Okay, here’s an alternative history story, one inspired by a wonderful National Geographic documentary about a Shetland Island man and an otter.
The Taming of the Dolphin
Published by murraymcclellan
As a retired teacher who has fled the US and is now living in Spain, and as someone who has until now eschewed most forms of social media, I am belatedly beginning to create an online presence. To that end, I am using this WordPress website to archive some of my miscellaneous non-academic writing. I hope that some of my friends and former colleagues may enjoy this collection, which consists mainly of political editorials, light-weight essays, and silly poems. I also post here the latest version of my US History textbook, Key Moments in American History. View all posts by murraymcclellan
Published
Murray C McClellan 
Good morning from NH, Murray,
Feel free to ignore me, but I have writing tip for you. But first, I’ve enjoyed your stories and want to encourage to keep writing.
Now for the tip. Don’t use strong verbs when attributing dialogue. Favor the weak verb “said.” Strong verbs (Alf guffawed … the inquisitive Ace inquired … Abe piped in) distract from the spoken words. Also, as you no doubt have discovered, they’re a pain in the ass to dream up. Almost always the speaker’s tone is conveyed in the speech. When it isn’t and needs to be divulged, write a line of description.
Ernest Hebert • All my truths hide. Only way I can tease them out is by writing stories. • Seven-book Darby Chronicles reprinted August 2021 by Wesleyan University Press. • Hebert backstories in text and images ernesthebert.com
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Thanks for your comment, Ernie! As you know, I really don’t consider myself to be a writer, certainly not one of your class, but I do appreciate your helpful tips. I really write mostly for myself, when any old idea pops up in my head. I have been working on a serious book on the public art of Oviedo, Spain, which has been my home for these past eight years; it doesn’t look like I’m going to find a publisher for it here (I’ve written it in both English and Spanish), and my wife is urging me to just make Youtube videos of it.
You are so right that my use of strong verbs in attributing dialogue is distracting. I got caught up in alliterative alternatives to “he said” (“Ace asked”, “the inquisitive Ace inquired”, “Ace added”, “burst out Beth”, “Gath gushed”). In part, this stemmed from my interest in “Tom Swifties”, where the “Tom said” is followed by a punning adverb. (I’ve put up some of my own on my website: https://murraymcclellan.com/murrays-tom-swifties/
Again, many thanks for reaching out. It is great to stay in touch. Given the current political environment, I have no plans to return to, or even visit, the US.
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