Tiki Mystery
It was a dark and stormy night… famous Snoopy literary work…
Dark and Stormy… famous drink. Ever had one? Mmmm… ginger beer.
It was a dark and stormy night… famous Snoopy literary work…
Dark and Stormy… famous drink. Ever had one? Mmmm… ginger beer.
…A Dark & Stormy Drink is totally the title of a cozy. Quick! Write it before someone else does!
It was originally used in the 1830 novel “Paul Clifford”, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, who also coined phrases like “the almighty dollar”, “the great unwashed”, and “the pen is mightier than the sword”. Look up the first sentence of “Paul Clifford” and you’ll see it’s pretty good.
The thing was, many author – Snoopy included – were so taken by “It was a dark and stormy night” that it became cliché, and some years ago became the name for an annual contest for reader/writers to submit the year’s worst opening line.
Today’s “History in Writing” lesson was brought to you by:
Powdermilk Biscuits! Made from whole wheat that gives shy people the strength to get up and do what needs to be done. (Garrison Keillor, A Prairie Home Companion.)
@Pete, and other Squidites;
The Bulwer-Lytton competition has spawned some truly outrageously awful opening sentences. You can check it out here:
http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/
PS — “Powdermilk Biscuits”!! Two points for the ref!
Powdermilk Biscuits. “Made from whole wheat raised in the rich bottomlands of the Lake Wobegon river valley by Norwegian bachelor farmers, so you know they’re not only good for you, but also pure, mostly”, which “give shy persons the strength to get up and do what needs to be done. Heavens, they’re tasty and expeditious.”
Pete & DCS… Yes, well done, fellas! (and a nod to Garrison for HIS cleverness…)
Great link…. thanks… I like the one about Herb-ivores. Hee hee… thanks fer the chuckle!
Mr McDuff… a cozy? what means you?
Watch out! That beagle can afford some mighty tough lawyers…
DSC: That’s what the tagline turned into. I started listening in 1980, the year it went national, and the shorter tag line was used then.
“You’re listening to a Prairie Home Companion, coming to you live from the World Theater in downtown Saint Paul.”
dada… ha… yah… he’s actually his OWN lawyer.
“A dark and stormy drink.” Hmmm… Guinness and pop-rocks?
brig, a cozy mystery, or ‘cozy’ is a mystery featuring all or many of the following:
a small town, close knit neighborhood, or similar setting where to a good approximation everybody knows everybody
stupid computer autoposted before i was done. to continue:
not noir
not hardboiled
not gritty
little or no onscreen violence
usually a series
protagonist is usually self employed (writer, baker, shopkeeper, etc.)
in a non law enforcement business.
many but not all lard in recipes, gardening tips, knitting patterns, or other added value related to the protagonist’s occupation or hobby.
anatman</b?,
You forgot "blacksmith".
A cozy often has a secondary storyline which serves to maintain reader interest. There are also some borderline series where the main character isn't completely disconnected from law enforcement – say an inept bail bonds enforcement agent (bounty hunter).
Sorry. I typed a question mark instead of anhtml closuer.