The Art of Writing Humor by Kristin Wallace

Since our focus is on humor, I thought it would be fun to focus on romance authors who excel at writing humor. I always include humor in my books as I find it impossible to have 300 pages of nothing but angst. For me, writing humor comes naturally, but it can be hard. It can also be underappreciated, just like comedic movies (or actors) don't get the kind of respect that dramatic movies enjoy. Robin Williams was a genius at his craft, but it wasn't until he did a few dramatic roles that he got the respect he deserved, including an Academy Award. 

Here are some of my favorite romance authors, who also happen to write humor.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips (the Queen in this category) - Her funniest books include Breathing Room, Ain't She Sweet, Natural Born Charmer, and Call Me Irresistible. 

Kristan Higgins - She manages to make you laugh and cry, sometimes on the same page. Her funniest books include: The Best Man, To Good to Be True, and Just One of the Guys.

Lucy Score - This is a newer author to me and she is hilarious. Her funniest books include: Rock Bottom Girl, The Worst Best Man, and The Dead Guy Next Door.

Julia Quinn - Historial authors can be funny, too. I was a fan of Julia's long before the Bridgerton series arrived on Netflix. Her funniest books include: Ten Things I Love About You and Just Like Heaven.

Jennifer Crusie - She hasn't written much lately, but her earlier books are hilarious: Funniest books include: Bet Me, Faking It, and Welcome to Temptation. 

Christina Lauren - Another new author (though it's actually two authors writing together). Funniest books include: The Unhoneymooners, The Honey Don't List, and In a Holidaze. 

Do you have favorite comedic authors? They don't have to be romance authors!

Kristin Wallace is a USA Today Bestselling author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with Love, Laughter, and a Leap of Faith. She has three best-selling series: Covington Falls Chronicles, Shellwater Key Tales, and Palm Cove Tales. Look for CHRISTMAS CHARADE, a brand-new Covington Falls Chronicles book as part of the Holiday Fake-Out box set. 

Christmas Charade - Covington Falls Chronicles

The story revolves around Magnolia (Maggie) Lewis. She left Covington Falls over a family rift and the desire to follow her dream as an artist and sculptor. Now, she has to return for her cousin's Christmas wedding. She can't go back alone, however, because everyone thinks she has a boyfriend. (It was just a tiny lie.) A non-boyfriend who has no idea he's about to get dragged into her family drama. 

Convincing Liam Sullivan to be her fake date to the wedding is only the first challenge. She needs to make sure she doesn't fall in love with him for real.

   

 

AMAZON  /  ITUNES  /  BARNES & NOBLE   /  KOBO 

(Google Play coming soon!)

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to a Funny Book by Kristin Wallace

As a reader (and an author) I gravitate toward humor in my books. I just can’t do 300+ pages of angst. I mean, my latest series (Palm Cove Tales) features a pampered heiress pig named Matilda, and my March 26^th release (Second Chance Hero) stars a naked cat. Okay, King Tut is a Sphynx so technically he’s hairless, and not “naked”, but it’s still a cat with no fur. Even when my books have serious themes, I still manage to inject humor somehow. 

It makes sense that my favorite authors are masters at writing humor. Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Kristan Higgans, Rachel Gibson, Julie Anne Long, Julia Quinn are all “must reads” for me.

I’ve done this once before, but here are some more recommendations for great romantic comedy novels:

Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I could read this book a thousand times and always laugh. A therapist and marriage counselor has her life fall spectacularly apart when her own marriage goes bust. She meets an actor known for playing psycho killers who wants to bust out of mold. It’s set in a little Italian village and also involves a mystery surrounding a fertility statue. Very funny. Also check out Natural Born Charmer. 

Best Man by Kristan Higgins

Faith Holland returns to her hometown after being dumped at the altar. Levi Cooper is the best friend of her former fiancé. He helped ruin her wedding. She should hate him but…maybe she was always meant to be with him? One of the best from a great author. Also check out If Only You Knew.

Hot in Hellcat Canyon by Julie Anne Long

Julie Anne Long may be more-well known for her historicals, but this book is the first book in a contemporary series. It’s just perfection. An actor who became famous in a TV over show a decade ago fears he may become washed up. A waitress in a small town who is more than his match. Also check out First Time at Firelight Fallsfrom the same series.

Wild Child by Molly O’Keefe

Molly O’Keefe is another author who really knows how to do humor well. This one features a “bad girl” who’s been trying to outrun her notorious past. Also check out Can’t Buy Me Love. 

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

This is the first in a spinoff series from Julia’s popular Bridgerton family series. 

The Smythe-Smith quartet is awful. Even the women who are forced to participate in the family ensemble know it, but they can’t escape. You’ll love this one. 

 And…ending with my latest release SECOND CHANCE HERO, part of my Palm Cove Tales series. 

Second Chance Hero is the follow-up to The Heiress Games trilogy, featuring Serena Douglas, who not only lost the Armington fortune, but also managed to escape the competition without falling in love. 

Or so she thought…It all starts with a new challenge…and bald cat named King Tut. Serena has a chance to win a $10 million fortune. All she needs is a job. Too bad the only one willing to “hire” her is the one man she’s been trying to forget since she was a teenager. 

HURRY! Second Chance Hero is on sale right now for just .99 cents! Snap it up quick before the price goes back up!

AMAZON    /      APPLE BOOKS     /     B&N       /    KOBO

Kristin Wallace is a USA Today bestselling author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “love, laughter and a leap of faith”. 

My Favorite Books of 2018 by Kristin Wallace

Our theme this month is our favorite books on 2018. Not an easy subject, actually. I read a lot of good books and discovered several new authors. However my favorite books happened to be by some of my all-time favorite authors. Here are a few you might want to check out (if you haven’t already).

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

This is not a new book as it was published in 2015, but I must have missed it. I always enjoy Mary Kay Andrews’ humor. The book follows a location scout who is looking for the perfect beach town for a movie, and she finds it in tiny Cypress Key, Florida. Not everyone is thrilled to have a movie come to town, including the mayor (who has to be the love interest of course). This book is lots of fun.

The Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis Lee

This book is also not new (2014) but I found it last year too. This story has a romance and a bit of magic as the heroine uses food to see what’s coming and sense peoples’ emotions. After a childhood tragedy she suppresses her “gift”, then buries it even further to please her demanding, society husband. After a divorce and a move to her grandmother’s old house, her gift begins to return, aided by a gorgeous landlord. If you’re a foodie you will really love this book.

First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillip

SEP never fails to deliver, and in this book she returns to the world of the Chicago Stars. The story centers on a struggling female detective who is trying to play bodyguard to a stubborn ex-football player who doesn’t think he needs protecting. 

Good Luck With That by Kristan Higgins

Kristan has moved more toward women’s fiction than straight romance in the last two years, but this book has both. The subject matter is also a bit darker as it deals with two women who struggle with being overweight and the emotional weight that comes with that. In the end it’s a moving story about what happens when women learn to embrace their bodies and be happy.

First Time at Firelight Falls by Julie Anne Long

Julie Anne Long may be more well-known for her historical romances, particularly her Pennyroyal Green series. She also has a fantastic contemporary series called Hellcat Canyon and if you haven’t read them…do so now! The latest book uncovers some secrets and there is a smokin’ hot ex-Navy SEAL turned elementary school principal hero. Yummy and lots of fun.

So those are my favorite books...tell me a few of yours!

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Look for her upcoming release, an all new Palm Cove Tale, SECOND CHANCE HERO coming soon.

#RWA2018 and Inclusion

Hi everyone! 

I am YA, and now MG author Barbara Binns , writer of contemporary and realistic fiction for adolescents and teens. My tagline tells you what I am about - Stories of Real Boys Growing Into Real Men - and the people who love them.  My debut middle grade novel, Courage, was recently published by Harper Collins.

Romance circles are going crazy discussing the Romance Writers of America's 2018 conference. Many of the comments centers around the speech on Inclusion given by Suzanne Brockmann as she received a Life Time Achievement Award from RWA. She spoke of things she had kept inside her heart for years under the direction of industry professionals and earlier RWA leadership. That left her torn inside by the internal strife silence had on herself and her conscious.

A lot of people have been saying, Me Too.

So have I.

Racism, classism, homophobia and other isms are rife in the world, and in the romance community. The place where love is expected to conquer all, remains one of the last places in the publishing industry to embrace what "all" should mean. The number of people who walked out while Ms. Brockmann talked about love provides a perfect illustration. Many others refused to applaud at the end of her call to action. Detractors described her words as "out of place" and "political", as if remaining silent in the face of injustice is not in itself a powerful political statement.

A white, bestselling author using her place of privilege to be a true ally and advocate for real inclusion. For an RWA where differences are not just tolerated, they are embraced. For a world where every lover of romance, from any and all walks of life, can find love and romance on the pages of a book.

I first heard of Suzanne Brockmann almost ten years ago when a group of white women readers were talking about their favorite books. Several eagerly informed me and anyone else who would listen, that we absolutely had to read Suzanne’s latest book and the love interest of her gay character.

Say what!?!

Yes, these typical romance readers read about a gay hero finding love, and found that awesome enough to spread the word to anyone who would listen. Meanwhile the author had to deal with industry “professionals” who feared even the mention that her book contained a gay hero would alienate readers.

We are told books with characters outside the mainstream don’t sell. That might have been true in the days when they were shoved in the back corner of a bookstore, a place where most romance readers never ventured. I remember years spend wandering the romance shelves, subconsciously accepting the idea that people of color like myself were unworthy of being written about. I felt forced to either read about heroes exalting heroines with “alabaster skin” or not read romance at all. Eventually I chose the latter.

The industry's decision to segregate romance books by race led me to miss out on many good books. Publishers and bookstores lost a lot of business. Thanks to social media and Amazon, those books are nolonger gathering dust in a dark corner.


Kristan Higgins, the RITA® Award winner in the category Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance, said it well during her acceptance speech.

“The absence of a single African American finalist has shown us more than ever that we have a problem in RWA … Let’s carry the message of inclusivity and openness in our hearts and in our works, because we are Romance Writers, our lives are devoted to imagining a better way and bringing joy to our readers.” 

She added that we can all keep our hearts loving and full of light by reading from a variety of writers of all backgrounds and all experiences. Her words, and the message in Suzanne Brockmann’s speech, is that inclusivity is not about quotas or being “pc”, but about truly representing humanity and reflecting the real-world.

Had a gay or lesbian or author of color made either speech, even more people would have been incensed. I know, because it happened to me recently. I mentioned there was value in including different people who look at the world differently in our stories. That’s a direct quote, (since we conversed via facebook I could go back and check my exact words). Somehow, an author apparently looked at those words and decided I was really saying was that she had to write about repression and segregation. 

Reading fiction is one way people learn empathy. Mirror books let us see and understand ourselves better. Window books give us insight into other people and possibilities, and show us that “the other” is really just like us.

We need BOTH window and mirror books in our to be read piles.

And in our finished piles. Our world is not all white, all cis-gendered, all able-bodied. Neither should the books we read.

Below is a link to a YouTube video of the Awards ceremony. Suzanne's speech starts at the 56 minute mark. To get the hole effect, start at 46 minutes with her son’s introduction.  Kristen Higgins' acceptance speech begins at 1 hour, 56 minutes.  



(I didn’t attend this year's conference, but watching those speeches left me tearing up.)

Bonus: Award winning author Sonali Dev gave the Librarians Day Luncheon Keynote Speech (Click HERE for the audio file) She called for librarians to think about the voices which have been silenced and pledge to help them be heard. Librarians have power when they make decisions about which books to order for their libraries.

Finally, in keeping with the themes of diversity and inclusion, Avon has announced the creation of "The Beverly Jenkins Diverse Voices Sponsorship to cover the costs for an #ownvoice writer to enter the RITA® and/or Golden Heart® Competitions and to attend the RWA conference (registration fee, travel and lodging) in coming years. The application deadline for this sponsorship is February 22, 2019.

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PS, I am once again offering my six-week online class on inclusive writing this October. If you are interested, take a look at http://www.babinns.com/spice-class/ for more information on class content, and how to sign up.

What turns me on in a book by Kristin Wallace

As I write this, I should be in the throes of getting ready for my trip to Alaska so this post might be short. The theme on RTG this month is “What turns your on or off in a book?” For me it’s humor or the lack of humor. I like a book that makes me laugh. Not that all the drama and emotion should be left out, but a book full of nothing but angst and darkness is something I can’t handle. 

That’s why my favorite authors write humor. They can make me cry, too, but there must be laughs. Actually, if they can pull off BOTH that is a really good book. It’s not easy to write humor, of course. Most people have different ideas about what is funny or not. 

I’m not sure it’s something you can teach, either. I have always just naturally gravitated toward humorous situations in my stories. Like a “true-love-doesn’t-exist” woman who gets roped into taking over a wedding planning business (MARRY ME). Or three women trying to win custody of a pig…and a fortune (The Heiress Games series). Even in my darkest book (Imagine That) where the hero’s mother is dying I managed to inject humor. In fact, I deliberately added more humor because I couldn’t take so much sadness. 

I’ll finish with some of my personal recommendations if you want a romance with humor.

Ain’t She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any SEP book if you’re looking for humor. She’s pretty much the master and the kind of writer I aspire to be. Another great one of hers is Breathing Room. 

Too Good To Be True by Kristan Higgins

Anther author where you really can’t go wrong if you want your stories with some LOLs. In this one, the heroine makes up a fake boyfriend with hilarious results. 

Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson

Really, try any of her books. She’s always funny. 

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

This book is not exactly new, but do yourself a favor and search for it. Jennifer Crusie is amazingly talented. Faking It is also great, as well as Agnes and the Hitman, which she co-authored with Bob Mayer.

Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding

Have you ever read the book on which the movie starring Renee Zellwegger & Colin Firth is based? If not, you really should. 

Here’s a historical romance offering:

10 Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn

This book made me absolutely fall in love…with Julia Quinn. 

Do you have any funny book recommendations? Please share them!

Kristin Wallaceis the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and contemporary romance, and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. She has three series, Shellwater Key Tales(sweet contemporary romance) and Covington Falls Chronicles (inspirational romance). Check out her newest series, The Heiress Games, a sweet contemporary that sees three very different women competing for custody of a pampered pig…and a $120 million fortune. Find out more about her books at Kristin Wallace Author.

An Awesomely Funny Connecticut Lady

By Robin Weaver

I must confess. I didn’t understand this month’s theme. I thought I kinda-sorta got it, but to be sure, I did what I always do (with my grammar, you’d never guess I was an author, write?)

Anyway… I asked my critique partner, Linda Lovely. Another confession--I didn’t understand her either. Not because she’s not clear and concise (she is), but I have a short attention span and lost interest when she said I couldn’t promote a fellow Genre-ista.

“Say what?”

Even though I hadn’t fully grasped this month’s concept, I was convinced any article about a Linda Lovely novel would work. Apparently not. Double Tut! (Still, don’t forget to check out her new book, Bones to Pick, available this October from Henery Press!).

As I was rambling before, er… I mean saying before, I decided I’d promote another of my all-time favorite authors, Ms. Kristan Higgins. I had the pleasure of meeting Kristan at a RWA conference and got to know her a little better when she visited our Carolina chapter. I’ve never met a nicer, or funnier lady. Is there a more perfect combination?

Not that Kristan needs my promotion. She’s a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America's RITA Award. Her sixteen novels (every single one is awesome) have been translated into more than twenty languages and have received dozens of awards and accolades. 

What makes Kristan so fabulous? First and foremost, she creates the most intriguing heroes and heroines—messed-up but totally lovable ladies you’ll be convinced you’ve seen in your mirror) and hunky, hunky guys you’ll want to see in the same looking glass.  If you’re also an author, you should use her books as a guide for creating totally likable characters—fictional people readers will cheer on to the very end (pun intended). Obviously, read her books for fun before you go psycho-analyzing.

Ms. Higgins also tries to mention Derek Jeter at least once per book. For us Yankee fans, that alone is reason to read every page. And I can’t repeat this often enough; she’s funny. She’s funny…okay, you get the message.  To give you an example, she tweeted her favorite editor comment about If You Only Knew: "You've used the word 'whore' 15 times so far.”

She’s read Gone With the Wind, her favorite book, fourteen times.  Which means (and I speak with full, unsubstantiated authority here), that even though she lives in Connecticut, she’s a Southerner at heart. Right? (See, I really do know when to use right and write. 😊.)

The title for Kristan’s book, Somebody to Love comes from the Queen song. No one can say she doesn’t rock it. Okay, my analogy is a bit corny, but Kristan clearly has good taste in music and her book is every bit as good as the classic song.

If all the reasons I’ve documented aren’t enough to convince you to speed your fingers over to Amazon to order a Kristan Higgin’s novel, there’s one more thing. Most of her books have a dog in them. Just because Kristin believes life without a dog is pretty lonely to contemplate.

Here’s the blurb from Kristan’s website about her latest book, On Second Thought:

Ainsley O’Leary is so ready to get married—she’s even found the engagement ring her boyfriend has stashed away. What she doesn’t anticipate is being blindsided by a breakup he chronicles in a blog…which (of course) goes viral. Devastated and humiliated, Ainsley turns to her older half-sister, Kate, who’s struggling with a sudden loss of her own.

Kate’s always been the poised, self-assured sister, but becoming a newlywed—and a widow— in the space of four months devastates her. Though the sisters were never close, she starts to rely on her sister, especially when Kate learns her late husband was keeping a secret from her.

Despite the murky, blended-family dynamic that’s always separated them, Ainsley and Kate’s heartache binds their summer together, when they come to terms with the inevitable imperfection of relationships and family—and the possibility of one day finding love again.  

Hopefully, you’ll love Kristan’s books as much as I do.  Happy reading. And happy summer!

 A fun summer read for you or your teen...

   Fun summer reads for you.