Deborah Bouziden and I have been talking all month! She asks the best questions:
DB: You have such a unique sense of humor and that comes through in your books. It’s a sense of humor that happens in life. Is it written into your books consciously? How difficult is it to get just right? Your characters face difficult times, yet there are still times when they can laugh at themselves? Do you think it’s important for a certain amount of humor to be in all books? Why or why not?
SW: I’m so happy that you asked this question! Many readers tell me my books make them cry–which is fair. Emotional things happen in my books and they wring a tear from me, too. But good fiction, like real life, is multifaceted. We get to have laughter and tears.
The humor in my books is organic, meaning I don’t set up funny situations or laugh lines. They seem to grow out of whatever the characters seem to be doing. Even if a character is grief-stricken, her spirit can shine through. In Fireside (Feb. 2009), there’s a very funny scene with the hero getting a makeover. On the surface, it’s hilarious, showing him getting shined and polished for a photo shoot, but under that is a layer of seriousness and even pain. He has to change his life to fit his new circumstances.
In real life, I laugh a lot and people tell me I say funny things, so maybe some of that sneaks into the books. It’s so very subjective. Sometimes I think humor comes from the reader.
List some funny books in the Comments! Christopher Moore makes me laugh. So does Stephen King. In romance:Â Sheila Roberts, Suzanne Brockmann, Teresa Weir, Laura London, Catherine Coulter, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Robyn Carr…yikes, I could go on all night.
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I like a book that makes me laugh at certain situations and there are certain writers out that there where wit is always part of the story. I just finished a book by Kristan Higgins and her books heroines are usually woman who get into all kinds of bizarre things that make me want to laugh out loud. When you are visualizing the person I kind of see the Jennifer Aniston type person. Cute but Sexy!
Now in other books the humor is more suttle and makes you just kind of smile.
I like a book that makes me laugh at certain situations and there are certain writers out that there where wit is always part of the story. I just finished a book by Kristan Higgins and her books heroines are usually woman who get into all kinds of bizarre things that make me want to laugh out loud. When you are visualizing the person I kind of see the Jennifer Aniston type person. Cute but Sexy!
Now in other books the humor is more suttle and makes you just kind of smile.
Humor and Laughter in a book and in life is always good.
I think sometimes that the personality of the author just
instinctively shines through into the stories they write.
The humor in books is either natural or it’s not.
In Susan’s books the humor is automatic. It’s not forced.
And, the connection we as a reader make with her books
stems from the fact that there is a freedom of having the
characters she’s created react to the various situations
with a wit and wisdom of humor by saying those things
that maybe we all wish we could say but usually don’t
at the time of a situation or event takes place.
No matter what laughter is great and will always make you smile.
Humor and Laughter in a book and in life is always good.
I think sometimes that the personality of the author just
instinctively shines through into the stories they write.
The humor in books is either natural or it’s not.
In Susan’s books the humor is automatic. It’s not forced.
And, the connection we as a reader make with her books
stems from the fact that there is a freedom of having the
characters she’s created react to the various situations
with a wit and wisdom of humor by saying those things
that maybe we all wish we could say but usually don’t
at the time of a situation or event takes place.
No matter what laughter is great and will always make you smile.