About Words and Phrases

This is a repeat of a post I wrote several years ago, but I think it’s still relevant.

Several years ago, before “going postal” became a catch phrase, I was at work and talking to someone who worked in a different department. I was mildly annoyed about something someone had done (I can’t recall what) and said, “Oh, I could just shoot him,” referring to someone whom I don’t even remember. The person I was talking with was horrified, and I was quite surprised. I hadn’t said it with venom, or even any real anger. I had to explain that it was only a figure of speech. He didn’t know what that meant, so I had to explain that to him. By the time I walked away, I could have throttled the man I’d been talking to, figuratively speaking.

As a writer it breaks my heart to hear people trying to clip figures of speech out of the American dialogue. For heaven sake, not everything is meant to be taken seriously. A cliché is a cliché, and a figure of speech is just that – a figure of speech. There’s a time for political correctness; however, I tend to think of that as common courtesy and common sense speech.

If I overheard someone plotting a murder and they said, “I could just shoot him,” that’s one thing. However, if I heard a friend say the same thing about the husband she was frustrated with, I wouldn’t give it a second thought. She would have been venting, letting go of some of her frustration, and that would probably be a good thing. Marital argument averted? Maybe. Hopefully.

I was once at the airport and someone asked me what I do for a living. I almost told her I write murder mysteries, but I caught myself and simply told her I’m a writer. Good grief! I didn’t want the TSA calling me aside because someone overheard me utter the word murder. I also didn’t want to be a diva and look down my nose at her and say, “I’m an author. (sniff)” I’m just a simple writer with simple ways, but I do write darned good mysteries that aren’t simple. I should be able to be proud of what I do and sing out the words, “I write murder mysteries and I think you’d like them,” without looking over my shoulder.

So, okay, as a writer I think people are getting carried away with the hidden meaning of words and phrases. I think the Word Police need to take a step back and think about the context in which these figures of speech are being used. Use some common sense, for crying out loud.

I know we live in trying and scary times, and there’s more violence in the world than there should be. However, lighten up a little. There’s enough drama with what’s really going on today without worrying about catch phrases and clichés. These are tools a writer uses occasionally, and they’re also words that people use every single day, somewhere and in some way. It doesn’t mean that everything they say should be taken literally. If you think you heard something that was a viable threat, then talk to someone. Common sense should tell you if something might be more than a figure of speech.

Now I think it’s time to step down off of my soap box and get back to the mind-boggling idea of taking more comments with a grain of salt. The only killing that goes on in my world is in books, and I’d like to keep it that way. Don’t take offense if one of my characters says something that’s not politically correct. They’re just fictional people, after all.

(For those who might we wondering, this post has nothing to do with any particular current events.)

Until next time, enjoy your week, and I hope you find a moment to just do something silly and stress free.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

In Bogey’s Ace in the Hole – A Bogey Man Mystery, a little old lady overhears a murder plot and reacts differently than most of us would. This is an oldie but a goodie, and an example of discriminating between a figure of speech and a real threat.

Opinions are Like... Well, We've All Got One - Part II

On Veteran's Day, and all year through, I'd like to say thank you to all who've served the United States of America in order that we might maintain our freedoms. Thank you!

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A couple of years ago I wrote a post about opinions and political correctness. I guess you’d call that Part I since I’m bringing it up again.

There’s a huge difference between being polite and thoughtful and being politically correct. It seems to me that political correctness has crossed a line. I read an article in yesterday’s newspaper about a Secretary at a corrections facility who sent a memo to staff saying “Those serving time in prison will no longer be referred to as prisoners, offenders or convicts. Instead, they will be called students if they are in some type of class and patients if they are in the prison infirmary.” A spokesman said “…if no other moniker applies, they will be identified as incarcerated persons.”

I’m sorry (she said facetiously), but I intend to call a prisoner a prisoner, a convict a convict and a criminal a criminal. Chances are they were convicted of a crime or they probably wouldn’t be in prison.

Some of the stories I’ve heard on the news about new college rules make me glad I’m not going to college today. I won’t repeat some of those rules because they’re simply ridiculous.

Frankly, I’m tired of feeling like I have to watch every word I say in public. One of the reasons I enjoy being a fiction writer is that I, or my characters, can say what they want. Mystery writers tend to include crimes in their books. Are we supposed to pussy foot around what happened to create the mystery? Are we supposed to be politically correct with our words? If we aren’t, are the Word Police going to show up at our doors?

The way I look at it, books are like television in that if the story is upsetting the reader, they can get rid of the book just like they can change a channel.

I wrote the original post because I read that a number of colleges had students requesting “trigger warnings” on books. That means if there’s a controversial crime, or even a non-controversial crime in the story then there should be a warning on the cover. Someone could read the book and be upset over what it says. It could bring back bad memories. If that’s the case, don’t read the book.

If a book contains specific and graphic violence or graphic sex, maybe it could be in the blurb on the back of the book. Reader beware. Read the blurbs on the back cover.

When did common sense fly out the window? Many of the things written in books would never be tolerated in today’s real life situations, even if they’re innocently said. Have people become that thin-skinned?

I recalled reading about a kindergarten boy kissing a kindergarten girl on the cheek and it was considered sexual harassment. When I was a kid that simply would have caused giggling among the children. So the little boy has to pay a price for kissing a little girl on the cheek? Give me a break.

How hard is it to change a channel or set a book aside if you find it offensive? How hard is it to acknowledge that children will be children?

If you disagree with me, that’s your right – just as it’s my right to speak up. Enough is enough, and I certainly hope this political correctness, at the lengths it’s reached, is dealt with soon. Yes, be polite when it’s called for and, yes, be thoughtful when possible. However, don’t try to dictate to everyone else how they should act or speak.

Okay, this deserves some discussion. Do you feel things have gone too far? Do you feel things are out of balance? Does it affect your writing? Do you ever change something you’ve written because someone might not accept it (in terms of political correctness)? Or do you write what you feel is right?

Until next week, try not to judge me too harshly. I do frequently use my common sense, although maybe today I should have kept my trap shut. It just felt like it had to be said.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

Having a Great Crime – Wish You Were Here (A Sandi Webster Mystery) is just waiting for some new readers. Give it a try.

It's Time to Lighten Things Up and Forget Political Correctness - Me and Porky Pig

Between the economy and the world being in a state of angst, just for this week I’d like to forget about those things. So silly is in.

If you could be any cartoon character you’ve ever seen, which one would it be? I have to admit I’d like to be Porky Pig, even though I’m a girl. After all, I write mysteries that are light reading with a little humor. Can you imagine Porky Pig trying to solve a mystery?

One of my favorite memories is of the aforementioned pig and Daffy Duck visiting a haunted house. As I recall, it was a dark and stormy night, and I have remember them standing on a dock watching a spooky old house. My memory may be faulty, but that’s how I recall the beginning of the story.

Imagine writing a human character with Porky’s characteristics. Not believable, huh? People stutter, and people become frustrated just like Porky. There are plenty of loud mouths like Daffy. If you think about it, maybe cartoon characters aren’t all that outrageous.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello could have been human cartoon characters. Some of the whacky things they did in the movies could rival Porky and Daffy.

Think of Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse or Goofy. In all honesty, haven’t you known someone in your lifetime with similar characteristics? I have.

I remember once when I worked in law enforcement, I turned away from the counter to answer the phone, stepped in to a wastebasket and dragged it across the room with me. The people at the counter were feeling a little annoyed because I happened to be the only one in the office during the lunch hour and they wanted to finish their business and leave. After seeing my little incident, everyone calmed down, had a good laugh and waited their turn with good humor. That sounds like a Porky Pig moment to me.

People need to be able to laugh at themselves like I did that day. Characters in books need to laugh at themselves from time to time, too. I’m a big believer in looking for humor whenever and wherever possible.

In the Sandi Webster series there’s a character named Stanley Hawks. Stanley is a klutz. When Sandi and her partner, Pete, first met him they had two different reactions. Pete initially thought he was a loser. Sandi, on the other hand, found him to be endearing as he tripped over nothing when he entered the office. Initial reactions to someone can be so unfair. As Pete came to know Stanley, he found him to be a good and loyal friend, and the two men could laugh together over some of Stanley’s antics. I find it quite interesting to see how fictional characters grow and change, just like real people.

Stanley wasn’t based on a cartoon character, but a cartoon character could have been based on him. (Honestly, this klutzy guy is based a little on myself.)

Elmer Fudd has a speech impediment. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have been quite as loveable and funny when he referred to that “wascally wabbit”. Yosemite Sam was in a class by himself. How about Foghorn Leghorn and Henry Hawk?

So back to my original question. What cartoon character would you like to be? Send real life on a well-deserved break and spend a few minutes thinking about my question. You can even choose to be Snow White or one of the dwarves. Prince Charming? How  about Tweety Bird or Sylvester?

Could you write your choice as a fictional character in one of your books? Or do you think you most resemble your choice?

Hopefully, this silly post took you away from your day-to-day cares for at least a few minutes.

Until next week, Th-Th-That’s All Folks!

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw's website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

In Bubba's Ghost - A Sandi Webster Mystery, Bubba the dog thinks the house might be haunted. You might want to check it out.

Once Upon a Christmas

 Merry Christmas!

When I was a child we celebrated the birth of Christ at Christmas. We always had a visit from Santa Clause, too. It was a two-sided coin in our house.

My father and grandfather took me for a ride to see the beautiful decorations in Pasadena, California. Interestingly, when we arrived home, Santa had already been there. My mother and grandmother had seen him, but I always just missed him.

One year I heard him on the roof. Bells were tinkling and I just knew the sound came from bells hanging from Donner’s or Blitzen’s neck. My sister and I shared a room and I woke her to tell her about our visitor. She told me to “shut up and go back to sleep” because the bells were from something she’d been wearing that fell off her bed. Hmph!

However, the best story I heard came from my father. At around seven years old, my daughter decided there was no Santa. I mentioned it to my father and he sat her down to tell her why he knew there was a Santa Clause.

When he was a boy in Kansas, every year the family would take the buckboard through the snow to his grandparents’ house. The kids would sleep in the loft and await Santa’s visit. One particular year, while the other children fell asleep, my father was wide awake, tossing and turning.

He finally sat up and peeked out the window. The snow on the ground had a blue cast caused by the moon. It was so bright out for nighttime. The trees waved their branches slowly back and forth, but there was no sound of leaves rustling. The leaves had fallen off the trees earlier in the year, of course. He could see the wagon sitting beside the house, and he thought he heard the horses snort even though they were in the barn.

He watched as a rabbit ran across the snow, hoping there weren’t any critters lying in wait. The rabbit made it safely into the brush and my father let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

That was when he heard a noise. It sounded like horses gently stomping their feet in the snow. He turned and glanced at the barn, but the doors were closed and there wasn’t a horse in sight. Slowly, very slowly, he raised his eyes toward the ceiling. The sound was coming from the rooftop. He knew with all his heart that Santa had arrived. He lowered his head to his pillow, closing his eyes tightly, hoping Santa would think he was asleep – and he waited. He didn’t hear a thing again until there was a whooshing sound from outside.

Jumping up he looked out the window and saw what looked like Santa in his sleigh with reindeer pulling it, just as it passed by the blue moon. He knew no one would believe him, but he also knew he’d been privileged that night to see Santa Clause going about his business.

Well, of course my daughter’s Grandpa wouldn’t make anything up, so she went to bed that night in anticipation of a visit from the Jolly Old Elf.

My dad and I talked later and he said he didn’t know what he actually saw that night, but whatever it was, it really looked like Santa and his reindeer.

I thought about Christmas and what it means to me before I wrote this, and then I remembered my favorite decoration. It’s a figurine of Santa Clause, hat in hand, kneeling and showing his love to the baby Jesus.

 So when you tell your children about St. Nicolas, be sure you tell them about the real meaning of Christmas first. Tell them about the child who came to teach us, to love us, and to care for us.

Talk to them about caring for each other. In these difficult times, it’s warmed my heart to hear about people paying for other people’s layaway items without asking for recognition. They just wanted to help someone who was having a difficult time. I watch when people drop money in the bucket outside of stores, and as others pull names off a Christmas tree in a store to buy a gift for a child they don’t know. Toys for Tots? Awesome! Food delivered for Christmas dinner? Someone – many someones – helped out again.

Until next time, unpolitically correct Me wishes you a Very Merry Christmas, and please, remember the real reason for the season. He loves you, and so do I.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

On behalf of all authors, remember that books make great Christmas gifts!