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The third edition of How to Say It: Choice Words, Phrases, Sentences & Paragraphs will be published by Perigee/Penguin in a few weeks. First published in 1990 and selling steadily ever since, the book has been purchased by nearly 3 million people--unless, of course, family and friends have been helping me out. People ask why it's been so popular. I think luck and timing have a lot more to do with events than we like. What might also have helped is that the book was written for busy people, people who could write letters if they just had more time. Quick, logical, and comprehensive, the book keeps the user in mind on every page. They say to write what you know. I write what I need. And I needed this book. After all these years, I still slide it off the shelf when I'm stuck--usually on a letter that's long overdue.
To see more about this book, click on one of the following:
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.borders.com
www.alibris.com
 Just in time for spring cleaning! Or guilt trips! Or graduation gifts to unorganized offspring! The Art of Organizing Anything: Simple Principles for Organizing Your Home, Your Office, and Your Life is appearing on bookshelves and online this month. Pretend for a minute that I had nothing to do with this book. You know what I like about it? It's as simple as the subtitle says--just gives you tips bing-bing-bing. It's also commonsensical--no elaborate plans to remember. And everything is flexible so that once you figure out how much you want to do, and how you want to do it, the book can work with you. And everything in there has been field-tested by a klutz, not naming any names or anything.
To see more about this book, click on one of the following:
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.borders.com
www.alibris.com Published a couple of years ago, The Art of Talking to Anyone: Essential People Skills for Success in Any Situation has been a particularly fun book to write. Most people have stories about foot-in-mouth disease and the nice but persistent person who backed them into a corner at a party, and the terror of having nothing to say when someone's looking at you expectantly. I did a number of radio talk shows, and people were not shy about describing unfortunate encounters at work events, cocktail parties, and neighborhood potlucks. Turns out very few people believe they're good conversationalists, whereas I think most people are pretty talented--they just don't know it.
(This title is also available as an audiobook.)
To see more about this book, click on one of the following:
www.amazon.com
www.borders.com
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.alibris.com If you've ever heard of Marie Marvingt, I'd be very surprised because she is virtually unknown. And yet, in her lifetime, she was described as "the most incredible woman since Joan of Arc." I began researching her life because I had been to college and therefore would surely have known if such a woman had existed (I was young, okay?). Research proved that she was even more fascinating than I'd thought. This biography, written in French, was published in France in 1991 where it is still in print.
To find out more about this book or to obtain a copy, click on the publisher's website:
www.ÉditionsPierron.com One of my very most favorite books was editing The New Beacon Book of Quotations by Women, a huge collection of, well, what the title says. Thousands of women say many thousands of funny, clever, thought-provoking, and memorable things about cats and death and style and literary criticism and chocolate and weather and humor and pain and travel and almost anything else you can imagine. The book is unfortunately out of print, although when I see a copy online I buy it up because it makes a great gift. Someday I'm going to do another edition, even if I have to self-publish because I have so many thousands of great new quotes. In the meantime, when you're giving a talk or a speech, check out the library copy of this book (many libraries have a copy) and find yourself a really super quotation to punch up your material.  Published by Morrow Junior in 1990, and named an International Reading Association Young Adults' Choice in 1992, this book is now out of print. A story based on it was published in Cricket, and I was able to be in the audience when one group of schoolchildren turned it into a play. Some families read it together every Christmas. I've written a screenplay based on it, although the two media are so different the screenplay seems like a new work.  The smallest, simplest, and most basic little style manual you can get by with is probably the How to Say It Style Guide. Like most writers I have a number of usage and style guides on my shelves, but not everyone needs a big rig to haul their words; a pickup truck will do the job for most people. This is out of print but you can often pick up a copy online.  After The Nonsexist Word Finder came The Bias-Free Word Finder, and finally this book-- Talking About People.
To see more about this book, click on one of the following:
www.amazon.com
www.greenwood.com About ten years after How to Say It was published, Prentice Hall asked me to do another letterwriting book--Great Letters for Every Occasion was the result. Over a lifetime of serious letterwriting, I have saved thousands and thousands of letters. In addition, with a sister and six brothers willing to go through their files of letters, I had access to enough letters for a second book. But don't worry--the letters were only a jumping-off place. No one's secrets have been unleashed. ALSO:
The Beacon Book of Quotations by Women (Beacon Press, 1992), 390 pp.
The Bias-Free Word Finder/The Dictionary of Bias-Free Usage: A Guide to Nondiscriminatory Language (Oryx Press, 1991, Beacon Press, 1992), 294 pp.
How to Say It, 1st ed. (Prentice Hall, 1990), 433 pp.
The Nonsexist Word Finder (Oryx Press, 1987; Beacon Press, 1989), 210 pp.
The Travels of Soc (American Guidance Service, 1985), 85 pp.
NOTE:
If you really need or want a copy of one of my old or out-of-print books, e-mail me. Sometimes I can come up with a reasonably priced book in new or nearly new condition.
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 If you're having one of these days, come in and look around! WHAT's NEW? Please check out my new book-giveaway contest (click on "Contest" in upper right) AND a new book co-written by Frank Maggio, Pat Maggio, Kevin Maggio, Mary Maggio, Paul Maggio, Mark Maggio, Matthew Maggio, and me. Yup! We're sisters and brothers and it's a good thing we like each other--can you imagine writing a book with a bunch of wiseacres and comedians? Click on "Pieces of Eight" at the top to see more.
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Thanks for stopping by! I live up in the mountains, in a tiny village in the middle of a national forest. "Hey!" is the way people here say "Hi!" (For example, "Tell your husband I said 'Hey!'") "Ciao!" is a tribute to my Sicilian roots and French-language background--so efficient because it means both "Hello" and "Goodbye." "Aloha!" is a nod to our President. (I used to live in Chicago but can't remember if there was a city-specific way to greet people there.) Anyway, I hope you find something useful or thought-provoking on this site. My newest books are the top two on the left. There might be another one out this year, Unspinning the Spin, about words that come with, what else, spin. In the works is a family memoir cowritten by the eight of us Maggio siblings--humorous and offbeat, largely a response to the many people who ask us how we could possibly still be best friends after all these years. I'm also hoping to get several children's books published and at least one of my four screenplays sold. Life is good. I am grateful.
 Photo by John Galluzzi
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY
♥ Many, many years ago they asked Socrates, "When will justice come to Athens?" Socrates replied, "Justice will not come to Athens until those who are not injured are as indignant as those who are."
♥ "The test of a democracy is not the magnificence of buildings or the speed of automobiles or the efficiency of air transportation, but rather the care given to the welfare of all the people." Helen Keller, The Home Magazine (1935)
♥ "Getting what you go after is success; but liking it while you are getting it is happiness." Bertha Damon, A Sense of Humus (1943)
♥ "All of us in this country give lip service to the ideals set forth in the Bill of Rights and emphasized by every additional amendment, and yet when war is stirring in the world, many of us are ready to curtail our civil liberties. We do not stop to think that curtailing these liberties may in the end bring us a greater danger than the danger we are trying to avert." Eleanor Roosevelt, in Cosmopolitan (1940)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
♥ How much money do you make writing? Enough. (Katharine Tynan says, "Enough is as good as a feast.")
♥ Why won't you ever do lunch? May Sarton speaks for me: "Lunches are just not good. They take the heart out of the day and the spaciousness from the morning's work."
♥ Do you dye your hair? Not yet.
♥ Who are your favorite authors? Rebecca West, George Eliot, Charlotte and Anne Bronte, Sara Paretsky, Marcia Muller, Sue Grafton, Barbara Ehrenreich, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Ellen Goodman, Judith Martin, Erica Jong, Dorothy L. Sayers, Katherine Anne Porter--and SO many more. You know all of them, but what about... Octavia Butler, Theresa Maggio, Laura Cunningham, Helen Hayes and Carrie Fisher (yes, they both can write well), Kim Hunter, Katherine Butler Hathaway, Kate Ross (read her four books in order), Teresa Funiciello (brilliant book on welfare). This is impossible. To find quotations for some of my books, I've read over 8,000 books and many of them are my "favorites." Never mind.
Doctor Liz is my very favorite veterinarian--check out her site for advice on better living with your cats and dogs
Katie Koskenmaki is a gifted filmmaker/director--this clip will show you a prize-winning trailer of hers.
Matt Koskenmaki: talented, versatile, and productive filmscorer and composer; you can hear some of his music on his website
Jason Middleton: the editor-in-chief of www.la.com, this charismatic über-bright fellow is also my son-in-law--lucky me!
Joyce Koskenmaki: a brilliant, sensitive artist whose works are my favorites--see some of them here
♥ WONDERFUL WRITERS & WORKS
The Bottom of the Sky: an original, gripping first novel by Bill Pack--check it out!
The Charisma Effect by Andrew Leigh will set you to thinking about something most people don't give enough head room to
Michelle Edwards: I'm a big fan of Michelle's original and memorable children's books--she's one of the truly authentic writer-illustrators for children working today--also a champion knitter. Check her out on the Lion's Brand website.
Paul and Sarah Edwards are my favorite polymaths. In addition to their Middleclass Lifeboat site, you can also find them here
Erica Jong: a brilliant, creative, and courageous writer who's always tackling something new--check out her website for writers' tips
Leonard Roy Frank has compiled the marvelous Random House Webster's Quotationary--one of the most accurate, comprehensive, useful collections in print. Having experienced extreme memory loss from forced insulincoma-electroshock treatment in 1963, Leonard has been active in the struggle to establish the rights of people labeled "mentally ill," focusing mainly on electroshock (ECT), which he believes is a dehumanizing, memory-destroying, brainwashing, brain-damaging procedure that should be abandoned. His Electroshock Quotationary, 156 pages of quotations about ECT, is available free online.
Ralph Keyes: author of a number of books including the excellent The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear and his brand-new--and positively reviewed I Love It When You Talk Retro
Stephen Wilbers: Steve is the expert on business writing--has written a syndicated column for years, has books and presentations to offer
Theresa Maggio: writes lyrically and memorably about Sicily in her novels Mattanza and The Stone Boudoir--I like to think we're related, but there's no proof yet
Elaine Partnow: The Quotable Woman is a huge collection of quotations by women arranged chronologically--Elaine was the first woman ever to systematically and comprehensively collect quotations by women
Lisa Westberg Peters: a talented and delightful picture book writer--look for her stunning and surprisingly accessible collection of geology poems for children
Nigel Rees: the Quotemeister (books and BBC program) from Great Britain--probably the world's most knowledgeable person in this area
Carolyn Rubenstein: founder of a nonprofit organization for children with cancer, Carolyn has interviewed 20 young people with cancer who tell their stories--inspirational, realistic, and affecting--in Perseverance. A must-have for any young person with cancer--and for those who love them.
SCBWI: membership is almost a must for any writer or illustrator for children--you can be an associate member if you haven't had anything published yet
Faith Sullivan: author of The Cape Ann, Empress of One, and other classic, heart-centered, and memorable books
♥ FABULOUS FRIENDS
Tom Jones, who played ragtime music on the Delta Queen steamboat for many years, is a brilliant pianist and composer as well as a longtime friend. Click on his name to see his inspiring spiritual musical offerings along with his cheerful and well-fingered rags
Joe Holmquist: a profoundly creative composer and drummer, Joe's website, "Joe's World," features 15 works by his hero and even more insanely brilliant composer, Tristan Fuentes
Joe Kelly, also known as "the Dad Man," is a national expert on the many faces of fatherhood and the ways of effectively fathering our children
John Galluzzi took the photo on this page. To see both some of John's amazing photography and Sigrud Insull's mountain retreat, which is located up here in Pine Mountain, click here
♥ GOOD GOODS
Baltimore Coffee and Tea: I can't work without tea--if that's you, check out the amazing selection of tasty and innovative teas here
Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture: some of the most acute and pertinent reading that comes across my desk--my #1 reading
Final Draft: I know that everyone loves whatever software they happen to be using, but I have to say I think Final Draft is truly effective and user-friendly
Free Spirit Publishing: a high-quality publisher of books for and about children and young people--every book is a gem
The Hunger Site: by just clicking a button you can ensure that a certain amount of food is given to hungry people, thanks to sponsors of the site--it's so easy to get in the habit of heading here every time you're online
Il Mostro (The Monster), an Italian-language film with Roberto Benigni directing and acting, is one of the funniest films I've ever seen. For a youtube outtake, click here
Leavenworth Jackson has been designing original, memorable, and useful rubber stamps for 30 years. Enjoy clicking through her catalog.
Minnesota Women's Press: one of the best women's newspapers in the country--you'll like it even if you're not from Minnesota
Ms. Magazine: still great, still putting out well-written articles about things we need to know
National Writers Union: just what it sounds like--worth your time and money
New Moon: magazine for girls and their dreams, largely run by girls--an organization that has made a noticeable difference for girls
Nota Bene: an odd, largely unknown word-processing software aimed at writers and academics--I've used it for about 12 years and I'm crazy about it. Although it may not be everyone's cup of tea, it really covers all the bases and is powerful besides
Reader's Circle: this nonprofit lists some 814 U.S. book clubs as well as 189 authors available for over-the-phone visits with book groups. Annually they field 85,000 inquiries for book clubs.
SCBWI: membership is almost a must for any writer or illustrator for children--you can be an associate member if you haven't had anything published yet
Street Spirit: one of the finest publications in the country, Street Spirit is by and about homeless and poor individuals, published by the American Friends Service Committee (Terry Messman, ed.)
USPS Domestic Calculator: a useful, clever site that'll tell you how much postage to put on your letter or package
Utne: one of my favorite all-purpose alternative magazines
 Book lovers might like BookWomen, a bimonthly publication bursting with reading ideas, stories, and book-related news. To learn more or to subscribe, go to www.bookwomen.com
 I've been putting together "The Last Words" for the last page of BookWomen for fourteen years now. Each issue quotes women on a different topics. Women's words--what's not to love?
 The article reproduced above and below appears in the most recent BookWomen. I'm always interested in hearing any news about sexist or otherwise biased language, especially in national media.
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