Spreading the Word

Hi everyone!

Well, today I'm going to talk about a book by self-published author Davin Malasarn. I'd like to say we're friends, but we're not. I'm pretty sure that Davin has never even heard of me. However, I do follow the blog to which Davin contributes. Today I read a post about the upcoming collection Wild Grass and Other Stories that has been released on Amazon.com. It sounds pretty awesome, actually.

Here's a list of some things in the book:

1. a Buddhist exorcism
2. a ghost chase
3. phallocrypts
6. pink dolphins
7. a stomach stapling brochure
8. characters with names like Kalaya and Subscription
9. a Brazilian gold mine

Now, in order to help spread the word about his book, he's holding a competition. Here's how it goes:

Davin's "Spread The Word" Contest

To enter the contest, tell a friend about my book and ask them to e-mail me at dmalasarn (at) gmail (dot) com with the following message pasted in the body of the e-mail:

Dear Davin Malasarn,

I heard about your collection The Wild Grass and Other Stories from S.M. Carrière on sale at Amazon ( http://amzn.to/kwfpap ). I understand that this collection includes your most emotional work and will take readers to exotic locations all around the world.

Signed,
(have them write THEIR name here)

Seems pretty straight forward, right?

This collection does sound really good, and I will be buying it as soon as funds allow (September probably).

Listen, don't just send Davin the email. Buy his book too. While your at it, buy mine.

On that note, here's today's Forgotten English.

Cheating the Devil

Softenings of very profane phrases, the mere euphemisms of hard swearing, as od's blood, dash it, see you blowed first, deuce take it, by gosh and like profane preludes such as boastswains and their mates are wont to use.

- Admiral William Smyth's Sailor's Word-Book, 1867

Dammy boy: an unruly person. In allusion to the habit of excessive use of the word "damn" and general swearing by the man-about town of 16th and 17th cent[urie]s.

- Albert Hyamson's Dictionary of English Phrases, 1922.