#PlottingPrincesses # @VickiBatman - A Laugh a Minute

Laugh a Minute

You may have noticed my tagline: Vicki Batman, sassy writer of sexy and funny fiction.

I never thought of myself as being funny until a friend said something. I was like me? Really? I'd always appreciated books with humor.  And when another friend pressed in my arms #4 Janet Evanovich, I sighed with contentment after I read it, thinking someone who wrote what I liked to read. Naturally, I gobbled all of them up.

When I began writing, I noticed funny words crept in my work. And so did creepy witty dialogue. And I played havoc with internal dialogue. And found smiley faces in the edits.

After several of my short fictions were published in the True magazines, I let my girlfriends read them and watched and listened for their reactions. I saw smiles, snorts, giggles, ha's, etc. I knew then I'd done my job and done it right.

Finding a good funny word doesn't usually come through on my first draft. I have to work it-work it-work it. And when I go back later on and read what is there and it makes me smile--even after multiple thousands a gazillion passes—then I know all was done correctly.

So here's a treat from my funny romantic suspense/mystery, Temporarily Employed (coming soon!).
My heroine Hattie, another sassy gal, is eyeing a guy with suspicion after he asks her out to dinner:

No frisking and no arrests were—so far, in my book—a good thing. Knowing he was Sarah Anne’s older brother, I found eliminating him from the stalker, murderer, and rapist categories easy. The something in the truck line sounded similar to approaches used in past dating experiences. For instance:

“Want to come up and look at my etchings?”

Translated: A roll in the hay.

Or the ever popular “Would you like to meet Mr. Lizard?”

Translated: Mr. Wiggly Worm.

“How about coming to my place for a drink?”

Translated: To ply me with multiple drinks and the requisite roll in the hay.

I hadn’t fallen for those then and wouldn’t be a sucker now.

He stuck his hands on his hips. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m not a stalker, murderer, or rapist." 

Apparently, he could read minds. "Just a minute." I closed the door enough to release the chain, then opened it. “Why can’t you just tell me whatever it is?”

“No. I want to show you—-”

“Not a Picasso?” I asked.

“No.”

“Not an iguana?”

A perplexed expression crossed his face. “A what?”

“Not your pet worm?”

“What pet worm?”

“Not—”

“Look, I don’t know what you’re thinking. The only worms I know about are for fishing."

*I have to add that I was once asked to "come up and see my hamster"—lolol.

How did I do?  Do you like to read funny books?