Charlie was the black sheep of a prominent Tampa family. By the 1930s, his criminal empire covered most of Florida, reaching into the governor’s mansion in Tallahassee and the office of a U.S. Senator in D.C. Sicilian mobsters, jealous of his wealth and power, tried four times to kill him. They succeeded in 1955, when Charlie was found dead in his Ybor City home, his throat slashed. That murder was never solved.

In my fictional account, Charlie survives that attack. While the real Charlie was born in 1880. I moved his birthday to 1900 and set the book in 1985. Here’s the book pitch: 

It’s 1985 and Ronald Armstrong, known in the magic mushroom trade as “Trip,” takes a “sober” job as a driver for a retired Tampa mobster.  His boss, Charlie Wall, has survived four attempts on his life, the last one in 1955. When Charlie falls into depression, Trip rebuilds his boss’ self-esteem by convincing him people still want him dead. What neither of them know is that an aging hit man has decided to finish the job he botched 30 years earlier.

The Everlasting Life of Charlie Wall includes Charlie’s first-person account of his life of crime and the loss of the woman he loves.  Three strong and determined women, Katrina Carey, Ava Corral and Angie Castellano, are also key characters. Everlasting Life is both a love story and a mafia adventure, brimming with humor and heart.

THE EVERLASTING LIFE OF CHARLIE WALL
MOBSTERS, MURDERS, MUSHROOMS
COMING APRIL 15
From St Petersburg Press!

What they’re saying about the new book:

“Paul Wilborn’s The Everlasting Life of Charlie Wall melds richly drawn characters with an engaging premise – what if infamous Tampa mobster Charlie Wall survived his 1955 hit and lived into the gritty Tampa of the 1980s? Drawing on the City’s unique underworld history and blending it with his own experiences, Paul crafts a story that is as much about relationships and the passage of time as it is about gangsters. A wonderful read.”

• Scott M. Deitche, author Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld

“Charlie Wall has always been one of my favorite Tampa figures. With his privileged roots, he could have ruled Tampa from a castle—but chose the underworld instead. I’d always wondered what it would feel like to sit across from him, share a drink, and hear his story. Paul Wilborn brings that fantasy to life by crafting a relatable, human Charlie Wall. This isn’t the Charlie Wall from history books. This is Charlie Wall, resurrected and roaming his hometown decades after his real-life assassination.”

• Paul Guzzo, author of The Dark Side of Sunshine and writer/director of the documentary The Ghosts of Ybor City: Charlie Wall

“Paul Wilborn is Tampa’s greatest chronicler and in this imaginative novel he uses a colorful gangster as a way to tell the history of the city. It’s a wild ride from start to finish!”

• Craig Pittman, author of the bestseller Oh, Florida! and the award-winning Cat Tale, and co-host of the podcast ‘Welcome to Florida’

I included this “Moment of Groucho” in a previous email, but it is so appropriate for the current political environment,  I’m bringing it back: 

The post Meet Tampa’s original mob kingpin… The late great Charlie Wall! appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

Join us Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 6:30 to 8:30. Eugenie Bondurant, star of The Conjuring and the Hunger Games, will read a full story from the book. On story breaks, enjoy music by Paul’s band, Front Porch Picnic, featuring Atlanta Rhythm Section veteran, Robin Sibucao, plus Sher Sibucao. Music stars Nate Najar, Daniela Soledade, and Jeremy Carter will also perform.

Cigar City, the first book published by St. Petersburg Press, won the fiction gold medal in the 2019 Florida Book Awards. The book’s marketing was cut short by the pandemic in 2020.

“We learned about the award early in 2020 and quickly put together a much-improved “Gold Medal” edition that was released in March of 2020. I was working on a state-wide marketing push when the world shut down,” Wilborn said.

The anniversary has been celebrated with talks and music events on both sides of Tampa Bay.

Cigar City is a collection of linked short stories about the young artists, writers, poets, musicians and actors who inhabited Tampa’s Ybor City in the 1980s. Drawn by urban authenticity and cheap rents, they created a surreal, chaotic, arts scene set against the backdrop of the empty cigar factories and shotgun shacks of Tampa’s immigrant past. The Ybor scene drew international artists like James Rosenquist and mirrored what was happening in New York’s East Village.

And please support Tombolo Books, St. Pete’s great local bookstore, by buying Cigar City and my novel, Florida Hustle, directly from them. If you can’t visit the store, they are happy to ship the books to you.

Here are the links for purchasing your books through Tombolo:

Cigar City: https://wilbornwrites.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ab9101b153db0bf3dea0edc7&id=3f46bd6c2b&e=a143f34d3b

Florida Hustle: https://tombolobooks.com/browse/filter/t/Florida%20Hustle/k/keyword

Tombolo event details:
Tuesday, Nov. 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Tombolo Books patio, 2153 1st. Ave. S. Saint Petersburg. Songs and a story, featuring Eugenie Bondurant reading a complete story from the book and live music by Wilborn and his band, Front Porch Picnic, plus special guests, at each story break.

Always remember: Paul doesn’t want to buy your house for cash!!

The post A reading from Cigar City by Eugenie Bondurant, music by Paul’s band, plus special guests, and it’s free! appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

Due to the double whammy of hurricanes a few of my October book events have been rescheduled into November.

Cigar City, the first book published by St. Petersburg Press, won the fiction gold medal in the 2019 Florida Book Awards. The book’s marketing was cut short by the pandemic in 2020.

“We learned about the award early in 2020 and quickly put together a much-improved “Gold Medal” edition that was released in March of 2020. I was working on a state-wide marketing push when the world shut down,” Wilborn said.

Now, at five, the book is getting a new life. Along with talks and readings, selected appearances include live music by Paul’s four-piece group, and the reading of a full story by the actor, Eugenie Bondurant.

The tour started with appearances at the Ybor City Book Festival in April and Tempus Projects in August.

Cigar City is a collection of linked short stories about the young artists, writers, poets, musicians, and actors who inhabited Tampa’s Ybor City in the 1980s. Drawn by urban authenticity and cheap rents, they created a surreal, chaotic, arts scene set against the backdrop of the empty cigar factories and shotgun shacks of Tampa’s immigrant past. The Ybor scene drew international artists like James Rosenquist and mirrored what was happening in New York’s East Village.

Upcoming appearances:

• Sunday, Nov. 10, Time 3 p.m., New Tampa Performing Arts Center, 8550 Hunters Village Rd, Tampa. Songs and a story, featuring Eugenie Bondurant reading a complete story from the book and live music by Wilborn and his band, Front Porch Picnic, plus special musical guests, at each story break.
• Thursday, Nov. 14, 5 to 6:30 at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, 1630 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City. Wilborn will do a talk about the book and Ybor City in the ‘80s and ‘90s, with readings by Wilborn and Eugenie Bondurant. For information: fmopa.org.
• Tuesday, Nov. 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Tombolo Books patio, 2153 1st. Ave. S. Saint Petersburg. Songs and a story, featuring Eugenie Bondurant reading a complete story from the book and live music by Wilborn and his band, Front Porch Picnic, plus special guests, at each story break.

Get Your Halloween Scream on with these scary Eugenie Bondurant films:

While not all my wife’s films are scary, she’s got plenty of horror and thriller work in her catalogue. Here’s my recommendations for your Hallow-Streaming:

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – Eugenie in her biggest role ever, as the evil Occultist putting a spell on just about everyone, including Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. Available on Max, or for rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Marvel’s Werewolf By Night – Eugenie as a professional monster killer in his campy, scary and often hilarious black and white film from 2022, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Laura Donnelly and our pal, Harriet Harris. Streaming on Disney Plus.

Fear of Rain – She’s the scary next-door-neighbor in his psychological thriller with Harry Connick Jr., Katherine Heigel, Madison Iseman, and Israel Broussard. Check Hulu or rent is on Apple TV, YouTube, and it is free with ads on Tubi TV.

AND, OF COURSE, The Hunger Games – Mockingjay 2 – Eugenie in her breakthrough role as Tigris in this finale to the original series. It’s streaming on Apple TV, YouTube and others.

There’s a new book coming in 2025!
I’m doing the final edits and revisions on a brand new novel. Still untitled, it is fact-based fantasy about a famous Tampa mobster who has outlived all his enemies — except one! The book is filled with humor, history and more than a little old-school gunplay!

Stay tuned for more news about this project!

And finally, your moment of Groucho:

Always remember: Paul doesn’t want to buy your house for cash!!

The post Cigar City book talks and live music events moved to new dates in November appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

• Wednesday, Oct. 2, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Book and Bottle, 17 Sixth Street N., Downtown Saint Petersburg. Wilborn is the special guest at Author Happy Hour, selling and signing copies of Cigar City.
  
  
• Thursday, Oct. 10, 5 to 6:30 at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, 1630 E. 7^th Ave., Ybor City. Wilborn will do a talk about the book and Ybor City in the ‘80s and ‘90s, with readings by Wilborn and Eugenie Bondurant. For information: fmopa.org.
  
  

• Tuesday, Oct. 22, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Tombolo Books patio, 2153 1st. Ave. S. Saint Petersburg. Songs and a story, featuring Eugenie Bondurant reading a complete story from the book and live music by Wilborn and his band, Front Porch Picnic, at each story break.
  
  

• Sunday, Nov. 10, Time 3 p.m., New Tampa Performing Arts Center, 8550 Hunters Village Rd, Tampa. Songs and a story, featuring Eugenie Bondurant reading a complete story from the book and live music by Wilborn and his band, Front Porch Picnic, at each story break.
  
  

What’s up with my famous wife?

Eugenie Bondurant was just on the red carpet at the Deauville Film Festival in Normandy (That’s France, BTW!) for her new film, School Duel. It’s an indie film shot in Florida. Her friends at Balenciaga sent a dress, a purse and shoes! And best of all, School Duel won one of the top prizes at the festival!

And finally, your moment of Groucho:

Always remember: Paul doesn’t want to buy your house for cash!!

The post Paul Wilborn celebrates the fifth anniversary of his award-winning story collection – Cigar City – with multiple appearances! appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

At breakfast on a recent Saturday, I sat in front of my three devices ready to dive into news, sports, and emails, when NOTHING HAPPENED.

Across the table, my wife was staring into her laptop and glancing at her iPad and her iPhone. NOTHING!

OUR WIFI WAS DOWN!!

In a panic, we rebooted our system, but the lights on our EERO internet booster stayed RED.

It was a busy morning and we didn’t have three extra hours to call Spectrum, our provider, so we ventured out into what we soon discovered was a world (okay, maybe just our part of it) without the Internet. The wifi was down all over the Bay Area.

What followed was amazing. We talked to people, mostly about the internet being down, but conversations continued from there.

I met and made small talk with people in coffee shops that I’d seen for months, but we’d always had our heads focused on our screens.

And surprisingly, even without the internet, the world did not come to an end.

In fact, it was kind of liberating!

Of course, the next morning the lights were green and I jumped feet-first back into the murky but familiar depths of the web. But my one day of liberation made it clear that I’m just another galley slave, chained to my devices, pulling on the giant oars that power the good ship Cyberspace, as it floats atop a surging sea of zeros and ones.

2. Happy 5th birthday, Cigar City

I released my first book – Cigar City: Tales From a 1980s Creative Ghetto — in the summer of 2019 and the collection of fictional short stories based on my days in Ybor City arts district made a lot of friends. The Tampa Bay Times featured the review on the cover of the Sunday arts section, with an excerpt inside. Reviews were good and so were the crowds at my book talks.
 
Then, at the end of the year, I got the best news of all, The Florida Book Awards gave Cigar City the fiction gold medal. I was invited to Tallahassee in the spring of 2020 for the awards ceremony.
 
My book was the first one published by St. Petersburg Press and it showed, there were some errors, the pictures that illustrated each fictional story were too small and the type was not consistent. So we reworked the book and released the “Gold Medal” edition in March of 2020. If you remember anything about the pandemic year, you likely know that March of 2020 is when the world shut down. I did no more book talks. There was no awards banquet in Tallahassee.
 
But the book continues to have fans and I’m celebrating its fifth birthday this year with lots of public readings and other events. I started with a “sold-out” show at freeFall Theater, with songs and my talented wife, Eugenie, reading the short story “The Understudy.” I celebrated in April with Bookends, an Ybor bookseller. There are dates coming up in August at Tempus Projects, in October at the Museum of Photographic Arts, and in November at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center, with more to come.
 
I’ll be announcing dates and times here.
 
For now, enjoy this excerpt from Cigar City:

Red Letter

 The cap should have been the easiest part – a patch of dark cotton attached to narrow straps that hung from each side, so you could tie it below your chin.
 
The dress and underskirts had been easier.  The heavy cotton hung well and didn’t fight the needle. The Puritans spurned buttons, preferring string and simple bows, perfect for her needs. One strong pull and the entire bodice opened up.
 
But there were no patterns for the cap. And it had to fit her head just right – enough to hide her thick blonde hair, but not mash it so badly that it was matted when she yanked off the cap, swung it over her head a few times, and then let it fly.
 
Two failures taunted her from the trashcan next to the sewing machine. Paige could stay calm during major catastrophes, but wasting fabric put her in a foul mood. Time to take a break. She’d been at it for over an hour and her fingers were sore, her back starting to stiffen. Besides, Pearl would be up soon, playing her Charlie Brown Christmas record at full volume on this warm May morning, and demanding toasted Cuban bread wet with melted butter.
 
Paige stretched, her long torso arched, her arms skyward, not sure if she was hearing the muted snap of her vertebrae or just feeling them clunking into place like ungreased gears. That’s when the tiny brass bells looped along a leather cord – her improvised doorbell – begin to jingle.
 
The young woman on the sidewalk could have stepped off a cigar box label: a pale, milkmaid face; a cotton sundress revealing a sliver of cleavage; shoulder-length black curls rustled by a soft breeze and haloed by the morning sun. For an instant, Paige thought a celestial creature had fallen to earth outside her house. She decided she was just dizzy from the stretch.
 
“Are you Hester?” asked the woman, pointing to the sign by the door written in an “Olde English” script – Hester Prynne, Sewing and Alterations.
 
Paige stood mute, her brain searching for words that didn’t come.
 
The Hester sign had been a joke – mostly.  After she restored the building in Ybor City, a place just outside the Abrams’ “250-mile exclusion zone,” Paige thought of Hester, exiled to the outskirts of her city and trying to support her child doing sewing jobs.  So far, Paige’s only customers were drag queens from El Goya, the gay nightclub around the corner, and they apparently didn’t get the joke.
 
Angel, the show’s elfish choreographer, had arrived first, holding a rhinestoned Cher pantsuit that needed a hem. He returned the next day with a form-fitting Diana Ross gown with a busted zipper – “Our Diana has to step away from the black beans and rice or switch to Rosemary Clooney.” Next came one of the stars, Maria von Tramp, long and lean, dressed down for daytime in faded denim and a Talking Heads T-shirt, the only giveaway to her diva status a light coating of foundation, pale pink lipstick, a silk scarf-wrapped Grace Kelly-like around her blond curls, and a $15 Chanel purse from the open-air market on North Boulevard.
 
“We’re doing The Sound of Muzak,” Maria whispered, in a feminine baritone. “Got any ideas?”
 
After Paige delivered a breakaway nun’s habit, she became the unofficial costumer of the El Goya drag show.
 
But today’s customer didn’t need makeup or costumes to pass as female. She was clearly the real thing.
 
“Hope I didn’t screw the pooch,” the milkmaid said.  “I’m so ding-y sometimes. Am I in the right place?  Sewing? Alterations?”
 
She lifted a canvas bag; the scalloped edges of skirts pushed out between the straps, a bouquet of silk and satin.
 
 “Yes. Sewing,” Paige stammered.
 
“And you’re Hester? Like in the book?”
 
“Sort of. Sorry. It’s kind of a…”
 
Paige stammered, trying to think. Even now, after all that had happened, hearing those tiny bells jingling reminded her she was still expecting something. She just wasn’t sure what it was.
 
There was no way to explain all that to this beautiful stranger, so she just said: “I’m Paige. Paige Young. The Hester thing…it’s kind of an inside joke.”
 
In high school, when her parents’ domestic thunderstorms rolled through, Paige would retreat to her bedroom, sharing a single mattress with heroines of the tragic variety – Madame Bovary, Lady Chatterley, Dr. Zhivago’s Lara, and Hester. Reading Hawthorne’s tale during her junior year at Coral Gables High she couldn’t imagine a world like Hester’s. Just one year later, with a baby growing inside her, she could picture herself on a plank platform before jeering neighbors, cradling her illicit infant, a large red “A” covering her milk-swollen breasts.

3. What’s up with my famous wife?

Look for Eugenie Bondurant (@eugbondurant for you Instagram folks) in small but very fun roles in two comedies this summer.
 
Out now is Popular Theory, written and directed by Allie Scher, a Tampa native, now flourishing in Los Angeles. Eugenie plays a “Karen” type customer in a very low-rent hair salon run by Cheryl Hines (Larry’s wife in Curb Your Enthusiasm).
 
She also appears in Summer Camp, along with a half-dozen big-name stars, including Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, and Eugene Levy.  Summer Camp was written and directed by Castille Landon, who gave Eugenie a lead role in her earlier film, Fear Of Rain, alongside Harry Connick Jr. This role is smaller, but the producers wanted Eugenie to be part of it. She and her sister, Marcelle, both former summer campers, stayed in cabins at Camp Pinnacle, outside Hendersonville, N.C., and Marcelle worked a bit as an extra.

4. What I’m listening to: 

I was lucky enough to catch a sweet set by Waxahatchee, aka Katie Crutchfield,  during her stop at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg. She’s got a bit of Lucinda Williams in her songs and delivery. She’s also got an elastic and melodic voice and a great stage band.

She’s touring in support of her new album, Tiger’s Blood, but if you’re just starting out with Waxahatchee I recommend the previous one, St. Cloud.

5. What I’m reading right now

6. And finally, your moment of Groucho:

Always remember: Paul does not
want to buy your house for cash!!

The post Losing my connection, celebrating an anniversary, and other May Daze! appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

I like my fiction to tell human stories that are both touching and comic. I think life is a lot like that.

I didn’t set out to be a writer of Comedy Fiction but apparently, that’s a big part of what I do. And the publishing world likes to find boxes for writers, so I guess being a funny fiction writer is my box.

But there’s not just one kind of comic fiction. As I discovered, there are various themes, styles and subgenres. So you might want to find a category you like best.

Many of the reviewers say my book, Florida Hustle, falls into the subgenre of dark humor or dark comedy; I’m not sure I entirely agree, but I’m happy people find the book humorous. I just set out to write a good book.

If you want to know more about Comedy Fiction, keep reading:

Dark Comedy

When it comes to some controversial subjects, writers often use ‘dark comedy’ or ‘dark humor’ to engage the readers. Humor is a way to critique the societal norms and odd behaviors of people and groups, and to skewer some of the absurdities of our world in an entertaining way.

You’re at my site, so let’s start with my book, Florida Hustle, which falls in the category of ‘dark comedy’.

Florida Hustle by Paul Willborn

Florida Hustle is my book, and I’m overwhelmed by the response from readers and critics. The book earned a “star” from Kirkus and was named one of the “100 Best Indie Books” of the year.

I don’t write jokes. What I find is when I put my characters in motion, they tend to do funny things – not intentionally, of course.  There were also some worlds I wanted to have some fun with – like the B-horror movies of the 1980s, and the cult like methods used by pyramid marketing companies, and the people who are sure they can “get rich quick.”

I blended themes of fiction, humor, and history to craft the inspiring story of a young filmmaker, Michael Donnelly. He has two obsessions: the 1960s horror movies made by Mario Bava, and a teenage scream queen, Dawn Karston, star of a string of Friday the 13^th slasher knockoffs.  

Michael, who shares a Palm Beach mansion with his defense contractor father, believes Dawn deserves better material and that he is just the man for the job. But obsession, like filmmaking, is a risky business. To Dawn and her LA manager, Michael’s comic book storyboards, rendered in blood-red ink and mailed to the actor’s home address, look more like death threats than movie pitches.

With Dawn’s new project, Swamp Fiend 2, about to shoot in the Florida Everglades—just an hour from Michael’s house—the producers convince Michael’s family that something must be done. When Michael gets wind of a plan to lock him up at a plush retreat for the rich and deranged, he flees to a sketchy motel in West Palm Beach. There, he enlists an aging con man and his fiercely ambitious teenage girlfriend to help him reach the set of Swamp Fiend 2. Michael doesn’t realize his new partners see him as an opportunity to satisfy their own “get rich quick” obsessions.

Florida Hustle is set in 1982 when America was led by a celebrity president, when the phenomenal success of Friday the 13th helped spawn a string of slasher-film copycats, and when Florida was morphing from a low-rent vacationland into a mega-state famous for sprawling theme parks, bizarre crimes, and a flourishing B-movie industry.

Must Read Blog on: What is Humorous Fiction? Recommended Best Humorous Fiction Books

Historical Comedy Fiction

Basically, historical comedy fiction is a way to combine elements of history and comedy to offer entertaining narratives to readers. Set in the early 1980s, Florida Hustle, also qualifies as historical comedy.

But my favorite example is this one:

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author, Amor Towles, you get the tale of a man who is ordered to spend all his life in a hotel room. Set soon after the Soviet Revolution in 1922, Amor takes you in the world of Count Alexander Rostov, an unrepentant Russian aristocrat, who is sentenced to house arrest. This novel is brimmed with unbelievable aspects in terms of humor, beautifully rendered scenes, and a very glittering cast of characters.

Romantic Comedy

For those who enjoy reading romantic novels with a touch of comedic elements, rom-coms are best to endure because this subgenre is one of the most popular among all, mainly for the readers. It is based on very light-hearted and silly plots centered on romantic ideas.

The Comfort Food Café by Debbie Johnson

The story starts with Maxine Connolly’s teenage daughter, Sophie, who has also applied for a job at the Comfort Food Café on her mother’s behalf. There, she meets Max. Being a romantic comedy, they fall in love. Things happen. Enjoy.

Final Words

As a writer, I enjoy these comic subgenres because each of them has its own special features and eccentric details. You can’t go wrong with any of these suggestions, and I think you’ll find comedy helps tell a serious story.

Happy reading!

The post What are the Subgenres of Comedy Fiction: Example Books of Each appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

I’m actually proud to be considered part of that genre. At its best, historical fiction not only explores and illuminates the past, it provides a reflection on the times we live in now.

I also love listening to audiobooks of historical fiction. And I’m thrilled about how my novel, Florida Hustle, translated into audio, thanks to two great readers.

Below, I’m offering a list of top historical fiction audiobooks that can fuel your imagination and transport you through time.

Florida Hustle by Paul Wilborn, Narrated By Dan Levy & Abigail Reno

Since it’s my blog, why not start with my own book? After all, it earned a coveted “starred review” from Kirkus, and the well-respected review site also named Florida Hustle one of the “100 Best Indie Books” of the year.

I blended themes of fiction, humor, and history to craft the inspiring story of a young filmmaker, Michael Donnelly. He has two obsessions: the 1960s horror movies made by Mario Bava and 1980s vahas two obsessions: one from 1960 horror movies, while another is a teenage scream queen, Dawn Karston, star of a string of Friday the 13^th slasher knockoffs.  

Michael, who shares a Palm Beach mansion with his defense contractor father, believes Dawn deserves better material and that he is just the man for the job. But obsession, like film-making, is a risky business. To Dawn and her LA manager, Michael’s comic book storyboards, rendered in blood-red ink and mailed to the actor’s home address, look more like death threats than movie pitches.

With Dawn’s new project, Swamp Fiend 2, about to shoot in the Florida Everglades—just an hour from Michael’s house—the producers convince Michael’s family that something must be done. When Michael gets wind of a plan to lock him up at a plush retreat for the rich and deranged, he flees to a sketchy motel in West Palm Beach. There, he enlists an aging con man and his fiercely ambitious teenage girlfriend to help him reach the set of Swamp Fiend 2. Michael doesn’t realize his new partners see him as an opportunity to satisfy their own obsessions.

Florida Hustle is set in 1982 when America was led by a celebrity president, when the phenomenal success of Friday the 13th helped spawn a string of slasher-film copycats, and when Florida was morphing from a low-rent vacation land into a mega-state famous for sprawling theme parks, bizarre crimes, and a flourishing B-movie industry.

The Romanov Legacy by Jenni Witz, narrated by Vanessa Moyen

Step into the fascinating world of imperial Russia in this novel, a complex web of mysteries, conspiracies and twists and turns. The main character, Natalie Brandom, suffers from schizophrenia, hallucinations and torture. Then, a spy kidnaps her for her treasure. And that’s just the beginning!

Blood And Beauty by Sarah Dunant, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

By the end of the fifteenth century, the beauty and creativity of Italy is matched only by its brutality and corruption. When Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia buys his way into the papacy, he is defined not just by his wealth, charisma and power, but by his blood: a Spanish Pope in a city run by Italians. If he is to succeed, he must use his Machiavellian son and innocent daughter.

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, narrated by Jennifer Lim

The Island of Sea Women is a 2019 historical novel written by American author Lisa See. Set on the Korean island of Jeju, the novel tells the story of a friendship between Mi-ja, the daughter of a Japanese collaborator, and Young-Sook, the heir apparent in a family of haenyeo.

The Queen’s Secret by Karen Harper, narrated by Bianca Amato

In this audio novel, listeners are transported to 1939 Buckingham Palace. It’s all about the mother queen, Elizabeth, wife of King George VI, who stunned everyone with her supreme power and courage. She smartly hides damaging secrets from her past and plays powerful cards. Karen Harper inspiringly illustrated the royal secrets and unveiled the hidden truth behind the most dangerous chapters of history.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

This novel focuses on three very different women who come together to help the British solve the codes that the Germans have been sending back and forth to their troops, leaders, etc. This novel isn’t short, at 656 pages, but Saskia’s narration will make you feel like you are actually present in that time of chaos and tension.

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline, narrated by Caroline Lee

A powerful, emotionally resonant novel that captures the hardship, oppression, opportunity and hope of four women’s lives—three English convicts and an orphaned Aboriginal girl—in nineteenth-century Australia.

The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister, narrated by Justine Eyre

A dozen women join a secret 1850s Arctic expedition—and a sensational murder trial unfolds when some of them don’t come back.Eccentric Lady Jane Franklin makes an outlandish offer to adventurer Virginia Reeve: take a dozen women, trek into the Arctic, and find her husband’s lost expedition.

The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett, narrated by Jane Copland

After an event at Windsor castle, one of the guests is discovered dead. The queen is disappointed by the police’s line of enquiry so takes matters into her own hands to solve the case – and her secretary soon discovers, it’s not the first time she’s done such a thing. Copeland expertly conveys the charm, wit, and nuance of Elizabeth’s voice.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, narrated by Julia Whelan

One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance. In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life.

Conclusion

Don’t stop by my recommendations; explore more because there is still a lot more yet to be discovered. Put on your headphones, choose any option from the list, and take a trip to another era through these amazing audiobooks.

The post 10 Best New Historical Fiction Audiobooks To Read In 2024 appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

Before he was cast as Pedro in a super low-budget 2004 film, Napoleon Dynamite, Efren Ramirez worked with my wife as part of the faculty at Beverly Hills Studios in Los Angeles. The “faculty” were a bunch of actors themselves, who paid their rent with a teaching gig, instead of taking jobs as waiters or bartenders. If you got cast in something, you didn’t have to quit your job, the other teachers would take over your classes while you were on set.

Eugenie left LA in 2003, when we moved to Florida and surprisingly, her roles got bigger. She landed major roles in The Hunger Games (Tigris), The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It (The Occultist), and Marvel’s Werewolf By Night (Azarel), among many other TV and film roles.

For Efren, everything changed when he turned down a minor role in a big-budget production of The Alamo, and chose to play one of the leads in a film no one thought would do any business, made by a bunch of just-out-of-film-school Hollywood hopefuls.

Jarred Hess wrote and directed the film, based loosely on his high school life in small-town Idaho. The film was accepted at Sundance and landed a distribution deal with Fox Searchlight Pictures, and a team that included Paramount and MTV. And the rest is movie history.

Napoleon Dynamite caught on in colleges, then with mainstream audiences, and ultimately became a hit, a huge DVD release, and now, a bona-fide cult classic. (It ranks 14th on Bravo’s list of 100 Funniest Movies.)

Recently, Efren and the other two leads in the film, John Heder (Napolean) and Jon Gries (Uncle Rico), were at the Capital Theater in Clearwater for two sold-out nights celebrating the 20th anniversary of the film’s release. That appearance was part of an ongoing series of shows in theaters and colleges that has kept the actors busy for the past 20 years.

In case you’re one of the 10 people in America unfamiliar with the movie, here’s the story:

In small-town Preston, Idaho, awkward teen, Napoleon Dynamite, has trouble fitting in. After his grandmother is injured in an accident, his life is made even worse when his strangely nostalgic uncle, Rico, shows up to keep an eye on him. With no safe haven at home or at school, Napoleon befriends the new kid, Pedro, a morose Hispanic boy who speaks little English. Together the two launch a campaign to run for class president.

Ultimately, the Vote for Pedro T-shirt they wore in the film became a huge seller nationwide and still shows up when fans get dressed for one of the appearances.

The Napoleon “nights” start with a VIP meet and greet, where fans dress as characters from the film, followed by a showing of the movie, and then the three actors do a mix of music, and comic bits, take audience questions, and finally, close with a costume contest.

Efren got Eugenie and me backstage afterward, where John Heder and Jon Gries, were relaxing on overstuffed couches. We got 20th anniversary T-shirts, including one that said: “Re-Elect Pedro.”

They said the film was the gift that just keeps giving. Audiences could steam the movie anytime, but instead, they pay big bucks to come out to these personal appearances and see it all over again with the cast.

Efren chose to take a chance on Napoleon Dynamite despite the lack of a real salary and any guarantee of distribution, because “I was following my heart.”

Making the movie, was a comedy itself, with makeshift sets, one-take shoots, and some hilarious amateur actors, but somehow, it all worked.

If I was still a journalist, I would have taken notes and added some quotes from the actors here, who were friendly and talked freely, but I was just a guest, enjoying my time backstage, while Eugenie and Efren hugged and reminisced about friends from their younger days.

All three actors have continued to work on other projects, but this quirky, indie film has given them the kind of fame and steady income that comes to only a few lucky actors in Hollywood.

2. This week’s excerpt from Florida Hustle

(Scream Queen Dawn Karston wants her LA manager to get her out of the upcoming blood and boobs epic, Swamp Fiend 2, set for shooting in the Everglades because a Florida fan apparently wants to kill her.)

Majestic Tower, a 1930s Art Deco office building on Hollywood Boulevard, had once been a classy Los Angeles address, all eight stories full of managers, agents, publicists, and producers. But those tenants were long dead and the current building directory – a black, glass-covered rectangle marked with white, press-in letters – listed two private detectives, Senora Novia’s Tarot and Palm; Young and Hot Asian Massage; Hollywood Legal Aid; Tommy’s 24-7 Bail Bonds, and Ben Hoffman, Talent Management and Consulting.

Ben’s office had a film-noir vibe, due mostly to the used furniture and slatted light seeping through the dirty Venetian blinds.  The faded greed shag, flattened by the footfalls of thousands of passing soles, resembled the surface of a particularly rank bog.  On the walls were a dozen framed 8-by-10s of Ben posing with people who might have been almost famous in 1973. The poster of Dawn Karston from the upcoming Slasher High was mounted on a metal easel opposite the scarred wooden desk that the real Dawn Karston was pounding with her tiny fist.

“You gotta get me out of this!” Dawn shouted, her eyes red and ringed with tears.

“Dawn, sweetie, be calm and…breathe…” Ben whispered, remembering how his first wife, a yoga instructor named Trudy, had spoken to him when he was on a similar rampage.

“Ben!”

He tried to lean his desk chair back to put a few more inches between him and his angry client, but his chair was already at full tilt.

“You’re not breathing,” he said, in what he considered his best breathy, guru voice. “Come on. Try it. In…out…nice…and…easy.”

“Dammit! Stop!”

With his tousled blonde hair, the graying mustache, and the Hawaiian shirt he wore over a pair of faded Levis, Ben Hoffman looked more like an aging Laurel Canyon folk singer than a Hollywood talent manager, It might have been a good look for a thinner man, but Ben hadn’t been thin since 1969, when the blotter acid he was swallowing most days, laced with speed, kept him wide awake, and very manic, but – on the plus side – seriously svelte.

Michael Donnelly’s manila envelope was open on Ben’s desk; spread out beside it was a creased sheet of paper the size of a medicine cabinet mirror, edge-to-edge with comic book-style illustrations and word bubbles.

Dawn leaned over the desk, getting her face as close to her manager’s mug as possible, given the width of the desk, Ben’s backward angle in his chair, and the fact that Dawn was only about an inch over five feet.  She was often blond in her movies – slashers love blondes – but her real hair was thick and red, the perfect waves framing her pale, china doll face.  For this visit with her manager, Dawn wore very tight jeans, a sweatshirt pulled off one shoulder, platform heels covered in silver glitter, and enough makeup to do a TV special if one came up unexpectedly.

“There’s no way I’m going to the fucking Everglades to do this movie!”

Ben refused to acknowledge such an absurd statement. His clients did not turn down jobs. He had already cashed the deposit check from the producer of Swamp Fiend II.  It would be at least two more months before he had to worry about the repo men coming for his Bahama Blue Beetle convertible.  He started to OOOOHHHHHMMMM, the way Trudy used to, when the drugs and his 15-hour-a-day gig painting film sets had him spinning out of control.

“Come on…OOOOOHHHHHMMMMM. Now breathe.”

“I’m fucking breathing. Okay?” Dawn slapped the envelope on his desk.  “And I’d like to keep breathing. You gotta get me out of this.”

“We have a signed contract. They sent a plane ticket and a deposit. There are things I can get you out of. But not this.”

Dawn collapsed into the white plastic lawn chair that Ben provided for guests and clients. She wiped her eyes and gathered herself.

“Ben, please?”

She sniffed, her voice suddenly gentle and shaking slightly, as she tapped into a particularly touching moment from her last Meisner class.

“I’m really at the end of the rope here,” she said, tears puddling in her eyes. “I need you on my side. OK?”

“Dawn, kiddo, I’m sorry, but you are doing this picture.”

3. See latest book promos on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Movie star Eugenie Bondurant, below, reads excerpts from Florida Hustle. To explore those videos visit paulwilborn1 on Instagram. Click on the image below to see the latest video!

4. An excerpt from my new novel:

(Still unnamed. Look for it later this year!)

Looking around as he walked toward the front steps, Trip noticed Charlie’s house was the only one on the street getting regular coats of paint.

After rapping firmly on the front door, Trip waited several minutes without hearing a voice or any sound from inside the house. Maybe he’d come to the wrong address? He was reaching into his back pocket for the notes he had taken during the brief phone call that morning when a voice from behind the door startled him.

“Show me your hands!” The voice was raspy, but resonant, the words clearly an command. Trip stepped back and raised his empty hands, his eyes focused on the metal peephole.

“Now turn around. Slowly. And keep your hands where they are.”
Trip followed instructions. A few seconds later, the door eased open. The room behind the door was dark and his host had apparently stepped deeper in the shadows.

“Get in. Now!” The voice barked. “An open door is just asking for trouble.”

Trip stepped inside.

 “Just over there,” the voice instructed. “That big chair.”

The house held a stink of mold and cigar smoke. Trip thought the windows likely hadn’t been opened in a long time.

A few shafts of light, penetrating through holes in the heavy maroon curtains, helped Trip find his way to an overstuffed chair separated from a massive gold brocade couch by a dark coffee table. A stork-like figure, wearing what Trip thought might be a shroud, crumpled slowly onto the couch. Moaning as he did it, the figure leaned over, stretching to switch on a table lamp at the edge of the couch.

As the room filled with light, Trip finally got a good look at Charlie Wall.

Old, thought Trip. Like seriously old. His face was long and flat like the back-side of a shovel, his chin, neck and cheeks dotted with spikes of gray hair. His nose, swollen now and lined with narrow, blue veins, had clearly once been regal and aristocratic.

 For this noontime job interview, the old man wore a thin, paisley bathrobe, his bone-thin calves exposed above a pair of fuzzy house slippers.

Towers of yellowed newspapers were stacked against most of the walls. The papers on the coffee table were still white. Must be today’s Tribune, Trip thought.

Turning back, he saw the old man, who hadn’t introduced himself, give him a slow, foot-to-head look.

“You’re a big boy,” he said finally. “Ever used a gun?”

Trip shook his head.

“Typical. Your generation believes all that love and peace crap. Ever hit anybody?”

“I was a wrestler in junior high. But I never punched anybody, if that’s what you’re asking. Probably because people look at me and don’t want to get into anything.”

“Got a driver’s license?”

Trip nodded.

 “So, I’m not sure about the name Trip. Sounds like some hippie nickname to me. What name did your daddy give you?”

“Ronald. Ronald Armstrong the third. They called me Ronnie. And, you, I’m guessing you’re Charlie Wall?”

“The one and only. Still breathing, despite everything”
Charlie looked off, Trip thought he could see the gears moving inside the old man’s head. Finally, Charlie turned back.

“You Ron Jr.’s son, am I right?”

Trip nodded. He hadn’t heard anyone speak his father’s name in a while.

“I thought so.  Saw a family resemblance. He’s the top Tampa Electric man now, am I right? I knew your grandfather well. We did some business back in the day. So why does a rich Palma Ceia boy like you want this job?”

Trip thought about that. He had so many reasons, but he just gave one.

“I’ve been on my own a while. I like it that way. I’ve made my own money since I left home but my current business…” Trip stopped himself, not sure how much to tell a prospective employer, even one like Charlie Wall. “…I’ll just say it has a lot of drawbacks.”

“Like what?” Charlie asked.

Trip was silent.

“Son, nothing you can say will shock me. I’ve done it all and much worse. I suspect you know that much already. So, tell your Uncle Charlie the truth. What’s the drawback?”

“Jail, for starters.”

Charlie let a narrow smile settle on his lips.

“The rebel son, am I right?”

Trip nodded.

“I spent some time on the dark side myself.” Charlie let a craggy smile tighten the wrinkles on his face. “But as I said, I’m sure you already know that.”

Trip nodded again.

“Now, I’m just a simple retiree, enjoying my golden years. Or some bullshit like that. There’s nothing golden about getting old. But dying is worse. And over the years — how should I say this? — some people have gone out of their way to hurry my departure from this earthly plain. That’s why I need something more than just a driver. Someone with good eyesight. Someone who looks kinda scary. Someone like you. You understand?”

Trip nodded again, offering the old guy a slight smile.

“So, you need a guard dog that drives?”

Charlie’s eyes sparkled.

“I hadn’t thought of it like that, but yes, that is exactly what I need.”

“Can I ask one more question?”

Charlie nodded. “I thought you might have more than one.”

“Just this one, I think. I wouldn’t be doing anything illegal, would I? I’m really trying to get away from that type of work.”

Charlie’s head rocked back, as he released a spit-slinging laugh that led to a round of choking and coughing. When he regained his breath, he reached to the coffee table, grabbing a section of the Tampa Tribune. He raised the newspaper to his face, hawked into it, then, carefully folding the sheet onto itself, he set it gently on the table.

 “My days on the wrong side of the law are in the rear-view mirror. In fact, I’m at an age where most of my days are in the rear-view mirror. You want to hear about the job?”

Trip nodded, thinking for the first time that he might have passed the audition.

“I go out at six. I’m generally home by nine. That’s when I need you – between 6 and 9, seven days a week.  Otherwise, you’re time’s your own. You get the apartment in back and all the groceries you can eat.  I’ll pay you twenty a day in cash. That’s 140 a week, though I’m sure a businessman like you already did the math. You can come and go as you like, but if you ever leave a fucking door unbolted, or a window unlatched, I’ll sack your ass like that.”

 The old man snapped two bony fingers.

Trip nodded. “When can I start?”

The old man slowly struggled to his feet. Locking eyes with Trip, Charlie snapped his fingers again.

“How about tonight?”

5. What I’m reading right now

6. Finally, your moment of Groucho:

Always remember: Paul does not
want to buy your house for cash!!

The post Napoleon (Dynamite!) and lots of other Spring items from Wilbornworld appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

Coming-of-age stories have been around as long as humans have told stories. The young hero is drawn into a journey or a spiritual quest, and must face obstacles and adversity, and by the end of the story, has become more mature, more self-aware, maybe sexier, certainly stronger both inside and out, and just changed in some major way.

It’s a transformational journey of a character from youth to maturity. It highlights the self-revelation, development, and change. The stories often include first loves, first friendships, and spiritual and existential inquiries.

The “Hero’s Journey” can be about fully grown humans or mythological figures, but when the main character is a child or adolescent, the journey becomes a “coming of age” tale.

Novels dealing with one person’s formative years or spiritual education are also called bildungsroman. The Harry Potter series, for example, is a gothic bildungsroman. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is an example of a fantasy bildungsroman.

My Top Ten Coming of age books:

Florida Hustle by Paul Wilborn:

Since it’s my list, let’s start with my own book, which I clearly saw as a ‘coming of age’ tale.

In 1980s Florida, a sheltered teenager, obsessed with a B-movie scream queen, flees his family’s Palm Beach mansion, teams up with an aging con man and his ambitious girlfriend and heads to a film set in the Everglades, only to find himself mired in a swamp of competing cons and hustles.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger:

The novel details two days in the life of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield after he has been expelled from prep school. Confused and disillusioned, Holden searches for truth and rails against the “phoniness” of the adult world.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee:

A perfect fusion of ethics, racism, and innocence crafts the journey of young Scout Finch. This prize-winning book by Harper Lee is a compelling literary contribution set against the backdrop of injustice and discrimination in the American South.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky:

Socially awkward teen Charlie is a wallflower, always watching life from the sidelines, until two charismatic students become his mentors. Free-spirited Sam and her stepbrother Patrick help Charlie discover the joys of friendship, first love, music and more, while a teacher sparks Charlie’s dreams of becoming a writer. However, as his new friends prepare to leave for college, Charlie’s inner sadness threatens to shatter his newfound confidence.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath:

The Bell Jar is a novel about a young poet who tried to end her own life, written by a poet who unfortunately succeeded. Witty, tragic, and full of dark humor, The Bell Jar brings insider insight and awareness to subjects often left undiscussed. It is regarded as a modern classic.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton:

The book details the conflict between two rival gangs of White Americans divided by their socioeconomic status: the working-class “Greasers” and the upper-middle-class “Socs.’  The story is told in first-person perspective by teenage protagonist Ponyboy Curtis.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros:

The novel’s protagonist, Esperanza Cordero, discovers a world with the complexities of identification, culture and womanhood. This story about Esperanza’s developmental growth is set in the Latino neighborhood of Chicago. She boldly faces the challenges of poverty, racism and societal expectations, spreading a strong message of courage.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell:

This heartbreaking tale of love and romance between a misfit couple of teenagers, Eleanor and Park,  takes place in Omaha in the 1980s. Rainbow Rowell expertly highlights the elements of love, romance, family opposition, and complication of the first love.  

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson:

The story of this exemplary novel revolves around the high school freshman Melinda Sordino, who discovers the essence of silence, trauma, resistance and struggle against unexpected circumstances. This is about a recovery journey after a trauma in which the protagonist finds strength and comfort in raising her voice.

Looking for Alaska by John Green:

The story of adolescence and curiosity with finding answers to unknown questions. This book is about the life of Miles “Pudge” Halter, who tried to deal with the complications of love, loss, and self-discovery at a boarding school in Alabama.

Conclusion:

Everybody can relate to the coming of age story, because we all did it. Some with more drama than others, but growing up is dramatic and often traumatic. It tells the classic “hero’s journey” through the eyes of a young person, who must overcome obstacles, learn about themselves and the world, and finally, grow and change as they reach their goal, or reach some conclusion.

At its best, the genre gives readers the courage to face obstacles in love and life, the ability to accept harsh realities, and lessons on how to take a stand in the face of societal pressures.

The post Coming of age fiction…what is it?What are the best books in the genre? appeared first on Paul Wilborn.

When people ask me how I appear calm and happy amid the craziness of the current world, I tell them I try live deep in my creative life – writing, playing music, running my music venue – and I read good fiction that is laced with humor.

Call it humorous fiction, comedic fiction or comic novels, there are some good ones out there.

Below are a few of my current faves:

Florida Hustle by Paul Wilborn

Since it’s my blog, I figure I can recommend my own book. After all, it earned a coveted “starred review” from Kirkus, and the well-respected review site also named Florida Hustle one of the “100 Best Indie Books” of the year.

Here’s the scoop:

Aspiring filmmaker Michael Donnelly has two obsessions. One is Mario Bava’s Italian horror movies from the ‘60s and the other is Dawn Karston, a teen-age scream-queen, known for dying horribly in a string of cheap slasher flicks.

Michael, who shares a Palm Beach mansion with his defense contractor father, believes Dawn deserves better material and that he is just the man for the job.

But obsession, like filmmaking, is a risky business. To Dawn and her LA manager, Michael’s comic book story boards, rendered in blood-red ink and mailed to the actor’s home address, look more like death threats than movie pitches.

With Dawn’s new project, Swamp Fiend 2, about to shoot in the Florida Everglades – just an hour from Michael’s house – the producers convince Michael’s family that something must be done.

When Michael gets wind of a plan to lock him up at a plush retreat for the rich and deranged he flees to a sketchy motel in West Palm Beach. There, he enlists an aging con man and his fiercely ambitious teenage girlfriend to help him reach the set of Swamp Fiend 2. Michael doesn’t realize his new partners see him as an opportunity to satisfy their own obsessions.

Florida Hustle is set in 1982, when America was led by a celebrity president, when the phenomenal success of Friday the 13th helped spawn a string of slasher-film copycats, and when Florida was morphing from a low-rent vacationland into a mega-state famous for sprawling theme parks, bizarre crimes, and a flourishing B-movie industry.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

This absurdist comedy revolves around John Yossarian and his fellow soldiers during World War II. The movie is interesting, but the book is gold. With its dark humor and extraordinary characters, Catch-22 is a must-read for fans of black comedy.

Catch-22 takes place on an American air base off the coast of Italy during WWII. The novel is a non-linear series of stories and recollections told from the perspective of Yossarian, the captain of a bomber crew. His squadron flies dangerous bombing raids over enemy territory and suffers a high mortality rate. It doesn’t sound funny, but take my word for it.

Mostly Dead Things By Kristen Arnett

What does it take to come back to life? For Jessa-Lynn Morton, the question is not an abstract one. In the wake of her father’s suicide, Jessa has stepped up to manage his failing taxidermy business while the rest of the Morton family crumbles. Her mother starts sneaking into the taxidermy shop to make provocative animal art, while her brother, Milo, withdraws. And Brynn, Milo’s wife―and the only person Jessa’s ever been in love with―walks out without a word.

It’s not until the Mortons’ reach a tipping point that a string of unexpected incidents begins to open up surprising possibilities and second chances. But will they be enough to salvage this family, to help them find their way back to one another? Kristen Arnett’s breakout bestseller is a darkly funny family portrait; a peculiar, bighearted look at love and loss and the ways we live through them together.

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

I’m just starting this wonderful, and funny novel by Paul Murray. It’s a family saga, that starts with two best friends trying to make sense of life, family and poetry. Bad things happen to. These characters, often from their own actions, but Murray finds the humor and heart in these situations and characters.

Nothing To See Here – Kevin Wilson

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Family Fang, a moving and uproarious novel about a woman who finds meaning in her life when she begins caring for two children with a remarkable ability.

Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help.

Madison’s twin step-kids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth.

Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?

Conclusion

I should say here that these are not books filled with non-stop laughs. They are actual novels, where characters grow and change and some tough things happen. But they are tales told with humor and heart and will touch you and make you laugh, sometimes at the same time.

Don’t stop with my list. Ask your local bookseller, ask your friends or search for phrases like “comic novels,” “funny fiction,” and “comedic fiction,” and get ready to laugh.

The post My personal picks of the best comic fiction out now appeared first on Paul Wilborn.