I’m nearly done with my comic thriller, The Worst Thing About Sam, so I wanted to re-post some of these “Writing Funny” tips I pulled together along the way: 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 s/heContinue reading “Writing Funny: Comfort & Affliction”
Tag Archives: novels
“Her heart and smile… “from The Red Texts Club, by Andrea VanRyken
The Red Text Club starts with real and quirky characters who draw you in…much like this quote does.” Who doesn’t love someone with a heart and smile as big as all outdoors? I do, and I liked this description. The Red Texts Club digs deeply and creatively into the teenage mind—more specifically the minds ofContinue reading ““Her heart and smile… “from The Red Texts Club, by Andrea VanRyken”
Lunatics: Two Authors & A Ludicrous Story
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”
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”
“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””
“He had a nice efficient swing.”
When I taught film and theater, we spent considerable time evaluating, writing, and producing laughs using the “7 Causes of Laughter.” (You can find other sites and sources that will tell you there are six, or ten. I chose seven because it’s a nice even number.) Every list includes Exaggeration, Ambiguity, Recognition, and every juniorContinue reading ““He had a nice efficient swing.””
“…fills the space with grape scent.”
A handful of books use smells to connect the reader emotionally. CJ Simone does it sparingly in The Manic Mission, but this line grabbed me. In the late 80’s, young love smelled like Carmex, Almay, Drakkar Noir, and sometimes grape bubble gum. The Manic Mission is for readers interested in tough topics that eventually offerContinue reading ““…fills the space with grape scent.””
You can now find Suddenly Rural Girl in Milton, Georgia! Thank you Poe & Co Team!
We’re grateful for Kate and her team at Poe & Company for carrying Suddenly Rural Girl! 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, including dannhurlbert.com, BarnesContinue reading “You can now find Suddenly Rural Girl in Milton, Georgia! Thank you Poe & Co Team!”
“…delight and torment girls.”
Ok, one more from The Manic Mission by CJ Simone. I’m a slightly nerdy white guy, and I rarely delighted or tormented girls . . . but we all knew the knuckleheads that did. Handsome, talented, and sometimes cocky or just a fool. And yet, we nerds thought, it might be nice delight and tormentContinue reading ““…delight and torment girls.””
Suddenly Rural Girl is now available at
in Denver, Colorado! A HUGE thank you to Matter, “Denver’s only design studio, manufactory, and revolutionary bookstore” for adding Suddenly Rural Girl to their inventory! If you live in the area or know folks who do, consider stopping by this edgy and revolutionary bookstore and design studio! (We gotta support all local businesses–including those indieContinue reading “Suddenly Rural Girl is now available at”
“Wrecking balls got no choice…”
I’m a sucker for a good metaphor, too. This character believes he’s destined to destroy, no matter what his intent. He does everything he can to help others, but damage is what is left behind. CJ Simone infuses a few of these concise metaphors throughout The Manic Mission. The Manic Mission is for readers interestedContinue reading ““Wrecking balls got no choice…””
“One of the quirkiest premises I’ve read for a young adult novel, and I’m all for it!”
As a a new author, I’ve begun to see the value of the review. Lots of people are reading Suddenly Rural Girl…and we want to give a HUGE thanks to those who are taking the time to add a review on Amazon, GoodReads, Barnes & Noble, Christianbooks.com, and more. It means a lot! Here’s anotherContinue reading ““One of the quirkiest premises I’ve read for a young adult novel, and I’m all for it!””