October 2004 Newsletter

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Sybrina’s Phrase Thesaurus October 2004 Newsletter

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Every month Sybrina’s Phrase Thesaurus Newsletter features a group of phrases from the Phrase Thesaurus. Sybrina's Phrase Thesaurus is packed full of descriptive phrases on every subject
...from descriptions of the body, and how it looks, moves and interacts
...to word pictures describing all types of landscapes, waterscapes and skyscapes

...and much more.

I hope you enjoyed this month’s issue of

Sybrina’s Phrase Thesaurus Newsletter.

Please feel free to browse the

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for previous phrases and articles.

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ARTICLES & TOOLS OF INTEREST

Here’s a list from A to Z of Writer’s Reference Sites at Writers-Free-Reference.com.

Need ideas for writing? Write A Story Inspired by Your Heritage—article by Mary Emma Allen.

Link to articles devoted to creating a realistic fictional world.

CONTESTS & ANTHOLOGIES/CONFERENCES & SEMINARS

Byline Magazine features contests every month with chances to win small prizes.

The Foster City International Writer's Contest. $250 for first prize and $125 for Honorable Mention. Deadline December 31st.

The Koret Foundation 3rd annual Koret Young Writer on Jewish Themes Award. One writer whose work contains Jewish themes will be awarded $25,000 and will spend three months in residence at Stanford University. Deadline is November 15th.

Disclaimer—These listings are not necessarily endorsed by Sybrina’s Phrase Thesaurus Newsletter editor. They are for your convenience only. Always, do some research on your own before deciding to enter any contest.

You just read a few of the 25,000+ phrases from some of Minor Sub-categories in the Sybrina’s Phrase Thesaurus Tool.

· The tool contains 8 MAIN CATEGORIES! They are “Physical Attributes”, “Moving Parts”, “Body In Motion”, “Emotions”, “Colors”, “Daily Activities” , “Expressions of Speech”, and “Earth Views”.

· It also contains 250 Major Sub-categories such as “Hair” under Physical Attributes, “Hands” under Moving Parts, and “Embarrassment” under Emotions.

So if you’ve hit a brick wall with your writing...or you can’t get the creative juices flowing…

If you wish you had a better way with words...or you just enjoy reading unique, descriptive phrases, this is the tool for you.

Sybrina’s Phrase Thesaurus Tool is available in PDF format for just $12.95 - no shipping, no handling, no tax. Adobe Acrobat PDF files work with all operating systems. Click Here To Purchase.

FEATURED PHRASES FROM SYBRINA’S PHRASE THESAURUS

HR3 HAIR 3 (THICK)

a shock of hair that needed cutting

HR4 HAIR 4 (THIN)

her hair was a cobweb of silver

HR7 HAIR 7 (SHORT)

her hair was a honey colored, curly cap

Physical Attributes—Hair

HR11 HAIR 11 (COARSE)

hair that had grown coarse with bleach

HR13 HAIR 13 (TANGLED)

an unkempt head of hair

HR17 HAIR 17 (COLOR - RED)

his hair ruddy bright

Attention:

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October’s Featured Vignette

“The Creek”

Submitted by Lonnie Gallas

Texarkana Texas could be a city much like any other. The people there look like people anywhere; young, old, fat, beautiful; normal. The buildings look the same as any others in hundreds of places; schools, gas stations, homes, chain stores. Texarkana Texas could be a city much like any other, that is, it could, except for the secret. Except for the nightmares.

Wandering among the older buildings along the south edge of town, runs a small drainage canal, the relic of an old-time creek which once meandered through the city’s heart. In fact, the people still call it a creek, and the people speak softly down in Texarkana Texas, when they mention the name. Children here could be like any others, but they all know the story; they all know the fear. And when the night wind howls, it brings an old shiver - to the should-be happy children in their beds, in the would-be snug houses, in the could-be normal city, along the banks of........Swamp Poodle Creek.

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Fifi could hardly remember those days. The lazy days of satin pillows and gourmet puppy food. Days spent in splendid decadence at the doggie spa; days of “pretty puppy” , and “nice doggie”, which had become a nagging haze on her memory. A memory of that time before. Before Fifi went bad.

It all started so innocently, as these things often do. A mischievous dash between the postman’s legs into the forbidden front lawn took on a new dimension that only a bizarre trick of fate could explain. The doggie gods laughed at Fifi that day. She knew in her heart that she had only wanted to be friendly, to touch noses, and maybe share a neighborly sniff of behinds with old Mrs. Dougan’s cat.

But the feline, who was relaxing by the daffodils where he had just chewed the three front-most blooms into ragged yellow tatters, wanted no part of the poodle’s slightly slavering salutations. The cat,
unaccountably alarmed at the thought of buttsniff-swapping with the frilly French miss, ignored the scent of Chanel that wafted from the delicate coiffure of the prancing pooch, and made an ill-considered dash for the crepe myrtle tree across the road. Unfortunately, the cat’s hasty retreat and the scheduled delivery of Mrs. Dugan’s new chaise lounge crossed their respective paths of destiny under the left front wheel of Lester Hardigan’s furniture truck.

Of course, it was an accident, there was nothing to be done, nothing to recall. But, as Fifi tremblingly sniffed the crushed and newly lifeless carcass, she felt a wakening of ancient memories, a timeless remembrance of feral blood lust. A churning of genetic compunctions which would lead the canine debutante down the one-way road leading to infamy, to legend, to the abomination known as .......the Swamp Poodle.

It was easy, after that. To slip out past the old woman, or past her maid on wash-day. It was easy to find smells to roll in, papers to chew, garbage to savage. Fifi found herself uncontrollably drawn down an ever-increasing path of degenerate doggitude. It’s not pretty when a good girl goes bad, but Fifi didn’t stop to look in the mirror. She found that by jerking her head at precisely the right moment, her
normally bouffant hair cut took on a decidedly Mohawk appearance. She was delighted to discover that one ear, dipped in the royal blue of the toilet bowl would hold the hue for days, and that only one roll of toilet paper could be shredded and fluffed to completely fill the formal dining room before company was expected.

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November’s Vignette Themes

Themes for each month will be taken from that month’s holidays and celebrations—both normal or bizarre. Here’s a few for November.

1. Thanksgiving

2. Plan Your Epitaph Day

3. World Kindness Week

4. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Need more November Ideas? NOVEMBER HOLIDAYS

Each month, someone’s work will be published in Sybrina’s Phrase Thesaurus Newsletter. It could easily be you. Don’t be shy. Send something in to share with all of our readers.

October’s submission comes from a wonderful writer, Lonnie Gallas. This is one I really enjoyed. Hope you do, too.

PUBLISH YOUR WORK “HERE” FEATURE

December’s Vignette Themes

1. Christmas Story

2. Pearl Harbor Story

3. Hanukkah Story

4. Kwanzaa Story

Need more December Ideas? DECEMBER HOLIDAYS

CLICK HERE FOR SUBMISSION INFORMATION AND RULES