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Book Giveaway, editing, Elements of Style, John R. Trimble, Strunk and White, Win a Book Contest, writers, writing, Writing with Style
Want to win a copy of John R. Trimble’s book Writing with Style: Conversations of the Art of Writing ?
Professor Trimble’s book is a gem. It was the first writing/editing how-to book I read and it changed my writing life. Many of the tips I’ve shared with you in the series Strong vs Weak Words are tidbits I gleaned from this slim tome.
Reading Writing with Style is like having a conversation about writing with your favorite college professor over a beer. He is funny (learning how to write with style can be funny?), to the point, and smart. Think Strunk and White with a sense of humor.
So how can you win this treasure? You can help me.
The main character in my novel, In Search of Beef Stroganoff, falls in love with a chef who owns an intimate restaurant. The problem is the restaurant doesn’t have a name. Here is a snippet from manuscript to give you a feel for the restaurant:
“The fire crackled and candlelight bathed the tables cloaked in white. “Life Happens Around the Table” was spelled out over the mantel in an eclectic collection of letters from old storefronts. Tantalizing choices on the menu made deciding what to order a chore and a note on the menu said, “Our food is organic, sustainable, and locally grown.” Stroganoff wasn’t offered, so I opted for the veal.
One bite of the bread from the breadbasket made me swoon. It took herculean willpower to not consume the entire contents of the breadbasket while I waited for my meal. It was an exercise in restraint. Like the bread in Paris, it was crusty on the outside and a dream on the inside. If the bread was that good, I knew the meal would be spectacular. I didn’t want to fill up, but was tempted to dump the remaining bread into my purse.”
Submit your restaurant name ideas and a panel of judges (well, me) will select the winning submission. I will announce the winner on June 13th. If you win, you will be the proud owner of Writing with Style. You will also thank me for sharing Professor Trimble’s wisdom with you.
Good luck! I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
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A spartan goddess friend of mine suggested “magirepse me tin kardia sou” – ‘Cook with your heartt’
Late entry… hope I made it in time
You made it time John! Thanks for your entry. I know I “cook with my heart.” What language is that?
Greek…
Ah ha. Hence the reference to a “spartan goddess.”
Fun contest, Robyn, and I’m starving after reading your delicious food writing! From the first passage, I felt a French vibe, too, and Cherie (meaning “dear” or “sweetheart”) came to mind. It also sounds enough like “cherish” and “cheer” that it offers a warm feel-good vibe.
After reading your second passage, I thought of The Snuggery. It’s the name of a back room in an Irish pub in Virginia (not the restaurant’s actual name). If that’s too harsh sounding, with those g’s, you could try The Snug Eatery, or something with “cozy” or “corner.” Adam’s Corner or The Cozy Fox (just a random animal but I like the sound). Or how about Rustic or Rustica? The ruralness of that, plus its clean masculine sound, seems to go with what’s on the menu.
That is funny. Food and the magic way it comforts the soul is a central theme in the novel. My friend said he had a hard time finishing my book because he kept wandering to the kitchen for something to eat. I made him hungry.
Great suggestions! Rustica is cool and fits the place.
I have a writing group friend who always puts in great food scenes, but they’re often foods that sound unappealing (like things floating in grease, for instance). So it has the opposite effect but with the same carefully drawn realism!
Perhaps her mother was a lousy cook and it continues to haunt her?
Could be! (That’s hilarious…)
That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.
The Chef’s Table or Chef’s Table
This comes to mind based on the words strung up around the mantle, plus, well, the guy’s a chef! Also, one of my longtime favorite restaurants on Cape Cod was called The Captain’s Table. I always thought that was a great name for a restaurant.
Great entries. The words on the mantle reflect how I treat our family dinner time. I always set the table and we gather to share our day over a meal. The good, bad, and the ugly.
I scratched my head for a while ‘cos restaurant names are so samey, then inspired by the wonderful description of ‘“Life Happens Around the Table” being spelled out ‘over the mantel in an eclectic collection of letters from old storefronts’, I took the first letters from the collection and make LHAT – many chimes with this name, sounds vaguely exotic / foreign clime-ish, would provide a talking point – and, very different.
So, there you are Robin 🙂
Hmm. . . . interesting. How would you pronounce it? Or are you thinking each letter would be said? I like the exotic and mysterious feel.
I’m glad you like the “Life Happens Around the Table.” Isn’t it the truth?
La Nappe Blanche
(The White Tablecloth).
Love it! It rolls of the tongue in a lyrical way.
I’m not going to venture an entry in the naming contest but suggest if you did a little visualisation exercise and took a walk down the street past the restaurant you might be able to see it’s name on a sign 🙂
Oh c’mon Ella Dee! I was counting on you for an entry. I did the whole visualization thing and came up with squat. Why do you think I am asking all of you for help?
Ok, just off the bat “Adamantine” has been running around in my head, ref: http://dragons.wikia.com/wiki/Adamantine_Dragon_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons), http://www.thefreedictionary.com/adamantine. Make of it what you will 🙂
Well that is cool! I wasn’t familiar with the reference so thanks for the links. The word sounds so pretty.
I’m glad I strong-armed you into making an entry!
Love the idea of a contest for ideas! Here goes my ill attempt at a name for the restaurant, “Interdit Désirs” [Fr] or Forbidden Desires [En]. Fit’s the whole Eden, Adam, romance theme… possibly.
Nice! Interesting that there is a French theme going on in the entries. Tres bien et merci mon amie. Or are you an “ami?”
French seems to fit the ambiance of the story. Et oui je suis l’amie de tout le monde !
Moi aussi. Ok. That is the extent of my college French. Wanna know what my Madame Professeur Horn’s first name was (I hope still is)? Elke. Elke Horn. Ha ha.
That’s cool! Thank’s for the chat. I wish you luck on the manuscript and bid you adieu, for now… Ta ta!
You didn’t say where Adam’s place is, Robin. If it’s in some hip and happening neighbourhood something like The Oven Door won’t work, but reading the menus, there’s a lot of oven cooking going on …
It is in a big city, like New York or San Francisco and the neighborhood is like SoHo in NYC or the marina district in SF. That help? Want to stick with The Oven Door or are you thinking of other ideas . . . You can have multiple entries. I love making my own rules. Ha ha.
Umm. It’s morning now, lets see what light brings to the process. Cosmopolitan city, smart neighbourhood, eclectic menu, candles and white tablecloths, retro/urban shabby styling – nothing about the wine menu, or how the waiters are dressed, the architecture or layout of the place, the music, and whether there are flowers. Still, it’s probably his first foray out on his own, a bit strapped for startup cash, so I’d say shabby chic, and friendly. In keeping with the style and eclectic menu, name should be in English – indicating no style bias, or pretentious.
My preference would be “Adam’s Table”, or “Adam’s Kitchen”, except that you said he later takes over Marc’s Place and keeps that name. On the other hand, keeping Marc’s name on the other place might be an indication that he likes personalising his establishments and making a small jest about the similarities?
If you don’t like that scenario, how do you like “Round the Table” in keeping with his over mantle decoration. There. Three suggestions for you:)
… that should be: “indicating no food style bias or pretensions.”
I understood what you meant 🙂
I love the thought process behind your entries. You are right. It is his first restaurant and while it is fine dining, it has a cozy and welcoming feel with no pretensions.
Glad I got it right:)
Darn. I’m good at this for my own books, but I’m drawing a blank for yours. One of Kate’s comments on my manuscript was that she loved the bar’s name and wanted to head there herself! 🙂
I like the idea of a French name. I have “Bistro Francois” for one of my fictional places in DC. Of course, something like “Temptations” could also be a play on Adam’s name….
Temptations is a good one. He does tempt his patrons with sinfully good food.
What is your bar’s name? I’ll head over there with Kate.
Pale Ale Rising 🙂
Oh yeah. That is good.
Excellent. Let’s head over around 8 tonight. 🙂
Wouldn’t it be fun if we really could all meet up for drinks?
Darn it. I already own “Writing With Style.” So I’ll let someone else win. Does that make me the loser? lol
If you want to enter, we can come up with a different prize for you. C’mon Russel. Give it a go.
I’m not sure my mind is as creative as in was in my younger days. lol
How about Reverie, since the food is like a dream.
Oooh. Lovely. It is musical to say.
Bistro Richard
Ha ha. But his name is Adam.
Hmmmmm, what kind of food does it serve?
French? Italian? Modern European?
Xx
He serves a smattering of things . . . here is another excerpt to give you an idea.
“Reading the menu was like skimming a list of my favorite meals. It offered Guinness stew topped with parsley dumplings, a pulled-pork sandwich with apple coleslaw, coq au vin, slow-cooked ribs, and the veal I ate on my first visit. Deciding what to order was easy when I heard about the special of the day . . . chicken potpie with a side of creamed spinach and an heirloom tomato salad. That was it. I am a sucker for comfort food and wasnt disappointed. The piping-hot ramekin was topped with a buttery crust, succulent chicken, and a sauce redolent with fragrant sage, thyme, and rosemary. The crust shattered like flakes of mica when my fork broke the surface. With leisure, I ate every bite of my dinner and didnt leave room for dessert. Taking my time as no one was waiting for my table, I savored the last inch of my wine.”
Ok, well it sounds quite English, so my thoughts are:
The Fishbowl
The Alchemist
Enchanted
Valentines
Ravenous
Eve’s
Wicked
Can you tell I got carried away lol. I guess it depends of the feel you want for the place 🙂
Xx
Where did The Fishbowl come from? Interesting that you suggested The Alchemist. Here is another passage from my book where the woman uses the word to describe Adam:
“We didn’t speak for a several minutes, and then as he combed his fingers through his mop of hair he said, “I see you are a regular. I’m glad you like my place.” Stammering, I said, “This is the best restaurant in town. You are an alchemist in the kitchen.” I didn’t exaggerate. Wow, wait a minute. For the first time, I strung words together and uttered an intelligent sentence in his presence. I even managed squeeze in a big word correctly. I’ll confess to you the word alchemist was in a crossword puzzle and I needed to look it up. An alchemist is a person with the power to take an ordinary item and transform it into something special. Feel free to use it.”
We think alike! Great suggestions.
Lol, I dunno really, I was just trying to think of names for an English restaurant and then I got thinking that restaurants are kind of like fishbowls lol….the rest kind of came from connections with Adam or to do with the food, If that makes sense 🙂
Thanks honey, I actually really enjoyed that lol
Xx
Enjoyed what? The excerpt I hope?
Yeah, and trying to come up with the names 🙂
Xx
I’m glad you guys are so creative because I was drawing a big BLANK on what to name the restaurant.
Maybe… “Le Fruits du Paradis”? Since his name is Adam, it would be neat to include heaven in there… he came down from heaven but brought delicious treats along with him. It could be the restaurant’s motto or something. (and hey it rhymes). I was also considering something like, “Sinful Fruit” (because in french it’s way too long and unattractive), but I wasn’t sure you wanted something in English.
I like including the heaven reference. Or the Eden reference. The name Sinful Fruit tempts you to try the restaurant.
I think this chef had a dog once when he was a kid – a little pug dog named Lucy. He always loved this dog, so when he got older, he named his beloved restaurant “Baby Lucy’s Bistro” in honor of little Lucy the pug dog.
Good one. I like the backstory. And, that it involves a dog.
How about something as simple as “Adam’s Place”…
Its his pride and joy.
Its where he works and creates… Its his.
Funny you should suggest Adam’s Place. Later on in the story he buys an old pub and makes it a dining and music venue. Cool, hip, and happening kind of place. The pub’s original name was Mac’s Place and he decides to keep the name.
And you are right . . . both places are his pride and joy.
Felicia’s Tabella ~ Felicia is an Italian name for “Happy” And Tabella = table.
Or Alma’s Table ~ Alma is an Italian name meaning “giving nurture.”
However, if you want to know what the first word’s that popped into my mind when reading your excerpt, “Higgan’s Alley” (an Amazing little Pasta place, brick with dim lights, in Missoula, MT–on Higgan’s Street, with excellent bread and wine! When I was a single girl with three boys all my own, I would take them out to a fancy restaurant every month or so to raise some manners in them. The waiter once came to my table there, and said, “Oh my, you have your hands full!” To which I responded, “Yes, they sure do… and another glass of wine, please.” Missoula was perfectly designed to walk off a buzz downtown.)
Oh darn it, none of that works if she fall’s in love with the chef! Okay, so what’s the chef’s name, then add Tabella~ to the end… la, la, la! 😉
His name is Adam. I considered calling the restaurant Adam and Eve but tossed it.
Well then “Adam’s Basket” would be my last suggestion, and it doesn’t sound that hot, so hopefully everyone else has their thinking caps on today 😉 Best to you Robin~
Same to you!
Good for you for being a smarty pants right back at the waiter! However, three boys as a single mom, you DID have your hands full!
Love your ideas. Tabella is musical.
I was going to suggest “Au Pain Paradis” (heavenly bread), but when I googled the term, I see there is actually a place in France with that name! Or consider Pain du Paradis (bread of heaven). Then again, may sound more like a bakery than a restaurant. 🙂
So it that your entry?
Sure.