Embarras de Richesse

[estragon]

I anticipate the return of PatriciaFCartier's naughty Mrs. Burgin and her friend Lucy, as the "Therapy" series is about to continue. And Sagacious21's latest story, "Blind Leading Blind", is an interesting take, with some good hot sex, on something beside the usual Barbie-and-Ken couple.

 

[estragon]

I wish to congratulate Melbclayman on a really nice story, "Book, Cover". Well-drawn characters, believable plotline. But his taste in wine really caused me to exceed my quibbler's remit at length. I don't like to do it, especially when the story is so good, but in my little world, wine is a serious business.

 

[estragon]

Two of the Best Are Back On Board

DG Hear's "My Sister's Wedding" has posted, and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. StangStar, one of the masters of LW, gave it a strong "thumbs up". I've said it is a masterful "feel good" story, and the readers agree. A strong competitior in the Summer Lovin' Competition.

And Serenissima Syd has posted the latest "How to Save A Life" Chapter, to cheers from her adoring public. Smokin' hot, with great characters.

 

[estragon]

Just finished work on another DG Hear, a possible entry for Summer Lovin', "Best Summer Ever." The man is on a tear! A natural storyteller.

And Grandmistress Lisa Jones may be back on Lit. The story has some fine characterization, and the fine local colour that marks this writer's work. I hope GMLJ decides to publish here.

 

[estragon]

VM Has a Hot Story

"Heat in the Heart of Texas" combines some fine local color, breezy dialogue and really well-written fucking. Good stuff, VM! Really liked it.

 

[estragon]

SilkStockingsLover is back on board with Submissive Soccer Mom's: Rich Bitch. Why the apostrophe in the title I don't know. I didn't copy edit the title, but that's by the way. Fans of Silk's seduce-and-humiliate style will like this. Those who like tales of lesbian coupling will also find something wherewith to amuse themselves, as well. The characters are more or less off-the-shelf with minimal custom tailoring, but Silk isn't Jane Austen (nor does she pretend to be). Silk is consistent; you know what you're getting.

AlexPal's 48 Hours in Glasgow is hot, if a trifle repetitive (I mean fifteen orgasms plus in 48 hours isn't bad, but even Groucho Marx took out the cigar once in a way, old boy). And Alex does have simultaneous translations of UK-isms for us across the pond. Howbeit, his 48 hours in Glasgow were a lot more fun than mine.

 

[estragon]

It's Thursday

so of course another StangStar06 classic posts, this time "All in the Family". A total winner. I'm not an LW fan, but The Great Stangster is the leader of the pack, the boss hoss. And his comment about the LW trolls is priceless.

 

[estragon]

If you like really well-written stroke, Lucy1970Harker's "Slow" is your kind of tale (pun definitely intended). Juicy Lucy can really make your cock twitch.

 

[estragon]

Just finished work on another DG Hear, a possible entry for Summer Lovin', "Best Summer Ever." The man is on a tear! A natural storyteller.

And Grandmistress Lisa Jones may be back on Lit. The story has some fine characterization, and the fine local colour that marks this writer's work. I hope GMLJ decides to publish here.

Grandmistress Lisa Jones just published Ch 1 of "Limits". Aside from blatantly false praise of my editing ability, it's a wonderful start to a series that I loved reading and quibbling. Hot, sweet, but with a bite. GMLJ is one of the best.

And JukeboxEMCSA has a humor & satire story, "Love Stinks", which some might put in the mind control shoppingcart. Whatever, it's got a cute theme and hot sex. And MC definitely isn't a favorite genre of mine.

 

[estragon]

Iron Man?

Just heard from DG Hear, MFG (Master of Feel-Good). He has another story in the works. The man won't quit; he makes the Energizer Bunny look like Rip Van Winkle. No details on plot, character, setting, etc., but I suspect it isn't a sequel or prequel to any of his published works.

DG fans, get ready.

 

[estragon]

Grandmistress Lisa Jones posted Ch 2 of "Limits". This is a good one, lots of good character work.

DG Hear, MFG, tells me he has some twists and turns in his next story. Can't wait to see what he has set up.

 

[estragon]

Heard Through the Grapevine

Yet another DG Hear, MFG, story in the works, sort of Hawaii with benefits. And SilkStockingsLover is looking for tips on gay male sex from her many fans--is there a change of pace in the cards?

Eagerly hoping for more from Ilmonamour and Serenissima Syd. And rumor has it that SA Penn Lady has another hockey story percolating.

Meanwhile, watch for Grandmistress Lisa Jones' series "Limits". Hot lesbian sex and real believable characters.

 

[estragon]

Just saw the latest chapter of Limits posted by Grandmistress Lisa Jones. I winced when I saw that the word "snuck" sneaked by my eagle eye when I copy edited the story. And yet that past participle has become standard, despite disapproval from purists like me.

Here's what Washington State University has to say: "In American English “snuck” has become increasingly common as the past tense of 'sneak.' This is one of many cases in which people’s humorously self-conscious use of dialect has influenced others to adopt it as standard and it is now often seen even in sophisticated writing in the US. But it is safer to use the traditional form: 'sneaked'."

In trying to use "correct" or "proper" English when copy editing, I find I'm trying to hit a moving target. Not only is the target moving, the target is gyrating, shucking and jiving, and I'm getting dizzy trying to keep up.

So have pity on the poor copy editor.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Just saw the latest chapter of Limits posted by Grandmistress Lisa Jones. I winced when I saw that the word "snuck" sneaked by my eagle eye when I copy edited the story. And yet that past participle has become standard, despite disapproval from purists like me.

Here's what Washington State University has to say: "In American English “snuck” has become increasingly common as the past tense of 'sneak.' This is one of many cases in which people’s humorously self-conscious use of dialect has influenced others to adopt it as standard and it is now often seen even in sophisticated writing in the US. But it is safer to use the traditional form: 'sneaked'."

In trying to use "correct" or "proper" English when copy editing, I find I'm trying to hit a moving target. Not only is the target moving, the target is gyrating, shucking and jiving, and I'm getting dizzy trying to keep up.

So have pity on the poor copy editor.

Other forum members will tell you that Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11-th Edition, is the standard for commercial publishing, and that dictionary---which I think too liberal---endorses "snuck" as both past and past participle of "sneak".

What's next?

"He puck through the keyhole to watch his sister undress."?

"The basement filled with water when the broken pipe luck through the night."?

"The dead body, having lain there through several hot summer days, ruck something awful."?

"He couldn't find the lost key, though he suck it for several hours"?

Or maybe even "What hath God wruck!"

 

[sr71plt]

Other forum members will tell you that Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11-th Edition, is the standard for commercial publishing, and that dictionary---which I think too liberal---endorses "snuck" as both past and past participle of "sneak".

It wouldn't be a trained editor who made this statement. Webster's Collegiate endorses the first-listed option, not subsequently listed options (and a mainstream industry editor would use the first-listed option). In the case of "sneak," Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, edition 11, "endorses" "sneaked" as the past tense of "sneak." (At least my copy of the dictionary does.)

It's true that Webster's Collegiate is the dictionary of choice almost universally for U.S. publishing. Publishers want to keep the issue simple and as little prissy, pedantic, and personal quirkish as possible (which I can see wouldn't be to Carlus's liking).

It helps if you know how to read the dictionary, though.

Webster's has become the standard in the U.S. publishing industry because it is a "descriptive" dictionary, reflecting currently developed useage. It tells you what is being actually used in the language (and there isn't just a 10th edition and nothing changes until the 11th edition comes out--there are updates with each new printing of the dictionary). Carlus's choice, no doubt, would be a "prescriptive" dictionary, such as the American Heritage, which is quite helpful in providing a word's history but which also, in the extreme, perhaps, will tell you how our forefathers want you to continue using the word regardless of where reality has moved.

On the use of "snuck" in fiction, though--if it's in dialogue (or even in the narrative) and is consistent with what the character (or narrator) would use, it's quite all right to use "snuck." It's part of providing a consistent character.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

... In the case of "sneak," Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, edition 11, "endorses" "sneaked" as the past tense of "sneak." (At least my copy of the dictionary does.)

My copy says, in a usage note, "...the past and past participle snuck has risen to the status of standard and to approximate equality with sneaked." (Original emphasis.) That's an endorsement of snuck. (See entry 2 a for endorse: "to approve openly".)

On the use of "snuck" in fiction, though--if it's in dialogue (or even in the narrative) and is consistent with what the character (or narrator) would use, it's quite all right to use "snuck." It's part of providing a consistent character.

Of course. I have no reservations about solecisms in dialogue---except for the one you've mentioned regarding consistency.

 

[sr71plt]

My copy says, in a usage note, "...the past and past participle snuck has risen to the status of standard and to approximate equality with sneaked." (Original emphasis.) That's an endorsement of snuck. (See entry 2 a for endorse: "to approve openly".)

Umm, no. It is a usage note, as stated, not an endorsement to use it rather than "sneaked." Where does it say it prefers it to its first-listed "sneaked"?

Do you understand with "approximate equality" means?

But then you have to know how to read a dictionary.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Do you understand with "approximate equality" means?

I'm guessing that you meant to say "...understand what..."

Being a professional mathematician, I probably understand the phrase better than you do.

But then you have to know how to read a dictionary.

Do you understand what "to approve openly" means?

 

[estragon]

Perhaps someone can supply the source of this quotation. I believe Shelby Foote quoted it in his three-volume "The Civil War: A Narrative", but after an hour's search I couldn't find it.

"If he had not a quarrel on hand with an enemy, he would fight with his best friend in the world."

 

[estragon]

LunaEroticaMystica's Jersey Shore story is a winner. She is one of our Lit stars. I'd love to give her 5 stars, but I have copy edited for DG Hear's stories and SilkStockingsLover's story, all entries in the Summer Lovin' contest, so I'm delighted but totally conflicted out. I hope they finish 1-2-3 (in whatever order). Oh, yeah, I quibbled Jersey Shore. Just mechanicals, I wouldn't dare touch the substance.

 

[estragon]

La Serenissima Magnifica

Serenissima Sydney Blake has outdone herself. I just got through quibbling Ch 12 of "How to Save a Life". I read it twice, gasping both times at her inventiveness, sensitivity and complete command of narration. It was an honor to get first read. Minuscule quibbles, of course; I wouldn't dare to touch anything substantive. Syd throws more curveballs than Mariano Rivera, and they're all strikes!

 

[estragon]

9/12/11

Sagacious21 is back on track with Summer Nights, a hot, sweet love story with a musical background; really good writing, believable characters and only one quibble. Should have been an entry in the Summer Lovin' competition; it would have done well. He also finished the Blind Leading Blind series, but Ch 2 turned me off to the rest.

And an experienced writer, but one new to me, mandywilluk2000, has a good new story Lesbian Induction: not seduction, an interesting lead-in to the plot, supposedly autobiographical. I can believe mandy was a copywriter for an ad agency. Her prose is breathless and her dialogue is florid. The story needs a really good copy edit, for which I haven't the time just now. But it's worth reading, flaws and all.

Good stuff today.

 

[LunaEroticaMystica]

estragon, thank you! I was so glad to see less quibbles this time. *blush* I can't place in this contest, because of placing in the last one. But thanks for that! Readers want more of these two characters. Maybe the muses will cooperate to bring them a Halloween tale?

 

[estragon]

LunaEroticaMystica, Sorry

How could I forget Lavender and Love? Of course you just won a place in another contest, your story was so beautiful. You keep telling the stories; you can go back and do the mechanicals after you get the story told. I've often said that anyone can do mechanicals, but it takes talent and dedication to tell a great story. You have them both.

 

[estragon]

Speaking of dedication, if not talent, and with a certain *blush* at touting my own work, "Little Dicky", my single venture into the realm of Fetish, stands at 3.18, with over 12,000 views. Inasmuch as it was torpedoed leaving harbor, with a 2.25 score and a few hundred views at Day One, it survived very nicely and must have gotten a batch of 5s (although no favorites) to battle back after such a disastrous debut. Unless, of course, a sweep knocked off the trolls.

In either case, I'm very glad.