Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What Are you Reading?
Anne wrote: "Hj wrote: "Marge wrote: "I am currently reading Relief Valve after re-reading Pressure Head. Both are decent low-key mysteries. I really like Tom, the narrating plum..."I really enjoyed Pressure Head, though when I read it, I didn't know there was going to be a sequel, so I thought the ending was a bit unsatisfying. Silly me. I soon found out there was going to be more, and that made me happy. I'm looking forward to reading that sequel.
Anne wrote: "Hj wrote: "Marge wrote: "I am currently reading Relief Valve after re-reading Pressure Head. Both are decent low-key mysteries. I really like Tom, the narrating plum..."Yes, I've also definitely become more discerning in my m/m book buying as time goes on. I've been disappointed more than a few times.
Hj wrote: "ED wrote: "I understand your overall point, though; I've been listening to audiobooks for years and until very recently they did just "read the damn book, and read it well" (and I liked it). Using different voices is a recent development, but now it seems to be expected and I've seen narrators criticized for not doing it."I tend to prefer "voice actors" who can do different characters but I also find if I don't like a voice the narrator uses I become increasingly annoyed every time the character says something. The other problem I have is that there are usually only so many variations one person can do. The same woman who does Stephanie Plum also does Patricia Brigg's books. I can keep the MCs separate in my head even though they have the same voice (she doesn't give Stephanie a NJ accent), but whenever male characters show up I think things like, "Why is Ranger in Mercy's Pack?"
Feral wrote: "The other problem I have is that there are usually only so many variations one person can do. The same woman who does Stephanie Plum also does Patricia Brigg's books ... whenever male characters show up I think things like, "Why is Ranger in Mercy's Pack?" ..."We can't have Chris Patton using Jake's voice for anyone else!!
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It's funny that I didn't feel this with Pressure Head. I could accept the ending as is/was and imagine that things would develop further and go well. But when I finished Relief Valve, it struck me that while nothing is completely tidy and I'd be happy as is, that this could make a great series. And that I'd miss not hearing about these guys again. So it's great to hear that at least one other book is planned.
I didn't re-read Pressure Head before Relief Valve, but did find my self thinking that I'd like to have more of a feel for Phil (so to speak) in this one. I also didn't remember becoming quite so impatient with Tom's babbling on about everything in the first book. Maybe it's one of those easier in small doses kind of things. Inside Tom's head — a scary place to be. ; ) I love the onion metaphor.
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Then I need to read Linger which is the second book in a YA trilogy about werewolves that..."
You think it's trying to tell you something?
I've been enjoying Foundation. But I'll be glad to be done with it. I've had my copy for YEARS before I finally got around to reading it.
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lol. I'd like to read the book one of these days. I did see the movie and enjoyed it. But it's been many years. So, I can read the book without too much trouble, I think. Books are usually better than their movies anyway, I think.
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Uh huh.
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Hj wrote: "In one way it's frustrating; in another it gives such a real impression of how Tom is slowly discovering him, and the reality of how it can be early in a relationship when you don't want to rock the boat by asking too many questions because you're still not secure enough...."Yes, this seemed so much more like a real relationship to me. As I was finishing the book, I was a bit disappointed we didn't learn even more about Phil's past, and then the afterward (or something I read at the end of the book) said that their adventures will continue in book 3. It gave the title, though I forget what it is. So, yay!
Feral wrote: "Hj wrote: "ED wrote: "I understand your overall point, though; I've been listening to audiobooks for years and until very recently they did just "read the damn book, and read it well" (and I liked ..."I can relate to that. I do prefer male voices, but the narrator from the Outlander series... she is really very good. I love her Scottish accent and she does a very sexy Jamie as well. BTW..(New book and TV series coming out in June. )Sookie Stackhouse narration is also very good. Another pet hate of mine is when the pitch of punctuation marks are read wrong. It is like listening to fingernail scraping on a black board :)
ED wrote: "Feral wrote: "Hj wrote: "ED wrote: "I understand your overall point, though; I've been listening to audiobooks for years and until very recently they did just "read the damn book, and read it well"..."I know what you mean. I like the woman who does Kim Harrison's books (though not everyone does)and there was one book in her Hallows series with a different voice actor who pronounced names differently and did a character's voice like a child gulping helium (he was a pixy, but still--it was an irritating voice). Those things can grate. I do like the guy who does the Skulduggery Pleasant books and I think I'd forgive him any flaws he might have that I don't notice just because I like his voice.
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Hmm. I think somewhere in the middle is the best bet -- certainly this is what reader/listener feedback would indicate. If the character has a Scottish accent and the narrator makes no attempt...it doesn't fly. On the other hand, if the narrator can't do a Scottish accent? That's almost worse.
So in the end it comes back to choosing the right narrator for the right story.
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I took a lot of chances on narrators for these next few books. I felt like I really wanted to get a few more books in before ACX changed their royalty rate, because the books already were just barely paying for themselves. So I honestly don't know if this next batch will be as successful. We'll see. I know I'll hear from readers if they don't meet expectation. :-)
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That's the problem! Chris's voice is distinctive. Then again, so is Kevin Free's but I think with Kevin what it gets down to is, it is SO hard finding someone who can do comedy. He has impeccable timing -- which is probably the key -- and a very flexible voice. I just love that guy to pieces.
Josh wrote: "I just love that guy to pieces. "Yes. That.
Josh wrote: " We'll see. I know I'll hear from readers if they don't meet expectation. :-) "But we know you don't have a huge budget, so we appreciate any audiobook. I'm sure you'll get feedback, but I think most people have expectations according to how they perceive the author/publisher. However, I like the Adrien English (1-3) audiobooks that I have.
For me, I think it matters how much support an author has from other sources when they produce an audiobook. If anyone happens to know Christiana Ellis, please don't repeat this--but although I admire her for reading her own books for audio versions of Kimberly the Merciless and Space Casey, I really don't like her voice. But I rate her audiobooks highly because the books are funny and she did them herself. Sometimes you have to apply the "labor of love" standard.
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Josh wrote: "I took a lot of chances on narrators for these next few books. I felt like I really wanted to get a few more books in before ACX changed their royalty rate, because the books already were just barely paying for themselves. So I honestly don't know if this next batch will be as successful. We'll see. I know I'll hear from readers if they don't meet expectation. :-)"Have you announced which ones are in the next batch yet? I know my top two hoped for are Snowball in Hell and Cards on the Table. :)
On the issue of narrators, I didn't have an issue in the In Sunshine or in Shadow collection that some of the stories were done by the same narrator. And I think it wouldn't be a big deal for me if someone who'd done one of the one off titles narrated another one of the one off books. But once a narrator has done a five book series like Chris has now it could be quite hard getting used to them doing something unrelated unless they were really able to change their voice a lot.
I think everyone would agree that you must have one narrator for a whole series. But having had Chris P for the whole of Adrien & Jake, I think I would be able to handle his reading other books by Josh. I just wouldn't want exactly the same voice that he used for Jake to be used for another character. But in fact, because Jake is unique and therefore has his own speech patterns, I think it's unlikely that another character would sound exactly the same.And I wouldn't want Chris P to be punished for doing Jake so well by not getting the chance to read more of Josh's books!
I also look forward to hearing again the other narrators who did such a good job first time round.
Josh wrote: "Feral wrote: "Hj wrote: "ED wrote: "I understand your overall point, though; I've been listening to audiobooks for years and until very recently they did just "read the damn book, and read it well"..."I did not mind the Adrien English series. The narration is one of the better ones. If all could be like that, I would be a happy Vegemite. :)
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But we know you don't have a huge budget, so we appreciate any audiobook. I'm sure you'll get feedback,..."
Well, yeah. I am both a harsh grader and an easy grader. If that makes sense. If the book amuses, does what it is intended to do, I usually give it high marks. If I am irritated by incompetence more than I am amused, I give it low marks. But my low marks are usually softened by the level of experience of the author -- and, frankly, how that author interacts with the publishing world. :-D
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That Jake voice of Chris's is a VERY effective voice. :-D
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Yes, that is my feeling. I couldn't use Chris again any time soon -- unless it was such a different book and such a different mood. Kevin was able to really change it up for Ghost of a Chance -- the characters are so different from Holmes and Moriarity.
I'm honestly not sure what books are coming next because the gave the narrators a lot of leeway. I was just trying to get a lot of stuff contracted for the year.
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There's no question that I love Chris's voice and would like to use him again. Maybe for one of these FBI thrillers that I'm working on...
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It's tough because you have to make the decision based on a very small sampling, and then unless the reading is drastically wrong, you're stuck. And most of the time the readings aren't "drastically" wrong, they're just not great. But in fairness, I can't afford to pay $500 an hour, so I have to try and be realistic.
I really am very happy with the results so far. I did take more chances with upcoming projects, but I feel pretty mostly confident. It's just tough because voices are so subjective. And also I like a certain type of voice, so I tried more consciously to mix it up for 2013, but that may or may not be a good move!
Josh wrote: "That's the problem! Chris's voice is distinctive. Then again, so is Kevin Free's but I think with Kevin what it gets down to is, it is SO hard finding someone who can do comedy. He has impeccable timing -- which is probably the key -- and a very flexible voice. I just love that guy to pieces."Yes. I absolutely LOVED Kevin Free's narration for the Holmes and Moriarity books. Those are two of my top favourites of Josh's books and I think I may have liked the audio even more. He did a brilliant job.
Alison wrote: "Yes. I absolutely LOVED Kevin Free's narration for the Holmes and Moriarity books. Those are two of my top favourites of Josh's books and I think I may have liked the audio even more. He did a brilliant job. "Agreed. I think I've re-listened to those two more than any of the others. Not always all the way through, sometimes just a couple of chapters for fun, because they are so enjoyable.
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I'm also reading book 4 in Dorien Grey's Elliott Smith and John series, Dante's Circle.
Guess I'm in the mood for more mystery than romance. I had a couple of disappointing reads after Brandstetter. Tough act to follow.
I started reading a book by an author I'd read and mostly enjoyed in the past, but had to put it in my small DNF pile. It was so formulaic and nonsensical that it could have been a parody of m/m. : (
I had high hopes for Rhys Ford's Dirty Deeds, after having to admit that her Sinners series (Whiskey and Wry) is not for me, so I'm sad to say that while I love the characters she's created (Cole and Jae), I no longer love the "sweet excess" of her writing. I'm still looking forward to a Black Dog Blues sequel.
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Heh. I fixed that problem by starting to read Pretty Boy Dead this weekend. If I have understood correctly this was Joseph Hansen's very first mystery novel, first published in 1968 as Known Homosexual written under the name James Colton. I'm only on page 85 (out of 203) but I'm already totally blown away with the book. I didn't really know what to expect of it after Dave Brandstetter had stolen my heart so completely but Pretty Boy Dead has been absolutely fantastic so far. I can wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone and especially to those suffering from the Hansen withdrawal.
In Joseph Hansen I've clearly found an author whose WHOLE backlist I crave to read as soon as possible! And I want to THANK YOU Josh for that.
Anyway, I'll get back to you about Pretty Boy Dead after I've read it. Just wanted to let you know that this book has already made me very happy this weekend and I think many of you would enjoy it quite a bit. :-)
Thank you for talking about this book. I've got it in my wish list, as well as the two books of the Nathan Reed series I still don't have (http://www.goodreads.com/series/61212...), but it didn't look as anybody has read them apart from Josh. And what about A Smile in His Lifetime or the Bohannon's Mysteries (Bohannon's Book and other two books)?ETA: Warning: Bohannon is straight and so are almost all the stories in the books.
I just finished an amazing book, Hanging by the Moment by H.B. Pattskyn. It is a complex coming out story which just sucked me in. It starts a bit depressingly, since Pasha has such a domineering father and unkind, selfish relatives, but that could just be my own history biting me in the butt.Not only do Pasha and Daniel grow through the story, but so does Pasha's father. His slow change towards acceptance was wonderful to read. I loved this book, and I'll be reading it again someday.
Finally got to read Line and Orbit - it has a starred Publishers Weekly review, I think. Enjoyed it. :)
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I forgot to mention I just finished a wonderful contemporary YA story titled Us Three by Mia Kerick :) The author somehow was able to make a believable polyamorous story about teens. A bit of a tear-jerker, though.And Dark Edge of Honor is getting very interesting! I love the enemies to lovers trope. And Aleks does them so well!
Aleksandr wrote: "Finally got to read Line and Orbit - it has a starred Publishers Weekly review, I think. Enjoyed it. :)"Just added that one to my tbr. Thanks, Aleks. Sometimes I'm just in the mood for sci-fi :)
Mtsnow - It's a good one--the worldbuilding is pretty cool, and it has a very lovely atmosphere. Apparently there's a sequel in the works.
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Heh. I fixed that problem by starting to read Pretty Boy Dead this weekend."
I have a paperback copy of that book hidden away on one of my nightstand shelves. It's one of a selection of mysteries I ordered awhile back after reading this column by Josh on the Not Your Usual Suspects blog. http://notyourusualsuspects.blogspot....
I think I need to excavate my nightstand. ; )
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I'm kinda shocked that there's a threesome YA book out there, but I've gotten into a few good MMM before. I'll definitely need to check this one out. Purely for work purposes, of course ;-)
Can't remember when I last updated--I've read a couple good/interesting books recently. I really enjoyed Relief Valve. Can't wait for the next one. And also enjoyed the sci-fi romance The Experiment. I thought it was an interesting take on the "forced to marry an alien" theme.Also recently finished The Morning Star, and thought that was well done, especially for a free story.
Jordan wrote: "Thanks for mentioning both books Mtsnow! I'm kinda shocked that there's a threesome YA book out there, but I've gotten into a few good MMM before. I'll definitely need to check this one out. Pure..."
Its done in good taste, Jordan. I was pleasantly surprised, and if you want an overview, I wrote a review for it.
Aleksandr wrote: "Finally got to read Line and Orbit - it has a starred Publishers Weekly review, I think. Enjoyed it. :)"That's waiting for me on my Kindle. Might have to be next on the list once I'm finished with that wicked boy, Tom Ripley.
I put the Ripley books on my list. :)
My next read is The Place Where They Cried by Rose Christo*Deep breath, prepares for heartbreak*
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
By the way, Rose Christo should be mandatory reading for all Americans, just saying
Idamus wrote: "My next read is The Place Where They Cried by Rose Christo*Deep breath, prepares for heartbreak*
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
By the way, Rose Christo should be mandatory reading for all Americans, just saying"
I recommend also Gives Light. I didn't read the rest of the series till now, but just because the time is missing, not because I'm not looking forward to it.
Antonella wrote: "Idamus wrote: "My next read is The Place Where They Cried by Rose Christo*Deep breath, prepares for heartbreak*
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
By the way..."
I loved Gives Light, I've read all four books and they broke my heart over and over, but were so beautiful too
Idamus wrote: "Antonella wrote: "Idamus wrote: "My next read is The Place Where They Cried by Rose Christo*Deep breath, prepares for heartbreak*
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1......"
I have to second (or third?) the recommendation for Gives Light. I have read the first two, the others are waiting, not because I don't want to, but like Antonella, the time is missing. Too many books, too little time :)
Johanna wrote: "In Joseph Hansen I've clearly found an author whose WHOLE backlist I crave to read as soon as possible! And I want to THANK YOU Josh for that."Same here. Glad to hear you're enjoying the other (non-Dave) books too :-)
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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I agree, Anne. And it would be particularly unrealistic between these two, given their history as teenagers. Yes, she is writing another book about them, I believe.