The Oxford Comma

The Unsung Hero of Grammar

The Oxford Comma: The Unsung Hero of Grammar

Ah, the Oxford comma—a tiny punctuation mark with a big personality. It’s the unsung hero of clarity, the knight in shining armor that rescues us from the confusion of ambiguous sentences. Consider this scenario: “I’d like to thank my parents, Beyoncé and God.” Without the Oxford comma, it sounds like Beyoncé and God are your parents! Now, that would be a family reunion to remember.

The Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma, is the last little mark in a list of three or more items. Some people argue it's unnecessary, but we Oxford comma fans know better. We know it brings order to chaos, harmony to sentences, and peace to our inner grammarian.

So, let’s celebrate this valiant punctuation mark! But first, we need to settle a debate that's been raging for centuries: To Oxford comma or not to Oxford comma? Cast your anonymous vote below!

Cover Quotes

The Sean McPherson Street Team has been reading ARCs (advance reader copies) of Illusionist and posting reviews on Goodreads and BookBub (Amazon doesn't allow reviews until the publication date—April 15). I gathered and sent them to the publisher, who selected these pull quotes for placement on the front and back covers.

Woohoo!

If you heard a scream of excitement, it was me discovering that the Sean McPherson crime thriller series is a finalist in the 2024 Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) for a series! McPherson and the gang are in the running for both first place and the grand prize. Winners will be announced in early April.

For the Valentine in Your Life

If your Valentine loves books, consider gifting them Illusionist. The paperback and e-book versions are available now for preorder from your favorite bookseller.

Meanwhile, the talented narrator Rebecca Stern is in the booth recording the audiobook. If it's not ready for preorder before the publication date, it will be shortly thereafter.

Happy Reading!

Laurie