Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Italics How-to

Creative writers use Italics to draw attention to certain words or phrases in the text, often implying emphasis.  How familiar are you with correct italics usage?  Most style guides agree with the following list of guidelines for when italics should be used.  (Except the "Associated Press Stylebook," the go-to reference guide for journalism, which states never to use italics. Following the AP Stylebook guideline for book titles, I put their title in quotation marks instead of italics. *grin*)

1. Italics draws emphasis to a word or phrase.  Consider how the following sentence changes each time I put a different word in italics:

Example:
How did she do that?
How did she do that?
How did she do that?
How did she do that?
How did she do that?

By changing the emphasized word, the implicated question is altered.  Also, did you notice the question mark in the last sentence was not italicized?  Neither line-ending punctuation marks nor quotation marks are ever italicized.

2. Put into italics the titles of complete works, including books, films, television shows, movies, paintings, sculptures, plays, very long poems, short stories (although some style books state shorts stories belong in quotation marks), newspapers, magazines.

But, shorter works are not italicized and are instead surrounded by quotation marks:  book chapters, articles, poems, and song titles.

And, very long religious works, such as the Holy Bible and the Koran are not italicized.

Example:
I once wrote a poem called "The Empty Fish Tank," and believe me, it was no Iliad.
I've read The Grapes of Wrath in English and in French.

3.  When you use a foreign word in your text, put it in italics.  However, if the foreign word has been so used in English that we no longer think of it as foreign and sort of claim it as our own, it doesn't need to be in italics.

Example:
There's something magical and energetic about her, a joie de vivre you seldom see these days.
He respects her, and vice versa.

4.  Words as words are in italics.  (Wait, what?)  Here are some examples to illustrate:

Examples:
I cringe every time I see an author confuse there and their.
The word flabbergast flows most delightfully right off my tongue.

5.  Proper names of vehicles are italicized, including names of ships, airplanes, missiles, and trains.  You don't italicize modifiers such as the.

Examples:
The survivors of Oceanic 815 were indeed lost.
I'll never forget how I felt watching the Challenger explode on live television.
The U.S.S. Cole was the target of terrorism.

6.  Use italics for legal citations and certain terms in scientific fields such as biology.

Examples:
Roe vs Wade will be debated until the end of time.
Homosapiens emerged as the dominant species.

7.  Examples of onomatopoeia are italicized.

Example:
The bang at the door woke me from my reverie.

8.  This last one may not be in style guides, at least not stated as a guideline for italics usage.  However, I use it in my own writing and feel it is recognized as a useful and legitimate usage for italics:

Use italics to denote internal dialog.  I don't suggest putting every sentence of the character's voice in italics.  But sometimes the character silently speaks directly to herself, and in those cases I use italics:

Example:
The crowd on the Florida beach was growing as the evening sky darkened. Murph’s bare feet slid back a little with each step in the powdery sand so different from the coarse grains of Iraq’s barren landscape. Iraqi sand stung the soles of bare feet like walking across hundreds of tiny horseflies. Just one more comfort of home, he thought dryly.
- Excerpt taken from my short story Homage.


So there's the skinny on italics usage.  I think the best way to ensure you have your edits correct is to invest in a style guide for quick and frequent referrals.  The most widely used style books in the United States for literature are:


The Chicago Manual of Style
The Elements of Style
The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

And, of course, the AP Stylebook, is the reference guide for journalists and article writers.


Do you own a style book?  I'm in the market to purchase one, so any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Monday, May 24, 2010

A Very Vampire May Giveaway

The lovely Sara McClung over at Babbling Flow is having a fantastic contest you won't want to miss!


A Very Vampire May Giveaway is underway and your chance to enter for some amazing prizes expires on June 2nd, so hop on over there today!  Otherwise, you won't be in the running for:


1.  A signed, hardcover copy of Twilight, plus four keepsake journals and a collectible tin.
2.  A hardcover, signed, first edition copy of Anne Rice's The Vampire Armand.
3.  The first three of Chalaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse Series -- all signed!
4.  Christopher Moore's Vampire Trilogy -- all three signed!
5.  Bram Stoker's Dracula AND The Vampire Book: Encyclopedia of the Undead

    For full details and Mr. Linky sign up sheet, CLICK HERE!


    And don't forget!  The League of Extraordinary Writers is a fab new website formed by debut dystopian and sci fi authors.  They're hosting a wonderful giveaway that ends May 31st.  Click HERE for details!

    Sunday, May 23, 2010

    Farewell to LOST


    Tonight airs the series finale of LOST, a television show that has intrigued and entertained me for five years.  I was hooked at the pilot and have never missed an episode.  The writers have created what is, for me, the perfect blend of a character-driven story and a gripping, tension-filled plot that keeps me on the edge of my seat week after week.  I don't want to see it end!

    Although I am a huge fan of LOST, I will not be spending my hard earned cash on these marketing products:


     
    (More info HERE, and Ordering through Amazon HERE)


    (Order Ben and other bobble head LOST characters HERE)



    (Order these action figures or other LOST toys at Amazon HERE)

    Me?  I'm going to pass on the merchandise and stick to watching the finale tonight.  However...I may consider buying the LOST series on DVD.  Truth be told, even though I've never missed an episode, I am still rather lost from all the twists and turns the story has taken.  This is one series I look forward to watching again (and again...)!

    Hope your weekend is going great!

    Friday, May 21, 2010

    I'm Interviewed for FAN-tastic Friday!


    I'm being interviewed today by the hilarious Gina Leigh Maxwell!  Please join us at

    I enjoy Gina's wonderful sense of humor, sprinkled through posts that come alive on the screen.  Her strong voice is evident in everything she writes, and I'm looking forward to buying her paranormal fantasy books one day.  If you visit her for the first time today, I hope you click her follow button!

    Thursday, May 20, 2010

    Awards and an Announcement

    I received a couple awards last week, and I wanted to pass them along today!


    Thank you, Lydia at The World is My Oyster for this pretty award!

    Lydia's blog is inspirational and informative on so many levels.  Her topics range from writing tips to fantastic medical insights that have, on many occasions, sparked ideas for future stories.  I hope you check her blog out today!

    This award goes to:

    Theresa @ Substitute Teacher's Saga - 'Cause school's almost out!
    Christine @ Christine's Journey - 'Cause I love her "Writing the Next Line" interactive story series.
    Laurel @ Laurel's Leaves - 'Cause we both posted blogfest entries this week with characters named Dani. Read Laurel's HERE.


    Tory at Head in the Clouds passed this beautiful award to me.  When I visit Tory's blog, I'm reminded of walking into a friend's house, where I can sit with my feet tucked under me on the couch or help myself to a glass of water without asking first.  Her posts are always upbeat and insightful.  If you haven't discovered this wonderful blogger, I hope you visit her today!

    This award goes to:

    Julie Jarnagin - 'Cause she finished her most recent first draft this week!  Whoo-hoo!
    Lisa Gibson @ Random Thoughts to String Together - 'Cause her creative talent includes poetry.  For a taste, enjoy And Yet.
    Julie Musil - 'Cause she's spreading the word about Border's summer reading incentive program for kids under 12! (Details in her post!)
    Gina @ Passions on Paper - 'Cause she's got a wonderful sense of humor...and...*see below!*

    I hope you visit all these fab bloggers today!

    And,
    The lovely and hilarious Gina Leigh Maxwell, the next great voice of the Paranormal Fantasy genre, will interview me on her blog, Passions on Paper.
    It's part of a wonderful series Gina hosts once a week called FAN-tastic Friday.

    See you there tomorrow!


    Tuesday, May 18, 2010

    Let's Talk Blogfest!

    Shout-out to the lovely Roni @ Fiction Groupie, for bringing ninety-some bloggers together today for the Let's Talk Blogfest.

    I hope you enjoy my entry below, which is a dialog-driven scene from an untitled novella I shelved about a year and a half ago.  One day, I'll dust it off and finish it!

    Enjoy!



    “One more, sugar?” Dani’s coquettish smile reached over the bar like fingers, caressing the middle-aged man slumped on the stool.  She didn’t wait for his slurred response.  He was a five-bucks-a-round tipper and he’d been here all afternoon.  What more could a girl ask for on an otherwise slow Tuesday? 

    Keeping her legs straight, she reached down for the beer cooler below the bar.  The man leaned in for a better view.  Heavy-lidded eyes squinted, as if by sheer concentration he could will her shorts to stretch and reveal yet another inch of firm thigh.  As Dani’s hand wrapped around the handle she glanced up and froze. 

    One person stood alone at the far end of the bar.  An explosion of adrenalin shot through Dani’s body, like she’d slipped on a slick floor.    She stared at the face that was both as familiar as her own and oddly foreign.  It’d been almost two years since Dani had last laid eyes on her cousin, Nina.   

    Dani straightened, squared her narrow shoulders and jutted one hip, but it was too late to play off her surprise.  Nina smiled slyly, looking, Dani thought, like a satisfied cat with its paw on a dead bird.  Dani leveled her eyes and sauntered down the length of the bar.

    The man hollered, “Hey!  Wha’ abou’ my beer?”

    “I’ll be right with you, darlin’,” she said sweetly over her shoulder.  When her gaze fell back on Nina, she sneered.  “Well, well.  Look who it is.  You must be lost, or are you just slumming it?”

    “Hey Dani.  You look great.”

    Dani responded with a cold smile.  Nina rocked back and into the beam of light from a spot directly overhead.  The light cast a harsh glare, so that her face suddenly looked pale and gaunt, her eyes lost in shadow.  Dani’s smile melted as she sucked in her breath, taking in her cousin’s skeletal silhouette.  Nina had always been a plump girl.  How had she become this emaciated form?   

    Nina straightened then and took a step forward to place her hands on the bar.  Now, freed from the harsh light and enveloped by the warm glow of a Budweiser sign hung on the wall, the illusion was lost.  Nina’s teenager curves were indeed gone, but Dani realized the caterpillar had become a butterfly.  

    Dani brushed a curl and the disorientation from her face.  “Seriously,” she said coolly, “what are you doing here?”

    “Come on, cuz!”  Nina smiled, showing her teeth.  “It’s been too long.  I missed you.”

    Dani flinched as if she’d been slapped.  “Whose fault is that?” she spat.  “In two years, you haven’t returned my calls, answered my letters.  Hell, you scratched me off your fucking Christmas card list!”

    “I know, I know.  I’ve been a bitch,” Nina said softly.  “I really have missed you.  I want you back in my life, Dani.  I need you --” 

    Dani’s nostrils flared.  “Oh.  I see.  You need something from me.”

    “No!  It’s not like that,” Nina replied quickly.  “I want you to come with me.  On a trip!”

    Dani raised one eyebrow and cocked her head, her speech slowed by sarcasm.  “A trip--?”

    “Hey Swee’hear’!  I’m gettin’ thirsty over here!” shouted the drunk at the bar.

    Dani rolled her eyes.  To Nina, she muttered, “Just a minute.”  She walked away, cooing as she went, “Oh my God!  I completely forgot what I was doin’!”

    When Dani came back, Nina was perched on a stool.  Dani placed a glass of cabernet sauvignon in front of her.  “On the house,” she said without emotion.

    Nina grinned at the peace offering and looked into her cousin’s face.   “It’s really good to see you, Dani.”

    Dani narrowed her eyes to mask her crumbling resolve.  “What’s this all about?   You wrote me out of your life.  I haven’t see you for years, then today --,” she shook her head, sending a long ringlet across one eye, “-- you show up here out of the blue and tell me you want me to take a trip with you?”  Her face froze in mock confusion.  “I don’t think so.”

    Nina moved the untouched glass of wine to the side and leaned on the bar.  Her collar bone protruded noticeably.   “Okay, we’ve had our share of problems.”  Dani snorted impishly but Nina ignored her and went on.  “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much time we’ve wasted--”

     “We’ve wasted time?   Please.  I have reached out to you so many times since…well, all that happened,” she stammered.  “You shut me out.”

    “I know.”  Nina suddenly seemed tired.  “That’s why I’m here.  I want to fix this -- thing -- between us.  I want my best friend back.”  The sincerity in her voice was unmistakable.  She was looking Dani right in the eyes.  “When we were little, we used to dream about going to the ocean.  Remember?  Let’s go!  It’ll give us time to talk.  To heal.  Come on.  Let’s go to the beach!”

    Dani stared at her in disbelief.  “You think I can just pick up and leave with you?  I have a life, a job!  We don’t all have the summer off, like you teachers.”

    “You can’t take a couple of days off?”  Nina said it looking past Dani’s shoulder, scanning the near empty bar.  She returned her gaze in time to see Dani’s eyes flick, almost imperceptibly, downward.  Nina pressed on, her voice more confident.   “Think of it.  You and me, relaxing on the white sand, cold beer in hand.  Working on our tans.  You know,” she added, “I’ve still never been to the ocean?”

    “What?  Are you kidding me?”  Dani almost sneered.  “Why the hell not?  It’s only four hours away.”

    Nina simply grinned, indicating with a raised eyebrow that she was still waiting for an answer.

    Dani checked her fingernails, forcing boredom into her voice.  “Sorry, cuz.  Can’t do it.”

    Nina sighed.  “Are you sure?  ‘Cause I’m going one way or another.  I’ve already paid for the hotel.  And,” she pointed theatrically toward the front windows, “I rented that for the trip.”

    Dani followed her finger to a shiny red corvette parked in the lot.  Her eyes opened wide, “Shut up!” she gasped.  “We’re going in that?”


    Please be sure to check out all the other blogfest entries today!  The full list of participants is HERE.

    Monday, May 17, 2010

    Inside a Criminal's Mind

    I consider myself a character-driven writer because I enjoy exploring the human condition in my fiction.  It's no surprise, then, that I chose to focus on crime in my first manuscript.  More specifically, I'm following a man's journey in a downward spiral from depressed but functioning member of society, to criminal.  The buildup of resentment towards an unfair society leads to the inevitable breaking point.  In that moment of blinding frustration and anger, the shift occurs and an outlaw is born.

    Crime and literature have a rich history together.  Daniel J. Kornstein says, "Literature and crime live in happy symbiosis.  Literature often depends on crime for a good story, and that story often in turn yields important insights about crime." (Source)  Regardless of the magnitude of the crime, whether it involves breaking a taboo or outright murder, the perpetrator arrives at a moment of decision and chooses to commit it.  Not everyone turns to crime when the opportunity arises.  Getting inside the mind that does provides fascinating fodder for fiction.

    A wonderful selection of articles on the topic of crime in literature can be found HERE.


    I picked up a copy of Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs yesterday.
    She is one of my favorite crime fiction authors.
    Who's yours?