THIS WEEK'S WORD - Match the meanings to the words!

Hello again, and thanks so much for dropping by SMART GIRLS READ ROMANCE. It's time for This Week's Word but today we're going to try something new.

I've listed the meanings to nine words, and below the meanings, I listed nine words. See if you can match the meanings to the words. WARNING: Only for the serious wordsmiths, Mensa members (lol) or those who just want to broaden their vocabulary. .

I have to admit, most of the words I'd never heard of but I'm so glad I learned their meanings. So, be a good sport and give it a go. Just think how smart you'll be when you write or read about "hongi".

(Correct answers at the end of my post). In the comment section below, let us know how you did.

Hope you enjoyed this week's visit! See you next time.

DEFINITIONS (Meanings. Match to the words below) 

transient or fleeting
to try to deceive someone by flattering them or telling them lies
in ancient times, to sound a battle signal
a greeting or salutation made by pressing or touching noses
a person's armpit
foggy, damp or cold
an execution carried out by drowning
a suction bottle for collecting insects and other small invertebrates
part of the body; having a hooked shape

WORDS (match to meanings above)

fugacious
mamaguy
shofar
hongi
oxter
rawky
uncinate
noyade
pooter

Here's this week's book - A GHOST TO DIE FOR by Keta Diablo

About the book:
Contemporary Romance/Paranormal

Do you believe in ghosts? Rooney Fontaine doesn't—or didn't until one named Stuart Granger shows up in her hotel room. Now the humorous, yet desperate, apparition is begging her to find the men who murdered him before his brother becomes their next victim.

After serving three tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, Stephan Granger is no stranger to risk and peril. When a woman shows up at his house rambling about ghosts, murder and assassins, his first inclination is to deem her wrong in the head and send her packing. But how does she know things that happened to him and his dear departed brother in their childhoods, secrets they never shared with anyone?

Soon after he invites her in to hear more about what really happened to Stuart, gunfire splits the air and shatters all the windows in the house. Someone is trying to kill them. Now they're on the run from assassins while trying to find out who killed his brother and why they want him dead too.

Even amid murder and mayhem, sometimes you find love.

READ THE REVIEWS ON AMAZON

CORRECT ANSWERS
shofar
in ancient times, to sound a battle signal
uncinate
part of the body; having a hooked shape
rawky foggy, damp, and cold
pooter
a suction bottle for collecting insects and other small invertebrates
oxter
a person's armpit
noyade
an execution carried out by drowning
mamaguy
to try to deceive someone by flattering them or telling them lies
hongi
a greeting or salutation made by pressing or touching noses
fugacious
transient or fleeting

Bet You Didn't Know . . . Some Commonly Misprounced Words!

Hello, and welcome again to SMART GIRLS READ ROMANCE. Mispronouncing words is more common than you think. I found several lists of the most mispronounced words in the English language and you might be surprised by those at the top. See if you know how to pronounce the following.

GIF
A computer graphic image; an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format.

How you pronounce it: Is it “giff” with a hard g or “jiff” with a soft one? Steve Wilhite says it’s “jiff” ... and he should know, since he developed GIFs for Compuserve. He chose to pronounce it that way because it sounded like Jif, the peanut butter brand. Now when you see the word, think of peanut butter and you'll recall how to pronounce it.

Mischievous
Correct Pronounciation [MIS-chuh-vus]
Incorrect Pronounciation [.Mmis-CHEE-vee-us]

Literary scholars discovered many people still say it incorrectly. They all fell prey to the “let’s add an i in there and make it four syllables” syndrome, making the word “mis-CHEE-vee-us.” This mispronunciation also lends itself to spelling errors. When people add the extra syllable, they often also add that i when they spell it, writing it “mischievious.”

Niche: A shallow recess in wall for a sculpture or other decorative object; a place or position suitable or appropriate for a person or thing; a market segment.

Correct: The preferred pronunciation was the one used since the seventeenth century ― a soft, long e “Neesh” like the 14-century French word meaning recess for a dog, or kennel. Incorrect "Nitch". Most people super-anglicize it and say “nitch.”

Here's a few more common mispronounced words:

Do say: affidavit | Don't say: affidavid
Even if your lawyer's name is David, he issues affidavits.

Do say: cardsharp | Don't say: card shark
You may be surprised to hear that card shark isn’t a phrase. Its mispronunciation from cardsharp over the years, however, has led to card shark being more popular in America than the original phrase.

Do say: espresso | Don't say: expresso
While I can't express my love for espresso enough, this word was borrowed from Italian well after the Latin prefix ex- had developed into the es- prefix.

* * *
Hope you learned how to pronounce some of the most commonly mispronounced words in the English language. Course, there are hundreds more! 

Let us know you visited! In the comment section tell us one of the commonly mispronounced words you've come across. We'd love to hear from you.

If you haven't read my time travel/paranormal novel, Where the Rain Is Made, I'd love to tell you about it. While I wrote it some time ago, I think it's a book that's timeless. If you like paranormal, time travel and/or suspense, I think you'd love the story of Meko and Cesca. 

About the Book:

Nominated for Bookie Award by Authors After Dark. Nominated for Best Romance of the Year.

The time travelers chant:

"I walk alone on the edge of time, traveling far and near.
Born of the sun, kissed by the wind, the call of the raven screams in my ear."

A decadent-looking savage has captured Francesca DuVall and her brother Marsh. These days, she spends every waking moment planning escape from the brutal Dog Soldiers' camp.

Ethan Gray is a curator at a national museum . . . until he travels through time to help his beloved People. In the Cheyenne world he’s known as Meko, leader of the most revered and fearsome tribe of the plains.

Two cultures and two hearts battle. Violence and death haunt their troubled roads, but when kindred souls collide, love prevails against the greatest odds. From the windswept plains of Colorado to the placid life of a curator, their love is fueled by passion and kindled by destiny.

RAVES For Where the Rain Is Made:

"Diablo delivered an awe-inspiring novel that made me appreciate the Native American and their way of life. Where the Rain Is Made is a definite keeper that everyone should read. You'll be hooked immediately!" 4.5 Stars, Manic Readers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"This novel has a lot of passion and a gripping, original plot, not to mention well wrought characters. An edgy, compelling story. A very solid tale - one rooted in history." 5 Stars, Pat's Vampire Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"An incredible read and stays with you even when not reading. There were times the description was done so well it made this reviewer a touch jealous as well as quite happy to enjoy it."  4.5 Wings, Classic Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"This book will remain on my shelf for years to come and be revisited often :) I cringed, flinched, sighed and shed a tear. Any story that can do that has my vote all the way. Ms. Diablo, I look forward to seeing more from you in the future."  9 out of 10, Seriously Reviewed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 Download - .99 CENTS

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Please drop by again to see either This Week's Word or more mispronounced words. 

Have a great week!

 

Click Here To Read About My Books 

 

Welcome to Smart Girls Read Romance & This Week's Word

 

Hoise

Verb [hoyz]

Lift, raise, especially to raise into position by or as if by means of tackle.

You'll rarely encounter hoise in any of its regular forms: hoise, hoised, or hoising. But a variant of its past participle shows up fairly frequently as part of a set expression. That variant past participle is hoist. The expression is hoist with (or by) one's own petard, which means victimized or hurt by one's own scheme. This phrase owes it popularity to Shakespeare's Hamlet."For 'tis the sport to have the engineer hoist with his own petar(d)." A petard is a medieval explosive.

Oh, and if you're playing scrabble this word is worth 7 points! How about that.

* * * * * * *

I'd like to share with you one of most recent contemporary romance novellas - TRUTH OR DAIRE.

About the book: (for a few more days, this book is available in KDP

When the unthinkable happens and Cagney Kissler discovers her boyfriend, Daire Bembry, is a lying, two-timing cheater, she tosses him out on his a** and heads to Florida to mend her fractured heart.

The Villa Bay Resort is everything her best friend, Lily, told her it would be, and more. But the trendy, popular bar at the resort, known as Sleazy Swallows, is a little more than Cagney can stomach.

On her way out the door, she meets someone who shares her reservations about public sexual-indulgence. Evan might be just what she’s looking for, and even if he isn’t, she’ll show her ex the true meaning of Truth or Daire.

Stand-alone erotic romance. Happy Ending
 

AMAZON KDP

 Thanks so much for visiting Smart Girls Read Romance. Check my post out again next month for another 'This Week's Word". 

 In the meantime, stay safe and most of all, healthy!

Follow me here on the Net

Twitter: http:/www/twitter.com/ketadiablo

Author Home: https://www.ketadiablo.com

 

Book Viewing Preference by Paty Jager

 

I have been publishing ebook, print books, and audio books. I do sell more ebooks than the other two, but I see where a good number of people still prefer print books over the ebook and audio. Then there are those who prefer audio because they can experience more books because they can listen while doing other things.  

For me, there is some convenience in having ebooks. An ereader weighs less than several books, which is nice when traveling, but my ereader always seems to die and I'm left with nothing to read until I can get it charged back up, which makes me wish for a print book.

I love print books. Because, well, they are print. You can hold them and riffle the pages. I always purchase used books for research books. Because I highlight them, bookmark them, and sometimes even scribble in the margins. I like being able to look at a tab I've added to the book and flip the information I want without having to scan or scroll down a screen. 

I like audio books when I walk. Getting caught up in a story, allows me to walk longer without getting bored. Sometimes, I'll listen to an audiobook when I clean house. Again, it makes the boredom of a not fun job, more interesting. 

What is your favorite type of book? Ebook, Audio, or Print and why? 

I have free audio book codes for either a Shandra Higheagle Mystery or Gabriel Hawke Novel for one of the people to says they like audio books in the comments. 

OR if you pick ebooks as your favorite in the comments, I will pick a person or two to win a free ebook, their choice from my website. 

OR if you pick print book as your favorite in the comments, I will pick a person or two to win a copy of my just published print copy of the first 3 Tumbling Creek Ranch novellas. 

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 47 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.

 blog / website /  Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest   / Bookbub

What U Need to Survive An Apocalypse (Besides #Books)

Take the title of this blog post tongue-in-cheek (sort of).

Do you remember when we first heard about the Corona Virus and thousands of people started hoarding toilet paper? And Lysol?

To this day, I still cannot find one spray can of Lysol in any of my local stores. Thank goodness, my daughter had an extra can and sent it my way. I have no idea why people were hoarding toilet paper at that time because the

medical experts say 'diarrhea' was/is not a major symptom of Corona. 

That hoarding sent me down a road of thinking what I REALLY would need in case the world came to an end . . . or in case this virus crap lasts for another year or so. So . . . I did some research about what survivalists (or preppers) stock up on routinely. Here's my list:

What to buy for a post-apocalyptic world (non-perishables)
LOL

Honey:

Honey can last for centuries if stored in a sealed jar, according to the National Honey Board. It will also appease your 'sweet tooth."

Pemmican

Invented by Native Americans, pemmican was traditionally made from the lean meat of large game like buffalo, elk, or deer. The meat was dried over an open fire, mixed with fat, and pressed into little cakes. Sometimes berries were tossed in for extra flavor.

Here's a recipe for homemade pemmican — for when your post-apocalyptic-self butchers an elk — which can supposedly last forever.

What you need:

    1 1/2 lbs of lean, grass-fed shoulder roast

    Salt and pepper

    Fresh or frozen wild blueberries

    Grass-fed bison or beef kidney fat, leaf fat, suet, or tallow

Let the meat firm up in the freezer, then slice it thin. After adding liberal amounts of salt and pepper, set the oven to the lowest possible temperature (150 degrees) and lay out the strips of meat directly onto a rack. Keep the oven door slightly open to prevent moisture buildup.

If you don't want to make your own there are a gazillion places that sell pemmican: CLICK HERE or Google "Pemmican" and you'll find lots of places to buy online.

MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)

These pre-packaged meals have been sustaining American troops on the battlefield since 1981. Each foil pouch, which can be easily carried, prepared, and eaten, contains about 1,200 calories. Where you can buy MRE’s or again, Google it. 

I'm not suggesting you should rush out and 'hoard' anything, but I am suggesting that we've had our first taste of what it's like when our 'normal' world/lifestyle has been turned upside down. I don't know about you, but I'm going to make sure I have a small stash of some of these prepper foods. 

 FEATURED BOOK THIS WEEK

SKY TINTED WATER - Book 1, Clean Historical Romance 

About:
* Nominated for a RONE Award, * Mystery/Suspense

Rory Hudson arrives in Minnesota with her sister and brother-in-law to start a new life. Love is the last thing on Rory's mind but after one look at Dawson Finch, emotions she never knew existed stir her heart and soul.

When Dawson enlists in the army to bring peace to a nation divided, Rory’s world plummets into a tailspin. Someone is intent on harming her and someone has sworn to protect her in her husband's absence.

Despite the time and distance separating them, Rory and Dawson’s love can never be destroyed.

Praise for Sky Tinted Water

"Sweet historical novel" delivers just that." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"There are themes and aspects of this story that I love, love, love. I am fascinated by the period of history surrounding the US Civil War. The Sioux uprising is also *very* sad (for a variety of reasons) and thoroughly compelling." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Exactly what it promises and so much more." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

" I enjoyed every minute of it, and would not hesitate to pick up another of Keta Diablo's books. I give this a firm five of five stars and urge you to give this book a try." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Read Free on Kindle Unlimited 

 Book 2- Sky Dance

Book 3- Sky Dreams

Also Available

Thanks so much for stopping by Smart Girls Read Romance!

 

Movie and #Book Tropes - #amreading #amwriting - Keta Diablo

Good vs. Evil

Welcome to Smart Girls Read Romance! We're happy you dropped by.

Straight from Hollywood’s best movie producers: Here are the top movie themes they look for while paging through mountains of scripts. These themes also pertain to most of the books we read and write. No wonder so many books are made into movies.

1. Man vs Himself
We are all our own worst enemies. No matter what the outside world presents as a challenge, how we choose to respond shows us who we really are. Internal struggles are great for sub-plots in stories, whether they are battles against addiction, resisting the temptations of adultery, or coping with mental illness.

2. Man vs Nature
No man is an island. Everything that happens in nature affects us. This can be in a cataclysmic way, like an earthquake, or a more subtle way, like climate change.
 
3. Revenge
The desire for revenge is one of the strongest motivators of human beings. Sometimes the revenge is justified, sometimes not.

4. Love Conquers All
Love is the most powerful emotion (or is that fear?). Anyway, we all want to be loved. We all want to be with the people we love. Stories about the pursuit of love are fiction staples.
 

5. The Loss Of Innocence
This is based on the classic coming of age story. It is essentially about leaving childhood behind, voluntarily or involuntarily. Growing up can happen as a result of trauma (death, divorce, abuse) or simply by getting older.

6. Triumph over Adversity
We all love stories where the human spirit triumphs over injustice, tyranny, and bad luck. These stories revolve around exceptional people in awful situations, whether they are there by birth or circumstance.


7. Good vs Evil 
This is the staple of fiction writing. We have heroes and villains because of this theme. “It’s the struggle that underlines comics, books, films, and even culture. There is the good: courage, freedom, loyalty, and honor. And there is the bad: cowardice, imprisonment, selfishness, and betrayal.”
What movie have you seen lately that falls into one of the above tropes? Or what book are you reading right now? Please let us know in the comment section below. 

Right now, A Darker Shade of Evil is on PreOrder. Nine USA Today and Bestselling authors (including me) have a special gift for you when you order the anthology. We’ll send you 13 FREE books when you Email muffywilson@muffywilson.com with your proof of purchase. Get the download link to your FREE Books today (including paranormal, urban fantasy, shifters, ghosts and more!)

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