I want to be Janet Evanovich when I grow up.

There’s one day a year I look forward to almost above all others. It doesn’t have the calories of Christmas or the eventual anticlimax of New Year’s Eve.

I start thinking about it months in advance, counting down, longing for the moment when Susan (the world’s greatest librarian) calls and says, “We have the new Janet Evanovich here for you.”

Oh boy. That’s good stuff.

Well that day came for me last Friday—just in time for the long weekend—and I’ve just finished my twelfth adventure with Stephanie, Lula, Morelli, and Ranger (oh, was there some good Ranger.)

Don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, but let’s just say that if I didn’t want to be Janet Evanovich before reading Twelve Sharp, well I certainly want to now.

She’s earned about bazillion dollars.

She gets great reviews, store placement, covers—you name it.

And most importantly, she deserves it. All of it.

I know that I will read her books in one sitting, and I’ll get absorbed in the characters’ lives. I’ll care. And most importantly, I’ll laugh.

How many authors can you think of that always make you laugh? Go ahead, count. I’ll wait.

Not many, right? So why are we (as a society) so quick to discount funny?

Lately people have told me, “I just loved your book—it was so light and fluffy,” and then they’ll blush and say, “Oh, I’m sorry!”

Yeah, I totally hate it when people say they love my stuff. Obviously.

What they’re thinking, of course, is that “light” and “fluffy” are offensive. Well, maybe I would prefer “spectacular” and “life changing”, but if I’ve entertained someone—if someone laughed out loud because of something I wrote, then I like to think that maybe—in some small way—the world is a little bit better.

Imagine how much better Janet Evanovich has made it.

--Ally

ps…by the way, after way too much self-indulgent thought, I’ve decided that the top five book-related compliments I would like to receive are the following:

#1 I couldn’t put your book down.

#2 I can’t wait to buy your next book.

#3 I told all my friends about your book.

#4 I felt like I was watching a movie the whole time I was reading your book.

#5 Have you lost weight? (Not book related, but worth including just the same.)

And all of these things (except #5 perhaps) wouldn't happen, I think, if there wasn't something to the fluff. We laugh with characters we care about, scenes we can envision, plots that keep us engaged. When I read that, I call it good writing. If you want to call it fluff, that's fine too.

pps...not fishing for compliments. I swear!