Insights Into How Jokes Get into A Novel Series

What did you love best about The Alex Kilgour Joke Book?

The very best thing about this compendium is Colin Hussey's rendition of "Alex Kilgour." Alex is the character in the Sten Series novels who loves to tell jokes (with horrible puns).during the intervals of military maneuvers where one must wait -- and wait.

In the novels, Kilgour's Scottish accent is rendered with altered spelling which makes perfect sense after you blink a couple times. Colin Hussey reads these jokes in an easy, natural and completely intelligible Scottish Accent and narrates in plain American English, making the whole thing very pleasant listening.

What I liked about this Joke Book is that it is really (REALLY) funny. But having read the Sten Series novels recently, I appreciated the insights into all the options involved in choosing to integrate jokes into an action-series. There are jokes in here that did make it into print -- and some that had to be cut -- and some that were considered, but not used.

The book as a whole is extraordinarily instructive for a writer.

What did you like best about this story?

This volume is not so much "a story" as excerpts and out-takes from the Sten Series novels. Each joke is framed in a way that it isn't necessary to have read the novels, so this volume works as a stand-alone.

Which scene was your favorite?

The joke about "The Spotted Snakes." I think the Spotted Snakes joke is so popular because there's a lot of teasing about it in the novels.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

If you think the Sidekick isn't a Hero, just wait until you meet Alex Kilgour.

Any additional comments?

Alex Kilgour is a fictional character -- but based on a real person, who is discussed in the narrative part of this book.