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Finding the Funny

By Guest Author Bethany Maines

My recent release, Between Floors, is the second book in the Valkyrie Brothers series. Each book has a hint (or more) of mystery, action, and romance, combining these various influences into one humorous adventure. However, that meant that I needed something funny to kick off each story. I had the start of book three almost before anything else, and I knew it took place in the elevator of the gorgeous Art Deco Smith Tower in Seattle. After some careful consideration – i.e., I considered what would make me laugh – I decided to make all three of the Valkyrie brothers meet the girl of their dreams in an elevator.

I’m sorry, what now?

Yes, you read that right. Each brother bumps into their romantic partner in an elevator. Elevators are weird little social boxes where everyone pretends not to notice how awkward things are. So why not use them to spark a romance? A cramped, humming metal box is the perfect place to force characters to open up, get claustrophobia, or get told off—and maybe fall in love.

In Book 1, Elevator Ride, the oldest brother, Rowan Valkyrie, is ambushed by a paralegal serving a cease-and-desist letter. In Between Floors, grumpy single dad and middle brother, Forest Valkyrie, gets stuck in an elevator with the girl he just rejected for the nanny position. And in Book 3, Emergency Exit, Asher Valkyrie ends up in a fake relationship with the girl who misheard which party the elevator was stopping at.

How to Keep the Laughs Going

With the elevator as my starting point, I had to ensure that we kept laughing, even as I introduced elements of danger. For that, I relied on my characters, who firmly believe they are normal but are actually very quirky. For instance, Forest thinks that he’s being sensible (and not at all paranoid) in asking that his nanny have at least a Masters as well as medical experience. Chloe, the nanny and love interest Forest actually needs, is an ex-Buddhist nun and stuntwoman, and she thinks it’s perfectly reasonable to advise people who attack her to meditate on their anger. By casting characters who are slightly off-kilter and throwing them into situations that demand a straight face, I can elicit laughs without trying too hard. The more serious they try to be, the funnier it gets. That’s the magic of Between Floors—the tension between chaos and control.

Going Up

Writing Between Floors reminded me that humor isn’t just about punchlines—it’s about people, their quirks, and the chaos they walk into (or ride an elevator into). If you love action, romance, a little mystery, and a whole lot of heart, I hope you’ll take the ride with the Valkyrie brothers. Just remember: when the doors close, anything can happen—and probably will.

What’s your take on elevators and meet-ups?

About the Book:  Between Floors

One broken elevator. Two polar opposites. Sometimes, love gets stuck Between Floors.

Free-spirited Chloe Jordan returned to Seattle to face her past, but when she gets stuck in an elevator with grumpy Forest Valkyrie—the terminally stressed single dad who just rejected her as a nanny candidate—Chloe discovers that it’s her future at stake.

Genre: Rom-Com Mystery
Release Date: e-book – 6/23/25
Learn more: bethanymaines.com/valkyrie-brothers/
BUY NOW: https://amzn.to/3AnaMLQ

About the Author: Bethany Maines is the award-winning indie and traditionally published author of romantic action-adventure and fantasy novels that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind-end. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter or glued to the computer, working on her next novel or screenplay. You can catch up with her on Facebook or on her website – www.bethanymaines.com

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