Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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In fact I much prefer writing (and speaking) in English than in German ;-). Does your exam correspond to the European levels (A2, B1 and so on)?
Antonella wrote: "In fact I much prefer writing (and speaking) in English than in German ;-). Does your exam correspond to the European levels (A2, B1 and so on)?"
Our college levels are (0) C, B and A, my German class covers 0 to B in one year instead of the usual 2, 0 means that you don't have to have taken German prior to this class, we begin with the basics, it's not a level on it's own.
We start college (gymnasiet) or another education after 9 or 10 years of public school and it takes 3 years, usually ;-)
You can pick several lines in gymnasiet, I'm languages, my brother took the math line, and my step brother took science, that means that the A levels we take are different, but the C and most of the B levels are the same, you have to have at least 2 A levels and 2 B levels out of 11 courses (this has changed a bit since my last time).
What I'm doing now is taking new courses and some higher levels of classes I took 20 years ago, I still don't know if I'll take a new direction after this or try to get a new job, but at least I didn't go unemployed for those 2 years and I learned a lot of interesting things :-)
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For me that happened with Lonestar. Web's father had a great voice and I would have much preferred that voice be used for Web. But I had no control over the production -- that one was through Audible and Carina.
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Oh no. I won't. I do plan on listening further. After all, I didn't get past the first scene. But temporarily, I had to put it down. I am sorta planning on getting back to the other one too, in hopes it gets better.
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No, not the only one. I liked all of the voices. : )
Idamus wrote: "So, I'm the only one who thought Jacob's voice fitted him perfectly? Oh well :D"I actually enjoyed all the voices, so I'm with you Idamus ;)
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Karen wrote: "Ooh! A Vintage Affair. Paul S. Fleschner is a great choice. I just listened to the sample and ordered. Such a rich voice!"Oh, I love the sample. Very nice. :-)
Karen wrote: "Ooh! A Vintage Affair. Paul S. Fleschner is a great choice. I just listened to the sample and ordered. Such a rich voice!"Must have!
I enjoyed the book immensely when I read it (like all Josh's books btw) and I loved Fleschner's voice in CUTYS :)
Mtsnow13 wrote: "Idamus wrote: "So, I'm the only one who thought Jacob's voice fitted him perfectly? Oh well :D"I actually enjoyed all the voices, so I'm with you Idamus ;)"
Karen wrote: "Idamus wrote: "So, I'm the only one who thought Jacob's voice fitted him perfectly? Oh well :D"
No, not the only one. I liked all of the voices. : )"
Yay :D
Finished listening to American Gods yesterday and bought A Vintage Affair and The Great Gatsby audio books today. Lots of good audio book hours in my future. :-D
I'm listening to Boystown 2: Three More Nick Nowak Mysteries. I'm not in love with the narrator but he is pretty good. I bought a couple historical romances by Laura Kinsale to try because the narrator gets such rave reviews. And I don't believe I've ever read any historical m/f romances. I'm in the mood for something "different" and I'm trying to broaden my horizons a little.
Calathea wrote: "Finished listening to American Gods yesterday and bought A Vintage Affair and The Great Gatsby audio books today. Lots of good audio book hours in my future. :-D"I really liked American Gods. And the sequel, Anansi Boys, is very good too, a bit less than American Gods, but still very good.
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Format doesn't matter, Ian did a superb job and I loved it. And it was great to knit to!
KC wrote: "Calathea wrote: "Finished listening to American Gods yesterday and bought A Vintage Affair and The Great Gatsby audio books today. Lots of good audio book hou..."What did you like about it? I'm still not decided. Over long stretches I had a feeling of being bored and couldn't stop listening at the same time. Maybe I was expecting something more Terry Pratchett-like?
I loved the writing, though, no question about it. :-)
Jordan wrote: "I just finished listening to The Odyssey this morning. Of course, it's read by Ian McKellen, so as far as I'm concerned, you couldn't find a better narrator for this epic fantasy. I loved it. Just ..."I just stoped for second reading "epic fantasy". I never saw it in that light but from nowadays viewpoint I guess you're right, mythology is kind of epic fantasy. What do you think Homer intended it to be?
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That's a good question. Maybe he was just trying to tell a good story. I mean, there's so much we don't know. And back then, stories of the Gods and Goddesses and fantastical creatures was pretty normal, not considered fantasy, I bet. Legends and myths and stories to learn from and whatnot.
The thing I get from this is that if you keep trying, if you refuse to give up and you stay honorable you'll eventually get what you want. Even if it's brief, as Odysseus's time at home was. And maybe that was his intent, to get this point across.
Jordan wrote: "I just finished listening to The Odyssey this morning. Of course, it's read by Ian McKellen, so as far as I'm concerned, you couldn't find a better narrator for this epic fantasy. I loved it. Just ..."I LOVED that audio production! I cried so hard when Odysseus came home and met the dog, his father, his son. OMG I was a mess! And driving back home from Tennessee... so I had to pull myself together.
Downloaded A Vintage Affair and Among the Living. I foresee some lovely hours during this fall, listening and knitting :)
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Now I'm listening to Elton John's Duet album. I'm loving this one. It's very inspiring for romance and even some dancing, if I could and if I could while not annoying the downstairs neighbor. Lol.
And I'm sad it's time for bed. I wish I could keep listening to this music and get some writing done. Oh well.
Jordan wrote: "Don't yet know what I'm going to listen to yet while I do this pile of dishes. I just found out the person I hired to clean on Wednesday doesn't do dishes. Grrrr. But at least my oven and tub will ..."It's an interesting restriction to make if you're working as a cleaner, presumably paid hourly. I should have thought it was less tiring than the other things you want him/her to do!
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Calathea wrote: "KC wrote: "Calathea wrote: "Finished listening to American Gods yesterday and bought A Vintage Affair and The Great Gatsby audio books today. Lots of good audio book hou..."What did you like about it? I'm still not decided. Over long stretches I had a feeling of being bored and couldn't stop listening at the same time. Maybe I was expecting something more Terry Pratchett-like?
I loved the writing, though, no question about it. :-) "
I'm not exactly sure...it's been a while, but i'm left with the impression of very good writing, imaginative, bold, intriguing, difficult/sad. The premise of gods existing because we think of them, that's in Terry Pratchett too, but here it's serious, so to speak, (and perhaps a bit mean, more real-life-like) while the Terry Pratchett version is witty and fun (and not necessarily less serious, but well, he does have that special way of making one think about things :-)). Also the focus/scope is different. American Gods is epic-like, almost like one of these superhero-action movies, while Terry Pratchett's small and cosy, but they both explore social issues and headology :-)
I've been listening to the audiobook for What Binds Us and I am sort of blown away. The language is a little overwrought here and there but I don't even care when it's all this beautiful. The narrator is perfect, truly. Gah!
During a long and tedious car drive I listened to an audiobook about another Lanyon :-), to Heyer's Venetia read by Richard Armitage. He was criticized for the way he did the female voices, but they did not disturb me. On the other hand, I felt ennoyed about the way the story was shortened and decided that in future even Richard Armitage won't make me buy an abridged version of a loved book...
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I think abridging audio is to miss the whole point of audio, which is a more thoughtful and leisurely exploration of the story. You have to read and visualize at the narrator's pace.
I have never bought abridged audio that I wasn't irritated or frustrated.
Josh wrote: "Varecia wrote: "During a long and tedious car drive I listened to an audiobook about another Lanyon :-), to Heyer's Venetia read by Richard Armitage. He was criticized for the way he did the female..."Yes, I came to see that point. Even a narrator who could read the phone book to me cannot make up for it.
Josh wrote: "I think abridging audio is to miss the whole point of audio, which is a more thoughtful and leisurely exploration of the story. You have to read and visualize at the narrator's pace.I have never bought abridged audio that I wasn't irritated or frustrated. ..."
I can't stand abridged anything. The only time I bought an abridged audio was on accident. Audible refunded me and I bought the full version. Forgot what it was, though.
Josh wrote: "Varecia wrote: "During a long and tedious car drive I listened to an audiobook about another Lanyon :-), to Heyer's Venetia read by Richard Armitage. He was criticized for the way he did the female..."So true and it is very difficult to abridge something, without disturbing the timeline and the storyline. But for me it is pure hubris to decide, what to cut out.
I agree with you all. I hate abridged books in any format, but Josh's point about the "more thoughtful and leisurely exploration of the story" in audiobooks is so true.
I just finished Hound Dog & Bean audio by BG Thomas, narrated by Charlie David. I just started The Boy Who Came In From the Cold, also by BG Thomas and narrated by Charlie David.I love Charlie David's voice.
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A Vintage Affair
The Hardest Thing: A Dan Stagg Mystery
Listened to (about 33% through it) on our road trip to/from Denver:
Outlander
All great narrators!
The Strange Fortune audiobook was such good company while I was sick and laying low in my bed. I really came to love the narrator. There's nothing better than someone telling you a good story when you don't feel good.
Alison wrote: "The Strange Fortune audiobook was such good company while I was sick and laying low in my bed. I really came to love the narrator. There's nothing better than someone telling you a good story when ..."Isn't it wonderful! I love that story and the way it is narrated.
I am still on my Adrien English marathon, almost two thirds into The Dark Tide now. Even if I know how the story between Adrien and Jake ends, it is still heartbreaking to listen to Adrien's insecurities and fear.
When that is finished, I will also be finished with the very complicated mittens I have been working on, so then I shall begin with A Vintage Affair I think, and a scarf. Looking forward to both!:)
Alison wrote: "The Strange Fortune audiobook was such good company while I was sick and laying low in my bed. I really came to love the narrator. There's nothing better than someone telling you a good story when ..."I'm so sorry you haven't been well! But I agree, there is nothing like a good audiobook when you're feeling ill.
Alison it is good, that you feel better. I love TheStrange Fortune (Aleister is someone I would love to know ) and the audio is very good.
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A Vintage Affair
The Hardest Thing: A Dan Stagg Mystery"
Oh, good to know that our September BOM book is also in audio!
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A Vintage Affair
The Hardest Thing: A Dan Stagg Mystery"
Oh, good to know that our September BOM book is al..."
I opted for the ebook, then got the special audiobook price. It's a very good audiobook, somehow the narrator's voice made the James Lear near-porn interludes very listenable. ; )
Naturally 7 - Ready or Not (LIVE at 96FIVE)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3XO_w...
They are amazing!
I'm listening to A Vintage Affair and enjoying the book all over again. I really like Ernest!I've been thinking that Josh's decision to make audiobooks of his books, and his careful selection of narrators etc., have made such a positive difference for me over the last 18 months or so.
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I've been thinking that Josh's decision to make audiobooks of his books, and his caref..."
Thank you, HJ! I'm continuing to enjoy producing the audio books. Sales have definitely slowed as everyone and their mother jump into the ACX DIY pool. I think the result is a lot of reader/listeners have become much, much more wary about trying audio. :-D
But that will even out. A lot of authors are stunned when they realize how little they earn from audio.
I've got some good stuff coming up in the next few months. Mummy Dearest with Sean Crisden narrating is next. Then Haunted Heart. And then Out of the Blue with Alexander Masters.
And I still have to contact Kevin R. Free to see if he wants to the do Boy With the Painful Tattoo. I hope so. I have been listening to the Holmes & Moriarity book at night (just to sort of reacquaint myself with the characters) and you know it's a good narration when you're laughing at your own work!
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I've been thinking that Josh's decision to make audiobooks of his books, an..."
I just finished Somebody Killed His Editor the day before yesterday. Can't wait to start the next one!
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Oh wonderful!!! :-)
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I will definitely cross my fingers that you'll get Kevin R. Free for TBWTPT. He does such an amazing job with the other two Holmes & Moriarity books.
It's great to hear that he also manages to make the author himself laugh. :-) It makes me happy to think that you get to experience a little bit of what your readers feel when they are reading Josh Lanyon books. Maybe? :-)
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I do see I've used the same jokes a few times and the same references. It's really very odd because when an idea occurs to you, it does feel fresh and new. OH! I could do that!
I remember years ago reading some article advising authors to immediately discard all their first ideas. At the time I thought that was crazy, but now I do see that most initial ideas have already been done -- either by me or by someone else.
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Maybe I should start giving that advice to my students, too. :-)
Seriously, I think there is some truth behind that.
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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Schade! Willst du mit uns sprechen? ;-)"
Not yet, I read and understand German, but speaking it is a few months away still :-)
Writing it? Who knows, but fortunately there's only going to be an oral exam