I’m trying to explain to a member of my writing group how to write a good simile, which feels like the centipede trying to explain how it manages to walk with all those legs. This is the first time I’ve tried to work this out logically. I ran into this: …For fun, the next time […]
A theory by Neil Gaiman, via one of his Clarion students.
catachresis PRONUNCIATION:(kat-uh-KREE-sis) The misuse of words. Here’s a catchall word for all those mixed metaphors, malapropisms, and bushisms. It derives via Latin from Greek katakhresthai (to misuse). parapraxis PRONUNCIATION: (par-uh-PRAK-sis) noun: A slip of the tongue (or pen) that reveals the unconscious mind. ETYMOLOGY:Parapraxis is a fancy word for the Freudian slip. It’s derived from
My brain is changing; I’m not sure why. I haven’t had any head trauma or anything. I’ve always been a very visual person. If I’m trying to indicate that I understand something, I say, “I see what you mean” (vs. “I hear you”). When I have typos, it’s because I hit the wrong key, or
I’m such a sap. So, working on Alien Blue, I was at a crossroads. The original plan was to do something interesting and expedient but horrible to one of the secondary characters, but when I came to that point, I couldn’t do it. The other option I saw was gentler and kinder, but didn’t set
Time Bomb! Complete with hamsters! Na na na… One of my favorites: F*ckin’ with My Head. Drink my coffee with a hubcap! Yeah! Loser, set to Southpark. …And, like a goodnight lullabye, Paper Tiger.
If you were a dog, what type of dog would you be? Lee would be an English Mastiff. Yours truly would be a Border Collie. Ray would be a Cocker Spaniel. –I think we got her from a reputable breeder.
Digital Storytelling: Writers and the Digital Frontier, with Carolyn Handler Miller. Ms. Miller’s talk made me jealous. While I can’t help but think anything but writing novels not-for-hire is less than optimal, I’ve done some freelancing work that was just a blast. So the idea of writing for online, interactive markets? When can I quit
Sorry, sorry — I miss things. I just heard this the other day. Space Lord by Monster Magnet. All the calories of heavy metal, none of the taste? Sounds like Morphine, without the sax, with a sense of humor. I checked. “Good” (or Buena) is 1992; Space Lord is 1998.
