This week I’m participating in a virtual blog tour. I was asked to join this tour by one of my favorite bloggers, the HI-larious Parri Sontag of Her Royal Thighness. She is one of the most talented writers I know, and she’s an incredibly nice person and supportive blogger to boot. She also regularly reads and comments on my blog—so that might make her my favorite person ever. (Just kidding, my dear husband. That’s you.*) Make sure you read Parri’s posts: Oh Crap. I Forgot to Diet for Swimsuit Season! and The Day Barbie Decided Ken Wasn’t Her Cup of Chai.

So this is how this tour works. I’m going to make some smart-ass remarks answer some questions about myself so you can learn more about me. And then I’ll introduce you to three other bloggers so you can learn more about them as well.

What Am I Working On?
Aside from parenting my kids (and my husband) and constantly working on material for my blog, I am thisclose to completing a solid draft of my first book. It’s very different from the blog—a much more serious topic (laced with dark humor because I can’t escape that). Those three things—family, blog, book—take up most of my time. Maybe a better question is: what am I NOT working on? I am not working on things like laundry, cleaning, gardening, exercise, bills…

How Does My Work Differ from Others of its Genre?
I’m not sure I’m that terribly different from other humor bloggers, although I may be more irreverent and inappropriate than a lot of them. I love to laugh at anything and everything, and my range is pretty wide. One moment I could be making a lowbrow dirty joke; the next I could be comparing my son’s obsession of peanut butter toast with Marcel Proust’s “episode of the madeleine.” Like many bloggers who are parents, I find some of my best comic material in my kids—and I might even make fun of them. In fairness, I make fun of just about everything—including myself. Parri once told me that she loves my “acerbic wit” so yeah, that too. ‘Cuz that sounds smart and shit.

Why Do I Write/Create What I Do?
I was always the kid in the classroom cracking some sort of joke (or thinking it and writing it down because I didn’t want to get into trouble). That extended into my professional life wherein I pissed off entertained a lot of people during meetings. I’ve got journals full of poetry and stories (some of which I really should burn before the kids find them.) It sounds like a cliché, but I write because I have to—much like musicians need to make music and chefs need to create culinary masterpieces. The blog provides me with an outlet for all of the random ridiculousness going on around me. And the book is allowing me to examine a certain chapter of my life. I can’t not write it. I won’t be settled until it’s written.

Foxy, AKA Kelly Fox, is a pen name or my alter-ego. I liken Foxy to my monkey puppet. She’s saying what I’m thinking. Okay, fine. I’m saying it too. But I really want a monkey puppet.

How Does Your Writing/Creating Process Work?
Like most writers, I’m constantly jotting down notes wherever I go. I’ve got all sorts of random emails to myself, notes on my phone, post-it notes on my computer, and a document called “Story Ideas.” Everyday, I sit in my office (our breakfast room) and just start writing. Some days I’ll have a story that I was writing in my head in the shower or while dropping the kids off at school—those come out pretty easily. Some days I just have to power through and force myself to write. I write until I have a draft I’m happy with. And then I let it sit and marinate for a day or so. I’ll generally come back and tidy up and add a couple more jokes. My fabulous, smart, funny, handsome husband also reviews and edits just about everything I write. He’s amazing.**

The tricky part for me is going between the blog and the book. The blog is (hopefully) funny, and the book is much more serious. I have to schedule blocks of time for each. And sometimes I have to get myself “in the mood.” I have specific music (currently Mat Kearney’s City of Black & White and Iron & Wine’s Around the Well) that helps me get in the mood for writing the book. I can also immerse myself in a memory to help get me ready. But, honestly, there’s no real magic to it. I just force myself to write every day. Eventually something comes out.

Introducing Three Bloggers Whom I Adore

Tom Ciomcia from Daddy Anarchy
Tom is anything but your typical dad blogger. Although quite the capable parent, he basks in some of the age old “Mr. Mom” stereotypes and is always quick to add that great family memories are more often born from being a goofy dad instead of complaining about a lack of changing tables in men’s restrooms. Tom has been a featured contributor to both Life of Dad and BLUNTmoms and is a 2014 Badass Blog nominee. When he’s not writing something, he can typically be found agitating his wife or teasing his kids. Some of my favorites of his include: My House, The Warzone and Freeballing, Juice Boxes & Boogers (or…6 Things I Learned From My 3 Year Old).

Jennifer Hicks from Real Life Parenting
Usually humorous, occasionally serious, sometimes on a rant—but always real. Jennifer is just trying to not ruin her two teens while she treks through this adventure of Real Life Parenting. She writes about the good, the bad, the ugly and sometimes the very funny on her blog. She was the Blogger Idol 2013 runner-up, has been featured on BonBon Break, Mamapedia, and Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. Jennifer is also a contributing author in the book The HerStories Project: Women Share the Joy, Pain, and Power of Female Friendship. Two of my favorite posts by Jennifer are Dear Mom on the iPhone: You’re Doing Fine and You Might Be an Asshat if You Think People With Food Allergies Are Ruining Your Life.

Jessica McNeill Azar from Herd Management
Jessica is a happily married SAHM to four kids ages 7, 6, 4 and 2, whom she affectionately refers to as “The Herd.” She writes about their adventures and misadventures, as well as her experiences as a Mom living with Bipolar Disorder, when she actually has time to sit down. Jessica has been featured on websites such as Mamapedia and BLUNTmoms. As a writer and Mental Health Advocate, Jessica is co-authoring an anthology which will be called Laughter is the Best Medicine: Using Humor to Survive Mental Illness. When she’s not wrangling kids, writing or smooching her husband, Jessica enjoys running and drinking single malt Scotch in the evenings. Slàinte! Be sure to read Four Theories on the Fate of Missing Sippy Cups and The Worst Dirty Diaper Explosion EVER.

 

*Sarah
**I’m not going to be a smart-ass here. He really is amazing.

 

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