Newsletter Volume 6: A Clot of Smokers

From September 3, 2021

I spend way more time than I should playing a game on my phone. Trivia Crack is aptly named because it is hugely addictive. I've been playing for about five years now, during which time I probably could have written two extra books if I'd just put down the phone for an hour during the day. Oh, well.

One of the popular types of questions you get in the games is the names applied for certain groups. Some of my favorites are, a murder of crows, a tower of giraffes, a flamboyance of flamingos, and a bloat of hippos. Crazy, huh? You can't make this stuff up.

Wait, sure you can. Somebody does, right? I've always wondered who the people were that came up with those names, because I have one I'd like to throw out there, but I don't know how to go about it.

You know those groups of smokers that hang out in the designated areas you somehow always have to walk through to get where you're going? I want to call them, clots.

It fits. But I don't have any idea how I could get it into the approved lexicon. I'm not very good at setting trends. I can't even get a nickname to stick on any of my friends.

I did a little research. (Not too much, mind you, because I'd much rather make up stuff than get to the truth of things. I'm a writer of fiction, after all.) Apparently, these group nouns are the results of centuries of English language evolution, but many of the ones that have stuck may be the result of having been chronicled in a 15th century book, The Book of St. Albans, written by a Benedictine prioress named Juliana Berners. Check out the reference <here>.

I guess it's too late to get my 'clot of smokers' into Berner's book. But I bet I could put it in one of mine. I think I'm going to weave it into Half Empty Half Full, which should be coming out towards the end of 2022.

This Month's Feedback Question: What are some of your favorite names for groups? Do you have any you've come up with on your own? Maybe we could get something started that would stick. Post a comment below. I'll publish the good ones in the next blog post.

Speaking of good ones (how's that for a segue?), did you know you could get the entire Red Wolf Saga in a boxed set? For a fraction of the cost of each individual book separately? Almost too good to be true, isn't it? Consider giving it as a gift by clicking the link <here>, or if you've already read the books and just want to help by giving the series a review, click <review the Red Wolf Saga>.

Winners of the August Giveaway: Congratulations to Gary F, Patti S, and Midhat H, who will all receive a signed copy of The Cargo with the new space opera cover.

This Month's Giveaway: Unfortunately, the Red Wolf Saga boxed set is only available as a Kindle eBook. But you know what? I'm assembling a one-of-a-kind printed boxed set, plus a bonus copy of The Cargo with the old series-related cover, for FREE to one lucky entrant. Just click to <Enter the Giveaway>.

As always, if you'd like to get these blog posts sent to your email as they come out, just sign up to become part of the Red Wolf Pack by clicking <Subscribe>. You get a free download of my short story, The Alchemist's Ledger, when you subscribe.

Until next time, Happy Reading!