Stuart Aken's Blog, page 318

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Yahoo

Image via Wikipedia
Yahoo: noun – someone coarse and bestial, lout, hooligan; large hairy man-monster supposed to live in eastern Australia; one of a race of man-like brutes subject to the Houyhnhnms, the intelligent horses in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels; widely used web search engine that finds information, news, images, products, finance.
'Daisy says that David is a real yahoo; apparently, he thinks it's funny to put her down in public and he once pulled her skirt right up over her head as she was walking down the High Street.'
'In light of the dictionary definition, Janice never fully understood why the popular web search engine had chosen to call itself Yahoo.'

Writing Now

Book 2 progresses. This morning, I added 800 words of a death scene to chapter 18. Always difficult to kill of a character you love, but it had to be done. Later, I completed chap 18 at 4,189 words, ending on page 179. Chap 19 is well under way, with about 2000 words down and more to come. So, going well at present.
It's been an odd day. The new bed we ordered over 6 weeks ago, finally arrived, which meant the old one had to be dismantled and the new one assembled. The headboard didn't quite fit the base, so, instead of sending it back and having to wait for more weeks, I got out the drill and screw driver and did a spot of modification. Looks fine and is as solid as you could wish. Should be a good night's sleep tonight.
Completed Kate's funding application with the bit Valerie and I had to contribute to the process, so now just waiting for things to happen there.
More stuff transferred from collapsing cardboard boxes into sealed plastic containers for the loft. Will have to get those up there tomorrow.
And now I'm for a drop of red stuff whilst I watch 'Have I Got News For You' and 'QI' on the idiots' lantern.
Another picture for your inspiration.
By the way, if you like writing contests, take a gander at the Writing Contests page, where you'll find links to over 120 such competitions.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: X certificate

[image error] Image via Wikipedia
X certificate: noun – a film classification (now sometimes superseded by '18') indicating a movie is suitable only for adults; used figuratively to denote an entertainment, event, object etc., suitable only for those with an adult disposition, usually because of either sexual or violent content, or both.
'The film, Reservoir Dogs, was awarded an X certificate ranking due to its extreme violence.'
'Arthur marked Ursula's bikini swimsuit in Dr No as X certificate because he thought she looked so hot he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off her if she moved too close to him.' 

Edit; Now complete. So Begins the Writing.

Well, that's the editing complete for those chapters I had already written. So, Book 1 is complete and ready to send off (though, I'm waiting until I have book 2 ready as well, as there has been some suspicion of fantasy series recently, where authors have started but never finished a series). Today, along with a number other bits and pieces - helping Kate apply for university funding, dealing with the tax man, organising a plumber  for the faulty shower (yet to be properly fixed), returning a new music centre because it doesn't work, and taking a walk with my wife - I've sorted a few more bits for the blog and written about 3,000 words of the novel.
Now I'm going to rest and relax.

Today's picture is of Spinalonga, Crete. The island was used as a leper colony until the 1950s and features in an excellent book, The Island, by Victoria Hislop.

Author Interview To Come

Regular readers will know I generally post an interview with a published author on Thursdays. This week, I'm missing that, because the author has a book launch on Monday 11th April and it makes sense to save the interview for that date. So, look out for next Monday's post, when I shall be interviewing crime writer, Lesley Cookman.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Wadd

Image via Wikipedia
Wadd: noun – a pre-Islamic Moon god of southern Arabia, whose sacred animal is the snake.
'Under the bright orb of a newly risen full moon, members of the tribe prostrated themselves, paying homage to Wadd and releasing sacred snakes to bite the unwary or unbelievers.'

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Vacate

Image via Wikipedia
Vacate: verb - make void; deprive of legal validity, annul or cancel; make a position vacant, remove an occupant or holder; leave or cease to use a place, seat, house; give up an office, or retire; take a holiday.
'When Nixon was impeached, he was forced to vacate the office of President.'
'Gloria and George decided to vacate their seaside home before the cliff on which it was perched succumbed to the constant erosion from the restless sea.' 

Edit; a Brief Input

Last night, of course, was dance class, which went well but left me a bit knackered.
Tonight, other things have intervened, so I've simply amalgamated three sections into a loosely formed chapter, but done no more for the moment, due to weariness.
Tomorrow is my writing group evening, where I'll read a short story for feedback. So, it won't be until Thursday that I get back to the real work, unfortunately.

The picture shows the deserted mediaeval village of Wharram Percy; a few miles from my home.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Ugar

Image via Wikipedia
Ugar:  noun - a pre-Phoenician Semitic language first discovered at the site of Ugarit; a god of vegetation, possibly Canaanite: adjective - pertaining to the language.
'When speaking of Ugar, the famous archaeologist wondered whether first there was Ugarit and then Ugar, or the other way round: which spawned which, was the question.'
'Bow down and worship Ugar the benevolent, or else he'll make sure your crops don't flourish; such, apparently, is the nature of these gods.'

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Tabby

Image via Wikipedia
Tabby: noun - elderly spinster, spiteful or ill-natured female gossip; an attractive young woman or girl; concrete made of lime, shells, gravel, and stones which dries very hard; a pyralid moth of the genera Aglossa and Epizeuxis, with greyish-brown forewings clouded with a darker colour. Adjective - cat of a brownish, tawny, or grey colour, marked with darker parallel stripes or streaks; brindled.
'There; see? That's the tabby I was speaking of. What, that bad tempered old crone? No, the pretty young girl, of course.'
'Shiela dangled coloured thread from her fingers, tweaking it up and down to make her tabby cat jump and writhe as she tried to catch it.'