Fatalism can mean either a submissive attitude to events as being inevitable, or the belief that everything is predetermined and that we have no influence over anything which may happen. A fatalist is a person who thinks fatalistically. I'm not a fatalist. Some things are out of our control, and luck plays a part, but I believe that it's generally … Continue reading Wednesday word of the week – Fatalism
Author: patsy
Free reads – and some to buy
I'm taking part in a few author / book promotions. This one and this one both offer free reads from authors of crime, thriller and mystery books. To claim these you must subscribe to the authors' newsletters, but you can opt out any time if you decide you don't want to keep receiving them. There's … Continue reading Free reads – and some to buy
Back from a break?
I haven't had a story in Take a Break's Fiction Feast in a while, so I'm very pleased to have two in the current (October) issue. The titles they've been given might make it tricky to guess what they're about. Does it help at all if I mention werewolves?
Wednesday word of the week – Rich
Rich means having lots of money, or other items of value. It can mean splendid, costly or elaborate eg richly decorated or patterned. Alternatively it's used to describe abundance. eg my mind contains a rich supply of story ideas. Soil which is rich contains plenty of nutrients and is very fertile. Richness in our own food comes from fat or spices. Engines can have … Continue reading Wednesday word of the week – Rich
Wednesday word of the week – Brand New
OK, brand new is a phrase and not a word and this may be more of a rant than an explanation*, but this has been bothering me for a while ... Why do people (particularly those in marketing) say something is brand new? The only definition I've been able to find is 'completely new'. But new is like … Continue reading Wednesday word of the week – Brand New
Wednesday word of the week – Travail
Travail, or travails, is a situation involving a lot of hard work or difficulty. Eg the travails of book promotion. Apparently just bunging up a link and hoping people will buy it isn't enough. (But I'm going to try that anyway.) Here's where you can buy my book! Travels is something different altogether - I hope if you have any … Continue reading Wednesday word of the week – Travail
Wednesday word of the week – Consign
Consign either means to deliver something to someone (or arrange for that to be done) or to put a person or object in a place in order to be rid of them. Eg the editor consigned the manuscript to the return envelope. A consignment is a group of items which are to be, or have been, consigned. Con sign is a … Continue reading Wednesday word of the week – Consign
Wednesday word of the week – Hydrochory
Hydrochory is passive dispersal by water. Plant seeds being carried downstream, fruit swept by tides and currents to a distant shore, writers drifting round a pool on a lilo, that sort of thing.
Wednesday word of the week – Carking
Cark is the harsh noise made by a carrion crow. They do sound as though they have a lot on their minds, maybe that's why cark also means burden. Carking is an archaic term for something worrisome. I hope nothing happens today to carken you with carking doubts.
Wednesday word of the week – Parargon
Parergon is work that's subsidiary to your main employment, or an ornamental accessory. Parerega is the plural in either case. As a parergon to writing, I act as a photographic assistant (and I like to think I'm Gary's parergon, although I'm usually more windswept than ornamental).