Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion

Welcome to my GoodReads group. Take a moment to introduce yourself (if you're so inclined). I always like to hear from readers, so if you just want to drop a line and say hello, that's cool too!

And if someone wants to lead a book discussion or start their own thread, PLEASE feel free.

Hello! Thank you for the invite! Just what I needed after a horrible World Cup morning.

Awww. Sorry to hear that, but glad I could give you something to take your mind off your woes. *g*

Hey Josh, nice to see you and thanks for inviting me :)

Hi Mahalia. Thanks for joining up!

Hi Josh, thanks for inviting me. I'm not "only" a reader, but I hope I still qualify, since I do happen to read a lot... :-)

Hi, thanks for the invite.I'm in nightshift hell just now and this was nice to wake up to this afternoon. Looking forward to chatting.
Cait

Hi, Josh,
I wanted to take the time to thank you for inviting me to be a part of this. As I read your books, I'm sure I'll have plenty of stuff to ask and discuss. ;) I am curious, how many books have you written thus far?
Hugs,
Myristica

Serena wrote: "Hi Josh, thanks for inviting me. I'm not "only" a reader, but I hope I still qualify, since I do happen to read a lot... :-)"

Hey, Serena, thanks for joining. I see myself first and foremost as a reader, so I'm delighted to see you here.

Cait wrote: "Hi, thanks for the invite.I'm in nightshift hell just now and this was nice to wake up to this afternoon. Looking forward to chatting.
Cait"

Thanks, Cait! That's nice to be part of what gives someone a good morning (even if it's in the afternoon).

Myristica63 wrote: "Hi, Josh,
I wanted to take the time to thank you for inviting me to be a part of this. As I read your books, I'm sure I'll have plenty of stuff to ask and discuss. ;) I am curious, how many books..."

Thanks for joining. WHEW. It would be uncomfortable to invite people and have to sit here twiddling my thumbs and humming to myself.

Let's see. At last count, I believe I have thirty Josh Lanyon stories out there in some form or another. Rough estimate!

Hi Josh, thanks for the invite to join your group.

Hi ,thanks for the invite, what a great idea. It'll be good to have somewhere to talk about books, since everyone else in my household reads fantasy or sci-fi which are not really my genre.

Good morning, Josh, thank you for including me in your discussion group. I find that I'm such an eclectic reader, none of my immediate circle of friends read the books I read, so I don't have anybody with whom to discuss the books. It's great to have a group!

Lily wrote: "Hi Josh, thanks for the invite to join your group."

Thanks for joining, Lily!

Jan wrote: "Hi ,thanks for the invite, what a great idea. It'll be good to have somewhere to talk about books, since everyone else in my household reads fantasy or sci-fi which are not really my genre."

Well feel free to discuss whatever you like here, Jan. I'm happy to just let the conversation flow around me and I'll jump in where required.

Thanks for inviting me. But responses to you are spamming my inbox already! (I figured it might be like that. And me with no impulse control will have to look at them all.) Your readers really do love you!

Patty wrote: "Good morning, Josh, thank you for including me in your discussion group. I find that I'm such an eclectic reader, none of my immediate circle of friends read the books I read, so I don't have anybo..."

I'm glad, Patty. Hopefully we'll get some good discussions going here. I'm always interested in what readers think. In fact, a lot of the time I just like to be the fly on the wall.

Oshun wrote: "Thanks for inviting me. But responses to you are spamming my inbox already! (I figured it might be like that. And me with no impulse control will have to look at them all.) Your readers really do l..."

I'm confident it will slow down. And that readers will start talking to each other and then I can sneakily listen in and no one will even remember I'm here.

Speaking of which -- nice to see YOU here!

Hi Josh! Any chance to stalk.. Erm. I mean.. not be at all creepy in keeping up to date with you I can get. *Memo to self. Stop being creepy*

Samantha wrote: "Hi Josh! Any chance to stalk.. Erm. I mean.. not be at all creepy in keeping up to date with you I can get. *Memo to self. Stop being creepy*"

LOL. Okay. Well, just making it convenient for you.

Hi, Josh. Thanks or the invite. Since this whole gig started out with me being a voracious reader, and that hasn't changed much, I figure I quaify :)

Hey there, Jaime! That's the way it started for me, too. So nice to see you here.

Hi, Josh! Thanks for the invite. Like Serena, I am more than a reader, but I read a lot and discovered your work beginning with the Adrien English series, Fatal Shadows last year (after reading about you via GWR); from there, A Dangerous Thing, before moving on two the Dark Horse series & Dangerous Ground series (just began book 2, Poison). Again, thanks for the invite and hopefully, I can pop in now and again...

Hi, Josh! I've been a reader of yours for about two years, but didn't really know how to let you know about that... approaching /read: bothering/ favourite authors is kinda intimidating to me. I've been looking for a forum to discuss your books and am very glad that you have started one yourself. My favourite book of yours is Death of a Pirate King (every single line of this book is sheer brilliance), but I have a soft spot for The Darkling Thrush, too, which is interesting because I normally don't read fantasy.

Hi Josh
Which makes the most money? Your brilliant critiquing service or your writing?
seriously
Alison (aka A.B.Gayle)
who can personally recommend the service to those who need *HELP*

Hello. Just wanted to say that I really enjoy your writing. I finished the Adrien English series a couple days ago and thought that it was a beautiful read, and so thank you for the books!

Hi Josh, thanks for inviting me to the group. I surely haven't read all your books, but the ones I have read, I really liked. I have to admit something and hope you won't kick me out of this group!! ((:
When I say Josh Lanyon, everybody mentions the Adrien English series, but for some unknown reason I haven't read the series yet. Don't ask me why (really have no reason I can think of), but I won't go near the books. Sorry, but maybe the group and you will convince me to start it: At least I hope so!! ((:
Arzu

Hello Josh. Thank you for the invitation:)

Hi, Josh. Thanks for the invitation!

Arzu - If you're like me, you generally find thing that people rave about (be it tv shows, movies or books) to be lacking in some fashion. I have to admit, I kept seeing Josh's name with major praise all over Amazon's gay reads discussions and thought, "Gimme a break. He can't be all that. And this Adrien character? Pfft. Whatever." But, most happily, I've never been more wrong. If you like Josh's other mysteries, you will love the Adrien English series. Give them a go. You won't be sorry. :)

Agree with Rob, Arzu. I've only read the first two Adrien English books .Adrien English Mysteries 1&2 Adrien English Mysteries - got distracted, landed on Lanyon's Dangerous Ground and Old Poison series and the The Dark Horse and The White Knight series (really enjoy the action-sexy-FBI-thriller rush of these books!). You will not be disappointed with the English series.

Hi Josh. Thanks for the invite. The group is an excellent idea, and I look forward to checking out the Q&A. Very generous of you to allow readers and other writers to ask questions about your work and writing in general.

Good luck!
Sloan

Hi Josh :-) It's nice to have a place to talk about your stories (which I can actually post to, unlike Amazon). Could you just give us the official word regarding spoilers? I'm assuming this is a space where we can talk without being careful, but I do want to make sure.

Hi Josh
Just a general question. As we all know a lot of m/m romance is actually written by females (whether they publicise this fact or not). What is the most common mistake they make when writing gay male characters?
BTW Thanks again for all your help and advice.
Alison (aka A.B.Gayle)

Hi Josh:)

Jon wrote: "Hi, Josh! Thanks for the invite. Like Serena, I am more than a reader, but I read a lot and discovered your work beginning with the Adrien English series, Fatal Shadows last year (after reading a..."

Hi Jon! Thanks for joining up, and feel free to chime in whenever and wherever you find the time!

Antonia wrote: "Hi, Josh! I've been a reader of yours for about two years, but didn't really know how to let you know about that... approaching /read: bothering/ favourite authors is kinda intimidating to me. I've..."

Hi Antonia, I can promise you that authors enjoy hearing from readers. I honestly don't know any writer who doesn't appreciate it when readers take the time to tell us they enjoy what we do -- not least because we spend so much time on our own in these imaginary worlds. It's nice to hear from real people!

I'm so glad you enjoyed Pirate King. I think that might be my favorite Adrien book. Although it's hard for me to look at any of those separately. I always see the full story arc.

Roxy wrote: "Hi Josh:)"

Hiya, Roxy! Thanks for stopping by.

A.B. wrote: "Hi Josh
Which makes the most money? Your brilliant critiquing service or your writing?
seriously
Alison (aka A.B.Gayle)
who can personally recommend the service to those who need *HELP*"

Thanks, AB. It's actually very satisfying to work with other writers. More so than you might think. It's nice a break from my own work.

The writing is still the most lucrative. The evaluation service turned out to be busier than I anticipated, but the writing is now to a point (thanks to that whopping backlist) where it brings in a nice return even on months with no new release.

Sam wrote: "Hello. Just wanted to say that I really enjoy your writing. I finished the Adrien English series a couple days ago and thought that it was a beautiful read, and so thank you for the books!"

Thanks so much, Sam. It's really nice of you to say.

Arzu wrote: "Hi Josh, thanks for inviting me to the group. I surely haven't read all your books, but the ones I have read, I really liked. I have to admit something and hope you won't kick me out of this grou..."

Hi Arzu. Thanks for stopping by. No, it's okay if you don't read the Adrien books. I think some readers fear they're going to be emotionally exhausting or something -- and I guess they are at times. But I've written plenty else that you can hopefully enjoy!

Elaine wrote: "Hello Josh. Thank you for the invitation:)"

Hey there, Elaine. Nice of you to join up!

Rob wrote: "Hi, Josh. Thanks for the invitation!

Arzu - If you're like me, you generally find thing that people rave about (be it tv shows, movies or books) to be lacking in some fashion. I have to admit, I ..."

Thanks, Rob. I see those reviews and I know exactly how you feel -- I have a built-in resistance to anything that seems to get that much praise or attention. So I probably wouldn't have read me either! *g*

Antonia - I can second that. As a relatively newly published author myself, I love to hear from readers and never feel I'm being bothered, etc. Otherwise, why would we put ourselves out there on social networks, conduct book signings, etc? Josh is right -we writers spend a lot of time in our "heads", so it's nice to hear from readers...

Jon wrote: "Agree with Rob, Arzu. I've only read the first two Adrien English books .Adrien English Mysteries 1&2 Adrien English Mysteries - got distracted, landed on Lanyon's [book:Dangerous ..."

Thanks, Jon. The Adrien books get quite a bit stronger as they go along -- in my opinion, anyway. But nothing can be to every reader's taste. I have readers who only like the Adrien books and nothing else I've done. It's just the way it is.

Sloan wrote: "Hi Josh. Thanks for the invite. The group is an excellent idea, and I look forward to checking out the Q&A. Very generous of you to allow readers and other writers to ask questions about your work ..."

Hey there, Sloan. It's really nice of you to pop in! Thanks.

Meraehl wrote: "Hi Josh :-) It's nice to have a place to talk about your stories (which I can actually post to, unlike Amazon). Could you just give us the official word regarding spoilers? I'm assuming this is a ..."

Ah. Good question. I think maybe avoid spoilers on the general threads, but in the individual book discussions (which I guess I'll set up a books are released -- or I guess others can set them up? Not quite sure how this works yet) I'd say spoilers are okay.

I think it's hard to have any kind of in-depth book discussion if spoilers aren't allowed. So I guess readers should avoid the individual book discussions until they've finished reading. Does that make sense?

A.B. wrote: "Hi Josh
Just a general question. As we all know a lot of m/m romance is actually written by females (whether they publicise this fact or not). What is the most common mistake they make when writin..."

To be very honest, I think there's an odd self-consciousness writing in this genre you don't find in almost any other genre fiction. Writing believable male characters requires the same extensive thought and care that goes into any characterization. Sometimes I feel like women in this genre are trying too hard to reach some unattainable goal of masculine reality. And male writers, oddly enough, seem to go just as far off the mark because they forget that they're writing romance.

This is genre fiction. It's got its own tropes and conventions like any genre fiction. So the best characters are going to be grounded in reality but they're going to be...romantic.

Does that make sense?

For me...I try to write smart, capable people with enough flaws to make them believable. I never forget that men and women are complicated and contradictory and complex.

Josh - glad to hear you enjoy hearing from readers. Of course, I understand an author's need for recognition (I myself longed for it while I was still writing fanfic), but I supposed that you might get hundreds of e-mails that all contain more or less the following text: "Josh! Can you write another Adrien book? Pleeeeaaase? When is it coming out? I love Adrien! MORE ADRIEN!" and dealing with something like that on a daily basis can be a little exhausting. :) I'm afraid I was very close to sending you a similar e-mail after I heard that The Dark Tide was the end of Adrien, so maybe it's a good thing I decided to write to you now after I've had time to get used to the idea.

Jon - congratulations on getting published, and good luck with hearing from many, many new readers!

Great news Josh
Gives hope to us aspiring writers. I hope it keeps you in clover (or wine - judging by your latest title) when your hands/wrists get too much to keep up.
hugs again
Alison (aka A.B.Gayle)