I try really hard not to waste too much time on Twitter.  But once in a while when I am purposely trying to zone out, it’s a great place to go to find new blogs with the focus on reading, writing and publishing.  Most of those I follow are in the publishing world or of writers; I confess to getting ideas for marketing by following their tweets.  But then what happens is I discover more good reads, or worse; English language games and exercises.  My new favorite is Reagan Arthur Books Blog.  Reagan Arthur is the VP of Reagan Arthur Books, which is an imprint of Little, Brown. She’s a young mother, lives in NJ, and knits.  She spends much of her work life hanging out with best-selling authors.  I try to imagine what they talk about when they are together.  I bet the creative juices are flowing.  They probably don’t waste a second of time whining. (yeah right)

Unfortunately for me, my friend Russ introduced me to Seven Little Words, a word game app I immediately uploaded to my iPhone.  Thanks, Russ.  Delays at the airport are no longer a problem.  I look forward to insomnia.  Waiting at the dentist office is a delight.  This is the most addictive word game I have ever run across.  It started me on the hunt for other ways I can halt the onset of brain drain.  I’ve already confessed I think I have something going on up there that may be destructive.

Another favorite blog features free vocabulary games. If I may quote…..from Vocabulary.co.il…..

“What good are crossword puzzles?  A lot of good, if you notice current studies on puzzle-solving and the brain.  Research seems to indicate that working on puzzles that require specific brain strategies may be helpful for conditions such as:

• Alzheimer’s
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Brain Fog, associated with several autoimmune disorders
• Dementia
• Stroke Recovery   A new book out, entitled the “Alzheimer’s Action Plan,” by Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, seems to indicate that by challenging the brain, you can form new nerve pathways. “

So I justify the time spent playing with my phone as time that may be helpful preventing my memory from running away any faster then it already is.

The bad editing of my first two books, mostly my fault because I missed errors that should have been caught, makes me crazy.  I may have resolved this problem because Jennifer is now doing my editing and she is a barracuda.  Sorry, dear.  She doesn’t miss a trick. My friend Jim, Betty’s husband, hates when he finds wrong usage of words in books. I think he missed his real vocation which should have been proofreading. I understand how easily it happens.  When I wrote the blog for my yarn shop, I found out later that my former partner would correct my errors in punctuation and word usage. The blog received a few accolades, including a mention in Vogue Magazine.  I still get inquiries from people I featured in stories.  Words are mesmerizing.  I have been known to use the wrong word in conversation and my only excuse is because it sounds like it should be the right word.

Caveat is a favorite wrong usage word for me.  It just sounds so positive, like a feather in one’s cap.  Like an award given for perfect attendance.  But a caveat is a warning.  It’s scary, the word caveat.

Punctuation is a tough one, too. I over use commas.  Jen had a least thirty red marks where commas were either used inappropriately or missing completely when she proofread Dream Lover.  I keep saying to myself, I wish I had listened during high school English.