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

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

Hey all, I'm not sure what the deal is with the wrong version of Blind Side on Amazon. The new version was uploaded, but for some reason they don't offer the update. I do want to tackle them about it because the book went through another edit as well as the edition of the epilogue, but just haven't had a chance.

(This is why I need a PA. So many things like this.)

Also another reader told me she received a DUMMY DRAFT of Seance on a Summer's Night through Overdrive, so who knows how many people received that.

Kobo--all these places--say that updates show up within 72 hours, but it's obvious they frequently don't show up at all.

Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aKSI...

This was beautifully produced. Great acting, great sets, great everything. BUT IT'S NOT AGATHA CHRISTIE. Oh my God. Why do they do that? This is not Christie's Pale Horse, the plot is completely, completely and crucially changed.

And honestly it's fine to change it up, but don't slap Christie's name on it. At best, it's loosely based on, adapted from...inspired by.

What it did do though, was make me want to read the book as an adult (I'd read it in junior high and I think I missed a lot the first time through) and the SO and I decided to watch the Marple version of it

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1605749/

But as I was studying the DVD case, I realized there was a bonus feature--an earlier 1887* film adaptation!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt00117282/

So we started that one last night. I took a Nyquil so I didn't last long (I'm a bit sniffly with what I believe are allergies) but I was enjoying it--although I'm now determined to read the book again. It's a great little story!




*hahahahaha that would be a very early version. I meant 1997

My anxiety peaked mid-last week. Ironically, we've come so far since then, I'm not even sure what triggered me, but I went to bed with the two dogs and watched HONEST TRAILERS for about two hours, and before I knew it, I was laughing and laughing. I had the best night sleep I've had in well over a month.

A Prayer in Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.


Robert Frost - 1874-1963

Making some hard decisions about deadlines and future publishing releases. There's something really freeing about being willing to walk away from 6,000 existing preorders. I don't WANT to, obviously, but I'm very clear in my priorities right now.

1 - Mobile phones and texting. So nice to be able to keep in touch right now and even share photos or funny gifs.

2 - Streaming services, be they music, movies or books.

3 - Door Dash

4 - The internet

5 - A VERY well stocked bar

Also, for those looking for more books to stock up on during your eventual lockdown, I'm taking part in a 58-author promo. All books are .99 or free. This one is called ISOLATION READING PLAN.

I've got up, which isn't going to do most of you much good, but like I said, there are a ton of authors I'm sure you've never heard of, and this is the perfect chance to try them out.

https://becausetwomenarebetterthanone...

Smashwords is doing another sale. This one is called AUTHORS GIVE BACK and it runs for one month starting today. All my Smashwords titles are discounted 60%. There are tons and tons of authors participating.

https://www.smashwords.com/

Hi all!

Sorry to have been so scarce. I had set such a brutally ambitious writing schedule for the last (and next) couple of months, there just wasn't any spare time. Then the virus happened and there just wasn't any spare emotional energy.

But I've just read through the "new" messages in the thread, and it was fascinating to see in real time things like the UK's adoption and speedy abandoning of herd immunity, etc. Jordan, when all of this is over, I think you should take a cooking class. Failing that, you should do something like Blue Apron for about three months. You will learn one heck of a lot about cooking. I did! And the meals are healthy and nutritious and they have more GF options, etc.

I hope you're all being smart and staying healthy. I'm relieved that here in CA we went on lockdown three days ago. That's the only chance, slowing spread long enough for some preparation.

The market shelves are bare--people being absolutely insane with greed and stupidity. A woman with two flatbeds of milk, a family with four baskets all filled with toilet paper. In other words, dumbasses creating a problem where one did not previously exist.

These really are the moments where you see what people are made of, and sadly way too many people are made of The Stupid.

Meanwhile, the sociopath in the White House has gone from claiming it's all a hoax to lying about everything being under control and claiming there are plenty of supplies and help is on the way, even though that is not even close to being true.

But hey! How crazy is it that we're all here and we're all friends in the first Pandemic of the 21st Century! WE WERE HERE. ;-D Assuming we survive, what a great story to share with young family members!

Mymymble wrote: "I've watched Sense8. I see Alison was singing its praises back in 2015 - just before I joined this group. It's a fascinating queer sci-fi series about half a dozen super-telepaths all born at the s..."

That is a very kind thing to do for fans!

That after today I still have one day for catch up before I begin Secret at Skull House.

(Also that we've been swimming for a week--it's been that warm!)

I've been unable to read lately, but I'm hoping that on the long, long trip to New York and then to Paris and then back to LA that I'm going to get through a lot of books on my kindle. Even skimming can be very enjoyable.

Also I put a moratorium on buying any more books (other than vintage titles which you've got to grab when you see them coz they won't be there long).

Jordan wrote: "Oh, Josh, you’ll love it! But make sure to read The Last Sun first."

Oh! I thought The Hanged Man was the first!

Mymymble wrote: "A new publishing venture by Michael Nava to highlight queer books mainly by POC.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&s......"

What a great thing!

Jordan wrote: "A Juror on the Weinstein trial reads books about predatory men and his lawyers want her off the jury:
https://www.vulture.com/2020/02/weins...

The Atlantic has an..."

Wow. Those are all fascinating.

I wonder if it's a sign our our increasing polarization that people believe (sincerely?) that someone else would be unable to overlook their biases and make objective decisions.

Jordan wrote: "Antonella wrote: "If a clean kitchen makes you feel better, it is good that you invested some effort to achieve that goal ;-). And I didn't know that you are able to rebuild a website: my complimen..."

One of my proudest achievements of two years ago was learning how to build and maintain my own wordpress website. I truly thought it was beyond me! So mastering it was empowering.

Mymymble wrote: "I've looked up all my exes in social media but only once or twice.
This is partly because social media was a work tool for me, partly because all of them are still friends of friends but also becau..."

hahahahaha

But honestly, that sounds harmless enough. There are friends from junior high and high school I *think* I might like to catch up with. But sometimes the memory IS better. ;-)

Jordan wrote: "Johanna wrote: "Karen wrote: "Josh wrote: "... How many of you look up old friends or romantic relationships on social media?

Well... this may actually inspire me to rectify something by replying ..."

I'm not letting myself watch almost any true crime this year. I got kind of obsessed last year and my brain was filled with such ugly, violent thoughts. There is nothing more terrifying than true crime.

Johanna wrote: "Karen wrote: "Josh wrote: "... How many of you look up old friends or romantic relationships on social media?

Well... this may actually inspire me to rectify something by replying to an email I've..."

This is a separate--well, maybe tangential problem. I have/had a number of conservative friends, and I--and really they too, I think--was always able to keep the balance, keep politics out of friendship and family.

But with Trump, it has changed. It has changed them and it has changed me. I understand for the first time how family could turn against family in the Civil War. I could never understand that before. And even now there are family members I could never turn against regardless of my contempt for their political attitudes--but people I don't absolutely love, I've closed them off.

I used to never be a person who closed doors on relationships. Now I slam them.

Johanna wrote: "I finished reading Blind Side! I love the way Josh made their relationship struggle feel so real and torturing. And the romantic ending — how come I didn't see that wedding coming!? It's nice to be..."

:-D :-D :-D