After around 20 episodes, season 2 of the Vocabbett podcast is coming to a close! I’d gladly continue it forever, but I was recently accepted to UCSD’s college counseling program. Since they operate on a quarterly system, I’m able to start my f

Margo Durrell - Quite the Character

Feb 23rd, 2021 7m 53s

If you’ve seen The Durrells in Corfu, you’ll undoubtedly remember the slightly dotty daughter in the series, Margo. When I finished the show (a slightly heartbreaking moment – I hope they release a new season in the future!), I was exceptionall

Cleopatra's Little Sister

Feb 16th, 2021 10m 45s

We've all heard of Cleopatra, but how many people know she had a little sister -- and a pretty remarkable one at that? Arsinoe IV was about ten years younger than Cleopatra, but my guess is that, had their ages been reversed, we'd all know A

Endlessly Exiled...But She Still Didn't Quit

Feb 11th, 2021 5m 29s

When most of us think of suffragettes (a.k.a. women who fought for the right to vote), we think of Susan B. Anthony or Emmeline Pankhurst. We should, however, also be thinking about the extraordinary Nazek al-Abid! In the latest installment in

18th Century Heiress-Turned-Pirate? (Vocabulary-Boosting History)

Feb 9th, 2021 12m 43s

“18th century heiress turned pirate” may sound like the tagline of a cheesy romance novel, but remarkably, it’s a fairly accurate description of the indomitable Anne Bonny. A few episodes into our “Forgotten Women” mini-series -- where I sneaki

The *Other* British Warrior Queen

Feb 4th, 2021 5m 38s

If you’re an Anglophile (lover of the English) like me, you’ve probably heard of Boudica, the warrior queen who took on the Romans. But did you know that there’s *another* British warrior queen with an equally fascinating tale? Around the 8th c

The Powerful Woman Behind 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'

Feb 2nd, 2021 6m 33s

“Mary had a little lamb…” Be honest. Did you go, “little lamb” again after you read that? Those five words are so catchy, they were the first words Thomas Edison ever recorded in the phonograph (making them the first words ever recorded on a ma

Kudos & Magical Glory

Jan 28th, 2021 4m 25s

I don’t remember the first time I heard the word “kudos,” but I distinctly remember thinking that it was 1970’s slang. How wrong I was! I only found out last week, though, that “kudos” goes all the way back to the days of Homer, meaning “magica

The Beak Where People Speak

Jan 26th, 2021 3m 11s

Amid the recent inauguration news, I kept hearing the word “rostrum.” “As he approaches the rostrum tomorrow…” “Donald Trump began his term from the same rostrum…” “In his inaugural address Wednesday, delivered from a rostrum…” Obviously this

Changes to the SAT - What No One's Talking About

Jan 21st, 2021 6m 37s

With colleges dropping the SAT left and right — and the recent announcement that they’re dropping the essay and subject tests — it’s normal to feel a reluctant pang of sympathy for a dying rite of passage. Here’s the thing, though: The College

'An Era of Schadenfreude'

Jan 19th, 2021 5m 56s

Imagine not knowing how to say that you're tired. It wouldn't make sense, right? And yet there's an emotion that most of us experience all the time, whether we want to or not...but we awkwardly don't name it. If you don't know the word "schade

Why We Call It Soccer (When Everyone Else Calls It Football!)

Jan 14th, 2021 5m 8s

You may already know that what we in the U.S. call “soccer,” most of the rest of the world refers to as “football.” But do you know why we call it soccer when almost no one else does? Is it just some cowboy American thing? A refusal to go with

Don't Be a Blatherskite

Jan 12th, 2021 8m 9s

Blatherskite - “A person who talks at great length without saying much of sense.” Basically, a blatherer. What a great word. Definitely my favorite word du jour. Do you know what makes this word even better? The amazing route it took to reach o

Theseus THE Pig + Helen of Troy

Jan 7th, 2021 10m 23s

If you're a fan of Greek history, you're probably familiar with the story of Theseus and the minotaur. But did you know that the word "academy" traces its roots all the way back to that story? To be more specific, "academies" are etymologi

The Juicy Tell-All Novel That Changed the WORD

Jan 5th, 2021 6m 19s

The WORD, get it? Haha, wordplay. You tend to hear the word "anecdote" in two contexts these days. Either it's a fancy stand-in for "story," or it's a disparaging adjective, as in, "you only have anecdotal evidence." But did you know the r

''Crazy' Moon Words + A Writing Tip

Dec 31st, 2020 3m 54s

We're all probably familiar with the legends of werewolves and madmen emerging from the dark on a full moon...but did you know that this legend is so pervasive, it actually made an impact on the English language? Yes, my friends. The word "l

Why the Months Make No Sense

Dec 29th, 2020 11m 2s

Have you ever looked at the calendar and thought, “Well, that makes no sense”? October starts with “oct,” but it’s not the 8th month. November starts with “nov,” but it’s not the 9th month. December starts with “dec,” but it’s not the 10th mon

Season 1 Finale!

Oct 13th, 2020 1m 57s

After a hot 59 episodes, it’s time to put the Vocabbett podcast on hiatus to write book 2! The podcast WILL be back. I LOVE doing it; I just need all the creative energy focused on one goal at the moment. Thanks for tuning in! You can listen to

*This* Should Never End for Writers (Not What You Think!)

Oct 8th, 2020 3m 57s

We’ve talked ideas, outlines, writing tips, and more in this writing series. But amid the technical tips, one very important component of writing can get overlooked: love of the craft. If you want to be a writer, you must enjoy writing! I’ve me

Unconventional Editing Advice

Oct 6th, 2020 4m 37s

The resounding writing advice today tends to be, “Just get the words on paper. You can edit it later. You can’t edit a blank page. All first drafts are garbage anyway…Just get your word count and keep going!” I can virtually guarantee that if y

Writing and...Popcorn?

Oct 1st, 2020 4m 39s

If you're following along and writing a book with me, you're probably into the actual drafting process. Woohoo! While exciting, I'll be the first to admit that this can be a uniquely intimidating time. It's one thing to have an outline; i

Is Your Subject Your Subject? (Two Meanings!)

Sep 29th, 2020 7m 5s

As we wrap up our writing mini-series, I have just a few more pieces of word-altering advice to give you! Today's advice has two meanings, and it's: is your subject your subject? Big Picture Are you telling the story from the right point

How to Write Non-Boring Descriptions

Sep 24th, 2020 6m 17s

I'll never forget my experience listening to Frankenstein on Audible. I went to the store, got groceries, was driving home, and sweet Mary Shelley (or the narrator, at any rate) was still droning on about some mountain. Now, Mary Shelley i

The Golden Rule of (Creative) Writing!

Sep 22nd, 2020 5m 34s

The most important piece of creative writing advice you'll ever receive? Show. Don't. Tell. You might have heard it before, but it definitely bears repeating! In a nutshell, here's the difference between the two... When you're telling the stor

How Helpful Are Character Sketches (And What Did Elizabeth Peters Do?)

Sep 17th, 2020 5m 10s

Well hello! If you’re new to Vocabbett, I help students improve their vocabulary through stories. Because of that, I tend to do a lot of writing. At the moment, I’m taking you behind the scenes as I write the sequel to Ahead of Her Time! Today,