Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Doing What Comes Naturally

By Azura Ice (Guest Blogger)

Hi. I’m a smarta** and I know it.

Many of my readers will tell me how much they love the snappy dialog and verbal humor in my books. I’m a natural smartalec. I use the tame version of the word here, lol, but in all honesty I am a major smarta**. Don’t confuse the meaning with the bad definition. My sarcasm and flippant words aren’t used as weapons—well, maybe if someone ticks me off. Okay, yeah. Every time someone ticks me off. However, I’m naturally goofy and have a warped sense of humor, so when I’m talking with someone, the smart-alecky part of me comes out and I don’t even realize it until the other person is cracking up.

So the bam-bam-bam dialog in my books comes naturally.

My family calls me blunt. I am, but mix that with wicked sarcasm and it can be an interesting combination. The other day my oldest son (21) took a heavy, red bowl from the cabinet.

“I used to have a set of these at my place,” he said. “Well, ‘cept they were clear, not red.”

I looked up from my laptop.

“You know,” he continued. “See-through. You could see right through—”

“Yes, I’m quite aware what the word “clear” means.”

He started laughing. “Why do you have to be a smarta** all the time?”

“You’re the one who had to give me the definition of clear,” I countered.

“See?” By this time he’s flustered and forgot what he was doing. “You’re doing it again.”

By that time, I was laughing.

Earlier that same morning he was in the shower and I hear, “MOM!”

I poke my head in the bathroom. He looks back at me through a crack in the shower curtain and has blood dripping from his nose. “The bottom of the tub has blood all over it and I can’t figure out where it’s coming from!”

“You have a nosebleed, you big goof,” I reply.

“Jeez, Mom, I just saw the blood but couldn’t find a cut anywhere on me. I didn’t know I had a nosebleed.”

“Well,” I snapped back, “If you would keep your finger out of your nose maybe it wouldn’t do that.”

“MOM!”

Laughing, I shut the door.

Snappy dialog might come easy to me, but I have to say that it really helps propel a story. Even in romantic scenes, a li’l humor can aid in giving the scene believability, making it realistic. And if it’s super sexy, a bit of quick humor gives much-needed relief when it’s boom chicka wow wow. Seriously, you can only climax so many times while reading before you need to rest.

{GASP!} Yes, I really did say that, lol.

Check out Darkest Kiss, Darkest Bliss and see what sort of fire-cracker remarks my character, Deirdre, has in regards to some female competition. After all, when another woman makes a play for your guy, you gotta arm yourself with whatever it takes to put her in her place...even if it is behind her back, lol.

*****
Deirdre loves Malachi, but the warning about his wandering heart has come true.

Shoved into a situation that tears Deirdre apart, she prays her suspicions about her husband are wrong. Glimpses of a powerful, handsome black man tantalize her, and his deep voice comes to her at unexpected times. Who is this stranger and how does he seem to always know when she needs him? The more Malachi follows his wandering heart, the more Deirdre finds herself drawn to her ghostly companion.

Soon it’s clear her husband has no intention of rectifying his playboy ways, so Deirdre turns to her grandmother’s book of Voodoo and faerie magic for help. Can she summon the power to keep Malachi with her…or will true love and magic from long ago release a new and powerful love?







*****

Author Bio

Azura Ice's work has appeared in a wide range of genres and publications such as: Would That It Were, Touch, GC, and Ohio Writer magazines as well as with publications in Canada and Turkey. Under her pseudonym, Molly Diamond, she was a regular contributor to Gent and Ruthie's Club and has had fiction published in Hustler's Busty Beauties, Penthouse Variations, and Twenty 1 Lashes. Ms. Bicknell is the author of many e-book and print titles, also writing as F.L. Bicknell and several other pen names. She has served as co-editor and managing editor for three different publishing houses. She is represented by TriadaUS Literary Agency.

*****

11 comments:

Lisabet Sarai said...

Hi, Azura,

Welcome to Beyond Romance! I've always admired authors who could do this kind of snappy dialogue. Alas, that's not my forte.

Love your cover. Good luck with the tour.

Faith Bicknell said...

Hi Lisabet. Thank you for hosting me!

Somehow my giveaway got lost in a flurry of emails, so I just wanted to let your readers know that anyone who comments is entered for a chance to win a signed print copy from my backlist. The more blog tour posts they comment on, the greater their chances of winning!

Author H K Carlton said...

I had to laugh reading about the relationship you have with your son. My children and I share the same kind of banter. I just don't know where the sarcasm comes from. (Their father, definitely!)

Darkest Kiss Darkest Bliss sounds like a great read. Who wouldn't love a little magic to right the wrongs.

Have a great tour!

Jessica E. Subject said...

LOL Love your stories! I don't have a quick sense of humor, but my DH does. Makes life fun. :)

All the best!
Jessica

Oh, and love the banner on this blog! Makes me hungry. LOL

Faith Bicknell said...

HK, kids can be so much fun when it comes to bantering. My youngest who is 8 is quick-witted with a goofy sense of humor like his mothers, tee-hee! He has me in stitches a lot.

I have to say I'm rough on my poor hubby, Jessica. He has a great sense of humor, but it's different. His is more slapstick and corny, lmao. I get him so flustered when we verbally spar. He can't keep up, haha!

and I like that banner too.

Anonymous said...

Humor in a relationship is a great thing. My man has the same smarta** humor like you, so he always has me laughing. It's starting to rub off on me, though, and I don't think he quite knows what to do know that he's not the only smarta** :D
The book sounds great. Good luck with the tour!

~Jen

Liza O'Connor said...

Do you ever rip a good one (comic retort) and have people stare at you as if they don't understand you, or respond as if you literally meant what you said? If so, we should start a support group for misunderstood humorists.

Janice Seagraves said...

I love witty banter, it fun to hear, read and write.

Janice~

Faith Bicknell said...

Darn it! I had a nice reply and blogger hiccuped!

Yes, Liza, that has happened to me a lot. People either can't believe what I had the nerve to say or they just don't have a sense of humor, but I get the look like I've sprouted a second head quite often, lol.

Hey there, Janice. :-)

Taryn Kincaid said...

Terrific anecdotes. Best wishes.

Faith Bicknell said...

Thank you, Taryn! :-D

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