A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Bookstore
Okay, I am behind the times. I am just now, FINALLY reading MaryJanice Davidson. A friend of mine has been a huge fan of hers for years and was so excited that she was at the RT convention this year. We attended her breakfast and I have been using the book bag promoting UNDEAD AND UNEASY ever since. I visited her panel on humor in writing. And yet, I had never read her.
Until Monday. I started with the first book, UNDEAD AND UNPOPULAR. The next day I went to the bookstore and picked up the next four. I am currently reading UNDEAD AND UNEMPLOYED.
I love humorous books. Tanya Huff's SUMMON THE KEEPER was the first book to ever make me laugh out loud and I did so with most pages. I still quote lines from that book.
Humor in books can be tricky. Finding a sense of humor that matches your is not always easy. And it can't be too contrived or complicated. Humor in romance can be even trickier - where do you draw the line? Much of chick lit seemed to explore this concept, with some doing better than others. Jane Green and Jennifer Weiner handle this well, which I think explains their continued best selling status.
I have found that books without humor are harder for me to read. They go more slowly and I usually end up wanting to read something lighter afterwards. Not that every book has to be a laugh riot. I have enjoyed many a suspense novel that has a few choice one-liners or humorous situations. I think that adds an element of realism - not everything is life is serious.
If you can suggest something funny I should read, please do so in the comments.
Nicole
Until Monday. I started with the first book, UNDEAD AND UNPOPULAR. The next day I went to the bookstore and picked up the next four. I am currently reading UNDEAD AND UNEMPLOYED.
I love humorous books. Tanya Huff's SUMMON THE KEEPER was the first book to ever make me laugh out loud and I did so with most pages. I still quote lines from that book.
Humor in books can be tricky. Finding a sense of humor that matches your is not always easy. And it can't be too contrived or complicated. Humor in romance can be even trickier - where do you draw the line? Much of chick lit seemed to explore this concept, with some doing better than others. Jane Green and Jennifer Weiner handle this well, which I think explains their continued best selling status.
I have found that books without humor are harder for me to read. They go more slowly and I usually end up wanting to read something lighter afterwards. Not that every book has to be a laugh riot. I have enjoyed many a suspense novel that has a few choice one-liners or humorous situations. I think that adds an element of realism - not everything is life is serious.
If you can suggest something funny I should read, please do so in the comments.
Nicole
posted at 11:26 AM
5 Comments:
I agree with you about humor making a book more enjoyable. Two authors whose names come to me immediately are Kay Hooper and Julie Garwood. However, it is their earlier books that I am describing. The later books are more romantic suspense.
I also love Georgette Heyer's Regencies. They always had a humorous element, even the darker ones.
I have read older Julie Garwood books, and I remember enjoying them. I used to mix her up with Fern Michaels, because to me, they had similar light elements. I have not read the other two, so I will look into them. Thanks!
I love Julie Garwood's Historicals, too. Never knew before there are such romances. If I'm down I also like to read Lynsay Sands.
I have only read Ms. Sands' vampire series, never any of her historicals. But I picked one up at RT this year and I plan to try it out.
Another author to add to the humorous list is ebook author, Brianna Martini. I found all of her ebooks to contain humorous characters and scenes. She is a new author to watch out for.
Jeannie
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