The Sesquipedalion's best friend

Come on, confess!

I know I'm not alone in my addiction to words. So for all those epeolatrists who can't get another syllable combo fast enough, go to Dictionary.com and sign up for the emailed word of the day. It's free. How can I describe the experience? It's like the little mint chocolate left on the pillow in the hotel bedroom, only better, because I get a new treat every day! Even more fabulous, the words are archived all the way back to 1999 . . .

Wishing you all a Happy National Punctuation Day! No, really I am. September 24th is the officially-designated celebration, and we owe it all to Jeff Rubin.

Favorite Titles

What's in a title?

It's more than a clever turn of phrase, it's a syllabic hook that embeds itself into our psyches and draws us to pull the book off the shelf as if we had a choice in the matter. That is exactly how it happened with my favorite title, I, Coriander by Sally Gardner. For me, the title suggests a personal account that is somewhat exotic and extraordinary (the gorgeous book cover, didn't hurt, either!). A good title is a keyhole into the kingdom, a glimpse of ink and glory. It should never be a pretentious or flowery ornament, but rather what I like to call the golden gist--take The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. It doesn't need a single word more to sell the story. The title says it all.

What's your favorite title?

Diamond Lucy

Astronomers have discovered a ten billion trillion trillion carat star.

I love the cosmos! Whenever we humans get too puffed up with ourselves, the universe reminds us that there are such wonders still waiting to be discovered and stretch our puny powers of comprehension.

Stelliferous

My first week at grad school this semester has just about squished every last creative syllable out of me. Therefore, I must resort to an emergency transfusion of adjectival brilliancy from Dictionary.com:

*Stelliferous, which means "Having or abounding in stars." Similar to sidereal, I know. Try substituting stelliferous for wicked, nasty, sweet or whatever other run-of-the-mill (or should I say "mouth"?) adjective is the norm for "cool" these days.


Stelliferous. Splendiferous. Ah, I love the fact that two of my favorite words are alliterative twins!

Work cited

"Stelliferous." Dictionary.com. Retrieved from:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stelliferous