Fellow scribe Anna Belfrage and I outside the Nobel Prize Institute waiting to be called in to collect our joint literature prize. Such is my sense of humour.
Todays challenge is called ‘Tell us a funny family story’.
Hm… My whole life has been both strange and ordinary as were those of my parents and as is my current life with my own family. Humour, quirky tales and jokes have been present throughout
Although writers draw on their own background for characters, traits, events, setting and even dialogue, they are quite shy of those inner, private events that involve their closest relatives. I am no exception.
Why is this?
Humour, whether slapstick or dry wit, ironic or downright rude, has a tinge of cruelty within it. We often laugh at something because we are relieved we didn’t take that pratfall, turn up in completely inappropriate dress or say something we thought innocent but was totally inappropriate.
Whilst I laugh myself silly at political satire as in Have I Got News for You, or smile at the antics in the TV comedy Dads’ Army or chuckle with Jane Austen at Mr Collings in Pride and Prejudice, I experience a roll of sympathy for the ‘victim’ of the situation. They are human, they worry about their self-image, their security, their job and their family, just as we do. We just haven’t been picked on this time.
‘GSOH’ appears in many dating apps and the ability to laugh together is a huge asset in a potential partner, but a good sense of humour for one person can seem something entirely different for another and sometimes devastating.
Me, I always find cats and kittens hysterically funny as well as endearing. I like clever memes, and witty dialogue, but no, I’m not going to tell tales on my family, especially that time when my father asked Julius Caesar the way to the forum.
Writing challenges so far:
Day 12: Early bird or night owl?
Day 11: Favourite writing snacks/chocolate porn
Day 10: Post an old picture of yourself
Day 9: Post 5 random facts about you
Day 8: What’s your writing process?
Day 7: Introduce your ‘author friend’
Day 6: How the writing all began
Day 5: What inspired the book I’m working on
Day 4: The setting for the new Roma Nova book
Day 3: Introducing the main characters Julia and Apulius
Day 2: Introduce your work in progress
Day 1: Starting with revealing information
Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers – INCEPTIO, PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, INSURRECTIO and RETALIO. CARINA, a novella, and ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories, are now available. Audiobooks are available for four of the series. NEXUS, an Aurelia Mitela novella, is now out.
Find out more about Roma Nova, its origins, stories and heroines… Download ‘Welcome to Roma Nova’, a FREE eBook, as a thank you gift when you sign up to Alison’s monthly email newsletter. You’ll also be first to know about Roma Nova news and book progress before everybody else, and take part in giveaways.
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