Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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The Big Dangerous Ground Re-Read!
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Cool! Thank you for reminding us about the discussions in the other topic, Karen. Here's the link to The Dangerous Ground series story discussion.
ETA: I had totally forgotten that The Professionals had an inspiring role here.
Karen wrote: "Josh wrote: "Jordan wrote: "I've noticed that Will doesn't listen to anything other than Emmylou Harris in the car. Good choice. But every time someone turns the car on, she's the one singing. Neve..."Lucinda Williams is an excellent choice.
Also Lady Antebellum.
Josh wrote: LOL But I don't think I can have Will listening to BS&CG. :-D Tempting though it is.Hey! They're all from CA...it could happen.
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Jordan wrote: "ok, I have to ask, what is BS&CG? Probably as soon as I'm enlightened, I'll go, oh yeah, I knew that! But I'm stumped right now."The Browne Sisters and George Cavanaugh. :-)
http://www.brownesisters.com/
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The Browne Sisters and George Cavanaugh. :-)
http:/..."
LOL. Where's the like button for this?!
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And then I saw a coworker today wearing an Emmylou Harris t-shirt.
So, maybe will shouldn't listen to anything else. Ever. Again. lol. ;-P
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Here're my first impressions after finishing: Will’s possible, future Paris posting casts its sha..."
I think what draws people to OP is that fact that it's more personal than some of the others. The threat is on Taylor, for something he did. Granted, there are always threats to the two of them, but this is just a bit different because of its personal nature. At least, that's my guess.
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I'm pretty sure Taylor even says that at the end, that he would have still made the choice to resign with Will, if he'd been given all the information. I think, after reading KS, that while he would have resigned, it wouldn't have been so soon. As he says later on, they weren't prepared to start a business. He would have spent time preparing before resigning, perhaps putting money aside, finding an office space, and hiring a secretary/assistant, and more, all the things one needs to do to start a legit business.
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Yeah, I do think so. And maybe that was also the reason why Taylor wen..."
Makes sense, this does.
Josh wrote: "Johanna wrote: "K. wrote: "Josh wrote: "I have to admit, I don't have a lot of patience with the idea that Jason was not "faithful" to a guy who told him the relationship was over. The very idea th..."The whole Jason cheating on Sam debate... ha. I feel like I'm watching that Friends episode which Ross slept with the copy-shop girl and everyone thought he's cheating on Rachel, and he shouted "BUT WE WERE ON A BREAK". Jason did no cheating and Sam got a reality check was a bonus.
Personally I have more problem with Will keeping David Bradley as a friend (no, you don't invite your ex back to your apartment after dinner, EVER. Especially when your boyfriend is arriving the next day).... Brandt can be insensitive sometimes, IMO.
I'm in the middle of "Blood Heat". Taylor was right that the idea that Will would consider taking the Paris post hurt a lot already. But Taylor was in an impossible position: he wouldn't want to be the guy who hindered Will's career, something Will would no doubt resent him for.
To be honest, for all the "I only trust myself to look after Taylor" chants that Will liked to tell himself, he gave that up fairly easily in face of the promotion. And then he had the audacity to went behind Taylor to stop him from going to Iraq.... mmmm.
Don't get me wrong, I like Will a lot. But I also can't wait for the new book when he had to help Taylor's ex :-)
thelastaerie wrote: "Personally I have more problem with Will keeping David Bradley as a friend (no, you don't invite your ex back to your apartment after dinner, EVER. Especially when your boyfriend is arriving the next day).... Brandt can be insensitive sometimes, IMO.e..."
I disagree - I'm actually really close with my ex, (and I've been married for 24 years). Both my husband and my ex are fine with it... we ended on really good terms and I was with him for six years so - well, anyway. That said, if Taylor was my BF I don't know if I'd have been inviting hunky David Bradley over for dinner after what he and Will had been through (lol).
Trio wrote: "Both my husband and my ex are fine with it....."Haha. I think you said the keywords there.
Yes, people can be with friends with their ex(es), but I think it's not wise in Will's case because a) David Bradley still fancied his chances b) Taylor was not really ok with it because of a)
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how about the Backstreet Boys (lol)"
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hahahahahahahaha
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Here're my first impressions after finishing: Will’s possible, future Paris posting ..."
That's something I hadn't really thought about. That's a good point.
Josh wrote: "There are three side characters I feel bad about killing off: Claude, Varga, and Shipka. And of those, I feel the worst about poor Varga..."I liked Varga a lot. I was shocked and sad to see her die.
As for what kind of music Will likes besides EmmyLou Harris, I vote for current folk-type singers: Alison Krauss, Mumford and Sons, Edward Sharpe, Neko Case, and old, bluesy Rolling Stones. Stuff like that.
Josh wrote: "What he longs for with Bradley isn't about Bradley. It's about a simpler and less stressful life. But that's not how he feels most of the time. That's the impulse a lot of us feel when life seems very complicated and difficult at various moments. WHY DIDN'T I STICK WITH TEACHING? WHY DIDN'T I MARRY THE DENTIST? ;-) Would I really trade my life for the life I didn't pick? No. ..."That's very true. About we don't always choose safer options (me moving to another country, going to grad school in my 30s, buying an overpriced flat :-P). And I can see Will growing and he slowly become more committed in making the relationship work.
I don't know why I have less patience for him than Jake in AE, maybe because Adrien was better at self preservation, whereas Taylor was all-out from the very beginning, so it seemed like a bigger imbalance in the relationship. But in reality, Adrien & Jake had way bigger obstacle to overcome, relatively speaking.
I guess that's why we read romance :-)
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Jordan wrote: "Ooohhh, Mumford and Sons, good choice!"I thought about that one too. And the Lumineers. And The Black Keys. Gotta do The Black Keys.
So I'm still making my way through OP. I was listening to it today on the drive over to my mom's. I had wondered during DG if Taylor had ever told Will he was the only one to top Taylor. He did during OP. Will had driven all the way home from San Diego hoping Taylor would be at his house. He called Taylor and Taylor told him during the phone sex. I thought it was so sweet how disappointed Will was Taylor wasn't waiting for him. He'd been thinking of Taylor all day after that lovely passage Karen quoted earlier.
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Taylor's music choices play a role in Kick Start (Lifehouse; The Fray). :)
Are you guys ready for Paris? *just asking* ;-)
And if you feel like starting to discuss Dead Run
, here are a question or two for you to consider:* How is this book different than the first three installments? Did the focus of the story change or stay the same?
* What were the chances of Will and Taylor having a long-distance relationship? Did you ever see them survive more than a couple of months at the end of the previous book? Looking back: did Dead Run change your assessment of the situation?
* What about Paris? Have you ever been there? Do you want to go? Is it as romantic as everybody says? Should Taylor have been more worried that Will would succumb to its charm? ;-)
* How is this book different than the first three installments? Did the focus of the story change or stay the same?Difference? I spent a large part of the story being mad at Will (LOL)... I thought this instalment was their biggest challenge so far and there was really a "make or break" moment. And I found Will and Taylor's different take on "target location" near the end was kind of telling in their working relationship.
* What were the chances of Will and Taylor having a long-distance relationship? Did you ever see them survive more than a couple of months at the end of the previous book? Looking back: did Dead Run change your assessment of the situation?
Unfortunately... I think Will made the right decision in the end (not the way he handled it), that long distance for extended period of time won't work for them. Not with their work schedule and it would definitely be much worse had Taylor actually went to Iraq. Absence makes heart goes fonder - but only to limited period. I think Will figured that out when he picked out the ring.
* What about Paris? Have you ever been there? Do you want to go? Is it as romantic as everybody says? Should Taylor have been more worried that Will would succumb to its charm? ;-)
Been there a few times, I like it fine, but it's not my favourite city. I can see why Will fell for it though. It's a cliche, but seeing Paris through an American eye is different. Taylor should have been more worried... Will dressed better, looked more chic and Taylor had first hand experience of being lonely and falling in love in a foreign country!
Mymymble wrote: "If not for the rich stepdad they'd have ended on night security at two different Wal-Marts...."LOL!!!!
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I empathize with the difficulty of a long distance relationship. My husband and I just finished year 3 (of maybe 5) of living in two different states. It's challenging, but doable, and we're driving distance. Since we've been doing this I've met several other couples in similar situations. The difference is that we've been together 30+ years, and are older with adult children. Will and Taylor are much younger, their distance much farther, and their relationship is much younger. They haven't even "met the parents." :) But at this point of the series there's time for all that, and long-term is still a work-in-progress.
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We were also in France for the 50th D-Day Anniversary celebrations in Normandy (my husband's father landed there a week after the invasion). We visited the American Cemetery twice, Giverny twice, and Vittell three times, and have traveled through a lot of the rest of the country.
BTW, my French is mediocre. :)
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LOL!!!!"
Yeah. And I know we're not there yet, but I was kind of shocked at Will's business naiveté.
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LOL!!!!"
Yeah. And I know we're not there yet, but I was kind..."
I was a bit surprised too. But when they were at work, Will always seemed to be the one who knew what to do (even though Taylor was more senior to the job), so maybe this is good for Taylor, in a weird way. Still, I thought the things Tay was bringing up in the last book were common sense things.
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, here are a question or two for you to consider:* How is this book different than the first three i..."
Good questions! I'm currently rereading only chapter seven of Dead Run, so I'll be back later this week to answer the questions better. Already at this point it feels like this book concentrates more on their relationship (and its struggles) than the previous books did.
I'm in awe of how real Taylor and Will's reuniting feels: those awkward moments, the things both of them keep saying even though they know they shouldn't, the slight out-of-sync problem. It feels that the moments when they are in sync the most, are the moments when either one of them is not overthinking their situation.
By the way, I'm sure there's a research or two about the fact how couples tend to fight quite a bit during the vacations. It's like... there's all this pressure that everything has to be perfect and special when having the long-awaited free time together that those expectations easily fail to be fulfilled. And Taylor and Will haven't seen each other in 11 months. Talking about pressure. Jeez.
Also, there's is a small moment at some point when Will realizes that if he doesn't stop saying the things he says, pushing Taylor about Iraq, he's going to loss Taylor for good. I found that moment significant. In any case, I could so related to both of them in that fancy restaurant when instead of having a romantic birthday dinner they kept saying things they both knew should have left unsaid. I mean, been there, done that. :-)
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Hahahaaa! :-D
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The 3 romantic holidays with different guys made me smile widely. :-)
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This is an interesting insight, Karen.
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This is fascinating, Karen! :-)
And "oh my!" about losing the arrondissement apartment buildings betting on horses!
I was wondering if you'd visited the catacombs. I've been to Paris twice and I haven't.
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Why do I keep forgetting that Taylor is the more senior to the job?! Maybe it's because Will seems more rational when it comes to their job, when Taylor seems more creative, more impulsive.
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Why do I keep forgetting that Taylor is the more senior to the job?! Maybe it's..."
That's what I'm thinking. I never remembered that, but it got mentioned 2-3 times throughout the series, and I picked up on it when I reread DG and then the others. But yeah, Taylor doesn't seem like the more senior of the two. Not until they strike out on their own.
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Preparing myself mentally for all this when I'll continue to chapter 8. :-D
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Ooooh. True words, these!
Ok, as I'm mad fan of Jane Austen I have to add my two pennies into the mix. Jane wrote quite different and in my opinion for her times very feministic romance novels. Yes the heroines chose their spouses visely and those who chose unwisely; Lydia, really don't fare well. You can't live on superficial love alone. But at the same time Jane doesn't want her heroines to chose purely based on money or prestige; Charlotte, nor is she fond of rich arrogant men; Darcy. He had to redeem himself, just as Elizabeth had to find out Wickham's true nature and not let pretty face or silver tongue fool her. Her heroes and heroines had to have a kind heart first and foremost so in that I think she was very feministic. Kind of teaching women to look above statue so not become stuck in an unhappy marriage. And look beyond beauty because that can also get you stuck in an unhappy marriage. And instead look for a kind hearted person. This applied to both heroes and heroines for her; like Emma who had to have so much growing up to do before allowed her happy ending.
So it was kind of a sensible literature appointed to women to not be too stupid to live. And I love it.
Plus Jane was very forward thinking woman and her side characters were so hilarious at times. The female side characters were often allowed very much leeway without getting punished for it, something Jane Austen wisely knew would never be possible for a main character.
Mymymble wrote: "I'll throw it out here. I think it's Will's problem he has no confidence in himself or Taylor about long distance. It works fine with trust. Taylor would have stuck in there. Taylor had been in dip..."I think he mostly didn't have confidence in himself that he would be able to hold onto a relationship with Taylor and that bled onto his mistrust of Taylor. He was so stuck on all the hookups Taylor had had that it took him a long time to trust that Taylor could be in a longterm faithful relationship. He'd been so hooked on the playboy image of Tayor which I think Will might have used to protect himself from allowing himself to feel too strongly for Taylor (I mean, we now know that Will probably fell for Taylor at the beginning of their meeting) and it took him quite awhile to unwind from those roles he'd put himself and Taylor in. It doesn't help that they had not been together for that long when Paris happened and they didn't meet for a whole year.
Bradley on the other hand was so much safer option because Will didn't feel much more for him than friendship and lust after good sex. Bradley could never have hurt Will because Will just didn't care enough for him.
Ame wrote: I mean, we now know that Will probably fell for Taylor at the beginning of their meeting. .."I do think Will fell for Taylor soon after met, but he's a such a down to earth guy, Taylor was too "wild and exotic" for him, he's probably convinced himself that it wasn't love, just... very deep friendship and partnership.
It must be frustrating for Taylor at the beginning because it seemed like even when he declared his love, Will dismissed it as though he knew Taylor better than Taylor himself.
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Well, there're several reasons, really. First of all this book raised the wider spectrum of emotions in me than any of the earlier ones. The long separation of Will and Taylor makes the conflicts between them feel so sharp, so ominous and ultimate somehow. The awkwardness and hurt is all written so brilliantly. A hefty amount of that hurt is caused because of their insecurities. And the amnesia isn't helping any. :-D
Some of their arguments are related to trust, for sure. It crosses both Will and Taylor's minds fleetingly, almost unconsciously, that the other one might have cheated them with someone else — but they both end up immediately thinking that if that was the case the other one would have honestly told about it already. There's also the fact that it looks like Will certainly has trust issues about Taylor not surviving alone, without Will, in his line of work, when it actually is more about Will still feeling guilty and helpless about not being able to prevent Taylor's shooting. There's this lovely scene near the end of the book where Will (among other things) says: " I don’t want you to take the posting in Iraq. Not because I think something bad will happen to you. Because I think something bad will happen to me." After going through the scare of Will getting hurt in the catacomb bombing, Taylor probably sees what he means by that.
Also, I find it fascinating — and I already posted a bit about this earlier — how both men know what NOT to say in order to keep peace between them, but they say those things anyway. It usually doesn't happen in purpose, it just happens. They're both so strong characters in their own way. What is going to save them in the end, though, is the fact that they're also both strong enough to admit their mistakes, to say that they were jackasses (like Will said he had been) and that they handled the situation badly. They're both strong and smart enough to say they're sorry — and to mean it. No matter what doubts they might have had about their relationship, they're both invested enough to fight for its survival. I find that admirable — both in real life and in fiction.
To say it short: What I really loved about this book was the fact that even though there's so much frustrating, painful relationship struggle we're also able to see quite a bit of growth in both characters.
Also, I love the fact that they both know each other so well by now. I love, love, LOVE when Josh's characters make mental notes about each other's gestures, posture, tone of voice, facial expressions (or lack of them...). Will and Taylor both do that a lot in Dead Run and because of the shared POV (that's probably not the right term... what IS the right term?) all those small observations and remarks really hit home for me this time.
And one more thing. :-) I really enjoyed the rhythm of this book: how the tension and heartache took turns with the small soothing, adorable, even romantic moments. Let's make things better -moments, let's make up -moments. :-)
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I just started to listen to Kick Start (while bagging and freezing 25 kilos of blueberries, LOL) and I totally agree with you about Will's business naiveté!
Johanna wrote: "Jordan wrote: "And why would that be, Johanna? Curious minds want to know! :-)"Well, there're several reasons, really. First of all this book raised the wider spectrum of emotions in me than any ..."
Very nicely said, Johanna!
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I liked Varga a lot. I was shocked and sad..."
Oh yes! He would definitely go for Mumford and Sons!
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
Books mentioned in this topic
Kick Start (other topics)Dead Run (other topics)
Old Poison (other topics)
Lovers and Other Strangers (other topics)
Lovers and Other Strangers (other topics)
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"Lucinda Williams?"
I'm off to google this...