Hey Dialyn, or anyone else that would like to help out. I am in the depths of editing a pivotal storyline in my Arthurian novel, and it is imperative that I insert the spelling of a specific horse sound. Its the nose blowing soft snort that a horse makes when curious. So far I can only come up with Purrrruwwwwwwpth! Definition of horse blowing sound: The blow sound is produced when a horse exhales through his nose with his mouth shut. A horse blows when it's curious, or when greeting another horse. http://www.sportpolo.com/Polo_Pony/Sounds.htm Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks tons ahead of time :] Dee-Marie

I have heard that sound referred to as a "snort." I'm not sure I'd try to spell out the sound itself....but it is an interesting question. I love the fact that you found a site of horse sounds. I have to book mark that one.

Thanks dialyn, I did find several sites with wav. files of actual horse sounds, including the blow. I guess I need a dictionary written by and for horses :] As you are the all-time research queen, I thought if anyone would know how to spell the actual "Horse Blow Sound," it would be you. Thanks again for trying :) Dee-Marie

I'm going to be honest about something--in a serious novel, I wouldn't try to spell out the way a horse's snort sounds. It's different if you are trying for comic relief (which you may be) but I tend to think horse noises are a distraction. I really haven't a clue where to find the information. I found a site that has wav files of horse sounds but that wouldn't work very well unless you have an interactive novel. Sorry.

At this point in the edit, the sound the horse makes is pivotal to the plot movement ... more of a tension release, than a comic relief. But, as always I appreciate your feedback, and who knows, I may drop it after the final, final, final edit. I am finding the doing final edits can be both fun and a pain. Not unlike surfing the net. I find myself ever so slightly rewriting plotlines, which in turn mean additional rewrites for the next chapter due to the rewrites. Dee-Marie

Miss Dee Marie - Hello, young lady. Hope this finds you doing well in health and all! I would 'suggest' you IM Dawn/1010 here? She has horses! Just a thought? WINK. My best to you and yours, kind soul. T.P.

Thanks so much, great idea T.P. I came up with this for now: Phhhwwwwwwpth! Great to see you :] Dee-Marie

Dee Marie - Hello. How's the book going? My best to you and yours, T.P.

Hi T.P.

The editing is going very well. I am on page 50 of "my" final edits and rewrites. It still is a long process. Each morning I re-read the story [from the prolog to the last chapter I previously edited], and each morning I find a ton of typos, grammar errors, or a need for a slight change of words or phrases.

I am also finding a need to add additional chapters to help move the story along. However, I do feel that I am on track with my October deadline.

When I finish with my final edits, I found a professional editor that is going to give it a final “once-over” to check for additional grammar and punctuation errors (which, will be well worth the money). Last step … sending it to an agent, and with any luck a publisher will pick it up.

Over the past four years, I reviewed several books by authors who had self-published. In most cases their stories were very strong, but the books were riddled with grammar errors and typos. That is my biggest fear right now. I just want a clean copy to shop around. When I was working on the magazine, that was our number one priority, and even after going through several editors, we would always find at least a couple typos that we missed in the final printing.

Dee-Marie

Dee Marie .... Good Luck on your book! T.P. wouldn't have much trouble with spelling but he would with 'content'. WINK. My best to you and yours, T.P.

T.P. I have read your stories, and I know that you would have no trouble at all with content for a novel.. wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Dee-Marie

Dialyn,

You are right again! The Horse “Phhhwwwwwwpth!” was a total bomb. I sent a first draft of the novel to my copy editor, and she called me late last week, laughing hysterically. Seems she did not get that it was a horse making the noise.

She read the “Phhhwwwwwwpth!” sound, which was followed by a wet stickiness on the man’s face. It just did not work, on so many levels!

However, it was fun to share a great snorting laughter. Needless to say, I have rewritten that section. Thanks again for your excellent advice :]

Dee-Marie

Well, I would stick with a description of the sound rather than trying to turn it into a collection of letters. Every reader would pronounce it differently and it actually would make me stop reading, lose the tension in the story, and physically try to say the word out loud. You could try something like "a curious startled snort, the warm/ freezing air  exhaling/ inhaling with a soft woosh." What would I know! Good luck with your spelling and grammer checks. Just send it along to me and I'll proof read it. Ha, ha.

Yeah, I agree with both you and dialyn. I reworked the sentence, now no more horse sounds :]

Thanks for your input and be careful what you ask for, I just might take you up on it ;]

Dee-Marie

Oprah! Oprah! Oprah! (WINK).

Good luck on the book, Miss Dee Marie!!!

Happy Memorial Day to you and yours.

My best, TallPockets.

I've always heard of it as a "snuffle."

Thanks everyone,  I really appreciate your input :]

PS: happy memorial weekend to you as well TP.

Dee-Marie