Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What else are you reading? (June 2010 - May 2013) *closed*
I know it is on-line, free. I have also "heard" that there are web-sites that convert the on-line stories to an easier downloadable format. Maybe someone else can be more specific. The link to the web story is on its GR page.
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Johanna wrote: "So, thanks to Antonella, I'm currently reading Mind Fuck. :)"I'm all for spreading ''the Verb'' (that is good m/m books) ;-).
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The link to t..."
Thank you Reggie and also Calathea, who offered help elsewhere! ;)
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I can't wait until 23 March when the next book in Kaje Harper's Hidden Wolves series - Unexpected Demands - is coming out!The book focuses on Aaron rather than Simon and it looks like the existence of werewolves might be uncovered by government authorities!
Good to know there's a release date now!
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"I read this a short while back. What did you think of it?
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The book focuses on Aaron rather than Simon and it looks like the existen..."
You and me both! I love her work!
Most of Anthony Bidulka's other books are out on kindle now as well...that must have happened in the last couple of months (I'm going to take full credit because I clicked on all the 'tell the publisher I'd like to read this on kindle' buttons).The only one that's not available is the third in the series. Right bang in the middle. Which is annoying as I've already read the first two.
I was celebrating St. Patrick's Day ;-) so I see only now Christopher's post.''Tapas on the Ramblas'', the third Russell Quaint Mistery, is available for free and legally as PDF here:
http://www.wowio.com/users/product.as...
Lia had told me about Wowio and the free books they offer.
It's an ebook re-seller like Fictionwise, only smaller. They have also quite a number of free ebooks. One has to sign up for an account *for free* to be able to download them. In return you just have to put up with a couple of adverts for an online sex shop at the beginning/end of the book which are easy enough to ignore IMO. With a couple of books there were attemps to go to the link of the sex shop, but you just have to say ''no'' once and it doesn't happen anymore, even if you open again the same book.
For ex. they have
- **five** Bidulka books, the first 4 and the last one of The Russell Quaint Misteries
- a couple of short stories by Clare London
- *loads* of JM Snyder's books
- some Vincent Diamond's stories.
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"I read this a short while back. What did you think of it?"
Hmm. Well, I thought it was better written than the average m/m fare and I felt it had a strong premise -- strong and touching too (the journal to "Bump") but I grew increasingly irritated with the novel as a whole. The meandering plot, the tortured, sophmoric metaphor (I wish I'd made more notes), the attempt to be clever at the expense of clarity. But this I excuse as novice writer growing pains. Where it lost me was the fact that the characters were not only unrealistic, they were not engaging. The main character, in particular was a book construct. He was that type of vapid male beauty that so frequently pops up in the fiction of a certain kind of teenage girl (speaking as someone who used to read and grade a lot of fiction by teenagers).
This became especially clear contrasted with Tinseltown where the character, roughly the same age and also emotionally troubled, at least sounds real and behaves in recognizably realistic ways. And is very engaging.
So I guess what I'd say is, this didn't do it for me, but I look forward to seeing what Bossa comes up with next.
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Still good though. There were a lot of parts I did like about it, but the age thing needed to be reversed or it should have been labeled as YA maybe? I don't know.
Today my very religious sister-in-law told me about her good friend from childhood. He's gay and an author. She's read a few of his books and enjoyed them, although she skips those scenes. I had a really hard time keeping a straight face. I looked him up when I got home. He writes for Dreamspinner. :DI probably would have told her I'm a big ol' m/m reader, and I love those scenes. But I was sitting next to her mother, and that's a whole can of worms I'd rather not get into with my brother's in-laws.
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Reading Hell Cop 2 until I can get Irregulars. In order to make it last, I was planning to read 1 chapter a day. I got it yesterday. I've finished 2 out of 3 stories by now. So much for that plan. :P
Sprite123 wrote: "Reading Hell Cop 2 until I can get Irregulars. In order to make it last, I was planning to read 1 chapter a day. I got it yesterday. I've finished 2 out of 3 stories ..."Seems like I need to order Hell Cop one of these days. Irregulars is really something to look forward to, I am almost jealous of you since you have yet to read it for the first time. :)
I just started
by Jay Bell. I enjoyed
very much until 3/4 of the book, but didn't like the way he solved a main conflict and the rushed ending, so decided to give his new book a chance since I think his writing is very good. So far it looks promising.I have had a short pause from m/m, reading some other favourites like
and
but now I am back on track!
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I'd forgotten what a well-written, entertaining show that was. I remembered it as being about clues and technical missteps on the part of the killer, but it's really as much -- or more -- about the psychology of the the crime and the criminal. The way in which Columbo catches his villains, especially in how they first catch his eye, is very believable.
Anyway, very enjoyable and highly recommended watching for anyone trying to write mysteries.
Ohhh, I love Columbo. Good sick TV, too. Hope you feel better soon.
Dev wrote: "Ohhh, I love Columbo."Me too! I like when he's almost leaving and then comes back with THE question. He's like a spider spinning a web.
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Me too! I like when he's almost leaving and then comes back with THE question. He's like a spider spinning a web."
Ha ha! Yes, the way he stops and turns and says: "Just one more thing...". LOL!
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I'm really looking forward to hear how you liked Kamikaze Boys, because I think we pretty much felt the same way about Something Like Summer! So far Something Like Summer is the only book I've read from Jay Bell.
Johanna wrote: "Anne wrote: "I just started Kamikaze Boys by Jay Bell. I enjoyed Something Like Summer very much until 3/4 of the book, but didn't like the way he solved a main conf..."I shall tell you. So far it looks good, I like his style and the fact that he gives himself time to build the characters and the readers time to get to know them. I am still only a few chapters into it, but look forward to continue this evening after work :)(It's a shame one needs to work to support oneself ...)
Josh wrote: "I found that I didn't have the energy to read while I was sick (which is such a waste of being flat on your back) so I've been watching a lot of TV. Mostly documentaries -- everything from the Russ..."It's a shame when one can't get the energy or time to read. I have had times in my life that have been so busy reading has not been possible (small children, full job, house to take care of), and after a while I started to get abstinence symptoms. I believe my brain must be wired so it needs its fix of make believe and creativity in order to function well.
My ex who didn't like to read (I know, a match made in heaven, this) said that he preferred to live his life in real life instead of vicariously through books, while my thinking is that through reading you can live your own life as well as thousand other lives, which is the better deal in my opinion.
Just finished
-- liked it quite a lot; the setting, language flowed rather than feeling researched. Would have loved for it to be a touch longer, though; could have gone a bit deeper in a couple of areas, maybe.
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-- liked it quite a lot; the setting, language flowed rather than feeling researched. Would have loved for it to be a touch longer, though;..."Just glanced over some of the reviews and it sounds fun.
I'm back to trying to catch up on Publisher's Weekly. :-D
Josh wrote: "I'm back to trying to catch up on Publisher's Weekly."This sounds like serious work... Are you sure you are having a sabbatical? Are you having enough rest? Take care!
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This sounds like serious work... Are you sure you are having a sabbatical? Are you having enough rest? Take care!"
I LIVE for pleasure.
Oh, good then! For a while I thought you live for work, and that also in the sabbatical...Do what you want, including catch up on Publisher's Weekly, but maybe now and then you could check to see if you are really doing what you want.
Josh wrote: "I LIVE for pleasure."Sure, ours. And we thank you! ;-)
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Josh wrote: "A LIVE for pleasure. "I'm imagining you saying that whilst reclining on a chaise longue, with a martini in one hand and a chocolate in the other...
...a bit like...well...apologies for this...
...what some people think of romantic novelists
Christopher wrote: "Josh wrote: "A LIVE for pleasure. "I'm imagining you saying that whilst reclining on a chaise longue, with a martini in one hand and a chocolate in the other...
...a bit like...well...apologies ..."
(Christopher, you stuttered a bit in your coding - an extra 'h' in 'http'.) Yep, I can just see Josh stretched out on his chaise longue, issuing instructions to the staff.
Thanks Hambel! Corrected.Hopefully I've not insulted Josh too badly...
Christopher wrote: "Thanks Hambel! Corrected.Hopefully I've not insulted Josh too badly..."
I liked the garden art, lol
Christopher wrote: "Thanks Hambel! Corrected.Hopefully I've not insulted Josh too badly..."
Heh, he loves it. At least we're talking about him ;-P
Sooo (she says, getting back on topic), I've just finished Hard Fall and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Someone here recommended it. Was it you, Christopher? Is the second one just as good?
Hambel wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Thanks Hambel! Corrected.Hopefully I've not insulted Josh too badly..."
Heh, he loves it. At least we're talking about him ;-P
Sooo (she says, getting back on topic), I've j..."
Yes, it is! And be sure to read in the Christmas short story on James Buchanan's website, which is set between the two books (or possibly at the end of the first...I can't remember).
I'm hoping she'll write another one in this series (apparently James is a she).
Christopher wrote: "And be sure to read in the Christmas short story on James Buchanan's website..."Ah, I wondered if I should go looking for a website. If there's a free story, I definitely will *g* Thanks!
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...what some people think of romantic novelists
..."
It's Barbara Cartland! :-D
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Hopefully I've not insulted Josh too badly..."
LOL.
No. In fact I recognized that sinking feeling when she hopefully asks how many pages and the secretary says "TWELVE."
:-D
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Josh wrote: "LOL.No. In fact I recognized that sinking feeling when she hopefully asks how many pages and the secretary says "TWELVE."
:-D "
Well, if your next book includes an extended scene in which the characters start quoting from the bible, or War and Peace, or Pride and Prejudice, then we know where you got the idea! ;-)
another scene
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..."
Now that I've used. ;-P
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I've got books of short stories in every possible genre, and the stories are typically 6 - 10 pages. That's much, much longer than the typical short story now days.
And another thing I've noticed, which is particularly disturbing, are the number of complaints about free books and free stories on sites like Amazon. People bitching that it wasn't worth their time in downloading or reading a free story. TEN MINUTES OF MY LIFE I'LL NEVER GET BACK.
Jeez. Now we'll NEVER get World Hunger solved!
Now, I know that there's a lot of dreck out there and some of these stories might be so bad that the complaints might even be justified, but doesn't it seem like we're increasingly focused on cost versus value?
Has the boom in self-publishing resulted in a devalued literary currency?
Here's another thought. I notice the tenor of reader reviews is increasingly changing. Readers/Reviewers increasingly state what they wanted the author to do, where they think the story should have gone, their views on what should happen with the characters, the story they next want the writer to pen, etc.
And it's not like thinking aloud, it's like...this is what you needed to do.
Almost as though writing (or is it reading?) was an interactive sport.
When did this change? (Assuming it did change and I'm not imagining things.)
Am I wrong in imagining that there's been some kind of shift in reader perception? Do readers now believe that they should have a say in how an author develops a series? Is it a positive sign that readers feel so invested?
When did readers stop being passengers and start wrestling the author for the steering wheel?
Josh wrote: "I've been reading some older anthologies and I think it's interesting that for all the complaints on Amazon and elsewhere about short stories, short stories are actually getting longer and longer. ...""Am I wrong in imagining that there's been some kind of shift in reader perception? Do readers now believe that they should have a say in how an author develops a series? Is it a positive sign that readers feel so invested?"
Isn't that what fan fiction is for? So readers who want to see something different happen to characters can go write it themselves?
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Now there's an interesting point.
Is it something we can track back to fandom and fan fiction? Is it a development of our modern relationship with the entertainment medium of choice?
We can rebel against writers killing off our favorite characters or marrying them to the wrong person, etc. We can rewrite history for fictional characters.
Total creative democracy.
Josh wrote: "And it's not like thinking aloud, it's like...this is what you needed to do.Almost as though writing (or is it reading?) was an interactive sport.
When did this change? (Assuming it did change and I'm not imagining things.) "
I think that there have always been readers that wished for a different ending or the hero to get together with another loveinterest etc., but they wouldn't express their thoughts except maybe in a small circle of friends.
It's only now that they write these wishes down and discuss it in some social media website with hundreds and thousands of other fans because the access to the technologie gets easier and there are more and more people who use it.
And maybe in doing so they get more careless in the way they phrase those thoughts?
Or maybe authors seem more like human beings (instead like demi-gods) since they are approachable via internet, too? I wouldn't have thought this even possible until a few years ago.
Calathea wrote: "Josh wrote: "And it's not like thinking aloud, it's like...this is what you needed to do.Almost as though writing (or is it reading?) was an interactive sport.
When did this change? (Assuming it..."
I agree Calathea, I think the whole brave new world with interactive media and authors being so much more accessible (which is very fun)makes it easier to express those views to a wider circle and directly to the author as well.
But I have also read professional reviews where you get the distinct impression that the reviwer wanted the author to write a different book than the one being reviewed, which in my opinion is taking it too far. One have to accept the author's choices even if one doesn't like them.
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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http://www.mannazone.org/zone/admin/i...
Then you can buy the ebook for ex. here:
http://www.lybrary.com/mind-fuck-p-73...
http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/item/978...
I think you should buy the paperback though, because it is beautiful.