Weird Word Wednesday!

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Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes, children, Horologicon, humor, Mark Forsyth, monsters, snudge, weird word

Last Christmas, a dear friend gave me Mark Forsyth’s Horologicon: A Day’s Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language. It’s delightful, filled with “the most extraordinary words in the English language, arranged according to what hour of the day you might need them.”

How handy!

I came across a word that reminded me of a stage our son went through when he was about two or three years old:

When bedtime arrived, he became concerned that somehow, monsters would slither from their lairs and ooze squishily under his bed. No amount of explaining or reassuring soothed him.

According to an article I found in Parents magazine, this is fairly normal behavior for toddlers, who “don’t always understand everything in their environment.” Parents are encouraged to be creative, which we were: I bought a can of rose-scented bathroom spray, printed out a photo of a monster I found online, and typed the words “MONSTER SPRAY” at the bottom. The whole thing got taped cleverly to the can, and we doused the underside of Steven’s bed with this gaggy concoction. Take that, monsters!

If only I had known, had owned Horologicon back then! Instead of the scary-sounding monster, I could have called this imaginary creature by its rightful name:

According to Horologicon, a snudge is “one that lurks under a bed, to watch an opportunity to rob the house.” (1699)

Our creativity seemed to work, because soon after, our son’s fears subsided and our Monster Spray found its proper home in the bathroom. The snudges were banished, and our son’s room stopped smelling like a flower shop!

by Bill Watterson

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Thumbs Up Tuesdays Three

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books, Donna Leon, favorite books, Guido Brunetti, Italy, mystery, series, Venice, writing

Since we went to Italy in 2011, I’ve continued studying and learning more about this wonderful country. Each of its 20 different regions boast its own heritage and culinary traditions, but my favorite by far was Veneto, home to Venice.

Canals wind through 118 small islands, connected by bridges, creating a sense of intrigue and possibility. Mystery writer Donna Leon lives here, and her “Commissario Guido Brunetti” series is a well-written doorway into Venetian life and habits. This series is my recommendation for Thumbs Up Tuesdays Three.

Our trip to Venice, Italy

Starting in 1992 with Death at La Fenice, Leon has written a total of 24 Brunetti mysteries, with the most recent, Falling in Love, due to be released in 2015.

I’ve been asked which Leon title is my favorite, and the answer is easy: all of them.

Don’t expect extreme action scenes or anything racy; rather, Leon gives a low-key series, written well, with a main character who progresses thoughtfully. Rarely does Brunetti treat anyone rudely; unless their behavior is beneath contempt, he displays remarkable self-control, especially in dealing with his arrogant boss, Vice-Questore Giuseppe Patta.

Beneath that exterior, he’s wily, willful, intelligent, and entirely likable – there are times when I want Brunetti to act obstinately, and Leon has him do this in a way that leaves me feeling vindicated for his sake.

Brunetti’s wife, Paola, provides another foil – outspoken, intelligent, and opinionated, she regularly voices her thoughts to Brunetti on politics, Patta, and her parents. Brunetti manages to listen, placate when necessary, and ignore her if he must.

Interestingly, not every story provides the cut-and-dried sense of justice that we Americans have come to expect in our mysteries. Sometimes “justice” simply withers away, and Brunetti is left with a sense that this particular mystery isn’t going to be solved the way he thought it would.

When Leon was asked about this, she said people in Italy have “no illusions” about justice. “They know all politicians are corrupt, they know that all institutions are corrupt, and they never pretend that they are anything but that. I find that very refreshing.”

And you don’t have to read the series in order – pick up Death at La Fenice and watch Leon excavate revenge with Venetian subtlety; turn the pages of Dressed for Death and see Brunetti’s humanity come through in the face of senseless violence.

If you’ve already read any of Leon’s books, share your opinion below – I’d love to hear what you think!

 

 

Thumbs Up Tuesdays Two

Tags

Bill Watterson, book recommendation, Calvin and Hobbes, comic strips, favorite books, humor, writing

Welcome to the second installment of Thumbs Up Tuesdays. Last week, I shared Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, a classic masterpiece. I’m switching gears a bit this week with another favorite.

Created by Bill Watterson

It’s the Calvin and Hobbes series by Bill Watterson. And it doesn’t matter which book you pick up, either – The Essential Calvin and Hobbes; Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat; Revenge of the Baby-Sat, and my favorite, Something Under the Bed is Drooling.

They’re all great – every single one.

We first met Calvin and Hobbes in November, 1985; they were the brainchild of cartoonist Bill Watterson, who kept us entertained, informed (via Calvin’s way of thinking) and absolutely drawn into Calvin’s world, inhabited by those around him, but only understood – mostly – by Hobbes.

Calvin’s musings are witty, insightful, snarky, and downright amusing. Watterson created supporting characters – his parents, Susie Derkins, Mr. Spittle, Miss Wormwood – who really don’t understand Calvin. They try, to varying degrees, to delve into the weirdness of his six-year-old world, but no one is entirely successful.

Not even Hobbes, Calvin’s stuffed tiger, who appears animated and very real to him, but stuffed to everyone else.

Their repartee carries the comic strip, propelling it forward through Calvin’s experiences navigating the necessary evil of school with his weary teacher; encounters with Moe, his schoolmate; as Dictator for Life of G.R.O.S.S (Get Rid of Slimy Girls) the club he founded with Hobbes, and his intergalactic travels as Spaceman Spiff.

Calvin’s father is one of the few characters who weasels around Calvin’s weirdness, sending him off with messages of character building and often, confusion.

By Bill Watterson

My all-time favorite strip is the haircut Hobbes gives Calvin. Of course, the results are disastrous:

by Bill Watterson

Watterson refused offers to merchandise the characters and undertake tours, as he felt this compromised the integrity of the strip. The final strip ran on December 31, 1995.

I have many of the books in the series and find relevance in the subject matter and humor in every one of them. Watterson writes with terrific insight and every drawing complements the story line – we’re given a fresh way to look at the world through the eyes of a small boy and his forever companion, Hobbes.

 

 

Thumbs Up Tuesdays

Tags

Alan Paton, authors, Cry, favorite stories, great novel, the Beloved Country, words, writing

For the next five weeks, I’ll be running a series called “Thumbs Up Tuesdays” where I’ll share some of my favorite reads. Tracy over at The HeSo Project suggested the idea of a series, and I thought it was a great way to explore all kinds of word-related possibilities.

First off is one of my all-time favorites, Cry, the Beloved Country by South African writer Alan Paton. At its core, it asks two fundamental questions:

1. Why does injustice happen?

2. How does the acquisition of power – or lack of it – shape your character?

Briefly, the story revolves around the Reverend Stephen Kumalo, who receives a letter summoning him to Johannesburg, South Africa, to help his sister, Gertrude. Kumalo travels there, also hoping to find his son, Absalom, who traveled there and never returned.

Kumalo meets up with his letter-writing fellow priest, Msimangu, and the two visit John Kumalo, Stephen’s brother, who sends them to the factory where Absalom once worked. As the story unfolds, Kumalo sees the wide economic and social gaps between the races, something he didn’t experience in his small village.

Meanwhile, Arthur Jarvis, a proponent of racial justice, has been murdered, and the police suspect Absalom Kumalo.

I’ll stop here for obvious reasons.

The first time I finished Cry, the Beloved Country, I actually sat for a few minutes because I needed to appreciate fully the character of Stephen Kumalo. Throughout all this tension and personal tragedy, he wavered but never faltered. And his character wasn’t impossible, one of those people you secretly resent because you couldn’t breathe in the moral heights where they reside. Rather, Kumalo was flawed – seeking, hoping, grieving, and not finding – but still he pressed forward amid so many unanswered questions:

Why did Absalom turn to crime when he was raised otherwise? How would Kumalo handle the news that Absalom was jailed for the murder of a white man?

And finally, how did Kumalo react when his son was sentenced, not to life imprisonment, but to something far worse?

That’s why I like this book so much. If you really can’t wait, read the entire synopsis here or rent the movie. Otherwise, I’ll leave you with a quote from the book’s author, Alan Paton. Please share your favorite books below, too – I’m always looking for new titles, and I’d love to promote your favorite book on a “Thumbs Up Tuesday”!

 

10 Reasons Why Every Writer Should Attend this Conference

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agent, community, conference, editor, HeSo Project, publisher, Tracy Sayre, Writers' Conference, writing

Tracy Sayre at last year’s conference

This is your chance – pitch your story idea to an agent; hear about writers’ residency programs, and enjoy a free lunch! Tracy Sayre over at the HeSo Project is hosting her second Writers’ Workshop on Saturday, September 20th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. It’s held at 1450 Broadway, 14th Floor, in New York, NY. Tracy has created a wonderful opportunity for established and aspiring writers, providing a relaxed atmosphere in which you can socialize with other writers, agents, and publishers.

“Our conferences are all about helping you develop as a writer,” Tracy said. “This conference helps writers develop their careers, creativity and community. Not only will guests meet other writers who are in similar positions, they will also meet agents, editors and publishers who are eager to encourage and develop emerging authors.”

Before you start pondering the price tag, Tracy has offered all my readers a terrific bargain – tickets are $75 each until August 11th, and then they’ll go up to the regular price of $90 each, which is still a darn good deal. And to make it even more enticing, use code DMS (my initials, all caps) to get 10% off!

This price includes a light breakfast and lunch with an agent. To buy tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/writers-work-a-conference-for-emerging-authors-tickets-12433227117

To get the scoop on the event, here’s the official website: http://www.writerswork.org/

And if you still need a little nudge to push you over the edge, visit Tracy’s blog. She’s all about supporting writers and creating a community where we can learn, grow and thrive. Sounds like a deal too good to pass up!