Nobody does it better than the Coast Guard. They rescue hikers, swimmers, boaters .... and a retired Coast Guard Chief is my go-to-man when I need help with the Library Friends. No matter how deep we are in books, Norm makes me laugh. It must be a Coastie thing.
Linda Wisdom also makes me laugh. She's married to a Coast Guard veteran while she is a romance veteran. In fact, it was RWA that brought her to Hawaii in 1995. She climbed Diamond Head with Lynn Michaels, naming designer shoes as they ascended to the top: an unpaved path, 74 moderate steps, a tunnel, 99 steep steps, then a spiral staircase of 33 more steps to an observation platform built in 1908. I don't know that many designer shoes but it is worth the trip! You can sneak a peak at Linda's humor from my interview with her at this link.
Linda wanted to take advantage of the MLK weekend sales on designer shoes, so I interviewed her heroine, Lili, from her new release, A DEMON DOES IT BETTER:
A madhouse is not place for a curious witch…
After more than a century, Doctor Lili Carter, witch healer extraordinaire, has returned to San Francisco and taken a job at Crying Souls Hospital and Asylum, where something peculiar and wicked I shappening. Patients are disappearing, and Lili wants to know why.
And double dangerous for a demon…
Lili finds herself undeniably attracted to perhaps the most mysterious patient of all—a demented but seriously sexy demon named Jared.
What’s behind the gorgeous chameleon demon’s late-night escapades?
Before long, Lili and Jared are investigating each other—and creating a whole new kind of magic.
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| San Francisco's Chinatown |
Kim: What is your favorite sight, smell, and sound of San Francisco?
Lili: There are so many! I love visiting Inderman, our supernatural plane, since it offers many things you wouldn’t find in the city. But I’d have to say Chinatown, even if I remember the Chinatown in the 1800s and early 1900s. The spices in the air, the sensation you’re living in the Orient.
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| Women nurses of yesterday .... |
Kim: How did you educate (or arm) yourself to work at the Crying Souls Hospital and Asylum?
Lili: I had worked at Bethlem Hospital also known as Bedlam in London in 1633. It was my first experience working with the mentally tortured.
Lili: I had worked at Bethlem Hospital also known as Bedlam in London in 1633. It was my first experience working with the mentally tortured.
Even then it didn’t make it any easier.
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| ... and women doctors today! |
Kim: What attracted you to Jared?
Lili: Look at him! The man is sex on the hoof! When I first saw him my body was doing the internal happy dance. He was tall, dark, sexy and even more. But there was also something I could sense inside that called to me. No, not that. :} More that we were two halves of a whole.
Kim: What do you do in your off time to relax from the job stress? Have you read any of your creator’s other romance novels?
Lili: I don’t have a lot of free time. But when I do I love walking along the beach. There’s something about the water that’s soothing. And fun to drag Cleo along since the cat absolutely hates water. I also enjoy getting together with my friends.
Yes, I have read her books. Aren’t they wonderful? It’s also fun to see how she relates their histories.
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| Cleo is a Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Cleo is reincarnated as a cat in A DEMON DOES IT BETTER) |
Kim: Do you know what is next for your creator, Linda Wisdom?
Lili: I know she’s regained the rights to almost all of her backlist romances and is putting them up as ebooks. Plus a Jazz/Nick novella titled Hotel Hex will be up and Thea’s book, Guns ‘N Hexes, will be an ebook soon. And more to follow. I told her I’ll keep her in free medical care.
Lili: I know she’s regained the rights to almost all of her backlist romances and is putting them up as ebooks. Plus a Jazz/Nick novella titled Hotel Hex will be up and Thea’s book, Guns ‘N Hexes, will be an ebook soon. And more to follow. I told her I’ll keep her in free medical care.
Mahalo, Lili, for joining us! You may give Linda free medical care, but Linda has given readers many hours of romance. From her bio,
Linda Wisdom has published more than 80 novels with 13 million copies sold worldwide including traditional, paranormal, humor, action/adventure romance, and romantic suspense. Her bestselling books have been nominated for RT Book Reviews awards and the Romance Writers of America Rita Award. She lives with her husband in Murrieta, California. For more information, please visit www.LindaWisdom.com.
Sourcebooks is giving away two copies of A DEMON DOES IT BETTER today! To enter the giveaway,
1. Leave a comment about humor in books - who or what makes you laugh?
2. Sourcebooks' giveaway is open to North American residents only. But I will giveaway one copy to an international reader.
3. Comments are open through Saturday, January 21. 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 22.
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
Check out my review of A DEMON DOES IT BETTER at this link.
To learn more about Diamond Head, check out this link.
Check out my review of A DEMON DOES IT BETTER at this link.
To learn more about Diamond Head, check out this link.
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| Linda (left) and Lynn (right) in Hawaii |
I love mishap humor in books!!! But who makes me laugh the most our the older women in books who love to play matchmakers and have so much fun doing it.
ReplyDeletePlease do not enter me in today's drawing.
I love humor in my books. I agree with what Danielle says. I also read one of the funniest books about a witch who could not control her spells. It was so funny.
ReplyDeleteHumor in books can be great. if it makes me laugh then it's good. I read a book where the poor guy could hear everything the girl he was lusting after was saying in her head and it was hilarious. I don't remember the name of the book but that really stuck with me because she would think something naughty and he would hear it and drop dishes or bump into a wall...it was so funny.
ReplyDeleteI love humor in books. I have the off sense of humor and British comedy makes me laugh. My family just does not get it. But I love a writer who weaves humor into the story as it is such an essential part of life!
ReplyDeleteI love humor in books if it's done right. I'm not the biggest fan of cheesy humor. I like when characters are snarky and I like match making mamas or grandmothers.
ReplyDeleteI love humor. The detective who trips over his feet, the amateur who literally falls over a body while not looking where she's going. They all add to the enjoyment of so many, many books sitting on the shelves of my two rooms of wall to wall book cases.
ReplyDeleteNoraAdrienne(at)gmail(dot)com
I tend to surround myself with people with great sense of humor so any given day everyone in my life makes me laugh. My family can always make me laugh and I find it's a good thing when you can laugh at yourself as well :)
ReplyDeleteI love smarty-pants sidekicks. They have the best lines, sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com
I just finished this book a couple days ago, great story!
DeleteTammy S.
I love when the h/h have that continual back and forth like Bruce Willis and Cybil Sheperd did in Moonlighting. Its an added element to the romance. I mean sometimes you're not even sure if the h/h like each other, but you can tell they want each other!
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post! I love humor also. I'm a big fan of the snarky, smart mouth sidekick and/or best friend. And I love situational humor (everything goes wrong and/or blows up and everyone is messy or in shock/awe). Gosh, haven't read a book that I've howled laughing in a long while. Makes me nostalgic of the early Stephanie Plums (not the last several... I'm about to quietly divorce that series).
ReplyDeleteI'm very excited cuz I have Demons are a Girl's Best Friend on my Kindle and I was going to start it this weekend when I finally get a free minute planned to myself ;)
Happy Monday everyone!!!!
I am on a borrowed computer today which has google chrome so it looks like I am going to have to try getting it on my home computer since I had no problem getting on!!
ReplyDeleteI always like a bit of humor in my reading. Jill Shalvis comes to mind. Even on my tv shows I don't care for the ones that take themselves to serious. Castle and NCIS both have the kind of humor that I enjoy.
catslady
The sign of a good book is one that can make you laugh. If its sad, you are down. If its sexy, you are all hot and bothered. I like a mix when i am reading, but there has to be humor in there.
ReplyDeleteAloha! Linda took a break from her shoe shopping to stop by. Unfortunately, she is having difficulty leaving a comment. Perhaps Lili can prepare a spell for the problem!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I encourage readers to use Google Chrome as an internet explorer for blogs - it's magick!
Humor is a very individual experience so it is sometimes difficult to find one person with universal appeal. I love reading JD Robb/Nora Roberts' description of Eve Dallas when she is faced with things like baby showers or mani-pedi treatments, I am always chuckling at Eve's comments. I like self-deprecating or understated humor rather than slapstick.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Kim
ReplyDeleteCharacters make me laugh when they get into the type of funny situations in their stories that I would hate to be in in real life.
ReplyDeleteI'm here!
ReplyDeleteHi Danielle. Or matchmakers in fur or scales. :}
Hi Debby. That would be funny since you'd hope that wouldn't happen!
Mary, it says something that you remember that. Many time I'll remember parts of a book but not the title or author name.
I know what you mean about British humor, Renee.
Hi Danielle. Same with slapstick comedy if it's overdone.
Hi Nora!
You're right, Na. Never take yourself seriously.
Very true, Tracy.
Thanks Tammy S!
I loved that show, Shelley B! Yes, that kind of give and take is always good.
Hi Erin. I hope you enjoy Maggie and Declan.
hi Catslady!
Squenn, or when you can't go to sleep until you finish the book. Happens too many times for me!
Elf2060, that kind of humor also is easier to read.
And we all want to laugh, Linda.
I love humor in books! I enjoy especially paranormals with humor. Some of my favorite authors and series often have me chuckling (if not rolling with laughter).
ReplyDeleteI like humor in books, especially the ones with characters who don't take themselves too seriously.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy humor in the stories I read, but I prefer the dry sense of humor - more snarky than a slapstick kind of humor. Definitely agree with Elf2060 and JD Robb's humor for Eve.
ReplyDeleteJune M, even my dogs are used to my laughing when I read.
ReplyDeletebn100, writing a character who does take themselves seriously isn't easy for me. I'm sure it has to do with my own demented sense of humor.
Karen C, snark is always good.
love your witches, am looking forward to your demons linda!
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy humor in books especially when the characters have enough confidence to laugh at themselves.
ReplyDeleteIt really depends on the kind of humor but generally I'd say it should always be part of a book, sometimes subtle (thriller) and sometimes laugh out loud funny (chick lit). And where would we be without the wonderful sense of humor of authors like Erma Bombeck!
ReplyDeleteP.S.: International :-)
With humor in books, I like the chemistry with the characters and banter back and forth, also one liners.
ReplyDeleteDina