Donna Steele
@steelestories.bsky.social
Romance writer and reader - I write paranormal, sci fi and contemporary romance. Having the best "retirement" anyone ever had. Just published my 55th book!! (No DMs). www.steelestories.com.
For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word
Catherine Drinker Bowen
Catherine Drinker Bowen
November 10, 2025 at 2:20 PM
For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word
Catherine Drinker Bowen
Catherine Drinker Bowen
Codex [KOH-deks]
noun
Latin, late 16th century
An ancient manuscript text in book form. Official list of medicines or chemicals
Examples
The library has a prize collection of ancient books, including a codex that can't be found anywhere else
This codex will serve as an inventory for the storeroom
noun
Latin, late 16th century
An ancient manuscript text in book form. Official list of medicines or chemicals
Examples
The library has a prize collection of ancient books, including a codex that can't be found anywhere else
This codex will serve as an inventory for the storeroom
November 10, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Codex [KOH-deks]
noun
Latin, late 16th century
An ancient manuscript text in book form. Official list of medicines or chemicals
Examples
The library has a prize collection of ancient books, including a codex that can't be found anywhere else
This codex will serve as an inventory for the storeroom
noun
Latin, late 16th century
An ancient manuscript text in book form. Official list of medicines or chemicals
Examples
The library has a prize collection of ancient books, including a codex that can't be found anywhere else
This codex will serve as an inventory for the storeroom
There's many a bestseller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.
Flannery O'Connor
Flannery O'Connor
November 9, 2025 at 3:12 PM
There's many a bestseller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.
Flannery O'Connor
Flannery O'Connor
Mirth [mərTH]
noun
Old English, pre-12th century
Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter.
Examples
"I was full of mirth while watching the parade."
"The silly cartoons inspired chuckles of mirth from the kids."
noun
Old English, pre-12th century
Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter.
Examples
"I was full of mirth while watching the parade."
"The silly cartoons inspired chuckles of mirth from the kids."
November 9, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Mirth [mərTH]
noun
Old English, pre-12th century
Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter.
Examples
"I was full of mirth while watching the parade."
"The silly cartoons inspired chuckles of mirth from the kids."
noun
Old English, pre-12th century
Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter.
Examples
"I was full of mirth while watching the parade."
"The silly cartoons inspired chuckles of mirth from the kids."
From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it.
Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
November 8, 2025 at 9:58 PM
From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it.
Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Edifice [ED-ə-fəs]
noun
Latin, 14th century
A building, especially a large, imposing one. A complex system of beliefs.
Examples
"The edifice at the center of campus holds the business school classes."
"The first task of the new government is to establish a constitutional edifice."
noun
Latin, 14th century
A building, especially a large, imposing one. A complex system of beliefs.
Examples
"The edifice at the center of campus holds the business school classes."
"The first task of the new government is to establish a constitutional edifice."
November 8, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Edifice [ED-ə-fəs]
noun
Latin, 14th century
A building, especially a large, imposing one. A complex system of beliefs.
Examples
"The edifice at the center of campus holds the business school classes."
"The first task of the new government is to establish a constitutional edifice."
noun
Latin, 14th century
A building, especially a large, imposing one. A complex system of beliefs.
Examples
"The edifice at the center of campus holds the business school classes."
"The first task of the new government is to establish a constitutional edifice."
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
November 8, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Meringue [mə-RANG]
noun
French, early 18th century
A light mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar, baked until crisp or used as a topping for desserts.
Examples
"Follow this recipe to produce a perfect meringue."
"We need to get more eggs for the meringue."
noun
French, early 18th century
A light mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar, baked until crisp or used as a topping for desserts.
Examples
"Follow this recipe to produce a perfect meringue."
"We need to get more eggs for the meringue."
November 8, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Meringue [mə-RANG]
noun
French, early 18th century
A light mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar, baked until crisp or used as a topping for desserts.
Examples
"Follow this recipe to produce a perfect meringue."
"We need to get more eggs for the meringue."
noun
French, early 18th century
A light mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar, baked until crisp or used as a topping for desserts.
Examples
"Follow this recipe to produce a perfect meringue."
"We need to get more eggs for the meringue."
The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
November 6, 2025 at 2:40 PM
The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
Aphyllous [ey-FIL-əs]
adjective
Latin, early 19th century
(Botany) Having no leaves.
Examples
"The aphyllous trees wrapped in bright holiday lights brought cheer to the street."
"The aphyllous branches looked menacing silhouetted against the sky at night."
adjective
Latin, early 19th century
(Botany) Having no leaves.
Examples
"The aphyllous trees wrapped in bright holiday lights brought cheer to the street."
"The aphyllous branches looked menacing silhouetted against the sky at night."
November 6, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Aphyllous [ey-FIL-əs]
adjective
Latin, early 19th century
(Botany) Having no leaves.
Examples
"The aphyllous trees wrapped in bright holiday lights brought cheer to the street."
"The aphyllous branches looked menacing silhouetted against the sky at night."
adjective
Latin, early 19th century
(Botany) Having no leaves.
Examples
"The aphyllous trees wrapped in bright holiday lights brought cheer to the street."
"The aphyllous branches looked menacing silhouetted against the sky at night."
The one thing a writer has to have is a pencil and some paper. That's enough, so long as she knows that she and she alone is in charge of that pencil, and responsible, she and she alone, for what it writes on that paper.
Ursula Le Guin
Ursula Le Guin
November 5, 2025 at 1:26 PM
The one thing a writer has to have is a pencil and some paper. That's enough, so long as she knows that she and she alone is in charge of that pencil, and responsible, she and she alone, for what it writes on that paper.
Ursula Le Guin
Ursula Le Guin
Verso [vər-soh]
noun
Latin, mid-19th century
A left-hand page of an open book, or the back of a loose document. The reverse of something such as a coin or painting.
Examples
"Every new chapter begins on the verso."
"This coin is particularly valuable because of the misprint on the verso."
noun
Latin, mid-19th century
A left-hand page of an open book, or the back of a loose document. The reverse of something such as a coin or painting.
Examples
"Every new chapter begins on the verso."
"This coin is particularly valuable because of the misprint on the verso."
November 5, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Verso [vər-soh]
noun
Latin, mid-19th century
A left-hand page of an open book, or the back of a loose document. The reverse of something such as a coin or painting.
Examples
"Every new chapter begins on the verso."
"This coin is particularly valuable because of the misprint on the verso."
noun
Latin, mid-19th century
A left-hand page of an open book, or the back of a loose document. The reverse of something such as a coin or painting.
Examples
"Every new chapter begins on the verso."
"This coin is particularly valuable because of the misprint on the verso."
Christmas at Monroe House is live today!! www.amazon.com/Christmas-Mo...
November 4, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Christmas at Monroe House is live today!! www.amazon.com/Christmas-Mo...
We could learn a lot from crayons:
some are sharp, some are pretty,
some are dull, some have weird names,
and all are different colors....but
they all exist very nicely in the same box.
Unknown
some are sharp, some are pretty,
some are dull, some have weird names,
and all are different colors....but
they all exist very nicely in the same box.
Unknown
November 4, 2025 at 2:33 PM
We could learn a lot from crayons:
some are sharp, some are pretty,
some are dull, some have weird names,
and all are different colors....but
they all exist very nicely in the same box.
Unknown
some are sharp, some are pretty,
some are dull, some have weird names,
and all are different colors....but
they all exist very nicely in the same box.
Unknown
Regent [REE-jənt]
noun
Latin, 15th century
A person appointed to administer a country if the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated. A member of the governing body of an academic institution.
Example
"Until the young king reached his 18th birthday, his cousin was appointed regent."
noun
Latin, 15th century
A person appointed to administer a country if the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated. A member of the governing body of an academic institution.
Example
"Until the young king reached his 18th birthday, his cousin was appointed regent."
November 4, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Regent [REE-jənt]
noun
Latin, 15th century
A person appointed to administer a country if the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated. A member of the governing body of an academic institution.
Example
"Until the young king reached his 18th birthday, his cousin was appointed regent."
noun
Latin, 15th century
A person appointed to administer a country if the monarch is a minor or is absent or incapacitated. A member of the governing body of an academic institution.
Example
"Until the young king reached his 18th birthday, his cousin was appointed regent."
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
November 3, 2025 at 3:13 PM
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Patronage [PEY-trə-nij]
noun
French, 14th century
Regular business given to a store, restaurant, etc. by a person or group
Examples
He received enough patronage from the art gallery to quit his day job and focus on painting
I love to go out to eat and I give my patronage to locally owned restaurants
noun
French, 14th century
Regular business given to a store, restaurant, etc. by a person or group
Examples
He received enough patronage from the art gallery to quit his day job and focus on painting
I love to go out to eat and I give my patronage to locally owned restaurants
November 3, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Patronage [PEY-trə-nij]
noun
French, 14th century
Regular business given to a store, restaurant, etc. by a person or group
Examples
He received enough patronage from the art gallery to quit his day job and focus on painting
I love to go out to eat and I give my patronage to locally owned restaurants
noun
French, 14th century
Regular business given to a store, restaurant, etc. by a person or group
Examples
He received enough patronage from the art gallery to quit his day job and focus on painting
I love to go out to eat and I give my patronage to locally owned restaurants
With sixty staring me in the face, I have developed inflammation of the sentence structure and a definite hardening of the paragraphs.
James Thurber
James Thurber
November 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM
With sixty staring me in the face, I have developed inflammation of the sentence structure and a definite hardening of the paragraphs.
James Thurber
James Thurber
Extemporaneous [ik-stem-pə-RAY-nee-əs]
adjective
Latin, late 17th century
Spoken or done without preparation.
Examples
"I was surprised to be asked to give an extemporaneous speech at the wedding."
"The director stood up to give a few extemporaneous remarks at the end of the day."
adjective
Latin, late 17th century
Spoken or done without preparation.
Examples
"I was surprised to be asked to give an extemporaneous speech at the wedding."
"The director stood up to give a few extemporaneous remarks at the end of the day."
November 2, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Extemporaneous [ik-stem-pə-RAY-nee-əs]
adjective
Latin, late 17th century
Spoken or done without preparation.
Examples
"I was surprised to be asked to give an extemporaneous speech at the wedding."
"The director stood up to give a few extemporaneous remarks at the end of the day."
adjective
Latin, late 17th century
Spoken or done without preparation.
Examples
"I was surprised to be asked to give an extemporaneous speech at the wedding."
"The director stood up to give a few extemporaneous remarks at the end of the day."
My task…is to make you hear, to make you feel—and, above all, to make you see. That is all, and it is everything.
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
November 1, 2025 at 12:49 PM
My task…is to make you hear, to make you feel—and, above all, to make you see. That is all, and it is everything.
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
Analog [AN-ə-lawg]
adjective
Greek, early 19th century
Relating to signals or info shown by a continuously variable physical quantity like spatial position
Examples
I prefer analog methods of playing music, like a record player
People born after 2000 might not even know how to read an analog clock
adjective
Greek, early 19th century
Relating to signals or info shown by a continuously variable physical quantity like spatial position
Examples
I prefer analog methods of playing music, like a record player
People born after 2000 might not even know how to read an analog clock
November 1, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Analog [AN-ə-lawg]
adjective
Greek, early 19th century
Relating to signals or info shown by a continuously variable physical quantity like spatial position
Examples
I prefer analog methods of playing music, like a record player
People born after 2000 might not even know how to read an analog clock
adjective
Greek, early 19th century
Relating to signals or info shown by a continuously variable physical quantity like spatial position
Examples
I prefer analog methods of playing music, like a record player
People born after 2000 might not even know how to read an analog clock
When you learn to read, you will be born again... and you will never be quite so alone again.
Rumer Godden
Rumer Godden
October 31, 2025 at 1:15 PM
When you learn to read, you will be born again... and you will never be quite so alone again.
Rumer Godden
Rumer Godden
Eldritch [EL-driCH]
adjective
Scots, early 16th century
Weird and sinister or ghostly.
Examples
"The abandoned house had a creaky, eldritch aura about it."
"My mother loves watching eldritch movies that leave her feeling jumpy."
adjective
Scots, early 16th century
Weird and sinister or ghostly.
Examples
"The abandoned house had a creaky, eldritch aura about it."
"My mother loves watching eldritch movies that leave her feeling jumpy."
October 31, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Eldritch [EL-driCH]
adjective
Scots, early 16th century
Weird and sinister or ghostly.
Examples
"The abandoned house had a creaky, eldritch aura about it."
"My mother loves watching eldritch movies that leave her feeling jumpy."
adjective
Scots, early 16th century
Weird and sinister or ghostly.
Examples
"The abandoned house had a creaky, eldritch aura about it."
"My mother loves watching eldritch movies that leave her feeling jumpy."
People want to know why I do this, why I write such gross stuff. I like to tell them I have the heart of a small boy—and I keep it in a jar on my desk.
Stephen King
Stephen King
October 30, 2025 at 3:29 PM
People want to know why I do this, why I write such gross stuff. I like to tell them I have the heart of a small boy—and I keep it in a jar on my desk.
Stephen King
Stephen King
Savant [sa-VAHNT]
noun
French, early 18th century
A person who has an exceptional aptitude in one particular field, despite having significant impairment in other areas of intellectual or social functioning.
Example
"We hired him based on his reputation as a savant in the field of biochemistry. "
noun
French, early 18th century
A person who has an exceptional aptitude in one particular field, despite having significant impairment in other areas of intellectual or social functioning.
Example
"We hired him based on his reputation as a savant in the field of biochemistry. "
October 30, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Savant [sa-VAHNT]
noun
French, early 18th century
A person who has an exceptional aptitude in one particular field, despite having significant impairment in other areas of intellectual or social functioning.
Example
"We hired him based on his reputation as a savant in the field of biochemistry. "
noun
French, early 18th century
A person who has an exceptional aptitude in one particular field, despite having significant impairment in other areas of intellectual or social functioning.
Example
"We hired him based on his reputation as a savant in the field of biochemistry. "