Friday, April 5, 2013

Elephants, Entendre and Elizabeth



Los Elefantes son Fantasticos!

*cough* My Spanish is mostly all mangly, so pardon, but I do love elephants. They are the FAVORITE of one of my twins (Thursday twin, Natasha) They are the biggest land animal in the world, but are still SO DARNED CUTE!

This little darling is the latest baby girl elephant at the Portland zoo, and of all the things, I remember when her mama, Rose-tu was born. Portland's zoo has the most successful elephant husbandry program in the country and this may be part of my love for them—when I lived there, every few years there was a new baby elephant to fall in love with and watch grow.


Entendré Entendré...

erm... or double entendré... Not sure that a single entendré means anything but 'meaning'... I LOVE words... and I love when the SAME words can take on double meaning. I find this a clever device in writing, and I ADORE it in humor... especially if one of the word uses in dirty... cuz you know... my friends and I really like the gutter best.

I try to always have my book titles have double meanings. In fact I am nearly never happy with them if they don't. My current WiP Is ENDANGERED (see, that's an e-word), and the double meaning is that it is teens in the midst of civil war (so they're in danger) and they decide to become Mountain Guerillas (guerilla being the Spanish word for warrior, and Mountain Gorillas are endangered)--It's probably too clever by half and nobody will get it without me explaining, which really takes away the point, but there you have it.


Exquisite Elizabeth (Spann Craig)

I haven't waxed poetic about Elizabeth in a while, but really she deserves it. When I first began blogging, I decided to find somebody doing it right and try to emulate THEM. I stumble upon Elizabeth, and shamelessly began stalking her and she totally WAS doing everything right. She is STILL doing everything right.

She ALSO is the person who led me into cozy mystery and gave me TONS of tips and links for writing the things (which led to my contract. She's had a few traditionally published series that have done really well, but her first series had gone out of print, and through re-obtaining her rights and self-publishing those, then continuing the series, she learned that she could do THAT well, too, so she has a couple of each... here is one just released.


And one coming this summer under the pen name Riley Adams:

There are oodles more listed at her website, so you should check her out.

Or visit her blog.


21 comments:

mymy said...

such a sweet elephant!
will visit the links :)

Bibsey Mama said...

Oh I love the elephants. An old flat mate of mine now runs and elephant sanctuary in Thailand - totally inspiring. Wonderful wonderful creatures. For some lovely footage of rescued elephants enjoying life follow this link http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elephant-Asia-Rescue-and-Survival-foundation-EARS/167055773326554

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I always try to make my titles have deeper and/or more than one meaning. Sometimes it works, other times not so much. I find coming up with titles to be one of the hardest parts of writing, and I have no idea why!

Alison DeLuca said...

My mother dated the elephant keeper at the Dublin Zoo and got to ride the matriarch. Years later she brought me and my sister to meet the old girl,who got on one knee when she saw my mum - the elephant remembered her, after all those years.

They are such awesome, mysterious things - like intelligent buildings!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Elizabeth rocks! I think she was one of my first followers.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

KNOT WHAT IT SEAMS is a great, fun title, and the cover is fun as well!

Bish Denham said...

I once rode an elephant at the San Antonio zoo. It breaks my heart that they are still getting killed for their tusks.

Dawn Ius said...

Elephants are my hubby's fave animal. They figure prominently in my paranormal romance...:-)

M said...

I love elephants too...in fact there is one in my E post today.
Happy A-Z April!

Susan Kane said...

I remember a John Wayne movie, 'Hatari', I think. That is when I decided baby elephants are the cutest animals.

Unknown said...

That baby elephant is so cute. I love all the dust flaking her back. It makes the photo seem all mistfied.
My blog name has double meaning--> Writing Jewels. I write jewels and my nickname is Jules so I'm the writer named Jules (It looked better to have it written Jewels). Love it. :)

Carol Kilgore said...

Excellent E Examples!

I love double entrendre, too. And Elizabeth/Riley. Elephants...give or take, but they are amazing animals.

Shell Flower said...

A dude in my writing group likes to have double entendre titles that mean something different after you've read the story. It's a cool idea. I'll have to check out Elizabeth's blog, too!

Diana Wilder said...

I was at the Honolulu zoo half a lifetime ago, enjoying the breeze and the people-watching and happily detached from my family, which had wandered off. It was a lovely day (Hawaii has a lot of them) and the wind was lifting my hair.
Ahhhhhhh......AAAAAAKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

Something snaky and hairy had coiled around my leg and tightened.

It was the baby elephant, who thought I *might* have some peanuts. Dad got a photo of her.

...point taken about Elizabeth. If she has a corgi in her book, I'm game...

Diana at About myself, by myself…

Deniz Bevan said...

I like that idea a lot - titles with double entendres. I suppose those the guerrillas are fighting are also endangered by them!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Elephants are so cute when they're little. I teach teenagers so I'm always on the alert for double entendre.

Unknown said...

Great post, Hart. It's nice to see you again. I took like a month long break to take care of some personal stuff.

This is Tamara btw, from One Magic Bean Buyer, but now I'm at Behind These Pages, with my CP, Karen. You came and commented on my post, which reminded me to come see you.

I'm slowly trying to re-add all the blogs I was following, but man it is a process! But, at any rate,I'm glad you stopped by and reminded me to put you on my blogroll. Your site has always been one of my faves. Probably because you like things like elephants and dirty words. haha

Just as a side-note, one of the best book titles I've ever heard was from a girl, Dannie Morin, who I met through Write On. Her book is called, "Imperfectly fine." Like, "I'm perfectly fine" Which I think is the best use of a double meaning I've ever seen in a title, so I had to point it out to you! :)

annisblogging said...

HI Hart,
Thanks for dropping at my place
Good to meet you,
This info is really good.
Keep on writing
waiting for the next post
Ann

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Hart .. elephants - I'll always go with and love them from my South African days ... and then Elizabeth - she does set an excellent example .. and what a good guide you followed - many of us still do ..

Cheers Hilary

Laura S. said...

Hello, Hart! I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Craig, too! She was my very first blog follower three years ago. I always learn so much from her when I visit her blog!

Happy A to Z-ing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines

Jan Morrison said...

Hey my elephant loving tartlette! I love elephants too, and double entendres and dear dear Elizabeth! Quelle surprise. Jan Morrison