GRAMMAR GEEK TIP: LIE DOWN, SALLY

Ah yes, the lie versus lay debacle. And Eric Clapton got it wrong. Admittedly, this is a pet peeve of mine -- especially when I see the mistake in New York Times bestsellers. I had a critique partner once who stopped using lie and lay in her writing because she wasn't sure of the difference and didn't want me yelling at her for using them wrong. Of course, I never yell... :)

BE NOT AFRAID. The whole lie/lay thing is very simple once you do two things: 1. Learn the difference between a transitive and intransitive verb, and 2. Memorize the past tense and past participle of each verb.

Here we go: A transitive verb is one that requires a direct object. To lay is a transitive verb. You lay something on the table, but you don't lay down. You can lay another person down (physically, you're laying him on the bed) but you yourself cannot lay down, nor can you tell another person to lay down. Yes, I'm sorry, but Eric Clapton is grammatically incorrect when he commands Sally to lay down.

To the contrary, an intransitive verb is a verb that has no object. To lie is such a verb. To die and to sleep are other examples of intransitive verbs. You can't sleep someone, or die someone or something. You and you alone can only sleep or die yourself. You also can't lie something. You can only lie down yourself.

Repeat after me: To lay is transitive. To lie is intransitive.

Now that you know which verb to use, let's look at their forms. This gets sticky for some people because they've said it wrong for so long, the correct form doesn't sound right to them. Trust me, you'll get used to it. Broken down, here are the forms:

To lay
present tense -- lay
past tense -- laid
past participle -- laid

To lie
present tense -- lie
past tense -- lay
past participle -- lain (this is the one that seems to freak people out)

Let's put them into action:

Today I lie down. Yesterday I lay down. For the past three weeks, I have lain down for a nap each afternoon.

Today I lay the pencil on the table. Yesterday I laid the pencil on the table. For the past three weeks, I have laid a pencil on the table every afternoon.

Simple, yes? I hope this clears up the mystery of lay vs. lie.

GRAMMAR GEEK TIP: QUOTES OR ITALICS FOR TITLES?

Use the following rules when a title of a work appears in a manuscript: 

Titles of books, newspapers, and magazines should be italicized. 

Examples:

I heard that the book The Lovely Bones is fascinating.

The astronaut had a subscription to the newspaper Kansas City Daily.

Marsha likes the magazine Dog Fancy because it has cute photos.

Titles of movies, television shows, radio programs, and plays should be italicized. 

Examples:

The gardener’s favorite movie is the documentary Plants are Awesome.

The scientist watches the television show World’s Weirdest Germs every Tuesday night.

Sally’s mom loved listening to the radio show Stuff Old People Like.

The little girl’s favorite play was Cute, Fuzzy Animals in the Forest.

Titles of articles in newspapers or magazines and chapter titles in books should be in quotation marks. 

Examples:

Did you read the article “Fun with Flesh-Eating Bacteria” in the magazine?

My favorite chapter in the book was “Germs are Gross.”

Titles of poems and songs should be in quotation marks. 

Examples:

In high school, Sally wrote a poem called “David Is Cute.”

She also wrote a song called “I Think I’m in Love with David.”

NYT Bestselling Author Meredith Wild Reveals Cover for HARD LIMIT

I am so excited to help my good friend Meredith Wild reveal her cover for the fourth in her best selling Hacker Series, Hard Limit.  Way to go, Meredith!

Hard Limit by Meredith Wild (The Hacker Series #4)

Release date: 9th December

Genre: Contemporary Romance

PRE-ORDER LINKS for Hard Limit:  http://www.meredithwild.com/book/hard-limit/

Blake Landon is a man who has everything—wealth, good looks, and the love of Erica Hathaway. The power couple has been through hell and back, and when life has torn them apart, somehow they have always found their way back to each other, more in love and stronger than ever.

Erica has never been more ready to say I do. On the verge of making the ultimate commitment, she uncovers an unsettling chapter of Blake’s history. As she makes peace with her own past and the family who left her behind, she presses Blake to tear down the last walls between them. Determined to know the man he once was, she opens a door to a world beyond her wildest imagination—a world that has her questioning the limits of her own desires. 

As danger lurks and dark secrets come to light, will the past destroy their promise of forever?

Meredith Wild is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of romance. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children.  You can find her at www.facebook.com/meredithwild

http://www.meredithwild.com/

                                                       https://twitter.com/wildmeredith

All the books in The Hacker Series can be found at:  http://meredithwild.com/books

Pre-Order links for Hard Limit:  http://www.meredithwild.com/book/hard-limit/

RELEASE DAY! Rose in Bloom

Get your copy here!

ROSE IN BLOOM coming October 15!

Pre-order your copy here!

Wiltshire, England 1853

Lady Rose Jameson knows her place—respect authority and convention and marry a suitable member of the peerage. Lord Evan Xavier, the second son of the Earl of Brighton, possesses the necessary pedigree, but though Rose enjoys his company, the spark she craves is missing…the spark she feels with handsome commoner Cameron Price.

Cameron has accepted his lot in life—to care for his widowed mother and two younger sisters. Instead of writing the music he loves, he’s destined to work the land his family leases from the Duke of Lybrook…and deal with his overwhelming feelings for the duke’s sister-in-law, Lady Rose. When Cam’s sister becomes ill, he needs money quickly, and his fate is further sealed. He must say goodbye to Rose forever.

But circumstances and the appearance of an elderly stranger may change both their lives.

NEED A QUICKIE?

Today is the publishing debut of my good friend Annie Anthony! She's written a smoking lesbian erotica short, Blue Suede Boi. And I ought to know...I was her editor! Get your copy here.

Has Kaia's hottest fantasy become a reality in her blue suede boi? 

The unattainable object of Kaia's fantasies is browsing in a store known for barely better than cheap shoes in the most bland strip mall in town. By the chemistry sparking between then, Kaia wonders whether Amanda may have come in looking for more than just the men's shoe rack. Has Kaia's hottest fantasy become a reality in her blue suede boi?

DEATH BY WINE...

There is a Reaper, whose name is Death,
And, with his sickle keen,
He reaps the bearded grain at a breath,
And the flowers that grow between.

 ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Reaper Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California

With Halloween coming up, this wine is perfect for serving with your next dinner featuring salmon, pork, or poultry. Despite the macabre label, this is one serious wine! Dry and silky with delicate complex flavors of strawberries, raspberries, red currants, cola, and baking spices with a hint of earth. Serious structure, great mid palate depth, and a long vanilla infused finish. Enjoy!