tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post9178859583475234588..comments2023-11-22T06:35:25.251-05:00Comments on POE'S DEADLY DAUGHTERS: Can Murder Be Funny?Julia Buckleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270211923343731659noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-59999631491189828872011-01-09T19:48:13.360-05:002011-01-09T19:48:13.360-05:00Katreader, with your day job, I can see why you...Katreader, with your day job, I can see why you'd want your books to make you laugh.<br /><br />CHickey, thanks for adding ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY GLUE GUN to your TBR pile.Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-24242050377531673082011-01-09T17:31:29.185-05:002011-01-09T17:31:29.185-05:00I absolutely love humorous mysteries, which is, of...I absolutely love humorous mysteries, which is, of course, what I write. I'm adding this book to my to be read pile.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04089903053496930165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-29295570756678679892011-01-09T16:07:09.815-05:002011-01-09T16:07:09.815-05:00I adore funny murder stories! I read to escape, an...I adore funny murder stories! I read to escape, and while true crime and thrillers can be enjoyable, most times I prefer an enjoyable cozy read that makes me laugh out loud! I was a police officer and currently work with the criminally insane. Believe me, I find plenty of humor along with grim reality as well.Katreaderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-58483443769206447832011-01-08T23:26:42.251-05:002011-01-08T23:26:42.251-05:00Thanks, Joy!Thanks, Joy!Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-60767561831595304572011-01-08T22:02:26.791-05:002011-01-08T22:02:26.791-05:00I love humorous mysteries. I've been a long-ti...I love humorous mysteries. I've been a long-time fan of M.C. Beaton's Hamish MacBeth mysteries, so this sounds right up my alley!Joy N. Hensleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05571901053323072090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-49393871934988250482011-01-08T21:32:51.464-05:002011-01-08T21:32:51.464-05:00Exactly, Marilynne!Exactly, Marilynne!Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-30118686752908494052011-01-08T21:29:53.483-05:002011-01-08T21:29:53.483-05:00Humor breaks the tension. Then you can build it u...Humor breaks the tension. Then you can build it up anew. It's not the murder itself that's funny, but how it came to be or how people react to it.Marilynnehttp://marilynnesmith.com/bloggingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-42414772881800290752011-01-08T16:41:16.190-05:002011-01-08T16:41:16.190-05:00Hi Kate! Nice to see you here. To answer your ques...Hi Kate! Nice to see you here. To answer your question, I think it's because of the subjective nature of humor. Humor is so very personal. So not only does an author have to succeed in writing a funny book, she has to find an agent and editor who enjoy her brand of humor in order to get that book published. <br /><br />For instance, if I'm writing humor more along the lines of M*A*S*H, anLois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-18980942846448607002011-01-08T16:09:45.254-05:002011-01-08T16:09:45.254-05:00Hi Lois! How fun to find you here. What I don'...Hi Lois! How fun to find you here. What I don't understand is with the number of people who enjoy a little humor with their mystery, or a little mystery with their humor - why is it so hard to find an agent or editor who is willing to put it out there?<br /><br />I feel lucky to have found an editor who enjoys my sense of humor. And I'm glad that there are others like me creating Kate George/Bodacious Bettyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17535866071245284381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-8979457675740097132011-01-08T15:59:46.555-05:002011-01-08T15:59:46.555-05:00Todd, I agree. The Canceled Czech is a great title...Todd, I agree. The Canceled Czech is a great title.<br /><br />Cindy, sorry I beat you to the glue gun. Something similar just happened to me. I'm plotting out my third book in the series and had a great idea for who the murderer would turn out to be. Then I picked up a book by a fellow Midnight Ink author, and darn if she didn't beat me to it!Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-40606180421846946902011-01-08T15:52:57.171-05:002011-01-08T15:52:57.171-05:00Hi Lois. I agree that I don't like to wake up ...Hi Lois. I agree that I don't like to wake up at 2 AM and worry about an imaginary noise downstairs. I love mysteries and we all need a daily dose of humor. I'm almost finished with my sequel and it is tough walking that line of appropriate humor when bodies are dropping left and right. BTW, I was going to use a glue gun as a weapon so I'm going to have to find another fashionable Cindy Samplehttp://www.cindysamplebooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-18718358677467510232011-01-08T15:45:23.270-05:002011-01-08T15:45:23.270-05:00There are plenty of funny mysteries.
I was always...There are plenty of funny mysteries.<br /><br />I was always very fond of Lawrence Block's Evan Tanner books (although technically, those are spy novels), of which the Canceled Czech was probably the best. Such a great title.<br /><br />When I do the murder sequences for my comic strip, I tend to go Mikado and aim for darkly ironic deaths.Todd Allenhttp://www.divisionandrush.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-54715260869240104962011-01-08T15:15:36.517-05:002011-01-08T15:15:36.517-05:00Thank you, lil! I do like a good romance every so ...Thank you, lil! I do like a good romance every so often, too.Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-13341460151085464512011-01-08T15:04:40.658-05:002011-01-08T15:04:40.658-05:00I enjoy well written books. Now I have a fascinati...I enjoy well written books. Now I have a fascination with historical procedurals, but I always have to have some lighted hearted caper or just plain funny books around for leavening. Books like your make the world a little more bearable. By the way, although I like mystery books, every once in a while a good romance will absolutely make things better. I like d your post.lil Glucksternhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288522126331817172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-18397876909444927952011-01-08T14:20:30.877-05:002011-01-08T14:20:30.877-05:00Karen and Mason, Anne George's books were grea...Karen and Mason, Anne George's books were great, weren't they? She left us too soon.<br /><br />Jennifer and Lesley, writing humor is definitely hard, as I said in my post. I think it's a lot easier to write without humor because it's one less thing to worry about in your writing. However, when it works, it's a fantastic feeling.<br /><br />Jeff, are you stalking me? Or are Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-78720062914063138102011-01-08T14:09:41.404-05:002011-01-08T14:09:41.404-05:00I love mysteries & adventure of all kinds. Wha...I love mysteries & adventure of all kinds. What I read at a given time depends on what is going on in my life or around me at that time. During the start of the Iraq war, I started out watching the live televised reports. I am a military brat, and as any mb will tell you, those soldiers were my family. If they had to go through it, it was the least I could do. Until I finally stressed out.Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14500345360900905162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-73264758157910867042011-01-08T11:24:07.699-05:002011-01-08T11:24:07.699-05:00I think readers who won't consider blended gen...I think readers who won't consider blended genres (mystery with humor, sci fi with romance, etc.) are missing out on a lot of great stories. It's a bit like the purebred dog owners who can't see the beaty in a mixed breed.<br /><br />Personally, I love humor in my mysteries.Linda Leszczukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15117080878321152684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-90163138902513936552011-01-08T10:53:03.001-05:002011-01-08T10:53:03.001-05:00I love mysteries and more than that I love to laug...I love mysteries and more than that I love to laugh. I'll be trying this series.<br /><a href="http://gigglesandguns.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Mary</a>Mary@GigglesandGunshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07350818228268801008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-44689806397302214712011-01-08T10:32:01.272-05:002011-01-08T10:32:01.272-05:00I enjoy writing funny, almost as much as I enjoy r...I enjoy writing funny, almost as much as I enjoy reading funny and that's usually in a murder mystery, my favorite genre. However, I've found writing a more serious mystery can be easier in some ways because you don't have to go for the laugh. I wonder if you would comment on this, Lois. Has that been your experience?Lesleyhttp://anotherdraught.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-71044537988635790382011-01-08T10:07:50.134-05:002011-01-08T10:07:50.134-05:00Lois, Lois, Lois.
Where WILL you be tomorrow?
What...Lois, Lois, Lois.<br />Where WILL you be tomorrow?<br />What a globe-trotter you are.<br /><br />Well, I've also employed humor in my six novel manuscripts so far. In some cases, it's necessary to release the 'pressure' of a tense scene. Other times humor is simply what exists when you witness the activity of a pet --- you can't help it ... sometimes pets are funny.<br />Andjeff7salterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00530506418169450704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-80560031481210511702011-01-08T09:45:36.036-05:002011-01-08T09:45:36.036-05:00Mysteries are my absolute favorite genre--all kind...Mysteries are my absolute favorite genre--all kinds. I love to be scared and love to laugh out loud. It's really just a matter of the mood I'm in at that time.<br /><br />I definitely think it's harder to write humorous murder. It's such a fine balance to make sure your characters don't come across as crazy or unfeeling when it comes to death.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing Jennifer Fischettohttp://jenniferfischetto.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-49162213628449920922011-01-08T09:26:29.643-05:002011-01-08T09:26:29.643-05:00I enjoy a good mystery that has moments of humor d...I enjoy a good mystery that has moments of humor dropped in throughout the book. For years I would only read true-life crime mysteries. One day I read a book by the late Ann George, fell in love with the sisters and laughed until I cried. Now I enjoy a mixture of mystery genres. Best of luck with your new series.<br /><br />Mason<br /><a href="http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Mason Canyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935307400882363560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-43308677616099998082011-01-08T09:07:01.462-05:002011-01-08T09:07:01.462-05:00There are times when a good laugh is exactly what ...There are times when a good laugh is exactly what is needed. The Anne George mysteries were my go to books for a long time. I to knew I could settle in with the sisters and while they were chasing around Birmingham after the bad guys I would be chuckling at their pratfalls.Donald Westlake makes me laugh as well.<br />So yes, murder can be very funny indeed-or at least catching the murderer can be.carynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761365713102858135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-49593631567458827402011-01-08T08:54:34.349-05:002011-01-08T08:54:34.349-05:00Barb, I used to use that blood/fire threat on my f...Barb, I used to use that blood/fire threat on my family, but it never seemed to work. sigh!<br /><br />Sheila (waving back!) My favorite romances are always the ones where there's more story than sex. I'm far more interested in what happens next than reading yet another same old/same old sex scene. <br /><br />I'm off to my writing group. Will catch up on comments later today.Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-52671566811362917022011-01-08T08:41:25.203-05:002011-01-08T08:41:25.203-05:00Hi, Lois! (Disclaimer: we were briefly critique p...Hi, Lois! (Disclaimer: we were briefly critique partners, years ago.)<br /><br />You're right--a sense of humor is essential in getting through stressful situations, and solving a murder certainly qualifies. That's probably why the term "gallows humor" exists.<br /><br />Then there's the other issue facing writers who move from romance to mystery: how much romance (and Sheila Connollyhttp://www.sheilaconnolly.comnoreply@blogger.com