I've Fallen in Love with Josh Lanyon

You should always listen to your critique partner. Or at least I should. I bow to her infinite wisdom. My aforementioned critique partner, Paris Brandon, has been telling me for months…MONTHS…that I should read Josh Lanyon. My reply was always, “I’ve got him on my TBR list. I really do. I’ll get there.”

Well, I finally got there. What does he write? Well, Mr. Lanyon has been writing gay mystery, adventure and romance fiction for over a decade and it shows. Oh wow.

So, I downloaded Josh’s Adrien English mystery series to my Nook Color last week and over the weekend (it was Thursday or Friday night) I opened my first book. It was not the last I opened all weekend. In fact I read all five of the Adrien (with an ‘e’) English series then downloaded the Holmes and Moriarity mystery series too. I finished Somebody Killed His Editor on Sunday night and  All She Wrote on Monday morning. This week I've also read Lone Star, Icecapade and I'm working on This Rough Magic.

Oh. Ma. Gah! They are the best!

Now when I opened the first Adrien book – Fatal Shadows  – I started reading and I groaned. It’s in first person. Generally, I hate reading first person stories. It has nothing to do with an author’s ability or anything else. I just don’t enjoy reading it. I think I finished page one then promptly forgot which “person” the story was being told in. It was that damn good and I was totally hooked.

I loved the voice. I loved the humor. And MAN did I love the characters. I also loved the romance and the sex. Josh writes very hot and deeply emotional stories. So I'm in love with Josh. Well, with his writing anyway. If you've never read a Josh Lanyon book, I highly recommend giving his work a shot. You'll be glad you did.

And you won't have to bow and scrape before your critique partner when she tells you, "I told you so." Yeah, Paris honey. I know you did. Sigh. You were totally right.

Happy Release Day, PARIS BRANDON!

Hi all,
   My super wonderful critique partner, Paris Brandon has a new release out today. This is a great story - full of suspense and passion. I had the good fortune to read it before it was released so I know readers will enjoy the fabulous relationship between Val and Jack. 


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Liberal talk show host Valentine Cross’ and police detective Jack Sutton’s ideological differences don’t get in the way of down-and-dirty, up-against-the-wall sex. In a relationship that consists only of sex and fighting, the conflagration seems worth it. Until Jack issues an ultimatum that Val fears will destroy them both.


Six months after walking out of her life because she refused to marry him, Jack receives an assignment that sends him right back into the fire. Val might be hiding his suspect and she’s in danger. Oh yeah, there’s also the little problem of all the mind-blowing sex with his ex getting in the way of solving the crime.

I'm writing again!!

Last week I wrote 10,000 words. In one week. I'm over the moon happy about it too and I have my critique partner, Paris Brandon to thank. Love ya, hon!!!!

I'd gotten stuck on a love scene. It wouldn't go anywhere and I tend to be a very linear writer. A linear pantser - not an easy combo. Well, I was whining and complaining to Paris and she said. "Francesca, why don't you skip the scene and come back to it. You have all of these other scenes in your head. You need to write them down."

Maybe I'm dense, but I'd not really considered skipping a scene before. I had discovered I'd left a scene out and had to go back to add it. But I'd never intentionally said, skip it. I'm moving on for now. And you know what? It worked. I discovered tons of stuff about my characters and the story is moving fast. I'm excited to sit down at my computer again and I love that! I'll keep you posted, because eventually I'll have to go back and insert the skipped scene. At least now, I know the elements that should be in that all-important love scene.