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Being silly is technically defined as: "a ludicrous folly” or sometimes just “stupidity.” Think of funny voices and slipping on a banana peel. Freud considered it part of our fun-loving id. One psychologist has recently suggested that it helps us deal with depression. One of my favorite examples of a pure silly moment is the slapping fish dance. There are advantages of silliness. For example, think of Patch Adams and the clowns that lift the spirits of sick people at local hospitals. Or the subway riders who mark a day to ride without their pants making a lot of people smile. What is wrong with a smile? As someone who really enjoys comedic writing, my favorite 19 th century authors include Jerome K. Jerome, and P.G. Wodehouse. Thanks to Three Men in a Boat , I cannot open a can of pineapples without dissolving into laughter. My absolute favorite comedy piece is by Ian Frazer published in The New Yorker Magazine in 1990. It is the lawsuit brought by Wylie C...

I know the theme is “Things that go bump in the night,” but I can’t do it. I can’t write about dark, scary things. I’ve been told it’s because I have such an active imagination. Great for a writer, but bad for a woman whose husband loves Stephen King and horror movies. Speaking of Stephen King, I quote him when I want to explain why I’m not a horror fan. He said, “The innocent must suffer.” A writer should experience the emotions of her characters, and I actually suffer for the poor stupid girl who goes down to the basement in her bra and panties with only a baseball bat to protect her. We all know the thing that’s going to go bump in her night will be her head hitting the cold, hard floor. Ouch. However, an active imagination is why I’m getting great reviews and loads of fan mail. People like my books because they’re different. I’ve been told I don’t think like other people. At first I was a bit offended, but after mulling it over, I’ve decided I’m okay with that. A lot of write...

Yes I am a writer, and yes I do inject humor here and there within my story, and yes I love to read humorous tales. But I am also a devoted lover of movies. I like just about all types of movies, my entertainment bones tickled by everything from heavy dramas to action flicks to sweet romances to westerns to family/childrens and so on. But there is one category of movie – what we have dubbed “ stupid comedies ” – that can almost be embarrassing to admit watching. Hide your face in shame if you must, but let’s face it, sometimes a person needs to zone out for a couple of hours with mindless entertainment requiring zero brain cell usage, content in the knowledge that you will laugh until your side hurts and/or milk spurts out your nose. Here are a few of my favorites, proudly proclaimed! Happy Gilmore – Gotta admit that I like Adam Sandler. Not everything, but most of them. Waterboy deserves an honorable mention and I liked Big Daddy , but Happy Gilmore is my favorite. Every time the g...

Speaking as the Jodie half of Lydia Dare - I am not a big fan of chick-flicks, or tear-jerkers, or anything too serious or sad. My mantra has always been – “If I’m paying for entertainment, I want to laugh. I can sit at home and cry for free.” I’ve said it so much, I don’t even need to say it anymore. Friends will talk about some dramatic movie and they’ll look at me and say, “Yeah, yeah, you just want to sit at home and cry for free.” Well, it is cheaper. Anyway, with that in mind, one of my most favorite things in the world is to watch old movies. And not just any old movies – but the Screwball Comedies of the 30s and 40s. All right – I do love some of the old classics too – Casablanca, Double Indemnity, Citizen Kane, 12 Angry Men – but one can’t really call those movies comedies, and I already own them so watching them is free if I want to cry or feel particularly serious. I think I’ve somehow gotten off point. Where was I? Oh, yes, those classic comedies. How could I forget? I c...

By Robin Kaye The Romantic Times Convention was the perfect time to launch Too Hot To Handle ! Since not everyone was able to attend RT, I’m hosting a virtual launch party. Join the fun and have a cyber-toast with me. Everyone who comments today and tomorrow will be entered into a drawing for two signed copies of Too Hot To Handle. Two winners will be picked from those who comment. The contest ends at 11:59 PM EST May 2, 2009. Dr. Mike Flynn sure would LOVE to have a woman to take care of…To Dr. Mike, there’s nothing like vacuuming or doing a few dishes to help a guy relax. Annabelle Ronaldi would never cook if she could order takeout. When they meet at her sister’s wedding, Mike is sure this is the woman he wants to take care of forever. While Mike sets to work wooing Annabelle, she becomes determined to sniff out the truth of the convoluted family secret that’s going to turn both their lives upside down… Too Hot to Handle is the second of my Domestic Gods series. I thought the thril...

Do you hear that thumpa-thumpa? That's my heart beating fast as I anticipate the official release of Fire Me on May 1! Actually, the book's been shipping early, if amazon is any guide, and I was thrilled to receive my own copies from Sourcebooks a week ago. And let me say again -- they are gorgeous! The finished book is slightly different than the ARC, with a deeper blue on the cover that really pops and the lovely blurb from Melissa Senate. I know folks might be tired of me recapping Fire Me's story, but for those who don't know, it follows PR specialist Anne Wyatt through one crazy work day as she tries to "win" a lay-off and the severance package that goes with it (since she's leaving for another job anyway). She learns a lot about herself and love in the process. Fire Me is a comedy (uh, ya think? LOL!) which presented all sorts of challenges to this writer as I struggled to come up with funny situations, turns of phrase or ideas that worked as s...