MY WRITERS SITE: 2013-09-08

Word stuff: Factotum

fak-TOH-tuhm

A servant or a low-level employee tasked with many things.

From Latin factotum, from facere (to do) + totus (all). Earliest documented use: 1573.

Advise for writers: simplify

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. -Hans Hofmann, painter (1880-1966)

Word stuff: kamikaze

kah-mi-KAH-zee

Someone who behaves in a reckless, self-destructive manner.

From Japanese kamikaze (divine wind), from kami (god, divinity) + kaze (wind). Earliest documented use: 1896.

In Japanese folklore, kamikaze was the divine wind that destroyed a Mongol invasion fleet under Kublai Khan. In World War II, the kamikaze were suicidal attacks by Japanese pilots who crashed their planes on an enemy target such as a ship.

Word stuff: Tycoon

ty-KOON

A wealthy and powerful person, especially in business or politics.

From Japanese taikun (great lord or prince), from Chinese ta (great) + kiun (prince). Earliest documented use: 1857.

It is as easy to dream a book

It is as easy to dream a book as it is hard to write one. -Honore de Balzac, novelist (1799-1850)

Word Stff: interlocutors

(in-tuhr-LOK-yuh-tuhr, -yoo-)

One who takes part in a conversation or dialogue, especially as a representative of an organization.

From Latin inter- (between) + loqui (to speak). Earliest documented use: 1518.

Word stuff: Itinerant

eye-TIN-uh-runt\

traveling from place to place; especially : covering a circuit

In Latin, "iter" means "way" or "journey." That root was the parent of the Late Latin verb "itinerari," meaning "to journey." It was that verb which ultimately gave rise to today's English word for traveling types: "itinerant." The linguistic grandsire, "iter," also contributed to the development of other words in our vocabulary, including "itinerary" ("the route of a journey" and "the plan made for a journey") and "errant" ("traveling or given to traveling").

Word stuff: confrere

KON-frayr

Colleague; a fellow member of a profession, fraternity, etc.

From Latin con- (with) + frater (brother). Other cousins of this word, derived from the same Indo-European root bhrater- (brother), are brother, pal, fraternal, and bully. Earliest documented use: 1425.

Word stuff: Respite

RESS-pit

a period of temporary delay, an interval of rest or relief

"Respite" traces from the Latin term "respectus," which comes from a verb meaning, both literally and figuratively, "to turn around to look at" or "to regard." By the 14th century, we had granted "respite" the sense we use most often today—"a welcome break."

Word Stuff: Protege

PRO-tuh-zhay, pro-tuh-ZHAY

One who is protected, guided, and supported by somebody older and more experienced.

From French protégé, past participle of protéger (to protect), from Latin protegere, from pro- + tegere (cover). Ultimately from Indo-European root (s)teg- (to cover), which is the ancestor of other words such as tile, thatch, protect, detect, and toga. Earliest documented use: 1786.

Word Stuff: Metonymy

Metonymy

muh-TAH-nuh-mee

a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated

Metonymy derived via Latin from Greek "metonymia" (from "meta-," meaning "among, with, or after," and "onyma," meaning "name"), metonymy often appears in news articles and headlines, as when journalists use the term "crown" to refer to a king or queen.

Anyone can love a rose

Be this guy

When writing

Rules

Plot twist

Learning

The enemy

Writers

Ideas

Keep writing

To my friends....

A referral point for my friends (personnel friends, meaning people I know in my personnel life) who want me to “Take a look at my stuff.” For years I’ve said sure, I’ll look at it, meaning edit it. But I have always forewarned them that I take the processes seriously and I won’t pull any punches and not to get angry with me. They always, always, always assure me that they want to a professional edit and that I shouldn’t pull any punches just because we’re friends. Then I edit their work and they get angry at me. So here’s what we’re going to do. If you want me to give my opinion on your writing or edit your work, the charge is $50.00 an hour with a four hour minimum. That should stop most of you from asking me to look at your work and while preserving our friendship.

Why this blog is here.

I am largely self-educated, and this blog is continuation of that education. I have an MFA, but that doesn’t have much to do with an education, not the kind I’m talking about. An advanced degree means I am able to follow instruction.

Never ending self-education means I adore knowledge and enlightenment of both the ordinary and the odd and that’s what this blog is about. It is by me, written for my benefit. You are more than welcomed to drop by as often and for as long as your heart desires.

John William Tuohy

I was born and raised in Connecticut and now live in rural West Virginia with my wife, Mary, and my dog Eli.

I hold an AA and MA in literature and an MFA in writing from Lindenwood University. I spent most of my career as a political consultant and hated every living second of it.

I am produced and award-winning playwright. (Cyberdate, The Hannigans of Beverly, etc.)

I am the author of 12 books on traditional organized crime, an autobiography (No Time to Say Goodbye) two books of short stories (Short Stories from a Small Town, Washington Behind the Monuments) a novella (Imago Summer, 1971) and several books on Connecticut history. I proud to be the historian of Ansonia Connecticut. I sit on the board of Mt. St. John's School.

I occasionally and reluctantly work as an editor but only when I need money to travel.

I am an accomplished amateur photographer, a frustrated painter and not a half-bad gardener and I cook. I collect coins, stamps and political memorabilia. I love film so much that I built a large theater in my home. (I also wrote "On the Waterfront: the Making of a Great Amercian film")

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