Josh’s Comments (group member since Jun 17, 2010)

Josh’s comments from the Q&A with Josh Lanyon group.

Happy Holidays, my dears!

I'm sorry to have been so scarce this year. I just really had difficulty...well, with pretty much everything. I mean, it really was a hellish year, but even without all the exterior things (the sad drama of the summer, for example) I was already struggling.

And of course part of that was my own fault for yet again creating a schedule based on best case scenario rather than worst case scenario. And then, once things started to slide, being squeamish about just cancelling everything until I felt better. After Bell, Book and Scandal I should have wiped my schedule clean until I recovered my equilibrium.

But also I think my assumption that 2021 would be a return to normalcy was simply setting myself up for disappointment and then depression. As was my thinking Biden's election was going to solve everything--or anything.

So, yes, I'm delighted to have reached the end of this year. And because I'm fully expecting us to all be back in lockdown soon (if not in an actual civil war), I'm pretty calm about 2022.

I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE MY HOLIDAY PEP TALK!

:-P

Seriously, though, I know this was a difficult year for most of us, but here we are! We've made it this far, and now at least we have an idea of what to expect. I'm feeling much better, much more "normal," and a lot more creative.

I hope you're feeling better too and looking forward to 2022.

I plan to check in more regularly. I do miss seeing what you're all up to--hearing about what you're reading, watching, listening to. So maybe we can all make more of an effort to pop in and share a little bit of ourselves.

Either way, I'm wishing you all the happiest (and healthiest) of holidays.

Thank you so much to Jordan and Johanna for doing their best to keep our home fires burning. <3 <3 <3 Youse guys are the best.

Here's to turning the page on 2021 and starting the brand new chapter of 2022! See you on the other side!

xoxo
J.

I finally started this last night, and it's pretty slow going. In fact, I fell asleep almost immediately. :-D

I haven't yet reached the problematical bits (or much of anything else) except that Dick is pretty darned dull and we've had about two chapters of why this is going to make a terrific story without any evidence as to the terrific story.

I do think I would turn Dick into...not a villain, exactly, but a little bit more of an anti-hero. I would make him much funnier and acid-tongued (or acid-minded). Perhaps a disappointed idealist, so he's a little bitter and a lot cynical. Someone who is resigned to not finding love.

I would change his name for sure. ;-)

I haven't got to the Alice character yet, but I'm wondering about the possibilities of the younger squire.

I can see that a LOT of work would be required to turn this into something amusing, so this had better have one rip-roaring heck of a spectral mystery. It's going to be so disappointing if the best thing about it turns out to be the cover illustration.

Jordan wrote: "The names Dick comes up with for the sister here are so weird/terrible. “Little bundle of mischief “ had me thinking she was 5 or something at first, but she’s an adult. He also calls her “Little g..."

LOL.

Interestingly, a lot of "cozy" or "comical" mysteries of the 1930s and 40s were still doing that kind of crazy nicknaming of female relations (and love interests). I assume it was a book fashion and not a real life fashion. One hopes!

Jordan wrote: "What was the funniest moment for you?"

For me, personally, the funniest scene is always going to be the motel scene in The Boy with the Painful Tattoo. :-D I STILL laugh at that, and I wrote it!

As I look back on last year, I think this was the big red flag. I wish I had heeded the warnings of burn-out sooner. I could have saved myself and readers a whole lot of pain.

Marge wrote: "I am really enjoying this one. It's just refreshing to see characters again that I really like, and who are trying to do their best to understand one another.

I have to laugh at the antics of Wats..."

The real life ARF! ARF! ARF! does get old. ;-)

I'm so glad. The point of these books is to be comforting. Comforting to me and comforting to readers. So it's validating to read comments like yours, Jordan, and Marge's.

<3 <3 <3

Poor little neglected thread! :-(

Five Things I Love

1 - The Holidays!
Last year the holidays were just...strange. Not that there weren't lovely and joyful moments, but I think the fear and anxiety of the year really dampened my spirits. This year, I feel that I've come to terms with the way things are.

Also, not watching the news helps A LOT.

2 - Writing again. Suffice it to say THANK GOD.

3 - My crazy little dogs.
It's still funny to me how long I put off getting another dog. Not a day goes by that these two don't make me laugh or melt my heart.

Speaking of dogs, yesterday Marlowe went charging out through his doggie door, hackles raised, barking so hard he was bouncing up and down, so I followed him out, and a hawk had killed a pigeon and was consuming it--to Marlowe's outrage. The hawk flew off, I disposed (regretfully) of the pigeon (because I know that poor hawk needed to eat), and peace resumed.

A few minutes later BOTH Marlowe and Spenser charged out the doggie door, and THE HAWK HAD RETURNED.

So that was alarming. But the hawk departed once more, and that seems to have been that.

3 - My current office...namely the sofa in front of the fireplace, Irish coffee within reach, gay holiday romance on the TV for background "music."

4 - Next year's New and Improved work schedule.

5 - The SO's new job. He was going crazy stuck at home with me. And likewise. Now he's around people again (er, I mean, I AM a people, but...) and he's much, much happier. Which means, I'M much happier. All the world is happier. ;-D

Oh. My Author's Direct audio store includes the two Adrien English box sets (NOTE: The Adrien English Mysteries 2 includes Chris Patton's version of So This is Christmas) which are NOT available on Audible.

Many (most?) of my audio is half-price at Author's Direct right now.

https://shop.authors-direct.com/colle...

There's also a prequel coda for Jack and Ellery.

https://joshlanyon.blogspot.com/2021/...

A bit from the first chapter of Fatal Shadows, written from Jake's POV. This alternate first chapter is one of the bonuses in the Fatal Shadows Collector's Edition, which I'm hoping to finally, FINALLY have out in late January.

https://joshlanyon.blogspot.com/2021/...

Antonella wrote: "Karen wrote: "Argh! I still can't post on the blog anymore... or I just posted five times... ;)"

Am I mean if I'm happy that this doesn't happen only to me? ;-)

I'm enjoying the Advent Calendar a..."

I just don't get it. Blogger has updated three times since I started blogging there, and your comments NEVER go through. There is a spam box, but it's always empty. It's so odd.

Karen wrote: "Argh! I still can't post on the blog anymore... or I just posted five times... ;)

Enjoying the Advent Calendar nonetheless."

I thought I saw one of yours go through, Karen? Did you try using a different browser?

I do find Blogger very glitchy.

SamSpayedPI wrote: "At least it's over...."

You know it's bad when the best thing about the day is, it's over. ;-)

It's a gray and cold day in SoCal. I'm sitting in front of the fireplace playing around with coda ideas for the Advent Calendar. My Christmas shopping is done (ARGH except for one gift that was lost in shipping) and almost everything is wrapped. We just got a "seafood dinner" shipment from Goldbelly.

So...Christmastime. That is the best thing about today.

The future of audiobooks

https://selfpublishingadvice.org/futu...

https://blog.findawayvoices.com/spoti...

Jordan wrote: "Antonella wrote: "Article from Publishers Weekly about an unprecedented spike in attempts to ban books from schools and libraries in the USA:

Librarians, Educators Warn of 'Organized' Book Banning..."

You have to give the lunatic right fringe its due. They are VERY good at this kind of mobilization.