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.
I was having trouble figuring out what to write that was set in South Dakota. –I mean, I write fables and fairy tales and fantasies, even if I throw in aliens, multiverses, or string theory from time to time. What are the myths behind South Dakota? –Children of the Corn captures parts of Iowa/Kansas perfectly,
An ice cream truck drives by our house on a daily basis. First, it drives down other streets, and the tinny carousel music echoes off the houses so much you can’t tell which direction it’s coming from. Then the truck drives up our street, the music sounding even more frail than it had when it
