Author: kath1960

A lover of words who writes from the heart. Welcome to my site! I’m a refugee from the corporate world, a lover of books, dogs, and 1940’s/1950’s vintage clothing (not necessarily in that order!), a wife and a mom . . . and, oh yeah, a novelist! My first novel, a lighthearted romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, was published by Moonshine Cove in April 2018. My second novel, the story of a middle-aged woman's struggle to survive in the corporate world, will be published by Legacy Book Press in May 2024.

New 5-Star Review for Love Is the Punch Line!

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Posted by H K Carlton on Goodreads on April 12, 2023 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5346700486)

A washed-up actor come Rodney Dangerfield-esk, stand-up comedian Josh Steinberg meets businesswoman Holly Brannigan. Their first interaction ends with Holly tossing a drink in Josh’s face. And there were several instances throughout the book where I wished she’d do it again!

Josh doesn’t leave the self-deprecating schtick on the stage. He carries it in life and wears it just like he does his navy wool suit. Though, I guess a lot of comedians do draw from a place of misery or tragedy for their act—the proverbial sad clowns. 

Throughout the book, Josh battles with depression and his insecurities. However, Holly does her level best to build Josh up and encourages him to fulfill his dreams. She believes in his ability, talent, and vision, even when he doesn’t believe in himself. Yet, Josh’s insulting brand of comedy leads to many misunderstandings and turmoil between the two—he self-sabotages the tenuous relationship at every turn. Often making Holly the butt of his jokes. For the sake of the act, of course. Holly is a saint for hanging in. 

Love Is the Punch Line is not a cookie-cutter romance, which is refreshing. Yes, this book has some romance, and Josh performs stand-up, but it is hardly a romantic comedy. It’s a turbulent, unconventional, and offbeat read yet original and full of ups and downs. Holly and Josh never seem quite in sync with each other, leaving the reader guessing, right to the bitter end, if the relationship can ever really work.

A strong debut! I look forward to this author’s next project.

 

 

 

Vintage microphone on stage with red curtains. Moody stage lighting creates drama and suspense.

New 5-Star Review for Love Is the Punch Line!

Posted by Gabriel Constans on Amazon.com and Goodreads on May 4, 2023

Comedy, Movies, Romance All in One

5 Stars

 As a screenwriter or romcoms (and other genres), married to a short woman, it seemed like this book was taken from part of my life. I don’t pretend to be a stand-up comic, but Love Is the Punch Line is a great romantic dramedy. Josh and Holly seem to be like oil and water but turn out to be quite complimentary. The story has a lot of insight into the movie business, looks closely at self-esteem and depression, and the ways we can hurt and support one another. Don’t hesitate to read this script (novel).

Looking for Feedback On Your Novel?

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By Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist. Please sign up for free updates at http://eepurl.com/ceSobT 

Have you finished writing the first two or three drafts of your novel? Do you want feedback on your manuscript before you start working on your next draft?

I found myself in this situation back in August 2020. I had just completed the third draft of my novel and wanted to know how to improve it. I didn’t belong to a writing group, and I didn’t have beta readers, either. So I looked online for help.

An Online Mentor Was the Answer

A number of institutions offer creative writing courses; however, most of these courses weren’t suited to me, as I was an experienced author who had already published a novel. What I needed was a course offering feedback on the manuscript I had already written. And that course needed to be online because Covid had made in-class learning dangerous.

After a bit of searching, I found the answer: the Online Mentor course offered by the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies Creative Writing Program. I decided to enroll for Winter 2021.

How Does the Online Mentor Course Work?

The course is email-based. Once the student is enrolled, she or he chooses an online mentor (usually an established Canadian author) from a list. If the mentor agrees to work with the student, the mentor contacts her or him by email; the student then submits some chapters to the mentor; the mentor provides feedback on the student’s writing. Students have up to 12 weeks, including time for rewrites, to work on up to a maximum of 25,000 words of a manuscript, 40 pages of poetry, or 90 pages of a drama or screenplay.

Is This Course Worth Your Time?

It definitely is! My mentor, Marina Endicott, a Canadian novelist and short story writer, provided valuable feedback on my manuscript. With her help, I was able to rethink the characters, cut out unnecessary details, and balance out the plot, which was a bit on the gloomy side. We worked on the first four chapters together; I then completed the rewrite using the insights I got from Marina.

How Do You Enroll?

Apply online at https://learn.utoronto.ca/programs-courses/courses/1686-online-mentor You’ll also need to submit a 10-page excerpt from the manuscript you wish to workshop to scs.writing@utoronto.ca, along with the name of your mentor-of-choice from the list of Creative Writing program instructors.

 

Visit Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist, online at https://kathleenjones.org/ or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/joneslepidas and sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT  Kathleen’s first novel, Love Is the Punch Line, a midlife romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, is available NOW, in trade paperback and ebook from Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Love-Punch-Line-Kathleen-Jones-ebook/dp/B07BYNX7BM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525812415&sr=1-1&keywords=love+is+the+punch+line) and Indigo Books and Music (https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/love-is-the-punch-line/9781945181337-item.html?ikwid=love+is+the+punch+line&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0) Visit the Love Is the Punch Line Media Room at https://kathleenjones.org/media-room/

 

Do the Timelines In Your Novel Make Sense?

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By Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist. Please sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT 

The timelines in my first novel didn’t work. The written analysis from my freelance editor pointed out dozens of timelines that weren’t realistic; for example, my main character travelled large distances in an absurdly short period of time, the setting (especially the weather) didn’t fit the time of year, and on and on.

We writers are usually so intent on getting the story down on paper that it’s easy to overlook these small details. But even though these problems may seem minor in the scheme of things, they will, if unaddressed, chip away at the quality of your novel.

Check Your Timelines Before You Submit Your Manuscript

It’s a good idea to check the timelines in your manuscript before you submit it to an editor, agent, and/or publisher. The following method works for me:

  1. Write an outline of your manuscript.
  2. Break the outline down into chapters.
  3. In the margin, write down the dates for each chapter (e.g., March to April 2017).
  4. Write your first draft, following the descriptions and dates in your outline.
  5. After you finish writing your first draft, write a second chapter by chapter outline of your manuscript, and include the timelines. Quite often, this outline will differ from the outline you created before you started writing your first draft. Ask yourself the following questions: Does the action fit into the timelines in this chapter? Are the physical details appropriate for the time period? (For example, would you expect to see flowers at this time of year?)
  6. If the timelines (and details) in your first draft don’t work, note the changes that you need to make in the margin of your second outline.
  7. After you’ve written your second, third, and fourth drafts, check your timelines again.

Once you’re happy with your timelines and polished your manuscript, it’s time to submit it.

Visit Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist, online at https://kathleenjones.org/ or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/joneslepidas and sign up for free updates at ‪http://eepurl.com/ceSobT  Kathleen’s first novel, Love Is the Punch Line, a midlife romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, is available NOW, in trade paperback and ebook from Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Love-Punch-Line-Kathleen-Jones-ebook/dp/B07BYNX7BM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525812415&sr=1-1&keywords=love+is+the+punch+line) and Indigo Books and Music (https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/love-is-the-punch-line/9781945181337-item.html?ikwid=love+is+the+punch+line&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0) Visit the Love Is the Punch Line Media Room at https://kathleenjones.org/media-room/