Literature & Lattes is a pretty impressive autumn Literature Event in south eastern South Dakota. If you’re in the Sioux Falls area this Saturday, October 26, swing by the festival in the Brandon Golf Course Ballroom! Be sure to stop by the Suddenly Rural Girl table to say hello, too! (I’ll be at a tableContinue reading “Sioux Falls Friends: Literature & Lattes is TODAY!”
Category Archives: YA
SRG is now available in Boone, Iowa at The Bookshoppe!
A HUGE thank you to Susan and the crew at The Bookshoppe in Boone, IA for adding Suddenly Rural Girl to their inventory! If you live in the Boone, Ames, and Demoines area–or know folks who do–we’d love to have people stop by this great little Indie Bookstore! (We gotta support all local businesses–including thoseContinue reading “SRG is now available in Boone, Iowa at The Bookshoppe!”
Sioux Falls Friends: a Christian Lit Festival worth checking out this Saturday!
Literature & Lattes is a pretty impressive autumn Literature Event in south eastern South Dakota. If you’re in the Sioux Falls area this Saturday, October 26, swing by the festival in the Brandon Golf Course Ballroom! Be sure to stop by the Suddenly Rural Girl table to say hello, too! (I’ll be manning a tableContinue reading “Sioux Falls Friends: a Christian Lit Festival worth checking out this Saturday!”
In Brookings tonight!
I still remember my lines as Theseus from 20 years ago in Prairie Rep’s performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “What say you, Hermia? Be advised fair maid, to you your father should be as a god…” Tonight I’ll be back to Brookings … at The Nook! If you’re in town this evening, swing byContinue reading “In Brookings tonight!”
Brookings Book Signing … or Just Say “Hi!”
Years ago I was on stage as Theseus in a Midsummer Night’s Dream at Prairie Rep, and I’m now headed back to Brookings … to The Nook! If you’re in town this Thursday evening, swing by to say hi . . . and browse this cute bookstore on Main Street for some great books! (It’sContinue reading “Brookings Book Signing … or Just Say “Hi!””
Writing Funny: Startled into laughter.
You’ve probably stood behind a corner, smiling, waiting to jump out and scare the daylights out of your wife, friend, or maybe your dog. That anticipation, the quiet-laugh-while-you-wait for something to happen is one of the “causes of laughter.” It’s because you anticipate the shock they’ll experience (knowing it won’t REALLY hurt them). Shock canContinue reading “Writing Funny: Startled into laughter.”
Writing Funny: Traits of Comedic Characters
Stereotypes are real. We’ve all carry them. If we’re wise or well-disciplined, we don’t take action on them–moving from stereotyping to discriminating. Stereotypes are often ignorant and unfair, but they can be funny. Playing off them–or creating them–effectively can help you get some laughs. You’ve seen it a thousand times: “Dumb Blonde” jokes, “What doContinue reading “Writing Funny: Traits of Comedic Characters”
Writing Funny: Comfort & Affliction
No one wants to see the innocent child beaten down, but most of us do like too see the tables turned on the bully, so he or finally gets his or her comeuppance. The general population also has some common, shared, arch-enemies: violent criminals, corrupt government officials, the dictator, “boss,” and more; they’ve become tooContinue reading “Writing Funny: Comfort & Affliction”
Rosemount, MN: Meet the Authors on Oct. 17!
The Rosemount Area Arts Council hosts a “Meet the Authors” Series, and Kennedy and I thrilled to be the featured authors this month! We’d love to see friends, family, and avid YA readers and writers at the Robert Trail Library on October 17th at 6:30pm. For more about the RAAC Meet the Authors Series, visitContinue reading “Rosemount, MN: Meet the Authors on Oct. 17!”
Brookings, SD Book Signing!
The Nook is a cute bookstore on Main Street in Brookings, SD, and they’ve invited Kennedy and me in for a book signing event on October 24, from 5:30-7pm! (Kennedy is a busy teen and won’t make the trip, but I’d still love to have you swing by to say hi, and to check outContinue reading “Brookings, SD Book Signing!”
Writing Funny: Surprise People
Twists and Reversals are great ways to get laughs–and to scare the daylights out of folks. For the grin, let the underdog overcome the Goliath or make the cute and cuddly pull off the caper. Even a sudden scare can often lead to a laugh, especially if the audience knows it hasn’t truly harmed theirContinue reading “Writing Funny: Surprise People”
Writing Funny: Humor in Any Situation
Years ago, I taught an acting and film unit called “The Seven Causes of Laughter” and it covered things like Exaggeration, Incongruity, Protection Factor, Relief of Pressure, and more. Relief of Pressure is an important concept when trying to find humor in difficult situations. When tension builds or emotions are already high, a well-timed quipContinue reading “Writing Funny: Humor in Any Situation”