Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What Are you Reading?
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I wish it would be possible to have all his works as ebooks. His books really should have a bigger audience.
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Not a review, really. Just some scattered thoughts. :-)
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Yes. Let's keep each other posted when we'll decide to read them!
Johanna wrote: "I also finished reading Joseph Hansen's (as James Colton) Lost on Twilight Road. I don't know why I didn't have very high expectations for it — I approached it with only curiosity, mostly. Maybe be..."I think about books like that as a whole meal, something for your thoughts as well as your emotions, while other, simpler books are like a piece of candy, still enjoyable but not fulfilling in the same way. So, the full meal books are the ones you think about afterwards, who live in you long after you have finished reading them, and you come back to reread, or at least to look at parts later. Some are even so forceful they stay with you always, but it is too hard to read them again. And you don't have to because they have made a lasting impression. Those are the ones who aren't always a joy to read, more like a force of nature you have to endure and you emerge on the other side a changed person.. I don't read those very often anymore, I no longer have what it takes, not the patience nor the will to endure, but I did it more when young. And I can still recall the emotions they evoked.
Johanna wrote: "Jordan and I started talking about Mary Reanult's The Persian Boy on another topic, but I'll continue the discussion here where it better belongs..."I read The Persian Boy when I was about 13 or so. I remember my eyebrows crawling up into my hairline in surprise at first, but I loved historical fiction and read it. Other than my surprise I don't remember much else about it.
Clearly a re-read is in order. I believe I have it on Kindle.
Johanna wrote: "I also finished reading Joseph Hansen's (as James Colton) Lost on Twilight Road. I don't know why I didn't have very high expectations for it — I approached it with only curiosity, mostly. Maybe be..."Now you made me want to read it.
I am reading the sequel to Off Campus which is Nothing Like Paris by Amy Jo Cousins. Both of these are well written. I am glad to have found another author!
I'm reading 'Dirty Laundry' by Heidi Cullinan - book 3 in the Tucker Springs series. I'm enjoying it. Sometimes I enjoy a sweet story. I was reading 'Burnt Toast B&B' by Heidi Belleau - part of the Bluewater Bay series - but I'm having issues with it and am setting it aside for now. Maybe for good.
Anne wrote: "I think about books like that as a whole meal, something for your thoughts as well as your emotions, while other, simpler books are like a piece of candy, still enjoyable but not fulfilling in the same way. So, the full meal books are the ones you think about afterwards, who live in you long after you have finished reading them, and you come back to reread, or at least to look at parts later. "Very well said, Anne, as always! That would explain why I cannot read a lot of candy-books in a row without getting an ache somewhere ;-)
Johanna wrote: "Antonella wrote: "Johanna wrote: "I also finished reading Joseph Hansen's (as James Colton) Lost on Twilight Road. I don't know why I didn't have very high expectations for it — I approached it wit..."I actually wrote to the press that published the Brandstetter ebooks and asked about plans for his other books, but they never replied...
Thank you for writing about Lost on Twilight Road. I keep looking for it but haven't found an affordable copy yet. But i'm still optimistic! And i have three other Colton books so there's that to look forward to :-)
I completely understand the reading Hansen as a comfort read. Every time i open one of his books, a sense of peace envelops me, like being wrapped up in a fluffy, comforting blanket. And yes, Josh's books have the same effect, but less wistful and more happy.
KC wrote: "I actually wrote to the press that published the Brandstetter ebooks and asked about plans for his other books, but they never replied..."Great idea! Thank you for doing it.
Maybe you can give here that address and other of us might write to that publishing house...
Steve wrote: "I'm reading 'Dirty Laundry' by Heidi Cullinan - book 3 in the Tucker Springs series. I'm enjoying it. Sometimes I enjoy a sweet story. I was reading 'Burnt Toast B&B' by Heidi Belleau - part of the..."The Burnt Toast B and B is waiting on my Kindle, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. What are your issues with it? Care to share?
Anne wrote: "Steve wrote: "I'm reading 'Dirty Laundry' by Heidi Cullinan - book 3 in the Tucker Springs series. I'm enjoying it. Sometimes I enjoy a sweet story. I was reading 'Burnt Toast B&B' by Heidi Belleau..."Anne, without being too spoilery, one of the characters in 'Burnt Toast B&B' is trans. Now I don't want to sound like a bigot because I'm not and I don't have a problem with somebody who is trans (I have a cousin who is trans) but I think the book should've been labeled as such because I've heard from a few other readers who felt they were 'bait and switched' and didn't want to read a story about a trans relationship. Does that make sense? Also, the trans character (female to male) is the stunt double to one of the lead characters in the TV series and you meet him in the first book, but he doesn't resemble (bodywise) the character he doubles for. He is described as being nearly a foot shorter and a few dozen pounds lighter. That didn't seem realistic to me at all.
I've started to read Life is Awesome last night. Unfortunately, I began too late and didn't get very far. The first impression is that the book, like always with JCP's work, reads smoothly and sucks you in.
Antonella wrote: "KC wrote: "I actually wrote to the press that published the Brandstetter ebooks and asked about plans for his other books, but they never replied..."Great idea! Thank you for doing it.
Maybe yo..."
It's the University of Wisconsin Press and i emailed them at: uwiscpress@uwpress.wisc.edu
which is probably too general...
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That is a particularly memorable book. And he does really capture the pain of adolescence. It's an odd book too because it really goes off track toward the end. Not in a bad way, just in a...you can see his crime/mystery inclination.
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Anne, that's so beautifully said.
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Are you reading all the books in the Bluewater series, Steve? I'm always curious about those multi-author series books.
Josh wrote: "Anne wrote: "Johanna wrote: "I also finished reading Joseph Hansen's (as James Colton) Lost on Twilight Road. I don't know why I didn't have very high expectations for it — I approached it with onl..."I've only read two (or three) of Hansen's books but I really, really like them. I find they're the kinds of books I need to take a bit of time off after I read so I can digest them and let them simmer. They're that good.
Josh wrote: "Steve wrote: "I'm reading 'Dirty Laundry' by Heidi Cullinan - book 3 in the Tucker Springs series. I'm enjoying it. Sometimes I enjoy a sweet story. I was reading 'Burnt Toast B&B' by Heidi Belleau..."I did, Josh. They're billed as 'standalones' but that's not really accurate. In these books you get the big picture of the story and who all the players are. It's like jumping into the Armed and Dangerous series in book 3 expecting to be up to speed.
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Well said, my friend. :-)
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I read The Persia..."
:-)
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Yes. This. You describe the feeling perfectly, KC.
Steve wrote: "Anne wrote: "Steve wrote: "I'm reading 'Dirty Laundry' by Heidi Cullinan - book 3 in the Tucker Springs series. I'm enjoying it. Sometimes I enjoy a sweet story. I was reading 'Burnt Toast B&B' by ..."Thank you, Steve. I knew about the trans person from the reviews so that's okay, I'm just curious to how the author handles it. The issue about the double looking different seems odd, though :)
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Yes, the end part (end-ish) of the story do have a life of its own, doesn't it? :-) It's very extreme, sort of over the top, maybe? But I still liked it a lot.
And speaking of endings — this was one of the Hansen books that made me desperately wish for a happy ending for the young protagonist.
This goes under: ''what I'll be reading''...First of all there is a re-launch of all the ebooks of the Boystown series. But especially, more interesting for me, because I want on paper the books I particularly like, there will be also a new print edition out in the next few weeks.
And you did notice that Boystown 6: From the Ashes is a finalist for the Lambda Award in Gay Fiction, didn't you?
I enjoyed the trans Bluewater Bay book. I knew going in that it was a FtoM trans main character though. I liked the story a lot, but I also seek out trans stories.
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And, Johanna, all of your thoughts about The Persian Boy, spot on. If you can, watch the 2004 movie "Alexander". I love playing "Where's Bagoas" in that movie because he's always quiet in the background somewhere keeping an eye on Aleskander. And I love the actor who plays him, as if ya'll didn't know that already. :-D
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So beautifully said.
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Yeah, that also struck me, but because it was an interesting author's choice: Why choose to point out that dichotomy? The explanation was interesting also. I think it was something along the lines that the stunt double is so skilled at imitating the way the actor moves, that almost no one has ever noticed their physical differences. I kind of liked that notion, rather or not it is likely in RL.
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It's an odd series/universe. I've also read them all, because I enjoy works by most of the authors, and because the setting is the Olympic Peninsula (where my older daughter lives). We visited the peninsula during the Twilight still-strong but waning years, and it was interesting to see the impact of tourist-fans on the area.
I've enjoyed the books, but as a series it's a bit off IMO. I think that's because of the number of details it takes to create a convincing shared location between a (ever growing) group of writers. And there's the "Murder She Wrote" issue — not how many murders can one small town survive, but how many closeted gay actors can one small town support? ; )
Just kidding, not all of the characters are actors or closeted, but still... : )
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I'm only about half way though the b..."
I first read The Persian Boy back in the mid-1970s. It was passed on to me by a friend who found comfort in discovering a historical novel that recognized love between men. I read the trilogy in the mid-1990s when I also got caught up in "searching anything and everything about Alexander the Great." : ) Internet resources weren't anything like today, and there were no ebooks. It was a slow search. I even sat in on the "Alexander" lecture given by a local classics professor. What particularly interested me was tracking how historians either recognized or denied Alexander's relationship with Hephaestion, and historical evidence and interpretation of the nature of that relationship. Aside from that, there was a point when I could carry on a reasonably informed discussion of Alexander's battles and campaigns. That's all gone now. : )
I don't have the heart at this time in my life to reread Renault's Alexander books. Anne described the way I feel about that very well.
Antonella wrote: "This goes under: ''what I'll be reading''...First of all there is a re-launch of all the ebooks of the Boystown series. But especially, more interesting for me, because I want on ..."
Boystown 7: Bloodlines arrived on my Kindle today! Looking forward to read it as soon as possible, it is easily one of the books I waited most eagerly for!!
Susinok wrote: "I enjoyed the trans Bluewater Bay book. I knew going in that it was a FtoM trans main character though. I liked the story a lot, but I also seek out trans stories."What did you think about the body-double not being the same height etc as the actor being "doubled"? I've read several of the Bluewater books but I do like some realism in my fiction so I'm sure I'll read this one (for this reason).
ETA -- I've just seen Karen's comment on this. What did you think of the explanation, Susinok?
HJ wrote: "What did you think about the body-double not being the same height etc as the actor being "doubled"? I've read several of the Bluewater books but I do like some realism in my fiction so I'm sure I'll read this one (for this reason)...."Didn't even notice that bit.
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Yep. I was glad to see that.
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Thank you for the recommendation, Jordan. I actually haven't seen the movie yet. I read from somewhere that there is a Final Cut (2007) version of it and I'm interested in seeing that one.
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I'm only about half ..."
Thank you for commenting on this, Karen. And it's nice to know that also you caught the research fever. ;-)
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Enjoy, Varecia. :-) I have all the other books in the series (only) in audio, so I think I'm going to wait for this one to be released in audio as well.
Varecia wrote: "Antonella wrote: "This goes under: ''what I'll be reading''...First of all there is a re-launch of all the ebooks of the Boystown series. But especially, more interesting for me, ..."
I need to get back to Boystown soon. I read (listened) through #4 and then needed a break. :)
Susinok wrote: "HJ wrote: "What did you think about the body-double not being the same height etc as the actor being "doubled"? I've read several of the Bluewater books but I do like some realism in my fiction so ..."I enjoyed The Burnt Toast B&B and don't really remember that part either. But I have not read the other books in the series. I thought it worked fine as a stand alone.
Varecia wrote: "Antonella wrote: "This goes under: ''what I'll be reading''...First of all there is a re-launch of all the ebooks of the Boystown series. But especially, more interesting for me, ..."
Same here. I'm hoping to find some time this weekend, really looking forward to it.
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I loved LB's story. I think she writes kids so well. She had me from that opening scene. I still smile thinking about it.
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Yes. He does revisit the characters in a later story. I really wish he hadn't, to be honest. Hansen's revisiting of characters rarely goes well for the characters.
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Yeah, I agree. LB's There's Something About Ari is the only book I've yet to read from that series. I truly enjoyed that one.
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Yes. He does revisit the characters in ..."
Uh-oh.
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Yes, I've toyed with the idea of doing something like that and inviting a couple of author friends to take part. The longer the series and the more authors involved, the more challenging it would be to hold it all together.
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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Thank you for the review. Someone should put it on GR so that you copy there what you've written here.
In short, I really wish it would be easier to get your hands on this book, because I definitely think I deserves to be read.
I had checked a while ago and there was still at least a copy available, but now it is definitely quite impossible to get it.