Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
ARCHIVE JOSH Book Discussions
>
Questions or discussion on a particular book?
Anyway, I do love and heartily recommend everything by Hansen.Ok, this is very OT, but please could you all help this poor reader (me) living in a forsaken country where we can't get any decent GLBT book and go to Amazon and if there is a "Make it available for Kindle" button somewhere on the Fadeout: A Dave Brandstetter Mystery page, click it for me, so that I might have a chance to buy it? Thank you! :)
Mod
Ok, this is very OT, but please could you all help this poor reader (me) living in a forsaken country where we can't get any decent..."
I will do that for you, absolutely. Who currently controls Hansen's literary estate, I don't know, but I'll be happy to vote for making him available in electronic format.
Josh wrote: "I'll be happy to vote for making him available in electronic format. "I agree. I have the series in paperback -a very large and heavy paperback. It hurts when I fall asleep reading it and it bonks me on the head. Electronic format would be welcomed.
Josh wrote: "Emanuela ~Zstyx~ wrote: "Anyway, I do love and heartily recommend everything by Hansen.
Ok, this is very OT, but please could you all help this poor reader (me) living in a forsaken country wher..."
I hit the button on Amazon.com asking the author to make the books available for Kindle - I will add them to my library as soon as they are in ebook format. They look very interesting to say the least. :)
Leah
Ok, this is very OT, but please could you all help this poor reader (me) living in a forsaken country wher..."
I hit the button on Amazon.com asking the author to make the books available for Kindle - I will add them to my library as soon as they are in ebook format. They look very interesting to say the least. :)
Leah
Josh wrote: "Anita wrote: "After I finish 'Skinflick' by Joseph Hansen ." You can't go wrong with Hansen. Skinflick is one of my favorites. One of the most engaging femme characters I've ever run across in ..."
At first I thought you meant Cecil Harris from 'the man everybody was afraid of', but he was more flamboyant than femme.
But it's Randy Van you're talking about.
I just reached the part where Barker (is it Barker?) comments, "I don't think that's a woman" ... (book is in the bedroom and I'm too lazy to go and grab it for accuracy)
I had to keep from bursting out in laughter, didn't want to wake hubby lol
Mod
I just reached the part where Barker (is it Barker?) comments, "I don't think that's a woman" ... (book is in the bedroom and I'm too lazy to go and grab it for accuracy)
I had to keep from bursting out in laughter, didn't want to wake hubby lol
yes! I found that character one of Hansen's most intriguing. I'd have enjoyed seeing more of him.
Anita wrote: "it's Randy Van you're talking about."Josh wrote: "yes! I found that character one of Hansen's most intriguing. I'd have enjoyed seeing more of him."
Err ... I guess that means we don't? Pity. (I've only read upto Gravedigger. 7th book will be read when I've finished Cat in the Cradle by Jay Bell)
Randy's forlorn, envious and longing looks at Amanda's breasts ... *sigh*
I loved how Hansen managed to write him with so few words, but managed to say so much about him.
Josh wrote: "Emanuela ~Zstyx~ wrote: "Anyway, I do love and heartily recommend everything by Hansen.Ok, this is very OT, but please could you all help this poor reader (me) living in a forsaken country wher..."
I believe (though I am not positive) it is the University of Wisconsin (or Wyoming) that holds the rights to Hansen's books. I actually found Fadeout on the Borders website, but I for the life of me can't figure out how to get that site to sell me books reliably. Sometimes it tells you that the book is not available, sometimes the book just won't download and some, very rare times it actually works.
Anyhow, I hit up the Sony Reader Store to get the Brandstetter series in e-book format as well.
Mod
I just reached the part where Barker (is it Barker?) comments, "I don't think that's a woman" ... (book is in the bedroom and I'm too lazy to go and grab it f..."
Well, if he does show up, I don't think it's in any meaningful way. It's been a while since I read the series from first to last.
Hi Josh. I have a question about something you wrote in I SPY SOMETHING WICKED. In Ch. 1 Malik says to Mark, "You think I'm here to twep you!" What is twep an abbreviation for? Thanks.I love the characters of Stephen and Mark. Thank you so much for creating them.
Mod
I lov..."
Terminate With Extreme Prejudice.
So glad you're enjoying the characters!
Josh wrote: "Susan wrote: "Hi Josh. I have a question about something you wrote in I SPY SOMETHING WICKED. In Ch. 1 Malik says to Mark, "You think I'm here to twep you!" What is twep an abbreviation for? Th..."Thanks for your response, Josh. I had tried several times to find it in text listings, but never did. Now I think I know why.:)
Hi Josh. I have another question concerning 4 of your previous novellas and anthology works. I read 'Cards on the Table', 'A Ghost of a Chance', 'Lovers & Other Strangers', and 'Until We Meet Again' when they were released, originally grouped with other stories. Do you know if they will ever be available as individual ebooks, like some of your other stories that are now or soon will be available individually such as, 'Don't Look Back', 'I Spy Something Bloody', and 'Snowball in Hell'? Thanks.
Mod
Eventually, yes. Anything with MLR or AMP will be pulled as soon as I get the rights returned to me -- that's still a few years away, though. And I probably should pull Cards on the Table when it comes up again, although that does still do fine at Loose Id.
I like what Carina does -- offer readers the option of buying a single story or a complete antho. That works pretty well.
Josh wrote: "Eventually, yes. Anything with MLR or AMP will be pulled as soon as I get the rights returned to me -- that's still a few years away, though."Even the print versions of the Adrien English books? I have to hurry up and buy them, then. :-)
Josh wrote: "I like what Carina does -- offer readers the option of buying a single story or a complete antho. That works pretty well. "I like that as well, because I find it's easier to read single stories with an e-reader. (aka, I lose track of what I'm reading quickly enough anyway and several stories in one e-book is like hell for me)
Josh wrote: "Susan wrote: "Hi Josh. I have another question concerning 4 of your previous novellas and anthology works. I read 'Cards on the Table', 'A Ghost of a Chance', 'Lovers & Other Strangers', and 'Unt..."Thanks for the reply, Josh. I hope you take back the rights to these 4 stories as soon as they are available to you. I always prefer to purchase ebooks by individual title if possible.
Mod
There are still a couple of years to go on the first few, so no panic. ;-)
I'm pretty sure this topic was meant to cover books Josh wrote, but I want to talk about something specific on a general topic and wasn't sure where the subject fit best.As a voracious reader, a lot of times if I find a writer I like, I will buy any and everything by this writer (when money allows). Sometimes a book or two isn't as good as the book that prompted me to buyout the author, but generally the author will hold true from book to book.
By the same token, if I read something by an author that's particularly bad, I avoid the author's other works until a trusted source tells me that such and such book is a good one. This is especially true when I read a first book by an author and by book five, the author has improved greatly; enough so I'll give them another chance.
Where I'm going with this is a story on a friend's "To Be Read" list. I clicked on it, liked the blurb, then started reading the reviews. It's received some really bad one and two star reviews. This obviously wasn't a first published story; the author has several titles under her belt. I haven't read anything by her, but the excerpt used in one of the reviews has pretty much guaranteed I probably will never read her books (unless it's by accident).
Is this a typical response? Or am I being especially harsh?
Mod
As a voracious reader, a ..."
So what exactly was the question? ;-)
You can't go by Goodreads. The fact that books can be rated without being read, that there's no control whatsoever -- that books that haven't even been released yet can be rated??? No. Goodreads is a non-starter. I don't know anyone in the industry who takes Goodread reviews seriously. It's too wild wild west out here.
Amazon? Anonymous or not, Amazon counts.
B&N? Not so much. Why? Because B&N didn't manage to build a community? Because there's not enough participation to get an objective view? I don't know.
Some author insight. My reviews at B&N are always much lower than at Amazon, yet my sales stay consistent overall -- I mean, Amazon sells more books, no question, but percentage-wise and reviews not withstanding, my numbers stay very steady.
What does it mean? I wish I knew.
****
If you read an excerpt and the writing is so bad that you're turned off future works? Well...is it the subject matter? Is it a philosophical refutation of the writer?
You bring up something that all writers mull over.
Excerpts are a two-edged sword, that much I can guarantee. I do really, really well off excerpts. Most writers, no. Is it because readers have a mistaken idea of what my books will be about and the excerpts relieve their minds as to the violence content?
Have you ever made your mind up about a book or an author -- and then had soemthing change your mind?
Oh, I know that reviews are so very subjective. My opinion often differs from others on a particular book or genre; sometimes I enjoy a story more, most of the time, I enjoy it less and wonder if we've even read the same book. The excerpt pasted to the review had one of the MCs talking about being locked in a closet as a teen, and subsequently raped for two years. But luckily for him, he was gay so it was alright.
It is this singular excerpt that has me rattled where this one story is concerned. For one, the off-handedness of the subject appalls me. For another, for a writer to use a subject such as rape and being gay to make it all better?
****
I have done 180s before on both book and authors. :) I would call it a woman's prerogative, but I know men do it as well. Sometimes if I start a book, and it just isn't jiving for me, I can pick it up a week (or a year) later, race through it and love it. Then wonder what the heck I was thinking that it was so bad/bland I couldn't read more at the time.
Timing and mood tend to color my reading, and how certain subjects are handled will influence my take on a story. Sometimes without even reading the story.
Mod
Oh. Yes, I see your point. If an author is that far off the mark, it's hard to imagine he or she ever finding the way to writing something worth reading.
Sometimes an excerpt will be revealing enough to guarantee that the way the author thinks -- approaches the material -- is just not going to be a good fit. Ever.
Part of the ongoing problem is that we're fans of a genre where basically anything can get published. And I do mean anything. So descretion is required.
If an author is that far off the mark, it's hard to imagine he or she ever finding the way to writing something worth reading. I am quite surprised that one of the most popular authors in this genre published a novel that is really really bad. Really bad as in terrible plot, worse characterization, and even worst ending. It is literally one of the worst books I have ever read.
I've read many books by this author so I know he could write, and write well too. If this book was the first work I've read of that author, I wouldn't ever believe that he could ever write well.
Part of the ongoing problem is that we're fans of a genre where basically anything can get published. And I do mean anything. So descretion is required.
And this is bad for both readers and authors.For readers, because it's harder to find worthwhile books. For authors (especially new authors), because readers will be very wary when they find works by new authors.
I was listening to Fair Game in the game on the way to the doctor's office (less likely for me to speed listening to an audio book). I always giggle when the reader says 'Welle auf der Nordsee'. It just sounds so funny. But I was wondering, what made you pick Helgoland? It is very pretty and I had wanted to go when I was in Germany in September. Too far to drive to catch the boat and too long of a boat trip. Maybe next time ;o) And will you be considering making any of your back titles audio books?
Josh wrote: "You can't go by Goodreads. The fact that books can be rated without being read, that there's no control whatsoever"Very true. Last night I did a full import from LibraryThing where I have some of my books catalogued and GoodReads importing basically filled in some random value for the rating.
Now while that might be partly my fault for some interim csv hacking trying to address something else to get it to import successfully, the rating wasn't actually a value I entered at all. Random noise.
And given they were in excess of 1K books, I wasn't going to try and fix it, other than hide the rating col.
Which also brings up several deficiencies in the API and current feature set of GR (which I was hoping would be better than LT). Power/Batch editing is frustratingly atrocious at both sites, amongst their many other vices.Does anyone know of a way to make the order of the posts displayed in the thread (recent to earliest) persistent? I surely, surely, shouldn't have to do that every time I access it?
ns wrote: "Does anyone know of a way to make the order of the posts displayed in the thread (recent to earliest) persistent?"You mean like here on GR? So that e. g. your to-read shelf is sorted by author?
Choose the shelf you want to sort. On top of the website you find the general menu for GR and under this in quite small font to rows of links for settings (a bit to the right side). Choose 'shelf settings'. The following menu contains a drop down labled 'sort'. There you can choose 'author'. Then save settings with the 'save current settings' button. ;-) The catch is: you have to do it for each shelf individually.
I actually put more stock in Goodreads reviews than Amazon reviews. For one thing there are usually more of them. And for another, I think Amazon must take down bad reviews at the request of the author, because often they are way too good.I don't put much stock in the number of stars, though. I want to know *why* the person liked or didn't like the book. If they didn't like it because of plot holes and wooden dialog, I pay close attention. If they didn't like it because they don't like paranormals or there was too much sex, full speed ahead.
Charming wrote: "I actually put more stock in Goodreads reviews than Amazon reviews. For one thing there are usually more of them.
I'm the same way...I specially trust my GR friends reviews and ratings...I certainly read the Amazon ones too...specially when they have lots of reviews.
I'm the same way...I specially trust my GR friends reviews and ratings...I certainly read the Amazon ones too...specially when they have lots of reviews.
I don't read amazons reviews. For a lot of books I don't read reviews at all. And if I do, I only read my friend reviews
I read reviews for fun but I don't take them into account
I'll read editorial reviews (Pub Weekly, etc.) and reviews by friends. Otherwise, I rely on my reading groups to find new authors -- if my group is buzzing about it, chances are, I'll like it too.
Josh, will "Snowball in Hell" be available in other formats than Kindle?
Mod
I think Amazon's a pretty good barometer now that they have some basic protections in place. I'd like to see some of those protections applied to Goodreads, though I'm not sure how that would be done. But it is certainly undermines GR's credibility when people can rate books before the book has been released. :-P
Mod
Epub and Kindle. I think the decision was based on the fact that there are so many reading aps now and even people reading on their computers can download software to make it simple.
I sure hope so. I kind of wish CP had waited till they had a larger share of the market before they did something liable to fret so many readers, but I assume they did their homework. They're good about that.
Mod
I'm with you on that one. both as a reader and an author.
Mod
:-D That's the theory.
My problem with Goodreads is there's no proof that the rater ever bought or read the book, and sadly it's come to light that a few people manipulate the star system to downgrade competitor books or upgrade friend books. Plus you can just give stars and not say anything about the book, which leads to further abuses in my mind.
At Amazon you have to at least say SOMETHING.
Josh wrote: "I think Amazon's a pretty good barometer now that they have some basic protections in place."I like All Romance eBooks system. You have to buy the book in order to rate it.
Mod
I'm the same way...I specially trust my GR friends reviews and ..."
Most decent books that sell well are going to average out at about 4 stars. The bulk will be five stars with a couple of eccentric I HATE YOU!!! one and two stars thrown in. :-D
Someone mentioned the fact that Amazon generally has positive reviews. That's because people (who really do read the book and bother to review) tend to err on the side of positive. Barring those trying to build a rep as a reviewer, people are moved to review when they love something or when they hate it. And most of us hesitate to bash something just because we didn't like it, so...yes, the reviews will tend to the positive.
B&N's ratings are generally lower, but they have a much, much smaller pool of people reviewing.
Mod
I love to read reviews. My favorite are the ones in the New Yorker. So funny and clever. I usually read PW. I do read a lot more online reviews now (though not my own IF I can resist looking).
I had a book question that I think got buried in this ratings discussion.I was listening to Fair Game in the game on the way to the doctor's office (less likely for me to speed listening to an audio book). I always giggle when the reader says 'Welle auf der Nordsee'. It just sounds so funny. But I was wondering, what made you pick Helgoland? It is very pretty and I had wanted to go when I was in Germany in September. Too far to drive to catch the boat and too long of a boat trip. Maybe next time ;o) And will you be considering making any of your back titles audio books?
Mod
I was listening to Fair Game in the game on the way to the doctor's office (less likely for me to speed listening to an au..."
Well, here's the story. I have this print hanging over my fireplace and the title of it is Windstarke 10:11, and I was trying to find out who might have taken the photograph when I came across the work of Franz Schensky. It just gripped me. Such amazing work. So when the time came to figure out what kind of artwork would appeal to Tucker -- who likes to sail and likes a challenge...Schensky's work came to mind.
Josh wrote: "Andy wrote: "I had a book question that I think got buried in this ratings discussion.I was listening to Fair Game in the game on the way to the doctor's office (less likely for me to speed lis..."
Wind strength 10:11 - I might have to look that up. As well as Schensky's works. Helgoland is very pretty, shame it was too far for me to visit - and that it's a duty free tourist trap nowadays. Paintings are great for inspiration. I have one that my parents brought over from Germany. I have no idea what it is of or who painted it. But I love it and one day that wooded area will be in a story.
Josh wrote:"Epub and Kindle. I think the decision was based on the fact that there are so many reading aps now and even..."
Wow, no pdf files from them anymore? This is indeed a brave decision, IMO bordering on stupid, because I'm definitely not getting extra software especially for them and their books, considering they release one or two M/M titles a month. Here in Germany most ebook readers don't own an ebook reader and prefer pdf files, me including. I'm very glad I already have Snowball in Hell, otherwise I would have had to wait until it came to All Romance Books or something... and that would be a pity.
My problem with Goodreads is there's no proof that the rater ever bought or read the book, and sadly it's come to light that a few people manipulate the star system to downgrade competitor books or upgrade friend books.
People actually bother to do that? I can kinda understand giving an extra star to your best friend, but downgrading a book deliberately is sad. :-(
With so many M/M books around, it's getting harder to pick, so yes, I do rely on reviews, such at Goodreads including. Thankfully, I've had very few misses until now.
Josh wrote: "Epub and Kindle. I think the decision was based on the fact that there are so many reading aps now and even people reading on their computers can download software to make it simple. "No pdfs? Oh dear, I guess I won't be getting your books from them. I only buy pdf or print.
Cat, Andy: I googled up this site http://www.2epub.com/ you can convert epub files without having installing anything on your PC. Tried it with a freebie book, works great. I'm not sure about DRM protection though. Do epub books come with any? Can they be still converted if so?
I read books on my old HP IPAQ so I buy them in LIT or PDF.
I read books on my old HP IPAQ so I buy them in LIT or PDF.
"Epub and Kindle. I think the decision was based on the fact that there are so many reading aps now and even..."I don't own a Kindle and the PC apps for Epub/Kindle I tried I hated. What's wrong with PDF? It may not be the industry standard for ebooks but it's still the industry standard for documents that can be read on any computer, anywhere (including my work computer *g*). Is it really so much extra work for the publisher?
I googled up this site http://www.2epub.com/ you can convert epub files without having installing anything on your PCIt doesn't convert epub files to anything useful (for me), though.
But IMO all this converting into whichever other formats using whichever means simply means we are doing the publisher's work for them.
Suhi wrote: "Cat, Andy: I googled up this site http://www.2epub.com/ you can convert epub files without having installing anything on your PC. Tried it with a freebie book, works great. I'm not sure about DRM p..."Carina Press made the decision to go DRM free, so anything you buy directly from them can be converted. If you buy one of their titles from Amazon, it comes with the DRM Amazon slaps on it, and cannot be converted. Other than CP, I'm not sure who is and is not using DRM, so that's something you'll want to check closely before buying if you're not able to start with your preferred format.
As far as stars and reviews and purchasing decisions go, all of it and none of it makes any difference to me. I discover new books and authors all over the place. Review blogs, here, talking to friends, suggestions from Amazon. A pretty cover, an intriguing title, or the way someone describes the book-- good or bad-- can catch my attention. Once they have my attention, I check the blurb to see what the author/publisher have to say about the book.
From there I'll check to see if it's available as an ebook. I look at the price. I look at the number of stars and how many people gave it a star rating. The more people who rated it, the more I'm likely to trust that rating, because the best friends and the bullies get averaged out.
I look to see if any of my friends have reviewed it or have it in their TBR. I might skim a few reviews here, if there are a lot of them. On Amazon I'll look at the breakdown of how many 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 star ratings there are. I'll probably read the one star ratings if there are any, to see what they say. If they're just trash talking I ignore it. If they have legit problems with the writing, and the review is reasonably well written and spelled, I'll take those concerns into account.
The most important consideration for me in whether or not to buy the book is the sample. If you can catch me in the sample, you've got me. (Provided the price isn't out of line.) I've been fooled by a few books that started strong and then tanked two pages after the end of the sample, but not many.
In the days when my budget was looser, the only thing that mattered once you had my attention was the sample. If I liked it I bought it, the end. These days I have to be much more careful with my book budget, because a bad book purchased is a good book I can't afford to buy. So I think a lot harder and look at a lot more information before I click "buy". But in the end, it's still the sample that is the deciding factor.
Q&A with Josh Lanyon
Books mentioned in this topic
The Charlie Factor (other topics)Don't Look Back (other topics)
Don't Look Back (other topics)
Don't Look Back (other topics)
Just Making Out (other topics)
More...
Thank you, LC. That was a challenging one to write. It's one of the only times I've written something just because readers wanted it. I mean, the idea intrigued me, but it was hard to figure out how to tell the story so that there would be any suspense.
The experiment with POV was my solution. I really worried that readers would have a hard time with it, but overall it seems to have worked.