Adult humor author Jeff Whitcher joins me today to chat about his new book, Snoop Come Home.
Bio:
Jeff Whitcher is an author, painter, music YouTuber and former standup comedian who has written over 40 books for children and adults alike. He began writing to entertain his five children and has since expanded his line of books to include parodies of popular children’s books. He is also an avid vinyl collector and has a YouTube channel, Jeff Whitcher’s Vinyl Destination.
What do you enjoy most about writing short stories/children’s books/novellas?
I’ve always enjoyed making people laugh and writing is a great opportunity to showcase my absurd sense of humor. I love connecting with people through laughter and it’s extremely rewarding when someone has a visceral reaction to something I’ve written.
Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?
A few of my favorites that I’ve written for children include (Almost) Everything Poops which is a subversive take on traditional potty-training books; Everything’s Better With Ketchup, a story about a boy who puts ketchup on literally EVERYTHING, including inanimate and inedible objects; and No More Messes, a work of meta fiction in which a mischievous little boy creates a series of increasingly elaborate messes inside the book that his father is left to clean up.
What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?
My favorite genre to write in is children’s fiction because I genuinely love making kids laugh. Before I ever became a writer, I would read bedtime stories to my kids – I have five, by the way – and almost always end up improvising silly voices, funny dialogue, or completely ridiculous endings just to hear them giggle. That playful interaction sparked something in me. I realized that not only do I enjoy entertaining children, but I also have a knack for tapping into their sense of humor and wonder through poetry and picture books. Writing for kids allows me to stay connected to that joyful, imaginative space where anything can happen—and where laughter is often the best reward.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m actually working on a sequel to Snoop Come Home titled It’s The Great Pumpkin, Snoop. The story centers around a MAGA rally being held in the pumpkin patch and Linus mistaking Donald Trump for the Great Pumpkin. Whereas the original Snoop book was more of a commentary on pop and stoner culture, this book takes aim at the whole political circus going on in Washington.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
The moment I picked up my first Shel Silverstein book I knew I wanted to be a writer. I started writing poems and stories to make my friends, classmates and peers laugh at a very early age. As a shy kid, having the ability to win people over with humor was an invaluable talent that I milked for all it was worth, particularly when confronted with bullying. I didn’t take writing seriously and identify it as something I wanted to make a career out of until I was in my forties. I found myself reading a lot of books to my kids and thinking “I could write this,” or “I could make this story a whole lot funnier.” I remembered the joy I used to experience reading those classic Silverstein poems and decided to try my hand at it. The day I submitted my first book of poems for publication was the day I felt confident enough to call myself a writer.
How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?
I am spending an increasing amount of time on social media these days trying to identify trends and demographics, but I’ve also begun connecting with other writers and readers on platforms such as Threads and Goodreads. I also try to test market excerpts from my books on Facebook and Instagram to gauge reactions and interest.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Some of my best ideas come to me at 2 or 3 in the morning. I keep a drawer full of scrap paper in my nightstand for just such an eventuality. The problem is deciphering the illegible scribbles the next morning trying to make sense of what I’ve written.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a hugely famous musician in a rock and roll band like the Beatles or Kiss. Unfortunately, I have zero musical talent so that has been a huge impediment to my success.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Even though my music career never panned out, I do have a music-related YouTube channel, Jeff Whitcher’s Vinyl Destination that contains album reviews and documentary-style videos covering some of my favorite bands and genres. It’s a nice way to justify my other obsession, which is record collecting.