http://ttapress.com/283/book-review-cowboy-angels-by-paul-mcauley/ The TTA Press website Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:34:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 http://ttapress.com/283/book-review-cowboy-angels-by-paul-mcauley/#comment-1833 Ian Hocking Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:59:22 +0000 http://ttapress.com/283/book-review-cowboy-angels-by-paul-mcauley/#comment-1833 Hi John. Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily disagree with you. My definition of a cliche is fairly elastic, and includes any high-frequency expressions...but ones that the writer has an opportunity of tweaking for added freshness. 'He sat on the bed' would be OK. Dark and stormy nights, though, hot and oppressive air...not a fan of these. Hi John. Yeah, I wouldn’t necessarily disagree with you. My definition of a cliche is fairly elastic, and includes any high-frequency expressions…but ones that the writer has an opportunity of tweaking for added freshness. ‘He sat on the bed’ would be OK. Dark and stormy nights, though, hot and oppressive air…not a fan of these.

]]> http://ttapress.com/283/book-review-cowboy-angels-by-paul-mcauley/#comment-1826 John Dodds Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:12:48 +0000 http://ttapress.com/283/book-review-cowboy-angels-by-paul-mcauley/#comment-1826 Interesting review, Ian. But I disagree with your assessment that "the music thumped out" and "the air was hot and oppressive" are cliches. These are straightforward descriptions, I'd argue - a cliche is an overused expression, which certainly "as if she had seen a ghost" is. Interesting review, Ian. But I disagree with your assessment that “the music thumped out” and “the air was hot and oppressive” are cliches. These are straightforward descriptions, I’d argue - a cliche is an overused expression, which certainly “as if she had seen a ghost” is.

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