What’s the trouble with tapioca? Parksville Qualicum Beach News humour columnist Ray Smit has an answer, but it may be best to read it for yourself.
“People who enjoy the column will enjoy the book,” Smit said of his recently-published first book The Trouble with Tapioca.
He said that like the column he has been writing for 15 years, the stories in the book, “are often about the silly and outrageous things that happen to us,” which he finds humour in because “people don’t always like to talk about how they messed up.”
The collection includes stories published in The NEWS, including many about growing up with his brother and one about his father’s efforts to keep people from eating his tapioca and how it backfired while overseas during and after the Second World War.
Smit, who works as a chaplain, ministering to seniors in care homes, said that while that work is often serious, “humour engages people,” he said pointing out “a nice joke can really break the tension.”
The book represents about 12 years of Smit’s writing and has been in the works a long time, he said, as people often asked him to publish the humour of his columns in book form.
He said the stories are mostly funny with some serious parts and some faith, but everything is family friendly and open to a wide audience.
The book is available in local libraries and on Amazon.com, including a Kindle version for less than $3. Google the title for easiest access.
Smit will read from and discuss the book at the Parksville Library at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 12.