The Catholic Writers Guild

Let me begin by mentioning a writer’s three first cousins, metaphor, simile and personification (oops–I guess I  just personified them). Okay–Mr. Metaphor is a comparison of two dissimilar objects or actions that have something in common. Better yet, it is a comparison of two separate things as if they were alike (Uh-oh–is that crossing into simile territory?). Wait a minute–if I say, “My car’s engine sounds like my cranky neighbor”— is that a simile or a  personification or both? Maybe it is a metaphor also?

I don’t know about you guys but this stuff can drive me crazy. That’s why I really don’t care. When I write I use metaphors, similes and personifications all the time without ever thinking about them. If someone would ask me to define a metaphor I would probably go blank because I would immediately start thinking about the cousins; simile and personification. Not being able to separate them from each other I would wish I were like a turtle so I could easily stuff my head inside myself (is that a simile?). 


What about lay and lie? Oh sure, that’s easy. Lay is a transitive verb and always takes a direct object. Lie is an intransitive verb and NEVER takes a direct object. What does that mean? I know, I know, use the “what rule”. But wait!—The fact is, some verbs can be transitive and intransitive. You know what, I OBJECT!

Of course there are indicative moods and imperative moods and superlative adverbs and I could go on and on and when I get to compound additive subjects and superlative verbs I need a reality check so I turn on the TV to get back to the “real” world of English grammar and flick on the Sopranos. Fuhgedaboutit.


Here’s the thing. I was taught English grammar and usage by the Ursuline Nuns and the Marist Brothers. I hated it. But I loved composition and creative writing, anything that required just writing stuff without having to define or diagram (remember that?) every sentence. When I did that I had to know grammar and usage. And,  I guess I did. Somehow, someway, I had been taught and never realized it was happening. I don’t know how they did it but all I can say is–GOD BLESS EM.

LarryPeterson

Larry is a Catholic/Christian author and blogger and posts weekly commentary. His work has appeared in such publications as Zenit from Rome, Aleteia, New Evangelists, Top Catholic Blogs, Big Pulpit, Catholic365.com and others. His first children's picture book, "Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes" was published in 2011. In 2012, his full-length novel, "The Priest and the Peaches" was released. His second novel, "The Demons of Abadon", was released in the spring of 2016. Larry’s latest novel, “Horizon Homeless” was released in ebook format in May of 2017 and the paperback followed on July 27, 2017. Larry belongs to the Catholic Writer’s Guild, The Catholic Writer’s Society, The Knights of Columbus, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He has been an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion for over twenty years bringing communion to the homebound and hospitalized. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other. His first wife died of cancer in 2003. He remarried four years later and became the primary caregiver for his wife, Martha who came down with Non-Hodgins Lymphoma in 2011. The cancer was in remission when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in October of 2014. Sadly and unexpectedly, Martha passed away on March 27, 2017. The writer says, "God has me where he needs me and I try my best to make Him proud. Larry’s blog site is http://www.slipperywillie.blogspot.com You can find more at www.larrypeterson-author.com