My Books Are For The Faint of Heart

I've considered putting a warning in all my blurbs like I've done with two of my shortest stories. Back when I sought out reviews, I kept seeing complaints on these stories. They were too short. They were ridiculous, far-fetched, etc. My internal reaction was, “Well, yeah. That's the point.” And then I got the bright idea to let people know beyond the blurb and title what they were getting. Expectations can seriously make or break a work of fiction. Sometimes you can get lucky and a reader goes into the book with certain expectations, yet, they walk away pleasantly surprised by what actually happens. That's rare though.

So, I put this in front of my two shortest stories that boarder on slightly ridiculous and far-fetched:

“Caveat: This is a short story. Like short. Let's say for instance you're at work on a break, and then that co-worker you really don't like to talk to has made eye contact. You know deep in your gut that the next ten to fifteen minutes you had is going to be wasted having an awkward conversation that neither of you really want. But, they've made eye contact and now they have to say something. Otherwise, if you look away or they do, it's just going to get even more awkward.

This book will save you from that conversation. Put a look of consternation on your face as though you're answering a Very Important Text Message and read this sucker. Now, I'm not tooting my own horn here, but I'll hazard a guess and say reading this short will be better than those awkward ten to fifteen minutes talking about the weather.”

I think folks get a pretty good idea of what they are buying. If short and ridiculous isn't what they want they can avoid these two books like the plague. If short and ridiculous is what they are looking for booyah! And the thing is my books are exactly that kind of read, for the most part. I wouldn't categorize them as tearjerks or dark and angsty. If folks walk into How Much You Want to Bet? thinking “I'm going to read a serious take on women working in a field that is dominated by men”...Oh, hell.

Even though Everything He Dreamed takes on domestic abuse, it's a light book filled with banter and hot sex. By no means do I treat the abuse lightly. I did worry that dropping a subject like that in a light book would kill it dead in the water, but humor is how I tell stories. It's how I deal with dark stuff. Sometimes I take a plot that is beyond unbelievable and play around it. My books are light and frothy. They may have a deep, emotional core, but even then it's balanced with humor. Sometimes I just skip the ugly, weighty subjects and have fun with a romp.

My books are for the faint of heart. After dealing with an emotional and sometimes heartbreaking subject, I whip out a book that's meant to cleanse my palate and hope that it does the same for the reader. No, seriously, go into my books with a grain of salt. At some point I might even ask you to toss it over your shoulder because even that isn't necessary.

So, consider this post my blurb warning from here on out. My books are likely to be filled with graphic sex, dick jokes, dark humor, unbelievable plots, likeable and unlikeable characters and hopefully, overall, entertaining reads. Grain of salt not required.

***This post inspired by accepting what I write.