Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion

L.B. wrote: "Cowboys. It's time."

LOL. So succinct. (Just like you taught us, Josh. *g*)

I won't even mention the bookseller by name. I'll just ask that you not tease any longer. I can't keep holding out hope! (But there are loose ends left to tie there.)

I'm eagerly awaiting the 3rd installment of Dangerous Ground. Would love to read more about Rhys/Sam and Tim/Jack. ...Maybe Matt/Nathan, though that one was my least favorite.

Whatever you write, it's an auto buy for me. I hope that's encouragement. Cowboys would be good, too. I can see you as the gay Zane Grey, actually. Fun.

I'm surprised & disappointed about The Darkling Thrush - I loved it and thought it would have been perfect for a sequel - there's so much more I want to know about the world, the Seelie/Unseelie Court and about Colin & Septimus.

As for other sequels, that's obvious - TGWYS! Just because I love Perry & Nick so. :-)

Well, of course it can't be just that because I love other characters too and yet strangely don’t feel the need for a sequel. I guess I don't have consistent criteria for when I want or don't want a sequel. Granted one usually wants a sequel because a) one loves the characters (which is not in itself reason to write a sequel) and b) there are unanswered questions of some sort (which is a better reason to write one).

A story can have a + b and I'll want a sequel: "TGWYS", "The Darkling Thrush", "In a Dark Wood", for example.
A story can have a + b and I won't want a sequel: "The Dickens With Love" or "The Dark Farewell"

Now, I loved "TDWL" very much and James & Sedgwick have unanswered questions (some prosaic like "will James want to move to England?" and others a little more profound "they've known each other for a short amount of time, so will they make it?") so theoretically I should want a sequel, and yet I just think "TDWL" is a bit of perfection that should be left as it is. I feel the same way about "The Dark Farwell". And yet I also loved "TGWYS" very much and I *do* want a sequel.

And then there's stories like "A Ghost of a Chance" which don’t really need a sequel but I want one anyway because I just want to see more interaction between Rhys & Sam, and conversely "Cards on the Table" which I'm happy with just as it is.

And yet I do love all these stories (plus the ones I haven't mentioned). And, of course, if you write a sequel to any of them, I will pounce on them regardless - just because I don't need a sequel to a story, doesn't mean I won't enjoy one!

I can't say there's any particular new story I want from you except the ones you want to write. It's certainly easier to say what I don't want - I will agree with TheLastAerie and say "Please, no vampires." That would be a true test of readerly devotion which I pray I'll never be put to. :-) And I loathe love triangles with a passion. Having said that, of course it all depends on the writer (JCP & vampires, for example) so just follow your bliss. :-)

Josh, those of us who loved Mexican Heat would love another book along the same lines. There just aren't enough of these hot, sexy M/M thrillers. Too bad the collaboration with Ms Baumbach didn't work out but I hope the success of MH will show we love those types of M/M romantic suspense - plot and character-driven with suspense and romance. They are rare, indeed.

Meraehl wrote: "As for other sequels, that's obvious - TGWYS! Just because I love Perry & Nick so. :-)

OMG Your so right! I can't believe I didn't bring it up myself. I LOVE Nick (and of course Perry) Although, at the same time, it really is a nice stand alone.

Samantha wrote: ... Although, at the same time, it really is a nice stand alone."

Yeah I think it was written to be so, and there is the fact that just because one wants a sequel doesn't mean there should be one. But for all that, I still want one. *g*

If there is no sequel I'll live - after all, I can always imagine it for myself (I fondly picture Perry job hunting in LA, stumbling across "Cloak & Dagger" and thinking he's found his mecca *g*).

And there is also the fact that if Josh spent all his time writing sequels to beloved books there'd be no new stuff, and I love the new stuff. So in the end I guess I'm happy either way.

L.B. wrote: "Cowboys. It's time."

If we were still speaking, LB, I'd tell you that GREAT minds think alike. I was JUST going to suggest the SAME thing (ha, I'm still random-capping...it's getting to be a THING). And maybe add:

Vampires and Werewolves. It's time to fulfill your destiny, Josh.

Nicole wrote: "What I'd like to see:

A Regency--straight up with spies for Boney and country house dances and everything.
A Depression-era Historical Set in the West.
And... a story where one of the protagonists..."

I do love Regency. Fantasy Regency or historical. But I fear Georgette Heyer ruined the genre for me. I read her and everyone else pales in comparison.

Depression era western! I like it. That's original. And yes, I'll try and write you another story where someone gets shot in the face. *g*

The Darkling Thrush -- I did really enjoy creating that world. That's a weird thing about fantasy. It almost feels self-indulgent in how much time goes into world-building. You can't get away with that in almost any other genre. Even in historical fiction, the key is making the history so natural it's almost invisible. At least that's my feeling as a reader.

Cards on the Table is beautifully rounded off as a story, I just liked the characters so much that I want to know how things turn out for them

I think that's always the challenge for a writer -- to make the reader care enough that they keep wondering about the characters after the story ends.

But tonight I had another quite different idea for a story: one of many evenings spent with a bunch of classical musicians reminded me again that I have yet to come across an m/m story set in that field (or did I miss one?).

I haven't seen one, although I did a really promising evaluation on one last year. I don't know if the author is still retooling it or not. But I agree. It's a great world in which to set a story.

Surprising really, for a start the possibilities for innuendo are numerous. Musicians tenderly hugging their instrument between their knees or to their shoulder; keeping their precious historical instruments warm under their arms, all that cleaning of tubes. Imagine nimble fingers and all that blowing *G*. Or The Master with his stick baton.

*g* I like it!

And what about the possibilities for murder: tons of artistic temperaments/jealousies/histrionics, singers losing their voice, sacked soloists and last minute replacements.

Add to that that the fact that they are real artists (not joking) doesn't usuall stop orchestra musicians from keeping car magazines/crime novels etc. on their music stands for those periods when it's somebody else's artistic turn... I'm still waiting to see the first m/m novel.

It could happen. Even if I don't write it, just mentioning it a few times could spark some other writerly imaginations.

Maybe I'm biased (I love it all) but I think the whole setup is just rife for an m/m story or two, with or without one or more murders.

Oh yes! Classical music is sexy. No doubt about it.

Antonia wrote: "I'd be very interested to know what exactly Jake told Paul Kane about Adrien so that it resulted in Paul managing to identify Adrien. I'd love to read the entire scene, because clearly Jake must've..."

I wonder if I could write the scene as effectively as readers fill in the blanks of the scene?

Not that it wouldn't be fun to try. Maybe.

I do appreciate the readers like you who bought these stories mostly out of loyalty. It's doubly flattering when I win you over in a genre you weren't sure you wanted to read. *g*

Jorrie wrote: "Hi Josh!

I was going to say sequels to Cards on the Table and The Dark Tide…

I too have reread COTT, and I'm not the biggest rereader.

I'm glad you have plans for Nathan and Matt though.

Sorry ..."

Hi Jorrie!

COTT is one of those stories that has its devoted readers. But really it's kind of hard for me to calculate what's going to hit a chord and what isn't. COTT and Ghost of a Chance are two that I tend to overlook, but both of those have a surprising amount of requests for sequels. From a writing standpoint, The Dickens With Love is one of my best-crafted stories, but it doesn't seem to have the "legs" those other two do.

Patty wrote: "Josh, I think I remembering reading somewhere that you were going to write a western someday. Since you are familiar with the English riding/hunter/jumper world it would be interesting to have a c..."

Nice idea, Patty! I like it.

Thelastaerie wrote: "I remember you mentioned "Snowball in Hell" didn't do as well as your other novellas when it was first released. I don't know if it has changed since. Branching out to sub-genre, be it historical..."

No vampires, huh?

I think part of the problem with Snowball is just...the challenge of putting something out through one of the smaller epublishers. The Dark Farewell did only a hair less than my other Samhain titles, so maybe it's not historical per se (although I still tend to think the historical market is a little more fragmented). Out of the Blue -- once I saw the third party sales numbers -- ended up doing pretty respectably too.

But basically contemporary stories outstrip everything else. Which doesn't mean it's not worth writing these other stories. A lot of the time you write just because it's satisfying to write that particular stories. And then it's an extra kick if readers take to it.

Josh wrote: "But tonight I had another quite different idea for a story: one of many evenings spent with a bunch of classical musicians reminded me again that I have yet to come across an m/m story set in that field (or did I miss one?)...

Hi Josh,

I saw this comment yesterday, but didn't have time to respond to it. There are LOTS of stories with musicians in m/m. Maybe not the one you'd want to write, but hey, that's a good thing! Here are some of the ones I have read:

Riverwalk
Home for Christmas
Catching Christmas
The Strongest Shape
Texas Twin Fiddles and a Steel Guitar
Conquest
No Fear (sequel for Conquest)
Love Means... No Boundaries (blind musician)
Gay Paris
Survival
St. Nacho's
Guardian Angel
Dona Nobis Pacem
Voices of Joy and Gladness, of the Groom and… Groom
Adrenaline
Boys in the Band 1: Opening Act
Boys in the Band 2: Main Act
Boys in the Band 3: Final Act
Instinctive Harmony

There are more, but those are part of anthologies. Just thought I'd let you know...

L.B. wrote: "Cowboys. It's time."

Maybe it'll be a BETTER time next year when we do our double trouble story for Samhain.

Rob wrote:
I won't even mention the bookseller by name. I'll just ask that you not tease any longer. I can't keep hol..."

No teasing. Adrien will make occasional reappearances -- just I don't see any full-length novels at this time. Well, I don't see *anything* immediately, but I can assure everyone that eventually I'll do some little bits there.

The next Dangerous Ground comes out in...September, I think.

Zane Grey. God, I used to love Zane Grey. And Luke Short and Louis L'amour and Max Brand and Ernest...Haycock was it? Anyway, I read a lot of westerns growing up.

Dakota wrote: Vampires and Werewolves. It's time to fulfill your destiny, Josh."

Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be vampire cowboys.

Meraehl wrote: "I'm surprised & disappointed about The Darkling Thrush - I loved it and thought it would have been perfect for a sequel - there's so much more I want to know about the world, the Seelie/Unseelie Co..."

I think it is, certainly from my perspective -- and my editor really liked it too. It's not that no one said I couldn't write a sequel, but fantasy is a lot of work and I always keep my eye on the numbers -- it's a compromise between what I enjoy writing (which is basically every story I tell) and what readers seem to be most interested in seeing most of.

And I agree with you that certain stories are perfectly enjoyable, but it's okay to let the story wrap up there. Sometimes I feel that continuing might spoil something that ended pretty much the way I wanted it to end.

Nick and Perry...yes, that was one I deliberately left with enough room to continue. It's a natural for sequels, even if I don't get around to writing them.

There are advantages and disadvantages to picking up with existing characters. Lately, whichever one I'm writing I always think I'd be happier writing the other. :-P

Elaine wrote: "Josh, those of us who loved Mexican Heat would love another book along the same lines. There just aren't enough of these hot, sexy M/M thrillers. Too bad the collaboration with Ms Baumbach didn't w..."

Thanks, Elaine. It's hard disappointing readers. No question! But yes, the response to MH was very encouraging.

Meraehl wrote:
And there is also the fact that if Josh spent all his time writing sequels to beloved books there'd be no new stuff, and I love the new stuff. So in the end I guess I'm happy either way.

And there's definitely a lot of pleasure in creating new characters and new worlds.

Josh wrote: "Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be vampire cowboys."

Hmm, I wouldn't read vampire cowboys by anyone other than you and Jordan Castillo Price.

Josh, don't give up on the Darkling Thrush storyworld! I, for one, adored it and I bet your numbers will jump once it goes to fw & etc. With fantasy, your base builds as you go along.

Otherwise, I'd like something spooky but without the angst. Considering my 5th was a vamp book, I'd love to see what you could do with that mythology, LOL, but a haunted house story is always fun.

Josh wrote: "But tonight I had another quite different idea for a story: one of many evenings spent with a bunch of classical musicians reminded me again that I have yet to come across an m/m story set in that ..."

Allegro Vivace by Cat Grant came out last month and was a 5-star read for me. It does revolve around classical music (teacher-student romance) and if you enjoy classical music, you'd feel right at home with this one. So far, the best May-December romance I've read as well.

Andy wrote: "Josh wrote: "Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be vampire cowboys."

Hmm, I wouldn't read vampire cowboys by anyone other than you and Jordan Castillo Price."

I have GOT to read Jordan's vampire stories. I know if anyone can win me over, she can.

Kari wrote: "Josh, don't give up on the Darkling Thrush storyworld! I, for one, adored it and I bet your numbers will jump once it goes to fw & etc. With fantasy, your base builds as you go along.

Otherwise,..."

Thanks, Kari. You might be right. Cross my fingers.

There's so much work involved in spec fiction -- well, you know that! -- that it seems wasteful to write one story in a world and then abandon it.

I like spooky -- haunted houses, etc. I'm not very original or envelope-pushing in my own spooky stories, but I do like a classic ghost story.

Elaine wrote: "Josh wrote: "But tonight I had another quite different idea for a story: one of many evenings spent with a bunch of classical musicians reminded me again that I have yet to come across an m/m story..."

Interesting! Thanks for the recommend.

Josh wrote: "I have GOT to r..."

I highly rec them. She makes them so different. I'll take Wild Bill over Edward any day. She weaves a wonderful story with fresh characters. There is a lot of sex - but it's needed, it moves the story and characters.

Serena wrote: "Josh wrote: "But tonight I had another quite different idea for a story: one of many evenings spent with a bunch of classical musicians reminded me again that I have yet to come across an m/m story..."

What a great list. Thank you.

But are these all classical musicians? There are definitely plenty of stories about musicians in m/m fiction. I was thinking it was the classical world that hadn't been much explored. Maybe not!

I would like a sequel to Cards on the Table.

Murphy wrote: "I would like a sequel to Cards on the Table."

Thanks, Murphy. I'll take it under advisement. *g*

I sometimes wonder about you! You know that you will write exacttly what you want to write. It is entirely your choice! I read everything you write! I love your writing. I prefer series, you know that, but if you are happy writing what you write, it comes across in your books so whatever you write is fine with me.

Murphy wrote: "I sometimes wonder about you! You know that you will write exacttly what you want to write. It is entirely your choice! I read everything you write! I love your writing. I prefer series, you k..."

LOL. So very true. But anything I write I tend to love. That's why I don't trust it. So it's within the framework of that...but I'm more interested in hearing what new ground readers would like to see covered as opposed to sequels. Mostly because I get so much email about sequels I have a pretty clear idea of the popularity contests.

Anyway, it's always interesting to hear readers' thoughts! And it's always great to hear from you, Murphy!

Josh wrote: LOL. So very true. But anything I write I tend to love. That's why I don't trust it. So it's within the framework of that...but I'm more interested in hearing what new ground readers would like to see covered as opposed to sequels.

So basically you are asking what kind of story I would write myself if I wasn't lazy and my English was better?

I like stories about ghosts, but well, you've already done that. Something I haven't seen often in m/m books and would like to see is having a guy fall hard for someone he's previously rejected.

To explain further: guy A is a normal man, maybe not the most attractive one, but has his qualities. He has a crush on guy B, who is more attractive and outgoing than him, but otherwise they are a good match. Of course, it sounds like about any second teenage story on FictionPress, but with two remarkable differences: guy B is not in love with guy A and guy A is not the type to wait for his crush to notice him, so he takes the bull by the horns, asks guy B out and gets rejected maybe not in the nicest way. Guy A isn't, of course, happy about that and considers the matter closed. However, later guy B falls in love with guy A for some reason (I admit that it would be very hard to find a believable one) and must win him over again.

Well, I admit that I prefer love/hate relationships to best-friends-fall-in-love ones. ;)

It sounds really good to me.

Antonia wrote: "guy B is not in love with guy A and guy A is not the type to wait for his crush to notice him, so he takes the bull by the horns, asks guy B out and gets rejected maybe not in the nicest way. "

Ah. I did write a story with a similar theme. It was about a guy who has a stroke. It actually got too depressing to finish, although I did have a happy ending in mind. :-D

I do like that relationship dynamic, though. Good one.

Josh wrote: But anything I write I tend to love. That's why I don't trust it. So it's within the framework of that..."

Huh. That's interesting. I have a love/hate relationship with my stuff. I swing between thinking I'm utterly brilliant & thinking I should just line a bird cage with it. Metaphorically speaking, since I can't stand birds & writing's all electronic these days. LOL.

...but I'm more interested in hearing what new ground readers would like to see covered as opposed to sequels.

Alrighty then, how about a romantic comedy? You've got some great zingers in your books to start with, but I've yet to see you do a straight-up (hardee har har) rom com. Nothing slapstick, God forbid, but a story that revolves around the general absurdity that everyone's life tends to be. Anything can be funny if you put the right spin on it. I'm suing a neighbor for destroying some trees on our land to make room for a shed that had no business being on our property. Ho hum, right? Not the way I'm writing it. LOL. I can think of a dozen comedies off the crazy neighbor alone. :D

Count me in as Snowball in Hell lover. More of them would be a-ok. I think it's my favorite of yours, although really, that's a tough call to make.

But I've also been waiting on more Holmes and Moriarty (sp? pls don't make me go look it up). I remember enjoying the wit in that! Pls more.

I'm going to offer up what may be a totally crackpot theory about part of why Darkling Thrush may not have sold well. You had several "Darkxxxx xxxx" titles come out in a row. I personally get the titles confused, and could have easily thought I'd bought one when I hadn't read it yet. Umm. Restate. I *did* miss one, had to back up and find it. Now can't remember which one it was. Wait....

Bingo. Just looked at the dates on my pdf's. I bought Darkling Thrush 6 days after Dark Farewell, which, given my buying habits (bunches at a time) means I had to go back and grab something I'd missed. That was 6 months after Dark Tide, btw, though in the intervening time I bought only the Petit Morts series. And so yes, I could have easily been one of the ones not buying Darkling Thrush simply because I thought I was caught up on your books.

Told you before, I loved Darkling Thrush. Good thing I'm such a greedy reader, double checking and all...

Kari wrote: "Huh. That's interesting. I have a love/hate relationship with my stuff. I swing between thinking I'm utterly brilliant & thinking I should just line a bird cage with it. Metaphorically speaking, since I can't stand birds & writing's all electronic these days. "

I mean the story ideas. I can't stand to read my stuff once I've completed it. Sometimes I'll go back and look at things years later and it's not too bad, but basically I can't look at my work without wanting to rewrite it from scratch. But the *ideas* of the stories I usually love...even if I feel like I'm not doing them justice.

Romantic comedy. Yeah. I did try with Dickens, but even that went a little darker than I was expecting. I would really like to do a zany romantic comedy. I'll have to give that some thought. This new one was going to be wacky romantic comedy and it went darker too. There's something wrong with my rom com vision!

Ocotillo wrote: "I'm going to offer up what may be a totally crackpot theory about part of why Darkling Thrush may not have sold well. You had several "Darkxxxx xxxx" titles come out in a row. I personally get the titles confused, and could have easily thought I'd bought one when I hadn't read it yet. ..."

That may not be a crackpot theory. A couple of people have suggested that, and I'm starting to think they're right. I *did* have a lot of dark titles in a row.

In fact, I may never use the word "dark" in a title again. :-D

Holmes and Moriarity -- yes! A new is in the works right now. It's going to be called ALL SHE WROTE, and hopefully be out in the fall, although I'm struggling with the dreaded "B" word right now.

Burn out.

When I'm actually writing, I'm fine, but making myself sit down and right is just hell at the moment.

Josh wrote: "...making myself sit down and right is just hell at the moment"

Take time off and recharge.
:o)

Josh wrote: "but making myself sit down and right is just hell at the moment."

WRITE.

Boy, there's a Freudian slip. *g*

Andy wrote: "Take time off and recharge.
:o)"

I know. And the longer I postpone it, the longer I'm going to need. It's a Catch-22.

although I'm struggling with the dreaded "B" word right now.

Ugh. Not surprised. Not only are you prolific as hell, but you coddle your fans and blog like nobody's business. Burn out's no fun. Going through it with my 'real' job (which I supposedly *love*) right now in a big way. Just too much, sometimes. Yeah. Slow *something* down, man.

WRITE.

Boy, there's a Freudian slip. *g*"

I caught that! Heh.

You know a post like this is impossible to answer, because I just like to see you spin a story. Any story. And the fresh ones, where you surprise me with something you want to try, are the best of all. You're a pleasure to read.

Andy said: Hmm, I wouldn't read vampire cowboys by anyone other than you and Jordan Castillo Price."

Agreed, 'cept I'd add AM Riley to that elite list. Just sayin'. Worth a look.

Best, Josh. :)

Ocotillo wrote: "Agreed, 'cept I'd add AM Riley to that elite list. Just sayin'. Worth a look. "

I'll add AM Riley to my 'to buy' list.
Thanks!

Ocotillo wrote: "although I'm struggling with the dreaded "B" word right now.

Ugh. Not surprised. Not only are you prolific as hell, but you coddle your fans and blog like nobody's business. Burn out's no fun. G..."

Aw, thanks. I appreciate hearing that. And I know you're right about just stopping for a bit. I still enjoy it all -- from the writing to the talking writing with readers, but you can't keep taking from the well without putting something back in.

Andy wrote: "Ocotillo wrote: "Agreed, 'cept I'd add AM Riley to that elite list. Just sayin'. Worth a look. "

I'll add AM Riley to my 'to buy' list.
Thanks!"

I concur on that one. AM is good and getting even better all the time.

After reading A Vintage Affaire, I've got to say: Josh, you have to write a book about Cormac getting some action and put the poor man out of his misery. Not that it wasn't funny as hell to read, though.

Thanks, Antonia. :-D

Josh wrote: "I am absolutely determined to do a follow up to Nathan and Matt. I actually have two storylines in mind, so...it's just a matter of finding the time. I have them scheduled for the end of the year, ..."

Really pleased to see this! I really enjoyed Nathan and Matt. :-)