Writing Humor

Follow a man barely deserving of the title as he flails through a turgid cesspit of human depravity, only to discover that he’s the one bunging up its U-bend. Wrongly Writing has even more psychiatrists, anaphylaxis, and cringing social ineptitude than the first Wrong Book, and proves that while editors exist for a reason, the author clearly doesn’t.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR From the renowned author of “The Lottery” and The Haunting of Hill House, a spectacular volume of previously unpublished and uncollected stories, essays, and other writings. Features “Family Treasures,” nominated for the Edgar Award for...

To this irresistible debut collection of short stories, Richard Russo brings the same bittersweet wit, deep knowledge of human nature, and spellbinding narrative gifts that distinguish his best-selling novels. His themes are the imperfect bargains of marriage; the discoveries and...

Writing funny is no joke. While there is no easy formula to writing humor, there is an art to being funny, and more importantly, writing funny.

Penniless and downtrodden at the loss of his wife and one of his daughters, Samuel Clemens turned to writing. The short stories and essays in Letters from the Earth find Clemens—under the pseudonym of Mark Twain—at perhaps his most quizzical and questioning state ever. Written as diary entries, Twain penned a series of letters from the point of view of a dejected angel on Earth who observes the many curious natures of man. These pieces, gathered by Twain's literary executor, feature sharp takes on the inconsistencies of Christianity and farcical criticisms of American life.

This novel is a satirical look at my life, and I have never written for a porn site. There are four parts to this book: The Rehearsal (trying to figure out my life and men), The Performance (a story in two perspectives about a transgender guy being interviewed), The Reviews, and Pornopraphy (amusing selection of commentary and reviews of media products). I write just a little soft porn for humor, but mostly it's about why my satirical "drag queen" narrator started writing erotica.

Feast your eyes on a treasury of words and illustrations from one of the most exciting young talents around, recently voted by The Times as one of the top ten literary talents of 2008.

Enter the weird and wonderful world of Laura Dockrill …

I draw...

Pix just wants to hunt monsters, craft armor, and pay off her college loans. Her partner Jaz does too. She just wants to pet the monsters more. While wearing impractical hot pants armor. And wielding a sword so massive she needs magic gems to carry it.

You have Asperger’s Syndrome. You hate the name of this syndrome. You also stopped using drugs six months ago and now your best friend, Winsey, is dead. And your cat, Lester keeps pooping on the floor—it’s a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. And eff no, you don’t use the F-word, even when you find out Winsey was killed. You suspect the gargoyle who was sniffing around at the bar the night before, the last time you saw her alive.

In the spring of 2012, an unlikely transformational figure inadvertently breaches the perimeter of U.S politics. Unencumbered by political ambition and devoid of greed or lust for power, Jonathon Braxton reluctantly enters the arena. Fueled solely by a desire to advocate for more medical research funding to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes afflicting his son, Braxton agrees to speak at the 2012 Republican National Convention courtesy of two influential power brokers who see ‘JB‘ as the future of the party.

You don't have to be funny to be funny. It's true! While the general idea is that humor is inherent, Jean-Marc Toledano would beg to differ. Explore the science of laughter and the reason behind it with Half Serious Half Not, in which Jean-Marc discusses the topic in great detail and brings you the secret to being funny. The theme of the book is humor: what it is, the techniques, and how you too can be funny!

When the head of a hovercycle club inexplicably calls in news of his own murder, Detective Simon Grave and his team are drawn in to Crab Cove's hovercycle underworld, a world of loyalty, betrayal, greed, and-yes-irony. As if murder weren't enough, the bombing of an election debate stage has the mayor pressing for a quick resolution to both crimes. It becomes increasingly clear that the crimes are connected, and that the solution will require the unraveling of an elaborate criminal scheme-and more.

Years ago, Steve Hannah’s chance detour through the Midwest cut short a planned cross-country trip. He found himself in Wisconsin, a distinctly different place from the East Coast, where he was born and raised. Charmingly beautiful and full of welcoming people, America’s dairyland would soon become his home. Dairylandia recounts Steve Hannah’s burgeoning love for his adopted state through the writings of his long-lived column, “State of Mind”.

Dear Bob and Sue is the story of our (Matt and Karen Smith's) journey to all 59 US National Parks. We wrote the book as a series of emails to our friends, Bob and Sue, in which we share our humorous and quirky observations. It is at times irreverent, unpredictable, and sarcastic, all in the spirit of humor. We describe a few of our experiences in each park but do not provide an exhaustive overview of each experience or park.

Fábio Porchat --Se tem alguém que pode te ensinar a escrever as suas piadas, subir no palco e ser engraçado do seu jeito, esse alguém é Judy Carter. Tá preparado para começar? Fazer stand-up não é para qualquer um. Mas com esse livro, qualquer um pode fazer stand-up. -- Fabio PorchatO Comedy Bible está finalmente disponível em português!

When they first spotted the 1878 stone farmhouse that was to become the site of their bed and breakfast business, David and Norma Collis had no idea just how special the house was. A surprise family connection and many serendipitous moments made each day an adventure. From quirky neighbours to Bruce Trail hikers and even occasional visits from the Canadian military, their business brought hundreds of guests through the front door, each with a special and unique story to tell.

I've always been her shelter in the storm. Hockey players. MMA fighters. Rock stars. The boys in blue. Even sexy SEALs have all offered to slay my dragon - or in my case, my stalker. Why can't they get it through their thick, stubborn heads that I can take care of myself? I'm no damsel! But...what if the real villain in this story is me? Now the one person I've never been able to resist has appointed himself as my protector.

When the worst writer in history self-publishes his books, the world of literature is decimated overnight. Illiteracy becomes something to aspire to and book burnings become rife. The publishing industry is left hemorrhaging credibility and verges on collapse. But its recovery not a matter of removing said books, or even destroying them, the same must be done to the mind responsible.

Andy Smart's early adventures are a series of jaw-dropping feats and bizarre situations from which, amazingly, he emerged unscathed. Living on his wits, sleeping rough, and accepting lifts that get him into bizarre and often dangerous situations, Andy's six years spent on the road stands as a unique record of life as it was in the late 1970s and early '80s.

A young boy attempts to transform his aunt’s boring children’s book into an exciting one in this funny, fast-paced adventure perfect for fans of the Book Scavenger series! Books aren’t supposed to be dangerous. Are they? Alex Harmon prefers running over sitting still reading. But when his...