Hart Johnson's Blog, page 52

Leigh Moore and The Truth About Faking

So some of you might know I collect twins.  I have several super-fabulous 4th Thursday in June twins and ALL of us write.  Leigh and I discovered each other a couple years ago and were instantly good friends--similar brain processors will do that for you.  Leigh and I have shared ups and downs, neurotic emails, and done some beta reading for each other (which she is AMAZING at--much more amazing than I am, having true training in the trade, so to speak) but I had the great fortune to have her recent release, The Truth About Faking, among the books I got to read early.  I gave it a little excited review last week, HERE.



Most of you know and love Leigh as I do, so I'm preaching to the choir here, but you really should check out her book (and blog), and here she shares a little about accidentally writing comedy...







How to Write Comedy

By Leigh Talbert Moore




Hi, Nakeds! I’m Leigh *waves*, Hart’s friend, CP, and debut author, and I’m here today to teach you to write comedy.




First, open your wordprocesser. Next, put your fingers on the keyboard. Next…




What in the world is that over there!!! *runs out the room*




Okay, I’ll just put it out here. I don’t know how to write comedy. I’m just a goofy nerd, and occasionally it’ll bleed into my writing. When I planned out The Truth About Faking, it was going to be very serious and sad and deal with heavy topics like losing one’s religion.




A character does almost lose her religion in the book, but it’s in more of an apoplectic fit over the mother of my main character.




How did this happen?




I don’t know.




I blame a strong proclivity toward silliness. I grew up watching shows like The Monkees, I’ve watched Clueless a shocking number of times, when Napoleon Dynamite came out, the first thing my cousin did was call me. “This is your kind of movie,” she said. Now my children make me sit and watch AFV with them every evening. And I laugh.




I suppose shtuff like that’s bound to come out at some point.




The problem with comedy writing is not everyone laughs at the same jokes. I tried to get my older brother to watch Napoleon Dynamite with me once, and he just stared first at the screen, then at me as I laughed.




Finally he said, “Is this supposed to be funny?” I think he was weeping on the inside and wondering if I really was adopted after all.




My hat’s off to people who can write true, universal comedy, the David Sedarises of the world. His funny little voice helps, I think.






If I were to give one piece of advice if you’re going to try it, I’d say relax. Take a deep breath. Everybody’s so serious all the time, so start there. And if all else fails, throw in a pratfall. I always laugh when people fall, so you’ll have one vote right here.




Best to all of you! Keep writing and reading! I hope you like my book. Even if you don’t laugh, maybe you’ll enjoy the little message that managed to sneak in after all. Or just swoon over Jason. (That’s what I do.)




Thanks, Tami Hart for having me! Naked World Domination, out~ <3







Links:

AUTHOR

blog: http://leightmoore.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LeighTalbertMoore

Goodreads: Leigh_Talbert_Moore







BOOK

Amazon:



B&N: 



Smashwords: 



Kobo:





Book description:




Jason just wants a date with Harley.

Harley just wants a date with Trent. 

Trent's still getting over Stephanie.




When Harley and Jason decide to fake date, they uncover a school of deceptions. Trent's got a secret, but so does Jason. And the more time Harley spends secretly kissing her fake boyfriend, the further she gets from her dreams with Trent. 




Worst of all, Harley's mom is getting cozy with her hot massage therapy student, and even Harley's Reverend Dad can't fake not being bothered by it. But when the masks finally come off, can everyone handle the real truth?



Tart note:  HA!  Believe it or not, my funny stuff never is intentional either... Well, not usually, anyway. I think it is funnier when it is more real. Thanks, Leigh!

Organizational Philosophy: The Chaotic and the Virgo

Battle of Order and Chaos (Talented source)

So today is a crazy busy day for me—two appointments, one legal, one medical, plus ANOTHER legal possessionary matter having to do with inheriting a car... So I am off work and off line. And spent yesterday getting my ducks in a row. A matter that ALWAYS causes battles with my resident Virgo who believes there is a single place for things and if you have not put things in that singular place, then life as we know it will come to a crashing end so you must be lectured the entire time you (which is to say I) organize and find your sh*t.



*rolls eyes *



All sh*t has BEEN found, because... being a NOT organized person ALL the time, I am REALLY good at repeating the steps (of not just me but every member of my family) that might have happened since said paperwork arrived and therefore tracking it down.



I submit that the PROBLEM with the Virgo... and by this I mean the specific Virgo, HWMNBMOTI... is that he has no adaptive capacity for anyone ELSE doing something with it. I am the only person in my household capable of systematically LOOKING FOR anything (and nearly always find what I'm looking for).



Tell me. How helpful is it to sit and lecture said item if it is not where it was meant to be?



Tell me also how many teenagers always put things where they go?



And tell me NOW who is the insane one? The organization freak or the chaotic adaptive-capable of looking for something person.





Opposites attract (source)

On many fronts we compliment each other well. This case though, is the madness of opposites reaching irreconcilable difference in this domain.



Of course afterward, we went to listen to a friend's band at a micro brewery and danced some, so he made up for it... it ended up good, but MAN...



Any of you have grand philosophical differences in your houses that cause you to threaten violence? (which I did, but me being me, I was mostly kidding to get him to lighten up)



I apologize for not being around today and hope you have a good Monday!



I will be back tomorrow!

I Gotz Book Bling!

So in spite of being on the low maintenance side of things, I've ALWAYS been a girlie girl. Not Hannah, yesterday, blogging about her dragon daughter the girlie girl reminded me really how much. Because see... being a GIRL doesn't have to mean you aren't a fierce, brave, strong force in the world. It just means you like sparkles. Or purple. Or pink. Or baby animals. Whatever the case. All of the above and all that.





And when my Azalea Assault book cover came, MAN, was it a girlie girl cover! It's not surprising. Cozy readers are mostly female, and it IS a gardening theme (which I took largely to mean FLORAL). I adore my cover. I don't know HOW many people have told me how much they love it, but it's a lot. It's BEAUTIFUL.



So not long after my book came out I saw a Facebook post by Karen, a friend of mine from high school... it was a picture of a pair of HOT red cowboy boots that she had 'blinged'--rhinestones including a sorority designation... they were AMAZING (and I am not even a cowboy boots girl, really--stiff shoes are almost as bad as pants, but these were so cool) and I told her so... She was starting a business and she asked me to send her artwork for my book cover... so I did...



And OHMYGAWD look what came yesterday! I am lamenting my cheap camera, because this is so much cooler than you can tell.





closer up, though still doesn't get it across.

I'd like to tell you all how to order one, but the note I got with the bag was that she was SWAMPED with just the volume for family and friends (erm... and 4 teenage kids, but never mind). I will be sure to shout loudly if her back-logged project pile gets manageable and she can take on new stuff, because seriously.... I am SO excited about this!



I plan on taking it to Aunt Agatha's birthday bash on October 3rd—Aunt Agatha's is the local mystery bookstore I've bonded with and they are doing a HUGE 20th birthday thing.





Anybody get any super nice surprises recently?



I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

JK Coi and Broken Promises

So I'm really excited today. My buddy Stacy's writing career has taken off like a steroid-charged stallion this year, and part of her success is earmarked for being the 'newbie' to make the hot list of a steampunk anthology last Christmas, along with a line of hot, established writers... so Stacy says to me recently... you know my antho-sister is having a book release... would you consider hosting her? And I was like... WELL DUH! It puts me like... in the big time, as bloggers hosting writers go, right?



Besides, JK posts pics of her dog in steampunk gear on facebook which is HOT (as hot as the guy on her cover, who I would totally fall for--looks like my brand of mischief). So Stacy hooked us up and now I am like a squeeing fangirl! (You will be, too--even you guys. Just wait)... so without further ado, I proudly introduce JK Coi!



*****






When Hart agreed to host me today I started scrambling for an insightful idea because her blog is so fantastic and she’s a great friend of my antho-sister, Stacy Gail. I wanted to make a good impression, ya know?




Could I think of something witty? Ha…no. I think we need PG Forte here for that. She’s another of my antho-sisters, and VERY witty.




Could I blog about some altruistic cause? Well, probably, but…no. Jenny Schwartz would be a much better person to do that. My third antho-sister, she is the sweetest thing, and knows exactly how to tug at the heartstrings and get you excited for something worthwhile.




Could I tell you a funny story about myself? Dudes *shaking head* My whole LIFE is a funny story. But not the funny haha kind. More like the funny OMG THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN TO REAL PEOPLE….So funny it’s sad. You’d cry. Then where would we all be? Crying into tissues instead of reading this blog. But Stacy is funny as hell, and a whirlwind cheerleader for other authors.




In fact, I should have asked them to write this blog for me. But geez, I already owe all three of them so much. When I call them my “antho-sisters” (which is a term Stacy actually came up with) I really do see them as sisters. Last year when we heard that we would all be included in a holiday anthology together with our steampunk stories, called A Clockwork Christmas, I wasn’t expecting much. Maybe a few group promotional events and that would be that. But we banded together right from the start, even creating a Facebook page that is still very active (and will have lots of great contests in the next few months). And now we are each other’s most enthusiastic promoters.




I have one MASSIVE regret about Broken Promises, the book that follows the story I wrote for the anthology. When my editor asked me if I was going to write acknowledgements, I KNEW at the time that I was going to miss someone (I even said in the acknowledgements that I hate them because I always miss someone). I thanked my family, and my editor, and my critique partners.




But I didn’t thank my antho-sisters, and this made me cry when I realized what I’d done.




Of course, it was too late to go back and make the change, so I’m going to post my message to them here:




“ A special thank you to my antho-sisters, Stacy, Jenny and PG. You have been the best Christmas gift I’ve ever received, and I’m grateful to Carina Press and Angela James for bringing us together. I love you all, and I never want to let you down. When the four of us all meet together in person someday soon, there will be many hugs and tears and then lots of girlish squeeing. I CAN’T WAIT!!”




So, maybe we are all crying into our tissues instead of reading this blog, after all. At least I am. But it means a lot to me to be able to show these three fabulous women that I appreciate them.



Thank you for the opportunity to do that, Hart!




JK Coi

www.jkcoi.com






J.K. Coi is a multi-published, award winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance and urban fantasy. She makes her home in Ontario, Canada, with her husband and son and a feisty black cat who is the uncontested head of the household. While she spends her days immersed in the litigious world of insurance law, she is very happy to spend her nights writing dark and sexy characters who leap off the page and into readers’ hearts. ( www.jkcoi.com )




She also writes Dark Fantasy for young adults as Chloe Jacobs ( www.chloejacobs.com )





BROKEN PROMISES (Book 2, Seasons of Invention series), available now!




Former ballerina Callie Carlisle is determined to rebuild her life with her new mechanical limbs. She's just learned to accept the enhancements that saved her from certain death when she experiences uncontrollable twinges and flashes of light that obscure her vision. Terrified of literally falling apart, she resists telling her husband. Jasper's already vowed to keep her out of harm, and she doesn't want to worry him further.




When the War Office's General Black arrives with an urgent mission—rescue the doctor who created Callie's enhancements—she has no choice but to accept. A rogue agent and former patient of the scientist believes the biomechanical modifications he received are killing him, and he's out for revenge.




Callie must reach the doctor before it's too late. But with an overprotective Jasper at her side, and her alarming symptoms getting more frequent, will she be able to hold herself together long enough to save the doctor...and herself?





Tart note:  And so you don't think I'm kidding about the dog pics...





Shamelessly stolen from A Clockwork Christmas's Facebook page. This is Blue.

Say, JK--Ontario?  That's my neck of the woods! (and by neck I mean fatty part where the thumb comes in--right near the wrist, actually... in the mitten of Michigan)--we could probably leverage to get Stacy up to visit--Stacy is one of my sisters, too, so that really makes us related.



Thank you so much for visiting!!!