A Book Blurb dictionary

gmw · 03-02-2022, 01:01 AM

Enchanting: there's a dog in it.
Heart-warming: a dog and a child.
Moving: the child dies.
Heart-rending: the dog dies.
Thoughtful: mind-numbingly tedious.
Haunting: set in the past.
Exotic: set abroad.
Audacious: set in the future.
Award-winning: set in India.
Perceptive: set in north London.
Provocative: infuriating.
Epic: editor cowed by author's reputation.
From the pen of a master: same old same old.
In the tradition of: shamelessly derivative.
Spare and taut: under researched.
Richly detailed: over researched.
Disturbing: author bonkers.
Stellar: author young and photogenic.
Classic: author hanging in there.
Vintage: author past it.

I cannot remember where or when I found this, but I came across it again when deleting bits and pieces of rubbish from my PC and thought it was amusing. Any more suggestions?

DNSB · 03-02-2022, 01:14 AM

That's looks like one I once ran across from Sarah Harrison (???). She also did a addon version.

Book-Blurb Glossary 2

Steamy: remove from Zoom bookcase
Ground-breaking; straight to Zoom bookcase
Undiscovered gem: author deceased
Rediscovered gem: out of copyright
Hilarious: effortful attempt
Lyrical: devoid of plot
Page-turning: devoid of character
Gritty: high f-word content
Fresh voice: editors are getting younger
Takes the lid off: author lost day-job

edit: Thanks for making me remember this bit of humour.

icallaci · 03-02-2022, 09:14 AM

Compelling: without evidence
Explosive: somebody famous accused of something heinous

issybird · 03-02-2022, 09:30 AM

beautifully written: too many adjectives and adverbs
deeply felt: needs an editor
sweeping: trite
saga: protracted and predictable

Quoth · 03-03-2022, 05:41 AM

All wonderful

Also there is the blurb that references something best-selling or classic-famous by someone else and in reality it's nothing like it. Harry Potter seems to have replaced LOTR on that?

ZodWallop · 03-03-2022, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Also there is the blurb that references something best-selling or classic-famous by someone else and in reality it's nothing like it. Harry Potter seems to have replaced LOTR on that?

In the horror field, if you aren't compared to Stephen King*, you aren't a real writer.

*Most especially early Stephen King.

Quoth · 03-05-2022, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

In the horror field, if you aren't compared to Stephen King*, you aren't a real writer.

*Most especially early Stephen King.

Though LONG ago it might have been Dennis Wheatley and even longer ago Stoker, Polari etc.

03-02-2022, 01:01 AM	#1
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	A Book Blurb dictionary Enchanting: there's a dog in it. Heart-warming: a dog and a child. Moving: the child dies. Heart-rending: the dog dies. Thoughtful: mind-numbingly tedious. Haunting: set in the past. Exotic: set abroad. Audacious: set in the future. Award-winning: set in India. Perceptive: set in north London. Provocative: infuriating. Epic: editor cowed by author's reputation. From the pen of a master: same old same old. In the tradition of: shamelessly derivative. Spare and taut: under researched. Richly detailed: over researched. Disturbing: author bonkers. Stellar: author young and photogenic. Classic: author hanging in there. Vintage: author past it. I cannot remember where or when I found this, but I came across it again when deleting bits and pieces of rubbish from my PC and thought it was amusing. Any more suggestions?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Book cover with blurb	Katja_hbg	Calibre	6	03-07-2018 04:48 PM
requesting blurb feedback for another book	Gregg Bell	Writers' Corner	3	11-29-2014 10:52 PM
blurb help please?	BeccaPrice	Writers' Corner	22	02-01-2014 02:32 PM
Blurb for the second book in a series?	gmw	Writers' Corner	14	01-03-2013 10:16 AM
Good, bad or ugly book blurb?	mr ploppy	Writers' Corner	16	12-20-2012 06:02 PM

03-02-2022, 01:14 AM	#2
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 48,102 Karma: 174315444 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	That's looks like one I once ran across from Sarah Harrison (???). She also did a addon version. Book-Blurb Glossary 2 Steamy: remove from Zoom bookcase Ground-breaking; straight to Zoom bookcase Undiscovered gem: author deceased Rediscovered gem: out of copyright Hilarious: effortful attempt Lyrical: devoid of plot Page-turning: devoid of character Gritty: high f-word content Fresh voice: editors are getting younger Takes the lid off: author lost day-job edit: Thanks for making me remember this bit of humour.

03-02-2022, 09:14 AM	#3
icallaci Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 6528026 Join Date: Sep 2012 Device: Kobo Elipsa	Compelling: without evidence Explosive: somebody famous accused of something heinous

03-02-2022, 09:30 AM	#4
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,514 Karma: 236076651 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	beautifully written: too many adjectives and adverbs deeply felt: needs an editor sweeping: trite saga: protracted and predictable

03-03-2022, 05:41 AM	#5
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,990 Karma: 111111255 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	All wonderful Also there is the blurb that references something best-selling or classic-famous by someone else and in reality it's nothing like it. Harry Potter seems to have replaced LOTR on that?