Before I get to this week’s regularly scheduled blog, I’ve got some incredible news: #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner is offering a free, autographed copy of one of her books to anyone who pre-orders The Opposite of Me tomorrow – Wednesday, March 3! Please check Jen’s website for details. And I’m putting together a raffle with cool prizes like a camcorder and MAC cosmetics for the same folks who pre-order on Wednesday. So, to recap: Buy a copy of my book tomorrow, get a free, signed Jen Weiner blockbuster book AND a chance to win a cool raffle prize. Details about my raffle are on my website here. Good luck! And thanks, Jen!
Here’s a little secret: I’m the world’s worst speller. I also mispronounce a lot of words (confession: I nearly misspelled “mispronounce.”) Probably not qualities most writers would brag about, but I figure if I hide all my flaws, we won’t have anything left to talk about. So dictionaries are my friend – well, they’ve been somewhat replaced by spell-check, but I’ve still got my trusty dog-eared Webster’s hanging around.
I also love dictionaries because they contain the most scrumptious, lip-smacking words around. I love words that make your lips and tongue do funny things; I respect a word that feels substantial yet whimsical. If a word is fun to say, you can bet I’ll try to work it into a sentence. If my husband or I wakes up feeling grumpy, the first thing we’ll ask, with an air of mock-concern, is, “Are you feeling persnickety?”
Here are some other awesome words:
mellifluous
ratatouille (I would order it in a restaruant just to say this word)
smorgasbord
bodacious
bratwurst
fandango
What wacky words do you love to say?
What a fantastic promotion! I’m in.
Persnickety is one of my favorites, too. I also like skeewampus. And ubiquitous.
Loquacious, chandelier, blustery, and squelch are right up there for me.
And tres cool about Jennifer Weiner!
Excellent words… I’m loving these!
And Jen Weiner is an amazing woman. I’m in awe of her.
Here’s one I came across while proofreading: polyetheretherketone! Can’t even say it, much less spell it. (It’s a high-melt-temperature thermoplastic, in case you were wondering. And the client and I disagree on the hyphenation of “high melt temperature.”)
And Sarah – I can’t wait to read you book. I will make sure my local bookstore has it in stock. Have fun!
Sensational is my word with a nod to Jennifer Weiner. I have to smile too when thinking that Lindsey (the main twin in THE OPPOSITE OF ME) was the PR creative genius but, Sarah, you and Jennifer are topping her!
Not only am I a horrible speller, my grammar stinks too. Great combo for a writer. Congrats on Jennifer W!
best,
greg
I love “nefarious.” It sounds like its meaning. It’s nice to read about another writer who struggles with spelling and pronounciation. And if there are any misspelled words here, I did it on purpose.
Judy, I looked up skeewampus, and its etymology turned out to be two of my favorite words to say: askew and cattywampus 🙂
Emily, I love that you looked it up in your trusty OED.
Here’s another one I like–malfeasance.
Ooh, nefarious. Good one.
I remember persnickety from the Ramona books. And comeuppance from the Henry Huggins books, also Beverly Cleary. I personally like fruition.
I love persnickety! And cattywampus.
My list would also include eschew, malarkey and ebullient.
My all-time favourite word is eclecticity…eclectic is fun, sounds like animal chatter, but eclecticity is best, not only for its sound but its meaning as well. It’s even the name of my blog!
Feckless. And I second the vote for Loquacious, my all-time favorite.
I thought my yoga teacher made up cattywampus! Really.
I have a thing for “jaunty” lately.
I cannot believe what Kristen De Deyn Kirk wrote because that is my word as well!!! I love “nefarious”…although I always feel it should be capitalized for ummph! Nefarious….it just sounds evil and bad in some hush hush way….like you would whisper evil secrets about someone who was nefarious….I also love the spelling since not that many works have an “n” and an “f” in them….so excited someone else loves my dear word too!
I had forgotten cotton-headed-ninny-mungus…I am not sure that it actually exists, I got if off “Elf” but I use it all the time…especially to my husband…he just shakes his head……