Blurb
Blurb…. what the heck is a blurb?
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Posted on July 10, 2008 · Filed Under Lessons
Blurb…. what the heck is a blurb?
Remember to vote for your teacher over at the Best Weekend Ever Website.
You can vote up to 5 times a day.
Posted on July 10, 2008 · Filed Under Lessons
HOTFORWORDS.COM
Marina Orlova IS Number One of the world.
She is super smart, super sexy super HOT. Sui Generis. Creative, imagintive with a devilish sence of humor that can make your toes curl whilst your grey matter works in overdrive. Commedia dell’arte. Investigate the world of Philology in the largest known virtual class room. Mix it up with Guess the Word games and word/ phrase suggestions with fellow students. Do your home work and who knows, you may become her teachers pet one day. Certainly is Sweet Child o’ Mine, Maina makes every day a Beautiful Day.
So if you haven’t subscribed yet, do your self a big favour and join in the fun. Be good
M, some blurb for you
A very Hot A-Z of Etymology! Boost your linquistics knowledge in a fun and tantalising manor. Learning the meaning and origin of words has never been so interesting as this before. Allow Marina to take you through every day words or phrases to the outlandishly ridiculas!
Marina is certainly Sui Generis when it comes to Philology. Become a Hot For Words student and you will become revered by everyone you know!
Now pay attention, class is in session…….
143always
Retro Marina at the end again.
As for the blurb, I’d say that you put quotes about what the media said about you, as well as comments from your students.
“Intelligence is sexy is a tagline by the author Hotforwords. These word origins are as interesting as she is stunning. Beauty and brains are too hot a combo to miss.” I think that’d be a good blurb. On the literary front how about the origins for book, writing, literature, genre, or author. Thanks and keep up the good work. Duane
PS love the historical aspects.
This was great fun. Thanks a very interesting one.
How about the word snippet?
I think “hot, hot, hot!” should be somewhere in the blurb but then that might not let people know that the material is truly enlightening or informative. I like “too hot for words” too but that is primarily because it’d get picked up by search engines, helping to promote the book. SEO (search engine optimization) techniques really do help but having a niche, as Marina does, and a fan base could be the best promotion of all
I envision; in a bookstore… no, a chain of bookstores, a promotional video, running on a small monitor,with a couple of samples vids or blurbs by or about Marina, promoting the DVDs & Book, which are available individually or as a special boxed gift set… think big.
Have you seen this from…Russia Today?
Thanks for the info on that. Hadn’t seen it yet. Promotion, press and interviews are all good. I’d really like to help build buzz for Marina. She’s got me hooked on the word of the day, whatever it is.
thanks, billyb…that was great. fuels the fire even more…
Finally got around to making the blurb…thank goodness you sent that card…
Hot Book is weak, i know…
but i kinda like Hot Marina…
‘course, i think everyone does…
Homework:
Hi Marina, here is my blurb for your new book. I hope you enjoy it. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.
http://i38.tinypic.com/2icbll1.jpg
hey marina! i was wondering if you could do a vidoe on the origins of “who” and “whom” and what the difference of the two are.
thanks!
Marina….I called in sick today because I am not feeling well. I told the boss I was “under the weather.” Then I thought…where did this phrase come from and why does it mean you are not feeling well?
Hello my sexy teacher,
I would like to ask what is the relation between the word “ignorance” and “nostalgia” ?
Huh? must be from the SAT, right?
apple is to tomato
as bird is to …
That was an interesting lesson. Thanks. Anyway, I was wondering if you could do a phrase for me. The phase is “Die like a dog”. I would appreciate it.
I would like to request 2 words that are related, the words are stereo and radio. I love watching your videos. Thanks for posting them.
I had to write a blurb for a popular book once and it is still on the cover but…if it is on the cover, is it still a blurb or is a blurb only on the back cover?
Whatever your blurb says, I think it should let readers know that you are smart, not just visually appealing. A pet peeve of mine is that most blurbs don’t really say anything about the book. Why not? Maybe they could convince people to buy it.
If the book is tongue in cheek or witty, you’d want that kind of blurb. The title of that book, Eats, Shoots and Leaves was pretty funny and even relevant but I don’t remember the blurbs for it. Most blurbs are written by famous authors and their recommendation usually sells the book. For instance, Stephen King writes a lot of blurbs but not all of his recommended books are worth reading. I think some blurbs are just favors from one writer to another.
A possible blurb: ” This is a vital book. The author manages to create one of the most important contributions to philology and word origins, doing so with a rare combination of historical perspective and….” someone else will have to finish that sentence
Edited slightly: “This is a must read! The author manages to create one of the most important contributions to philology and language ever, doing so with a rare combination of historical perspective and….” (someone else will STILL have to finish that sentence)
One word could end your sentence nicely, “delight” or “mirth”…
If the book is anything like the videos, Marina’s felicitous style will captivate the reader and hold them entranced while knowledge is absorbed and embedded.
Yes, something like that would be great, a blurb that hints at the very solid info as well as the style.
Hey,
I retire from the US Air Force. I am a fighter pilot. I really love your videos.
My call sign in the Air Force is Beef. In fact on Fridays I wear a name tag with my nickname (call sign) Beef.
Could you do a video on Beef?
I want to show it at my retirement ceremony as I retire on 18 July.
If you cannot do Beef by then I still would love the video.
Cheers,
Beef
Lt Col Chuck Kowitz
US Air Force
cool:P i’m becoming an Air Force pilot
I will be going to the US(Sheppard Air Force Base) in 4/6 months duno exactly 
Are you going to fly for an airline company now?
МИЛАЯ МАРИНОЧКА,ЭТО просто шикарно,значит after Belinda Blurb,we are going to see МАРИНА БЛУРБОВА soon
i’m really looking forward to reading your book soon,i ‘m really eager to have it,i really hope i can find it here in Europe in one of my three countries,otherwise i’ll have to visit my American friends as soon as possible and then enjoying a nice meal at Blujam café with my friend capman and maybe other students… Marina,i have a further question: i see a lot of students requesting many words whose i know pretty well the origin but i -almost- never wrote anything because i thought that this could spoil your great job and preventing you from making nice videos..however, sometimes do you mind me giving some hints sometimes 
sorry i didn’t want to be a grind or a bootlicker 
..just a disciplined and well behaved student! 
If you can’t find one there I will mail you a copy of the book. But eating at the Blue jam would be alot better.
Mike
Chère maîtresse,
I haven’t seen Gucci. After Kobe ( or is it Cobie, Kobey, Coby, Cobe, or Cobey?) arrived, was there a problem of compatibility?
I missed out Kobie!
So that`s a blurb. I think i can use here XD. Another great show, in special for the bloopers, sorry is just i like any kind of bloopers.
In fact. If you want, I would like to know something, where is the “bloopers” come from?
thank you and greetins
Mariana’s done a video on blooper.
Dear Teach,
Great lesson! I am visiting LA from Seoul and am eating lunch right now at Blujam on your recommendation (and those of your rmany fans). I will be using a fork but will post a review after the meal!
WOW! That’s AWESOME! Make sure you tell Kamil (the owner) that Marina (from HotForWords) sent you!
Maia Marina I think you’ve just had a little of my definition of a blurb by proxy. see below comment.
Dearest Teach,
The food at Bluejam was terrific! Best egg white omelet with avocado (a good possible word for you to investigate) and sun dried tomatoes (how do pronounce this word properly???) I have ever eaten. The cappuccino (organic coffee only please) was the size of Lake Baikal (and so delicious). The music was amazing (I like the oldies mix they were playing today). I asked for your friend Kamil but he wasn’t there at that moment. I told my wonderful serve (Michaela) that I was visiting from a far off land and was there only because of you and HFW.
Thanks so much
Fascinating. I wish I had a coupon book for all the Marina-endorsed establishments. And here I thought I knew all of the restaurants on Melrose from back in my days as a studio runner for a place called The Record Plant. Blu Jam seems like a cool, healthy place. I prefer to eat in and cook myself (part of my vegan/vegetarian thing), but it’s always fun to dine at a good place. It’s the lousy places I am tired of dining at.
I am talking about my earlier comment further down the comments column, not these comments below my above comment.
The comment about the maxim radio show.
quiggles, that’s awesome - i appreciate you sharing your experience with all of us…
HotForWords,
I was wondering where the phrase: “The Bee’s Knees” comes from.
-Livi
Whoops! I almost forgot my homework assignment. Here’s some random blurbs I can think of:
“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover… Judge it by how hot it’s author is!”
“Intelligence is sexy… so buy this book or you are an unsexy idiot.”
“Proceeds from this book will go towards the grooming, feeding, and housing of the world’s cutest dog… “
Odd. It left out the *insert Kobe’s pic* at the end of my last blurb. Guess it’s because I used the ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ symbols to box in that part.
I got to look up this Burgess fellow now. I am a big fan of authors and poets into wordplay, with my favorites being Lewis Carroll and e.e. cummings. Recently, though, I learned of a poet named Anne Sexton thanks to a lyricist/musician friend of mine by the name of Aimee Mann, known to me by the fruit nickname ‘Manngo’ (my fruit nickname being Tangerrin… it’s all semi-private humor). Aimee wrote about it in her song ‘Stranger Into Starman’, off her latest album @#%&*! Smilers, which goes as follows:
I turned Stranger into Starman
in the Sunday New York Times
Like Anne Sexton with her STAR RATS
working backwards till it rhymes
For the love of God you can’t tell me again
For the love of God you can’t tell me again
With a pencil and eraser I’ve rewritten all your crimes
I turned Stranger into Starman
in the Sunday New York Times
The Anne Sexton poem that Aimee references in that song goes like this:
Busy, with an idea for a code, I write
signals hurrying from left to right,
or right to left, by obscure routes,
for my own reasons; taking a word like writes
down tiers of tries until its secret rites
make sense; or until, suddenly, RATS
can amazingly and funnily become STAR
and right to left that small star
is mine, for my own liking, to stare
its five lucky pins inside out, to store
forever kindly, as if it were a star
I touched and a miracle I really wrote.
Which then leads to the lyrics of my song ‘Small Starr’, one of the few songs on my upcoming debut album in which I engage my knack for wordplay, a ’starr’ being something alien and mysterious…
In an infinite space
In a cradle of stars
In it’s very own place
Is the world we call ours
Though we’re infinitismal
And so pitifully small
We still have our own star
‘Cause we’re part of it all
Look to the skies
When the planets arise
If you do, you’ll see through
To a starr of small size
At the edge of the night
In a ray of starrlight
Shining through just for you
Here to make it all right
There will be a small starr
To whoever you are
There will be a small starr
To whoever you are
There will be a small starr
There will be a small starr
There will be a small starr
There will be a small starr
When the world has gone dark
And you’re looking at stars
From the world we call ours
Do you know who you are?
You are infinitismal
And so pitifully small
You will have your own starr
‘Cause you’re part of it all
Look through the guise
Of the thing we call size
If you do, you’ll see through
When the planets horize
At the end of the night
Is a starr that burns bright
Shining through ’cause it’s true
That the meek will have might
There will be a small starr
To whoever you are
There will be a small starr
To whoever you are
There will be a small starr
There will be a small starr
There will be a small starr
There will be a small starr
Using all three poems, there is a bit of a wordplay game going on. And to those among the student body into wordplay games, I ask the following: Can you shift one letter in the title ‘Stranger Into Starman’ to find my fruity nickname? Can you find the word ’starr’ hidden in the lyrics of ‘Stranger Into Starman’? You see, wordplay can be a lot of fun, especially when used as artistic expression, especially when playing with Anne Sexton’s ‘code’. Peace and love, Errin : ) ; )
Of course, our trusty teacher is welcome to play this word game challenge of mine too, not just her student body. Whoops!
Peach and love, Tangerrin : ) ; )
Stranger into starman=Stranger into Straman=Tangerrin=The lone ranger. Hmm must have been a little rapeseed pollinator
Errin why did you say whoops when you mentioned her student body?
capman911, I said ‘whoops’ because Marina is the teacher here, and therefore not part of the student body, and I messed up by not inviting her in on the fun.
stokesjrj1, LOL. You seem to imply that I am a grape fantasist…
errin, water, tea, or me, or …..there is enough new products I will stick with my usual drinks of choices.
Or better:
A scholarly work including the often surprising origins of your favorite words from A to Zyxt… best read in the privacy of your bedroom.
Of course, you’d be wearing a sexy teacher outfit for the photo.
Well after listening to the latest maxim radio show posted, I would have to say a blurb is the aftertaste of the book you’ve just finished reading
A book with the origins of many of your favorite words from A to Zyxt… best read in the privacy of your bedroom.
Hello-
My word request is what I feel to be a politically-expedient one, given the current climate in Washington.
My word is: FILIBUSTER.
Thank You,
‘fingers.
What about the word “ORANGE” what is it? is it a color named after a fruit or a fruit named after a color?
Hot for Words please investigate this mystery.
Hi Marina, Our Sexy Teacher From Russia With Love,
I noticed that you haven’t done ORGY yet?
Can you do it for us? Please.
I’m sure we’d all appreciate it if you’d do ORGY for us, in your own inimitable way.
ORGY has an interesting, and even religious, etymology, I believe.
MWAAAA! xoxox Gwillikers!
REF:
Orgy as Myth
Orgy as Mime
DEAR MARIN / HOT FOR WORDS,
I HAVE A PHRASE REQUEST “PLAYING ACCORDING TO HOYLE”
WHO IS HOYLE? HOW DID HE /SHE MAKE THE RULES? AND WHY
DO WE PLAY ACCORDING TO THEM? THIS HAS TO DO WITH
CARDS BUT I USE IT AT WORK IN CONVERSATIONS.
now that i think about it where does the word “internet” come from?
Hey marina, this would be very interesting to find out. It’s more than 1 word, but I believe you could cover it all in 1 video.
Where did the names of the days of the week come from? Sunday, Monday, Tuesday etc. They have to have some kind of meaning. You should “investigate” thses
Wes
I saw that you did “white elephant” but not the “pink elephant.” could you do that please, also maybe mention your favorite drink. also you are sooo sexy and thats not just your looks. thanks
Dear Marina,
I have a word reqeust. I am pretty sure it is a British word, but i hear my friend’s say it sometimes also. My word request for you is “Wanker”. Please and thank you =]
hey Marina,
ooBabyItsSarah
have you ever thought about how weird the word “food” is and the word “eat”… well i know we have been “eating food” for a longggg time to survive but has it always been called food and to consume it was it always called to eat? and where did these words come from?
Happy happy Joy joy?
Blurb,
She’s HOT , She knows Words. She is Marina Orlova,
aka, HOTFORWOODS.
The Philologist with a smile and a way to get Any Man
or Teen to Learn.
Give this Book to your Teen and He will surprise you.
He will know this book cover to cover in days.
You may even be able to speak to Him, Using actual
English.
Give this Book a chance before you send your Teen to
Rubbish pit of POP Culture.
Make Him Hot-For-Words. Don’t be the last to have it.
HOTFORWORDS, The Bible of Philologist the Word Wide.
L.A times, Editor,
Phd, Anthropology
Dr RRR
Marina
Walking away from the 4th of July holiday, the word “picnic” keeps rattling around in my head. It’s a strange sounding word if you think about it. So, where did it come from? Blagodarnost.
The word ‘Freckles’. Where does that come from *wonders*
She puts the “YOU” in Youtube
Guaranteed knowledge in 30 sentences or first page for free
Hi Marina,
Have you ever wondered about the word “disheveled,” meaning “messy?” If “dis” implies “not,” then presumably “heveled” means “neat” or “orderly.” Maybe “hevel” is related to “health.” Or to “behave” — disheveled hair certainly is not behaving. Or could the word “chivalry” be involved? A chivalrous knight would never appear disheveled. “Hovel” sounds similar to “hevel,” but a hovel is always disheveled. Could “hevel” be related to “heaven?”
Many “dis” words mean the opposite of some word that is still in use, for example: disappear, discover, dismount, disarm… But there seem to be far more that don’t make sense in that way… dishevel, disturb, distract, disappoint, dismay, disparage, disgust… Words that begin with “dis” seem like an interesting topic.
You overlooked the possiblity that it is a ‘dish’ that has become ‘eveled’
To my great may, I’m combobulated for a change.
Penn: I am not going to dis you, because I am always whelmed by your comments. They my not be lightning, but they are never heartning.
Oops I meant “may”
Hi Marina. Here is felicity from Japan where iPhone was finally released today. Is your book going to be published in Japan? I want it!
Dear Hotforwords, my trusted teacher. I have the biggest crush on you…. Wait a second, were did the word Crush come from when it is used to discribe your feelings for someone that you like? Would love to hear your thougts on this. Foust70
“Words to live by” might be a good,succinct,blurb.I like this better tho,”Mmmmmm comprehension,thanks Teach”!
May I request *duds*(clothes)as a word to analyze? If this request “flies” then,maybe,add *Snappy Dresser* in with the lesson.?.Not only can You clarify but You are also the inspiration for this word request.
The last time I wrote a short paragraph is last Sunday when I was texting a very special friend of mine about a starry night by the lake when I was out visiting my relatives in Michigan.
Homework: The best to come out of Russia since Vodka
and of course a 5 star performance, no make that 6 star
defination of a type of rose http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Rose+(ma thematics)
Marinas… HotForBlurbs
SNAP!! You beat me to it
Hey Marina. You are so beautiful and smart
I was wondering where the word scapegoat came from, thank you sweeite
Hi Marina, this video get 5 kisses
just like the rest, I would like to know where the origin of the word -Aerodynamic- comes from, when you just say it, it sound like arrowdynamic, dose an arrow have to do anything with the word or not 
I thought of the word when i was cycling home from work and a car drove by me really fast, I hope you pick the word
Safety and Peace/ Mario
You said in this video that randyn asked ‘out of the blue’ where blurb comes from…..but where do we get ‘out of the blue’ from?
As for the homework -
“As thousands of viewers around the globe have already discovered, learning from Marina is an experience unlike any other. Simultaneously gorgeous, intelligent, and enlightening, you will be charmed by her fascinating conclusions. It is a masterpiece for the ages.”
Maia Marina, words request: Where is the origin of the word “meltdown” and is there any examples of such an occurrence in recorded history?
It should say something like “A hot Russian blond, worthy of a James Bond movie writes… (and then a description of your book, on… whatever
)”
James Blond
or 00-Heaven 
Good one!
Dear Marina, I rate your video five stars. A “blurb” for your book would be: “Beauty stimulates learning. Just as you learned more French when you had a beautiful young female French instructor, Marina’s beauty stimulates and reinforces your ability to learn. Improve your lexicon and philology by buying this well-illustrated book.”
I hope you have great success with your book, Dear Author.
seesix CM6
hey marina this lesson was fantastic….you are a gorgeous teacher
but i want to ask for a word : PSYCHEDELIC
please make my wish to become true….
bye bye from apilass
Groovy qoestion
Qoestion? What the darn! QUESTION!
Marina:
Subject: Blurb for the back cover of your book
I have seen some books which have covers with high relief printing for
words and images. Pick a picture of yourself which can be printed in relief and use a quote similar to this: “Open me for some ‘carnal’ knowledge”. Perhaps the quoted carnal could be italicized, subdued or deleted.
Hello Marina:
I’m wondering the origin of heath word… I hope you can solve this mystery too xD In you I trust
homework:blurd:
Conceived in public, incubated in a gallery, this book, whose live birth was witnessed by millions is the new epitome of the electronic age. The dawning of which is, very literally, at hand; actually, it is now more like dawn + 10.
Is my vision blurd or does whitesmoke get in your eyes?
Ha Ha. Blurddy Funny.
Every time I italicize I #%^& it up! Then I catch it right as it posts…It is so hard to type right now on this motherless computer that it would be easier to send things by Morris Code. Wait, wait, wait, that was a series of ‘dots’ & ‘dashes’ also. How advanced are we
Who’s Morris?
Okay4now needs some … _ _ _ …
‘Morse’…right. Like I said: a bit off my mark at the moment…
geronimo, what gives? If mistakes (and too many on this site especially when it was acting-up technically) are what spins your crank then I think your one key short of a full board.
Very funny outtakes! It’s refreshing to see that not everyone is ashamed of there mistakes!
…………………………
……………………………………..
………..
“Education is rather boring, isn´t it” ?
Nice video again.
Make your own fun!
Education can be tedious,
Rote Rote Rote! Did you
have the English 2600 book
in seventh grade? Thick
paperback only memorable
because it was perfect for
flip book animations. That
thing could stop a bullet!
I don´t like those “story” books, though there are some good ones that I never have read.
Answers to FAQ = Blurbage
Marina, many authors have audio books out, how about you doing the first video book, one people could “read” on their Iphones or Ipods?
I think they already have a word for it… “movie” was it?
Marina, for your blurb how about a photo of you in a tight fitting jacket (the green one in this video is nice) and your blurb could be “Buy this book and the jacket comes off!” Of course you’re referring to the dust jacket on the book…
Here’s the original book cover. I’m not sure either “buxom” or “blonde” truly apply, but I’m sure it was risque for the time period…
and just as sure the Marina’s update would rocket book sales…
here’s my poor attempt at a blurb for ya:
“Not just annudder female, Marina refutes the ‘education is boring’ convention with sublime witticisms, artful presentations, and just plain fun times. Sexy, intelligent, yet suprisingly down-to-earth, Marina will make you lust her, love her, and most importantly, learn from her.”
thanks, Marina for annudder good lesson…
dabnabit…make that “not just annudder gorgeous female”…
i hate forgettin’ to edit before posting…
gets me in hot water at work, too…
hmm…thinkin’ ’bout it, that’s more of a testimonial than a “blurb”…
Not bad as a mission statement, either!
I did a bunch of typos in mine too. Must be these keyboards
Nice video as usual, Marina. But it makes me think of another word request: what is the origin of giggling?
Good one. We all like a good giggle.
I’d giggle but of I’e got a gig with
a gaggle of geese. (not really)
How did we get from giggle,
meaning a stifled laugh,
to gig - meaning a job?
Hey marina i wanna request a word.. i hope this isnt to inappropriate BUT i was just wondering how did the word “pussy” used to discribe a cat, also came to discribing a womens.. well you know
Because both are furry and they purr when stroked.
NEXT!
Snare roll and cymbal crash!
Followed by two bangs on the big bass drum. Boom Boom.
but i love a hairless cat…
I had the funniest joke here but just too inappropriate for here. Go ahead and laugh real hard anyway. Trust me.
Here kitty kitty!
Nice kitty - Wha?
Kitty tried to scratch me
Guess I’m gonna have to
rub her fur the wrong way!
Marina covered that word in the Maxim radio show.
Any one want to post a direct link for bigbadwolf88?
Just type “Maxim” into the search box above and hit “Go”.
Did you see the Maxim post, yet?
I made it a link, to help the new
students.
By your command, Capt. Jack
links-r-us!
http://www.hotforwords.com/2007/04/16/dont-be-so-p usillanimous/
“By your command…” Wasn’t that what the Cylons said to Baltar in the classic series?
I am not a Cylon, but YEAH!
Did you see the Maxim post, yet?
I made it a link, to help the new
students.
Marina, I see the changes and updates. Very nice!
Blurb is a lady? I didn’t see that coming !!
Thanks again, Marina.
OMG A NEW LESSON!!
See what happens when you’re asleep!
Sorry about Russia in the Euros. Your post got me thinking about a debate I had once, about the origin of the compound word “hat trick”, used when a player in hockey or soccer scores three goals. I know that hockey fans throw their hats onto the ice after a player scores three goals, and a soccer player who would be selected to play for their country would receive an actual cap. Is either of these where the origin comes from? Also, for YOUR homework, what is the scoring of two goals in soccer referred to as in English, and why do the British refer to zero goals as “nil”? Bye, bye, my teacher.
Interesting! No magicians
or rabbits involved, eh?
three strikes in baseball is an out,
but in bowling it’s a turkey?!
82nd
Airborne!
Platoon!
Radar Contact.