Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What else are you reading? (June 2010 - May 2013) *closed*
Jordan wrote: "I had to do that myself once too, Chris. It's not easy getting a job, not when schools are pumping out thousands of people with the same qualifications. It took me over a year to get the job I got...."lol, I think that book has already been written. Air Babylon by Imogen Edwards Jones!
I've been pretty flexible about geography as well in my job applications.
There was the 'banking and corporate finance' role *cough - money laundering - cough* in Jersey (that's the floating tax haven in between the UK and France - it's a bit like Nantucket but with more money).
There was the clinical negligence role *cough - ambulance chasing -cough* role in Stoke-On-Trent (think...ummm...one of the crappier parts of New Jersey).
And there was the conveyancing role *snore* in Chippenham (errr...I suppose...nowherseville Connecticut...).
Still, another three months and I could be contributing to this thread from my hotel room in San Diego whilst sipping champagne liberated from first class.
Jordan wrote: "...but the guys are already together for life. They established that early..."Mwaahhahaahaa! What's the saying: the road to hell is paved with best intentions :)
Jordan wrote: Also, if you have a version other than a PDF on your Kindle, tell me how you got it!Yeah, I'd rather not read pdf files if there's an alternative -- they're never the right font size and it's a faff. I used Calibre to convert them to mobi files for the Kindle.
Christopher wrote: There was the clinical negligence role *cough - ambulance chasing -cough* role in Stoke-On-Trent (think...ummm...one of the crappier parts of New Jersey).My son lives near Stoke. He has the same opinion as you about it...
And, lol, 'Chippenham' stood out as 'Chippendales' to me, which obviously I zoomed in on :D
Hambel wrote: "Christopher wrote: There was the clinical negligence role *cough - ambulance chasing -cough* role in Stoke-On-Trent (think...ummm...one of the crappier parts of New Jersey).My son lives near Stoke..."
I like good quality wood as well.
I'm speaking of the furniture of course. ;-)
Christopher wrote: "I like good quality wood as well."Well, don't we all!
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Mwaahhahaahaa! What's the saying: the road to hell is paved with best intentions :)"
Oh God, that just sounds awful. Well, tonight I'm planning on finishing JCP's Magic Mansion if I can download it before this restaurant closes and I have to go home to no internet. But 30 pages from now we'll see how I feel about Mercs I. I hope something changes between now and the end!
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Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "I'm going to finish Shattered Glass tonight, this book is insane, really, I'm loving it a lot. The protagonist is not easy to like, but I'm liking him anyway, I like his voice, how ..."I read this during the weekend, and liked it a lot, very strong emotions and a lot of angst which I always like :), and I loved the snarkiness and the humour. Coming out has never been as "fun", I think. The plot got a little too intricate here and there, but all over a very enjoyable book.
Christopher wrote: "At least I'll have a job (and it's I guess it's true that there'll be a lot of waiting around - thank god for the kindle!). My parents aren't exactly happy after spending all that money on law scho..."Good luck with your job, Christopher. And it is always better to look for another job while already employed, so one of these days you might find a legal job. In the meantime I hope you get to see a lot of exciting places around the world, (and read a lot of good books while waiting around)!
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I don't want to give anything away, but at least that last scene was not grating on my nerves as one more sex scene. Then again, well done BDSM is usually different than the vanilla norm. ;-)
I'm actually content to leave the series right here though. I almost don't see what else there could be to hold me to the last two books. Book I was much better than this one, in my own personal opinion. I liked the storyline better and there was more and better tension and problems. lol, not enough things blew up in this one, and there weren't enough death threats. Just a lot of "it's ok to have sex with multiple people" issues, which really isn't my thing.
Anyway, I also finished JCP's Magic Mansion. Awesome book, as always. It'll be interesting to sit down and read the whole thing in one go, rather than as a monthly installment when it gets published.
Speaking of which, I feel like reading Zero Hour next. Maybe after this YA novel In the Arms of Stone Angels I'll give it a go.
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This is a very good thing!
Congratulations, Christopher!
Having money is never bad, meeting people is never bad, travel is ne--well, usually a good thing. :-D
I think this is great. And we will be your landing pad whenever you want to check and bitch about the loonies on your flight.
Here's a weird thing about flying. In the old days, you would board a plane and everyone would be looking at you as you stumbled, windblown and laden with carryons onto the plane. Now days almost no one glances up from their electronic devices.
If that isn't a sign of a changing society, I don't know what is.
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I bet there will be tons of time si..."
Yes indeed. You will have lots of time for reading and complaining about the nutcases on your flight. :-D
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..."
You know, things change.
I know how trite that sounds, but my original game plan was to teach and then write summers. (The dream game plan was to write full time, but I knew that was highly improbable).
What happened was I found I wasn't truly cut out for teaching. I was a good enough teacher, I was certainly conscientious enough and hardworking enough, but I couldn't let go of the job. I would go home at night and spend the evening talking to parents who expected me to have the answer to their kids' behavior issues -- or (in more than one case) trying to find parents who had moved away and left their teenaged child to fend for himself. Usually male. Not always.
It was not a creative atmosphere. Not to dig into the issues within our public school system, but it quickly dawned on me that no creative life would be possible while I remained in teaching.
So I moved to the corporate sector. Rose quickly within the ranks. And discovered that wasn't really the answer either.
So two major game changes within a decade.
A job is a job is a job is a job. A career...frankly, I think it takes time and experience to decide what you really want to spend your life doing. Some people know what that will be in college. Some people take longer to figure it out.
In the meantime you have to earn a living.
Thanks to Mr. Kindle, I finally got to read the first book in Jordan's PsyCop series. Tore right through it. But the Devil's in that word series. As much as I'm itching to get the rest of the stories, I really need to set up a book budget. This damned device makes acquisition way too easy (and costly!)So once I finish Robert Dunbar's Willy (eerily atmospheric, but also an absorbing character study), I'll move on to Eric Arvin's The Rest Is Illusion.
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THE GOD KILLER by Charles Alan Long
(And damn Goodreads for its anti-Amazon-only policy)
K.Z. wrote: "Thanks to Mr. Kindle, I finally got to read the first book in Jordan's PsyCop series. Tore right through it. But the Devil's in that word series. As much as I'm itching to get the rest of the stori..."Heh. When I discovered Psycop I binged and spent and entire weekend reading all of them that were out to that date. I think I even had Camp Hell at that point. I swear I never moved from the couch for about 15 hours. Budget? Budget? What is this thing called budget? ;-)
Josh wrote: "(And damn Goodreads for its anti-Amazon-only policy)..."I added the last cover, it should show up in 10 minutes, or so they say, let me try
Lou wrote: "Quitting it and taking a risk to do something you enjoy is considered outright crazy. You better be stubborn as a mule if you go that route. "Yup, that's me alright. Crazy and stubborn. :D
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I added the last cover, it should show up in 10 minutes, or so they say, let me try
"Thanks, Emanuela!
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..."
You know, things change.
I know how trite that sounds, but my original game plan was to teach and then ..."
It paid off for me, but every case is different. But If my little (well, no longer little, but youngling still) nieces and nephews were to ask my advice, I'd say go for the dream. Especially while you're young and don't have a mortage or family. That's the time to take chances.
Josh wrote: "But If my little (well, no longer little, but youngling still) nieces and nephews were to ask my advice, I'd say go for the dream. "Not young & (sadly) not your nieces. lol. But I'm going to take your advice. :D
K.Z. wrote: "Thanks to Mr. Kindle, I finally got to read the first book in Jordan's PsyCop series. Tore right through it. But the Devil's in that word series. As much as I'm itching to get the rest of the stories, I really need to set up a book budget."Good luck with that book budget :D I'm with Tam on the binging and spending when it comes to the PsyCop series!
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Not young & (sadly) not your nieces. lol. But I'm ..."
Just. Do. It.
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This sounds so familiar, it's just scary. Not being able to let go of the teaching job after the actual working hours is the biggest problem in my life right now. And sadly, I know my loved ones are suffering because of it too. But it's SO HARD to change it.
And the scariest part of it is that my job description as a teacher is not the only thing to blame my stress for. It's also partly the way I choose to do my job. But old habits die hard. No New Year's resolutions have yet helped me with this dilemma - not even the latest ones.
But it's nice to hear that you managed to make the right decision - and to do it even twice: when you started to write full time and when you decided to have your sabbatical!
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Josh wrote: "This is a very good thing! Congratulations, Christopher!
Having money is never bad, meeting people is never bad, travel is ne--well, usually a good thing. :-D
I think this is great. And we will be your landing pad whenever you want to check and bitch about the loonies on your flight.
Here's a weird thing about flying. In the old days, you would board a plane and everyone would be looking at you as you stumbled, windblown and laden with carryons onto the plane. Now days almost no one glances up from their electronic devices.
If that isn't a sign of a changing society, I don't know what is. ."
Well I have been watching that TV series, Pan Am, with Christina Ricci for guidance on what to expect. So far it appears that I might be called upon to evacuate counter-revolutionary forces from small island states, engage in espionage courier activities for intelligence agencies, cook corden bleu dishes in the galley, have mad passionate sex with outrageously hot pilots...
...actually I wouldn't mind the last one so much...
;-)
Josh wrote: "You know, things change.I know how trite that sounds, but my original game plan was to teach and then write summers. (The dream game plan was to write full time, but I knew that was highly improbable).
What happened was I found I wasn't truly cut out for teaching. I was a good enough teacher, I was certainly conscientious enough and hardworking enough, but I couldn't let go of the job. I would go home at night and spend the evening talking to parents who expected me to have the answer to their kids' behavior issues -- or (in more than one case) trying to find parents who had moved away and left their teenaged child to fend for himself. Usually male. Not always. "
Do you think you would have preferred teaching in a private school? Or some nice suburban school without so many problem families?
That's a significant part of why I haven't gone into teaching this year. I figure that while I know I enjoy the teaching aspect (it was part of my old job) I won't enjoy the bit that would require me to be a social worker and crowd control bouncer.
The other parts of why I haven't done it centre around the fact that I'm so sick of education right now I don't think I could stand to do the Teacher Training Course, not to mention the fact that I was so unhappy in school myself it might trigger PTSD.
Johanna wrote: "@Christopher: I'll definitely wanna be in the same flight with you as a steward! :)"If you ever do, let me know, and I'll try and upgrade you to first class!
Hambel wrote: "Good luck with that book budget :D I'm with Tam on the binging and spending when it comes to the PsyCop series!"That series is extremely tempting, Hambel, but so many other books are as well! Maybe I shouldn't have bought this accursed Kindle. I swear, there's a small, seductive voice built into it that keeps whispering, "Self-denial is silly. You never did enter that convent -- remember?" :-)
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That series is extremely tempting, Hambel, but so many other books a..."
Hmmm... I don't think that you really can say "no" to PsyCop series no matter what. *grin* And while you are at it, why don't you download the The Channeling Morpheus and Sweet Oblivion series, too! You won't regret it... *another grin*
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If you ever do, let me know, and I'll try and upgrade you to first class!"
Deal! And I suppose you make sure that all the passengers in first class have plenty of champagne and Josh Lanyon books...
;)
K.Z. wrote: "Hambel wrote: "Good luck with that book budget :D I'm with Tam on the binging and spending when it comes to the PsyCop series!"That series is extremely tempting, Hambel, but so many other books a..."
You hear that voice too?!? Mind you, self-denial is not one of my strong points...
Johanna wrote: "And while you are at it, why don't you download the The Channeling Morpheus and Sweet Oblivion series, too! You won't regret it... *another grin*"You temptress, you! *trying not to look*
Josh wrote: "You know, things change."Heh. I was just going to say something like that. I'm on my second career.
I would say you don't have to go for your dream right now. Have some fun and make some money and keep your eyes open. You change and opportunities come along, and then you find are somewhere else doing something different. You aren't stuck even if it feels that way right now.
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You temptress, you! *trying not to look*"
Oh yes... closing your eyes doesn't help you at all to ignore Michael and Wild Bill. They are something else... that's one of the best series I've ever read. :)
Congrats on the new job, Christopher!Once upon a time I worked for a company that helped people who had been laid off find their next job. At the time (and this was more than 10 years ago) they said that the average American worker had three different careers over their lifetime. Considering the economy right now, I'd be very surprised if that number hasn't gone up. You do what you gotta do.
K.Z.- you should check out some of the borrowing sites. I've had good luck with lendle.me and booklending.com. Everyone registers their lendable Kindle books (not all of them are, but most of the m/m publishers have enabled Kindle lending), and then the site matches up people looking for a particular title with those who have it available to lend. That's how I read my first Lanyon books.
At the moment I'm reading Chasing Seth. It's... not very good. But it did manage to make me cry a little bit last night, even if the writing is marginal and one of the heroes is a jerk and the other is an annoying wimp.
Johanna wrote: "closing your eyes doesn't help you at all to ignore Michael and Wild Bill. They are something else... that's one of the best series I've ever read. :) "I agree, great stuff.
Hambel should add to the shopping list also
Lou wrote: "I read so little these days, but I've started Hell Cop and I'm enjoying it."I liked this a lot too! I haven't read the second yet.
Maybe I'll look into that, Becky.I've read one or two of the "Channeling Morpheus" stories and really liked them, too. Guess I'm just itching to get to GhosTV. Oh, damn, and then there's Hemovore!
For crying out loud, one writer's going to break the bank for me!
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I have all the books in print. What did I do once I got the Kindle? I bought them all in Mobi for my Kindle. I want them with me when I go on vacation! LOVE Psycop!!!
Christopher wrote: "Well I have been watching that TV series, Pan Am, with Christina Ricci for guidance on what to expect. So far it appears that I might be called upon to evacuate counter-revolutionary forces from small island states, engage in espionage courier activities for intelligence agencies, cook corden bleu dishes in the galley, have mad passionate sex with outrageously hot pilots..."Probably all on the same flight! LOL
Congratulations on the job, Christopher.
Pender wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Well I have been watching that TV series, Pan Am, with Christina Ricci for guidance on what to expect. So far it appears that I might be called upon to evacuate counter-revoluti..."Sounds like a recipe for a good book! :D
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..."
There would still be lesson plans, grading papers, teacher meetings, parent meetings...
I would have enjoyed it more - and I did love teaching itself. But I didn't love the way LAUSD operated, I didn't love a lot of the administration, I didn't love kids carrying weapons onto campus, or the fact that we didn't have the tools and supplies we needed to teach these kids.
The main thing though is teaching isn't just a job. It's a vocation. It is incredibly difficult to teach (although, weirdly, it's one of those things everyone thinks they're qualified to do), and given how much skill and knowledge it requires, it's underpaid and under-respected.
Which is why it ends up quickly burning out some of the best and brightest.
For me...I knew from early childhood my passion was for storytelling, so I had intended teaching to be a noble day job. And I soon realized I wasn't that noble. :-P
I wanted -- needed -- a job I could earn a decent wage at and not think about at the end of the day. That isn't teaching.
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I've read one or two of the "Channeling Morpheus" stories and really liked them, too. Guess I'm just itching to get to GhosTV. Oh, damn, and then t..."
You haven't read GhosTV yet? Shame on you! That's SUCH an awesome book.
And Hemovore is definitely not your average vampire book. That's a fact.
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..."
Time for a new sub-genre in m/m romance!
Hmmmm...m/m disaster movie romance? I can go with that. I have a Maureen McGovern CD and everything (and here's a free tip, if you ever hear Maureen McGovern on the background music wherever you are...in an elevator, shopping mall etc...don't hesitate, just run for your life).There could be one set on a ship...The Poseiden Adventure type thing (original with Shelley Winters, not the awful remake), The Towering Inferno, Airport!
It'd be great!
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I'm thinking it could be set on an Atlantis gay cruise ship (although I've always wondered about those...stuck on a boat with 4000 gays for two weeks? I'd go mad!!)The novel could have all the typical disaster novel cliche characters. The couple on the verge of divorce who reconcile over the struggle to survive. The elderly couple on vacation one of whom will sacrifice themselves. The dewey eyed youngster destined to find love with the gung ho (but troubled...oh so troubled) hero. The corrupt/heartless businessman who will discover the 'true meaning of life' by the virtue of self sacrifice...
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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I took mine to work, but only read it on breaks when I was away from the desk. Working in a room full of teenagers, does not bode well for an M/M reader with a book full of kink! lol.
Also, if you have a version other than a PDF on your Kindle, tell me how you got it! lol. I'm reading mine on a Kindle with a magnifying glass so I can make the print large enough for me to see. Yeah, I can make the PDF page bigger, just found out how by accident, but then scrolling is not easy, or fast enough for my reading eyes and changing pages is not easy either.