Miscellaneous Monday

Happy mid-August! Hope you are staying cool. Couldn't resist sharing the latest fun and fabulous finds. :)

Lay versus Lie, how do you know which one to use? Brian Klems explains here at The Writer's Dig. He even provides a handy chart to help keep it straight.

Fiction writers, having trouble getting those scenes just right? Check out Live Write Thrive's post where Rachel Scott Thomson shares How Fiction Writers Can Ramp Up Tension and Pacing.

Looking to write for magazines? I recommend Carol J. Alexander's new course, Break Into Magazine Writing. Class begins late September 2015. Visit Carol's site for details. 

What is the definition of canoodle? How about goombah? Jean Fisher defines these and other interesting words in Twenty Five of the Funniest Words.

Do you use idioms in your writing? The Grammarly Blog highlights common idiom meanings in You Can Bet Your Bottom Dollar We Love Idioms and It's a Barnyard Full of Animal Idioms.

And finally, this made me smile: "A metaphor is like a simile." Author Unknown  Yes, it sure is!

What are you up to this week?

I'm taking a break until 9/7/15.  Enjoy the remainder of August! :) 

Happy writing,
 
Karen 



Photo credit: Free Images - En Choo

Apostrophes & Possessives

Do apostrophes or possessives trip you up? If you're like me, an occasional refresher is helpful. The apostrophe's basic function is easy, but there are other uses such as:

• To form a plural of a letter: I got all A's and B's.
• To form a plural of a number or symbol: 6's or %'s
• When a word is discussed as a word: The sentence contains too many hey's and dude's.
• To abbreviate a year: She graduated in '03.

Possessives get tricky too. It helps to remember that the "owner" is the word immediately before the apostrophe. Ask, is it possessive or plural, or is it possessive and singular, or possessive and plural? Then use the apostrophe like so:

• Singular versus plural possession: the horse's trainer, the horses' trainer
  
• Compound word possessives: editor in chief's office, sister in law's birthday
• Plural compound word possessives: brothers in law's cars (more than one brother in law)
  
• For an indefinite pronoun: anyone's guess, everybody's favorite
• Individual possession: Micah's, Allie's, and Nat's books (they each own their own book)
• Shared possession: Tim, David, and Becky's book (they all own the same book)

 
Then, don't forget:  

• Do not use an apostrophe for possessive pronouns: its, yours, ours, his, hers, their

Do apostrophes or possessives challenge you? What helps keep things straight?

Happy writing,

Karen



Photo credit: Free Images

Meet the Blogger with Emily Ann Benedict

Emily Ann Benedict and I met through blogging and quickly learned that we share a love of books and chocolate. (Not necessarily in that order...) The motto on her website is Live, Love, Edit. I love that. This sweet and talented writer has written several books, including Only Angels are Bulletproof.


Welcome Emily! Why did you start blogging? How long have you had your current blog? 

Thank you, Karen! I started my blog back in 2008 in conjunction with the release of my first novel, Only Angels Are Bulletproof. Blogging has been a recommended source of outreach for writers as long as I've been writing. I don't think I ever would have started without all the marketing gurus saying it was absolutely necessary.

It is a good way to get the word out about your books, isn't it? :)  What is your blog about?  

My blog focuses heavily on books and writing. I love to showcase good authors as well as talk about the craft and industry, but I also have plenty of posts just on life in general. God has never let my life go according to plan, so my journey has not been boring. 

Seldom is a writer's journey boring! What benefits have you gained through blogging?  

Honestly, the best part has been the people I have met through blogging. A lot of the people I have corresponded with, worked on projects with, or have learned a great deal from I met through blogging. The blogging community is also very supportive of one another. 

I agree, the blogging community is wonderful. What projects are you working on right now? 

I am planning putting out the final book in my Father Christmas series in the Fall of this year. So, some serious editing is in store. I am also in the beginning stages my first joint project in a new genre altogether. I am hoping we will get to reveal more details about it soon. 

Looking forward to hearing about the new project. What might people be surprised to learn about you? 

It usually throws people off to find out my day job is in the construction industry. My dad inadvertently raised me to follow him into construction. So, by day, I'm a project coordinator for an architectural firm.

Sounds interesting! What advice would you share with a newbie blogger? 

The two best pieces of advice are post as consistently as possible and visit/comment on other people's blogs. I actually struggle with both, due to time constraints, but if you want readers, you have to reach for them. Plus you do get the benefit of blogging buddies! 

Good advice. Thank you so much for joining us, Emily! 

Thank you so much for letting me do this, Karen! 

More About Emily in Her Own Words...
 
Project Coordinator by day, Writer by night, and frequent Blogger during lunch hour. So, basically, I'm an average American. I specialize in writing Suspense and Comedy with a healthy dose of Hope mixed in.

Visit Emily

Blog
Emily's Novels
Website Special note - Get a free download of one of Emily's books when signing up for her  newsletter.  



Do you have any questions for Emily? Do you blog during your lunch hour like she does? 

I've a guest post up on my publisher's blog, if you have a minute, stop by and check it out.

Have a great week!

Happy writing,

Karen