Writing Humor

Henrietta Pittman already has three novel manuscripts lying forgotten in the bottom drawer, so why challenge the Delta Cove Writers Group to write another 50,000 words in 30 days? From Day One things do not go well for her. For instance, there's Matt Watson, her critique partner, who's determined to out-write her with his scorching sex romp, "Drop Dead Blonde". Henny can't even make up her mind what to write! Finally she decides on "The Chocolate Affair" - after all, isn't chocolate every girl’s soother of sorrows; panacea of all ills; comforter; consoler; obsession-maker; greed gatherer?...

An essay by James J. Caterino, the author of Girl Pop, Chrome Dome, What If, True Stories, To Meghan, I Want to Believe, The Girl from the Stars, Watch the Skies, and much more.

An action-packed urban fantasy adventure set on the islands of Hawaii! I'm Marcus Aries, and as the duly-appointed guardian of the Hawaiian Islands, it’s my job to ensure peace and balance between the world of the supernatural and the mortal realm. Things have been quiet lately, and I couldn’t be happier about it. That is, until the recently appointed kingpin of the Hawaiian cartel showed up and offered me a job I can’t refuse. Now I’m stuck trying to track down a murderer. To make matters worse, I've agreed to serve as a security consultant for the upcoming United Nations meeting. ...

Who would have thought the turn of the last Century would one day be ancient history? In "More Slightly Off the Mark, Why I Hate Cats, and Other Lies", former newspaper columnist Mark R. Hunter went back to collect his humor pieces from 2000 and 2001—the earliest ones to be put on a computer. In DOS format, on a floppy disk. The amount of change in just twenty years resulted in Hunter completely rewriting the columns, and inserting his present self (and his dog, Beowulf, through pictures) into the work—mostly to make fun of his older self. Along the way Mark riffs on everything from ...

With her books sporting other people’s names, ghostwriter Jake O’Hara works behind the scenes. But she never expected a séance at a New York apartment to be part of her job. Jake had signed on as a ghostwriter, secretly writing for a grande dame of mystery fiction whose talent died before she did. The author’s East Side residence was impressive. But her entourage—from a Mrs. Danvers-like housekeeper to a lurking hypnotherapist—was creepy. Still, it was all in a day’s work, until a killer started going after ghostwriters, and Jake suspected she was chillingly close to the ...

An action-packed urban fantasy adventure set on the islands of Hawaii! I'm Marcus Aries, and as the duly-appointed guardian of the Hawaiian Islands, I’ve had my share of bad run-ins with the world of the supernatural. I’ve taken on demonic frogs, island witches, lightning wolves, and even battled before the famed night marchers. But not every run-in is a life-and-death struggle that threatens to leave the island in ruins. Step back into the world of Hawaiian urban fantasy with this collection of short stories from author Justin Herzog, starring fan-favorite hero Marcus Aries as he and ...

Available to listeners for the first time, Sucker’s Portfolio showcases a collection of seven never-before-published works from Kurt Vonnegut, one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Short, sardonic, and dark, these six brief fiction stories and one non-fiction piece are consummate Vonnegut with piercing satire and an eye for life’s obscene inanity. Also available for the first time is an unfinished science-fiction short story, included in the appendix.

Back when restaurant menus were still printed on paper, and wearing a mask—or not—was a decision made mostly on Halloween, David Sedaris spent his time doing normal things. As Happy-Go-Lucky opens, he is learning to shoot guns with his sister, visiting muddy flea markets in Serbia, buying gummy worms to feed to ants, and telling his nonagenarian father wheelchair jokes. But then the pandemic hits, and like so many others, he's stuck in lockdown, unable to tour and read for audiences, the part of his work he loves most.

I've always been her shelter in the storm. Hockey players. MMA fighters. Rock stars. The boys in blue. Even sexy SEALs have all offered to slay my dragon - or in my case, my stalker. Why can't they get it through their thick, stubborn heads that I can take care of myself? I'm no damsel! But...what if the real villain in this story is me? Now the one person I've never been able to resist has appointed himself as my protector.

ESPN's star comedic duo, Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg, bring their radio and TV sports shtick to the listener in this hilarious audiobook, which includes their definitive list of rules to live by. This is for all ESPN devotees, all Mike and Mike fans, and fans of audiobooks like Dennis Miller's Rants and Tony Kornheiser's As Bald as I Want to Be.

A fast-paced supernatural thrill ride filled with demonic villains set in the heart of South Florida! My name is Patrick Bannon, and I'm a demonologist. Unfortunately, when you mingle with the demonic, you’re bound to make some mistakes along the way. Now I’m paying for my sins. Jenaveve, the Veelah succubus who also happens to be my ex-girlfriend, has me investigating a series of murders. Looks like there’s a new player in town, and they’ve chosen Miami for their home. To make matters worse, Tiberius, the demon responsible for my brother’s suicide, is riding shotgun in my body, ...

This step-by-step comedy writer's guide is for the budding stand-up comedian to develop fresh original material and craft it into great performance. Become clear on what your comedy special powers are. Edit and secretly test your material. Craft your set into a streamlined performance, and become a better comic out of the gate! Now you can get rid of your writer's block!

Fábio Porchat --Se tem alguém que pode te ensinar a escrever as suas piadas, subir no palco e ser engraçado do seu jeito, esse alguém é Judy Carter. Tá preparado para começar? Fazer stand-up não é para qualquer um. Mas com esse livro, qualquer um pode fazer stand-up. -- Fabio PorchatO Comedy Bible está finalmente disponível em português!

Are you sick of writing factual reports that put you and your audience asleep? Do you wish there were a way to write research that both informed and entertained like your favorite non-fiction books do? Do you need a laugh? Do you want to make your teacher laugh? Congratulations! You hold in your hands the key to facing the facts with fun. 51 Wacky We-search Reports will teach you how to hunt for the best facts and turn them into cartoons, parody performances, jokes, wacky poetry and much, much more. For students or teachers, this latest book from author and teacher Barry Lane will add ...

Jake O’Hara and her colleagues are looking forward to a complimentary weekend in Manhattan’s swanky Plaza Hotel, the venue for the Greater New York Crime Writers’ Conference. The conference kicks off on St. Patrick’s Day, making the atmosphere a bit more festive—and chaotic—than usual. But things get way out of hand when Senator-turned-writer Charlie Fione and actress-turned-writer Holly Halligan partake of some green beer—that leaves them permanently green around the gills. Now Jake’s Irish eyes are far from smiling as she delves into a mystery and tries to rewrite a ...

Comic novelist and critic Paul McDonald explores the philosophy of humour in a book that will appeal to both philosophers and creative writers alike. There are numerous competing theories of humour and laughter, and the absence of a single theory implies the importance of assessing them all. One aim of this book is to do exactly that. It concentrates mainly on philosophical approaches to humour— including those of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Descartes, Hobbes, Bergson, Kant, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Freud and Bakhtin. But the discussion explores other fields such as cultural studies, ...

Tempest at Dawn, my first novel, brought me some unexpected attention. I had a few scary television appearances and some surprise endorsements. It also brought me invitations to write for Constituting America and What Would The Founders Think? Soon I was in the thick of political blogging. Along the way, I also wrote for RedState and The American Thinker. It should be obvious from names of these sites that I wrote from a conservative perspective, so, fair warning, this is a collection of conservative opinion pieces.

In the acclaimed third book in the popular Merde series, Paul West winds up stuck in America, chin-deep in financial trouble. He and his French girlfriend set off on their journey, with hopes of escaping fiscal ruin. But as the not-so-dynamic duo stumble toward Los Angeles, via Boston, Miami, New Orleans, and Las Vegas, Paul’s plans for success, of course, turn to merde: The couple takes on carjackers, old flames, and liaisons dangereuses. The result is a madcap, hilarious adventure and a sardonically witty tour through America, France, and England.

Years ago, Steve Hannah’s chance detour through the Midwest cut short a planned cross-country trip. He found himself in Wisconsin, a distinctly different place from the East Coast, where he was born and raised. Charmingly beautiful and full of welcoming people, America’s dairyland would soon become his home. Dairylandia recounts Steve Hannah’s burgeoning love for his adopted state through the writings of his long-lived column, “State of Mind”.

What is a man to do after the tragic ending of his loving marriage and a nasty divorce? How does he rediscover the essence that makes him a man after years of being forced to attend ballets, eat vegan food, and participate in intimacy seminars? There is only one way: drink, play, f@#k.

In Drink, Play, F@#k, Bob Sullivan, a jilted husband, sets off to explore the world, experience a meaningful connection with the divine, and rediscover his passion.