Join us for this tour from August 10 to August 21, 2020!
Book Description:
"Alexa’s a Spy and Other Things to Be Ticked off About, Humorous Essays on the Hassles of Our Time" is a low-brow look at high-minded living, a good-natured (mostly) rant about some of the challenges we face and some of the annoyances we deal with just because we’re alive and trying to thrive at this moment in history. Part comedic call to arms and part tongue-in-cheek tirade, "Alexa’s a Spy" goes after, among other things, spammers and scammers, clutter and litter, intrusive technology and uncivil discourse. Too much stuff, too much noise, too much to worry about. Not enough patience, not enough kindness, not enough…chocolate?
As a syndicated humor columnist, Dorothy Rosby has been ranting for more than 20 years in publications across the West and Midwest. If her latest book doesn’t change the world, and most likely it won’t, we’ll at least go down the tubes together, knowing how really foolish we’re all being.
Don't forget to read the awesome abd interesting Author Interview as well as the Guest Post Dorothy Rosby has so generously provided for us!!
Book Details: Book Title: Alexa’s a Spy and Other Things to Be Ticked off About, Humorous Essays on the Hassles of Our Time by Dorothy Rosby Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+) , 355 pages Genre: Humorous Essay Publisher: Unhinged Press Release date: April, 2020 Content Rating: G - appropriate for general audience as defined aboveInterview with Dorothy Rosby, Author Alexa’s a Spy and Other Things to Be Ticked off About
What’s the book about? Alexa’s a Spy is part comedic call to arms and part tongue-in-cheek tirade about some of the annoyances of modern life. It’s a collection of humorous essays that go after, among other things, spammers and scammers, clutter and litter, intrusive technology and uncivil discourse. Too much stuff, too much noise, too much to worry about, not enough patience, not enough kindness. In other words, it’s about all those things we used to be anxious about back when we could still buy toilet paper and leave the house without a mask. How would you describe your style? I write observational humor. That is I look for the absurd in aspects of everyday life. I’m your basic stereotypical, mild-mannered Midwesterner—chronically nice, unfailingly polite and just a wee bit passive aggressive. So I seldom pick on an actual person, but if I do, he or she really has it coming. I’ve written about the CEOs of Equifax and big pharma, but I don’t think they read what I’ve written anyway. And normally, I don’t do that. I tend to go more for self-deprecating humor which is about observing myself and my own foolishness and making light of it. When you write self-deprecating humor about everyday life, you make the assumption that other people are like you in some ways. There are lots of reasons that self-deprecating humor is my chosen method for writing humor and not just because that way no one ever comes after me with a crowbar—at least not for writing about them. For one thing, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. When you decide to spend your life examining your faults and foibles, you’ll never run out of ideas. At least I haven’t. But the best part is, it makes what you write relatable to your audience. I often have readers tell me they’ve made the same mistake I admitted to making. It’s definitely a window into my life. But it’s also a mirror for my readers. I tell my stories and they’re reminded of theirs. Why is humor particularly important now? Anytime you can bring joy to someone, that’s a good thing. And I do hear from readers who tell me that a good laugh is just what they needed at that moment in their life, or that my admitting my goof ups so publicly reminded them they’re not the only one who has done this or that. I’ve read that laughter is good for health, that it boosts immunity, lowers stress hormones and decreases pain. Laughter is so physical. It releases tension, helps us relax. But even if that weren’t true, it just makes life more fun. And I think particularly during these difficult times, it has some added benefits. It gets our mind off things. And it can give us all some perspective. For example, the world is falling down around us and I’m worrying about how I look in my mask. Actually I’m learning to like it. It hides my nose and nobody knows when I’m talking to myself. I might keep wearing it when this is all over. What were your influences? I grew up reading Erma Bombeck and I’m sure she was an influence. But a bigger one would be growing up in a large family. I’m number 9 of 10 children. We had 12 people in a house with three bedrooms and one bathroom. You need tools to survive that and wit is a weapon in a large family. Also my father had a great sense of humor, though I didn’t always think so when I was a teenager. Humor was important to him and making him laugh was a way of standing out in the crowd. Where do you get your ideas? Everywhere. Every conversation, every experience, bad and good, everything that gets under my skin or makes me smile. But the annoying experiences—the dying appliances, technology fails, and embarrassing moments—make the best stories. I remember being stopped for speeding once—okay more than once. But one of those times, I took my notebook out and made notes about speeding tickets while the officer went back to his car to check my outstanding warrants or whatever they do back there. I didn’t have any. But it’s those kinds of things that make the best stories because people can relate. Alexa’s a Spy and Other Things to Be Ticked off About and my other books are made up of those kinds of st.MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Has life got you down and you just need a good laugh? "Alexa’s a Spy and Other Things to Be Ticked off About: Humorous Essays on the Hassles of Our Time" may just be the medicine you need! This book is hilarious! I think I laughed on just about every page in this laugh until you cry book. Syndicated humor columnist Dorothy Rosby hits on just about every subject imaginable as she tells story after story in this oh so funny book about our favorite voice, Alexa! Anywhere you go, this is an amazing book to take with you. I'm sure going to take it on my next Dr. visit to read while I'm waiting for hours. One thing about it, this book will take the frustrations of waiting. And in today's world where everything has been so unsettling and unpredictable lately, everyone needs a bit of humor in their life, and this is the best book out there I have read on hilarious humor!! When this book came up for review on iREAD Book Tours I almost didn't join the tour but I am so very glad I did. And I am thrilled to be introduced to this book and this author. This one is for sure a Keeper for me. And I'll be telling everyone I know about Alexa’s a Spy and Other Things to Be Ticked off About. And if you find yourself needed a good pick me up, I strongly encourage you to pick up a copy of this book. Today. Don't wait! A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.Guest post by Dorothy Rosby
Leave Me Alone, Elizabeth
I get more phony phone calls than real ones these days—and by a wide margin. I’m afraid one of these days, I’ll hear a voice that reminds me of Elizabeth from the Resort Rewards Center and I’ll march up to some poor stranger in the grocery store, grab her by the collar and scream “Leave me alone, Elizabeth!” She’ll say, “My name is Joan,” and have me arrested. It’s not bad enough that I spend half my work day deleting spam emails. Now Phone Scam Sam and Fraud Call Franny are taking up the other half. Phony phoners and spam are just two aspects of modern life I discuss in Alexa’s a Spy and Other Things to Be Ticked off About, Humorous Essays on the Hassles of Our Time. How could I leave them out? They’ve brought out the worst in me. One day I lost my temper, picked up my vibrating phone and screamed into it, “Get a real job!” It was my husband. But I’ve never been the same. A few days later I asked a caller if his mother knew what he did for a living. I told another that I’d give her my credit card number if she’d give me hers first. I held the phone away from my ear during one call and, as loud as I could whisper, said to the empty room, “I’ll keep him on the line while you trace the call.” One day I even called a scam number back. When a real person answered, I stayed quiet while he said, “Hello, hello.” Then I did it again—six times. To his credit, each time he answered in that polite way you do when you want to bilk someone out of their life savings. The experts say that you should hang up quickly when you realize it’s a scammer calling. Do not engage. But I’m no expert. They advise you to put your name on the Do Not Call Registry, which does stop calls from legitimate organizations you don’t want to hear from. But I figure anyone who makes a career of grand theft won’t be deterred by a little law forbidding calls to numbers on the Do Not Call Registry. Still, you should listen to the experts. Don’t behave like I have. I feel bad that I’ve let robo robbers and cuckoo callers bring out the worst in me—and confirm that my number works. But I can’t stop myself. One day I answered a call from a scammer, held my phone next to the wall and started knocking and saying in a mournful voice, “Let me out. Let me out.” I could hear the scammer saying, “Hello? Ma’am? Hello.” I was enjoying myself immensely until a coworker walked into my office and asked if I was okay. No, probably not.
Meet the Author:
Dorothy Rosby is a syndicated humor columnist and author of two other books of humorous essays "I Used to Think I Was Not That Bad and Then I Got to Know Me Better" and "I Didn’t Know You Could Make Birthday Cake from Scratch, Parenting Blunders from Cradle to Empty Nest." She’s working on her fourth and hoping to give it a shorter title—something like "Wow" or "Best Seller." She lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota, 20 miles from Mount Rushmore, something she’s very proud of even though she’s not on it. Yet.
Connect with the Author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ goodreads
Tour Schedule:
Aug 10 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Aug 11 – Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / guest post / giveaway
Aug 12 – Gina Rae Mitchell - book review / giveaway
Aug 13 – Books and Zebras – book review / giveaway
Aug 13 - Books for Books - book review
Aug 14 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Aug 17 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
Aug 18 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Aug 18 - Sefina Hawke's Books - book review
Aug 19 – Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview
Aug 19 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
Aug 20 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
Aug 21 - My Fictional Oasis – book review / giveaway
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