Barbara Venkataraman's Blog: A Trip on the Mobius Strip, page 20

Mrs. Grammar Person is having a banner week!

Mrs. Grammar Person is pleased to announce that she is having a very good week indeed. Not only is her book "Teatime with Mrs. Grammar Person" coming out in paperback next week, but, in addition, she was featured in not one, not two, but three blogs this week! Check out these fun blogs and don't forget to order your copy of Teatime next week!

Thanks, Sally!

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpre...

Thanks, Bee!

https://beehalton.com/2016/06/09/the-...

Thanks, Annie!

http://www.editingpen.net/adverbs/

Mrs. Grammar Person Admires Adverbs :-)

Fear not, Gentle Writer, Mrs. Grammar Person is here and intends to make adverbs perfectly clear.

Adverbs are our versatile friends that answer the question: how, where, why or when (but not who).

They modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs as well; Mrs. G.P. will explain if you sit for a spell.

Adverbs work alone and with others in a number of ways; if there's no verb or subject, it's an adverbial phrase (during class, to the moon).

Mrs. G.P. will try to clear the haze; sometimes an adverb is an infinitive phrase (to catch the train, to see her father).

Now that you are in a daze, Mrs. G.P. will explain the prepositional phrase (under the bed, behind the dresser).

This next rule may give you pause but if there's a verb and a subject, it's an adverb clause (when she arrives, after we eat).

More and less, least and most, comparative adverbs allow one to boast.

The most familiar adverbs all end in -ly, like the dog ate his treat happily.

Extremely, quite, just, almost, very, too, and enough are adverbs of degree.

Being punctual is an uphill climb without early, late, now and first, our adverbs of time.

Some adverbs are superfluous, which is rather sad, but very, extremely, and really have nothing to add.

Adverbs are grand and we use them like crazy, but use them too often, readers think you are lazy.

And adverbs of frequency, like every day, let Mrs. G.P. know when you'll be passing her way. (Do drop by for tea, won't you?)

The Fourteen Longest Words in the English Language :-)

Mrs. Grammar Person just had to share this blog post from Grammarly.com:

See if you know the fourteen longest words in the English language. Now spell them if you dare. :-D

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/14-of-...

Enjoy Silver's Tea party! :-)

If you haven't checked out Silver's Tea Party, you should. This monthly tea sharing event is full of interesting news about books, gardening, guests, and, of course, tea. This month's event features a post by our own Mrs. Grammar Person. Thanks for the hospitality, Colleen!

https://silverthreading.com/2016/05/2...

Check out my fun interview! :-)

Check out my fun interview on the blog: "My Train of Thoughts On...". Thanks, Karen!
https://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress...

Also, my first Jamie Quinn Mystery, "Death by Didgeridoo", is free today. :-)

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Didgerid...

Hurry, my Goodreads Giveaway ends May 1st! :-)

The Goodreads giveaway for my "Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection: Box Set Books 1-3" ends May 1st. Tell all your friends! :-)

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

Cozy Mysteries with Klingons

Thanks to Brad Tate and Kim Drew Wright for the amazing review on the blog: Quick Wit Lit

http://www.kimdrewwright.com/#!Cozy-M...

Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection Giveaway :-)

Win a paperback copy of my Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection, 3 cozy mysteries in one book!

Check out the latest review: "What a great series. I am so glad I decided to save this for a weekend. I would have hated to have to put it down until I had finished every last word. The story line is filed with drama, intrigue, and comedy. Can't wait to read book 4!"

Here are the links to enter the 2 giveaways. Good luck :-)

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/61655a7...

Jamie Quinn Spotlight & Giveaway! :-)

Check out the great spotlight and giveaway of the Jamie Quinn Box Set on the wonderful "Celtic Lady's Reviews" blog. Thanks, Kathleen!

http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.co...

You try to be serious and look what happens! :-P

Well, there I was working on my new Jamie Quinn mystery, "Jeopardy in July", trying to write a serious scene where Jamie is having a crisis and I end up with a ridiculous typo that just "cracked" me up. I also invented a new article of clothing! Check it out. :-P

Being a drama queen was so much easier than I'd thought. All those years, I'd assumed my clients had to work at it. The recipe was simple--take one mundane life, turn it upside down, shake vigorously. But, unlike my client who had chained herself to the flagpole in front of the courthouse, or the one who had smashed her husband's prize guitar in his workplace lobby, I wasn't into performance art. I was more brooding, angsty. When my mother had succumbed to cancer four years earlier, I'd found myself in a rut and for six months had hardly left the house. Butt hat wasn't me anymore. Since then, I'd been through so much and faked it so often that even I thought I had my act together.