February 27, 2003

WORDS TO REMEMBER

Here's something kinda cool: I found out the other day that I coined a phrase.

For a writer or an editor, it's the equivalent to creating a hybrid fruit. Kinda like a durian.

For the horticulturally impaired, a durian is a weird looking, strong smelling fruit that grows in South-East Asia. It resembles a spiked American football, is brown (almost yellow when ripe), and its smell has been compared to a sewage tank. The fruit separates into five segments, after being split open. The meat of the fruit is a creamy substance surrounding the chestnut-like seeds. The edible part of the durian has been compared in taste to cheese cake, onion flavored custard, or chocolate mousse.

To me, coining a phrase is sort of like that; you take something that doesn't seem to go together and create something new and unexpected.

As odd as that sounds, I remember early in my writing career when I read a Dave Barry column about weird things people do and he invented the verb "hork" to describe the act of jamming a swizzle stick up your nostril. I've tried at various times to devise words that not only are descriptive but ones that will get by the tight-assed copy desk.

Looks like "dog whisperer" worked.

I'll keep you posted for when the word Houck becomes synonymous with "heroically wealthy literary titan."

It could happen.

Posted by Jeff at February 27, 2003 11:23 PM | TrackBack
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