Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What else are you reading? (June 2010 - May 2013) *closed*
Did I really write sail pitch??? *blushing*
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Autocorrection?! :)
Johanna wrote: "Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Did I really write sail pitch??? *blushing*"Autocorrection?! :)"
Uhm... yes! *nods enthusiastically*
Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Johanna wrote: "Emanuela ~plastic duck~ wrote: "Did I really write sail pitch??? *blushing*"Autocorrection?! :)"
Uhm... yes! *nods enthusiastically*"
I want that auto-correction add-on! Mine just does spelling. :(
Aleksandr wrote: "I just finished As Meat Loves Salt. I'm torn about the book. It's beautifully written, I dislike the main character, skimmed at least 70-80 pages, was ready to give up a few times and still kinda g..."I read that years ago, but you described my own reaction perfectly--well, better than I could have which is no real surprise.
Lady*M wrote: "Antonella wrote: "K.Z. wrote: "This sounds appealing."Here we see once more our tastes *sometimes* diverge. I usually appreciate Lady*M's recs. But I read ''Law of Vengeance'' by Dusk Peterson......"
I loved Manna Francis' Toreth but did not care for The Eternal Dungeon at all, couldn't get through it in fact.
I just finished a book I am very excited to recommend. ON A LEE SHORE BY ELIN GREGORY. A full-length novel, and I enjoyed every word. If you like Alex Beecroft, you'll love this book. Her web page (or a bio I read?) indicates she has recently retired and is almost finished with one book and has others in the offing. I absolutely can't wait, because her writing is wonderful. GREAT romance, wonderfully authentic feel to the seagoing life and adventures and never a dull moment. She can even be funny when she wants to be. Enjoy!
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Your comment made me finally buy The Complete Brandstetter at Amazon. :) I've been wanting to buy it for the longest time, but never got to it (partly because it's a bit pricy and partly because many of its sellers only ship domestic inside US). Anyway, I don't know if I should thank you or send you my Visa bill... ;)
Johanna wrote: "Your comment made me finally buy The Complete Brandstetter at Amazon. :) I've been wanting to buy it for the longest time, but never got to it (partly because it's a bit pricy and partly because many of its sellers only ship domestic inside US). Anyway, I don't know if I should thank you or send you my Visa bill... ;)"Ha!
I really should have bought that Complete Brandstetter volume, myself. I'm buying them one by one, and will end up paying more for them all that way. Oy.
Hope you enjoy! :)
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I'll let you know when I'll get my hands on it and when I'll have the chance to start reading it. I expect the package to arrive not until sometime in February. :)
I just finished No Apologies I have read the second in the series Acting Outfirst. I liked both books. I wish all of you a happy new year. My daughter will drop her 3 dogs off tomorrow. They are smallish dogs, but together with my two... It will be hectic for a while until they settled in. And my bed will be crowded as well. For whatever reason those 3 want to sleep on my end of the bed. Lucky it is only for two nights. LOL.
ED wrote: "I just finished No Apologies I have read the second in the series Acting Outfirst. I liked both books. I wish all of you a happy new year. My daughter will drop her 3 dogs off tomorrow. They are s..."
LOL. If those dogs are anything like mine, it'll be a circus! ;D
I'm rereading the Administration, lol.The Eternal Dungeon is obviously acquired taste. I liked it, but you can never know how you would react. Here is my review.
Also, I'm planning to slowly read Foxe Den.
Started Incursion by Aleksandr Voinov last night. His books hook me immediately, especially the action ones.
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I really do have to get up to speed on this series. I'm not sure why I've held off so long!
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I'm kind of on a Woolrich kick right now. I've never, in all my years of reading, come across anyone in any genre who handles suspense like Woolrich. Literally nailbiting, screaming tension -- for characters who you really don't even necessarily care about! That's the thing. Creating suspense around characters readers are invested in is not *that* difficult. The reader does most of the work, to be honest.
But to get readers wrapped up and invested in characters who they barely know, may not even like...wow. That's a special skill.
So I'm reading Woolrich again and seeing what I can learn.
But my God what a tragic, tormented personality.
Josh wrote: "I'm reading (skipping around actually through this very large book) I'm kind of on a Woolrich kick right now. I've never, in all ..."
Which of his stories would you recommend for someone who's never read anything by him?
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I'm kind of on a Woolrich kick right now. I've n..."
Endicott's Girl, Dime a Dance, Blind Date With Death...
Josh wrote: "Christine wrote: "Josh wrote: "I'm reading (skipping around actually through this very large book) I'm kind of on a Woolrich kick..."
Thank you!
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I'm kind of on a ..."
I prefer the shorts to the novels. See what you think!
Josh wrote: "Lady*M wrote: "Also, I'm planning to slowly read Foxe Den. ..."I really do have to get up to speed on this series. I'm not sure why I've held off so long!"
It's mystery-lite, just so you know, but it's great fun and I adore Skyler and his friends. She also writes Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mysteries under the name Jeri Westerson, which are also good.
Lady*M wrote: "I'm rereading the Administration, lol.The Eternal Dungeon is obviously acquired taste. I liked it, but you can never know how you would react. Here is my review."
Oops! Now that I see your review I notice that the book I read was in another series by Dusk Peterson, see The Three Lands Omnibus.
So I don't have a clue about ''The Eternal Dungeon''. Still, after reading one book by this author I don't feel like reading anything else.
What I've been reading during my holidays:Jay Bell The Cat in the Cradle
Rose Christo Gives Light
Josh Lanyon I Spy Something Christmas
Tom Cardamone Green Thumb: A Novella
Charles Rice-Gonzalez Chulito: A Novel
Jay Bell Something Like Summer
Jay Bell Something Like Winter (well, this was a DNF)
Apart from Josh, outstanding - for different reasons - were also Green Thumb, Chulito and Gives Light. The books by Jay Bell were not exactly exciting.
Antonella wrote: "Lady*M wrote: "I'm rereading the Administration, lol.The Eternal Dungeon is obviously acquired taste. I liked it, but you can never know how you would react. Here is my review."
Oops! Now that I..."
Antonella, I just went to the synopsis, and it sounds tempting and daunting. And I really didn't like The Eternal Dungeon--by the same author, you say? Can you tell me why you liked The Three Lands Omnibus so much? Were you taken up more by the mc's on a personal level or by the stories over all?
Josh! Thank you for I Spy Something Christmas. That was really good. You sure have your own special something. So looking forward to what you have coming out this year.
I just read this poem from Smashwords. I don't know how authentic it is but people who read Military Fic may want to bookmark it. My tears are still dying.ETA: It's 3500 words and free.
Unspoken Love During The Vietnam War
By Zero Mandingo
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
This is an epic poem and was written in 1975, hidden away for 37 years. It was written in a loose iambic pentameter, octave rhyme, as a form of cloaking the subject matter. It was written as a catharsis and for an English class -- the Professor rejected it. Because of the subject matter.It is a story poem of disaster on a Navy ship, and the display of spiritual love of one man for another.It is being told by myself. It is what I saw.
Susinok wrote: "I just started Paper Planes by M. Jules Aedin. First book I've read by this author."I have that but haven't read it. Pls let us know what you think of it.
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. Hands down, this is the be..."
Oh good! I'm glad you enjoyed it. My friend just lent this to me and it was my intention to read it this month. Looks like it'll be really good!
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I most definitely have to agree with this. Plus, she goes into astonishing details as well. She's a great writer for sure.
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Oh sweet. I didn't know that about Sergei. Now there's even more of a reason to get my self to finish SF and read the rest. And I can't wait to read Gold Digger too. I find it so amazing that I could start out seriously disliking Vadim and have come to love him so much. It's amazing what you can do with words. Amazing.
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That is SOOOO true! The only problem reading bad books is that a) you have to pay for them and b) take the time to read them. but, it's not like there's a label on the front cover saying "hey! bad book here!" lol.
But yeah, when you read a good book, you don't notice what works and how. Bad books, you see what doesn't work and why. And motivators? Hell yeah. :-)
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My favorite motivator is a little book called
If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit.
I'm not even sure if it's still in print. I bought it at a used book sale for 10 cents. Man, is this book worth so much more than that. But when I bought it, in college, my wallet certainly appreciated the price! lol. I went through it with a highlighter and I like rereading some of those passages on occasion.
I feel like this is such a big gem hidden inside a little unknown book that every writer should read if they can.
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Oh nice! I do like Alex Beecroft so I'll have to check Elin out. thanks for the rec!
So many good books! So little time!! I've added A Reason to Believe (thanks OkayKim!), Chulito, and Green Thumb (thanks Antonella!) to my [rapidly growing] TBR list. They all look so good!
If You Want to Write also looks good. There's a Kindle version for $4, looks like. Thanks, Jordan. :)
Josh wrote: "I prefer the shorts to the novels. See what you think!"I couldn't find a print version of Woolrich's Dime a Dance, but I did find this radio adaptation with Lucille Ball that was an awful lot of fun to listen to:
http://www.escape-suspense.com/2008/1...
Took me a few minutes to get into it, 'cuz I found it a bit fuzzy and hard to understand, but I'm glad I kept listening. :) (Man, I love the classic tough guy noir voice. *swoon*)
I still want to read the original short. Be interesting to compare the text to the radio play.
Jordan- I have to admit, he grew on me too. :)
Candice wrote: "Antonella, I just went to the synopsis, and it sounds tempting and daunting. And I really didn't like The Eternal Dungeon--by the same author, you say? Can you tell me why you liked The Three Lands Omnibus so much? Were you taken up more by the mc's on a personal level or by the stories over all? "Hi, Candice!
This is a case of a misunderstanding in the already existing misunderstanding ;-)...
I've read only one part of the Three Lands series and I really *didn't* like it. Nothing happened IMO and there wasn't a m/m plot.
I don't have a clue about ''The Eternal Dungeon''.
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:-D
Antonella wrote: "What I've been reading during my holidays:Jay Bell The Cat in the Cradle
Rose Christo Gives Light
Josh Lanyon I Spy Something Christmas
Tom Cardamone Green Thumb: A Novella
Charles Rice-Gonzalez C..."
I'm curious :) why Something like winter was DNF?
Antonella wrote: "What I've been reading during my holidays:Jay Bell The Cat in the Cradle
Rose Christo Gives Light
Josh Lanyon I Spy Something Christmas
Tom Cardamone Green Thumb: A Novella
Charles Rice-Gonzalez C..."
I just finished Gives Light! That was a very enjoyable book. Quiet, low on action, but a very thoughtful and meaningful YA read. I'm looking forward to checking out the next one in the series.
I personally dug Bell's The Cat in the Cradle. I thought it was a good YA fantasy read with a pretty sweet romantic subplot.
Antonella wrote: "Candice wrote: "Antonella, I just went to the synopsis, and it sounds tempting and daunting. And I really didn't like The Eternal Dungeon--by the same author, you say? Can you tell me why you liked..."Thank you, Antonella. You're not missing a thing, IMHO. And the confusion was prob all mine; sometimes I read through too sketchily.
Ttg I've read all the Gives Light series and I have to say, read the others as well. They are really beautiful and poetic.
Darkm wrote: "I'm curious :) why Something like winter was DNF?"It is the same story as in Something Like Summer told from the other guy standpoint, I hadn't realized this when I bought it.
Already the first book was a bit bland for me, I really didn't want to read the same story told by a MC which I didn't like. I won't rate it.
I have absolutely loved Mistress of the Art of Death for a fantastic historical mystery. Beautifully written, beautifully set, very tense.
ttg wrote: "I just finished Gives Light! That was a very enjoyable book. Quiet, low on action, but a very thoughtful and meaningful YA read. I'm looking forward to checking out the next one in the series.I personally dug Bell's The Cat in the Cradle. I thought it was a good YA fantasy read with a pretty sweet romantic subplot."
I've read both: maybe ''Gives Light'' is low on acton but I couldn't put it down, opposite to ''The Cat in the Cradle'', where there was lots of action, but I didn't connect so much with the MCs.
Mod
Jay Bell The Cat in the Cradle
Rose Christo Gives Light
Josh Lanyon I Spy Something Christmas
Tom Cardamone Green Thumb: A Novella
Charl..."
I just finished reading Something Like Winter. Although I enjoyed Something Like Summer and Jay Bell's writing when I read it a year ago, I had mixed feelings with the ending of the book — it left me feeling very empty, unsatisfied, and that's something that happens extremely rarely.
Anyway, I figured that I wanted to give the story a second chance, to see if the different point of view (now Tim's) would make the difference for me, because I really enjoyed Jay Bell's style, his voice in Something Like Summer. I only had some issues with Tim's character and (view spoiler).
So I read Something Like Winter and I still didn't get Tim. It's really, really hard for me to connect with his character in any way. I don't like him, I don't hate him, but most of all I don't understand him. He's supposed to be an artistic type, but even that (him painting and being interested in architecture) doesn't help me to connect with him. I understand that this is my problem, because many people love these books, but it leaves me baffled, because this almost never happens to me and because I'm unable to explain why it's happening with Tim.
The story itself makes me feel a lot of things: anxiety, sorrow, curiosity. And for me that's a sign of a good story — when it makes me feel and when it makes me curious. And I do connect with many other characters: Ben, Allison, Jace, Eric, Marcello. Maybe it's the fact that I don't see how Tim is going to make Ben happy? I've given this some thought during a few days now and I suppose it's all about understanding. The character doesn't have to be likable, but if I don't understand why he/she is behaving like he/she does, I have problem connecting. In Tim's case, I was hoping that I would understand him better when I'll read the story from his point of view, but it didn't help me at all, but rather made me think that his behavior was even more random that I thought it to be before.
Sorry about this long post and I'm sure that many of you feel totally different about this. But because this is such a nice group I though I'd dare to write about this here. I'm actually really interested on how Antonella and you all felt about Something Like Winter.
And another thing... Josh wrote recently on this topic about Woolrich's writing:
Josh wrote. "I've never, in all my years of reading, come across anyone in any genre who handles suspense like Woolrich. Literally nailbiting, screaming tension -- for characters who you really don't even necessarily care about! That's the thing. Creating suspense around characters readers are invested in is not *that* difficult. The reader does most of the work, to be honest.
But to get readers wrapped up and invested in characters who they barely know, may not even like...wow. That's a special skill."
I think this is really interesting and no doubt connected in some ways to my ranting above. So, what do you guys think? Is it important to you to know, understand and like the characters? Maybe the word connection (that I used) isn't the best word to describe it, but do you need to connect with the characters?
In afterthought... I can't help thinking about Kit, who can be such a mule and an ass, but who still is so fascinating... ;)
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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Exactly what I was thinking. "Hey, there's a Toreth in that book" might be the best sail pitch for me :)"
LOL. And it's the kind of sales pitch that makes most of the people run away from that book as fast as they can, I'm afraid. ;) Well, at least Toreth doesn't leave anybody cold... I think that everybody who is angry with Jake really should get to know Toreth... ;)