Fixed, Sox!

Black Leather Pants

I've always known I was the smartest guy in the room, though I could never prove it. Never did that well in school, or at work, or in social situations, or in games. But I have a blog with literally dozens of readers.

So when I was invited to take part in a "mystery week" reality show where I would get a chance to show off my intellect, I was on that like Rush Limbaugh on a Cheeto. When they told me that the show was being filmed in Uzbekistan to avoid the red tape caused by U.S. regulations and human rights treaties, I told them that this appealed to my love of freedom, as long as they were buying the tickets, and paying the hotel bills. In retrospect, maybe I should have wondered why a reality show was worrying about human rights treaties.

You see it turns out they've come up with a way to make a mystery week edgier. Yeah, they've staged a murder and we have to solve it. But it turns out the murder is real. And if we contestants can't figure out whodunit, we get executed for the crime. They've even managed to get hold of an antique electric chair, the third ever used in the U.S. Takes all the fun out if it.

Oh well, on the bright side, win or lose they've told me I can keep these cool black leather pants..

Oh well, on the bright side, win or lose they've told me I can keep these cool black leather pants.

Dude... what a nifty twist. Very creepy.

Thanks Barb.

The leather challenge is now closed.

The new challenge is buzz.

Buzz Kill

Her hand hovered over the buzzer. She wouldn't know until the last second if she could do it. Would she be the one to sound the death knell or would it be one of the other attendees? She gazed straight ahead, focusing on the overseer. Her hand was trembling a little, but she refused to set it down. If her hand was to be the one that dealt the final blow, she was going to commit herself to it completely. She owed it to the process; she owed it to her companions.

Her hand hit the buzzer. First.

"What is…."

Nice one Sail... though I'm wondering if she gets it wrong who dies.

You guys have been so helpful. I'm hoping you'll indulge me again. How does one properly reference the use of a letter of the alphabet in a sentence?

"flat, midwestern r's"... seems wrong because there's no ownership involved, and yet I don't know what would be better. What should it be?

AP Style says all single letters use an apostrophe to make the plural form. Two letter combinations, such as CDs, do not. I assume that's because without an apostrophe it would be confusing to talk about more than one A, I or U.

Maybe "flat, midwestern Rs" to set it off without the apostrophe?

eta: Ginger, FTW! I'm going to try to remember that one, too, because I know it's stumped me before.

Thanks Ginger. I should have thought to find a style guide... there's got to be one somewhere in this house. ...And Greg says no, we don't. I'll have to get one.

I like that Ellen, but I think I'll go with the AP and the capital R.

General you question: AP or Chicago for fiction writing?