A time to weep,
and a time to laugh …
A time to mourn,
and a time to dance ...
A time to love,
and a time to hate;
A time of war,
and a time of peace.
— Ecclesiastes 3:4
Let’s face it, when you write books like I do with lots of passion, drama and angst—be it weeping, mourning, hating or war—you gotta lighten up sometimes. Which is where the “laughing” in our Scripture above comes in awfully handy.
In my last Seeker blog on humor entitled Ho-Ho-Ho! Funny You Should Say That ... Or Putting Humor in Our Writing!, I listed four reasons to incorporate humor in your writing. We also explored the first four of nineteen ways to do it, so today we’ll cover points five through nineteen. Please note: Resident Seeker friend, Vince Mooney, posted an EXCELLENT blog that puts mine to shame entitled 108 Ways to Have Your Hero Demonstrate a Sense of Humor, so check it out!
WAYS TO INCORPORATE HUMOR IN OUR WRITING, POINTS 5-19:
5.) Jokes/Quips
6.) Slapstick Dialogue/Internal Monologue
7.) Serious Subject/Humorous Take
8.) Play on Words
9.) Scene Set-Up
10.) Self-Deprecation
11.) Sibling Rivalry
12.) Quirky Personality
13.) Fib
14.) Name Calling
15.) Alliteration
16.) Props
17.) Shock
18.) David & Goliath Factor
19.) Kids
Ready? I have excerpts from my books as well as clips from Mary Connealy, Missy Tippens, Tina Radcliffe and Deeanne Gist, so here we go …
5.) JOKES & QUIPS: If you recall, in Part 1, I promised that the commenter with the funniest lines would be asked to contribute humorous excerpts for Part 2, so without further ado, here is Seeker friend KAYLA MILLER with her WONDERFUL examples of incorporating humor in her writing, which all neatly fill the bill for jokes or quips. GREAT JOB, KAYLA!!
Well, I halfway tried to look halfway decent. That means I look, what, a quarter of the way decent? Math was never my favorite subject.
I guess I’ll just have to be an old maid, living in a secluded cabin in the woods with my heard of llamas and my trusty guard moose (because cats would be far too stereotypical for me).
I swear my social life is like Kevin Bacon in the eighties; everything comes back to it.
I’m telling you Lord, between my life lately and the platypus, I am completely convinced of your sense of humor. No need to keep the jokes coming.
6.) SLAPSTICK DIALOGUE/INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: In my opinion, nobody does this better than Mary Connealy and, in fact, she may have invented it! You know, that fast-paced, humorous volley of dialogue and action between characters that almost seems like a Three Stooges skit in its simplicity and humor? In this scene from Mary’s latest book In Too Deep (Feb. 2012), a marriage of convenience is arranged between Ethan and Audra by Rafe, Ethan’s brother, as seen through Audra's point of view.
— In Too Deep by Mary Connealy
“I’m not marrying Audra,” Ethan said.
Well, at least one of them had some sense. And for once Ethan didn’t have that stupid smile on his face.
“What’s wrong with Audra?” Rafe asked.
Audra kind of wanted to know the answer to that, too.
“I’m not marrying Ethan. I’m not marrying anybody. Rafe Kincaid, you can’t just pick a husband out for someone because it makes life tidier.”
“Sure I can.” Rafe gave her a look that seemed to be . . . pity. Like he pitied her for being alone? Or did he just pity anyone who didn’t immediately see that he was the one who should organize the whole world.
“Now, Rafe,” Julia patted him on the arm, “Audra doesn’t want to marry either one of your idiot brothers.
“Hey!” Ethan said.
“My brother’s aren’t idiots.” Rafe crossed his arms and glared at his fiery red-headed wife.
Seth said, “Can Maggie and I go hunt around in the cave again for a while before you marry one of us and we go home?”
Julia arched a brow at Rafe.
With a sheepish jerk of one shoulder, Rafe said, “Well, Ethan’s okay.”
7.) SERIOUS SUBJECT/HUMOROUS TAKE: In the following scene from my upcoming novel, A Love Surrendered, Katie and Luke have a sub story where Luke encounters lust when an intern at work tempts him. Initially, this was a depressing scene for me because it was hard for me to see upright and moral Luke McGee even able to be tempted. Even my husband said, “Julie, you have to lighten this because it’s too heavy.” And yet, in today’s world where lust rears its ugly head, the subject IS heavy, so how do you deal with it properly, driving the morality lesson home without giving the reader an uneasy feeling? Humor!
— A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman
She arched a brow. “And?”
Without realizing it, he began to grind his jaw. “And …” he said, dragging the word out as long as he could, “I want you to know I respect your opinion regarding the situation with Lauren, and I won’t be working with her again.”
“Why?”
He blinked, a muscle spasm adding to the grind of his jaw. “Because … she’s gone, so you have nothing to worry about.”
“Gone?” she said, the question as flat as the press of her lips.
“Yes, gone.”
“Why?”
“Because she just is.”
She leaned forward, eyes laying him bare. “Gone to lunch, gone across town, gone on vacation—I want facts, McGee, not single syllables.
He blasted out a sigh. “For pity’s sake, Katie, I fired her, okay?”
She nodded her head. “I see. And why exactly would you do that?”
He gulped, nearly choking on the words caught in his throat. “Because … you were right …” His eyelids flickered briefly as he pushed the rest of the sentence off the tip of his tongue. “And … I was … wrong.”
Her smile could have blinded him, which given the superior gloat in her eyes, might be a good thing. “Ahhhhh ... words I never thought I’d hear from the lips of Luke McGee.” She sat back with a fold of her arms, the smile suddenly nowhere in sight. Her voice was clipped. “And when exactly did this revelation occur?”
It felt like fire ants were swarming his neck, which, based on the dangerous look on Katie’s face, would have been his first option. His voice was a croak. “Uh … recently.”
She cocked her head, brows lifting to new heights. “Really. How recently, would you say? Last week, this week, yesterday, today?
His voice cracked. “Today.”
She leaned forward, and he was pretty sure her eyes burned more than the ants. “Why?” she whispered, her voice akin to the calm before the storm.
Avoiding her gaze, he opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He swallowed hard, tried again. Still nothing.
Lunging forward with wildfire in her eyes, she jerked his chin up, index finger and thumb pinching his skin. “So help me, Luke McGee, you better spit it out right now what you or that woman did to get her fired or I will launch on you like a bad of case of measles scratched raw.”
Teeth clenched, muscle spasms in his face had a field day as he slowly removed her hand from his jaw, biting the words out. “She-made-a-pass-at-me, okay? Are you satisfied?”
“Deliriously. What happened?” she snapped.
He shot to his feet and started to pace, practically gouging his hair out by the roots. “Nothing, I swear. She was on a stool pulling a box from a shelf and needed my help.” He reinforced his lungs with more air, then dove right back in as he mauled the back of his neck. “The next thing I know, I’m helping her down and she … she …”
Katie’s eyes narrowed, stretching two syllables into four. “She-e wha-t?
He stopped, suddenly too exhausted to worry anymore. Venting with a sigh, he plopped on the couch and put his head in his hands. “She slid down the front of me and put her hands to my waist. Said my body was like a rock.”
Nothing. He waited, not sure he wanted to see her expression. A giggle floated in the air, and he glanced up, a pinch of hurt between his brows. “You think this is funny?”
Lips pursed to ward off a smile, she shook her head in a series of tiny, little shakes before her eyes widened with a grate of her lip. “Are you sure she wasn’t talking about your head?”
His eyes narrowed into a squint. “This isn’t funny, Katie Rose, and I think you’re being awfully cavalier about another woman flirting with your husband.”
She sobered quickly, a tender slant to her brows. “No, darling, I don’t think this is funny. I’m just venting with humor so I don’t scratch your eyes out.”
8.) SET UP A SCENE FOR HUMOR: In this crazy kitchen scene from Missy Tippens’ A House Full of Hope (release date Feb. 2012), Missy beautifully sets up a kitchen disaster to inject humor all women can relate to, culminating in the hero’s humorous punch line at the end.
— A House Full of Hope by Missy Tippens
Paint streaked Hannah's children's hair and mingled with flour and something shiny and sticky on their faces. Maybe honey?
Blue lapped something off the floor, and doggie footprints that looked suspiciously like flour made wandering trails all over the kitchen.
The blender sat on the counter with something pink dripping down the sides and onto the counter. Dirty pots and baking sheets filled the sink.
Total disaster was the only way to describe the kitchen—if Hannah could utter a word. But shock glued her mouth shut.
"Hey, Mom's home!" Becca ran over and tried to push Hannah out of the kitchen. "Don't look yet. We'll call you when it's ready."
As the shock began to fade, Hannah zoomed in on the bandage wrapped around Becca's finger. "What happened?"
She shoved it behind her back. "Nothing. Please go wait in the family room."
"You're hurt." She reached for the hand.
But Tony grabbed her and tried to pull her out of the room. "You're ruining our surprise."
Hannah looked over at a harried Mark. "You said you'd call if there was blood. Did Becca cut herself?"
"Yes, while chopping the salad ingredients. But it stopped bleeding quickly. She's a real trooper." He winked at Becca.
Eric and Emily joined in the effort to push Hannah out, so she left them to the mess that was, apparently, dinner.
(SCENE SNIPPED TO JUMP AHEAD TO MARK’S POV)
What terrible timing. Hannah had arrived home a half hour earlier than he'd expected. She didn't seem angry about the chaotic kitchen, but he couldn't be certain. "I need to jump on this mess. I had planned to have it cleaned up before you got here. But, well…you know how it is with good intentions."
She looked at him then, her green eyes giving nothing away. "Yes, I do."
He hurried into motion, rinsing the fruit smoothie from their afternoon snack out of the blender.
"Leave it," she said. "We'll all pitch in and have the place spotless in no time."
Becca jumped up and pulled out his chair. "Yeah, Mr. Mark. You have to taste everything you made."
He'd assumed Hannah would want to hurry him out the door. He could understand that. He'd shown up unexpectedly that day and had probably taken too many liberties. How many babysitters enlisted kids this age to cook a full meal and handed them knives?
9.) PLAY ON WORDS: For me, a play on words is one of the easiest ways to include humor because opportunities are so broad and abundant. For instance, one thing I like to do is use song titles from the time period to make a play on words:
— A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman
“What’s eating you, anyway, O’Connor? You were in a great mood when we got here tonight. Now you look like you just picked a fight with Brubaker.”
Close. He singed Joe with a look and a curt nod toward the veranda. “Got a minute?”
The band started and a lazy grin curled on Joe’s lips. “Yeah, right after I dance with Annie again.” He winked at the kid. “What d’ya say, beautiful?”
She shot up faster than a Roman candle at a Revere Beach Fourth of July. “You bet,” she said with a high-voltage smile that would have melted Steven’s wiring if fury hadn’t fried it first. He glared when she closed her eyes to sway. “Three Little Words is one of my favorite songs.”
Steven’s fist clenched along with his teeth. I’ll give you “three little words,” he thought with a scowl. Leave. Her. Alone.
10.) SELF DEPRECATION: One of my very favorite ways to inject humor, I suppose because for someone like me who is a wee bit insecure (uh, like the entire human race!), it just seems to come naturally in my writing. Here’s a scene where Marcy O’Connor is talking to her daughters:
— A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman
“But then each of my daughters and daughter-in-law have unique gifts that have blessed my life.”
“Ooo-ooo, what’s mine?” Charity asked, blue eyes sparkling as she leaned on the table.
“Making grown men cry,” Faith said with a wink.
“Hey, only my husband,” Charity defended with a thrust of her jaw, “and it’s been a while.” Her nose scrunched in thought. “I think.”
11.) SIBLING RIVALRY: As one of 13 kids, it’s no surprise that I love humor derived from sibling rivalry! You know, that easy flow of banter between sisters that expresses affection when it’s done with love? Yep, that’s the backbone of my family scenes in the O’Connor saga such as this one:
— A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman
Charity pinched her brother’s cheek. “Steven needs to learn marriage is bliss when a man has someone to look after him like you do for Sean.” She dusted more crumbs off his shirt.
Steven grinned, cookies in hand. “I have Mother for that, not to mention a bossy sister.”
“Leave Faith out of this and give me that.” Charity snatched a cookie back with a lift of her chin. “One’s enough—you’ll spoil your dinner.”
12.) QUIRKY PERSONALITY: Oh my, do I LOVE quirky people, which probably accounts for why I love Ruthy so much. Charity O’Connor is one of my favorite characters because she is a true quirk, doing outrageous things such as putting cracker crumbs in her eyes to produce fake tears or hiding in the back seat of Mitch’s car after he’s just taken a date home like in the scene below.
— A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman
He thought of all the reasons Charity was wrong for him. Fourteen years younger, as stubborn as he, and an affinity for deception that would boggle the mind. He needed more. A stable woman with a compliant heart and lips that warmed his without the burn of a lie. Not a woman who could only heat his blood as well as his temper.
He coasted to a stop in front of his apartment and disengaged the drive gears with a weary thrust. The engine sputtered to a slow death—like his hope.
He would marry Kathleen.
He slammed his fist against the door. “Why, God?”
“Let me know if you get an answer. I haven’t heard a peep.”
Mitch jerked around, bumping his head on the roof. He put a hand to his head and swore.
“I thought you gave that up,” she said, climbing over the back of the seat. She plopped into the passenger side as casually as if she’d been there all night, giving him a sassy smile. Two perfectly manicured brows wiggled in a playful tease. “Alone at last.”
13.) FIB: Say one thing, do another is an effective way to lift a smile as Tina Radcliffe proves in this clever quip.
— Oklahoma Reunion by Tina Radcliffe
Kait closed her eyes when he bent his head and placed a light kiss upon her lips. He smiled as she breathed a soft sigh of pleasure.
“You two going to take all day?” Grandpa Jones hollered through the screen.
“No sir, Gramps.”
“Well, hurry on out here then.”
“We’re coming. I was just showing Kait your cookbook collection.”
Harlan Jones laughed. Long and hard. “Son, I don't have no cookbook
collection.”
Ryan kissed Kait one last time before taking her hand and pushing the screen door open.
14.) NAME CALLING: In this scene from my upcoming novel, A Love Surrendered, I had fun letting the sweet, young heroine call Steven names after he rescues her from a speakeasy, which serves as much-needed humor in an otherwise pretty tense scene:
— A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman
“Dragged-you-away?” He blinked, barely able to believe he was wasting good breath arguing with a kid who was obviously as thick as she was tipsy. “I should have let them throw your carcass in jail, you brainless brat, and then you’d be Aunt Eleanor’s problem, not mine.”
“Exactly,” she snapped, as if he’d just proven her point. “But you didn’t. You risked your job and your reputation to haul me out of there tonight, so if we’re going to talk “brainless,” Agent O’Connor, then I suggest you look in the mirror because unless I miss my guess, you are one dim-witted man with his head in the sand.”
Grinding his jaw, he grabbed his burger and bit in hard, singeing Annie with a glare.
She didn’t seem to notice, annoying him to no end. Lips pursed, she carefully cut her burger in half and took a dainty bite while perusing the menu with apparent fascination.
Halfway through his sandwich, he expelled a noisy breath. “Why are we arguing?”
She turned, chin elevated and brows raised. “Because you’re dimwitted and scared?”
He hurled his half-eaten burger on the plate. “Don’t start with me, Annie.”
15.) ALLITERATION: Although this is a good example of “Play on Words” as well, I think the rhythm of alliteration helps to heighten the humor.
— A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman
An empty package of Lucky Strike cigarettes lay crumpled on top of Emma’s Bible, prompting a tick in Sean’s jaw. Yeah, Lucky Strike, for sure.
My fist, his face.
16.) PROPS: When not overused, props can lend humor to a situation such as in this scene from A Passion Redeemed where Marcy O’Connor wants her husband to investigate a noise in the kitchen:
— A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman
“Wait! Take something with you. A shoe, a belt—something for protection.”
He turned and propped his hands low on the sides of his tie-string pajamas. “Shoes. Yes, that should do the trick. Newspaper editor bludgeons intruder with wing-tips.”
Marcy tossed the covers aside and hopped out of bed. “Wait! My iron. You can take my iron. It weighs a ton.” She padded to the wardrobe in bare feet and hefted a cast-iron appliance off the shelf. She lugged it to where he stood watching her, a half-smile twitching on his lips. “Here, take it. And hurry, will you? He could be gone by now.”
He snatched the iron from her hands. “And that would be a good thing, right?”
17.) SHOCK: Few things afford a writer the opportunity to pen deadpan comedy better than shock, as in the following examples where Katie’s dry humor comes through in her thoughts in the first clip and Mitch Dennehy’s zombie state, in the second:
— A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman
Katie butted the door open and frowned, brows puckered and mouth parted in surprise. “No, it’s not all right, Lizzie.” She pushed her way in and pulled off her gloves, shoving them in her pockets. “For pity’s sake, I could be frozen to the bone outside, waiting on you to let me say hello to my niece.” She started to unbutton her coat as she barged into the parlor and then stopped mid-stride, all air effectively trapped in her throat. And at that precise moment, ‘frozen to the bone’ was only the tip of the iceberg.
“Hi, Katie . . . it’s good to see you again.”
Her jaw dropped like a rock. Good? To see Luke McGee standing in Lizzie’s parlor? With a baby slung over his shoulder as naturally as a sweat rag after a basketball game in the street? Katie tried to breathe. She couldn’t. To speak. Impossible—her tongue was welded to her mouth. She blinked. Good, at least something worked.
— A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman (Charity pays him a surprise visit)
Mitch wheeled around and slammed the phone on the receiver. The earpiece fused to his hand as if embedded in his palm. He tried to breathe. He couldn’t.
“Hello, Mitch.”
His mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out but shallow air. Ice-cold prickles of heat traveled from the crown of his head to the soles of his feat. He swallowed.
Still no air.
She shifted in the chair, a shimmer of pink satin straining against full breasts while she adjusted her form-fitting skirt. Several seconds passed and his hand was still one with the phone. With a rash of heat up his neck, he slowly removed it, sagging back in the chair.
18.) DAVID & GOLIATH FACTOR: When writing with humor, there’s always a built-in humor factor when you pit something small against something big (i.e. Tweety Bird against Sylvester the Cat, Tom vs. Jerry). And even more so when you pit a little woman against a big man such as Deeanne Gist did with her tiny heroine Georgie Gail in Love on the Line. Humor is a key trademark of Deeanne’s work and something at which she is a true master, as evidenced by this clip.
— Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist
“Don’t you lecture me, Mr. Palmer.”
“I see.” He put his pencil down and indicated her aborted call with a nod of his head. “What’s good for the goose isn’t good for the gander?”
“Get out.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re mighty bossy today. In the last fifteen minutes you’ve commanded me to leave my own office, Mrs. Oodson to hang up her own phone, and Mr. Ottfried to explain his own business decisions. Don’t you think you need to settle down a bit?”
That did it. He was asking for a fight.
She flew at him. He spun his chair toward her, knees open, arms up. Big mistake. She grabbed two fistfuls of chambray shirt and jerked up.
He didn’t budge.
“Get up, mister. We’re taking this outside.”
Amusement lit his eyes.
She gave him a shake. “Don’t you laugh, Luke. I mean it. I’m going to take you outside and fold you up like a purse.”
19.) KIDS: Let’s face it—there is probably NO easier way to lace a book with humor than to add a cheeky kid or two, both in having other characters joke about them and in talking to them as in the final example.
— A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman
In spite of the mugginess of the day, a cold chill shivered the butterfly-sleeve of Charity’s pink wraparound blouse. “Ten more of Henry?” Another shudder followed. “Just shoot me now.”
Marcy smiled. “Charity, he’s just going through a stage—”
“Yes, Mother, I know—birth to college.”
— A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman
Marcy leaned forward, her maternal instincts as sharp as the look in her eyes. “Any other symptoms? Tender breasts, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, backaches, headaches, food cravings …”
“Mmm … now there’s incentive for a religious vocation if I ever there was …” Charity jabbed her needle into the bulky corduroy with a grimace. “That and Henry …”
— A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman (Katie talks with a street orphan about Luke McGee. Note the opportunity to use humorous words like “puke,” “spit” and a reference to passing gas, which ONLY kids can get away with in a romance novel!):
A smug smile tipped Gabe’s mouth as she reached for another cookie and shimmied back in her chair. “But Luke likes me the best, which is why we’re gonna get married someday.” She paused and wheeled the chair back several inches, wrinkling her nose as she spied Katie’s blush. “Hey, you ain’t gonna spit again, are ya? Your face is red like you’re gonna puke.”
Katie narrowed her eyes. The little squirt suddenly reminded her of Cluny McGee. She nursed her pride with a deep breath of air, then exhaled. “So, why’d you run away?”
Gabe gulped her Nehi while eyeing Katie over the rim. “You ever meet Mrs. Merkle?”
Katie shook her head and finished her cookie.
“Well she’s old and whiney and smells like VapoRub.” A faint shiver rippled through the little girl. “I cain’t stand VapoRub. And the old coot she’s married to who coughs up spit? Passes wind like it was a fine talent.” She scrunched her nose as if the smell suddenly permeated the room. “You ever live in crackerbox that reeks with Vapo and gas? Trust me. It ain’t a feast for the senses, if you know what I mean.”
Katie did, and slowly gulped her cookie, her appetite suddenly gone with the ‘wind. “The Merkles—are they your foster parents?”
“Shoot no—” Her eyes darted to Katie’s face as she slowly scooted away, obviously concerned about her slip of the tongue. “Sorry, I forgot. Anyways, they’re too old, but I guess Luke’s desperate. Carmichael don’t like me, ya see, ‘cause I stir up things at the pokey—”
Katie blinked. “The pokey?”
“The so-ci-e-ty,” Gabe said with pained enunciation. “Keep up with me, will ya?
So … there you have it! Leave a comment and get your name tossed in the hat for a signed copy of any of my books, including my upcoming release, A Love Surrendered. Good luck and keep those smiles coming!
Wow. I thought I was funny. Now I'm only sure there's something funny smelling in my refrigerator. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy husband laughs every time I break a toe. Tough way to get a laugh.
ReplyDeletePull up a chair and have a cup of coffee--if you dare. It's so bad it's grounds for divorce.
Oh Helen, what a punny comment!
ReplyDeletePure fun, Julie!
I put ten children in my WIP - plenty of opportunity for humor, right? And I have the best examples among the Seekers!
Love the picture with the clown nose, Julie, NICE touch!!! LOL!! What a treat of a posting, you all make it so EASY to smile here :) Thanks for the great examples and for the giveaway, blessings Julie and other Seekers!!!
ReplyDeleteDo you have to work hard at being funny or does it just come?
ReplyDeleteI had some fun comments on judging sheets lately: my writing has "quiet humor" and is "quirky" -- so that's evidently the kind of humor I use. :)
And all this time, Helen, you've been serving terrible coffee? Tsk Tsk
I have to say Mary's scene is really fun.
ReplyDeletePaula Vince an aussie has the same sort of humor. One scene where the bad guys are discussing how to do away with the good guys and she has the better of the bad ones questioning his partner. very similar to Mary's style.
I love humor in books. Just love it. If you can't laugh at the serious side of life, you really have no business living it!
ReplyDeleteJulie, what great examples! Thank you so much for sharing this today.
Helen, hahahahahaha!
"It's so bad it's grounds for divorce!!!!"
Now I'm starting my day laughing out loud!
Hey, I'm leaving chocolate cheese croissants for you, my friends! Something tender, flaky and delicious to start your Wednesday.
And the Lisas are here!!!
'Mornin', girls!
I tend to cast a wry eye at the world. Humor is the only thing that gets us through life so it makes since it gets us through tough spots in our writing!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, "quirky" is definitely a compliment in my book.
Peace, Julie
How can such a fun post be scary?
ReplyDeleteFor some reason the men in my family are much funnier than the women, so attempting humor is intimidating.
Thanks for sharing today!
I love to laugh and would like to help my readers laugh from time to time.
Great post!
Jackie Layton
That was pretty awesome. Seeing how different types of humor can diffuse a tense scene.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be entered to win. I'm still trying to get a copy of A Heart Revealed!
Thanks for this post Julie.
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I love using humor in my stories even in the darkest moments I usually toss in a bit of light.
Thanks for all the wonderful examples!
Great post Julie! And love all the examples - such great writing. Too great to attempt being funny next to them :) My sense of humour is very dry, but I don't know if that will come out in my writing yet. We'll see!
ReplyDeleteOoo put me in the hat for ALS!
ReplyDeleteI <3 using humor - in fact, my tag is romantic dramedy in the Ozarks. I'm glad you're not asking for examples this time cuz I gave you all my good ones last time ;).
I *am* trying to find humor in only half my face working and making that work in a new wip... ;)
I enjoyed this and learned so much! THank you.
ReplyDeleteHELEN!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd here I was just going to thank you today for the coffee. Good one!
Way fun, Julie! Thanks for the laughs this morning. :) This was my fave of yours today!! ...and he was pretty sure her eyes burned more than the ants.
ANYone who's been around those blasted ants knows. Yawzah.
Here's one from May on the Way: How I Become a K9 Spy
(Told in May the dog's POV. First night in new abode. Mom brushing her teeth and Dad is ribbing her.)
Mom quickly brushes and spits, then her eyes get big. "Where's a cup?"
"They're here, but where, I don't know. Since we don't want to use the dogs' bowl-"
"OH HON!"
"-we can slurp from the faucet until tomorrow."
Mom gives him another look, then bends sideways and swishes.
She needs a longer tongue.
** ** **
Will trot over to Vince's shortly.
Happy Wednesday everyone!
Cheesy & flaky - good one Ruthy!
ReplyDeleteJulie, great tips with terrific examples for adding humor to our stories! The story I'm writing could use more laughter. I'm taking notes.
ReplyDeleteHelen, you're hilarious!
I brought pancakes with whipped cream smiley faces. Sure to put a smile on ours.
Janet
Julie, this is such a great post! I haven't read it all, but I'm coming back to it. :) Loved your example with Luke and Katie. :) Love how you used word descriptions to bring in humor, and the twist at the end of your example. Looking forward to stopping by later.
ReplyDeleteFun excerpts, Julie!! Great examples. I don't think I'd realized there were so many ways to do humor! I'll be working to try to change mine up some.
ReplyDeleteJulie!!! Amazing excerpts!! Now I’m even more excited to read “A Love Surrendered”!!! You interject humor so well into your novels, mixing it in with all the drama and passion! This post was so timely too, as I’m always looking for ways to add fun scenes into my own writing!
ReplyDeleteJulie love, You always entertain me and make me smile. Loved the post and excerpts. Love the humor in your books also.
ReplyDeleteLike Missy said, great ideas to ramp up our wips
Have a great day.
Ruthy, the chocolate cheese croissants are to die for. Thanks girlfriend.
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Humor is not my strong point. Thank you for the examples though! I'll have to work on this. lol
ReplyDeleteAnother workshop in a box. I take all Julie's posts and put them in my revisions folder and use them for my layering in, and revising rounds on manuscripts.
ReplyDeleteMelissa Jagears, I can't believe you don't know how funny you are. You're a dry humor girl. For sure. A natural talent. Use it. Exploit it!
ReplyDeleteWHOOPS ... somebody's running late ... NOT FUNNY!!
ReplyDeleteGOOD MORNIN', ALL ... sorry I overslept. Haven't done that in years!! But I should be good and rested for all the laughs hopefully coming our way today, I hope, so shoot me your best stuff so we can all have a chuckle, okay?
Belly up to the breakfast bar for scrambled eggs, Denver style in honor of Teenster, Western hashed browns, maple-cured bacon, sausage and ham and my fave, banana chocolate chip muffins and peach cobbler. LOTS of cinnamon hazelnut on hand as well as Sandra's Chocolate Velvet and Southern Pecan coffee. Oh, and YES ... peppermint tea!!
Dig in ... I know I am ... :)
Hugs,
Julie
Ooooh I am so touched. And hungry!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
THELISAS, LOL!!! Well, move over girl, 'cause there's plenty funny in my fridge, I can tell you, especially after Easter dinner for 25 people!! VERY clever to kick us off with a laugh, so THANK YOU, girl, and GOOD LUCK!!
ReplyDeleteHELEN, DOUBLE LOL!!! Boy, you guys woke up with your tickle bone itching, didn't you?? LOVE the humor, keep it coming!! And, Helen, I beg to differ -- your coffee is NOT grounds for divorce. You might brew up lots of trouble in your marriage, darlin', but coffee ain't one of 'em! Thanks, sweetie.
JAN, I gotta hand it to you -- ten kids in a WIP -- I am truly impressed. I had trouble with six ... :|
Hugs,
Julie
Wonderful collection and perfect examples of your humor points. A nice way to start the day, Julie, as I've read so many of those included scenes.
ReplyDeleteBut, Ruthy Quirky? Really? Who knew?
KARA ... thank you!! Some might think I actually look better with that nose, but they sure better not say so here ... :) As most everybody might know by now, my sweet hubby is an artist who is at the beck and call of this truly annoying writer who begs him to do all sorts of off-the-wall artistic things ... and, no, don't let your mind go there, Ruthy, Missy or Mary ... He's a sweetheart and I am WAY too blessed to have him. :)
ReplyDeleteMELISSA ... when I was younger, as a CDQ in my family, being funny must have come naturally because my family always laughed at me. Of course, it wasn't in a good way ... but oh, well, water over the bridge (I never could get that saying right ...!). To tell you the truth, I never thought I was funny until I started writing books and Charity's character. Suddenly this untapped reserve of humor sprang up, and I thought, "Gosh, Charity is a hoot!" Didn't really realize I was talking about myself until a year or two later. What can I say, "Charity's" also not very bright (whoops, point #10 at work here!!).
Hugs,
Julie
MELISSA!!! I forgot to mention that I happen to think you are VERY funny! You have this quiet, dry, unique humor that shines through in all your comments, so I can only imagine how wonderful your writing must be. So you BEST incorporate that humor, young lady!!
ReplyDeleteJENNY ... Mary's style is truly unique, in my opinion, almost a 3 Stooges type of effect, which of course, is hilarious!! But then, Mary is hilarious, so no surprise there. She is our resident Seeker clown who keeps us laughing ... :)
RUTHY!!! Chocolate cheese croissants, even after I insulted you in both the blog and the comments!! I don't deserve it, sweetie, but BLESS YOU!!
JULIE H.S. -- I totally agree, girl -- humor is ESSENTIAL!! Think what an awful place this world would be without humor and ditto for our writing!! And, YES, I happen to think "quirky" is a very good thing as long as it's clean and doesn't smell, which of course, rules out Melissa!!
Hugs,
Julie
This is a line from the upcoming Over the Edge, Seth's story, the CRAZY Kincaid brother.
ReplyDeleteDidn't we have some lesson on ... something about triplicate lines or something once? Whatever that was, this is that, sort of.
Maybe.
Opening chapter two:
Seth saw the stagecoach driver lying halfway in the bushes on the downhill side of the stage. Seth had ridden right past. He wheeled around to go help.
A bullet whizzed out the window of the stage and missed him by little more than a foot. Seth drew his six-gun.
“Seth Kincaid you get back here and let me shoot you, you low-down skunk.”
A woman.
A woman who knew his name.
A woman who knew his name and wanted to kill him.
He’d never had much luck with women.
JACKIE ... I know JUST what you mean, girl!! My oldest brother literally could have been a stand-up comic, he was so funny. I still remember how he had all of us laughing so hard at both my mom's and dad's funerals, which let's face it, is a pretty hard thing to do. But the comic relief SO helped us with our grief! But when he was around, NOBODY else could even attempt to be funny because we flopped in comparison. BUT ... YOU can be funny in your writing because the men in your family won't be there ... or will they??? :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, DAWN, appreciate your kind words AND your willingness to read AHR -- here's to a win in this contest today, okay?
KIRSTEN ... for some reason, I think you would be pretty funny in your writing, girl, am I right? If so, toss a few examples out here for us to chuckle over if you want, okay?
Hugs,
Juie
LOL, CAROL ... if anyone can make half a face work in a wip, it would be you, darlin', so GO FOR IT!! :) And you can toss some more funnies in if you want. Surely with your fun personality, there's a few still lurking in your wips ... :)
ReplyDeleteJANE ... SO glad you learned something from this blog, girl, because you know what? I did, too, when I first wrote it. I never consciously thought about the various ways to make someone laugh till I did this 2-part series (I know, I know, I should have split it into a 3-part series because it's so darn long, but then I have a word-count reputation to live up to, right??). Good luck in the contest!
KC!!!! LOL ... that clip is TOO fun and VERY funny, my friend -- GREAT JOB!! Encore, encore, please ... :)
Hugs,
Julie
Great post as always Julie!
ReplyDeleteI laughed as soon as I saw you with the clown nose!
Another post that needs to be printed and referred to :)
I think I need to get these books off of my wish list! I need to buy them so they can be added to my to-read list and quickly add them to my 'already read' list!
ReplyDeletewfnren(at)aol(dot)com
JANET ... LOVE the pancakes!! Whipped cream and smiley faces are two of my favorite things, along with pancakes, so MUCH appreciated, my friend!!
ReplyDeleteJEANNE ... thank you SO much for your kind comment. Katie and Luke's clip was kind of long, but it had so many examples of humor in it, that I couldn't resist. And I feel a wee bit bad using mostly examples from my books, but I really didn't get a lot of contributions from people when I asked for them, so you guys are stuck mostly with me!!
MISSY ... I didn't either, at least not till I wrote these two posts, so writing blogs teaches us as much as the reader, apparently!!
Hugs,
Julie
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to start the day! Love all your examples!
I have a funny scene in my newest wip where the hero and heroine end up in the mud! She is not amused, but he definitely is! I think I'll go back and ramp the humor up even more.
Have a good one!
Sue
Here's the beginning of my new WIP. I hope it at last gets a smirk.
ReplyDelete*
She was wearing an eye patch.
At church.
On Easter.
A pink eye patch.
It might have been what drew my attention to her, but it wasn't what kept it. She stood there, singing along with the praise and worship band, her hands raised. Worshiping her Maker with abandon. But only half of her face worked. The whole thing lit up but only half of it moved. The half with the eye patch seemed to be paralyzed, but it didn't bother her.
I tried not to stare...
/more stuff about him trying not to stare/
Great.
If I didn't get myself under control, I'd be known as the "Grace Community Chapel Easter Sunday Stalker". A cell phone picture of me being hauled out in handcuffs wouldn't be good for what remained of my image. My agent and publicist would be furious.
But I did sneak one more look as she steepled her fingers under her chin. Just enough to breathe a sigh of relief that she didn't wear any rings on her left hand.
At least I wasn't stalking a married woman.
*
He calls her "Pretty Pirate" in his head. And then you find out her name.
And she's the "Pretty Pirate Pepper".
Cuz you know. I know it'll make this crew smile at least ;).
*
Mary, I CANNOT wait for Seth's story! If you need influencers/reviewers you be sure to let me know!
AMANDA, thank you SO much, sweetie!! I do like a mix of angst, drama, passion and humor, so you might say when it comes to being an author, I'm a bit of a mutt! ;)
ReplyDeleteSANDRA, thanks, sweetie -- and I just plain "LOVE" you, girlfriend!!
JESSICA ... you know what, I have a wee bit of trouble believing that for some reason, girl, so I'm anxious to read your debut novel, Love on the Range. I just bet there's a smile or two tucked away in there ... :)
Hugs,
Julie
TINA!!! Do you really???? That is a truly HIGH compliment, my friend, so THANK YOU!! Now if somebody could just teach me to condense my blogs a bit, the lessons learned wouldn't get so lost in all the words!! And I TOTALLY agree with you on Melissa's dry humor -- she needs to EXPLOIT it for sure!!
ReplyDeleteDEB ... LOL ... yeah, who knew??? Ruthy is what I call a "true character," which in my opinion is a true compliment. Give me quirky any day of the week -- normal is SO overrated!! :)
MARY!!! ROTFLOL!!! That is a TERRIFIC example of humor, my friend. Now we need to add a 20th point -- repetition!!
Hugs,
Julie
Hey, Julie!!! I love your sense of humor, girl. What a super fun post!!! I love injecting humor in my books. I'm usually worried that no one else will "get it" but my daughter, who's 13, just read my latest book, my Cinderella story that comes out next March, and she actually laughed in all the right places! (Thank you, Lord!) So that was very encouraging. There isn't a whole ton of humor in my books, but sometimes I feel like I'm channeling Mary Connealy with my humor. Not that I'm nearly as good at it as she is! But I do love her humor, and sometimes her kind of humor exactly fits the situation my characters are in. You know what I mean?
ReplyDeleteAnd I think about you OFTEN these days, Julie. Because I think about what you always say, "Keep your eyes on Jesus." Been having to remind myself of that a lot lately! :-) Love ya, girl.
CAROL! Way to use your life for a story.
ReplyDeleteGood thinking. Never let a little medical crisis go to waste.
God bless you, girl. I hope you're feeling better and I think that's a real great way to begin your story.
So, the church blows up in just a few seconds, right?
EVA MARIA ... yeah, I kinda figured if my funny excerpts bombed, the nose just might shore me up! ;) Thanks, sweetie!!
ReplyDeleteWENDY, WENDY, YES, YES,YES!!! I LOVED Mary's, Missy's, Tina's and Dee's, so GO FOR IT!! As far as my books, you'll need to read them in order since there are two big surprises in book 1, A Passion Most Pure that would be ruined if read out of order. The good news is that both books 2 and 3 (A Passion Redeemed and A Passion Denied) are on sale on Amazon for $6.00 and $5.50 respectively. The bad news is that book 1, A Passion Most Pure, is too, but not as low -- $10.19. So, good luck in this contest, but if you don't win -- beg, borrow or steal all the books mentioned today, okay?
SUE!!! A mud sprawl sounds like SOOO much fun, girl, so if you are ready to share, GO FOR IT!! Would love to read a clip, my friend. :)
Hugs,
Julie
CAROL!!! LOVE IT, girl, seriously!! What a completely novel and adorable idea -- a pink eye patch!! Only you, darlin', only you. :)
ReplyDeleteMEL, you are SO darn sweet, I swear!! And you made me smile several times in The Merchant's Daughter, as I recall, WHICH, by the way, I still have to write a review for, but plan to THIS WEEKEND!! And, YES, it's a dire necessity to keep our eyes on Jesus in this business, particularly, so GOOD GIRL!! Got you and all situations on my prayer hit list, darlin'.
MARY SAID: "So, the church blows up in just a few seconds, right?"
ROTFL!!!
HUGS,
Julie
What?? I thought the internet was a barrier to the fact that I rarely get out of my pjs or brush my hair or put on deodorant.
ReplyDeleteAs long as my baby's in diapers I'm blaming it on him!!
But you can't blame the stench on my not showering - My best writing ideas work themselves out in there. All I need to do to write a NYT bestseller is shower 14 times a day.
Hmmmm, I need a bigger water heater.
Carol, I will buy that book right now!
ReplyDeleteOh, thank goodness, the Grammar Queen isn't here today. I typed "since" instead of "sense." Helen, I need more coffee.
Peace, Julie
Humor in books... my favorite! I always love it when a book can be serious, yet funny at the same time. I have a strange sense of humor, so I laugh at things that aren't always meant to be funny... ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaway!
lubell1106(at)gmail(dot)com
What a great giveaway! I always enjoy humor in books! I enjoy seriousness, but humor here and there always gets a smile out of me.
ReplyDeletejennycohen104(at)gmail(dot)com
I absolutely loved this! Now I've got to go back and find part 1. ;) Thanks, Julie!
ReplyDeleteMELISSA SAID: "As long as my baby's in diapers I'm blaming it on him!!"
ReplyDeleteLOL ... I used to do that with the dog ... :)
MELISSA ALSO SAID: "But you can't blame the stench on my not showering - My best writing ideas work themselves out in there. All I need to do to write a NYT bestseller is shower 14 times a day."
That's right, you're one of those squeaky clean writers, aren't you!! Gosh, if that philosophy applied, I'd be a matchstick since I get all my ideas on the treadmill ... ;)
JULIE H.S. Oh, COLD CHILLS!!! The Grammar Queen would nail my butt to the wall on SO much here today, but then I guess that WOULD be rather funny ... :)
Hugs,
Julie
ELYSSA ... Oh, me too!! LOVE the mix of drama and comedy in a novel. Of course I'm a control freak, so if I can make a reader cry in one paragraph and laugh in the next, I get a perverse kind of pleasure out of that, you know? Guess it's the CDQ in me, I suppose ...
ReplyDeleteJENNY ... I TOTALLY agree!! The mix of both is kind of like sweet and sour chicken -- SO good!!
TARA ... hey, girl, thanks for coming by! Looking forward to seeing you in Dallas this year -- you going, I hope??
Hugs,
Julie
Those are great! Loved reading about it!
ReplyDeleteHey Julie!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the giveaway! I'm just about to start reading your first book! Everyone says they're amazing, so I'm so excited! YAY!
Emreilly303(at)gmail(dot)com
I love the picture with the funny nose, Julie! Can't wait to start reading your books, odds are that I will be sharing my daughter's. Thanks for the laugh and the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteDreilly316(at)gmail(dot)com
Great post! Thanks for the giveaway! Once again I'm feeling a little odd here, but I will endure it for my daughter. haha! Looks like I'm in for another family reading session. ;) Thanks Julie!
ReplyDeleteJreilly316(at)verizon(dot)net
I love this too Julie, I love humor and laughing...it adds years too your life and health. can't wait for the next book!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHumor is wonderful when it is sprinkled in a book. It's like seasoning in a dish. It also catches the reader off guard and you can really hit them with the serious stuff.
ReplyDeleteSuper post, Julie, and so thorough! Loved your scene selections, especially the one from Mary's In too Deep. Just read that scene this morning while waiting for my allergy shot.
ReplyDeleteBTW, never turn your back on GQ. She's reading over my shoulder right now. I cannot get rid of the tyrant!!!
CANDICE ... thanks for coming by, sweetie, and for your sweet comment -- GOOD LUCK in the contest!!
ReplyDeleteEMILY, YAY!!!! I am SO thrilled you are finally gonna pull the trigger on reading my books, girl!! PLEASE let me know if you like it ... and if you don't, uh, never mind! ;)
DEB ... trust me, I can't wait for you to "start reading my books" either!! Now if JOHN reads them, this may be a first for me. I've got LOTS of mom/daughter combos reading my books, but no mom/dad/daughter combos, so you guys could be the first ... ;)
JOHN ... I have this very sad vision of Debbie dragging you to the computer to enter the contest. Sigh, now THERE'S a true hero for you!! GOOD LUCK!!
Hugs,
Julie
VIRGINIA SAID: "I love humor and laughing...it adds years too your life and health."
ReplyDeleteLOL ... as long as those years are health-wise and not age-wise, I'm good with that, girlfriend! Sure don't need any more years on this old caboose -- chugging rather slowly these days as it is! Good luck, darlin'!
SUSAN SAID: "(HUMOR) also catches the reader off guard and you can really hit them with the serious stuff.
LOL ... AMEN to that!! You just found me out, girl -- cat's out of the bag! ;)
Hugs,
Julie
Good morning, Julie!
ReplyDeleteLove your examples of humor, and it definitely whets my appetite to read a few of your books I haven't gotten to yet!
I'm a big fan of inner dialogue, because most people are thinking the most random things, so why not show that? Plus, it's funny, because it's EXACTLY what you'd think but not voice out loud! Meg Cabot uses this technique a lot, and I love her writing style.
I'm also guilty of using kids. I've got nine siblings in my book, plus a set of infant sextuplets the heroine dubs "the Shrieking Six" because they never stop crying.
Please include me in the drawing!
Julie!
ReplyDeleteThanks for requesting a line from one of my stories. I hope this gives a chuckle. I thought it was funny, so at least I entertain myself. :o)
He froze like a man eyeing a rattlesnake. He’d honest to heaven prefer a rattlesnake. Or a grizzley. A rabid wolf. The barrel of a .44. These were things he could handle, maybe even stand a chance against. But not Julie and that cursed leather pouch. What secret would she reveal this morning? She had six children and they all belonged to an outlaw gang.
--Kirsten
Oh, just some set-up for the lines. Every time she brings out the leather pouch he finds out something horrible. The time before this one, she pulled out a handbill on her brother. :o)
ReplyDelete--Kirsten
While Callie put on her coat, Julia said, “So you like to draw, then?”
ReplyDeleteCallie whipped her Colt out so fast Seth blinked and Julia backed up a step.
Ethan and Rafe stood from the table so fast their chairs scraped the floor.
“Uh. . .ahem,” Julia cleared her throat but stepped forward again. Callie was aiming at the ceiling after all. “I meant you—I—you like to draw pictures.”
His wife surely knew how to handle a gun. Seth felt a smile replace the fear and his chest puffed right up with pride. Neither Julia nor Audra were even close to gun slingers.
Wow, can I just say I didn't quite expect you to use that much of the examples I sent you? THANK YOU SO MUCH for believing in my writing and my humor. It's kind of surreal to see some of my writing in a Seekerville post. I loved reading all of the other examples! Great way to pick me up today. Can't wait for A Love Surrendered. October seems way too far away... but for a great book, I can wait. <3
ReplyDeleteHi Julie:
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful blog! It’s so comprehensive. So many kinds of humor. I just combined your two articles in one word document and placed it in my “Must Keep & Read Often Writing Articles” file.
Already this morning I’ve come up with dozens of new funny ideas from reading all the different ways to be funny that you give here!
Julie you’ve shown that humor is much more than just a joke with a punch line.
There’s humor. There’s comedy. There’s frivolity. There’s gaiety. There’s levity. There’s flippancy. There’s satire. There’s irony. There’s the absurd. And then there’s hundreds of addition avenues to tickle the funny bone. (Alteration).
However, I must say that the funniest scene I've read in your books is from “A Heart Revealed”:
Kneading the bridge of his nose, he wished he’d never promised his silence because when it came to the truth, Charity could sniff it out like a bloodhound, twitching until she was nose-to-nose.
Like now.
She tapped her foot on the leafy pavement.
“Something’s up, Sean, I can feel it in my bones, and so help me I will badger you all the way home if you don’t spill it now.”
His frustration blasted out in a cloud of smoke. “I can’t tell you, Charity, I promised.”
“Oh, fiddle, that’s an easy fix. I’ll just ask the questions, and you give me that stone-faced look of yours and that will tell me everyting I need to know.”
“But that’s not right.”
“Sure it is,” she said, dismissing his concern with a wave of her hand.
“I do it with Mitch all the time.”
Head cocked, she chewed on her lip.
‘”Okay, it’s something that happened at work, but it has to be personal because Emma’s steady as a rock in all business matters, right?”
He stared, trying not to blink.
“Okay, good, a personal situation at work that involves a person other that you.”
His jaw dropped. “I never said that.”
“Sure you did, when you did that pinching thing with your nose as a stall tactic.”
He crossed his arms to his chest, emotional battlement to ward off the enemy.
“Now..let’s see,” she said, finger to her chin. “Somebody upset Emma pretty badly, which means it has to be someone who doesn’t work at the store.”
“Why?” he asked in exasperation, his patience as thin as his energy.
Charity blinked. “Why?” Because the woman who bolted up my steps was as pale as death,” she said, enunciating slowly as if explaining something to Henry. “Which means it has to be someone she feels threatened by, and that rules out everyone at the Dennehy’s.”
****
The above passage is just the start of Charity getting the truth out of her brother without him ever admitting to a thing. There is much more and it is even more amazing. I think this scene stole the show – Charity simply must be the star in every book – even though she had her own.
I really enjoyed the body language you provided. This is something I must do in my own WIP and it, in itself, is a potential avenue of humor.
I have a small scene from my “Stranded in a Cabin With a Romance Writer” WIP I’d like to share.
The hero and heroine meet for the first time at the mountain cabin they both think has been lent to them exclusively. The bridge is washed out and they can’t leave the area. The heroine got to the cabin first. The hero just arrives on his Harley and the heroine comes out on the proch with a broom and hostile eyes.
“You say you’re an officer and a gentleman and that you’re a Captian in the Special Forces?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Aren’t you guys trained to live off the land?”
“Yes, man’am”
Diana pointed to the forest and said, “There’s land. Go live off it.”
BTW: Mary’s Seth line:
”A woman who knew his name and wanted to kill him.
He’d never had much luck with women.”
This is so Mark Twain. Humor with a bite. Mary’s wonderful.
Vince
oh wow...can't wait to read this next book in the series :]
ReplyDeleteJulie;
ReplyDeleteYou just HAD to whet my appetite for A LOVE SURRENDERED - right from the get-go of your post! Ugh - October is much too far away - regarding getting your book - not far enough away regarding my WIP status! ':D
Girl, every one of the excerpts you used from your books and Mary Connealy's book - just brought back those scenes I read - I laughed again - just as I had before - PURE GENIUS, girlfriend!
Would love to enter the drawing!
Hugs,
Joy
MYRA, how funny that you JUST read that very scene this morning!! Talk about coincidence!! And THANK GOD for allergy shots, especially in the spring with all that icky yellow stuff floating around! I have to admit, GQ squares the pejeebers out of me -- cannot BELIEVE you have to write with her looking over your shoulder!! ;)
ReplyDeleteSTEPH SAID: "I'm a big fan of inner dialogue, because most people are thinking the most random things, so why not show that? Plus, it's funny, because it's EXACTLY what you'd think but not voice out loud!"
LOL ... don't you know it!! I tend to be the type of too honest person who shoots her mouth off with those internal thoughts when she shouldn't, which is why Charity does that so well. So, YES, most people are probably thinking funny things, so may as well capitalize on it!! Good luck in the contest, Steph.
KIRSTEN -- WONDERFUL!! A little bit of internal monologue and a little bit of David vs. Goliath -- LOVE IT!! Thanks for sharing.
MARY ... TOO CUTE!! Sooo simple, yet soooo effective.
Hugs,
Julie
KAYLA, SOOOO glad this blessed you today because YOU always bless me, my friend, and I honestly couldn't decide between your examples, so I used most of them. GREAT JOB, girl!!
ReplyDeleteVINCE, thank you SOOO much!! I happen to LOVE that scene with Charity because it's a very dark subject, but Charity manages to infuse humor wherever she goes, which is why she is my favorite character to write. SOOO fun and SOOO predictable ... and yet SOOO shocking with some of the crazy actions and ideas she comes up with!
I gotta tell you, Vince, that just your title alone -- Stranded in a Cabin With a Romance Writer -- is enough to make me want to read the book, seriously. GREAT premise and GREAT clip, truly. You ALWAYS amaze me because like Ruthy, you are a true character that warms up anyplace you go with your quirky charm and wisdom. LOVE having you as part of Seekerville, my friend.
And Mary's line about Seth??? Absolutely priceless ... like Mary!
Hugs,
Julie
Hello Seekerville and Miss Julie, what a cute post this time, love the pic and wondering a clown? or does it grown from telling lies? haha
ReplyDeleteloved the book examples, a giveaway too you are too sweet. thanks for sharing your wonderful talant with us today..
Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)
Julie, great examples! I think I'll keep your list and Vince's for reference. One of the hardest parts of writing humor into my story is doing it when I don't feel all that light hearted myself. Reading a humorous passage or watching a comedy on t.v. usually help me. Do you have any tricks?
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie. I love adding humour in my stories. I have used a few of the ones listed, but not I have so many more to try.
ReplyDeleteYour clown nose is awesome by the way!
I don't think of myself as funny. More snarky but the good snark, not the hateful kind. Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions for putting humor into writing. Who knew there were so many possibilities?
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things about Julie's books, other than the passion of course, is her humor. I can't wait for A Love Surrendered!
ReplyDeleteecriggs1990(at)aol(dot)com
JMOORE ... trust me, girl, I can't wait for you to read it, either!! Have Kleenex handy 'cause it's a tear jerker! :)
ReplyDeleteJOY!!! You made it -- YAY!!! I know it's hard to pull you away from that WIP of yours these days, girl, so BLESS YOU!! And just maybe it will be worth it with a win, I hope?? Good luck, my friend. :)
PAULA O. SAID: "or does it grown from telling lies? haha"
Why, you little minx, you!! But you did save yourself with that very sweet comment after, so all is forgiven! ;)
Besides, my nose IS long (especially in this pic that my hubby dolled up with a clown nose. Would you believe I like the picture with the clown nose better???), but I do pride myself on being painfully honest, although I'm a BIG believer in sugar-coating as well. Frankly, there's too much hurt in the world as it is without getting hit between the eyes with a cold reality. Besides ... I just flat-out like sugar ... :) Good luck in the contest, my friend.
Hugs,
Julie
Gee, I started out here, grateful for bad coffee and chocolate cheese croissants and then discovered Julie's breakfast bar! Wow!! With a breakfast like that on hand, who can digest all the humour??? But thanks for the great examples, Julie.
ReplyDeleteMy NF articles often get a touch of snark, but for some reason I don't use it in my novels. I probably should, but it doesn't feel natural. Something to work on. :)
LORNA!!! I have a hard time believing that writing humor for you is EVER difficult because your books just naturally flow with it. I remember when I read your debut book, Making Waves, I was IMMEDIATELY captured by your humor and light touch.
ReplyDeleteDo I have any suggestions? I find that hopping on the treadmill with worship music not only chases the doldrums away, but starts the plots and lines zinging in my head, so try that. Also, I did a blog on Writer's Block last month called "A Chip Off the Old (Writer's) Block," which has TONS of ideas in it, both in the actual blog AND the comments from Seekerville friends, so if you haven't seen that, check it out at
Chip Off the Old (Writer's) Block. Just keep those chuckles coming, Lorna, because you are a must-read for that fun and light romance!!
Thanks, JODI -- I'm actually pretty fond of the clown nose, to be honest. It's a fun way to hide my nose, which I think is too long. But then are ANY of us satisfied with how we look???
Hugs,
Julie
I love a book that can make me laugh out loud, not to many authors can do that.
ReplyDeletePatty
PATRICIA, I KNOW!!! I didn't realize there were this many ways to infuse humor in our writing either, and I'm pretty sure this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, you know? And you, snarky?? Not certain I believe that, but then I'm a pretty nice person, but you don't want to get in front of me while I'm driving or when I'm crabby -- we're talking MAJOR snark!! :)
ReplyDeleteAw, LIZ, THANK YOU, sweetie -- appreciate the sweet comment. And one of MY favorite things about my books is meeting great reader friends like you! Good luck, darlin'!
CAROL SAID: "With a breakfast like that on hand, who can digest all the humour???"
I know ... I went a little heavy, Carol, but that's because I woke up late and was WAY too hungry!! But this way we don't have to eat lunch, right? And, girl, you SHOULD include some natural snark in your books -- it's SO fun!! Also, I hope to get your synopsis back to you NO LATER than early next week if not before, okay? Soooo behind with Easter and showers, etc.
Hugs,
Julie
I thought #16 was the funniest, though, as a guy, I really enjoyed the excerpt from A Passion Redeemed in #17.
ReplyDeleteThese are definitely some funny excerpts. Although, I skipped the ones from your books that I haven't read yet. I don't want ANY spoilers ;) I'm only about 1/3 of the way through A Passion Denied, so that tells you which ones I didn't read. Just keep on writing, Julie, keep on writing!
ReplyDeletePATTY ... I TOTALLY agree, it seems to be an art to make people laugh. I have to say that Deeanne Gist's excerpt above in #18 made me laugh out loud the first and second times I read it -- SOOO cute!! I can just see the whole scenario in my mind, which is the mark of a great writer, in my opinion. :)
ReplyDeleteHey, WALT, thanks for the feedback as guy -- MUCH appreciated! I'm pretty fond of #17 myself when Katie is shocked to see Luke for the first time in 8 months, a baby slung over his shoulder. It's one of my faves in the book, so thanks for your comment.
LOL, Anne, now that's what I like to see -- a die-hard reader who does NOT want to know the ending ahead of time. I cannot tell you HOW many readers have told me they skip to the end to peek because I keep them on such a nasty roller-coaster throughout. But NOTHING makes me crazier than that, so I appreciate you taking great pains to avoid that. BUT ... trust me, I just posted TONS of my favorite scenes (both romantic and spiritual) from all of my books on my website under a new tab called "Excerpts," and I made darn sure not to include any spoilers!! My mama didn't raise no dumb cluck, you know! :) Hope you enjoy APD -- it's my only full-fledge 5-star review on Amazon, so hopefully you'll like it as well. :)
Hugs,
Julie
JULIE, I finally had a chance to come back and read the rest of your post today. :) Loved it. :) I don't have any funny quips, but one thing I tried was using a ridiculous song to add a laugh ("Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" floating out the doors of an elevator.... We'll see how it works. :)
ReplyDeleteMARY--I laughed out loud at the line about Seth's luck with women!
Trying to find a couple snippets from my Speedbo project:
ReplyDeleteDad [Travis Harders] and 15yo daughter [Kimberly Connealy-Harders] in his classroom after school talking about an ex-girlfriend who she just called a not nice name [and she wants to go to prom ;)]:
"Everyone else does. And she was. She was only after one thing and you know it. She was going to ship me to some girl's school as soon as she got you hitched."
"Doesn't matter what everyone else says. You don't talk like that." My eyes narrowed. "Now, what do you want?"
Her most winsome smile crossed her face. "I can't spend a little extra time with my dad without having some ulterior motive?"
"No."
***
And later Dad goes for a run and comes across the prom date [also a student of his he's known for years]:
The hard rubber of the basketball smacked soundly against my hand.
"Come on, Mr. H." Zach didn't even sound winded. "You can't just stand there all day."
I did my best not to huff and puff when I answered. "I can stand here as long as I want. Unless you're going to come do something about it."
Zach took a couple of steps my direction before I faked one way then went the other direction around him for an easy lay-up. "And that's game, kid."
He grabbed the ball on the second bounce. "Best two out of three."
I took a long swig of my water. "Nope. Think I'm gonna stop while I'm ahead."
With a chuckle, he reached for a water bottle. "I'd take a pot shot or two about you being old, but I like you, Mr. H."
Water came out my nose when I snorted. "You like my daughter."
...
I collapsed onto the bench his mom had put along the side of the driveway for that very reason. But it was a controlled collapse. One that didn't make me look eighty-seven to his seventeen.
[A few minutes later he tells our hero he wants to marry the 15yo someday]
What was the T-shirt I'd seen on Facebook a few weeks earlier? DADD. Dad's Against Daughter's Dating. Shoot the first one and the word with spread.
***
All righty then. There's a couple newer ones :D
And if you want to see a pic of me with my pretty pink eye patch check out my blog posts today and Monday [though I don't know that the ebooks are free anymore - I know Mary's isn't].
Back to folding laundry.
Wow, Julie---a definite keeper post today! LOVED reading all these ways of adding humor (and especially enjoyed these excerpts--now I'm eager to read all the books mentioned). ~ I guess my favorite way is a play on words--of course, I love doing that in "real life" too, LOL. Thanks so much for sharing today (and btw, are you planning on being in Dallas for the ACFW conference this year? If so, I HAVE to meet you in person!). ~ Hugs from beautiful Georgia, Patti Jo
ReplyDeleteGreat post on humor, Julie. You're so good with dialogue and with facial expressions and body language. I'm always in awe.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a topic for a future ACFW workshop?
Julie again great post. I love that you give examples of what your talking about. I also love that you give sneak peeks of your next book! I can't wait for the next book! I'm so excited!
ReplyDeletehappygurl1807[at]yahoo[dot]com
Great post and wonderful ideas!! Can't wait to read A Love Surrendered!
ReplyDeletemarissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com
Hey Jules,
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing a smile to my day!
Did you know that I just plainly love you??
Keep up the good work!
Ganise
I love my books to have humor:) So much fun! Would LOVE to win your book! Clp1777(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteLove these! I love humor in books, because it seems so rare! Cannot wait for the new book! :)
ReplyDeletekentuckykate at earthlink . net
YAY! What a fabulous, informative, and FUN post.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Jan - humor comes with kids.
And if you don't have humor with kids then you're on the road to a quick straightjacket.
Gee, either way you might be ;-)
Culture clashes are GREAT grounds for humor too, me thinks.
Btw, Jules, your and Ruthy's post-lengths always justify mine over at The Writers Alley.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin...
Aaaah, the “shock” factor. “Hi, Katie . . . it’s good to see you again.” One of my favorite scenes from your books!
ReplyDeleteThe David and Goliath factor with Deeanne Gist She gave him a shake. “Don’t you laugh, Luke. I mean it. I’m going to take you outside and fold you up like a purse.” LOL! I’ve always wanted to read your books, and this makes me want to even more!!
So many good excerpts here. Makes we want to read a loooooot of books.
I’m a pretty humorous person through sarcasm, but I’m not sure if my WIP has much humor in it. I’ll have to look and work on that!
Thanks for the lesson, Julie! And of course, enter me in the drawing.
Whitney
Oh, Julie, you always make my day.....just sorry I could not have been here earlier today! I want to be in for A Love Surrendered! Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteSome people are born funny.
ReplyDeleteSome people work very hard to be funny.
Then some of us are funny when we don't mean to be, and then we wonder how we actually managed to say/do something witty enough to make people spew their coffee.
And we're usually the last to get the joke WE made.
Delightful post! Fun to read the humor shared in the comments, too. As that prolific author Anonymous said, "Every survival kit should include a sense of humor." :-)
ReplyDeleteOkay, Grammar Queen has me so word-aware I just looked up 'prolific' to be sure it's the right word. Or maybe that should be 'correct' word . . . or 'proper' word . . .
Nancy C
Loved your blog, Julie! Your picture is so cute with the clown nose. (It's not really yours, is it?) My feeble attempt at humor. Really awful, I know.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping the post.
I was asked to write a script for a commercial shoot at work. Sounds innocent enough, huh? Not so. It had to make people laugh. I was scared out of my socks because I had already declared, "I don't think I can write funny. I don't know how." I wish I had the tips in this post a couple of months ago! : ) This is fabulous!
ReplyDelete(P.S. That commercial shoot took me an entire weekend to write, for about 5 min. worth of screen time. Yikes!)
If you asked me, love and humor go hand in hand. Or they had better...life's too hard for it not to. In real life and fiction!
ReplyDeleteThank you Julie for the pointers and wonderful examples!
JEANNE SAID: "one thing I tried was using a ridiculous song to add a laugh ("Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" floating out the doors of an elevator.... We'll see how it works. :)"
ReplyDeleteLOL, JEANNE, I love it!!! I think that's a GREAT use of humor, girl -- wish I'd thought of it ... :)
CAROL!!! Love, love, LOVE the new lines, girlfriend -- VERY cute!! Especially the line, "Shoot the first one and the word with spread." :) Also, you look ADORABLE in your pink patch and purple top -- VERY Eastery!! :)
Hugs,
Julie
Julie, this was an awesome post. I truly believe humor is important in all areas of life. The first thing that drew me to my husband was his sense of humor. We've been married 11 years (on 04/28)and he still makes me laugh every single day. Because I do love humor in life, I love it all the more on the written page. Thank you for this post.
ReplyDeleteSmiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
PATTI JO!!! You bet, sweetie, and I was SICK I missed meeting you last year, but this year is a definite MUST, okay? Some of my FAVORITE people are from Georgia, including you, one of my old neighbors, Melanie D., Missy T., Debby G., Patty Hall, Maggie Brennan, Nora St. Laurent and the list goes on and on and one, which convinces me I LOVE Georgia folk!!
ReplyDeleteDEB SAID: "You're so good with dialogue and with facial expressions and body language."
LOL ... it's the CDQ in me, Deb (caffeinated drama queen), what can I say? But thank you for your sweet comment, ESPECIALLY since you are on the road, aren't you???
Hugs,
Julie
KAYLA!!!! Soooo good to see you here, girl -- seeing your sweet pic ALWAYS brightens my day, you know that? Thanks for coming by and GOOD LUCK in the contest!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, MARISSA, I SO appreciate you coming by, my friend. And I can't wait for you to read ALS either, trust me. Hope you love Steven and Annie as much as I do ... and make sure you're stocked up on Kleenex, okay?
GANISE!!! Right back at ya, darlin'!! And I prayed for you this morning, did you feel it?? :)
Hugs,
Julie
COURTNEY, I'm with you, girlfriend -- humor ROCKS!! AND I would certainly LOVE for you to win my book, so here's hoping your comment nets you a win, okay? GOOD LUCK!!
ReplyDeleteHANNAH ... you know what? You're right, humor is rare, it seems, unless you're reading Mary Connealy or Lorna Seilstad or Janice Thompson or Jenny B. Jones or Deeanne Gist, authors who make a point of writing lighter, humorous type novels. But hopefully after this post, quite a few of us will be adding even more humor to our work, eh? :)
PEPPER!!! I've missed you, girl!! And, YES, culture clashes would be a GREAT point to add to my list, so thank you!!
PEPPER SAID: "And if you don't have humor with kids then you're on the road to a quick straightjacket."
LOL ... AIN'T that the truth!! :)
PEPPER ALSO SAID: "Btw, Jules, your and Ruthy's post-lengths always justify mine over at The Writers Alley. Just sayin..."
LOL ... glad our verbosity is good for something, Pep. I suspect we are three peas in a pod in that regard, although I never noticed your blogs being too long ... :)
Hugs,
Julie
Oh my goodness. Julie, my brain fried somewhere during your post, as I was trying to read all your humor ideas.
ReplyDeleteI don't do humor. I simply can't. The once in a lifetime I do need humor, I email my crit partner for ideas. And just for the record, my crit partner did some really funny things involving some town rebels, a pig, and a nosy lady's underwear in her last novel.
I occasionally think things might come out funny because I have the characters take something too seriously, but that's about as much humor as I get.
WHITNEY SAID: "Aaaah, the “shock” factor. “Hi, Katie . . . it’s good to see you again.” One of my favorite scenes from your books!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Whit, me too -- LOVE Katie and Luke anyway, but that scene?? One of my faves!!
WHITNEY SAID: "The David and Goliath factor with Deeanne Gist She gave him a shake. “Don’t you laugh, Luke. I mean it. I’m going to take you outside and fold you up like a purse.” LOL! I’ve always wanted to read your books, and this makes me want to even more!!"
You definitely need to read Dee's books, Whit -- she's top drawer!
Hugs,
Julie
OMG, Julie! YOu had me laughing through the last example! You are a master of humor and it sounds so natural, so you : )
ReplyDeleteThe Kissing Queen does Stand Up, LOL!
Oh Julie, my girl, you've done a great job of showcasing so many styles of humor. I love the Kids, the Self-deprecation, and especially the Quirky Personality!!
You make it look so easy. No wonder your books are all best-sellers.
Thanks for sharing, and thank Keith for urging you to lighten up at the right times, LOL!
Julie, you amaze me the way you pour into and bless every single person who crosses your path. :-) Thanks for praying for me, and I am just honored that you would read my book! God bless you, girl.
ReplyDeleteJACKIE ... trust me, girl YOU always make my day, too, when I see you drop by. You are SO diligent that you need to win this book, you know??? Good luck, my friend! :)
ReplyDeletePAMMY SAID: "Then some of us are funny when we don't mean to be, and then we wonder how we actually managed to say/do something witty enough to make people spew their coffee. And we're usually the last to get the joke WE made."
LOL ... believe it or not, Pam, I feel like one of those people at times. I was just on a conference call today and cracked a joke where NOBODY laughed!! I guess they thought I was serious because they couldn't see my facial expressions. I just HATE when you're trying to be funny and that happens!!
Hugs,
Julie
LOL, NANCE ... I see GQ has you as skitsy as she has all of us!! And I'm with you and Anonymous -- a sense of humor is CRITICAL to survival ... especially for authors, second only after thick skin. :)
ReplyDeleteCARA ... LOL ... actually I thought it was pretty cute, Cara Mia!! And no, it's not mine ... it's Photo Shop's!! :)
Hugs,
Julie
WOW, KRISTY ... I would have been shaking in my boots, having to write a FUNNY commercial!! I am totally impressed -- did it end up being funny, I hope, and were you happy with it? Soooo glad this post can help in the future!! And all that knee-shaking for FIVE MINUTES??? At least with novels, it's a number of hours ... or in the case of my door-stopper books ... a number of weeks!!
ReplyDeleteDONNA SAID: "If you asked me, love and humor go hand in hand. Or they had better...life's too hard for it not to. In real life and fiction! "
DONNA, YOU ARE BRILLIANT, GIRL!!! And sooooo right on with your statement. Amen and Amen!!
Hugs,
Julie
Aw, CINDY, that is SOOO romantic -- your hubby really makes you laugh every single day??? That is AWESOME!! You give that man a great big bear hug, girl, because he is something special!!
ReplyDeleteNAOMI, that SO totally shocks me, girl, because you seem like you would be funny to me. Sorry for the brain fry. If you think you're bad reading it ... try my brain after writing it!! ;)
Hugs,
Julie
Yeah, it's too bad the pig in the underwear is in a book I'm uncertain will ever see the light of day. :(
ReplyDeleteLOL ... oh, honey, it NEEDS to see the light of day or at least put it in another book, you know?? That's just TOO cool to pass up!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
Thanks for that post, funny lady. :)
ReplyDeleteAnn
Ann_Lee_Miller[at]msn[dot]com
Thanks for coming by, Ann!! There's a signed copy of A Love Surrendered waiting in your future, I just know it, girl!! GOOD LUCK ... although God knows you don't need it! ;)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
I wonder if I am too late to enter this. I like what I read. God Bless.
ReplyDeletejrs362 at hotmail dot com
This is absolutely fantastic. I caught your first one too. I'll have to pring this and give it some thought.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
Fantastic post! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm a little late, but I'm glad to see part 2 up! More teasers from "A Love Surrendered"? Count me in, LOL!
ReplyDeleteNow to finish my homework ... have a great day everyone! =)
jafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu
SQUIRESJ ... you are NOT too late to enter, girl, so look for the winner in the Weekend Edition, okay? Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
Thanks, JANET, I appreciate you coming by to read it and GOOD LUCK in the contest!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
EDWINA!!! Miss you, girlfriend -- how are you, anyway?? Thanks for dropping by and here's to a win!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
LDK!!! You made it in time for the drawing, darlin', so YAY!! Glad you came by and OF COURSE there are teasers from ALS ... you know how much I love to torture and tease my characters, don't you??? Well, I'm no different with my readers, you know ... ;)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
YES! Put me in the drawing :D lol I'm always up for a bit of humor. My finace and I are always laughing about something :-p he's the one that puts humor in my life!
ReplyDeleteI hope it's not to late to enter. I still really need to win AHR.
ReplyDeleteJulie~ The humor clips you used are wonderful.
Humor such a great tool...one I need to learn how to use.
andeemarie95 at gmail dot com
Thanks for the laugh! Can never have to many!!
ReplyDeleteUNKNOWN ... you lucky girl, you!! Laughter in a marriage is SOOO important, so you are BLESSED!!
ReplyDeleteGOOD LUCK in the contest!
Hugs,
Julie
ANDREA!!! No, you are not too late, girlfriend, you're right on time, as a matter of fact, so thanks for coming by!! Thanks for your kind comment, and trust me -- I would LOVE to send you a signed copy of AHR, so here's to a win, okay?
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
Hey, JESSICA, I TOTALLY agree -- bring on the laughter in books and in life, eh?
ReplyDeleteGood luck in the contest!
Hugs,
Julie
Ahh Julie...laughter truly is the best medicine! I have a cute one for ya. After church Sunday morning we were driving home. Titus who is 6, was in the back seat with Levi (4). They were sharing Easter buckets and playing when Titus suddenly said, "hey! Someone ate a piece of my chocolate." To which Levi didn't miss a beat..."I didn't do it!" Was his reply. Haha! There's 4 kids, and Levi always ends up on the short end of the stick, but has more wit than the other three combined! Love ya!
ReplyDeleteHey, BECCA, soooo good to see you here, my friend -- hope all is well in California!! Levi sounds like a pistol who keeps a smile on your face most of the time, no doubt. Hope you had a wonderful Easter -- how could you not with all the blessings God has bestowed??
ReplyDeleteGood luck in this contest, girlfriend!!
Hugs,
Julie
Thanks for the great humor tips. I loved Charity's "birth to college" deadpan; word humor is my favorite kind.
ReplyDeleteThanks, BookLady, that's one of my faves, I have to admit because it's SO dry and SO Charity!! Appreciate you coming by -- GOOD LUCK in the contest!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
This is me leaving my comment..I tired earlier, but not sure if it went through and I know I forgot to put my e-mail address in! sing_anyway(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteoh p.s. I'm reading this as I go along in my day! It's really making my day AWESOME!!! lol
Dear UNKNOWN ... SO glad this is blessing your day. You've blessed mine by just coming by, so GOOD LUCK in the contest!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
Thank Julie! I need to figure out how to change my name on here, this is Mindy :) I'll figure it out I'm sure! lol
ReplyDeleteJulie, Thanks so much for more great insight. My father, who's 83 always says "It's better to laugh than to cry" and then follows it with another of his corny jokes. You can't help but laugh. And the the Bible says "Laughter doeth good like a medicine". If anyone ever doubts God's own humor, take a look at some of His creation. It's downright comical.
ReplyDeleteThanks again.
Carol N. cnemeth@citlink.net
Hey, MINDY, I think all you have to do is look at the "Choose an Identity" directions beneath the "Leave your comment" box and if you have a Google account, just check the first box that says (Google Account). If you don't have a Google account, then try clicking on "Name/URL" and type in your name and a URL if you have it, but if not, no worries as a URL (website) is optional. Try that and see if your name comes up, okay? Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
Oh goodness, I can't BELIEVE I missed this post!! Great stuff, Julie! I love to read comedy and wish I could write it better. With practice and your pointers, I might have a chance! Love this subject, and you do it so well!
ReplyDeleteHey, CAROL, I sooooo agree whole-heartedly with you AND your sweet dad! He sounds like such a sweetheart, and so are you for coming by to leave a comment, so THANK YOU and GOOD LUCK in the contest!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
NATALIE!!! You snuck in there when I was leaving a comment myself, girl!! Thank you SO much for your kind words and I'm convinced with enough practice, anyone can add humor to their novels, so you go, girl!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck in the contest, too!
Hugs,
Julie
These are some terrific examples of different types of humor. Very helpful. Thanks Julie, and thanks for the laugh. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey Julie...thanks! Maybe this will work!!!
ReplyDeleteI APPRECIATE your post. It did make me smile and laugh out loud!! Looking forward to your new book coming out!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Nora :o)
The Book Club Network
I APPRECIATE your post. It did make me smile and laugh out loud!! Looking forward to your new book coming out!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Nora :o)
The Book Club Network
Hey, GWEN, you are MORE than welcome! Thank YOU for coming by to read it -- MUCH appreciated.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in the contest, sweetie. :)
Hugs,
Julie
MINDY, IT WORKED!!! YAY!!! Doesn't that feel good when we conquer technology??? Hopefully this will net you a win, sweetie. :)
ReplyDeleteGOOD LUCK!!
HUGS,
Julie
Aww...thanks Julie! Well, whether I win or not, the book is gonna be MINE!!!! I can't wait until it comes out! I just started book #2 in the series and I LOVE it!! (no big shocker there lol)
ReplyDeleteHey, NORA, thanks for coming by, my friend, AND for posting a timeline for A Love Surrendered on your website -- you are TOO wonderful, girl, you know that??
ReplyDeleteAnxious to see what you think of the final O'Connor installment. :)
Hugs,
Julie
I love the way you're books make me smile! Please enter me in the drawing :)
ReplyDeleteKatelyn
kfloodle@gmail.com
Aw, thanks, KATELYN!! That makes ME smile, sweetie. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
So, I am way late in seeing these posts...but I love them!! So fun!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Erica ... you are TOO cute!! Wish you could have been entered in the giveaway, but oh well ... you're on you way to another win anyway, right??? ;)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie