After submitting for consideration a short story for FWA Collection 7, Revisions: Stories of Starting Over, I noticed I had split an infinitive like an atom. Although the result may not be as devastating, it may prevent publication. On second thought… The Star Trek introduction, “To boldly go where no man has gone,” influenced the way I spoke during formative years in rural North Carolina. Grammar school grammar lessons were forgotten as soon as I rushed home, to veg out … Read More »

It’s one thing to kill your darlings, but have you ever wondered how renowned authors get away with murder? That is, not the CSI: Miami kind but killing their sentences with poor proofing skills. One bestselling novel identifies “Chapter Fourty” and has Orlando east of Daytona Beach. The author got into deep water for that geographic goof. Common mistakes are innumerable. Use “it’s” only as a contraction of “it is.” “Who is” contracts to “who’s” and whose denotes ownership. And … Read More »