Book Reviews

Sin and Syntax: How To Craft Wicked Good Prose by Constance Hale

Kathy Myers sits in the Book Reviewer seat today. Thank you, Kathy, for an excellent review of Sin and Syntax: How To Craft Wicked Good Prose by Constance Hale.

A book with “sin” and “wicked” in the title is more apropos of a vampire romance, but Constance Hale excites the reader with her own personal passion for words— words in all their glory. She tackles topics that for centuries have induced narcolepsy among students such as: sentence structure, grammar, misplaced modifiers, or word choices, making them stimulating, arousing and well…downright sexy. She puts the sin in syntax indeed. Her chapters are organized like a Catholic autopsy: bones, flesh, cardinal sins, carnal pleasures, and a catechism. Her wealth of knowledge is shared with wit and brevity. Why have your character go into a “house,” when they can enter a bungalow, A Frame, adobe, Victorian, or a rancher? Why “walk” when they can saunter, stroll, or shuffle. Why have the rule of three when you want to hit home in a speech or book review? Constance Hale knows. This book is a must read for all aspiring and perspiring writers who want to punch up their prose with satisfying results.

Kathy Myers entered the blogosphere with comments and creative writing on the Write Spot Blog.  She is now wading cautiously into the submission pool. Her piece, “Haunted” was performed by Petaluma Readers Theater last fall.

Notes from Marlene:

Join The Write Spot writing community:  Post your writing, comment and learn about places to submit your writing at The Write Spot.

Constance Hale and Michael Shapiro will share their tips about writing on March 20, 2014 at Writers Forum in Petaluma, CA.

Would you like to be a Guest Book Reviewer? Email Marlene:  mcullen@comcast.net

Sin and Syntax

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