Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Two Sentence Tuesday – Guaranteed

I’ve been guilty of narrow vision in this. I’ve restricted myself to books with the occasional pamphlet thrown in for variety.
Silly me. I’ve been missing out on the rich vein of writing found in full-page newspaper ads.
Such copy is well-structured and a lesson in marketing, selling, and whipping readers into frenzy, or at least a bit of excitement so they’ll buy the icing and not even think about the cake.
I spent a few moments yesterday enjoying an ad for a sublingual human growth hormone spray. I learned it would make me young for a low, low price and the more I bought the more I’d save.
My satisfaction was apparently guaranteed. A little box at the bottom of the ad said so.
The opening line in the box:
“Your absolute satisfaction is Guaranteed.”
The closing line in the box:
“Your absolute satisfaction is ‘Guaranteed.’”

Hmm, I wished they’d made up their minds.
#
I hope you’ll enjoy mine.
I absolutely guarantee they are words.
In this scene from The Legend of Shallal my two main characters meet after a lengthy absence.
#
“The diamond shaped orbs in her palms glowed as she held them out to him. His glowed in return and they slowly put the orbs together and closed their eyes.”
#
For more, or to find out how to participate, please see the Women of Mystery.

17 comments:

messymimi said...

You are one of the participants in the Women of Mystery writers!

This voracious reader, who can't write to save her life, takes her hat off to you.

You have piqued my curiosity.

Anything you've published yet I can check out of my library or find on Amazon?

Leah J. Utas said...

Hello Messymimi, I'm not a WOM, but I like this meme as it gives me a chance to get some feedback as I write. It's also a great way to fill up a post.
Thanks for the hat, and glad to know I've stirred some interest.
Nothing on the shelves as yet. Thanks so much for asking. You've made my day.

Virginia Lee said...

Love it, hon. Guaranteed!

:)

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, Virginia Lee. You made me smile.

the Bag Lady said...

dfLeah - your lines are interesting indeed!
Am looking forward to the day when I can find your books on the shelves!!

Leah J. Utas said...

Why thank you, df Bag Lady.

David Cranmer said...

You can't go wrong with diamonds, orbs, and palms.

Muy bien.

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks, David.

Clare2e said...

I want glow-y palms with irresistible orbs, too, dangit!

But as always, confronted with such intimate situations, I wonder, "What Would the Ingetuckle Do?"

Leah J. Utas said...

Hello Clare,

I'm sure your palm orbs glow just fine.
LOL at your Ingetuckle question.

Barbara Martin said...

Interesting set of lines you've penned, Leah, in your current WIP. I'm intrigued.

Thomma Lyn said...

hehe, what fun -- I enjoy your Two Sentence Tuesdays! And I have a feeling I would love your WIP. :)

Hilary said...

So did you buy into this product? .. because your blog appears to have had a fine facelift recently. Love that photo up top. All this and glowing orbs too!

Leah J. Utas said...

Thomma Lyn, thanks so much. It's good to hear. I hope someday you, and thousands more, get a chance to find out.

Hilary, thanks. Glad you like my header photo. It's in Beagle Channel and I'm very proud of it.
I'm pleased to say HGH had nothing to do with it or the orbs.

Reb said...

Love the lines, Leah. So right about advertising...guarantee or no "guarantee" :)

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks so much, Reb. Good to see you making the rounds again.

Frank Baron said...

I had no idea you were allowed to post orb porn on the interweb.

;)

I love reading ads too. They're a great way to find out what marketing gurus really think of the us.