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.

Wednesday Word: Collywobbles

collywobbles |ˈkälēˌwäbəlz|plural noun informal chiefly humorousstomach pain or queasiness : an attack of collywobbles.• intense anxiety or nervousness, esp. with such symptoms : such organizations give him the collywobbles.ORIGIN early 19th cent.: fanciful formation from colic and wobble .
This is one of those words that need to become more popular. I rarely have stomach problems--my anxiety manifests itself in shoulder and upper back pain. I had a lot of it while writing Dead In L.A. No colic, but a lot of emotional wobble. Instead of letting it cripple me, I decided to harness it and channel it into Jon, the narrator. It became the stuff of his fears, bitterness, and secret yearnings.

Monday Men: Man with Cat

There's something heart warming about a macho guy with a soft and furry feline. I have a theory that people who are cat-haters are control freaks.

Just yesterday I discovered a Pinterest board: Tattoos and Kittens. Go check it out. I guarantee it'll make you go awwww.