Pat Dennis

Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.

by Mark Twain

Meet Pat Dennis, Author, Humorist and Comedian

Pat Dennis is the award-winning author of the memoir Fat Old Woman in Las Vegas: Dieting, Gambling and Wicked Fun, Hotdish To Die For, Murder By Chance, Killed by Chance, Dead by Chance, Stand Up and Die, and writing as Nora England, The Witches of Dorkdom, a novel for middle school readers and up. Her short stories and humor have appeared in Minnesota Monthly, Woman’s World, Anne Frasier’s Deadly Treats, Resort to Murder, Silence of the Loons, Once Upon A Crime Anthology, Writes of Spring, Who Died in Here?, Pioneer Press, FMAM, Sun Current, Hartford Journal, and Impressions. Pat is also a veteran of more than a thousand performances as a stand-up comedian (now retired). Her short story After the Fall, in the “Cooked to Death” anthology is loosely based on true story a friend shared with her forty years ago. She works closely with Once Upon A Crime, an independent bookstore in Minneapolis, MN. 

I met Pat several years ago at the Hackensack Book and Art Festival where she was selling her books. She has participated in the Book Arts section of the festival for many years. I have read several of her books and enjoy her wit and humor. She has the uncanny ability not to take herself too seriously. Her book titles are attention grabbing and you know the stories will be an entertaining read. An extra bonus if you enjoy cooking many of her books include recipes.

“Hot Dish to Die For “a collection of six culinary mystery short stories where the weapon of choice is hotdish with deadly recipes included. Many of the stories have tongue and cheek titles e.g. The Lutheran Who Lusted, The Maltese Tater Tot and Death by Idaho Potato. 

“Who Died Here” an anthology of twenty-five tales of murder and death and somehow each one connected to bathrooms. The selected crime stories are written by mystery writers who come from USA and the UK. The litany of crimes recorded range from simply hilarious to some that are seriously horrendous. 

“Murder by Chance” is the first of Pat’s Betty Chance Mysteries series. It is one of my favorite of books about a tour bus guide/owner of casino trips, Betty Chance, and her adventures during a trip to Moose Lake Bay Resort and Casino in Northern Minnesota. Betty, her bus driver, Tillie, and Betty's niece, Lori find happiness in a new travel business that specializes in casino junkets. But along the way they become involved in addictive gambling, and murder! The humorous situations and dialogue keep the book moving at a fast pace. Recipes are included at the end of the book.

“Fat Old Woman in Las Vegas-Gambling, Dieting and Wicked Fun” is Pat's newest book. It is a light-hearted memoir. She sets out on a solo journey by car, train and Greyhound bus, to experience life in Las Vegas, gambling and all-you-can eat buffets. Pat travels the two thousand miles alone from Minnesota to Sin City. Her ability to take an honest and often hilarious look at her aging, declining health, out-of-control gambling and a myriad of neuroses make this an inspiring, funny and enjoyable read. 

Despite a myriad of health and mobility issues I found Pat's mantra that all things are possible admirable. People who afraid to do something out of their comfort zone or travel because they are overweight or have some health issues will find her determination admirable and even uplifting. 

Pat writes with realism as she captures the vibe of sin city and its pitfalls. Her descriptive anecdotes are hilarious as she writes about life on the street, Fremont Avenue and casino experiences. Her LV observations are relevant since this is book was recently published Jan 2016. And if you need some gambling tips she is not short on dispensing advice for your next trip.