Karen Vaughan is very serious about comedy writing

Inquiring minds want to know why I decided to include humor in my stories.  I have never been too serious in my everyday life and I had trouble writing serious fiction. Words that have described my writing, have included sarcastic and quirky. The characters in my series love fast paced dialogue and action filled scenes.  The mysteries are light hearted cozies and are like mixing a sitcom with a TV police procedural drama.

Laura loves going toe to toe in an all-out battle of wits with anyone from her mother, an annoying neighbour or even the villain.

She gets herself into situations that would make the average Joe shake in their boots.  Comedy is just the way I roll. I believe that laughter is the best medicine and I love to entertain. It made sense to me to take the comedy into my writing.  The comedy doesn’t end at my series as some of my independent romances and romantic suspense stories –these are yet to be published but will be eventually as no one wants to be pegged as a one trick pony.

Excerpt from DEAD MEN DON’T SWING

First –a verbal conflict with an annoying tenant:

I went down the hall to the laundry room. I couldn’t even fathom doing a load before checking the traps and washing out all the machines before using one. I was just putting my loads in when Stella flounced in. I gave her a look that said “Don’t start lady.” She’s either dense or doesn’t care and got on my case about the eulogy.

“Ya know Stella, you’re usually an astute woman but right now you are down to two brain cells and they are limping.  I am only going to say this once, so listen closely! You can shove your eulogy! I don’t know the guy. The other tenants aren’t being forthcoming with details except for stuff I refuse to put in a tribute to the dead man. I also don’t have the time for this crap and it’s not my job.”

I walked out of the laundry room after adding soap and slamming the lids down in anger. I heard her yelling something about reporting my attitude to the owner of the building. She could knock herself out for all I cared.  The owner who hired us would agree it wasn’t in my job description.

Lauras fave foil –her mother is after grandchildren.

We got to moms a bit early and were able to relax a bit. Cheryl and Edna were corralling the kids as all four of them were querulously fighting over a video game.  Finally they were sent out to run off their frustrations.  Our chance to kick back and watch pre-season baseball was short lived. I really should have seen this coming. Mom was using a family dinner to grill Gerry and I about our baby making attempts. She didn’t hesitate to remind me, that my clock was ticking and that she wouldn’t be around forever so Gerry and I better get cracking. Mom went out to the kitchen, Dad and the guys rolled their eyes. I shot Gerry a look that said “HELP, ALREADY.”

I was in no mood to go soothe moms ruffled feathers just yet. I just got my jacket on and went to supervise the kids in the yard with Cheryl and Edna.

The look on my face said it all.

“Oh-oh looks like someone got the ‘I want grand-kids tirade.’ this from Cheryl.”

Edna jumped in. “Laura, you’re lucky she waited this long. Bob and I got ambushed on the way home from the airport after the honeymoon.”

“Ha, lucky stiff, mom called me and Patrick in Vegas to make sure we weren’t spending all our time in the casino.” Dad ripped the phone out of her hand, apologized and hung up. I didn’t talk to mom for two weeks after we got home.

I vaguely remembered that as mom called and asked if I knew whether Cheryl was pregnant or not. I naturally told her to back off.

“Hang in there kiddo, she’ll give up eventually.” Cher had her arm around me.

“When is that gonna happen?”

They both chimed in. “In the delivery room.”

In DEAD COMIC STANDING I combine my love of comedic mysteries with stand-up comedy. I wrote the material for each of the characters comedic acts. This book was a labour of love.

Part of Shelley’s act

I have never been married, but I lived with a guy for six months. The only reason that the individual in question is still alive is credited to the fact that I look horrible in orange and I didn’t want to be the prison bitch, of some chick named Hildegard. 

Honestly the names some people give their kids, they’re just asking for trouble.  Imagine burdening your offspring with the name of Hildegard, she’s bound to commit crimes—“Come to mommy, Hildegard —sure she ambles straight into your arms and thwack—you never saw it coming.  Just think of her plea of guilty based on getting a shitty moniker at birth.

Norbert is another name that should be avoided at all costs. You’re going to have a child with a shit load of psychiatric issues based on childhood bullying.  So right after my mom read a book about what your kids’ names mean, she stopped calling Bobby, Bonzo. 

Well it’s been great. I’ll be here until Sunday or whenever Jeff hands me a pink slip, whichever comes first.

If you are looking for my comedic mysteries, here they are:

http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Vaughan/e/B004PRN7ZO

My social links:

TWITTER:

https://twitter.com/karenvwrites

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/karen.vaughan.1048

GOODREADS:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5204844.Karen_H_Vaughan

GOOGLE

https://plus.google.com/+KarenVaughanwriteratlarge/posts

MY BIO:

Karen Vaughan lives in Peterborough Ontario with her husband Jim and a cat named Sugar. She is the mom of a 25 year old daughter and four grown step children and a 5 year old grandson named Ike. DEAD COMIC STANDING is her second novel. Her first novel DEAD ON ARRIVAL garnered praise from friends, family and online gamers.  She also enjoys doing crafts and other hobbies. Her third book and sequel to DEAD ON ARRIVAL is called OVER HER DEAD BODY. DAYTONA DEAD is the third in that series and was released in May 2013.  The latest in the series is DEAD MEN DON’T SWING. Other than writing Karen loves to read , do crafts and play online games. Currently she hosts WRITERS ROUND TABLE starting January the 14^th . 2014 She has a quirky sense of humor and shows this in her mysteries.