Wr- words

We're in bed, I was just looking up some phone numbers I need to call in the morning (water leaking in our new home--oh, joy), when Dean says, "Can you think of any words that start with 'wr' that aren't cool?"

I think. "No, they're all cool."

Our list so far: writhe, wriggle, wren, write, wrinkle, wraith, wrath, wrest, wrack, wreak, wreck, wrong, wright. See? They're all cool. We're debating about wrist. I, personally, am a fan of wrist.

Today when we were driving (to go discover said leak in new house), I told Dean, "People who comment on my blog want me to travel to where they are so they can meet me. It's sad, really, when people meet me, they're sure to be disappointed."

Dean said, "Not disappointed. Disillusioned maybe."

Ah, the comforting words of those who know you best.

Comments

[Lauren A.]

Yah know, I never really gave much thought to "wr" words before, but now that you mention it, they are all pretty cool. Wrist is definately a good one.
~Lauren.
P.S. When I met you at the Storyteller, you weren't dissapointing at all. You were amazingly kind and approachable. I could tell you really care about your fans.

[Michelle]

And wreath. Don't forget wreath. For Christmas. Or wring. But I'm not so sure about wring being a cool word.
Aghh, now the wr words are stuck in my head!
Michelle
P.S. I don't think you'll be disappointing. And the point of this is: come to Hong Kong :)

[thegirlwhopaintedtrees]

Or come to Georgia. At least it's closer!

Also: wrought, wry, wroth, wrench, wrap, wrangle, and wretched.

[Libster]

Ooh I love the wr words! Wrist is a cool word! wrap isn't too cool though. I like all the other wr words!

well, i think you must be a great, really cool person, not dissapointing at all. the reason-- your blog! I base your personality on what you type in the blog, not your story telling (though if i did base it on the story telling you would also be amazing) and i want to meet you. whatever, fat chance!

[Jaya Laskhmi]

Agreed. Besides, I've met authors before, and they are usually worth seeing. Last year I saw Jonathan Stroud at a book signing and he was wonderful.
Later Edwidge Danticat came for a school visit. (I may have asked her too many questions, though.)
The next time I go to a bookstore I'm going to ask them to write to your publisher.

[Barry Goldblatt]

Honestly, if you could charm all those people at ALA when you were feeling less than 100%, I think you can relax that you'll ever disappoint anyone.

Dean on the other hand... ;^)

[Courtney]

I've met a few authors and they all seem to think the same thing- that they aren't as good in person as they are in their books. WRONG! (there is one of your wr word for you in action!!) I have yet to meet an author that isn't as cool as their books and I'm positive you would NOT be the exception!

Michelle- You live in Hong Kong?!?! No way!!! That has got to be one of the coolest places ever! Where exactly?

[Erin]

Keep "wrist"! Go wrists! :D

[Nikki]

I have to disagree with Libster--"wrap" is an awesome word too. Like when you're wrapped up in a project, wrapped in a warm blanket, or someone good looking and yummy smelling wraps his arms around you.

I have met Shannon at a writing conference, and I am pleased to report that I was even MORE impressed with her in person. She was wearing a tiara at the time, and this struck me as a very cool thing for the author of Goose Girl to do, so I liked her immediately. Then she joked with me about how the copy I'd bought my mother had "upside-down end pages" and I liked her even more. Also she didn't seem to think I was dumb when I used the stupidest introduction ever ("Hi, I'm your biggest fan") but hadn't been to her website before.

[Nikki]

By the way, Shannon, where is your new house? I mean, you probably don't want to tell exactly in case of stalkers on the blog, but I just moved to a new house in South Jordan, in that Daybreak community, so I'm curious what side of the valley you're on.

[Gretchen]

Interesting fact: There are only three words in the English language with "dw" as the first letters. They are dwarf, dwindle, and dwell-all very cool words in my mind.

[Mads]

wrangle, wriggle, wrapper, wrestle, and most importantly,
WRITER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:o)
Shannon, it would be so cool if you visited Philly, and I don't think you'd be a disappointment at all... I have never met any authors so just meeting one would be awesome!
Like Barry said, if you could charm everyone at the ALA, then really you shouldn't be worrying! It should be us, "OMG, will she like me? What if she doesn't? Ahh, I am going to meet Shannon Hale!"
:o)

[Jennifer]

My daughter and I met you at the King's English bookstore during the Writer's Workshop. Yesterday we were in a bookstore and saw Princess Academy on the shelf. My daughter (who is 6) said, "That's the book we got that lady to sign for me. She was really nice. I'm glad we met her." So you're a hit!

P.S. I really enjoyed metting you as well and was not disappointed or disillusioned!

[Marcus Aurelius]

I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you.

And while "wrangle" is a reasonably cool word, Wranglers were the only "name brand" jeans we could afford as kids, and believe you me, they were *not* cool.

Not cool at all.

[Kim]

I second "girlwhopaintedtrees," and say, "Come to Georgia!" It's on the way to Miami. I'm sure you'll have to change planes here, anyway. You might as well stay for a night.

Marcus, I was thinking the same thing about wrangle and Wranglers. I remember wearing "Toughskins" which were even below Wrangers on the "Cool Jean" totem pole in 1981 and 7th grade.

[shannon hale]

Nikki--this is kind of eerie (a very cool ee- word) but I'm moving to Daybreak.

I met Marcus when I was 15 and I thought he was cute and funny. He still is (but I'm married, so no ideas!)

[Lauren A.]

Hi again everyone. This is just a thilled/excited/anxious/happy reminder that on this day, Aug. 15, there are exactly 22 days left until the happy "release day" of River Secrets. But, like Shannon mentions in the From offer to Bookstore section of the site, her books can trickle into stores even a month before the "official release date." So, in conclusion, I am going to start obsessively phoning my local bookstores to see if any lucky duck stores out there have any copies in yet. *does strange little jig of sorts.*

[Megan-Elbow]

Shannon, you are way cool. My friend and I went to a book signing of yours in Provo and we still talk about it and how totally cool and awesome you are. Yes, you are our favorite author. And we were not disappointed. Or disillusioned. Not one bit. And I still carry your words of wisdom with me. You are so cool.

Anyway, about words . . . this isn't about words that start with anything, but rather, I know of at least three words that don't rhyme with anything: orange, purple, and dwindle.

[Gretchen]

M-E, month and silver don't rhyme with anything either. :)

[Sijbrich]

wrangle. wrangler. I so would not be dissapointed if I met you. I think you should come to Idaho.

[Laura]

Actually, dwindle rhymes with kindle, spindle, and swindle. I can't think of a rhyme for angry, though. Or for monster. Or for garbage. Dang, and I was really wanting to write a poem about an angry garbage monster.

I've never really come to terms with the silent "w" in "wr" words. And that whole "ph" thing is baffling.

Shannon, the only way I can imagine people being disappointed in meeting you is if they had googled your name and were expecting a body builder.

[Michelle]

Oh...ma...gaht! (Strange way of saying Oh my God) Jaya, you met Jonathan Stroud??? Wonderful author, him. Wish I met him *looks forlorn*
Courtney -- Hong Kong IS cool, despite all the pollution. I live in Pokfulam, which is...somewhere with a huge sea view.
Silver sort of rhymes with pilfer. I think.

[Nikki]

Glancing at license plates as I was driving around, I also noticed that "mn" is a cool double-consonant combination. Actually, the only word I could think of that starts with that was "mnemonic," but that pretty much defines coolness by itself--especially since it stems from Greek mythology.

[Jas fr Aus]

Come to Australia...You know you want to! :) And let me assure you I wouldn't be dissapointed (or disillusioned)!

[Enna Isilee]

Shannon you have no confidence in you! When I first met you I had not read a single one of your books, not a single one! Everyone said they were great but I just never did, because I never want to break out of my comfort zone when it comes to reading. However meeting you changed all that, you were so cute and funny and the way you held Kermit to represent max was so cute!

Because of you I read your books and began writing again. I am now in the seventh chapter of my book that I am writing (and loving it). You are so amazing! I loved you, before your books (which I do love). So all of this about "People love my books not me" Is totally not true! Yes people love your books but people that have met you love you as well! Who agrees?

Disappointed? Disillusioned? Yeah Right.

Shannon you are amazing!

P.S. Us writers have to love wrist. I mean in a few years ours will be so badly damaged that we will hate them (my writing teacher just had carpal tunnel surgery). But oh well! I mean how could we write without wrists?

Fun times

[Enna Isilee]

Shannon you have no confidence in you! When I first met you I had not read a single one of your books, not a single one! Everyone said they were great but I just never did, because I never want to break out of my comfort zone when it comes to reading. However meeting you changed all that, you were so cute and funny and the way you held Kermit to represent max was so cute!

Because of you I read your books and began writing again. I am now in the seventh chapter of my book that I am writing (and loving it). You are so amazing! I loved you, before your books (which I do love). So all of this about "People love my books not me" Is totally not true! Yes people love your books but people that have met you love you as well! Who agrees?

Disappointed? Disillusioned? Yeah Right.

Shannon you are amazing!

P.S. Us writers have to love wrist. I mean in a few years ours will be so badly damaged that we will hate them (my writing teacher just had carpal tunnel surgery). But oh well! I mean how could we write without wrists?

Fun times

[Enna Isilee]

Sorry for the double post.

[Enna Isilee]

wrack | wraith | wraithlike | wrangle | wrangler | wrangling | wrap | wrap up | wraparound | wrapped | wrapped up | wrapper | wrapping | wrasse | wrath | wrathful | wrathfully | wrawl | wreak | wreath | wreathe | wreathed | wreck | wreckage | wrecked | wrecker | wreckfish | wrecking | wrecking bar | Wren / wren | wren-tit | wrench | wrenching | wrest | wrester | wrestle | wrestler | wrestling | wretch | wretched | wretchedly | wretchedness | wrick | wriggle | wriggler | wriggling | wriggly | Wright / wright | wring | wring from | wring out | wringer | wrinkle | wrinkled | wrinkleless | wrinkleproof | wrinkly | wrist wristband | wristlet | wristwatch | writ write | | writer | writhe | writhed | writhen | writhing | writing | Writings | written | Wroclaw | wrong | wrongdoer | wrongdoing | wrongful | wrongfully | wrongfulness | wrongheaded | wrongheadedly | wrongly | wrongness | wroth | wrothful | wrought | wrought iron | wry | wry face | wryly | wrymouth | wryneck

[Mads]

Wowzers Enna Isi, you must have a LOT of time on your hands!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:o)

[Diana]

I'm pretty certain that of the wr words, wry is the best one. They're all pretty good, but wry is a little more favorite than even wrist.

[Rujie]

Okay- I Know this is off subject, but i'm jsut so excited! We were in Salt Lake a few days ago and my mom acually bought me Princess Acadamy! Yeah! I love that book!! Anywho- I read from three to one thirty in the morning. It's only my second time reading it and i enjoyed it even more. My compliments, Shannon! And i totally agree- all wr words are awesome!

[Jaya Lakshmi]

If you want to find an author that's disappointing, then it's an author that doesn't understand their own work. Stephen King talked about in On Writing how he was in a college poetry workshop where the students wrote melodramatic teen "no-noetry" as my best friend calls it. After a discussion "if you were to ask what their poem meant, you would get a glare from the author and an uncomfortable silence from the rest of the class." I really dislike it when that happens.

[Enna Isilee]

Megan-Elbow

Swindle ryhmes with Dwindle

ALong with spindle.

[Julie]

This is just a random bit of trivia for people who like words. Well, I read once that there are only two words in the English language that end with "ngry." These are "angry" and "hungry." But the book mentioned that there is a word invented by William Shakespeare that still exists in some dictionaries. The word is "anhungry", and it's just another word for "hungry." Strange, eh?

[emilyf]

As soon as you told the audience and I sitting in my elementary school's library that your armpits were sweaty and stinky, I think we all fell in love with you.

For some reason I've been thinking of your stories a lot lately and I crave to read them again -- they're so perfect -- but I feel like I need to read something 'missionary preparing' instead, which i don't do either (slap my wrist) so I think I'll just go fulfill the crave or I'll be useless....

Anyway, I think you have plenty of confidence and great humility. It's just amazing to be admired by so many people that you don't know! Especially since you probably didn't dream it would ever happen. It's so cool. Life just is.

[Libster]

Wow! Enna Isilee, did you use a dictionary? I have to admit, there aren't any words there that arent cool, the rule applies for everything. i do like wrap, but its not as exciting to me as writhe or write!

i have to admit, i dont know so many cool word facts. Im working on it!

[Enna Isilee]

As much as I would like to take credit, yes, I did use a dictionary.

[Enna Isilee]

Ok so now I've ranted about Shannon herself now please allow a small (or not so small) rant about her books,

Shannon,

You mention Nancy Farmer often, I am reading House of the Scorpion for the second time and just like the first I can't put it down.

However your books I COULD put down, no, I HAD to put down. House of the Scorpion ran through my head like a wild breeze. Your books however I had to stop and leave them so that I could think. My mom would know when I had been reading one of your books because I would just go quiet and I would think for HOURS. I thought more than I read.

I actually took notes about what made your books so good. I have NEVER done that. But with yours I just felt like I had to figure out what made it so good. And I did, you. Your voice made it what it is

I would take Goose Girl over House of the Scorpion any day.

Thank you

(if that was cheesy I apologize but it is so true.)

[asha]

M-E- doesn't spindle rhyme with dwindle?
hey, shannon- you should go on an author's tour, or something! then you can visit EVERYONE!!!

[asha]

btw, enna, i totally agree.

[Scout]

I used to live in utah and just recently moved to pennsylvania. i love your books and when i started them i didn't know that you lived in Utah. Do you live in SLC like i did? Do you like it?

[Merri]

You're a fellow Browncoat, among your other great qualities. I'm always surprised when I meet authors, not so much because I have my expectations dashed as I suddenly realize that those real, nice, on-the-street-everyday sorts of folks wrote the stories that cause me to stay up all night til I've finished said stories. And there's something eternally surprising, hopeful, and wonderful about that.

[Holly]

I wish I could say I've met you, Shannon! But I haven't. Come to New Hampshire...or at least New England. I'll hitchike if I have to!

[australiangirl]

I never really noticed that 'wr' words were particularily special, but now that you mention it you are soooo right! And Shannon, you are way too hard on yourself! I would somehow get to where you were, if you just came to Australia. Your blog shows just what kind of person you really are, fun , cheeky, inteligent, thoughful......the list goes on.

[Deidre]

I read in a book that words starting with WR all have the similarity that they have to do with twisting, wrapping, something bent. When you look at them all as a list, the pattern seems obvious. No one mentioned the bird WREN, which according to this book (sorry, can't think of it now) is a kind of trickster, not nice bird. Hence, the wr, like wrong... I told some people this, but most of them didn't believe that the wr do have this similarity. Seem believable to you?