Blog Tour: The Fart That Saved Christmas by Jacob Morningside

Author: Jacob Morningside
Publisher: Publish Green
Date of Publication: September 2012

The behind the scenes story of what really happened "The Night Before Christmas."

It's Christmas Eve. The reindeer go on strike with a list of demands for Santa, the elves and Mrs. Claus. Santa gets "loaded" and threatens to cancel Christmas, fire the deer and divorce Mrs. Claus. But, just when all seems lost, Christmas is saved by a timely fart.

The Holiday season can be a stressful time, especially for the adults.  Sometimes, you just need some comic relief to help you relax.  The Fart That Saved Christmas could be just the thing you need.  It's a very quick read and amusing for the most part.  While I wasn't blown away by the poem, I did find myself smiling in a few parts.  For me, the illustrations were what made the book.  They are well done and very amusing. This definitely isn't a book for the kiddos. So parents, keep it to yourselves.  Even if they can't read, the drawings may be a bit hard to explain.  

About the author:

Born into a body inhabited by multiple muse personalities, I create stories by stretching the "normal" beyond the boundaries of the absurd.  The result is a worm-hole ride to the Far Side.  I love a good story — so, I wrote one.  Enjoy it with my wishes for a happy holiday season.


Jacob Morningside's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fart-That-Saved-Christmas/136942536447992

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

The Fart That Saved Christmas blog tour site:
http://thefartthatsavedchristmas.blogspot.com/

iBookstore buy link ($4.99):
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-fart-that-saved-christmas/id560241061?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Guest Blog: Gena Showalter & Jill Monroe

Today, we welcome authors, Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe.  They are promoting their new book, Dating the Undead: Loving the Immortal Man.

Authors: Gena Showalter & Jill Monroe

Publisher: Harlequin

Date of Publication: January 2012

This unique guide to dating the undead is formatted just like your favorite magazine… with a paranormal edge. “Dating the Undead” includes tips for dating an immortal, beauty secrets to look eternally fresh, fun quizzes, recipes (including some killer cocktails), tons of photos, and plenty of other fun (and sometimes humorous) articles. The magazine also features ghoulish ads for brands like Coffin Klein, Vladimir’s Secret, G’Oréal, Rot Pockets, Jimmy Chew, Got Bludd?, and many others. Haven’t heard of these brands? Maybe your undead friends have.

“Dating the Undead” also features an exclusive excerpt from “The Darkest Seduction,” the first novel in Gena Showalter’s “Lord of the Underworld” series

My Thoughts:

I thought this guide was really neat.  Any fan of paranormal romance will want this volume in their collection. It reads just like your favorite woman's magazine without the subscription cards and perfume samples (Thank the gods!).  It's filled with advice on how to handle your undead lover or spouse.  It has fun fashion and beauty tips, a love quiz, and tons of photos of very drool worthy male beings.  I got a kick out of the ads that are littered throughout the book. Who wouldn't want to decorate their house with items from Cave and Coffin?   Gena and Jill have put together a really fun and informative book.  Definitely check it out or consider giving it as a gift to a friend who loves the paranormal!

Gena and Jill stopped by to share some romantic words of wisdom with us:

Admit it.  We’ve all craved a fling with an undead bad boy at some point or another.  And really, the undead have craved a fling with us LG’s (Living Girls)!  So, just how does a sexy vampire … or growl-worthy werewolf … or a naughty demon … or a video-game loving zombie … or a virtuous angel … or a smoking dragon shifter hook up with an LG?  We say: by using your mouth! (No, not THAT way).

Here are “The Hottest” ten phrases/words you can say to any immortal:

1.  You, me … bed?
2.  Let’s get naked!
3.  Please…
4.  Mmmmm…
5.  I’ve never wanted you more.
6.  NOW!
7.  Liiiick (You’ll need to act this one out!)
8.  Taste me…
9.  I’m such a dirty girl…
10. Oh, baby…YES! (What undead or mortal doesn't want to hear this word after taking off his shirt—OR PANTS!?)
 ,
And just in case that hottie immortal in your life is peeking over your shoulder, reading (and agreeing with) this list, here are a few things he can say to you:

1.  You’ve never looked thinner.
2.  Oh, honey, let me do that.
3.  Saw this, thought of you, and knew I had to buy it.
4.  I'll cook.
5.  You're right!

Because these hot words and phrases are sure to garner a little action between the sheets, be sure to check out Lotions and Potions and Scrubs - Oh, My! on page 24 of Dating The Undead for the latest techniques to Unzombifying (it's not what you're thinking!) and keeping your skin monstrously soft.

About the authors:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the acclaimed “Lords of the Underworld” series and more than thirty other books. She can most often be found walking around talking to the hot otherworldly guys in her head.

http://members.genashowalter.com/

Jill Monroe is the award-winning author of more than eight romance novels. She is convinced that every person she meets is more human, and spends most of her time trying to figure out if they’re werewolf, vampire, zombie – or, in her husband’s case, demon.

http://www.jillmonroe.com/

2 in 1: Humor for adults

Honey Badger Don't Care

Author: Randall

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Date of Publication: January 24, 2012

Sweet Jesus—a riotous wildlife book for adults! The mononymous Randall, narrator of the You Tube sensation (15 MILLION views) "The Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger," is the wild new voice of nature. In Honey Badger Don't Care™, Randall presents a dozen crazy, badass animals of the wild kingdom as only Randall could. Don't be stupid—buy this book! 

 To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect when I got this book to review.  I had never seen the You Tube video and didn't realize there was one until I did some investigation. I do like to broaden my literary horizons when I can so I decided to give it a shot.  I thought that this book would be a humorous look at various unlikeable and maybe a little unknown animals. Even though it does have some interesting facts, I didn't really care for the book.  I thought that the author's use of profanity was over done and unnecessary for the most part. It did nothing to add to the humor he was striving for.  This is definitely NOT a book for kids.  I would keep it to adults only.  I know there are some out there who will find this book amusing.  Unfortunately, I am not one of them.

Do you See What I See? A Collection of Photo-Hooliganism

Author: James Sallie

Publisher: Bookmasters

Date of Publication: August 2011

The book is an amalgamation of photography, humor and art. An expression of the creator's perception.  By means of carefully crafted imagery, the book explores precepts and corresponding perceptions; moreover, each image is a projected vision of an alternate reality of what would be normally considered as a natural scene. James refers to his technique of manipulating the original photographs he takes as Morphography, or in his street terms 'Photo-hooliganism.  James is a professional photographer and graphic designer and has blended these skills with a distinctive brand of subtlety, to create a unique twist on everyday situations.  The eclectic works combine to provide a new and interesting take on clichés, the puns and sayings of the titles compliment the images and trap the reader into having a longer, closer look of what each photograph provides. 'The objective of this collection of work is to raise a smile or provoke a deeper thought with the audience, to allow the viewer a moment of escape and to share the vision I had at a particular time.' 'To see what I saw' says James.  There are no boundaries for James and this is what makes the book full of creative genius.

I thought this looked like an interesting book when I read the synopsis.  I like books with funny photos. They can be a nice little break from the stresses of life.  Who doesn't like to have a good laugh, right? The author has taken photos and manipulated them with humorous drawings and images. Sometimes the changes are subtle puns and others are glaring and in your face jokes.  I found myself laughing at many of the pictures.  While it may not be everyone's type of humor, I think this one is worth leafing through.  As the authors warns in the beginning, this isn't for the kiddos as there is some nudity in it.  The preface is also worth reading.

2 in 1 - Fail Harder and Cat Vs. Human

I have 2 adult humor books published by Andrews McMeel Publishing for you today. Both are very quick reads and are guaranteed to make you laugh!

First up:

Fail Harder: Ridiculous Illustrations of Epic Fails

Author: failblog.org community
Publish date: September 6, 2011

FAIL Harder follows the hilarious best-seller Fail Nation to showcase 200 original full-color photos of world-wide FAILS based on the popular website failblog.org, the most visited member of the Cheezburger Network.

So what qualifies as a FAIL? How about a nursery outfitted with a gun rack hanging over the baby's crib? Perhaps the equation, "E=MC3" written on a classroom's write/erase board. What about a trifecta of beauty parlor, chain saw repair, and nightclub housed inside an all-in-one-stop shop?

Classic FAILs like these are presented in more than 15 different categories, including At Home, In A Relationship, On the Job, and With Your Pets.

If you must FAIL, FAIL Harder.

I have been reading failblog.org for a while now. When I saw the ad for the book, I knew I had to read it. This is a very quick book to get through as it is all photos. I read it in one sitting. Some of the "Fails" included in the books are hilarious and make you wonder if they are real or doctored photos. Even if they are, it doesn't make them any less funny. I definitely recommend this one if you are looking for a quick way to put a smile on your face. I will caution though, some of the content probably isn't appropriate for younger viewers. Especially some of the photos in the "FAIL Kids" section. But, since it is a quick read you should be able to preview it quickly before deciding if you want to pass it on to the kids.


Next:

Cat Vs. Human
Author: Yasmine Surovec
Published: October 4, 2011

Yasmine Surovec began sketching her clever and sarcastic Cat Versus Human cartoons as a way to relax and unwind. Soon, her popular blog at catversushuman.blogspot.com began receiving as many as 12,000 hits per day, with a number of posts going viral and appearing on popular Web sites such as The Huffington Post and I Can Has Cheezburger. Now, a selection of 100 Cat Versus Human strips—many never previously published—can be found inside this inaugural collection of Cat Versus Human.

Proud owners of Felis domesticus will instantly recognize Surovec's keen insights into cat behavior and all of the characteristic intricacies of the cat-human relationship, such as the allure of an empty cardboard box trumping an expensive battery-operated toy or how a cat's favorite nap spot might as easily be inside a litter box, on top of clean laundry, or directly on top of a human face. Cat Versus Human also encourages an affectionate look at your once-was-in-mint-condition mid-century modern sofa that is now being unstuffed one cat claw at a time.

I had never read this blog before finding this book. I have been a cat owner most of my life, so I can appreciate a lot of the humor in this book. I think there is even some room for dog lovers to appreciate it as well. My favorite strip in the book is "Dog + Humans vs Cat + human". Any cat owner can relate! This is another book that is pretty quick to read. I definitely recommend this one as well.

--Kari

*note: I read an complimentary copy of both books supplied courtesy of Andrews McMeel Publishing. I was not compensated in anyway for this review. By receiving a complimentary copy, I am in no way obligated to write a good or bad review. I am an honest reviewer and my reviews are based on my own opinion and only written by me. *

Go the F**k to Sleep

Author: Adam Mansbach
Illustrator: Ricardo Cortes
Publisher: OPen Road Media (Akashic Books) (June 2011)


Go the F**k to Sleep is a bedtime book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don’t always send a toddler sailing blissfully off to dreamland. Profane, affectionate, and radically honest, it captures the familiar—and unspoken—tribulations of putting your little angel down for the night. Beautiful, subversive, and pants-wettingly funny, Go the F**k to Sleep is a book for parents new, old, and expectant. You probably should not read it to your children.

When I read the description of this book on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it. Anyone who has children, has probably said these words to themselves at one point. As the mother of 2 children who resist sleep at every opportunity, I could relate to every page in this book! The book looks like a sweet little bedtime story, with beautiful illustrations. But what you get is a hilarious tale about a parent who wants their kid to sleep. This would make a great gift for a new parent with a sense of humor.

Recently, the book's release was celebrated at the New York Public Library. You can get a peek inside the event via Open Road Media's blog post here, which includes photographs of author Adam Mansbach, illustrator Ricardo Cortés, print publisher Johnny Temple, Paul Holdengråber from the NYPL, Judah Friedlander from 30 Rock, and links to more coverage around the web.

I definitely recommend this one if you want a laugh! But please, don't read it to your kids. This one is for the parents.

--Kari


* note: I read a complimentary copy of Go the F**k to Sleep supplied courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley. I was not compensated in anyway for this review. By receiving a complimentary copy, I am in no way obligated to write a good or bad review. I am an honest reviewer and my reviews are based on my own opinion and only written by me.*