I use "damnity!" and "pissants!" My grandfather used to refer to "scissorbills" to describe cheapskates, tax collectors, and officious bureaucrats. I suggest avoiding anything not in American English unless you are very familiar with the word and where it has been. "Bugger" used to describe a man-man sexual activity during the Victorian era, so, while it may be watered down now, it may also not be appropriate for your character, or may raise eyebrows among British readers. When working with a Mexican draftsman, we picked up the term "chancadero" (sp?) said when he dropped something or similar mishap. Later he told me not to use it in polite company. (I think it means damned little thing?) Shakespeare used a lot of extremely colorful terms, which have been somewhat sanitized after 400 years. There are books and lists full of them. They ought to be different enough to add an edge to your character without fear that a modern reader would misunderstand or be offended. One thing to remember: swear words maintain their power through taboos and sacredness. If a culture thinks nothing of excrement (it is after all a biological process), they won't say "shit" for emphasis. If their cosmology doesn't include a hell or damnation but 40,000 nature spirits, they won't damn someone. They may start listing names, though. ;) What is sacred to your character? Carolly