One Last Lie

[Nancy]

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[Jon]

I read One Last Lie in July and I must say, it's a damn good romantic thriller! You can check out my review here,

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I'll check back now and again as folks begin to read and finish the novel to participate in the discussion.

[Yzabel]

Currently reading--and enjoying--it. I'm trying not to rush through it, as weird as this may seem. It's the kind of story whose outcome I want to know quickly... yet whose characters I won't be able to appreciate properly if I read too fast. (Weird, I know.)

[Rob]

If you get a chance, read the review by Literary R&R. I don't know what it is, but I laughed through the entire review. That Mandy is something else! :)

[Nancy]

I liked the book. It was very well-paced and Phil and Jonathan (especially Jonathan) were likable and realistic characters I could care about.

It was tempting to zip through the story, but I didn't want to miss any clues or character nuances that may be important later.

As I said in my review, I felt the clues were heavy-handed and the story became predictable. Even though I had an idea of what was going to happen, the story was difficult to put down.

I just wish Angie, Tommy, and June had been more well-rounded. I know they were all mentally unstable to varying degrees, but I would have liked the mental illness aspect to have been explored more thoroughly.

Oh, Phil...he frustrated me.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Rob]

Hey!
Thanks for the review. Of course I would've loved more stars, but I'm glad you were honest - in your star-giving and your review. I feel from your words that you look more deeply into people and things than most... that you're interested in aspects of people that others don't give a crap about. I also sense a sort of resentment and I'm not sure why. It could've been the story you told pre-review or something else - but it the resentment became most apparent to me in your misogynistic comment. But it's all okay because in my opinion, that's what writing is all about - to bring out the good feelings, the bad feelings and the unknown feelings. When all is said and done, I'm glad you enjoyed the writing and have the hope that my next book will be better. Because I have the same hope! Thanks again for the review. Now get back to Hanging with Friends! I need a win!

[Nancy]

Oh, I was angry with Phil all right. He had too much faith in people without a healthy dose of skepticism. The signs were there from the beginning and Phil, for whatever reason, chose to ignore them. Angie had serious problems and Phil dismissed them merely as a "woman's problem". I wanted to smack some sense into him so many times.

Reading the story brought to mind my deeply closeted friend who wanted to marry me. It made me wonder how my life would have changed if I had agreed, if he would ever accept himself, and how it would have affected our friendship. It also made me think how difficult it would be to undo agreements made if things didn't work out.

I have a cold and you caught me at a weak moment. Prepare to be defeated next round! ;)

[Nancy]

I should also mention that I really enjoyed the relationship between both men. They cared deeply for each other and deserved happiness. I liked how their story revolved around coping with life issues, not about being gay.

It's a truly universal story that should appeal to a wide audience.

[Rob]

Thank you. :) And I know about the typos (a little late, unfortunately). I just had someone review the entire book and mark up the issues. I now have to make changes to the paperback and e-book mss and then re-upload. It's embarrassing and I should've had it proofread first. That's my impetuousness coming through. As I said last night, as long as the story brought things too mind (positive or negative) other than "this writing stinks", that's what's important. BTW, I did notice your last word was a little on the easy side. I should've known you weren't at your best! :)

[Jon]

Nancy wrote: "Oh, I was angry with Phil all right. He had too much faith in people without a healthy dose of skepticism. The signs were there from the beginning and Phil, for whatever reason, chose to ignore t..."

I must agree with Nancy in that Phil drove me crazy, too. As a reader, seeing what Angie was doing, I wanted to scream! But, the angst is what propelled me to read faster and faster - and like others, I was soooo tempted to jump to the end to find out, but didn't want to ruin the experience. The mark of a truly gifted story-teller in my opinion!

[Rob]

Thanks, Jon! Believe me, I was upset with Philip also. But I had to stay true to his character - trusting, optimistic, and "half glass full" kinda guy. SO unlike me, which made it a challenge to write!

[Rob]

Hey, Don. You're right. And it's odd to me, even with television shows and movies, how people get turned off because they disliked a character who is MEANT to be disliked. As far as Philip goes, I'm not sure it's dislike as much as it is disappointed. But that's for you to decide!
Rob

[Nancy]

Don wrote: "I have the book but haven't read it yet, but I'd rather have a real human being that irritates me than someone created to please the audience. I've had this discussion in my book club when I recommended a book and several people didn't like the main character..."

I totally agree! Not liking a character doesn't mean a reader can't empathize with them in some way.

Phil wasn't an unlikable character. He just made some bad choices that both men ended up paying for.

[Rob]

I meet at least one of those a day! :)

[Nancy]

Me too! Like the woman who should have called in sick today instead of coughing up a lung.

[Nancy]

Hey Rob,

You mentioned somewhere that One Last Lie is based on some of your personal experiences. Was it easy for you to get out of the situation without hurting feelings or damaging a friendship?

[Rob]

Nancy wrote: "Me too! Like the woman who should have called in sick today instead of coughing up a lung."
That is so wrong. I'll never understand that. I'll just add it to the list, I guess.

[Rob]

Nancy wrote: "Hey Rob,

You mentioned somewhere that One Last Lie is based on some of your personal experiences. Was it easy for you to get out of the situation without hurting feelings or damaging a friendship?"

I actually had a friend (one of a lesbian couple) who had brought up the possibility of me donating my sperm. They wanted to have a child and thought I'd make the perfect donor. (I really was flattered.) I told them I'd think about it. A few days later I was at lunch with my friend who's a lawyer and she said straight out, "absolutely not!". She said there were too many negatives paths that action could take and that I should not commit myself. Her comments plus my imagination led to "One Last Lie".

In the end, I didn't donate my sperm to my friend and luckily, we're still friends.

[Nancy]

I can understand why women would want to have a child with a man they know and trust, rather than an anonymous donor.

(view spoiler)[As Phil and Jonathan found out, this can definitely be problematic. In their case, though, they actually wanted Angie to be the primary parent while they had visitation rights without all the responsibilities. Now how would that work legally if two women wanted to be the sole parents and the man agreed to donate his sperm. Could he actually change his mind and demand parental rights? (hide spoiler)]

[Rob]

Your question is just one of the many problems that arose when I had the discussion with my lawyer friend. There could have been issues from both sides and it could've turned "ugly". That's why it didn't happen.

[Nancy]

Your turn on Hanging With Friends, Rob. Go ahead, take advantage of me while I'm down. I think that woman who coughed up a lung at work yesterday made my cold even worse.

[Rob]

That REALLY sucks! Sorry to hear that. Can't get to HWF right now. Out of battery and too busy. Will try sometime tonight. Gotta get it while the gettin' is good!!

[Nancy]

The good thing is that I didn't get sick while I was in PR. I'm trying to do some work in between shivers and coughs.

[Rob]

Feel better. I hope it goes away quickly. When you're better, it's time to have a talk with the lung hacker.

[Nancy]

Thanks, Don and Rob. It's a good thing I can work from home when I need to. Now that I killed two of my HWF opponents, I can rest easy. Your turn, Rob. :)

[Denise]

I'm about 25% into the book. I'm liking the framework for the novel. Checking in intermittently on crotchety old Jonathan in the nursing home is kind of a hoot.

[Rob]

Denise wrote: "I'm about 25% into the book. I'm liking the framework for the novel. Checking in intermittently on crotchety old Jonathan in the nursing home is kind of a hoot."

Hi Denise,
Glad you like the nursing home "visits". I have other things to add, but won't, because I don't want to ruin the other 75%. Enjoy!!!
Rob

[Rob]

Thanks for your review AND your feedback, Don. I'm glad the book held your interest throughout. I did go back and forth for awhile - trying to decide whether or not to "start" at the "end". Based on your review, it seems as though I made the right decision! Thanks again!
Rob

[Nancy]

I am a little bit of a control-freak at home and at work, so I can identify with Jonathan. Not that my kitchen is super neat, but everything has a place and I really hate when others don't put things back where they found them.

(view spoiler)[Jonathan's grief broke my heart and I too was bothered by the fact that his entire life seemed to stop after Phil's death. Did he have other lovers? Were there close friends or other family members that could help him work through his pain? I would have liked more of a glimpse into Jonathan's life in those years after Phil. (hide spoiler)]

Starting at the end was a very good decision!

[Nancy]

Don wrote: "I personally have found out I'm incompatible with control freaks and anal retentive folks. Wonder why that is what I seem to attract. LOL..."

My guess is you probably crave some order and structure in your carefree and spontaneous life. ;)

Thankfully, I don't live with another person like me. I don't know if I could handle it.

(view spoiler)[That is really sad about your grandfather, Don. None of my grandparents had other relationships after the deaths of their spouses, but all found comfort within the family. I've never lost a significant other, but my dearest friend Mark died of AIDS in 1995. In many ways, he was like a brother to me and I always considered him family. I sunk into a horrible depression during his last weeks in a hospice and after his death and started drinking heavily. Fortunately, I had my brother and a few close friends and co-workers to help snap me out of it. Mark left me his entire collection of books and CDs. For three years, I couldn't listen to his favorite music without bawling my eyes out. When I listen to it now, my memories are of happier times when he was well overlaid with just a tinge of sadness at certain times of the year.

Like you said, I can understand not wanting to start a new relationship, but family and friends are important. Even a pet can help by giving a grieving person a reason to get up in the morning.

Jonathan deserved so much better. He just died right along with Phil. (hide spoiler)]