Day: January 1, 2014

Alphadictionary.com- a Handy Research Tool

research2I love research, I hate research. Who’s with me on that one? But as authors we must able to create realistic worlds for our characters. And if you’re writing anything historical, you need to know what folks were saying back then.

You wouldn’t use the word “head honcho” in a 1940s era novel; the term didn’t come about until the 1970s. You might still hear “be-bop,” that’s been around since the 40s. Shaun McLaughlin did an excellent IU guest post about Google Books Ngram Viewer.

Since I’m researching the WW II era for a historic romance novel, I needed to be savvy on some of the lingo that was used back then. So I did an internet search and typed in “American slang from the 1930s and 1940s.” I got a lot of junk on my return search, but one site caught my eye. Continue reading “Alphadictionary.com- a Handy Research Tool”

Flash Fiction Vote: Out with the Old and In with the New

Butterfly party kittenThat’s right. Butterfly party kitten says, “Time to put another year away by selecting the winner of the final 2013 flash fiction challenge.”  Or words to that effect. It’s hard to understand him with that doohickey in his yapper.

You get to choose the last lucky author to be included  in the next edition of the IU Flash Fiction Anthology. Who will it be? Cast your vote now.

Check out this week’s entries here. Vote for your favorite, then use those share buttons at the bottom of the post to spread the word.

Polls close tomorrow at 5 PM.
 

Whose flash fiction entry should round out the year?

  • AV Carden (38%, 13 Votes)
  • Kathy Steinemann (24%, 8 Votes)
  • Yvonne Hertzberger (15%, 5 Votes)
  • Aron Joice (12%, 4 Votes)
  • AL Kaplan (6%, 2 Votes)
  • Annette Hatton (3%, 1 Votes)
  • Sylvie Nickels (3%, 1 Votes)

Total Voters: 34

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NOTE: Entrants whose submissions exceed the 250 word limit are eliminated from the poll.

New Year, New Releases

Happy New Year! Here are five new releases to kick off 2014.

Christmas Camouflage Some Christmas Camouflage by Elisabeth Grace Foley

On a snowy December evening during the Depression, a college student decides to do some spying on a quiet classmate with unexpected results.

Some Christmas Camouflage is available through Amazon.com, Smashwords, and Amazon UK.

 

Perfect Player 120x177The Perfect Player by Devon Winterson

A forbidden tryst exposes a threat and sets a secret plan in motion, and twenty-year-old Marisa discovers her life is all a lie. . .

The Perfect Player is available through Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

 

JoyaFields_SidelinedAfterlife_300Sidelined Afterlife by Joya Fields

She hates her psychic gift. He needs to get rid of a ghost. Falling in love surprises them. SIDELINED AFTERLIFE.

Sidelined Afterlife is available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon UK.

 

brandful workplace 120x177The Brandful Workforce by Julia Gometz

Learn how your workforce can work FOR your brand, rather than against it. Engage employees as valuable brand ambassadors.

The Brandful Workforce is available at Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

 

swimming upstream 120x177Swimming Upstream by Ruth Mancini

Swimming Upstream is a life-affirming and often humorous story about friendship, love, and a young woman’s pursuit of happiness.

Swimming Upstream is available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon UK.