Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel tag-teamed in 2012 for this novel, and it was a fun one . . . if you can suspend your disbelief again and again and again. I can. I enjoyed the repeated and unbelievable twists and turns. As I outlined in some previous posts, writing funny involves exaggeration, grotesqueness, shock,Continue reading “Lunatics: Two Authors & A Ludicrous Story”
Tag Archives: Fiction
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”
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”
Writing Funny: It’s all about the…
… timing. Truly, I think this this is what makes writing funny more difficult than performing funny. In a performance, you can hold for a split-second to be sure the audience is following before hitting them with the punchline. Then, you can stop, start, speed up, slow-down, repeat, change your inflection, or pull the escapeContinue reading “Writing Funny: It’s all about the…”
SRG is now available at a cute little store in cute little Marion, Iowa!
A HUGE thank you to Swamp Fox Bookstore in Marion, Iowa for adding Suddenly Rural Girl to their collection! (Just outside Cedar Rapids.) If you live in the area or know folks who do, please stop by this great little Indie Bookstore! (We gotta support all local businesses–including those cute little Indie Bookstores!) For moreContinue reading “SRG is now available at a cute little store in cute little Marion, Iowa!”
Ships & Bricks: alike in the way they’re different.
This was another simple, absurd, and entertaining description from Hitchhiker’s Guide. When we draw parallels we frequently compare like things. The choice to combine “these two things that are similar because their not” caught me pleasantly off guard. I’ve been looking for some funny books of late–the kind that make you laugh out loud. They’reContinue reading “Ships & Bricks: alike in the way they’re different.”
SRG is now available at BookStacks in Bucksport, Maine!
A HUGE thank you to the BookStacks crew in Bucksport, Maine for adding Suddenly Rural Girl to their inventory! If you live in the area or know folks who do, please stop by this great little Indie Bookstore! (We gotta support all local businesses–including those Indie Bookstores.) Suddenly Rural Girl is available lots of places,Continue reading “SRG is now available at BookStacks in Bucksport, Maine!”
“Both legs were hanging down his back”
Bumbling crooks have long been a part of comedy. Two of the most iconic are probably Harry and Marv from the Home Alone movies. Yes, they’re dangerous, but they’re also dumb enough to for us (and Kevin) to stay one step ahead of them. Dave Barry offers two comparable crooks, Snake & Eddie, in BigContinue reading ““Both legs were hanging down his back””
SRG is now available through Sammy’s Bookshelf in Little Rock, Arkansas!
A HUGE thank you to Lisa and Sammy’s Bookshelf in Little Rock, Arkansas for adding Suddenly Rural Girl to their inventory! If you live in the area or know folks who do, Checkout Sammy’s Pop-Up Bookstores this summer! (We gotta support all local businesses–including those Indie Bookstores.) Suddenly Rural Girl is available lots of places,Continue reading “SRG is now available through Sammy’s Bookshelf in Little Rock, Arkansas!”
SRG is now available in Ketchikan, Alaska at Parnassus Books!
We’ve been blessed again! Thank you Parnassus Books in beautiful Ketchikan, Alaska for adding Suddenly Rural Girl to their inventory! If you live in the area or know folks who do, please stop by this great little Indie Bookstore! (We gotta support all local businesses–including those Indie Bookstores.) Suddenly Rural Girl is available lots ofContinue reading “SRG is now available in Ketchikan, Alaska at Parnassus Books!”
SRG is now available in St. George, Utah at the Book Bungalow!
A HUGE thank you to The Book Bungalow in St. George, Utah, for adding Suddenly Rural Girl to their inventory! If you live in the area or know folks who do, please stop by and spread the word! (We gotta support all local businesses–including those mom & pop Indie Bookstores!) Suddenly Rural Girl is availableContinue reading “SRG is now available in St. George, Utah at the Book Bungalow!”