Here are some FAQ’s*:
Q. Do you live near Annapolis, Maryland with your husband and three children?
A. Yes.
Q. How long have you been writing humor?
A. Ever since I penned my first book at the age of seven--a hilarious account of a
dog's adventure in the woods. Of course, it wasn't intended to be funny; it was
supposed to be a moving lesson in learning to get along with others. But now I
find it's difficult to read it without laughing. Just goes to show you how a great
piece of literature can often have layers of meaning beyond the author’s original
intent! Or not.
Q. Tell me about your education.
A. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Houston. My
minor was in trumpet performance. (Sorry—I don't play wedding gigs anymore).
Q. Where do you get ideas for your humor columns?
A. Just about anywhere. One of my humor pieces, “Busy-Body Building for Women,”
was inspired by a piece of junk mail. I’ve gotten ideas from news headlines, trips
to the grocery store, eavesdropping on a cell phone conversation, checking the
weather forecast, and butchering the pronunciation of menu items at an Italian
restaurant.
Humor often depends on seeing the ordinary from an unconventional point of view.
Sometimes it’s nice to have a little help; here is a writing prompt site I like to visit
occasionally. Try the “Instant Plot Creator” and see what bizarre ideas you can
come up with. It also helps to be drinking full-caf coffee while writing.
Q. Who are some of your favorite humor writers?
A. James Thurber, who once wrote for “The New Yorker” magazine, is one of my
favorite humor writers. Pick up a collection of his work sometime; make sure you
read “There's An Owl in My Room,” “A Ride with Olympy,” and “The Macbeth Murder
Mystery.” I also admire the works of some of Thurber’s fellow “New Yorker”
humorists including S.J. Perleman and Robert Benchley.
I enjoy most anything by P.G. Wodehouse, British author of the popular Jeeves
and Wooster stories. If you won't check out one of his books from the library, at
least check out the random Wodehouse quote generator.
Other favorites include Mark Twain, Douglas Adams, Erma Bombeck, and Dave
Barry. I'm also a fan of cartoonists Bill Watterson ("Calvin and Hobbes"), Gary
Larson ("The Far Side"), and Roz Chast (cartoonist at the "New Yorker").
So much fun reading, so little time!
Q: About your artwork…how much do you charge for a spot illustration or
cartoon?
A: It depends on several factors including size of the illustration, color
requirements, use, and how quickly the artwork is needed.
Q: You’re not going to give me any actual numbers, are you?
A: Just e-mail me detailing what you need and I’ll reply with a less ambiguous
answer.
Q: Is there anything more depressing than the sight of a giant semi-deflated
balloon Santa fallen over on its side in someone's front yard?
A: Probably, but it certainly ranks high on the list. Especially if Santa is still lying
there in mid-February.
Q: Would you please write a humor column for my publication? We will pay you
handsomely.
A: I think we can work something out.
-----------
Thanks for stopping by my site! If you have any other questions, or just want to
say howdy, feel free to e-mail me.
Q. Do you live near Annapolis, Maryland with your husband and three children?
A. Yes.
Q. How long have you been writing humor?
A. Ever since I penned my first book at the age of seven--a hilarious account of a
dog's adventure in the woods. Of course, it wasn't intended to be funny; it was
supposed to be a moving lesson in learning to get along with others. But now I
find it's difficult to read it without laughing. Just goes to show you how a great
piece of literature can often have layers of meaning beyond the author’s original
intent! Or not.
Q. Tell me about your education.
A. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Houston. My
minor was in trumpet performance. (Sorry—I don't play wedding gigs anymore).
Q. Where do you get ideas for your humor columns?
A. Just about anywhere. One of my humor pieces, “Busy-Body Building for Women,”
was inspired by a piece of junk mail. I’ve gotten ideas from news headlines, trips
to the grocery store, eavesdropping on a cell phone conversation, checking the
weather forecast, and butchering the pronunciation of menu items at an Italian
restaurant.
Humor often depends on seeing the ordinary from an unconventional point of view.
Sometimes it’s nice to have a little help; here is a writing prompt site I like to visit
occasionally. Try the “Instant Plot Creator” and see what bizarre ideas you can
come up with. It also helps to be drinking full-caf coffee while writing.
Q. Who are some of your favorite humor writers?
A. James Thurber, who once wrote for “The New Yorker” magazine, is one of my
favorite humor writers. Pick up a collection of his work sometime; make sure you
read “There's An Owl in My Room,” “A Ride with Olympy,” and “The Macbeth Murder
Mystery.” I also admire the works of some of Thurber’s fellow “New Yorker”
humorists including S.J. Perleman and Robert Benchley.
I enjoy most anything by P.G. Wodehouse, British author of the popular Jeeves
and Wooster stories. If you won't check out one of his books from the library, at
least check out the random Wodehouse quote generator.
Other favorites include Mark Twain, Douglas Adams, Erma Bombeck, and Dave
Barry. I'm also a fan of cartoonists Bill Watterson ("Calvin and Hobbes"), Gary
Larson ("The Far Side"), and Roz Chast (cartoonist at the "New Yorker").
So much fun reading, so little time!
Q: About your artwork…how much do you charge for a spot illustration or
cartoon?
A: It depends on several factors including size of the illustration, color
requirements, use, and how quickly the artwork is needed.
Q: You’re not going to give me any actual numbers, are you?
A: Just e-mail me detailing what you need and I’ll reply with a less ambiguous
answer.
Q: Is there anything more depressing than the sight of a giant semi-deflated
balloon Santa fallen over on its side in someone's front yard?
A: Probably, but it certainly ranks high on the list. Especially if Santa is still lying
there in mid-February.
Q: Would you please write a humor column for my publication? We will pay you
handsomely.
A: I think we can work something out.
-----------
Thanks for stopping by my site! If you have any other questions, or just want to
say howdy, feel free to e-mail me.
| * Sometimes you just gotta ask your own FAQ's. |
| Visit Angie's Humor Blog: current event satire, spoof advice columns, and more |
| "I believe we just may have found the heir to Erma Bombeck in Angie Brennan's 'Dear Angie.' She brings to these mock advice columns a delightful blend of wit and absurdity rarely found in today's humorists." ---David Trumbull, chairman, Robert Benchley Society * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Angie Brennan is a laugh-out-loud author. She has been compared to my hometown's (Dayton, OH, USA) Erma Bombeck. I think it is a great comparison. Enjoy!" --Patti, Dayton, Ohio * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "When you have a perplexing question and need a smart-aleck answer, there's no one better to ask than Angie." --Tim Bete, Director, Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, author of "In the Beginning...There Were No Diapers" and "Guide to Pirate Parenting" |
_______________________________________________________________________
| C O P Y R I G H T 2 0 0 7 ANGIE BRENNAN, humor writer & illustrator |
| Angie Brennan is a freelance humor writer and illustrator. Her monthly humor column, "Banter from the Burbs," runs in Suburban Scene Magazine. Her publishing credits also include The Capital, Inside Annapolis, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, the National Post, and The Crofton News-Crier. Her spoof writing advice column, Ask Aunt Scriba, has appeared at Absolute Write. |
