This weekend is the Rosemount Minnesota hosts it’s big Country Faire Arts event! There’s a lot going on, and it can be fun for the whole family! Here’s some of what you can expect: Plus, if you’re there, swing by and say hi! I’ll be at a table signing copies of Suddenly Rural Girl, too!Continue reading “Rosemount’s Country Faire is this Saturday!”
Tag Archives: Suddenly Rural Girl
“…more AK-47s than Budweisers.”
Here’s one more post from Dave Barry’s Big Trouble: Bar names, all by themselves can be funny. The Drunken Donkey, The Pint of No Return, and Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge & Tiki Garden. The Jolly Jackal brings an entertaining image to mind. Barry takes it a step further with another one of those exaggerations (andContinue reading ““…more AK-47s than Budweisers.””
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!”
Comparing Incomparables
The overstatement understatement have been perfected by teenagers. Lifting it out of Comedy into Middle or High Comedy requires some smarts. Here Barry uses incomparable comparisons, drawing a parallel between massive human tragedy and a light-hearted spring dance. That wasn’t enough, though. Nothing good happens in Stephen King novels–which gets us eagerly anticipating “what happensContinue reading “Comparing Incomparables”
“…even though your head is shaped like an anvil…”
This was a fantastic back-handed compliment that uses both exaggeration and incongruity to get the laugh. Initially it’s hopeful. If delivered by an attractive and “ditsy blonde” character–it might actually be intended as a compliment. The dim-witted recipient might also believe it was a compliment. For the reader (of higher intelligence) we see the unintended,Continue reading ““…even though your head is shaped like an anvil…””
“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””
“Oh, he’s fine…He’s a teenager.”
The response to “He’s fine…he’s a teenager” is “I’m sorry.” Those were some of the best and worst times . . . and as parents, we know there are some touch and go moments with teens in the house! Dave Barry’s line, “I’m sorry,” touches on some deeper reality, the heartfelt love and compassion foundContinue reading ““Oh, he’s fine…He’s a teenager.””
“And the intelligence of . . . “
One of my all time favorite descriptions of a dog was reading Patrick F. McManus’ description of the mangy family dog’s antics outside the dining room window while the family ate with their invited guest, the parish priest. I recall tears streaming down my face & I believe I was asked to leave the classroom.Continue reading ““And the intelligence of . . . “”
How loud is “loud enough to stun cattle?” And who would want to?
Exaggeration and Incongruity play an important part in writing funny. With this simple line, Dave Barry tells us about the character–whom we’ve all had pull up next to us in traffic–and he takes it to another humorous level. Sound systems and Stunning Cattle aren’t generally paired. With the right set-up, it’s a bizzarre exaggeration thatContinue reading “How loud is “loud enough to stun cattle?” And who would want to?”
“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.””
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!”