Friday, April 2, 2021

Funny or Not, Here I Come

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic women’s fiction with light paranormal elements. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where, with this support, you make choices to overcome the darkest nights and choose love and light.

To be honest I’m not 100% sure that April Fool’s Day is recognized around the world. It is in the USA by some. I will admit that it did play a part in choosing this month’s theme.

I’m fortunate that when I look back on my childhood, I’ve many memories of laughing with family, playing games, sing-a-longs, board games, tag and kick-the-can when outside. I even remember fun times as I grew older and one of my “truths” in the working world was if I wasn’t having fun, I didn’t stay in the job.

Why that was true for me became apparent when in my 30’s I became involved with Dr. William Glasser’sconcepts. I was so intrigued, so drawn to them that I made the time and found the funds to complete the Certification process and go on to become a member of the Senior Faculty.

Dr. Glasser believed that we all have an inherited need for fun. In some people that’s pretty apparent, perhaps less so in someone else. I’ve never seen South Park as funny. In fact I’ve never watched a full episode because I find it more offensive than anything else. I’ve had friends, who think it hilarious, attempt to explain why it’s funny, why they laugh - to no avail.

Why? Because we are all different. What one person loves to read, to watch, to do – something that lightens their day, brings a smile to their face and laughter burbling forth can darken a day, bring a frown to a face and no laughter at all.

You will have the opportunity this month to see what the word Laughter evokes from people around the world. Our Genre-istas come from Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. So many different countries, cultures and backgrounds. Our guests write romantic comedy. We invite you to stop by and see what they are up to in their writing and publishing lives.

While I do not write romantic comedy, I do have humor somewhere along the line in each of my books. As we continue to shift the tide of the pandemic, I invite you to take a look at where, when and with whom you laugh. And if there is a way, work to increase those moments. I’ve read in a couple of places that laughter supports our immune system and increases those feel good endorphins.

I publish a monthly newsletter. I’ve had the first book in The Sacred Women’s Circle available for free until now. I’ve created a new free offering that includes the novella Sarah’s Ankh along with the first chapter of Lily: The Dragon and The Great Horned Owl. I hope you enjoy them. If you are not yet on my mailing list, you can sign up for Choices here. If you are on my mailing list, you’ll get a separate email with a link to download Sarah’s Ankh within the next day or two.

Look for my next non-fiction Yes, You Can Create The Life You Love by late spring aka early summer. And if you need guidance on handling stress, Staying Sane in A Crazy World is available as are all of my books at your favorite e-book vendor. Be sure to ask your local library if you’d prefer to read my books through that resource.

Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshley.net

Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19

Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.

You can also find Judith on FB! 

© 2021 Judith Ashley

 


10 comments:

Jay Artale said...

One of the best things about travelling so much is discovering how traditions morph and change around the world. We were volunteering in France this time last year and I was intrigued to see Poisson d'avril (April Fish - as opposed to April Fool) cards everywhere in the shops.

Judith Ashley said...

Thanks for the information, Jay - I know people who would be happy to celebrate Poisson d'Avril! I may make a note of it and do something fishy for dinner next year.

Lynn Lovegreen said...

Thanks, Judith. I also discovered that if I wasn't having fun, it wasn't the job for me. Good rule to use when you can!

Judith Ashley said...

A valid point, Lynn. I did work at jobs that were not a good fit because as a single mom, I couldn't always change when I'd have liked to. However, I did look around for some other position or company. I saw what happened to several co-workers who stayed in jobs that they hated for the paycheck. Either they ended up with health issues or they stopped doing a quality, professional job. Neither option appealed to me. Having said that, I'm sure there were some who managed to keep their standards

Sarah Raplee said...

I am one of those people who needs to have fun at work. Knowing that makes it easier to find ways to make work tolerable when it's not something I really enjoy.

I love Staying Sane in a Crazy World! Your book has helped me through some tough times.

Great post!

Judith Ashley said...

Thanks for the shout out, Sarah. The more we know about ourselves and what we need to feel happy, competent, safe, etc. the better we are at finding the work that satisfies.

Maggie Lynch said...

It is so true about humor being personal. My husband has been a long time Simpson's fan. Though I do find humor in some of it, most of the time I do not because it tries to make, what I consider to be, violent or bad behavior funny (e.g., Homer choking Bart, Bart purposefully doing something to destroy the school or something else). My DH says it is the exaggeration that makes it funny. I guess we are all triggered by different things.

On the other hand, we both like most of Monty Python. I think it is the absurdist take on culture and politics while pointing out truth underneath. One of many faves is this comment from Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government!"

I'm looking forward to your new book, Judith, and really happy to hear about your efforts to grow your email list. Happy Spring!

Deb N said...

Judith- humor is so important to me in my friends and work. But I have to admit, I have stuck it out way too long in almost every job I had, because I was single and needed a paycheck. As a retiree and now a full-time, self-employed author, life is much better and humor is around every turn. And...if it is not, I can easily let whatever brought me down go :-)

Judith Ashley said...

Maggie, thanks for stopping by and commenting! Not sure I'd be at this point again with my email list without your classes and support!

Judith Ashley said...

Deb, I did have a couple of those jobs because I was a single parent and also a parenting grandparent but I looked elsewhere and also made sure I had fun things to do outside of my work. Necessity doesn't always coincide with what we want and need in our lives.