaded guinea worm disease in old Anambra state as chairman of the state Health Management Board at the time when he (Nwosu) was Commissioner for Health said he would find it difficult to refer to Ekwensi in the past tense, having become used to his resourcefulness as both a writer and administrator.

"It is a terrible blow. . . . He gave me the slogan 'Get rid of guinea worm' when he was chairman Anambra State Health Management Board and I was Commissioner for Health under the late Emeka Omeruah. We traversed the whole of Abakaliki area in the quest to kick out guinea worm. He helped me get funds from Japan to finance the project. We both received former American President Jimmy Carter. A fine man with a fine mind. . . ." Nwosu added.

Former Governor of Old Anambra State, Chief Christian Onoh also described Ekwensi's demise as a big blow to the literary world. Onoh, among the first set of people that paid a sympathy visit to the Hill view Crescent, Independence layout, Enugu residence of the late prolific writer, said that, the news came to him with rude shock, expressing dismay that Ekwensi could die at a time when according to him, " we need him around to reform our education".

Clad in white lace, the elder statesman, said he was however consoled by the fact that the late Ekwensi never wasted his time on earth, adding that his contributions to the literary world would live forever. He said that, Ekwensi who authored many literary books, lived and died for writing and extended his sympathies to the Nigerian literary world as well as the entire south East.

The Minister of Information, Mr John Odey described the late "Ekwensi as a great contributor to the unity of Nigeria and the development of literary education in the country".

The message reads: "the Federal Government received the news of the sudden death of a prominent citizen of your state and a reputable literary icon of this country, Chief Cyprian Ekwensi, with sadness. "I am particularly touched by his death because of his having served as a staff of my ministry where he rose to become a Director".

Reacting to the death of the novelist, National President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr. Wale Okediran, said, "his death, though at a ripe age, marked the end of a tradition of story telling. As a writer of popular fiction, COD was a natural storyteller whose works were both accessible and entertaining."

Okediran, who described the late Ekwensi as his teacher in the popular literature genre, said a structure in the proposed ANA village in Abuja would be named after him as part of ANA's plan to immortalise him, adding that ANA would collaborate with the Nigerian arm of PEN, a global association of writers, to make available, a documentary made on Ekwensi to all Nigerians.

A former ANA President Professor Obafemi, on his part, said "Ekwensi's loss is the loss of a key architect of modern Nigerian literature and the first to carve a national character for Nigerian fiction. He was one of those who erected the canon and pillars of popular fiction in Nigeria. His death has taken away an ancestral voice in the Nigerian creative cosmos."

Professor Olu Obafemi described the late writer as a key figure in the establishment of what is now known as Nigerian literature. According to Obafemi, Ekwensi would forever be remembered as one of the oldest writers of the English expression who kept and gave national character to Nigerian literature. "Ekwensi's death" he said " is a major deprivation to Nigerian literature. He was one of the major architects of modern Nigerian literature, who, as early as in the 1950s and 1960s, began to write about issues and events beyond his ethnic background.

The assistant General Secretary of ANA, Mr Hyacinth Obunseh, described Ekwensi's death as unfortunate. Obunseh said that the literary community and indeed the world would miss him especially for, his peculiar style of writing. "Ekwensi's imaginative and descriptive power will be greatly missed," Obunseh said.. He, however, regretted that the late literary giant did not live long enough to complete his autobiography.

Another writer, Fred Uzo, expressed the hope that Nigeria would "give him the honour that is due to a scholar, a writer and a humanist of his stature.".

Earlier in 2007, Ekwensi released Cash on Delivery, a collection of short stories, which turned out to be his last book. When he turned 86 the previous year, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos State chapter and the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), feted him.

Told of the passing on of Ekwensi, poet and past president of ANA, Odia Ofeimu, was "shocked beyond words" to comment immediately.To the newly elected Lagos State ANA chairman, Mr. Chike Ofili, it was an unnerving piece of information. He too withheld his comments till later. When news of the death broke out Nigerian authors were rounding off their yearly convention held in Owerri, Imo State.

Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi was born at Minna in Northern Nigeria on September 26, 1921 to Ogbuefi David Duaka and Uso Agnes Ekwensi. He later lived in Onitsha in the Eastern area.. He was educated at Government School, Jos, Government College, Ibadan; Higher College, Yaba in Lagos, Achimota College, Ghana, in lbadan University where he earned his B.A

He studied forestry and worked for two years as a forestry officer. He also taught science and worked for Radio Nigeria before entering the Lagos School of Pharmacy which led him on to the University of London where he continued his studies at the Chelsea School of Pharmacy It was during this period that he wrote his earliest fiction Ikolo the Wrestler and Other Tales and When Love Whispers both of which were published in 1947. He also participated in an international writing program in. University of Iowa, USA.

He lectured in pharmacy at Lagos and was employed as a pharmacist by the Nigerian Medical Corporation. After favorable reception of his early writing, Ekwensi joined the Nigerian Ministry for Information and rose to becoming the director of information by the time of the first military coup in 1966. The continuing disturbances in the Western and Northern regions in the summer of 1966, may have led Ekwensi to give up his position and relocate his family at Enugu. There he became chairman of the Bureau for External Publicity in Biafra and an adviser to the head of state, Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Ekwensi began his writing career as a pamphleteer a fact which is clearly reflected in the episodic nature of his novels. This tendency is well illustrated by People of the City (1954)the first major novel to be published by a Nigerian, in which Ekwensi gave a vibrant portrait of life in a West African city. Two novellas for children followed in 1960; both The Drummer Boy and The Passport of Mallam Ilia which were exercises in blending traditional themes with undisguised romanticism.

Ekwensi's most widely read novel, Jagua Nana,which appeared in 1961.returned to the locale of People of the City but boasted a much more cohesive plot centered on the character of Jagua, a courtesan who had a love for the expensive. Even her name was a corruption of the expensive English automobile. Her life personalized the conflict between the old traditional and modern urban Africa. Ekwensi published a sequel in 1987 titled Jagua Nana's Daughter. Ekwensi stressed description of the locale and his episodic style was particularly well suited to the short story.

Burning Grass (1961) is basically a collection of vignettes about a Fulani family through which Ekwensi gives insight into the life of this pastoral people. Ekwensi based the novel and the characters on a real family with whom he had previously live. Between 1961 and 1966 Ekwensi published at least one major work every year. The most important were, Beautiful Feathers (1963) and Iska (1966), and two collections of short stories, Rainmaker (1965) and Lokotown (1966). Ekwensi continued to publish beyond the 1960s, with the novel Divided We Stand (1980) in which he lampooned the Nigerian civil war, the novella Motherless Baby (1980), and The Restless City and Christmas Gold (1975), Behind the Convent Wall (1987), and Gone to Mecca (1991). His work, Divided We Stand (1980), , is slated for discussion by literary experts in a conference on 40 years after the civil war.

Ekwensi also published a number works for children. Under the name C. O. D. Ekwensi, he released Ikolo the Wrestler and Other Ibo Tales (1947) and The Leopard's Claw (1950). In the 1960s, he wrote An African Night's Entertainment (1962), The Great Elephant-Bird (1965), and Trouble in Form Six (1966). Ekwensi's later works for children include Coal Camp Boy (1971), Samankwe in the Strange Forest (1973), Samankwe and the Highway Robbers (1975), Masquerade Time! (1992), and King Forever! (1992). In recognition of his skills as a writer, Ekwensi was awarded the Dag Hammarskjold International Prize for Literary Merit in 1969.

Arthur Smith was born, grew up and was schooled in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He has taught English since 1977 at Prince of Wales School and, Milton Margai College of Education. He is now a Senior Lecturer at Fourah Bay College where he has been lecturing English, Literature, as well as Creative Writing for the past seven years.

Mr Smith is widely published with his writings appearing in local newspapers as well as in West Africa Magazine, Index on Censorship, Focus on Library and Information Work amongst others.

He was one of 17 international visitors who participated in a seminar on contemporary American Literature sponsored by the U.S.State Department in 2006. His growing thoughts and reflections on this trip which took him to various US sights and sounds could be read at lisnews.org.

His other publications include: Folktales from Freetown, Langston Hughes: Life and Works Celebrating Black Dignity, and 'The Struggle of the Book'

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Genres of Literature in Fiction

The two main categories that literature most often gets grouped into is both nonfiction and fiction. This article will analyse the genre of fiction and all that it has to offer the writer. Whenever you begin to research something it is great to start by defining topic of research and in this case that is fiction. Fiction can be defined as narrative literary works whose content is produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact. In fiction the story or an element of it is always feigned, invented, or imagined. Basically fiction is just a made-up story. Most people would agree that fiction is generally of the more artistically inclined writer as opposed to nonfiction. Fiction can be used as a great tool to achieve many different motives.

Folklore is the first genre within fiction that we are exploring. Folklore are songs, stories, myths, handed down by word of mouth. Folklore is usually the proverbs of one person and through generations it becomes "folk". Folklore is a genre of literature that is widely held but always fake or false and based on unsubstantiated beliefs. Horror is the second genres of fiction that will be explored, and it may be one of the most monetized throughout history. Meaning, it has always been one of the most popular and many entrepreneurs, publishers, and filmmakers have taken advantage of its popularity. Horror can be defined as an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by literature or films that is frightfully shocking, terrifying, and revolting. This genre of fiction has events that take place that either evoke a feeling of dread in both the characters as well as the reader. Historical Fiction is a story with fictional characters and events in a historical setting.

Mythology is another genre of literature that is very interesting. Mythology can be defined as a type of legend or traditional narrative. Mythology is usually a body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular person. Often times this literary genre is based on certain historical events. These often reveal human behavior and natural phenomena by its symbolism. Mythology most often is pertaining the actions of the gods. Similar to horror, mystery is a genre of fiction that has been very popular to mass markets. Mystery's deal with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets. Anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown within literature falls under this category. A Tall Tale is seen often within literature.

This is a humorous story, with blatant exaggerations,. The heroes struggle to achieve the impossible while staying nonchalant the whole time. Legend can be interrelated with many of these genres. A definition of legend is a story that is of a national importance or folk hero to the people. Legend is based on fact but also includes imaginative material. Fiction in verse is the final genres of literature within fiction explained here. Fiction in verse is defined as a full-length novel with plot, subplots, themes, with major and minor characters. Fiction of verse is always presented in blank verse form which separates it from the other genres of fiction literature.

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