Lazy Language
Most of us have been guilty, perhaps often, of saying something like: "Hopefully, that won't happen." Or "Hopefully, it will happen." Purists insist that starting a sentence with "hopefully" is…
Kim Kelly
Australian author Kim Kelly tells a heartwarming tale in Sunshine (not pictured above), set in the Outback just after World War I. Her imagery puts you squarely into the remote…
Spelling bees in my bonnet
As a Canadian, one of my difficulties is proofreading, because I have been exposed to English spelling in school and American spelling through books. So I find myself using both…
The Long and the Short
Common wisdom says that posts should be long, crammed with anecdotes and information and pictures. And for some types of blogs, that would make sense. Anyone trying to impart information…
Alliteration
Almost all of us have been admonished to avoid alliteration at all costs. This apocryphal aphorism has generated an agony of angst among aspiring authors. Phew! Get out the thesaurus!…
Five Senses
People experience the world through all the senses, but most of us are primarily focussed on one or two, such as sight and perhaps sound, or tactile sensations and taste. …
Censorship
In my not-so-humble opinion, political correctness is a scam. It was designed for intimidation and control and is a common tactic used by tyrannical regimes past to present and all…
Books for Children and Young Adults
The variety of books aimed at children and young adults is astounding: Pop-up picture books, cardboard and cloth and plastic books, and puzzle-piece books for wee ones. Stories designated for…
Genres
Literary Fiction, Humour, Drama, Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Erotica, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Paranormal...the list of genres is large and growing. Niche genres have evolved to include Steampunk…
Audiobooks
There is some controversy over audiobooks. Certainly, those who are visually impaired can benefit from audiobooks. But what of the rest of us? A friend of mine actually became an…