Paula Guran
The Word Book from Writers.com
A Guide to Misunderstood, Misused & Confusing Words with Bonus Quirky Tangents & Illuminating Quotations
"Writer-editor Paula Guran makes reading about the mechanics of the English language a lot of fun. She deals with dozens of mistakes a lot of otherwise literate writers tend to make. I can't think of a handier, more accessible guide than this to everyday questions about proper usage. Paula does this in a readable, informative style that makes this a definite keeper. An excellent addition to every literate person's library." -- Ed Gorman, Mystery Scene magazine
"Guran, a freelance writer and editor, provides some basic guidance on language usage, making clear from the outset her position as a word 'user' rather than an expert. This explains the book's accessibility-readers will learn a good deal about terms that often get mistaken for other terms or are simply used incorrectly... the explanations are consistently succinct and are supplemented by useful quotations that illustrate correct usage and provide entertainment and light relief...this how-to is solidly written and enhanced by a detailed index." -- Library Journal
The Word Book from Writers.com
sorts out and clears up some of the confusions and misuses we all face
with the English language.
This small, (relatively) cheap book packs a passel of help (and some
giggles)
into its pages. Written by a "non-expert" The Word Book from
Writers.com offers a fresh perspective, practical savvy, and
occasional sass as it sorts out some misunderstandings and common
confusions of the English language.
The Word Book answers simple questions (is it discreet? or
discrete? sensual or sensuous?)
succinctly, often with examples drawn from amusing, profound, or
just plain strange quotations
the famous, not-so-famous, and infamous past and present. Other
answers go a step further --
and occasionally right over the edge -- with entertaining forays
into the quirks and
fascinations of English.
• Find out the truth about duct tape
• Ponder the problems of pablum
• Get to the ground floor of Ground Zero
• Discover more than you thought possible about amuck
• When was the phrase wreak havoc was first used?
• Learn why Star Trek weapons were dubbed phasers
• Are you titillated or titivated?
• And, of course, more!
Want to read an excerpt? You can read section "W" --
• In your browser in HTML
• By downloading this Adobe PDF
file
• By downloading this MSWord Rich
Text Format document
Trade Paperback (6" X 9") / $11.95 / 168 pages
ISBN: 0-9742907-0-X
Order Direct
Paula Guran
Guran has a lengthy bio
on her DarkEcho Web
site. If you read it, you'll discover she's done a lot in the area of
dark fiction/horror and won some awards and stuff. Guran's also
strangely well-informed about publishing in general but prefers not to
divulge her sources. She heads up Writers.com Books and its two
imprints, Cælum
Press and infrapress, and
teaches for Writers On the Net (she's written their
almost-monthly newsletter for the last five years), and is trying
to finish The Woeful Writer.
