Nguinther
Nguinther asked T. Coraghessan Boyle:

I have read at least eight of your novels and enjoyed them all. They are wonderfully descriptive and draw me into each scene "as if" I'm watching the flawed lives you've created from only a few feet away. Maybe it's how you use comparisons. Is there a reason why you use the phrase "as if" over and over on so many pages in this latest novel, THTC?

T. Coraghessan Boyle Check out the difference between like and as if in certain grammatical constructions. Sometimes, deep in a character's voice, I will use "like" incorrectly but for idiomatic veracity. Further: "as if" is a way of visualizing something through a comparison. In short: it's effective and it's fun.

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