Monday, May 7, 2007

Ideas

You never know what's going to spark an idea for a book. It could be something as significant as the spaceshuttle explosion or something as minor as foot odor.

Of course, foot odor is only minor if, a) it isn't yours, b) you aren't stuck in an enclosed area with someone who has it, and c) the foot odor virus doesn't mutate into a killer fungus that strangles your cat.

And, strangely enough, I haven't yet run into the Great Foot Odor Book, though I'm sure it's lurking out there somewhere. This would be a 'must read.'

I got the idea for The Adventures of Guy because of overwhelming reader response to a humor/business article I wrote where I picked on attorneys, calling them poo-poo heads and weasels.

People liked this!

They wanted more!

So I figured I'd go after, not just attorneys, but telemarketers, Grand Pricks, er, Prix drivers, people who throw cigarette butts out of the car window rather than using the handy cigarette tray that comes standard in most cars (including the Grand Prix) and the differences between plumber's butt and a woman's cleavage. Okay, it's a little sophomoric, but it's fun!!

Anyway, the reason this came up was that I was talking with Karen Syed today and she was talking about poisons (yeah, one of THOSE type discussions, ...heh), and I said, "hey, how about a book where a bad guy poisons people and arranges them into the shape of a letter where when he's done he will have spelled his name?"

We both laughed and I thought, "Nah, Rob Walker probably already did this..."

Norm Cowie
www.normcowie.com
The Adventures of Guy ... written by a guy (probably)
and soon The Next Adventures of Guy... more wackiness

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now see, Norm, you mention my name and poisons (and yes, that is what we were talking about) and people are going to think I am some kind of crazy publisher.

I don't think anyone needs to be concerned that I found great pleasure in discovering what the various kinds of poisons do to the human body.

I mean, I'm a publisher, it's not like I would ever run acorss anyone who I would need--or want-- to use poison on...

Norm Cowie said...

AAAAAHHHGGGHHH!!!!

I'm scared!!

.. I threatened, er, promised you I'd give you credit... and I wouldn't want to be accused of stealing any ideas.
(heh)