About Chatterquill Press
Chatterquill Press exists to spark meaningful conversations between people of all ages by sharing small nuggets of irresistible knowledge.
Our books are written for lifelong learners, word lovers and curious minds who love discovering something new every day, in a playful, bite-size way. Little stories to read in a few minutes, remember for years and repeat at the very next dinner.
Our first series, 101 Idioms & Sayings, tells the history behind the everyday expressions, sayings and phrases you’ve used all your life: from the kitchen, the night sky and the animal kingdom. More topics are on their way.
“Tiny facts, big ‘wait, really?’ moments.” Chatterquill Press
Meet Elvira Sloane
Elvira Sloane writes lively, story-driven nonfiction for language lovers and anyone who wonders why we use the words we do. She is the author of the 101 Idioms & Sayings series, published by Chatterquill Press: Food for Thought, Written in the Stars and Wild and Woolly.
She believes every expression carries a little piece of someone’s life: a farmer’s worry, a sailor’s joke, a mother’s warning. Whenever she hears someone “spill the beans,” she smiles: “I know where that comes from… or at least where it might have!” She hopes you’ll close each book with that same smile.
Bite-size, and checked with care
Made to dip into
Every saying follows the same simple recipe: what it means, a familiar example you’ll recognize from everyday life, and the surprising story of where the words came from, often an origin you’ve never considered. Open any page, read for two minutes, and you’ll have something new to share.
Researched with care
We research every topic with care and check it against reliable sources. When something is uncertain or still debated, we say so. And if you spot something we may have missed, we’d love to hear from you: just reply to any of our emails.
Words Worth Spilling