Jeanette Levellie Shares Her Heart of Humor

Today's guest post comes to us courtesy of Jeanette Levellie. I met Jeanette through blogging; she is a sweet and talented author who has a knack for making readers laugh. Her latest book, The Heart of Humor offers a "...vacation from stress, worry, and global whining." I've read it and I must say, it does just that!. :) 

Jeanette has offered a paperback copy of The Heart of Humor to one of my followers, so check out the details below.

If Socks Could Talk 

By Jeanette Levellie

What is it with socks? Do you think they conspire to separate when we wash them? Perhaps as they come off the assembly line and their price tags are attached, they yell to each other, “See you the first week in November at the International Sock Reunion. This year we meet in St. Louis!”

For the first few months you own them, they behave, staying in tidy pairs from the hamper to the dryer. But soon the time approaches for their annual get-together with the friends they haven’t seen since birth. They start to strategize in the drawer at night. 

“Hey, Bernie, you drop on the floor when the guy throws you in the hamper from across the bedroom. You know how he likes to pretend he’s Michael Jordan. Scrunch behind the dresser where no one will find you. I’ll fall out of the lady’s hand when she tosses clothes into the washer. We’ll meet outside at ten tomorrow night and hitchhike to St. Louis. I can’t wait to see if one of those little French anklets with the purple lace around their cuffs shows up.” 

In the meantime the orphaned socks slump in the back of the bottom drawer, reading the novel Left Behind and wondering what they did wrong. A men’s trouser sock grumbles to an athletic, “They better find my mate soon; I haven’t been outta this drawer since last October. I just hope the sock police didn’t catch him. Their toe-jam torture nearly ruined my sister’s boy. I heard the black dress shoe telling its mate how he could hardly breathe after a day with my nephew.”

“I don’t believe you,” cries the athletic sock, huffing in disgust. “What kind of idiot do you think I am? Everyone knows shoes can’t talk!”  


© From My Heart to Yours: I love the story in the Bible about the talking donkey God used to rebuke a prophet gone astray. Makes me want to obey the Lord’s direction for my life, or He might decide to make one of my socks talk to me when I’ve wandered off His path.  Jen
 

Jeanette is a popular speaker, editor, and pastor's wife. Her hobbies include reading, gardening, traveling, and finding ways to avoid housework. She and her husband are parents to a son and a daughter, grandparents to three, and servants to four cats. 
  

Find her books on Amazon:  The Heart of Humor and Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top 

Visit her blog: Hope Splashes - Finding Gold in Life's Puddles



Giveaway Details 

Jeanette is giving away one paperback copy of The Heart of Humor. To enter, please note the following:  

1) Open to U.S. residents only  
2) Please leave your email address 
3) You must be a Google Friend Connect Follower of Write Now (on sidebar) 
4) Giveaway ends Friday, March 20 at noon Eastern Daylight Time 
5) Winner will be announced Monday, March 23

Congratulations to Jessica Haight, winner of last week's Amazon gift card giveaway!

Do your socks talk and tend to disappear? What's your "missing sock theory"?

Have a great week,

Karen

 

Interview with Jeanette Levellie

Please join me in welcoming Jeanette Levellie! Her latest book, The Heart of Humor was released last month. Jen's warmth and humor shine through everything she does, and her books are no exception. She's offering a giveaway, so check out the link at the end of the interview.

Welcome, Jeanette! It's great to have you visit. Congratulations on your newest book!                      

Thank you, Karen, it's great to be here!

What is The Heart of Humor about?

The Heart of Humor: Sixty Helpings of Hilarity to Nourish Your Soul is a hilarious journey of 45 short stories with titles like Quit Pinching my Fruit, Confessions of a Jailbird, Swimsuit Shopping Stress, and I Love My Hips. Nestled among the stories are comical drawings by a professional animator, articles, and lists revealing the superpowers of laughter such as Got Pain? Laugh it Away, Everybody Loves Dummies, and Ten Ways to Help Yourself Laugh, for a total of 60 short chapters. My goal is to give readers hours of amusement, scores of ideas to add laughter to their lives, and encouragement to trust a God with the sense of humor that gives a 90-year-old lady a baby.

Sounds great! I just started reading it and am enjoying it. This is your third book, isn't it?

Yes, it is the third book I’ve written, but the second book published. My first book is Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top,  My third book to be published, Shock the Clock: Task Management for Time-challenged Writers, will be available in the Spring of 2015.

Looking forward to Shock the Clock. I could use a little help in that department. :) Where do you find the inspiration for your books? 

All the stupid things I’ve done and the myriad ways God has rescued me give me constant inspiration. I also tell stories about my family, my pets, anything that amuses me—which is most everything. The worst mistake a Child of God can do is to take themselves too seriously. 

Yes and amen. I think we all do that at one time or another. Thanks so much for sharing with us, Jen. Wishing you continued blessings!

Thank you, Karen!



Enter Jeanette's giveaway here

Buy The Heart of Humor here

Visit Jeanette's website and blog here

Do you have any questions for Jeanette? Do you think humor is an important element in our writing?

Happy reading and writing,

Karen

Down Time

In recent weeks, I've shared posts on how to deal with distractions and how to increase our productivity. As always, you offered great insight in our discussions. I appreciate your varied perspectives!

In the post on productivity, I mentioned using snippets of time - previously unproductive pockets of time like waiting for a phone call, etc. to chip away at the to-do list. One of you mentioned that you often use that time to chill.

This is an excellent point. 

Having down time is just as important as productive time. If we go 24/7 (or nearly so) we are headed for burnout. And burnout is no fun. At all.

How do you spend your down time? For me, it can include a few quiet moments, vacation or day trip, exercise, time with family and friends, a good book or movie, shopping, and a restful night's sleep. Good old fashioned fresh air and sunshine works wonders, too.

I'm sure you'll agree, the benefits are priceless, reaping better relationships and quality of life. A rested, non stressed writer is more likely to see creativity and words flow, enjoying the process from start to finish.

A Giveaway

Helping Hands Press is giving away a Kindle Fire and an assortment of paperbacks, including a copy of my first book Homeschool Co-ops 101. To enter, use the Rafflecopter box in the sidebar on the HHP blog.

A Humorous Visitor

Please join me next Monday when I feature Jeanette Levellie's latest book, The Heart of Humor. Jeanette's first book, Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top is a winner, and I expect this one will be too!


Do you think down time is important? How do you rest and recharge? 

Happy writing,

Karen



Photo credit: Stock Exchange