Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Interview with humorous novelist Davis Aujourd'hui


Today's guest is humorous author Davis Aujourd'hui. He's doing a virtual book tour for his novel The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude Babes in Bucksnort with Pump Up Your Book.

Bio:
Davis Aujourd'hui is the author of the hilarious satires, The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude and Babes in Bucksnort. Davis possesses a rich life experience that has enabled him to draw from it in order to create a colorful canvas upon which to paint very human lives.

He is a retired social worker and, as will be the case with Sister Mary Olga in his third book, he is a recovering alcoholic. He also happens to be gay as are several of the endearing and humorous characters within his novels. He can speak from his own experience. He has possessed all of the foibles of his cast of characters who are naughty, nasty, and nice.

Davis, welcome to Reviews and Interviews Please tell us about your novels.
The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitudeis the first in a series of irreverent and bawdy religious satires that will tickle your funny bone.

Sister Mary Olga is a bourbon-swilling, chain-smoking nun who's always getting into trouble with the Reverend Mother, a reformed prostitute. The convent's chef is a gay cowboy. Just watch out for the nasty town busybody named Priscilla Bunhead who is always digging in the dirt. There's plenty of that for her to find on Dinkledorf Drive in the fictional town of Bucksnort, Wisconsin. There's a lot of hanky panky going on there!

All of the book's other zany characters are delightfully flawed and the scenarios are outrageous. You'll discover the secret of a transgendered nun under the most unlikely circumstances. You may have never discovered a body in the process of cremation as you tried to bake a cake or bore offspring who made inappropriate digestive noises while playing Baby Jesus in the annual Christmas pageant. Yet you will be able to relate to the human foibles discussed by Sister Mary Olga.

Sister Mary Olga takes the attitude of "to each one's own." She pokes fun at the conservative religious and social attitudes of the day. Yet the book has an underlying spiritual message; that is to lighten up and not take life so seriously.

Babes in Bucksnort is the sequel to the highly praised The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude. Once again, the unconventional bourbon-swilling, chain-smoking nun will spin outrageously funny new tales about the residents of Bucksnort, Wisconsin while she tests the will of a reformed prostitute who just happens to be her Reverend Mother.

Unfortunately, there is trouble brewing in the Snortlands. The nasty and notorious town busybody, Priscilla Bunhead, goes on a crusade to stamp out what she calls the gay menace. That's when she convinces her millionaire friend, Mildred Mayflower, to give away her fortune in order to bring the Reverend Billy-Bob Blunthead and his Born Again or Burn Forever Disciples for Jesus to town to do the job. It will be an uphill climb for them as the closet doors of many gay people in the Snortlands burst open.

Billy-Bob and his wife, Pinky Poo, will have another battle on their hands when Dimples Dufus, the heiress to the Mayflower fortune, arrives on the scene. They'll also have to reckon with a mysterious woman who channels an entity who challenges the hateful and hypocritical agenda of this spokesman for Jesus.

In between the laughs, Sister Mary Olga continues to dispense nuggets of spiritual wisdom during her classes in Beginner's and Advanced Holiness. Just don't take seats near the flatulent child named Fartley Dinkledorf or his lecherous one-hundred five year-old grandfather, Poopsy. The bottom line is that everyone is welcome in Sister Mary Olga's classes. Join the diverse cast of characters for a joy-ride that will tickle your funny bone until it aches.

What inspired you to write the newest book?
Years ago, I called up a friend's voice mail on a whim and I spontaneously left her an outrageously funny message from a character named Sister Mary Olga Fortitude. My friend loved it and that inspired me to continue to develop characters and to leave her continuing voice mails. Years later, I thought to myself that I could write a book about these delightfully zany characters. This book is the end result, though it is only the first book of many in a series.

What exciting story are you working on next?
My next book is entitled Have A Heart. After continued drunken bouts, Sister Mary Olga Fortitude is given an ultimatum by Reverend Mother Carmen Burana. She is given the choice of going away to Holy Happenings Rehab or being dismissed from Have A Heart convent where she teaches classes in Advanced Holiness. She begrudgingly consents to rehab where she continues to encounter more zany experiences before later joining the twelve-step program called Alcoholics Unanimous.

Meanwhile, the convent's gay chef, Randy Cowboy, continues to attend his own twelve-step program, Sex Maniacs Notorious. Unfortunately for him, he develops AIDs which is a consequence of his previous history as a sex addict. Fortunately for him, he has the support of the transgendered nun, Sister Samantha Monet, who secretly pines for him.

Mayhem ensues when the town busybody and prude, Priscilla Bunhead, sniffs out the dirt about AIDs coming to the fictional town of Bucksnort, Wisconson. She broadcasts the alarm to the arch conservative Reverend Billy-Bob Blunthead who continues his campaign to wipe out perversion in the Snortlands. Along with his histrionic, Tammy Faye Baker-type wife, Pinky Poo, he stages elaborate spectacles in his church where he hopes to gain the support of the local community.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I first considered myself to be a writer about six years ago. That was after I had written my autobiography about recovery from multiple addictions such as characters in my books have been challenged by. That's when I got the idea for writing a book about Sister Mary Olga Fortitude. As I progressed and I realized I had a series on my hand, I was totally convinced this was to be my new career.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I have been writing full-time for the last six years. I have completed a total of eleven books in the Sister Mary Olga Fortitude series. I am currently at work on the twelfth book after having finished another book which is not a part of the series.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
While I write books in the humor genre, they all contain spiritual messages. I don't know of any other books in this genre that have accomplished this.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an actor. Creativity has always been a part of my makeup. I'm just glad that I've discovered a career where I can let my creative juices flow.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
If you are looking for books that will make you laugh from beginning to end, look no further. Hopefully, my books will also give you some food for thought. You may just see yourself reflected in my characters. Look for my books on Amazon.com. You can read more about me at my blog.

Davis, it's been fun having you here today.

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