Hahaha… I guess there are details in the writing that may seem a little too cheesy depending on the reader. There are scenes that could’ve been entirely serious, but I don’t personally mind having the occasional tongue-in-cheek moment so I end up with stuff like this:

The part about family was relevant to keep because it’s an idea the chief actually believes in. She presents herself as this idealistic mother figure to her people, though of course that’s not the whole truth of her character. It takes a tough boss to lead all those tough people :’)

I’m pretty spontaneous with jokes, so if I come up with a decent one, I’ll usually go with it because what’s the harm, right? I totally see what you mean though; it’s going to be challenging once I get to the more serious chapters, keeping the mood intact and not ruining it with badly-placed jokes. Thanks for the feedback!