Author Archives: Kathy

COVID on Our Bookshelves

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Kathy

When I was working on A Grandmother’s ABC Book, I worried that sections about COVID would be old news by the time the book came out. Revising, waiting for feedback, and inevitable delays increased my worry. Unfortunately, as we now … Continue reading →

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Bad Air Quality

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Kathy

Malaria’s in the news, because we’ve seen cases in the US transmitted on our own soil, not carried in by a traveler–the cases totalling eight so far. Worldwide, it’s still a scourge, afflicting almost 250 million people every year, killing … Continue reading →

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One More July?

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Kathy

We’re now well into the seventh month of the year, so it’s high time we examined the history of the name July. The Roman Senate named the month in 44 B.C.E. to honor the assassinated Roman general and dictator Julius … Continue reading →

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Writing and Reading Amazon Book Reviews

Posted on July 9, 2023 by Kathy

An acquaintance recently told me that she might be able to help me do an author talk at the Thurber House in Columbus. The humorist James Thurber’s former home is now a literary center, with workshops, tours, and classes related … Continue reading →

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A Linguistic Kerfuffle

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Kathy

My friend Jewel sent me a Washington Post article last week about Elon Musk and the term cisgender. In case you don’t know, cisgender refers to a person whose gender identity coincides with the sex with which the person was … Continue reading →

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J is for Jeans

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Kathy

At least that’s what A Grandmother’s ABC Book says. It’s on page 56. Super patriots may believe that blue jeans and their name began in America, but non vero (Italian for “not true”). Both the word and the pants began … Continue reading →

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This Is Jeopardy!

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Kathy

In a family Jeopardy game this evening to celebrate my son’s birthday, the Final Jeopardy category was “Science Language.” Here’s the Final Jeopardy answer: Coined by chemist Van Helmont, the word ‘gas’ comes from this Greek word meaning ‘unformed mass.’ … Continue reading →

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Sand-Loving Creatures

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Kathy

Psammophiles were in the news last week, thanks to Dev Shah, winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The word is pronounced “sam- uh-file.” If you know your Greek roots, as Bee competitors usually do, the “-phile” part would be … Continue reading →

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A Passing

Posted on June 4, 2023 by Kathy

My school friend Lynn Hamilton passed away last week, succumbing to an aggressive pancreatic cancer. I knew Lynn in grade school and became friends in high school. We studied English, social studies, and Latin together and debated as part of … Continue reading →

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Juno’s Bustin’ Out

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Kathy

Wife of Jupiter and queen of the Roman gods, Juno gave her name to our brand-new month, Iunius Mensis, the Romans’ fourth month (with Martius as the first). Junio and Juin are two of her Romance language legacies. Juno is … Continue reading →

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