Stories That Deftly Walk The Fine Line Between Humor And Drama (PHOTOS)

'The Human Bobby' is the story of a kid who comes from a poor, troubled family, works hard, overcomes the odds, becomes a doctor, meets the woman of his dreams, has a child, a flourishing medical practice, a big house, nice cars in the driveway, only to lose it all and become homeless. Sounds hilarious right? Not so much. But in the wake of my first book, 'Duck Duck Wally,' which is a straight-up comedy, I wanted to attempt something a bit more serious. I hoped to write a story that would pay homage to my favorite books and films; the kind that walk the tightrope between humor and drama. A story that occasionally makes you laugh, but also makes you uneasy. In writing "The Human Bobby" -- what amounts to a pretty dark tale -- I wanted to infuse the drama with an occasional levity that would pull the reader out of the darkness. My slideshow lists some such books I was inspired by. I feel that every story -- much like real life -- would be intolerable without a good laugh every now and then.