The Hot Author Report - Interview with Author Davis Aujourd'hui

Davis Aujourd’hui is the author of The Sister Mary Olga Fortitude series of hilarious satires. The first book is entitled “The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude.” It was followed by “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, having worked for Adult Protective Services in New York State for nearly twenty years. He developed the characters within his series of books in order to entertain a colleague by using the gift of humor.

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 lives in Upstate New York where he is currently sharing his life with his partner of seven years. He is socially-minded and spirituality is the most important ingredient in order for him to maintain a happy and successful life.

Q: What compelled you to write your first book?

A: 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.

Q: Tell us briefly about your book.

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 diverse and zany characters are delightfully flawed, 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. Irreverent and bawdy, this religious satire does have an underlying spiritual message; that is to lighten up and not take life so seriously.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I’m editing the other books in my series so that they will be well-polished gems just like this first book. I am also in the process of writing the twelfth book in the series and I am trying to get my third book published.


Q: Do you have a favorite character? Why is s/he your favorite?

A: That’s a difficult question to answer. I love all of my characters, especially the nasty ones who make for the delicious conflict within my books. If I had to pick one, it would have to be Sister Mary Olga. She is irreverent just like me. She also faces some challenges similar to my own and she channels spiritual truths that I have come to embrace.

Sister Mary Olga narrates the story and does so with hilarious humor. She is a fresh voice for our times or coming to terms with our spirits. I love the way she mixes humor with nuggets of wisdom. I am grateful that my fans have given me mostly five out of five star reviews. They obviously embrace her.

Q: The main characters of your stories – do you find that you put a little of yourself into each of them or do you create them to be completely different from you?

A: There is a little bit of me in all of my characters. I have already addressed that regarding Sister Mary Olga. Randy Cowboy, the gay chef and self-described sex maniac is much like me. I, too, am gay and have had to face my own sexual addiction from which I am recovering.

Since I have had to face my own dark sides, I can also relate to the prudish and judgmental Priscilla Bunhead. She wears her hair in a tight little bun. I maintain it is so tight that she can’t open her mind. That was a past challenge of my own.


I am also dignified like the eighty year-old Jules Jesslike Pappas. That dear man obtained his name from his simple-minded mother. On the night he was conceived, she had sex with men of two different races. Nine months later, she gave birth to twins of two different races. Jules came out black.

When the nurse held up the baby with the large endowment, his mother took one look at him and thought of his father. That’s when she blurted out, “Jewels just like papa’s.” That’s how he obtained his unusual name.

Q: Is there an established writer you admire and emulate in your own writing?

A: My writing is much like the zany writing of Armistead Maupin. I, like him, have developed a series of books that are based upon the continuing antics of my characters. I greatly admire the man and have faith that my series will be as successful as his.


Q: What about now: who is your favorite author and what is your favorite genre to read?

A: I have several favorite writers who write in the spiritual genre. This is the primary genre in which I read. Some of these authors would be Anthony DeMello, Eckhardt Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and Wayne Dyer.

Q: When they write your obituary, what do you hope they will say about your book/s and writing? What do you hope they will say about you?

A: I hope they will say that I am a person who has come to embrace spiritual truths. I hope they will say I have fostered the spiritual development of the humans while making them wake up to their own spirits. I hope they will say I have done so by making people laugh at themselves and my hilariously funny books.

Q: Is there anything you’d go back and do differently now that you have been published, in regards to your writing career?

A: There is not a thing I would do differently. I believe that everything happens for a reason; that I have written books that speak to the truth of the times. My only regret, if I could pick one, is that I was not patient enough to wait for a traditional publisher to pick up my books. That has created an enormous challenge for me in terms of marketing my books and getting the word out that a delightful series is out there for people to enjoy.

Q: In my experience, some things come quite easily (like creating the setting) and other things aren’t so easy (like deciding on a title). What comes easily to you and what do you find more difficult?

A: Everything about my writing has come easily. It just flows as I allow inspiration to lead me in developing my books. What has been most difficult has been to market my books.

Q: Have you ever had a character take over a story and move it in a different direction than you had originally intended? How did you handle it?


A: Sister Mary Olga takes over the story from beginning to end. That is only natural since she is the main character. As my series moves along, many other characters try to take the lead. I have to rein some of them in so that Sister Mary Olga Fortitude can get out my primary message; that is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The challenge is to rise above our human imperfectness as we seek to discover the perfection of our spirits.

Use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know. Include information on where to find your books, any blogs you may have, or how a reader can learn more about you and writing.

Davis Aujourd’hui is my pen name for the Sister Mary Olga Fortitude series. The first book, entitled “The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude,” was published in October 2008 by Outskirts Press. That was followed by “Babes in Bucksnort” in 2010. I have already completed eleven other books in the series and I plan to keep them coming!


I am a new author, yet I possess a rich life experience that has enabled me to draw from it in order to create a colorful canvas upon which to paint very human lives. I am a former social worker, having worked for Adult Protective Services in New York State for many years. I developed the characters within my series of books in order to entertain a colleague of mine using the gift of humor.


As will be the case with Sister Mary Olga in my third book, I am a recovering alcoholic. I also happen to be gay as are several of the endearing and humorous characters within my novels. I can speak from my own experience. I have possessed all of the foibles of my cast of characters who are naughty, nasty, and nice.

I live in Upstate New York where I am currently sharing my life with mypartner of seven years. We are both socially-minded and our spirituality is the most important ingredient in order for us to be able maintain a happy and successful life. We belong to a transdenominational church which embraces the sacred truths of all religions, especially the teachings of Jesus. This has been a natural outcome from my lifetime search for the meaning of God. It embraces my belief that all people are equally loved in God’s eyes.

My readers can find out more about what my series are about by visiting my blog:
http://bestsatireseriesofthedecade.blogspot.com/


They can also find out more about me and my life challenges by visiting my author blog:
http://authordavisaujourdhui.blogspot.com/

The best place to find my books are at Amazon.com. Here are the links for the first two books in the series:

"The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"

"Babes in Bucksnort"

Both of Author davis'Aujourd'hui's Works are available in both Paperback and Kindle Versions.

Be Sure to come and follow Author Davis Aujourd'hui on FACEBOOK!

THANK GOD FOR HUMOR! Part 1

Where would we be if we couldn't laugh in this world that is frequently too serious for its own good? One of the greatest gifts I've come to discover is how to laugh at and with myself. I've spent most of my life taking myself and things way too seriously. It's wonderful to have a sensitive heart, but it's so important to shield it from unnecessary pain. That's where a good dose of humor serves the spirit and leads us all to let go through wonderfully releasing belly laughs. One thing is certain. Humor not only helps us, it heals.

I've heard it said that children laugh hundreds of time each day. On the other hand, adults only laugh six times a day on average. If you've been like I've been, I bet there have been many days within your lives when you didn't laugh at all. Now, that's no laughing matter!

What's been wonderfully healing for me has been to turn my past pain into humor. That's first required doing some work at letting go. That's meant that I've had to deal with resentments and practice forgiveness of myself and others. That's not an easy job; but, trust me, it's worth the effort!

By facing myself and my own foibles, and learning not to take myself so seriously, I've learned how to laugh at and with myself over things that I didn't used to find funny at all. This has brought me so much joy and it's released me from toxic things like self-pity. Life's too short to stay locked in a cave of negativity and judgment.

Well, my friends. You certainly know that I've been able to use humor in my series of Sister Mary Olga books. I've especially done that by looking at character flaws that I've observed in both myself and others. Then I've exaggerated them for comic effect. Consider the prudish and judgmental Priscilla Bunhead and the proud and manipulative Lula Mae Bunsaplenty. Add an angry bully named Martha Mayhem who has a chip on her shoulder bigger than a dowager's hump. With them I've created a recipe for finding humor in the darkness within people's souls.


In my own life, I think back to how I used to laugh so many times – so freely and unselfconsciously. What a relief it was! Guess what, folks? Those days have returned for me and they can for you too. Just lighten up and let go of whatever has bothered you. Face your fears and see them for what they are. Surrender them to the light and let go of the darkness within your souls. If I've been able to do it, anybody can!

Author Davis Aujourd'hui

"The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"  Book 1
Kindle Version $3.99  Purchase Here!
Paperback Version $13.95 Purchase Here!

"Babes in Bucksnort" Book 2
Paperback Version $13.95 Purchase Here!
Kindle Version $3.99  Purchase Here!

Part 5 -Locked in the Closet

I moved back to my college town and found a wonderful job working for a college textbook publisher. I moved into a happy apartment in the country and I began a brilliant career and what I thought would be a contented life. I medicated my anxieties by my increasing dependence upon alcohol and marijuana.

I proposed to my girlfriend in the spring. The timing was incredible. Just a few weeks later I had my first sexual encounter with another man. It would happen under tawdry circumstances which only continued to fuel my shame. It happened in a public bathroom.

A toxic bond was formed. I discovered that this bathroom was an easy place in which to find men interested in having sex with other men. I would return there often where I acted out my secret shame before returning to my so-called normal life. I was beginning to lead what would become an increasingly double life.

That summer, while my fiance returned to her parents' home, I met a young man with whom I began an affair. Never having realized that I could have romantic feelings toward another man had become an eye-opener. It would become the key that would eventually free me from my locked closet. In a little less than a year, I would walk through it, never realizing that I would eventually be giving up the so-called normal life.

Part 4 Locked in the Closet

I lost my virginity to a girl when I was twenty. I had been desperate to do so since the time I had been seventeen. I thought to myself, “Better late than never.” Unfortunately it did little to stop my homosexual fantasies and longing.

I found a steady girlfriend the following year and we began an ongoing romantic and sexual relationship. I proposed to her during the following year. I wanted so very much to be normal and to marry. I believed that I loved her. I hoped that, by marrying her, it would put my curse to bed for good. That was not to be.

I had graduated from college the year before I proposed. I went away to grad school, leaving my girlfriend who was still in college behind. We would have occasional reunions. Yet, while I was living on my own for the first time, my longings for sex with men became incredible cravings. I thought as if I was coming out of my skin.

I met a homosexual when I had been looking for an apartment. He told me he didn't want me as a roommate because he didn't want one who was gay. I was flabbergasted! How could he have possibly known? He planted a seed when he suggestively said, “Give me a call when you move into your own place and we can get together.”

When I moved to my new apartment, I often thought about calling him. Many times I would pick up the phone and dial the number only to slam the phone down before the call went through. I was in a panic and I didn't know what to do. I felt dirty and ashamed. I just wanted to die.

Within a month, I was desperate and horribly depressed. I couldn't concentrate on my schoolwork. I felt like a failure. I began to think that the only way out would be to end my life. Fortunately I reached out for help from a counselor. Afterward I made the decision to drop out of school.

With my head hung in shame, I packed up my apartment and headed to my parents' home. I felt like my life was over, but I felt safer now that I was away from temptation. The only thing that I thought would save me from a fate worse than death would be to get married. The other fate to which I referred would be to live my life as a homosexual.

Author Davis Aujourd'Hui


Sister Mary Olga Book Series:

"The Misadventures  of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" (Book 1)

"Babes in Bucksnort" (Book 2)

Part 3- Locked in the Closet

By the time I got to college, my sexual feelings had become unbearable. Still I clung to my secret and I took pains to be like the other boys. Whenever the subject of queers came up, I would be one of the first ones to make fun of them. I never stopped to think that those who protested so much might become suspect. Fortunately no one suspected me.

I was taunted by a college roommate who suggested I would like to be sexual with him. I couldn't believe that a straight guy would have been serious. I ignored the innuendo even though I longed for such an encounter. I believed I would be damned and scorned was I to act upon my impulses.

One night I found a message written on a bathroom wall by a guy who indicated that he wanted to have sex. The fellow had a name, “Butch,” and, he was kind enough to provide a phone number. I furtively copied it down, but kept restraining myself from giving into the impulse to call him; eventually, I caved.

I found a private phone booth located in the business school and went there when no one was within sight. Then, sweating bullets, I dialed the number and asked to speak to Butch. I tried to be cool when he came on the line, even though I was squirming in my pants.

He didn't make it easy for me when I said, “I'm calling about the message you left in the student union bathroom.”

He coyly asked me, “Just what did my message say?”

My voice quavered when I whispered the contents of the message, “It said to call you for a B.J.”

I was shaking as I waited for his response, but he purred a question, “What's your name?” I gave him my real first name only.

He then coolly asked me, “Where do you live?”

I was too afraid to tell him my exact address, so I lied. I gave him the address of the dorm next to mine.
Suddenly his voice took on a hateful and angry tone as he snarled at me, “Well, you fag, I'm going to get my rifle and come down to your dorm and give you the blow job of your life when I blow you away!”

I quickly hung up the phone, literally shaking in my shoes from my fear and abject shame. My shame was only compounded when I exited the phone booth. My academic adviser was standing at the adjacent bulletin board, posting notices. Oh my God!

Author Davis Aujourd'Hui

Sister Mary Olga Book Series:
"The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"
"Babes in Bucksnort"

Part 2 Locked in the Closet

I came to believe that homosexuality was a sin and I knew what that word meant by the time I was a young teen. I became more and more frightened at the prospect that I might be that way. All the while, I continued to be sexual with other boys. As we grew older, the other boys became less interested.

I promised myself that I wouldn't be sexual with them after the age of sixteen. I believed that, if I could do that, I wouldn't turn out to be a queer. Yet, when that time came, I still wanted to be sexual with boys...desperately so! Even so, I kept true to my promise to myself. Instead of being sexual with others, I became even more compulsively sexual with myself. I would fuel my fantasies with euphoric recall of days gone by. Secretly I wanted to become sexual with boys again, but I didn't know where to find any gay fellows with whom I could do so. I certainly didn't want to risk exposure.

More importantly, I didn't want my family to know my deep, dark secret. I was afraid that they would be disgusted and that they wouldn't love me anymore. I didn't have faith in myself or in their love for me. It was a sad and lonely time. There was absolutely no one with whom I felt safe to confide about my concerns.

I kept all of my feelings to myself and I felt consumed with self-hatred. I also couldn't understand why God would make me that way. I prayed that He would make me normal...whatever that meant and whatever that took.


Author Davis Aujourd'Hui

Sister Mary Olga Book Series

Book #1 "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"

Book #2 "Babes in Bucksnort"

Part 1 Locked in the Closet

I am a gay man. Wow! It took me a long time to admit that! There had been so much shame involved. Here is my story about how I found the key to open the closet door. Eventually I walked through it; but, for many years, I was locked in the closet. It was a closet of shame.

I always felt like I was different from most other boys. I didn't know much of what that was about. I did know that I seemed to be more sensitive than them. I seemed to feel more comfortable around girls and I enjoyed many of the things that girls liked to do. It's not that I didn't like boys or stereotypical boy activities. I was simply more drawn toward lighthearted play, music, theater, and art than I was toward sports or playing war games.

I did enjoy playing sports with my friends...as long as they remained friendly and not too competitive. When the heat was on, I became spastic. In school, I was often one of the last ones picked to be on the team. I allowed that to make me feel like I was a failure.

I was sexual with myself from a very early age. My fantasies always involved other boys, though I had no idea what that was about. I may have been sexually abused as a child. That's what my therapist believes to have happened. I've experienced flashbacks about possible sexual abuse and I have accused an adult to whom I was close as a child of having abused me.

When I was nine, I was seduced by some older boys. This led to an obsession about having sex with other boys. I eventually sexualized many of my male friendships. Somehow I believed that what I was doing was wrong and I felt ashamed.

I'm not sure when I first heard the words “homosexual,” “queer,” or “fag.” I do know that what I heard about these people was always disparaging. I heard stories about how they liked to dress up and play women. I heard that they liked to molest young boys. Whatever stereotypes I bought into, I couldn't relate to them. This led me to believe that I couldn't possibly be gay.

Aside from that, I wanted to be like everyone else. I wanted to be what I perceived to be normal. I wanted to grow up and marry. I wanted to have children. I couldn't understand why that couldn't happen. I easily fell in love with girls and had fantasies about someday marrying one of them. The only problem was that I never had a single sexual thought about them. Somehow, deep inside, I knew that I was gay. I also knew that I didn't want to be “that way.”

Author Davis Aujourd'Hui

Sister Mary Olga Book Series

Book #1 "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"

Book #2 "Babes in Bucksnort"

WHY I LOVE WRITING HUMOR

I have always loved to read and to laugh. After all, it's been said that laughter is the best medicine. Some of my favorite humor authors have served to inspire my own writing. I love the zany humor of Carl Hiaasen and Armistead Maupin. Armistead especially inspired me since he, too, wrote a series of humorous books such as I have.

Humor is such a wonderful escape from the cares of life. My life has been filled with many dark moments and I have used humor to chase the darkness away. Hopefully, my readers will also be able to do the same thing with my series of books. The first book is entitled "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude". The first sequel is called "Babes in Bucksnort" and that will soon be followed by "Have A Heart".

Writing humorous books is also a wonderful escape for me. Wrapped in the spell of inspiration, I spontaneously spin outrageously funny tales that will make my readers laugh from the beginning to the end of the books. That's my own satisfaction too since I laugh out loud as I write the books. It's a wonderful escape for me and I have never had more fun in my life.

I have been inspired by many humorous anecdotes from my own life. I used to work with mentally-ill clients who had some of the funniest delusions. While my own characters are not delusional, I have drawn from my past experiences with humor in my life to create funny characters.

They have zany names like Fartley Dinkledorf, Lula Mae Bunsaplenty, Muchmore Mayhem, and Jules Jesslike Pappas to name a few. In the case of Jules, he was so named when the nurse held up the little baby for his mother to pick a name. She took one look at the little baby with the large endowment and immediately thought of his father. That's when she exclaimed “Jewels just like Papa's!”

In the case of Fartley Dinkledorf, he is a little boy who takes perverse pleasure in passing gas. Poor Sister Mary Olga! She decides to take a chance and to cast him as the baby Jesus in the annual Christmas pageant. True to form, Fartley lets one rip while in the manger. That's when Sister Mary Olga exclaims, “Fart!” That's also when the Reverend Mother abruptly ends the show.

Priscilla Bunhead is a prudish spinster who wears her hair in a tight little bun. I maintain that it's so tight that her mind is closed shut like a steel trap. She's a busybody who is always digging in the dirt and she finds plenty of that in the fictional town of Bucksnort, Wisconsin. When she learns that she's surrounded by gay people, she goes on a crusade to get them evicted from the Snortlands. It makes for wonderful conflict and great humor because she gets hers in the end.

Yes, I love humor and thank God I've got an active imagination! From that place, I am able to conjure up all kinds of hilarious scenarios. As I go along my merry way, I continue to find new inspiration which has led me to write a total of eleven books in the series. My readers won't have to thirst long between books since I have an arsenal of side-splitting laughs available for them. The beautiful thing is that I haven't run out of ideas yet.

I love to entertain and that is what I promise you. I have created books that you won't want to put down and for which you will be craving the next one. From beginning to end, you will find yourself in stitches of laughter. This is my calling and my gift to you.

Enjoy your journey!

Author Davis Aujourd'hui

"The Sister Mary Olga Book Series"

"The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" is available at Amazon.com in Paperback for $13.95 PURCHASE HERE Kindle Format is available at Amazon.com for $3.99 PURCHASE HERE

"Babes in Bucksnort" is available at Amazon.com in Paperback for $13.95 in Paperback for $13.95 PURCHASE HERE Kindle Format is available at Amazon.com for $3.99 PURCHASE HERE

"The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" by Author Davis Aujourd' Hui

Book Review: The Misadventures Of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude by - Author Davis Aujourd’hui

"The Misadventures Of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" By Author Davis Aujourd'Hui
Posted on July 10th, 2010
by Simon Barrett in Book Reviews
ReviewsRead 227 times.


I read many books, they cover many genres, sometimes it is fun to dip into something truly irreverent. "The Misadventures Of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" is one such book. I will share a little tid bit with you, Davis Aujourd’hui is a pen mane. I for one cannot understand the need for this

I have been told that The Vatican maintains one of the largest libraries of books in the world, I think the chances of them acquiring this particular tome is about the same as me winning the Powerball Lottery without buying a ticket. In Dan Brown’s blockbuster The Da Vinci code we get to meet the mad killer monk Silas. If there are any Silas’s around they probably have Davis Aujourd’hui on their hit list.

The main character in the book is Sister Mary Olga Fortitude, about the only vow she has not broken is that of celibacy, and who knows, even that might change. The good sister resides at the Have A Heart Convent in that well known town of  Bucksnort, Wisconsin. I am pretty certain I have visited several Bucksnort’s in my time.

Sister Mary Olga’s problems began as a baby, being born on February 29th certainly disadvantaged her as a young child. Maybe it was the lack of birthday parties and presents that made her seek out the solace of life in a convent?

Sister Mary Olga has good intentions but also enjoys a nip of Old Granddaddy now and then, well most of the day, every day.

I asked Diddles if it would be possible for him to create a custom crucifix for me. I advised him that it had to be an otherwise exact replica of the crucifixes created for the nuns. What I had in mind was a particularly hollow version of our suffering Lord. I asked him to create mine with a flip-top cross so that I could fill my crucifix with a little something to quench my ever-increasing thirst

A crucifix can only contain so much booze, Sister Mary Olga sought some help:

I spoke out loud to Jesus, “How will I get through the rest of the day with the tiny flask of spirits contained in your own cross of sorrow?

Salvation is found in keeping a bottle or two stashed in back of one of the toilets. This solution is one that I was introduced to on my first visit to a remote Albertan town in the early eighties. My traveling companion has insisted that we pick up some ‘travelers’, but when we checked into the motel I discovered that there was no in room fridge to keep them cool. “No Problem”, Jerry explained, “Every room has a cooler, you just have to know where to look”. With that said, he left my room, taking with him the garbage bin, he returned a couple of minutes later with a supply of ice, he then removed the top of the cistern, flushed the toilet, inserted the beer and ice, and gave me one of those ‘Told you so looks’. “these puppies will still be cold for breakfast”, with that he left to no doubt do the same thing in his room.

While Sister Mary Olga did not bother with the ice, cubicle four, always had a good a stash of what she wanted.
If you are going to be taking a nip or two, what is better than a cigarette to go with it? Her choice is Marlborough Reds, not just one or two but the whole package!

Through Sister Mary Olga’s eyes we get so see the happenings in Bucksnort. Drunken Fathers, homosexual activities, and the other ugly secrets of the town. The Reverend Mother is a former prostitute and the convent’s chef is a gay cowboy.

Misadventures is irreverent, but the author means no harm, it is a fun read, and should be taken that way. I chuckled my way through the entire book. It is far to easy to take offence when humour is pointed at the church, don’t do that. This is a light hearted romp.

To order your copy of The Misadventures Of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude use this Amazon Link!

The author has a new book out, and that is next in my review pile. He has also agreed to an interview, I can’t wait!

Simon Barrett

Comment Made by  Author Davis Aujourd'hui
July 12th, 2010 at 7:07 am
I am gratified by this review, along with the other excellent reviews posted on Amazon.com. This is a book with best seller potential. It is not only a hilarious read, but it has an underlying message.


Please check for the sequel, Babes in Bucksnort, also on Amazon, and feel free to visit my blog. There you can see the wonderful video trailer and read many articles about the book and can read excerpts from Babes.

www.bestsatireseriesofthedecade.blogspot.com

Book Review of "Babes in Bucksnort" Reviewed By Sarah Moore

Title of Document: Book Review
Book Title: Babes in Bucksnort
Author: Davis Aujourd’hui
ISBN: 978-1-4327-4500-4
Publisher: OutskirtsPress.com
Genre and Target Market: fiction; humor; social commentary
Publication Date: 2010
Book Length in Pages: 202

Now that I have been involved in the book publishing and marketing industry for several years, I am enjoying the opportunity to review subsequent works from authors whose first offering I also had the chance to read when it was released. What a pleasure it is to watch the evolution of a writer’s vision and message. This is particularly true when the author is in the midst of creating a series of books with a common theme or that is focused on a particular set of personalities. In these instances, I get to spend more time with characters I have come to love and I get a more complete sense of what the author is intending to show the readers. Such is the case with the release of the second book in the "Sister Mary Olga Fortitude series" by Davis Aujourd’hui, "Babes in Bucksnort."

Like the book that preceded it, The "Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude", "Babes in Bucksnort" follows the antics of the diverse residents who live in Bucksnort, Wisconsin as told by the hard-drinking, chain-smoking nun whose name graces the entire series. However, while the first book was intended to introduce the readers to the large cast of characters and establish Sister Mary’s belief in tolerance and unconditional love, "Babes in Bucksnort" now takes a more focused approach to the storyline and confronts the growing prejudice against homosexuality in the town.

Becoming increasingly concerned about the infiltration of gays and lesbians in Bucksnort, Priscilla Bunhead forms a group of like-minded citizens who are determined to chase the people who they believe to be perverts out of town. Their efforts are reinforced when Reverend Billy-Bob Blunthead brings his Born Again or Burn Forever Disciples for Jesus to Bucksnort for a large rally that is meant to galvanize the supposedly moral people to save their community. As readers will discover, Billy-Bob, Priscilla, and other dispensers of harsh judgment will face a stronger and more unified opposition than they ever expected.

In this book, Aujourd’hui continues to do an excellent job of sharing social commentary through his memorable characters. Reverend Billy-Bob immediately conjures up images of television preachers who use their claim of Christianity to make a fortune from condemning others. Lilliliver Lipstick, another new character to the series and sidekick to Priscilla Bunhead, reminds me of the weak child who stands behind the playground bully and quietly watches while her fellow students are belittled and beaten. And, of course, Sister Mary Olga is still the necessary voice of kindness and reason in the middle of a wild atmosphere. I imagine in more than one instance, readers will recognize a character in "Babes in Bucksnort" as an exaggerated representation of someone they know in their own lives.

As I read both published installments in the Sister Mary Olga Fortitude series, I realized that I was enjoying the content for two distinct reasons. First, Aujourd’hui creates men, women, and children with unforgettable (and descriptive!) names and even more outrageous behavior. I appreciated the sharp humor that the author employed to this end and found great entertainment value in turning each page and discovering what these characters would do next.

But, I also enjoyed the important messages of love and acceptance that Aujourd’hui emphasizes, particularly through the teachings of Sister Mary herself. Once in a while, we all need mirrors placed in front of us to help us examine and rethink how we treat one another, and Davis Aujourd’hui accomplishes this through his writing. "Babes in Bucksnort" is a book that will make you both think and laugh, which defines a great read for me. Now, I just need to wait for book number three so that I can discover who Sister Mary will bring to task next!

"The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" (Book 1)

"Babes in Bucksnort" Book 2

Outskirts Press Announces "Babes in Bucksnort", Author Davis Aujourd'Hui

Syracuse, NY, June 17, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Outskirts Press, Inc. has published Babes in Bucksnort: Sister Mary Olga Fortitude Book 2 by Davis Aujourd'hui, which is the author's most recent book to date. The 6.14 x 9.21 paperback in the Fiction / Humorous category is available worldwide on book retailer websites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble for a suggested retail price of $13.95. The webpage at www.outskirtspress.com/babesinbucksnort was launched simultaneously with the book's publication.

About the Book (Excerpts & Info)

Here is the first 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’s 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 to reclaim her fortune.

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.

Deftly constructed at 206 pages, Babes in Bucksnort: Sister Mary Olga Fortitude Book 2 is being aggressively promoted to appropriate markets with a focus on the Fiction / Humorous category. With U.S. wholesale distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and pervasive online availability through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and elsewhere, Babes in Bucksnort meets consumer demand through both retail and library markets with a suggested retail price of $13.95.

Additionally, Babes in Bucksnort can be ordered by retailers or wholesalers for the maximum trade discount price set by the author in quantities of ten or more from the Outskirts Press wholesale online bookstore at www.outskirtspress.com/buybooks.



ISBN: 9781432745004
Format: 6.14 x 9.21 paperback
SRP: $13.95
For more information or to contact the author, visit www.outskirtspress.com/babesinbucksnort


About Outskirts Press, Inc.

Outskirts Press, Inc. offers full-service, custom self-publishing and book marketing services for authors seeking a cost-effective, fast, and flexible way to publish and distribute their books worldwide while retaining all their rights and full creative control. Available for authors globally at www.outskirtspress.com and located on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, Outskirts Press represents the future of book publishing, today.


Outskirts Press, Inc., 10940 S. Parker Rd - 515, Parker, Colorado 80134

http://outskirtspress.com 1-888-OP-BOOKS

My Secret Shame - - Part 9

A new and exciting period in my life was unfolding. As I continued to recover from sexual addiction, I was beginning a new career as an author. I began to incorporate elements of my past into my blossoming series of books about a wayward nun. The most important element of having come to look at my past more kindly was that I learned to do so with humor. I had learned how to not take myself or life so seriously.

By the time Misadventures became published, I had written nine books in the series. I completed two more books before I submitted the first sequel, Babes in Bucksnort, to my publisher. A new adventure beyond my wildest dreams was unfolding.

I had to learn to practice not projecting my concerns about the future into any area of my life. I continued to work my program of recovery with a diligence as I sought to stay grounded amidst the unfolding excitement of my career as an author. The reviews for Misadventures were ecstatic and so was I. That's a dangerous feeling for a sex addict. It made my continuing recovery more challenging.

What I learned was that I could free myself from the idea of a struggle by reframing it as a challenge. By surrendering the addiction to God, I could continue to experience prolonged periods of complete freedom from this addiction. The program was working even if I couldn't always do it perfectly.

As we all are, I am only human. I learned to let go of the notion of what I had considered to be sin and to reframe it as a correctable mistake. I learned that every mistake begins with a mistaken thought. It would become my challenge to remain aware whenever I slipped into unconscious thinking. As I did so, I began to take charge of my thoughts in order to not allow them to lead me astray. In so doing I was also letting go of my shame.

Ultimately I have learned that, while it is important to learn about my addiction and how it came to manifest, I am responsible for taking charge of my recovery. It's been hard work, but it has well been worth the effort. As is promised by twelve step programs, I am learning a new freedom and happiness. I am learning to not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. I am learning that God is doing for me what I could not do for myself.

What remains most important for me is to stay aware. When I am living in the present moment, there's no need for me to fear. I am slowly but surely waking up to my spirit as I become more conscious of myself and my life choices. No matter what anyone's life challenge is, we are all responsible for creating our own happiness.

As I have learned, it does not come from the outside. It comes from within. It comes from maintaining a positive attitude and focusing on what I have to be grateful for. Everything that has come to pass in my life has served a purpose which has brought me to my today. Today I am truly grateful!

As we all are, I am here for a reason. It's my hope that my life example and Sister Mary Olga's lessons in Advanced Holiness will help wake up those who have walked in the shadows of despair to wake up to their joy. I believe that is all that God wants for any of us.

THE EAGERLY ANTICIPATED SISTER MARY OLGA SEQUEL IS OUT!

Fans of "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude" have said, “We couldn't put it down! When it was all over, we wanted more. We can't wait for the next book in the series!”

Fortunately, you won't have to wait long. The sequel to Misadventures is out. Whether or not you've read Misadventures, you'll be able to dive into the deliciously zany new tales without missing a beat.. Of course, you'll undoubtedly want to back up and read the first book, so that you can find out what outrageous stories have come before. Let me tell you a little bit about the new book.

"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.

Look for "Babes in Bucksnort" through Amazon.com. In the meantime, I am polishing up the next books in the series. Sister Mary Olga promises to be with you for one home run after another.

Humor in my Life---Part 8 -The Mask

As I've said before, it's the things that don't necessarily seem so funny at the time that, with a little perspective, can be brought forth with more light and levity. I was always one to take life so seriously and I had an ego as big as a mile. Of course, egos only serve to cover great insecurities. Such was the case with me.

As a young man, I had created a mask that spoke to the undiscerning that I was the best thing since Twinkies. I was an up and coming business executive and I planned on making my first million by the time I was thirty. Thanks to addiction and depressive illness that didn't happen. That was part of what was not funny in my life. The good news is that I got past that.

Speaking of twinkies, I married at twenty-three. “What does that have to do with twinkies?” you ask.

It just so happens that that was the same year I came out of the closet as a gay man. That was another story that contained both humor and suffering. Let me find my way back to the topic of humor.

After my short-lived, wonderful career in the business world, I became a social worker. Throughout my years, I met a wide variety of people from every walk of life. Let me tell you about one of them.

I'll call her Marti. She happened to be very eccentric. She liked her clothes and she was a pack rat. She was also very skilled at getting herself evicted from her apartments every six months or so. Marti wasn't playing with a full deck, but it didn't bother her in the least.

She could drink the best of them under the table and she smoked more cigarettes than Sister Mary Olga Fortitude. Those habits gave her a voice that sounded like a bull horn. She also had a stereotypical Irish temper.

Marti wasn't big on formalities. One time following an eviction, I was storing her clothes in my office. Unbeknownst to me, she traipsed into the office and began to rummage through them. Not a minute later, a colleague of mine tapped me on the shoulder. Marti was in the middle of the office, totally nude and picking out a new outfit!

She also had an interesting relationship with her own gay man. I'd frequently run into the two of them at gay bars. That gave Marti the upper hand in our own relationship and she wielded that with a knife when she became angry.

One day, while visiting the office and not getting her own way, she spat at me, yelling “C...sucker!” in a waiting room full of people. Never one to hold a grudge for long, later that same day, she gave me five dollars for Christmas and said, “I'm sorry.”

I wasn't allowed to accept gifts, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. Consequently, I passed on the money to someone else in need.

Marti didn't live a long life, but she lived life on her own terms. They may not have been the terms that most of us would have described as a happy life, but Marti took her lumps and handed them out as she saw fit.

The bottom line is that Marti was one of my most unforgettable characters and I will be telling you about many more.

" I AM MY CHARACTERS", Part One- By Author Davis Aujourd'hui

I am my characters. The truth of the matter is so are you. For any of my characters to whom you relate or to whom you take a dislike, you are looking at a part of yourself. One of the most fascinating, and perhaps most exasperating, spiritual truths is that what we perceive in others is an aspect of ourselves. The odd thing is that sometimes those characteristics are something of which we have remained unaware. That's the continuing challenge for each of us with which to come to terms if we are going to grow, improve, and accept ourselves as we go along our merry or not so merry way.

This has become one of the ongoing challenges of my own life. After a lifetime of taking on labels, playing different roles, trying to please others, and trying to be like others, I have come to embrace a more authentic life. I've learned that I must be true to myself if I am going to recognize my full potential within this particularly unique life which has been given to me. In so doing, I've come to discover who I truly am and this has taken a lot of hard work.

What I've come to understand is that I can operate from two perspectives. The first perspective is from that of my ego which thinks that it knows everything, but is invariably wrong. The second is from that of my spirit which is only about love. That's where I will discover what is true.

We all serve as mirrors to each other. When we see something we like within another, we are affirming that quality within that person. It is also a quality we too possess. Unfortunately the opposite is also true. When we see something within another that we don't like, we are also looking at something that is or has been an issue within ourselves whether or not we have realized it. That means it's back to the drawing board; there's more work to do on ourselves! After all, it's an inside job.

What I'm learning to do is to focus on that which is positive within myself and others. It has helped me appreciate the goodness within people and life in general. It has also served to enhance my happiness and state of well-being. That's been a huge lesson for me after living through many years of unhappiness and depression. I am largely free of that today. For that, I'm so very grateful.

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