Humor Writers of AmericA
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How this happened.
When Norm Cowie wrote his first book, he looked for an association where he could hang out ... and yes, drink... with like-minded individuals. First came the Mystery Writers of America where he found plenty of mysteries and drinkers, but no pure humor writers, then the Missouri Writers Guild, SCBWI, but there was still a dearth of people whose focus was on humor books first and foremost.
So he decided to start an organization. First, he started the Humor Ning group, and a lot of humor writers gladly participated. But when Ning decided to start charging money, Norm discontinued the site due to his proclivity of being cheap.
He talked to other humor writers (like Dave Barry), who liked the idea, but couldn't get anyone to commit to starting what will most likely be a time consuming project. He approached The University of Dayton, which runs the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, and they expressed polite interest, but didn't want to take the reins. We still hope to convince them.
Then at Anderson Book's young author breakfast in February 2012, Norm spoke of his idea of a Humor Writers organization with Adam Selzer, a great humor writer who, surprisingly, didn't mock him for it. Worse, he encouraged the idea and offered his help. So Norm no longer had an excuse not to kick it off.
Norm Cowie, co-founder
Adam Selzer co-founder (or more like instigator)
Norm Cowie was developed in a test tube in Baltimore, and as his cells divided, certain elements of his behavior devolved into writing about things he thinks are funny. He's been published in the Chicago Tribune, Cynic Magazine, Business Credit and writes an award-winning business credit column where he calls attorneys 'weasels' and 'poo-poo heads.' They haven't sued him yet. He has written seven humor books, including the YA vampire books Fang Face and WereWoof. His other books, including Bonk & Hedz and The Guy'd Book ... why we leave the seat up, are for slightly more mature readers.
Norm's website www.normcowie.com
Adam Selzer was born in Des Moines and now lives in Chicago, where he writes humorous books by day and researches history, ghost stories and naughty playground rhymes by night. After eleven published books, including the acclaimed Smart Aleck's Guide to American History and I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It, not to mention How To Get Suspended and Influence People (which people try to ban now and then), he is just famous enough to have a page on wikipedia. He has been described as "subversive, but in a fun way....like the offspring of Bob Dylan and some Muppet."
Adam's website www.adamselzer.com
Committed to making people involuntarily spit out their food.
