Winner!!!

Okay to the Winner for Sheri's contest, I mailed out your prize today. You got some extra goodies, because I'm nice and that's how I roll. Weee. So huge congrats to Jennifer Coffill Peters in winning my prize!


In other news, I'm re-reading the rest of Spoken and making sure it's completely flawless, why? Well, besides the face I want my MS to be in the best Shape possible, but I also started resubmitting my work again. It is being sent to the Subs panel at one of my writing sites I belong to: YALITCHAT.ORG and I'm freaking out wit excitement of course. 

So as I re-read I'm going to be looking for the obvious things, grammar, correct punc, correct spelling or use of words along with plot holes and voices. And since I'm in such a giving mood here is some knowledge for you.

Commas, commas...Blah how you are my enemy. Can you tell I hate commas?

Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet). A comma splice is when two separate sentences are joined by a comma without a conjunction. A comma splice is incorrect. Another way to correct the comma splice is to use a semicolon to connect the two clauses without using a conjunction. 

Examples that are all correct:

This manuscript is excellent, but it still needs to be edited. 

Our first title releases soon, and I am so excited.

Our first title releases soon; I am so excited.

Our first title releases soon. I am so excited.

Serial Comma - Use commas to separate words and groups of words with a series of three or more.

Examples:

This book has awesome dialogue, plot, and characterization.

This next one is a big one that we need to pay close attention to. Use a comma to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun. Be careful not to add a comma before the final adjective and the noun or between non-coordinate adjectives. Here's a helpful hint: if the word and can be inserted between the two adjectives, use a comma. If you can swap the adjectives around and they still make sense, use a comma. A coordinate adjective separately modifies the noun that follows it. Cumulative adjectives do not modify the noun that directly follows it. 

Examples:

This is a strong, funny manuscript.

He wrapped me in an amazing power hug. - You do not use a comma here because they are non-coordinate, and you can't say, "He wrapped me in an amazing and power hug."

Comma to separate essential phrases and clauses:

An essential phrase or clause is used to modify the noun. It also adds critical information to the sentence. We do not set essential phrases or clauses off with commas. 

Example:

The people who work for Month9Books are awesome.

A nonessential phrase or clause adds extra information to the sentence. The phrase or clause can be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence. We always set nonessential phrases or clauses off with commas.

Example:

Month9Books, an awesome press, has several titles coming out next year. - Month9Books is named, so the description is nonessential.