After doing my Five Faves for Jessewave I decided to ask some of the best writers out there in Gay Romance land to pick five. I asked these authors what five books got them started writing OR were their absolute favorite reads when they started out and then I asked them what their favorite book was that THEY had written and WHY. So here is one of my favorite Gay Romance authors Josh Lanyon with his response…of six?
Josh Lanyon ~ Snowball In Hell
From: Aspen Mountain Press
As for my own work…I think Snowball in Hell. I loved writing that time period. It was like being in my own Noir movie. And while I think it’s true to the era, I believe — intended it to — leave the reader with a sense of hope.
For the record, it is really hard to nail down five books that inspired and incited me to write my own gay romance, so I glanced over my bookshelves and picked the books that caused my heart rate to speed up when I saw them. Okay, it’s not science. In no particular order:
Mel Keegan ~ Ice, Wind and Fire Adventure and way hot action when an investigative journalist and his photographer lover go on vacation in the Caribbean. This was the book that got me to submit Fatal Shadows to Gay Men’s Press. ***Teddypig ~ In eBook from author’s website***
Richard Stevenson ~ Ice Blues By this point in the Strachey series I was well and truly hooked. Smart, funny, literate mysteries with real detective work. I laughed and learned. ***Teddypig ~ In eBook now from MLR Press***
Laura Argiri ~ The God In Flight This Victorian romance is beautiful and moving and silly and implausible. Some of the writing is gorgeous, some of it is overwrought, but it is memorable and it made me determined to write my own beautiful nonsense. No ebook unfortunately.
Richard Meeker ~ Better Angel (AKA Forman Brown) 1933 gently biographical coming of age story. The real deal for those who want to write historical and capture tone and mood correctly. I read it in college and wanted to know the story between the lines. It’s been OP forever — you can download for free. ***Teddypig ~ Clicking the cover or the link will download the PDF directly from a university.***
Joseph Hansen ~ Living Upstairs I’ve never read a book that better captured the feel of 1940s Los Angeles or offered more razor-sharp dissection of character. Sometimes we learn more about writing from the flawed gems than the perfect cubic zirconia. No ebook sadly.
Mary Renault ~ The Charioteer Beautiful, haunting novel that encouraged me to follow my heart. I wanted desperately to write something that affected someone as much as that novel affected me. No ebook — plenty of audio cassettes though!
Tags: Five Faves, Josh Lanyon
Chris wrote,
Thanks for sharing these, Josh. And thanks for this fun series, TeddyPig!
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Louise van Hine wrote,
you keep teasing us with this Joseph Hanson fellow – what’s it going to take to do a Joseph Hanson ebook run? Anyone know who owns the rights so I can sign up to raise my hand and p ublish them myself?
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
TeddyPig wrote,
You are welcome Chris I thought readers would just love to know what the Gay Romance authors have stashed on their bookshelves.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Wave wrote,
Looks like I’ll be doing a lot of shopping and reading. I’ve read Ice Blues, Snowball in Hell and The Charioteer but not the others. Damn!
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
josh lanyon wrote,
Six.
This is why I write books rather than teach math.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
TeddyPig wrote,
I was doing the post and doing it quick and then I thought I had it all done and then I checked your email and counted the entries… Then I went back and made room and found the cover and stuck it in there.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
josh lanyon wrote,
Yeesh. I guess I should have noticed when I had to use the fingers on the second hand.
S.I.X.
I’m shaking my head.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
josh lanyon wrote,
Thanks, Chris. I think TPig came up with a great idea right before the shopping season really cranks up.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
josh lanyon wrote,
Louise, that would be a coup. Absolutely.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
TeddyPig wrote,
It seems everyone and their brother has published Joseph Hansen. It’s all over the place edition wise. So I am sure it can’t be that hard to get permission.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
josh lanyon wrote,
Wave, You should read Keegan. For anyone seriously tracking the literary antecedents of m/m fiction, Keegan is the true sire of the sub-genre as we know it today.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Louise van Hine wrote,
Josh,
It’s what I do – at least when I’m not doing my dayjob. I write, and now am planning to throw my entire effort beyond the primary publication venue of electronic books. I am starting a new permanent job next week which means salary, benefits, and HA! sick and vacation time, and have just gone into high gear with my avocation.
So the next step is to see whether the author and the print copyright holder would allow it and on what terms.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
josh lanyon wrote,
Louise, congratulations on the new gig! Actually, both of them.
I’m all in favor of anything that gets Hansen more widely read.
Link | December 9th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Jenre wrote,
Oh dear, I’ve only read one out of the five *adds rest to tbb list*. I have read one of Joseph Hansen’s Brandsetter books and really enjoyed it.
Great list, I’ve been meaning to read a Mel Keegan book for some time now, and this has given me the place to start.
Thanks for sharing, Josh.
Link | December 10th, 2009 at 12:41 am
josh lanyon wrote,
Jen, for sheer exuberant action and imagination, Keegan cannot be beat. I remember being astonished reading them way back when — so utterly different from everything else coming out from gay publishers. (At that time.) Keegan really led the way — and it was obvious from the way the books became huge bestsellers for GMP that there was absolutely a market for the “slash” approach to gay fiction.
Link | December 10th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Ally Blue wrote,
Okay, I need to stop reading these damn lists. My own list — book shopping, that is — grows longer every time I do. Thanks ever so, Mr. Pig!
Sigh.
Yeah I keep hearing that I need to read Mel Keegan. Must make that a priority :) And I totally downloaded that freebie. How cool is that! What a neat little find, thanks for that Josh :D
Link | December 10th, 2009 at 10:04 am
josh lanyon wrote,
Hey you’re welcome, Ally! I hope you find it entertaining and useful.
Is your list up? Did I miss it?
Link | December 10th, 2009 at 10:29 am
TeddyPig wrote,
Nope, I am still waiting for Ally to send me hers.
Link | December 10th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Ally Blue wrote,
Working on that….
**types madly**
.
.
.
**at the EDJ**
O_O
Link | December 10th, 2009 at 11:48 am
LBea wrote,
Cheat to win–it’s my motto. Nothing wrong with bringing an extra book. NOTHING.
Link | December 11th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Antonella wrote,
Hi, Ted and Josh!
Thank you for this contribution and for the idea.
After reading Josh’s list I immediately ordered Living Upstairs and The God In Flight (probably the only thing I wouldn’t do if Josh says so is jumping down a cliff ;-).
Now I’ve just received Living Upstairs and I’ve noticed that it ends quite abrubtly on foot of page 218 (with the words ”Cover yourself!”): nothing like ”The End” written there, but especially no empty page after that page, which is IMO quite a standard in well-made books. I was wondering if my used copy was cheap because one or two pages are missing ;-). Can someone check for me in her/his copy? Thank you in advance.
Ciao
Antonella
Link | January 5th, 2010 at 11:15 am