Wednesday Word: Persnickety

persnickety |pərˈsnikətē|adjective informalplacing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details; fussy : persnickety gardeners | she's very persnickety about her food.• requiring a particularly precise or careful approach : it's hard to find a film more persnickety and difficult to use than black-and-white infrared.ORIGIN early 19th cent. (originally Scots): of unknown origin.

On could just say fussy but persnickety has a much nicer rhythm. Of course, when I hear it I think of old ladies with parasols.

Pointless and Unsexy Ramblings About Men's Underwear

Some months ago, a few of us writes were chatting about stuff unrelated to books and we discovered that several of us liked wearing men's boxers around the house and/or to bed. I was relieved to learn I was not a lone weirdo.

Now, you may wonder if this is a manifestation of penis-envy. I can assure you, our reasons are comfort and practicality. We could buy cotton shorts designed specifically for women—usually in pink and other girly colors. Because it's a well known fact that we are all about soft pastels. If you don't believe me, check out these Bic For Her Pens. Read the reviews—they are hilarious.

There are many problems with women's shorts. For start, they have a single seam in the back which means they ride up. Waking up in the middle of the night with a giant wedgie is not fun. They are made of flimsy material, and for some mysterious reason the waist band loses all its elasticity about one year after purchase, whether you've been wearing the shorts during that time or not.

Men's boxers are sturdier, the elastic holds, and they have double seam at the back, preventing wedgies. And lastly, you can buy a four-pack of Hanes of Fruit of the Looms for the price of a single pair of girly shorts.

So, there you have it.

Wednesday Word: Gossamer

gossamer |ˈgäsəmər|nouna fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs spun by small spiders, which is seen esp. in autumn.• used to refer to something very light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate : in the light from the table lamp, his hair was blond gossamer.adjective [ attrib. ]made of or resembling gossamer : gossamer wings.DERIVATIVESgossamery adjectiveORIGIN Middle English : apparently from goose +summer, perhaps from the time of year around St. Martin's summer, i.e., early November, when geese were eaten (gossamer being common then).

Too bad you can't hardly use this word outside of poetry without sounding pretentious, because it's a glorious word full of whispers and ambiance. The fact that it's the combination of goose and summer only makes it more delectable.

Wednesday Word: Crapulent

crapulent |ˈkrapyələnt|adjective poetic/literaryof or relating to the drinking of alcohol or drunkenness.DERIVATIVEScrapulence nouncrapulous |-yələs| adjectiveORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from late Latin crapulentus‘very drunk,’ from Latin crapula ‘inebriation,’ fromGreek kraipalē ‘drunken headache.’

This word really doesn't mean what I think it should mean. Oh well. Let's have a crapulent good time! Cheers!

Monday Meandering

I'm taking a break from Monday Men, as I'm running low on images. I didn't go to the flea market this month. I love going, even when I don't buy anything, but I was knee-deep in editing.

At least, the manuscript is getting closer for being ready for submission--currently with my critique partners. Assuming my editor likes the story, it'll be out with Samhain in January. Samhain has a long lead time, which can be frustrating, but on the plus side it means that I have final cover design and copies months before release. Spirit Sanguine will only come out at the very end of April but it has already gotten a review in the Library Journal and it's also available for pre-order both on Samhain's site and on Amazon. That kind of organization takes time.

Patience is not a virtue I possess, and this period before release is tough on me. I should start writing blog posts in anticipation, but procrastination is something I'm very good at.

In other news, I signed up for GRL via general admission. I didn't plan to. I'd told myself I don't need the expense. And then I pushed the register button. It was a clearly impulsive decision, like picking up a candy bar at the check-out lane. My main reason for going is to meet online friends, including my beta partner, Jo Myles.  I feel a slight apprehension too, because what if they discover I'm both ill-tempered and boring? I might have to stay drunk the whole time.

There have been a bit of rumpus over a GRL announcement recently, and I must say the wording of it was most unfortunate. It made a whole lot of authors—including me—feel like red-headed step children, which could've been avoided by a slightly different phrasing. However, the organizers' intent to make sure big name authors are present is makes sense. I'm not convinced that keeping the event small is the way to go, but that we could debate till dawn. Meanwhile, writers, like me, signing up with general admission will certainly negate the goal of making this as a readers' event.

I'm not going with a plan to promote myself. Most of the premium author perks sound like a nightmare to me, anyway. I don't enjoy being put in the spotlight. Reading anything is out of the question, and I can imagine the Q&A sessions and book signing where I sit at a table and no one has a question or book to sign. Shudder.

Wednesday Word: Whinge

whinge |(h)winj| Brit., informalverb ( whingeing ) [ intrans. ]complain persistently and in a peevish or irritating way: stop whingeing and get on with it!nounan act of complaining in such a way.DERIVATIVESwhingeingly adverbwhinger nounwhingy |-jē| adjectiveORIGIN late Old English hwinsian, of Germanic origin; related to German winseln; compare with whine .
I want to steal this word from the Brits. That extra 'G' gives it a bite, compared to whine. Those who whinge not only complain but keep complaining, bitching, and moaning with the tenacity of a Chihuahua.

Monday Men: Good Times on the Roof

What is there to say? They have beer, cigs, and it's summer. Good times.