Thursday Thirteen 424: Beatrix Potter

Today, July 28, is the 150th birthday of beloved children's author, Beatrix Potter. Here is a bit about her:

1. She was born Helen Beatrix Potter on July 28, 1866 in Kensington, London, England.

2. Beatrix Potter was a noted writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist.

3. Potter was educated by a series of governesses, and she and her brother, Walter Bertram, were quite isolated from other children. Though they had few friends, they had numerous pets, and vacationed in Scotland and England's Lake District, where she developed a love for flora and fauna, which her parents encouraged.

4. Around age 14, Beatrix started a diary written in a code of her own devising. Her Journal was important to the development of her creativity -- it not only served as a sketchbook, but recorded her impressions of society, art and artists, and recounted stories and observations of daily life.

5. Started in 1881, the journal ends in 1897 when her artistic and intellectual energies were absorbed in scientific study and in efforts to publish her drawings.

6. Beatrix remained friends with her third and last governess, Annie Moore throughout their lives and Annie's eight children were the recipients of many of Potter's delightful picture letters. It was Annie who later suggested that these letters might make good children’s books.

7. Potter was in her 30's when she began writing and illustrating children's books full-time, starting with The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

8. With an inheritance from her aunt and the proceeds from her books, Potter purchased Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey, Lake District, in 1905. In subsequent years, she purchased additional farms to preserve the country landscape.

9. She married William Heelis, a respected local solicitor from Hawkshead, in 1913 at the age of 47.

10. Beatrix Potter was not only a celebrated writer and illustrator, she designed spin-off merchandise based on her children's books for British publisher Warne, including: painting books, board games, wall-paper, figurines, baby blankets and china tea-sets. This continued until the duties of land management and diminishing eyesight made it difficult to do so.

11. Potter wrote 24 children's books that include such noted titles as The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, and The Tailor of Gloucester.

12. Beatrix Potter died of pneumonia and heart disease on December 22, 1943 at her home in Near Sawrey. She was 77.

13. Potter left nearly all her property to the National Trust, and is credited with preserving much of the land that now constitutes the Lake District National Park.





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Word Crimes

Just found this through Pinterest and had to share. Enjoy!

Just then, she felt like ranting

This post has been percolating for a few weeks now. It started with a book I received from Goodreads. The paranormal premise intrigued me, so I was excited to receive a copy in the mail in April. The prologue set us up nicely and had me eagerly turning the pages. By page fifty, however, I had picked up on a nasty habit of the author’s that had me irritated and almost prevented me from finishing: the (excessive) use of “just then.” He used it in nearly every chapter, sometimes twice, and even five times in one chapter near the end. It annoyed me to no end, distracting me from what would have been an excellent book and forcing me to downgrade it in my review.

It bugged me so much it had me groaning when, not far into my next book — one by an author whose books/series I had come to enjoy — I encountered the dreaded “just then.” Inundated by them in the previous book, I now found myself oversensitive to them. Even the use of it once in a single novel grates on my nerves.

I finished a book two weeks ago in which another author showed her weak dependence on the use of “just then.” With a resigned sigh, I started the next book in the series. By chapter nine I was seriously irritated with the author, to whom I offer this advice: before you turn in your next book, use the "find" feature and delete every "just then" in the manuscript. All of them!

In nine chapters we saw it eleven times, five of which were in the second chapter alone — and three of those clumped together in one scene. Some might argue that it's her "style," but there's nothing stylish about it. It's weak, sloppy and lazy writing.

In every instance, the sentence would not only stand on its own without it, but would also be stronger. Better. We were not allowed to use this gimmick in my HS and college English/writing courses, which makes the fact that editors would allow it all the more astonishing.

Last weekend, I wanted a lighter, fun read for the long holiday so opted for one I've seen highly recommended by people online. Yes, you guessed it — the dreaded "just then" cropped up several times. And this is a RITA award winner for best first book! This was not my only problem with this book, but it was one of the biggest and — again — caused me to downgrade it.

It's been a relief this past week to find not a single "just then" in John Steinbeck's classic, East of Eden. This is a prime example of what writing should be, no matter what the genre. Writing is not about taking short cuts or using unnecessary filler words to make a word count. It's about clean writing and making every word count.

Apparently I am not alone in my opinion. A web search on the subject landed me on this post by author Bridget McKenna, who says “Adding unnecessary words before the action of a sentence begins slows it down, and your writing along with it.” How right she is!


Here are a few examples of what I am talking about, taken directly from four recent reads:


1. Just then we pulled up in front of my office, and for the first time I felt the full sting of the disastrous afternoon...

2. Just then, to my right, Sal jumped behind me...

3. My eye drifted to my purse just then, and I noticed the small notebook that I'd used when I'd written down the details of my dream..."

4. Just then I was overcome by a succession of coughs...
(It actually occurred twice in this particular paragraph.)

5. Just then, through the darkness of the room, I saw to my immense relief a large black trunk...

6. Just then there was a quick knock on my door and Cat and I both looked up...

7. Just then my cell phone chirped loudly from my purse...

8. Just then Dutch reached for the light switch...

9. Just then a door opened off the lobby...

10. Just then Adam knew something was amiss.

11. Just then he detected an elegant scent, just like a woman’s perfume, carried to him on the ocean breeze.

12. Just then a rare smile crossed her lips as she thought about the other part of last night.

13. Just then she realized that she had made her decision . . .

14. Just then he saw a professor he recognized . . .

15. Just then Garrett felt his consciousness slipping away again.

16. Just then the room shifted violently again, this time to a greater degree than before.

17. Just then Constance walked into the room.

18. Just then his stomach growled . . .

19. Just then they heard a door open and close.

20. Just then Sergeant D— walked up . . .

21. Just then I noticed a kid huddled under the steps of the school . . .

22. Just then NG walked by . . .

23. Just then, C— crashed into the apartment . . .


Get what I'm saying here? In every instance, the "just then" is superfluous — not to mention down right annoying and distracting. Do yourself and your readers a favor and avoid using these unnecessary filler words. Your writing will be cleaner and stronger. Not to mention the added bonus of not annoying readers.

Thursday Thirteen 334: Spelling Bee

It is time once again for the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking place this week in Washington, DC. 281 young spellers, age 8 to 15, are competing in this year's event.

Back in January, I featured The Hound of the Baskervilles for a Teaser Tuesday post. Someone commented that they had learned a new word that day, which had me planning to use words from the novel for a T13 post. Due to one thing or another — one topic or another — it kept getting put off. With the spelling bee going on this week, I feel I can no longer delay. So, here are thirteen vocabulary words, with examples taken direct from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic mystery.


1. ferrule [fer-uhl, -ool] noun
a ring or cap, usually of metal, put around the end of a post, cane, or the like, to prevent splitting.

The thick iron ferrule is worn down, so it is evident that he has done a great amount of walking with it.


2. asperity [uh-sper-i-tee] noun
harshness or sharpness of tone, temper, or manner; severity; acrimony:

"May I inquire who has the honour to be the first?" asked Holmes with some asperity.


3. dyspnoea or dyspnea [dɪsp-ni-ə] noun
difficulty in breathing or in catching the breath

. . . it was explained that that is a symptom which is not unusual in cases of dyspnoea and death from cardiac exhaustion.


4. toff [tof] noun, British Informal
a stylishly dressed, fashionable person, especially one who is or wants to be considered a member of the upper class.

He was dressed like a toff, and he had a black beard, cut square at the end, and a pale face.


5. baulk [bawk] noun
Architecture: a roughly squared heavy timber beam

It was a fine apartment in which we found ourselves, large, lofty, and heavily raftered with huge baulks of age-blackened oak.


6. moor [moor] noun
1. a tract of open, peaty, wasteland, often overgrown with heath, common in high latitudes and altitudes where drainage is poor; heath.
2. a tract of land preserved for game.

". . . I counsel you by way of caution to forbear from crossing the moor in those dark hours when the powers of evil are exalted."


7. tor [tawr] noun
a rocky pinnacle; a peak of a bare or rocky mountain or hill.

There, outlined as black as an ebony statue on that shining background, I saw the figure of a man upon the tor.


8. disapprobation [dis-ap-ruh-bey-shuhn] noun
disapproval; condemnation

. . . I have more than once caught a look of the strongest disapprobation in his face when Sir Henry has been paying some attention to his sister.


9. distrait [dih-strey; French dees-tre] adjective
inattentive because of distracting worries, fears, etc.; absent-minded.

He is silent and distrait. His nerves have been strangely shaken by that sound upon the moor.


10. écarté [ey-kahr-tey; British ey-kahr-tey; French ey-kar-tey] noun
a card game for two players, played with 32 cards and king high

Mortimer had stayed to dinner, and he and the baronet played écarté afterwards.


11. pannikin [pan-i-kin] noun, Chiefly British
a small pan or metal cup.

. . . I saw, as my eyes became accustomed to the checkered light, a pannikin and a half-full bottle of spirits standing in the corner.


12. morass [muh-ras] noun
1. a tract of low, soft, wet ground. 2. a marsh or bog. 3. marshy ground.

There was no chance of finding footsteps in the mire, for the rising mud oozed swiftly in upon them, but as we at last reached firmer ground beyond the morass we all looked eagerly for them.


13. specious [spee-shuhs] adjective
apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible

He then, by a specious argument, prevented her from going, and so had the chance for which he had waited.



The spelling bee finals are Thursday evening on ESPN, at 8e/7c.


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Thursday Thirteen 329: Words from The Bard

Yesterday, April 23, is the day celebrated as William Shakespeare’s birthday, though his actual birth date is unknown. In honor of The Bard's 450th birthday, here are the top thirteen Shakespearean quotes listed at Goodreads.

1. "The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool."
― As You Like It


2. "Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none."
― All's Well That Ends Well


3. "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."
― A Midsummer Night's Dream


4. "Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them."
― Twelfth Night


5. "This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."
― Hamlet


6. "Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt I love."
― Hamlet


7. "I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed!"


8. "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."
― Julius Caesar

9. "All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages."
― As You Like It



10. "If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die."
― Twelfth Night


11. "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
― Hamlet


12. "Hell is empty and all the devils are here."
― The Tempest


13. "We know what we are, but not what we may be."
Hamlet



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Thursday Thirteen 309: Writers Who Served

Monday was Veterans/Remembrance Day. In honor of that, here is a short list of writers who served in the military.


1. Kurt Vonnegut, US Army/POW

2. Lori Avocato, USAF nurse

3. P.C. Cast, USAF

4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Brit. Army

5. Rogenna Brewer, USN

6. Delores Fossen, USAF

7. Lindsay McKenna, USN

8. Susan Grant, USAF

8. Merline Lovelace, USAF

9. Robert A. Heinlein, USN

10. Elizabeth Moon, USMC

11. Elle James, USA/USAF

12. Roald Dahl, RAF

13. Cindy Dees, USAF



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Thursday Thirteen 274: Tees for Writers

This week's Thursday Thirteen was inspired by Jennifer's post from last week. This is for all my friends who write — whether you writer to be published, or write solely for yourself. Enjoy — and remember that these designs are available in other styles and products besides those shown below. Click on any tee to be taken to the appropriate website.


From Cafe Press . . .




















From Zazzle . . .

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Wordless Wednesday 37: Journal

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Which is it? Mystery, Thriller or Suspense?

The following was written in July 2004 (a year before I started blogging) after a workshop with author Barbara d’Amato at the annual Writers’ Institute conference in Madison, WI. Originally done for a writing newsletter, I pulled it out this week after a question was posed in an online group as to what the difference was between mysteries and thrillers. Seemed only right to post it here, seeing as—for some odd reason—I had not done so previously. Though it was written for writers, I feel readers can benefit from it as well. Please feel free to weigh in with your opinion.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Many writers use the terms mystery, suspense and thriller interchangeably, as if one was no different from the other, but such is not true. As similar as they can be, there are differences between the three genres, and what type of book you have will also help determine how it is marketed—first to agents, then to publishers and booksellers, and ultimately to readers. Knowing what type of book you have can also aid you in the plotting and, ultimately, the writing.

So what differentiates a mystery from a suspense or a thriller?

The easy answer here would be that, in a mystery you usually don't know whodunit (or why) until the very end; in a suspense you can know whodunit (and even why)—what makes it a suspense is not knowing how or if the villain will be caught or stopped in time; and a thriller is high on action.

There is much more to it than that, of course, and the differences can be broken down into four key components: number of characters, settings, plot, and source of reader satisfaction.

Mystery:

Characters: Few to many, depending on how big your mystery is. Think of some of the classic mystery stories. In Poe's "The Purloined Letter," there are only a few characters. In Dashiell Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon" we meet an entire cast of characters. Agatha Christie's books tend to have a house (or boat or train, as the case may be) full of people running around. The reader meets each character and develops a sense of who might have done it. POV is usually that of the central character and can be either first or third person.

Setting: There can be one setting (as contained as the small island in "And Then There Were None" or the boat in "Death on the Nile") or multiple settings. "The Maltese Falcon" takes the reader all over San Francisco. More recently, the Harlequin Intrigue series "Shotgun Sallys" also had multiple settings—from a ranch, to the local town and even (in one of the books) to a nearby city. Setting can be as central or as varied as is necessary to the plot.

Plot: More simplistic, with a limited number of threads. This does not mean the puzzle will be easy to solve, but makes it easier for the reader to follow along. It also allows for a few "red herrings" or false clues.

Source of Reader Satisfaction: Comes from solving the mystery along with the main character and in trying to figure out whodunit [i]before[/i] the sleuth. Do NOT introduce surprises at the end, such as the killer being someone we haven't met.


Suspense:

Characters: Can be only a few. In Iris Johansen's "And Then You Die" there are only three main characters—the hero, the heroine, and the villain and there are few minor characters. In a suspense, you know whodunit, it's the pursuit of the villain and figuring out why he did it that makes the story. You also want the main character to succeed largely on his or her own merit and grow out of the ordeal. For example, in "Ugly Duckling" by Iris Johansen, the heroine finds she has an inner strength after losing her daughter and nearly dying herself in an attack. Can she trust again? And whom will she trust? How will she overcome her ordeal and exact revenge? The POV is from that of central character(s), but also might include the POV of the villain.

Setting: There can be one main setting, or many. "And Then You Die" takes place in both South America and the US. "Ugly Duckling," takes place in Europe and across the US. "Face of Deception" takes us to the White House and across the country. “Ghost Walk” by Heather Graham has one central setting, New Orleans.

Plot: Usually linear.

Source of Reader Satisfaction: Mostly emotional, hinging on the survival and triumph of the main character.


Thriller:

Characters: Many. Think James Bond. Thrillers usually contain the POV of several different characters, which prevents an emotional attachment to any one character. The central villain doesn't have to show up right away if there is a co-conspirator who is not what he appears to be (i.e.: a bad guy who appears to be helpful and friendly, but is only doing so in order to take advantage of the central character).

Setting: Many different settings, often international/exotic. Again, think James Bond or "The Bourne Supremacy."

Plot: Usually quite complicated, with lots of action.

Source of Reader Satisfaction: Comes from defeating the villain and saving the world, but also in just being a good story. The reader doesn't want to think, he just wants to be entertained.


I hope this helps you differentiate between mystery, suspense and thriller and in determining which it is you have read or written.

Thursday Thirteen 207: Sartre

This week's post was influenced by Tuesday's issue of The Writer's Almanac.


Tuesday, June 21, marked the birth of French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre, born in Paris in 1905.

Sartre earned a doctorate in philosophy at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, which was the alma mater for many prominent French thinkers.

It was at the École Normale in 1929 that he met Simone de Beauvoir, who studied at the Sorbonne and became a noted philosopher, writer, and feminist. They were inseparable lifelong companions, though not monogamous.

Sartre and de Beauvoir challenged cultural and social assumptions and expectations of what they considered their bourgeois upbringings, both in how they lived and thought.

Sartre was drafted into the French army in 1939 as a meteorologist, and was captured by Germans in 1940. It was during his nine months as a prisoner of war that he first read Heidegger, which had a huge influence on his own writings.

After WWII, Sartre established a quarterly literary and political review, Les Temps Modernes (Modern Times), and began writing full-time, writing numerous plays, novels, screenplays, and essays.

Sartre was a leading figure in French philosophy and existentialism, influenced by such notables as Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Husserl and Heidegger. His work continues to influence studies in literature, sociology and many other fields today.

Existentialism generally focuses on the condition of human existence, and a person’s emotions, thoughts, responsibilities and actions, or the purpose of life. It makes for very heavy, thought-provoking reading, and challenges your beliefs.
The dominant theme in much of Sartre’s early work, as found in his principal philosophical work L'Être et le Néant (Being and Nothingness) was the conflict between oppressive and spiritually destructive conformity and living an authentic life.

I read a few of his works in college, both in French and in English (and in subjects other than those two), including Le Mur (The Wall), Les Mouches (The Flies), and one of my favorite plays, Huis Clos (No Exit).

Huis Clos is the source of one of my favorite quotes, l'enfer, ç'est les autres ("Hell is other people"). Sartre also said, "If you are lonely when you're alone, you are in bad company."

In 1964, Sartre refused the Nobel Prize in literature.

50,000 people thronged the streets of Paris at his death in 1980 to pay their respects.





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Brenda ND * Colleen * A Kwee Life * Paige Tyler
Suzanna Medeiros * Mary Quast * Alice Audrey
Janice Seagraves * Dee Bibb * K Taylor
Adelle Laudan * Xakara * Skylar Kade

Thursday Thirteen 192: Pisces Writers

In honor of this week's birthday, I give you thirteen famous Pisces writers—click on any link to learn about them. I have only read about half of them. You?


FEB 19: Amy Tan
FEB 19: Laurel K. Hamilton
FEB 21: Anaïs Nin
FEB 21: W.H. Auden
FEB 21: Chuck Palahniuk
FEB 28: Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket)
MAR 2: Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)
MAR 6: Elizabeth Barrett Browning
MAR 8: Oliver Wendell Holmes
MAR 12: Jack Kerouac
MAR 12: Carl Hiaasen
MAR 16: Alice Hoffman
MAR 18: John Updike



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Darla M Sands * Mary Quast * Jeanne St James Tatiana Caldwell * Paige Tyler * I Beati

Thursday Thirteen 171: Ways to Find Inspiration

Inspiration is all around us. Whether you are a writer, musician or artist, it can be found in everything we see, hear, smell, or do. Here are thirteen ways to find inspiration.


1. Read. Books, newspapers, magazines—all are good for inspiring ideas.
2. Talk to people. Listen to what they have to say. Make mental notes of stories for later.
3. Eavesdrop on peoples’ conversations (gain ear for dialogue).
4. Take a ride on a bus or train, and observe the people and surroundings.
5. Tune into radio, magazine and Television ads.
6. Travel—it doesn’t have to be a far-off destination, it can be a road trip to a nearby town, a museum or other site you’ve never been.
7. Take a walk, whether just around the block, or at a nearby park or nature preserve. Don’t forget your notebook and camera, and make sure you look up, down and all around.
8. People watch. Find an out-of-the-way corner at the food court, favorite café, or other local event and observe the people around you—their mannerisms, the way they dress and talk.
9. Pay attention to dreams. Keep a notebook near the bed so you can write them down as soon as you wake.
10. Do something you’ve never done before. Kayak, hike, learn how to knit or do pottery.
11. Take a course in something that interests you, be it a one-day event or an entire semester.
12. Alter your routine. Take a different way home from work, walk or bike a different route than you normally do, change up home chores—it will wake up a bored mind dulled by the monotony of doing things the same way every day.
13. Look at every opportunity as a chance to learn.


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Janice Seagraves * Brenda * Maddy Barone
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Kimberly Menozzi * Adelle Laudan * CountryDew
Paige Tyler * Tatiana Caldwell


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Thursday Thirteen 113: Writing Down the Bones

I've mentioned a couple of times that I had recently read Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. Here are a few words of inspiration from that book, some of which can be applied to life as equally as they can writing.

1. Every moment is different. Different things work. One isn’t wrong and the other right.

2. Explore the rugged edges of thought. Like grating a carrot, give the paper the colorful coleslaw of your consciousness.

3. If every time you sat down, you expected something great, writing would always be a great disappointment.

4. Every minute we change. It is a great opportunity. At any point, we can step out of our frozen selves and our ideas and begin fresh. That is how writing is. Instead of freezing us, it frees us.

5. Writing is not a McDonald’s hamburger. The cooking is slow, and in the beginning you are not sure whether a roast or a banquet or a lamb chop will be the result.

6. We’re always thinking we should be writing no matter what else we might be doing. It’s not fun. The life of an artist isn’t easy. You’re never free unless you are doing your art.

7. We must remember that everything is ordinary and extraordinary. It is our minds that either open or close. Details are not good or bad. They are details.

8. Writing, too, is ninety percent listening. You listen so deeply to the space around you that it fills you, and when you write, it pours out of you. If you can capture that reality around you, your writing needs nothing else.

9. So writing is not just writing. It is also having a relationship with other writers. And don’t be jealous, especially secretly. That’s the worst kind. If someone writes something great, it’s more clarity in the world for all of us. Don’t make writers “other,” different from you: “They are good and I am bad.” Don’t create that dichotomy. It makes it hard to become good if you create that duality. The opposite, of course, is also true: if you say, “I am great and they aren’t,” then you become too proud, unable to grow as a writer or hear criticism of your work. Just: “They are good and I am good.” That statement gives a lot of space.

10. We build on what came before us, even if our writing is a reaction to it or we try to negate the past. We still write with the knowledge of what’s at our backs.

11. I don’t fear being lost. If I am lost, I am lost. That is all. I look on my map and find my way. I even like to wander the streets…not particularly knowing where I am.

12. Take out another notebook, pick up another pen, and just write, just write, just write. In the middle of the world, make one positive step. In the center of chaos, make one definite act. Just write. Say yes, stay alive, be awake. Just write. Just write. Just write.

13. We have an idea that success is a happy occasion. Success can also be lonely, isolating, disappointing. It makes sense that it is everything. Give yourself the space to feel whatever you feel, and don’t feel as though you shouldn’t have a wide range of emotions.



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Janice Seagraves * Alexia Reed * Alice Audrey * Cass
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AD * Harriet * Paige Tyler * Chris * Inez Kelley
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Mary Quast * Storyteller * Ita Jeff

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

Reading and Writing

I read 1-3 fiction books a week, depending on my schedule, length of book, and author -- 'cause let's face it, some authors' styles read faster than others. I'm normally a one-book-at-a-time type of gal, but this year have taken to working my way through a couple of writing books in addition to my usual reading fare.

I started off in late Feb/early March with Natalie Goldberg's WRITING DOWN THE BONES: Freeing the Writer Within. I confess, I've had the book a few years (used book store steal!), but what finally prompted me to open it was an upcoming reading by the author at a local bookstore. I think most writers are familiar with Goldberg's name, whether they've actually read her or not. Despite being one of the most literate and literary cities in the country, we rarely get high-calibre (recognizable) authors here. Too many writers tend to stick to the coasts and thumb their noses at the country's midsection. So, when I saw Natalie Goldberg was scheduled to appear, I decided it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up, but wanted to actually read something by her first. So...I started BONES.

And wondered why I hadn't read it years earlier!

What I like most about BONES is the short chapters that allow you to read one a day or several, depending on your mood or the amount of time for reading. It's also the sort of book you can go back to again and again, randomly opening to any chapter. I liked that the structure allowed me to take my time with it. As a journaler, I sometimes found myself writing several pages in response to something read in BONES, or simply copying lines that resonated with me. Sometimes what I wrote had nothing to do with what I'd read, but I found the book inspired me to write more in general.

Now I've moved on to the next in her writing series, WILD MIND: Living the Writer's Life. Again, the structure allows for reading one chapter or many, as time permits, but this one also offers random writing exercises. It's one of two writing books I've decided to work through this summer. And, as an interesting coincidence of fate, Monday morning's chapter on "style" mentioned Japanese poet Issa, who wrote over 20,000 haiku in his time. That evening I was reading through email and who should be mentioned in The Writer's Almanac for that day? Kobayashi Issa! Turns out he was born on June 15, 1763. Given the odd coincidence I felt compelled to look up some of his work online, but not much of it resonated with me. I'm sure it loses much in translation.

The other writing book I'm reading is CREATIVE JOURNAL WRITING: The Art and Heart of Reflection by Stephanie Dowrick. Much like Goldberg's books, the structure is such that you can read one short chapter at a time, or several, and there are occasional exercises. As recommended in the prologue, I am working my way through at a leisurely pace, noting passages I like, doing exercises as they grab my attention, or following whatever tangent a subject takes my mind down. I'm trying to alternate between Dowrick and Goldberg, so there really is no conflict as some might think. Both books are more inspirational/encouraging than how-to books, the latter of which tend to turn some people off.

Since reading BONES and starting these other two books, I've found myself doing more writing. Maybe not novel-length, but you never know what might serve as a catalyst for that next story or poem or article. What I write may not always be in relation to what I've just read, though some chapters/subjects have served as jumping off points, but what is important is that reading these books is stirring my creativity and getting the pen moving more.

And that is definitely a good thing!

Thursday Thirteen 108: Frontier Words

Today I'm talking about a vocabulary building method we used in my tenth grade TAG (advanced) English class, “frontier words.” This is a method those writers amongst us may find useful. Parents and anyone seeking to strengthen their vocabulary may also find this of interest.


Understanding that no two people have the same vocabulary, “frontier words” seeks to strengthen the individual vocabulary.

Each week, students were to come to class with ten new vocabulary cards (index cards), the words culled from your own reading during the week.

Frontier words are those words that either you recognize but do not know, or words with which you are partially familiar (meaning, you think you know what it means but are not sure).

Though words were supposed to be culled from our regular reading during the week — books or newspapers — friends and I often randomly flipped through the dictionary when our lists fell a bit short. Hey, the better your vocabulary, the fewer unfamiliar words you encounter!

Word are written on one side of the card, the definition and example of usage (the sentence in which you found it) on the back. Write your own sentence if it helps you more easily remember the word.

Every Friday we paired off and tested each other on our words from that week. Not just spelling, but definition. You had to know those words!

In addition to that week’s vocabulary words, you were also tested on three to five random words pulled from your entire card stack. This meant you had to regularly review all of your words. If you are using this tool on your own, regularly shuffling and studying your cards will work in much the same way.

This practice came in handy senior year in high school, at the end of the first week of French V. I’m sure you could have heard our collective groan on the other side of the world when Madame V. gave us a list of 184 verbs to learn over the weekend. I only wish I were kidding. See samples at right.

I am also not kidding when I tell you that 95% of the class (those of us who also had English together for four years) showed up the following Monday with our own handmade vocabulary cards — which both surprised and impressed Madame V. Apparently, we were the first class to do so in all the years she'd been handing out this assignment. What can I say? We were special that way. *g*

I don't know what became of the English vocab cards—probably tossed them at the end of sophomore year—but I still have all of my French vocab cards. I added to that original stack of 184 throughout the year and took them off to college with me.

There is no age limit to frontier words — it is a tool anyone can use to improve vocabulary, no matter how young or old. Parents can use it during both the summer and school year as a means to entice kids to keep learning and retain what they learn. Make looking up new words a game, and encourage them to use their new words regularly. Once you learn a new word, you own it forever.

Having had the process of writing down and looking up unfamiliar words ingrained in me over the course of a year, I still practice it today. I don't jot them down on little vocabulary cards any more, but I do write them down in my journal, and will go back and look them over from time to time. The process of writing out the definition helps commit the word to memory.

A few words I have looked up so far this year include: peroration, benignant, penumbra, diffident, picara.

LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:
(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

RJ Lebeau * Stephanie Adkins * Elise Logan * Adelle Laudan
Alice Audrey * Janice Seagraves * Nicholas * Hootin' Anni
Shelley Munro * Ms Menozzi * Ella Drake
I Am Harriet * Inez Kelley * Carmen Shirkey * Paige Tyler
Jamie Babette * Mary Quast * Jennifer McKenzie * Brenda ND

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

Apparently they need their own help

Below is an actual sentence in a newsletter received this afternoon from the Wisconsin Book Festival. Perhaps if they had received a bit of literacy help of their own, they wouldn't have missed the preposition.*

Literacy Network's 4th annual Literacy 24/7 Reading Marathon is just the corner.



* [around]

Thursday Thirteen 82: Movies About Writers

From funny to serious, here are thirteen of my favorite movies featuring writers, in no particular order. Well, except the first one--Speechless is definitely top of my list. Note that this is in no way a comprehensive list of such movies, merely some of my top choices.

1. Speechless (Geena Davis/Michael Keaton; Rival political speech writers fall in love)
2. Finding Neverland (Johnny Depp/Kate Winslet)
3. Shakespeare in Love (Joseph Fiennes/Gwyneth Paltrow)
4. As Good as it Gets (Helen Hunter/Jack Nicholson/Greg Kinnear/Cuba Gooding Jr)
5. Romancing the Stone (Michael Douglas/Kathleen Turner)
6. Finding Forrester (Sean Connery/Rob Brown)
7. Paris When it Sizzles (Audrey Hepburn/William Holden; campy but funny)
8. His Girl Friday (Cary Grant/Rosalind Russell)
9. Under the Tuscan Sun (Diane Lane/Sandra Oh/Raoul Bova)
10. Love, Actually (Colin Firth/Hugh Grant/Emma Thompson/Liam Neeson)
11. Funny Farm (Chevey Chase/Madolyn Smith)
12. Impromtu (Hugh Grant/Judy Davis; Story of Chopin and George Sand)
13. Throw Momma From the Train (Danny DeVito/Billy Crystal)

Do you have a favorite movie featuring writers?


LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:

Adelle Laudan * Alice Audrey * Shelley Munro
Ms Menozzi * Inez Kelly * Mel * Mary
Stephanie Adkins * Lynn Daniels * Jennifer McKenzie
Janice Seagraves * Paige Tyler * Nina Pierce
Eaton Bennett * Annalee Blysse
Tempest Knight * Jennifer Bayley-Burke

(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Upcoming Workshop: Kick A$$ Characters By Authors Who Know How To Kick A$$

Kick A$$ Characters By Authors Who Know How To Kick A$$

September 12-13 at Romance Divas

Featuring:

Bob Mayer

Lori Avocato

Maggie Price

Lindsay McKenna

Barry Eisler

Linnea Sinclair

Larissa Ione

Merline Lovelace


Want to know how to write authentic action, suspense, law enforcement, and military romance? Ask authors who know firsthand! Romance Divas is hosting a 2-day workshop with some of the hottest names in the genre. It will take place at the Romance Diva Forum. All are welcome. To get access to the forum you will need to register.

Romance Novel Sales Boom

I meant to post this last Friday. Oh, well...better late than never, eh?

Thursday Thirteen #68: Writing Books

As with most writers, there are many books on my desk relating to the craft--some are on writing fiction, some nonfiction, some genre specific. While some attempt to inspire creativity, others are more instructional. Many more fall somewhere in between. Here is a random selection of thirteen writing books on my shelves--some of which I've had since college writing courses (and one that even dates back to high school--can you guess which one?).










So...what's on your shelf?


Links to other Thursday Thirteens:

Adelle Laudan * Alice Audrey * Angelle Trieste
Savannah Chase * Diana Castilleja * AJ O'Donavan
Tempest Knight * Shelley Munro * Jennifer McKenzie
Phoebe Jordan * Paige Tyler * RG Alexander
Janice Seagraves * Nina Pierce * Kaige * Chloe Devlin

(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!