Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 8, 2026 is:etiquette • \ET-ih-kut\ • noun Etiquette refers to rules or customs that dictate what behavior is considered appropriate and expected in a particular setting. // Her failure to respond to the invitation was a serious breach of etiquette. See the entry > Examples: “My first interaction with The Real Housewives franchise happened sometime in 2015, when my partner became hooked

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 7, 2026 is:discreet • \dih-SKREET\ • adjective Discreet describes someone who is careful about not allowing something to be known or noticed by many people. It can also describe something that is not likely to be seen or noticed by many people. // She was always very discreet about her personal life. // A photographer followed the singer at a discreet distance. See the entry > Examples:

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 6, 2026 is:regimen • \REJ-uh-mun\ • noun Regimen refers to a plan or set of rules about food, exercise, etc., designed to make someone become or stay healthy. // Sherry’s personal trainer started her on a workout regimen of 30 minutes on the treadmill followed by 30 minutes of weight training. See the entry > Examples: "The last step in a great antiaging skin care regimen is, of course,

The panel reads The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, with attention to its structure of vengeance, its gothic genre features, the presence of literal echoes and narrative recurrence, and particularly the reliability—and sanity—of the narrator.Continue reading

This week's episode is a follow up to last week's since my brother and I started a new Thirteenth Hour DnD campaign using the rules of the Infinite Stories system Jeremy created (detailed in episode 551), and I wanted to also include those adventures in the timeline since they take place in the nebulous time frame between the events of The Thirteenth Hour and the sequel.  That said, as more events start to fill that period, it starts to get less nebulous!-After the events of The Thirteenth

In this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith discuss some bookish conundrums and how they’d like them fixed, their current reads, a deep dive bossing some bookish friends’ TBRs, and they bring some extra bookish goodness before they go.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 5, 2026 is:perseverate • \per-SEV-uh-rayt\ • verb To perseverate is to intently focus one's attention on a thought or thoughts. Perseverate can also mean "to recur or repeat continually." // They teach that there is no use in perseverating about past regrets. // Nervous thoughts perseverated in the back of her mind for weeks leading up to the event, but it was a complete success. See the entry >

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 4, 2026 is:adventitious • \ad-ven-TISH-us\ • adjective Adventitious is a formal word that most often describes something that comes from an outside source, and is neither inherent or innate. In botanical contexts especially, the word also describes something that arises or occurs sporadically, or not in the usual or expected location. // The house is like a museum—beautifully restored, full of period

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 3, 2026 is: tittle • \TITT-ul\ • noun Used chiefly in British English, tittle refers to a very small part or amount; it is often paired with the word jot. In writing and printing on both sides of the pond, tittle also refers to a point or small sign used as a diacritical mark. // There is not a jot or tittle of evidence to support their claims. See the entry > Examples: "First-class

Britt and Chris dive into the fascinating character that is Gollum, exploring the impact of his centuries-long isolation and his complicated history with Baginses. They also talk about Sméagol's big birthday choice, how he has been treated by others ever since, and much more!Please tell a geeky friend about us and leave a review on your podcast app! If you really enjoy our content, become one of our amazing patrons to get more of it for just $1 per month here:

Goodreads Book GiveawayThe Ghost Girl by John KixMiller Released July 28, 2026 Giveaway ends in about 1 month (September 19, 2026) 100 copies available, 176 people requesting See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter Giveaway

How do you find and notice story ideas, and how do you turn those into short stories, novels, or as anecdotes for your non-fiction or memoir? Why is an author's note so important in an age of AI, and what might it contain? Joanna Penn shares her thoughts, and her short story, The Black Church, along with its author's note.The post From Story Seeds To Stories, And Writing An Author’s Note, With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Episode NotesJoin our Patreon for early access and bonus episodes and help support the show! Get exclusive Japanese horror merchandise and join the Discord! Five bizarre and creepy tales of what lurks in tiny villages hidden far from civilisation, and why you should perhaps not let curiosity get the better of you. BGM thanks to Myuuji, Kevin MacLeod and CO.AG. Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Support Kowabana: 'True'

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 2, 2026 is:heterodox • \HET-uh-ruh-dahks\ • adjective Like both unorthodox and unconventional, heterodox describes something, such an idea or belief, that is contrary to or different from an acknowledged standard, a traditional form, or an established religion. Heterodox can also describe a person or group that holds unorthodox opinions or doctrines. // The two new faculty members' heterodox approach to

The Uncanny X-Men 145, Marvel Comics, cover-dated May 1981."Kidnapped!" written by Chris Claremont, with art by Dave Cockrum & Joe Rubinstein.Whathappens when Doctor Doom spends some quality time with the X-Men for the first time ever? Do they all become best buddies? How does his dinner date with Storm go? And what does Arcade have to do with all of this?Listen to the episode and find out! Click on the player below to listen to the episode: Right-click to download episode

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 1, 2026 is:slew • \SLOO\ • noun Slew is an informal word for a large number of people or things. // The pile of junk mail included a slew of catalogs. See the entry > Examples: “The nonalcoholic drinks category has expanded so much in recent years that it’s not uncommon to find a list of thoughtful, complex nonalcoholic beverages on a bar or restaurant’s cocktail menu—yes, even outside

Episode SummaryThis time on Strangers we have our September feature, Decanting by B. Garden. Decanting is a short story about being a sommelier on a starship with the dregs of humanity. Read along for free at TangledWildeTangledWilderness.orgrness.org. Get copies of the monthly feature by signing up for the Zine of the Month Club on our Patreon. Guest Info B is a sommelier, writer, and aspiring ghost from Earth. You can find B on BlueSky at godcompost.bsky.social or on their website

Joe is joined by Naomi Falk to talk about art writing and criticism, the internet leaving you behind, being a young gamer girl, and more.Contact for Naomi FalkThe Surrender of ManInstagramWebsiteContact for Joe bieleckiInstagram, and Bluesky: @noisemakerjoeWebsiteOne time donationPatreonTiredArt photo byArielle Tipa

Long after Tom Clancy’s death, his character Jack Ryan lives on. Clancy died in 2013. Since then, several authors have continued the Ryan series. The latest is Jack Stewart with Pressure Depth. He talks with Steve about Tom, Jack, and his own fighter pilot experience.

How do you best convey the background or history of your story's universe without lengthy exposition and info dumps? Also? The scams are out of control in the publishing industry. The DRS Crew discusses what to watch out for. DRS caffeinates with Larry's Coffee. If you want to purchase fair-trade, organically grown beans that brew into smooth, balanced, never-bitter coffee, visit LarrysCoffee.com/drs, receive a free gift with your purchase, and help support The Dead Robots' Society. Our links: