Clean Humor

I love laughing. And things that make me laugh. And things that make me laugh later when I think about them again. So any story that’ll bring a chuckle to my lips is one I’m keen on.

But to be honest, I’ve had a difficult time finding “clean humor.” I’m a Christian and I like to keep unsavory thoughts and words and images out of my mind, even while indulging in a pastime.

Now I’m also not an ascetic puritan who balks at each and every little hint of immorality. (Anyone who’s read the Bible knows it’s rife with the unmentionable!) And I am capable of enjoying a book that includes an occasional f-bomb or gratuitous content. But those aren’t what I’d consider my ideal read.

Which brings me back to my conundrum—clean humor is elusive. It’s not that it doesn’t exist, but it gets mixed in and mingled with and mangled by books with less scruples, so discovering such a thing is a real challenge, like finding a hoard of treasures buried in a field.

As a writer of fiction which is largely read by Christians, I am empirically aware that I must not hold a double-standard. That is, if it’s something I’d prefer not to read, then I, likewise, must not write it. Which brings me to my latest novel, The Improbable Existence of Life After Divorce.

First off, let me just say what a refreshing breath of air it was to write something funny. If you’ve read my first four book, collectively The River Series, then you’re aware the keywords to describe them would include: sad, depressing, melancholy. I love it, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

(P.S. I loved writing my kids book, Rupert of Calloway: The Good King! It’s such a fun adventure story, and I’ve received the most enthusiastic reviews from my little fans.)

When the idea for TIE of LAD came along, one character’s voice stuck out above the others—meet Professor Stem Bik, an Aussie physicist and arguably the snarkiest character I’ve ever written. I knew if a scene I was writing grew too serious for even him to crack a joke then I’d taken the writing down the wrong path. I backtracked and rewrote until he’d brought humor to even the most somber situation.

But writing him was tricky because he’s got a potty mouth. It’s a flaw he’s recognized in himself and he’s working on it. Substituting colorful euphemisms for crass verbiage was not just my idea—it was something Stem himself dictated (both literally and metaphorically).

That tidied up the word choice. All that was left were a few minor sticky situations when gratuitous content could’ve found its way into the novel. But I nixed and naughted those down until they, too, were tamed.

So, do I consider The Improbable Existence of Life After Divorce a clean, humorous read? Absolutely!

And could an ascetic puritan find fault in it? Abso-bloody-lutely!

Do you have any clean, humorous reads to recommend? Please share them in the comments below!