An interview with the author, Judy Gruen

Lauren Smith: Tell us about your latest book:  

The Women's Daily Irony Supplement

• When Bad Contractors Happen to Good People
• Forward This E-Mail or I'll Break Your Kneecaps
• Clutched by Purse Fever
• Reading This Warning Label May Kill You
• The Motherboard Has Blown
• Post-Bar Mitzvah Stress Disorder
• And much, much more! 

It's a book that most women, and even a surprising number of men, are enjoying immensely.

Lauren Smith: Where did you get the inspiration for it?

Judy Gruen: I looked at the body of work I had built up over the years of writing my regular "Off My Noodle" column and realized that after sifting through all the material, I had enough timeless and strong material that was worthy of being bound between two book covers. Of course, I reworked the material repeatedly so it would be even better than ever!

Lauren Smith: Have you always wanted to write in the humor genre?

Judy Gruen: It happened without my planning it, actually. My first freelance sales to newspapers were humor pieces, but it wasn't until I published my first book, Carpool Tunnel Syndrome, that actually, I was a humor writer! So I just kept at it.

 Lauren Smith: Is it ever tough to be funny or can you find humor in (almost) everything?

Judy Gruen: Usually life is absurd enough that you don't have to go looking high and low for humor. But I have also found that some people will be very sensitive about topics that touch their lives, and they can't find the humor in it, even when I have tried to be sensitive. And certainly, some topics are just off limits because they are too tragic or sad. I also avoid using foul language or vulgarity in my work. You don't need to use $#@%^ words to be funny!

 Lauren Smith: So you have quite a few books published and you have a blog, a newsletter and a family. How do you find time for it all?

Judy Gruen: It's easier since my kids are older now (teens), but it's amazing how much time they still require! Since my eldest is likely to take off with my car for days on end, I can't go anywhere anyway, so I might as well wring out some columns.

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