Author Guest Post
How One Naked Idea Became Fuzzy Logic
By: Susan C. Daffron
People often ask how authors come up with ideas for their books. In the case of my first novel, Chez Stinky, my sister originally came up with the title years ago and the premise that the house was stinky because of the presence of many animals. The story evolved (drastically) from there. But that's what started it. The title cracked me up, and even though every book on writing novels says that you shouldn't include foreign words in your title, I decided to use it. Realistically, the French word chez, which means house, is not completely unknown to most English speakers, particularly if they like eating at French restaurants.
Unlike Chez Stinky, the original germ of an idea for my book Fuzzy Logic came from a real experience. When I was about nine years old, my sister was playing in her room with the neighbor kid. He was probably five at the time. My mom had not done laundry in a while. In a fit of self-reliance and desperate need for clean underwear, I decided I wasn't going to wait any longer and I would do it myself.
The laundry basket was in the closet in my sister's room. I took off all my clothes because I wanted to wash those too and walked into the room to get the rest of the laundry. My sister and the neighbor kid were sitting on the floor playing a board game. They both looked up at me in surprise because I wasn't wearing any clothes. I ran out of the room screaming and specifically tried to avoid seeing the neighbor kid again because I was mortally embarrassed. Experiences like extreme nudity in front of boys seem terribly tragic when you're nine.
When I was casting around for ideas for the second book in my Alpine Grove series of romantic comedies, I remembered that experience because now looking back on it, the whole thing is totally funny. (Things that seem tragic when you're nine sometimes aren't so much when you're older.)
Since I write romantic comedies and not serious stuff, anything that tickles my funny bone is fodder for my books. So my main character, Jan, has a similar naked experience when she's little, but then meets the neighbor kid 20 years later. I thought that it would be even more fun if she meets him at her mother's wedding. And then I threw in a dancing dog too. Because what's not to love about a Samoyed who can do the merengue?
Although I used to worry that I'd never come up ideas, it hasn't been a problem. They are everywhere!
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Fuzzy Logic by Susan C. Daffron
Book 2: An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy Series
Publisher: Magic Fur Press
Publication Date: June 15, 2014
Format: Paperback - 217 pages
Kindle - 407 KB
ISBN: 978-1610380232
ASIN: B00L0QZ84G
Genre: Romantic Comedy
BUY THE BOOK: Fuzzy Logic
BUY THE SERIES: An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy
Book 1: Chez Stinky
Book 2: Fuzzy Logic
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
Book Description:
Jan's orderly life is turned upside down when she attends her mother's latest wedding in San Diego. (Number six...or maybe seven, but who's counting?) There, Jan encounters Michael Lawson, the obnoxious neighbor kid from twenty years ago. He's still irritating, but not as annoying as his dog who has a habit of eating...everything. The last thing Jan wants to do is risk heartache on a vacation fling with a smooth-talking serial dater, even if he is sinfully gorgeous and finds her unusual ability to remember obscure facts fascinating.
Amidst wardrobe destruction, canine digestive indiscretions, and episodes of extreme mortification, Jan's desire to avoid drama may put the brakes on her fiery attraction to Michael. But maybe being cautious and responsible isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Book Excerpt:
This is part of the scene where the main character, Jan, is on the plane to San Diego. She explains to the person in the seat next to her why she is taking the trip.
~~~
Ethel tilted her head, causing the ossified bluish curls on her head to shift in an unnatural way. “Why are you going to San Diego?”
Jan sighed a little too loudly. Maybe Ethel wouldn’t notice. “My mother is getting married.”
Ethel straightened in her seat and leaned closer to Jan. “That’s wonderful! I love weddings. Who is the lucky man? What does he do? Are you excited? It’s beautiful to see such an expression of love. Where are they getting married?”
It was apparent that Ethel had not been retrieving breath mints out of her suitcase. Jan replied slowly, “Well, they are getting married on the beach. The man was actually her next-door neighbor many years ago. I knew him when I was growing up.” Jan shrugged. “I don’t know if I’m excited exactly. But it will probably be interesting.”
“Interesting? But weddings are so gorgeous. The flowers! The lovely food! How can you not just adore that?”
Jan twisted in her seat, leaning her back away toward the window. If she were any farther away from Ethel, she’d be outside the plane. Discussing anything related to her mother was never fun. “My mother tends to do things differently, I guess.”
“What do you mean differently? It’s a wedding! There are traditions. People say vows!”
“Well, I think for one thing, there will be a puppet show.”
The woman looked slightly taken aback, but then smiled knowingly. “Oh, is it one of those sex-puppet shows? I’ve never seen that at a wedding. But it could be fun.”
Jan didn’t know what a sex-puppet show was. And she didn’t want to know. She’d seen way too many puppet shows in her lifetime as it was. “No, no, nothing like that. My mother was on local children’s television for a long time. She was the assistant to The Farmer, the kid’s TV show in San Diego. She did the puppet shows with the sock-puppet farm animals.”
“Your mother is the Farm Lady? I loved her. My kids loved her. My grandkids love her in the reruns. Oh my goodness me, I can’t believe I’m sitting next to the daughter of the Farm Lady. This is so exciting! Oh and the Farm Lady is getting married? How wonderful for her! Is she finally marrying the Farmer?”
After so many years, Jan was used to people knowing her mother as the Farm Lady with the sock puppets. And it never failed to embarrass her. Years of being teased at school by other kids making every possible form of revolting farm noise was hard to shake. The pig sounds were to the point that she still couldn’t eat bacon. And what people didn’t know was that the wholesome sweet TV persona was nothing like the real woman, Angie Carpenter. Responsible motherly farm matron, she certainly was not. “Maybe you didn’t hear, but Bob Myers, the Farmer, died a few years ago and the show went off the air. The man my mother is marrying is in the plumbing business.”
Ethel narrowed her eyes and gave Jan a knowing look, “Oh, plumbers make a lot of money. He must be a great catch. How did their love blossom? I’m sure there’s a romantic story there.”
“I don’t know how romantic it is. Like I said, we were neighbors a long time ago, but he was on television, too. They met again recently on a retrospective special that featured stars from old TV shows and commercials. If you saw the ads for the Toilet King years ago, that’s him.”
Ethel clapped her hands together, “My heavens! The Farm Lady is marrying the Toilet King! I can’t wait to tell all my friends. Does he still have purple hair and wear the blue jumpsuit? I just loved those commercials with the swirling and all that.”
“I haven’t seen him in a long time. I live in Alpine Grove now.”
~~~
Ethel tilted her head, causing the ossified bluish curls on her head to shift in an unnatural way. “Why are you going to San Diego?”
Jan sighed a little too loudly. Maybe Ethel wouldn’t notice. “My mother is getting married.”
Ethel straightened in her seat and leaned closer to Jan. “That’s wonderful! I love weddings. Who is the lucky man? What does he do? Are you excited? It’s beautiful to see such an expression of love. Where are they getting married?”
It was apparent that Ethel had not been retrieving breath mints out of her suitcase. Jan replied slowly, “Well, they are getting married on the beach. The man was actually her next-door neighbor many years ago. I knew him when I was growing up.” Jan shrugged. “I don’t know if I’m excited exactly. But it will probably be interesting.”
“Interesting? But weddings are so gorgeous. The flowers! The lovely food! How can you not just adore that?”
Jan twisted in her seat, leaning her back away toward the window. If she were any farther away from Ethel, she’d be outside the plane. Discussing anything related to her mother was never fun. “My mother tends to do things differently, I guess.”
“What do you mean differently? It’s a wedding! There are traditions. People say vows!”
“Well, I think for one thing, there will be a puppet show.”
The woman looked slightly taken aback, but then smiled knowingly. “Oh, is it one of those sex-puppet shows? I’ve never seen that at a wedding. But it could be fun.”
Jan didn’t know what a sex-puppet show was. And she didn’t want to know. She’d seen way too many puppet shows in her lifetime as it was. “No, no, nothing like that. My mother was on local children’s television for a long time. She was the assistant to The Farmer, the kid’s TV show in San Diego. She did the puppet shows with the sock-puppet farm animals.”
“Your mother is the Farm Lady? I loved her. My kids loved her. My grandkids love her in the reruns. Oh my goodness me, I can’t believe I’m sitting next to the daughter of the Farm Lady. This is so exciting! Oh and the Farm Lady is getting married? How wonderful for her! Is she finally marrying the Farmer?”
After so many years, Jan was used to people knowing her mother as the Farm Lady with the sock puppets. And it never failed to embarrass her. Years of being teased at school by other kids making every possible form of revolting farm noise was hard to shake. The pig sounds were to the point that she still couldn’t eat bacon. And what people didn’t know was that the wholesome sweet TV persona was nothing like the real woman, Angie Carpenter. Responsible motherly farm matron, she certainly was not. “Maybe you didn’t hear, but Bob Myers, the Farmer, died a few years ago and the show went off the air. The man my mother is marrying is in the plumbing business.”
Ethel narrowed her eyes and gave Jan a knowing look, “Oh, plumbers make a lot of money. He must be a great catch. How did their love blossom? I’m sure there’s a romantic story there.”
“I don’t know how romantic it is. Like I said, we were neighbors a long time ago, but he was on television, too. They met again recently on a retrospective special that featured stars from old TV shows and commercials. If you saw the ads for the Toilet King years ago, that’s him.”
Ethel clapped her hands together, “My heavens! The Farm Lady is marrying the Toilet King! I can’t wait to tell all my friends. Does he still have purple hair and wear the blue jumpsuit? I just loved those commercials with the swirling and all that.”
“I haven’t seen him in a long time. I live in Alpine Grove now.”
My Book Review:
In Fuzzy Logic, the second book in the Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy series, author Susan C. Daffron transports the reader back to Alpine Grove for another lighthearted and entertaining story that is sure to tickle the reader's funny bone.
The story follows the trials and tribulations of Alpine Grove librarian Jan Carpenter as her ordinary quiet life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly encounters Michael Lawson, a rude and obnoxious ex-neighborhood kid from her past, who is now an irritating but attractive man! And if that isn't enough, poor Jan has to also deal with her zany mom, Angie's drama and antics as well! Can Jan let go of her cautious and responsible demeanor, loosen up, and let love walk in the door?
Fuzzy Logic was such a fun read, the author does a wonderful job of weaving an entertaining tale that has a good mixture of comedy, drama, and romance. The reader is easily drawn into the story as they follow the humorous trials and tribulations that Jan encounters in Alpine Grove and San Diego. The lovable characters from the first book, Chez Stinky return along with the motley crew of lovable animals to provide a touch of added comedy to the story with their individual personalities and crazy antics. The reader will easily find themselves laughing out loud as they turn the pages. There are enough interesting twists and turns that will keep the reader's interest throughout the story. When you add in a lighthearted sweet romance; family drama; a quirky cast of friends and townspeople; and a young woman's journey of self-discovery and finding unexpected love, you get a delightful story that will leave you wanting more.
An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy Series is such a fun romantic comedy series to read, there's nothing better than interweaving a little bit of romance, comedy, and lovable animals within a story that is sure to leave a satisfied smile on the reader's face.
RATING: 4 STARS
The story follows the trials and tribulations of Alpine Grove librarian Jan Carpenter as her ordinary quiet life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly encounters Michael Lawson, a rude and obnoxious ex-neighborhood kid from her past, who is now an irritating but attractive man! And if that isn't enough, poor Jan has to also deal with her zany mom, Angie's drama and antics as well! Can Jan let go of her cautious and responsible demeanor, loosen up, and let love walk in the door?
Fuzzy Logic was such a fun read, the author does a wonderful job of weaving an entertaining tale that has a good mixture of comedy, drama, and romance. The reader is easily drawn into the story as they follow the humorous trials and tribulations that Jan encounters in Alpine Grove and San Diego. The lovable characters from the first book, Chez Stinky return along with the motley crew of lovable animals to provide a touch of added comedy to the story with their individual personalities and crazy antics. The reader will easily find themselves laughing out loud as they turn the pages. There are enough interesting twists and turns that will keep the reader's interest throughout the story. When you add in a lighthearted sweet romance; family drama; a quirky cast of friends and townspeople; and a young woman's journey of self-discovery and finding unexpected love, you get a delightful story that will leave you wanting more.
An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy Series is such a fun romantic comedy series to read, there's nothing better than interweaving a little bit of romance, comedy, and lovable animals within a story that is sure to leave a satisfied smile on the reader's face.
RATING: 4 STARS
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This seems like a nice fun and light hearted read! The idea for the book was a funny way to come up with it, and I know I would've been embarrassed at nine as well! The title is awesome <3
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