Subscriber Bertha from England asks:

I enjoyed reading your article Writer's Craft in March, and will take great care when using the word "craft." I was actually surprised to learn that using it with regard to writing a position paper amounts to some abuse (or misuse! I have often stated that in my work!

On to what I really want to comment on: a recent word of the day "preen." I looked up synonyms and discovered one "primp" whose meaning appears to be similar if not the same as a word used in the US "pimp" as in "pimp my car." I first heard this expression while watching a television programme showing a group of mechanics who transform an old, beaten up, rusty car into a new wonderful and very attractive vehicles with all sorts of fittings in the interior. At the end when the owner of the vehicle sees how transformed it is they exclaim, "Thank you Mr. X for pimping my ride!" Now, I wonder, are the two words the same?

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We've long suspected it, but now we have proof. Long words make you sound stupid and short words are best.

I'm fed up with people stealing my brain. Over here, in merrie olde England, it is illegal to misuse people's computers, for example, by infecting them with viruses. But for some reason I haven't figured out yet, it is not illegal for bad writers to corrupt my neurons, waste my mental capacity and steal my time with shoddy prose.

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This entry comes The Mechanic & the Muse , "an owners manual for writers" -- the terrific blog of respected journalist, columnist and teacher Chip Scanlan. It appeared on 3/6/6.

In his autobiography-cum-writing manual "On Writing," Stephen King recalls the summer day when he helped his Uncle Oren fix a broken screen at the back of his house. Uncle Oren was a carpenter and, like all craftsmen, he had a receptacle to hold his tools. King's description is lyrical:

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Coudal Partners is a small, super-creative design, ad and interactive studio based in Chicago. A few years ago the firm had, well, a creative idea for its website: Take the marketing out of it. So instead of featuring portfolios, client lists, press releases and awards online, they started publishing an eclectic, interactive magazine about visual design, marketing, advertising and much more. The site buzzes with new thinking, guest editors, contests, even a "museum of online museums." It certainly made an impact: Some 40,000 people now visit Coudal.com each day. Should you consider this take-the-marketing-out-of-it approach for your site, too? Listen to what Coudal's Steve Delahoyde has to say.  Continue reading...

Mystery writer Sparkle Hayter's favorite blogs:

Arts & Letters Daily. I learn the most interesting things here, and they have great newspaper links too

The Hotel Chelsea Blog. It's well-written and full of 20th century art history. I'd read it even if I hadn't lived there for a decade.

The Make Blog. How to make just about anything.

Ze's Blog. A great time waster, lots of links to Ze's creations, such a the classic "how to dance properly", as well as links to other excellent sites.

Don't forget: Send us your favorite blogs -- and tell us why you like 'em. Email us.

Let's get the first question out of the way: Yes, it's her real name.

Sparkle Hayter is a writer now finishing her sixth -- and final, she says -- installment of her popular "Robin Hudson" mystery novels. Originally from Canada, Sparkle now lives in Paris. She likes to write in cafes, just like Hemingway did. She also reported for the Toronto Star as a war correspondent. Just like Hemingway did. (She, in Afghanistan. He, of course, in Spain.) "People keep finding the parallels," she says. "But he was humorless and macho. That's a big difference."

Sparkle's latest novel is set in her new hometown. It's full of humor and Robin's cool not macho. Sparkle moved to Paris five years ago after living in New York City. It was more than just a change of scenery -- it changed the way she wrote. We caught up with her in Paris:

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