Hi bookworms,

I haven't paid my parking ticket yet, but I've got cops on the brain. So here's a little midweek picker-upper--a history of slang about cops. I mean, what even is a cop?

Consider my ticket paid back (or at least, consider this payback!).

The history of words about cops, selected by me from the infallible folks at Wikipedia.

5 - 0: Maybe because police use modified 5.0 Liter engines. Or from the TV show Hawaii 5-0 (Hawaii being the 50th state in the USA).

Barney: No, not from Barney Frank. From Barney Fife! I do love comic relief characters—in Mayberry or Congress.

Bear: See also Smokey the. Because Smokey and Barney have the same milliner (that’s dead-people speak for hat maker).

Bobby: Derived from Robert Peel. Whoever that is.

Boys in blue: A direct reference to New York City street performers who are often mistaken for cops. Or a reference to the New York Giants offensive line due to their offensive police record. Actually I’m making all of this up. If you don’t know why they’re called the boys in blue, do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to jail.

Cop: Lots of theories here. Constable On Patrol. Or, may be related to cap. Or may be short for copper, in reference to a sheriff’s badge.

Fuzz: Kchchchchc. This is—Kchchchc. We’re arriving at the sce—Kchchchch. I can’t make out what you’re—Kchchchc. There’s too much fu—Kchchchchc.

Heat: As in, putting on the, or packin' some. It feels like if you’re going to refer to someone as the heat you might as well call them the menstruation. Now, that would be hot.

Member: Apparently Mounties call each other members. LOL! Mounties’ members. I can’t even touch that one…and I wouldn’t want to because I already got my ticket for the week.

Okay, wormies. Beware the long arm of the law. Don’t underestimate a member of the fuzz (if you have a sick mind, you'll think that's funny).

Over and out.
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Upcoming this weekend: Joanne Beard’s Boys Of My Youth
In the Queue Upcoming:
Sherrill Bodine’s Talk of the Town
Elizabeth Hoyt’s To Seduce A Sinner

Hi wormies,

I'm still putting the finishing touches on my new book, but after my "incident" yesterday with the police, I decided to take a break.

See, last night a cop knocked on my door and told me I parked in front of a driveway. I did protesteth most vehemently. I mean, how would that even be possible? I've lived on this street for two years. "You got the wrong guy!!!"

Well, one ticket and half a bottle of wine later, I've stepped away from the manuscript for a bit. What can I say? I'm totally absorbed by it 24/7. That's how I know it's good!

Anyway, onward to the dissection.

Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue; The Untold Story of English is just that--the untold story of English.

HINT: The book's better if one is familiar with the "told" story first.

The author, John McWhorter, argues with wild and flamboyant enthusiasm (I bet he waves his arms around when he talks) that English (Hold everything! Stop the presses!) is derived in part from Celtic languages.

This is my fave tidbit:

"...in the nineteenth century...many grammarians considered the following words expression extremely declasse*: all the time (quality folks were to say always), born in (don't you know it's born at????), lit (What did I tell you, daring? It's lighted), washtub (I don't know why people can't say washing tub as they should!). Believe it or not, it was also considered a tad vulgar to say Have a look at instead of Look at, and to say The first two children instead of The two first!!" (74)

The last part of the book is spent debunking* the idea that the way we think is affected by the words that are available to us. Doublespeak be damned!

Well, I may have lied a little. I'm going to go back to writing now.

Stay warm, wormies!

P.S. Simple Wishes is in the top 100 romances sold so far this year. How wild is that?

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* Sorry, no accent marks in blogger.

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* Don't you adore debunk? Don't debunk spelunking, chump!

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Got a parking ticket story? Tell me. Please. I'd like to hear one that's worse than mine!

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Check it out. When the Times Union Newspaper website crashed, this website made a users' guide for old-fashioned newspapers. On Reading The Newspaper

Hi wormies!

First off thanks to all of you for your wonderful emails and cheers! It's been a really exciting week since Simple Wishes came out (yes, that really is a picture of it on the shelf!!) I've been getting some really great letters from bookworms I know and bookworms I'm hearing from for the first time. I've had a ton of fun chatting with you all!

Give me a shout here or on FaceBook, MySpace, or Twitter.

This week, I'm putting up the finishing touches on my new book (it's about two sisters who own a wildflower farm in Vermont, details on my website) and so instead of posting my usual dissection, I thought it would be fun to share some funny picts for literary types!

Enjoy!



more animals



Below is my favorite picture. It's of my brother; apparently, he was a little more interested in the book that my novel was shelved next to than in mine!



Happy reading 'til next time!

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Got a tip for BA101? Email me: lisa@lisadalebooks.com.