Today I'm happy to host Jean Henry Mead, a delightful mystery writer and Internet friend.
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| Jean Henry Mead |
Jean Henry Mead is a mystery/suspense and western historical novelist. She's also an award-winning photojournalist. One of her fortes is interviewing writers, actors, politicians, artists and ordinary people who have accomplished extraordinary things. She began her writing career as a California news reporter/editor/photographer,first in Central California and later in San Diego. Mead later transferred to Casper, Wyoming, to serve as a staff writer for the statewide newspaper. While there she served as editor of In Wyoming Magazine and two small presses. She also freelanced for other magazines, both domestic and abroad, among them the Denver Post.. Her first book was published in 1982. She's since published fourteen novels and nonfiction books.
You can reach Jean at
http://www.jeanhenrymead.com/Writing with Humorby Jean Henry Mead
I’m not a comedian but I’ve found that adding humor to my books increases sales. In fact, I’ve received several reviews stating that the reviewer hoped I would add more humor in my next novel. A Village Shattered takes place in a central California retirement village where Sew and So club members are dying alphabetically. Nothing humorous about that, but I added a couple of quirky characters to the mix: a love starved widow and a rednecked cassanova, which not only makes it a fun read but enjoyable to write.
The second book in my Logan & Cafferty mystery/suspense series is Dairy of Murder, which takes on a more series tone when Dana Logan and Sarah Cafferty, two widows traveling in their motorhome, learn that Dana’s sister has died and her husband claims it was suicide. Dana knows her sister Georgi, a mystery writer, would never take her own life, so she and her friend Sarah set out to prove it was murder. Along the way they stumble over more bodies and a vicious drug gang. The only humor comes from Sarah’s dialogue and reviewers complained that it wasn’t as funny as A Village Shattered.
My first novel, Escape on the Wind, republished twice and retitled Escape, a Wyoming Historical Novel, was probably my most humorous as well as my best selling novel to date. It features a kidnapped young heiress, Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch, and a little known member of the gang, Tom “Peep O’Day, an alcoholic horse thief who nearly takes over the plot because he was so much fun to write about. Good-natured and bungling, he causes the gang to botch the Belle Fourche bank robbery.
I added humor to my first, recently released children’s novel, Mystery of Spider Mountain, as well as the second, The Ghost of Crimson Dawn, which I’m currently writing. I’ve also added humor to my nonfiction books. Casper Country: Wyoming’s Heartland, was researched by spending two years behind a microfilm machine reading 97-years’ worth of newspapers, dating from 1889. I’ll never do that again, but I found some funny incidents to add to the centennial history book, which was eventually used as a textbook at Casper College.
One of the things I remember was an article about three young boys stealing w
Robert W. Walker’s Psych 101 Questions -- Over time, I have considered these 10 questions that delve into the relationship between psychology and writing the novel, and being a novelist. In other words, what has psychology got to do with imagination and creating whole worlds populated with people out of ink marks on a page? The following questions and answers delve into the psychology of the author himself, and eventually will also ask about the psychology of characters an author creates: This is Psych 101 for Authors and readers interested in the craft and creative impulse.
Q#2 -- How does 'abnormal behavior' enter into the realm of creative writing and fiction?
Answer: Have you read any one of my books? OK...risky word phrase this 'abnormal behavior' as you have to ask then what is 'normal' behavior in a species that 'won' out as the meat eater of all the great apes? Authors are forever dealing with perceptions of what is right and what is wrong, what is good, what is evil, and the common error of taking things at face value. Is writing and painting and creating 'abnormal' in itself since, like actors, all artists have to be driven and obsessed to become a player in this field? This question may be too complex to answer here, but let's keep exploring.
Appearance is seldom what it seems in a novel, especially a mystery or suspense or thriller. Societal norms are taken to task. Since I write about murder and often times serial murder, murder is my stock and trade, my INC. This means 'abnormal behavior' is my bread and butter but once removed as I have killed no one except on a stage. My evil antagonists are always into aberrant and sickening words and actions; what he says, thinks, and does is who he or she is (see Final Edge for the worst female killer in all the history of books! Laurelie Blodgett). Such characters are motivated by sick fantasies, mania, fear, psychological disorders, obsessions, phobias, actual physical deformities, actual illnesses just as are Shakespeare's worst villainous scum like Iago. They are motivated often by 'abnormal' beliefs, but often such 'abnormal' beliefs come out of popular cultural beliefs, legends, even religion as in anti-religious behavior on a grand scale. Some sick beliefs have a foothold in historical fact about mankind--as in cannibalistic behavior, perhaps even necrophilia--sex with the dead. Certainly there are enough scatologically disgusting elements about mankind and his history to provide fodder for many, many an aberrant behavior or belief system or 'nutty' fantasy, desire, want, goal.
I don't have to mention Stephen King and Anne Rice made a killing on abnormal behavior, do I? Still there is a fine line at work here. Abnormal can slip over into caricature and unintended funnies in the blink of a Cyclop's eye if one is not careful. How far from the 'norm' can our 'abnormal' Grandma Grimwood go before she becomes a twisted Dickensian comical granny?
In books about psychotics, sociopaths, organized and disorganized killers of every stripe there is great latitude in defining abnormal, but in all cases the sociopathic monster has to have its\his\her roots in humanity and where we've come from...from the primitive lizard brain to the present...roots are sunk deep. This is why the abnormal among us, in the end, are human after all. Humanity swings a wide arc across the rainbow from purity to the unspeakably vile and no author can turn away and not see this if the story demands it. Those who do turn a blind eye to the absolute end of the spectrum, the deepest rung in the pit miss an entire part of the human condition and it's like being color blind, missing an entire spectrum of the rainbow itself.
OK...believe it or not. Am sorry as I had promised Abnormal Behavior. Will have to hold on that...Pavlov chewed my notes. Will get to it. Meanwhile, next Friday right here I will take up Question #3 which is: How does 'health and stress' play a role in fiction writing?
Catch my new
Thanks for hosting Jean today. Murder on the Interstate is a great book. I hope your readers get a chance to check it out.
Here are details on the contest Jean is running during her VBT:
The author's virtual book tour takes place from May 2-May 27. Three copies of Murder on the Interstate will be given away and one of the winners (from a drawing of blog visitors leaving comments) will be a character in her next book. The tour schedule is posted at: http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2011/03/25/murder-on-the-interstate-virtual-book-tour-may-2011/
Thanks again for hosting.
Cheryl
www.pumpupyourbook.com
Thank you, Morgan, for featuring me and my new release on your popular blog site. I hope everyone has humor in their daily iives.
I love humor, too, and try to infuse a little in each book. I enjoyed your post, and I'm sure I will be enjoying your books soon.
Hi Jean! As one humorous mystery writer to another, ain't it all such fun? Your book sound wonderful. I've driven along I-4, with only two cats for company. It is one spooky highway. I understand people disappear on it all the time. Am looking forward to buying and reading your novel. Happy sleuthing!
Welcome to Acme Authors Link,Jean. Love your book cover and the book topic. I also love humor in mysteries, but it's not easy to do.
Much success!
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel
Hi Jean,
As a lover of mystery, humor, and RVs, how can I go wrong with Murder on the Interstate? So I'll buy it.
One concern in my own writing is using humor inappropriately. Some situations just don't call for it--but then characters may need some gallows humor to relieve tension. You have to know when humor is okay and when to back off.
Looking forward to reading your latest!
Thank you, Ginger. Humor is important, not only in the storyline but in our daily lives. I hope you'll be reading my books soon as well. :)
Murder on the Interstate sounds great. I'm thinking I should get it for my aunt. Years ago, she went with us on a trip from TX to Alabama. We got on the CB radio (yeah, it was that long ago) and called ourselves the Five Wicked Women. Truckers mis-heard our handle and took to calling us the Five Naked Women.
Thanks, Heather. I-40 IS one spooky highway, especially west of Flagstaff in the mountains, which I drove many times while living in the area. It certainly inspired the book, along with the humorous dialogue of truckers on my CB radio as I drove my RV along the interstate.
Bob, I agree about inappropriate humor although gallow humor is sometimes appropriate when characters fear for their lives. Thanks you for acquiring a copy of the book, :)
I like funny mysteries too, it seems to make the story more real, at least to me. Yours sounds up my alley.
lol, Helen. Truckers talk a lot of trash but their dialogue is often humorous, which I used in Murder on the Interstate.
I agree, Chris. If it's not up your interstate, I'll settle for up your alley. :)
Hi Jean,
I used to read romance exclusively, but have discovered that mysteries are a lot of fun!
What a great post, Jean!!! I love books with humor and those that are a combination of humor and mystery are the best!!! I am highly intrigued now and hope to read your book in the near future!
Hi Jean,
It's always nice to meet another mystery writer. I enjoy humor with mystery as well. Best wishes with your release!
Maggie
Sounds like a book I'd like to read. I'm putting it one my 'to buy' list when I get my new ebook reader.
Okay, that was a great joke, Jean!
I like humor too -- especially humor that grows out of the situation. Life is like that; I think our books should be as well.
Hi Jean, I have to get your new mystery. I love when humor breaks the tension.
www.monarisk.com
Hi, Jean. I read MURDER ON THE INTERSTATE very recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. The humor was well-done and just enough in the right places.
Hey Jean! Yeah, humor is tough. I find it easier to put humor in conversation than in situations as well.
Hi Jean! Congrats on your new release. I do agree, adding touches of humor makes books so much better. Wishing you the very best!
Debra,
The fun part of reading mysteries for me is discovering the killer's identity before the police or amateur sleuths are able to. I also enjoy writing them, especially my Hamilton Kids series, which takes me back to my own childhool. :)
Thank you, April. Murder on the Interstate will be soon be out on Nook and Kindle, which now seem to now be the editions of choice.
Thank you, Maggie. I look forward to reading your books as well.
And thank you, Barbara. As I said earlier, my novel will soon be available for ebook readers.
Hi, Lisa. I think you were referring to the watermelon story of the early 1900s. I laughed when I read it while seated at the microfilm machine, which didn't set too well with the librarians.
Thank you, Mona. I hope you enjoy the book.
And thank you, Earl, for the kind words. I look forward to your review tomorrow at: http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/
Alex, I also find it easier to insert humor in dialogue and I think the better you know your characters and their quirks, the easier it is to portray their humorous sides. I'm fortunate that Dana Logan and Sarah Cafferty have evolved so well over the span of three books that they're like old friends whom I know quite well.
Hi, Judith. Thank you for the well wishes. Laughter really is the best medicine and a prescription for good reading.
Laughing while is reading is one of my favorite things! Best of luck with your book and blog tour!
DL Larson
A dash of humor is always good in any book, if only to break up the "unbearable" tension. :)
Thanks, DL. Laughing's my favorite past time.
Heidi, it's good to see you here. I agree that a dash of humor is great for breaking up "unbearable" tension and preventing melodrama. :)
Jean,
The novels I love best always have some humor in them, no matter how dark or serious they are overall.
Excellent advice for authors!
Thank you, Jacqueline!
Thanks for sharing your new release with us,Jean.
Morgan Mandel
Jean,
Welcome to Acme Authors.
I agree humor is essential, especially in tense moments. Congratulations on new release.
Margot