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The Size of it: Auld Lang Syne Off

The Size of It 41

It seems as though I’ve been saying goodbye for the last month, but now the time has indeed come to sign off.

However, before I fling myself on my horse and ride madly off in all directions, I want to thank Wave and her crew. I’ve known and counted Wave among my online friends since the very first incarnation of this site — back when she was just little Jessewave asking her one thousand and one penetrating questions. In a very few short years she’s turned this corner of the web into the most respected and influential of m/m sites, and it’s due largely to her own vision and hard work.

(Largely, but not entirely — I guess the term “Wave’s crew” is a little misleading because [not counting the many reviewers who generously and regularly contribute] that crew consists of computer guru Christian and everybody’s favorite reading relation, Aunt Lynn. Despite the size and breadth of this site, this is a three man — er, person — operation. Which makes all they’ve achieved together the more impressive.)

I was flattered when Wave invited me to do a column for her, but more than that, I was energized by the possibilities. There are so many topics for discussion in our genre, so many subjects that call for open dialog, and I knew that Wave’s was the ideal forum for that conversation.  Over the past twelve months we’ve discussed everything from copyediting to financial planning. The conversations have been passionate but almost universally civil. I know I’ve frequently been enlightened and educated in the course of these dialogs, and I hope you have too.

And in fact the final thank you is to you, the readers of this site, who took the time to comment and share your insight and experience with the rest of us. The columns I wrote were only half of the equation. The other half was what all of you brought to the table. It would not have been the same conversation without you, and I thank you for your enthusiasm and engagement.

There is still lots to talk about, but it’s time for someone else to lead the discussion. I know Wave has a wonderful lineup planned for you in 2012, and I’m looking forward to the months ahead. It’s going to be my pleasure to sit back and comment from the peanut gallery.

Happy Holidays to Wave, Aunt Lynn, Christian, and each and every one of you. Here’s to a brand new shiny New Year filled with brilliant books and stimulating conversation.

And that, my friends, is the size of it.

************

If I can add a postscript, I would like to thank Josh for everything he has done, not only over the past year on this site, but since he decided to become a part of this genre. His professionalism, vision, kick-ass humour (I’m using the Canadian spelling, Josh) 🙂 and most of all his writing, which have energised us all who write and read books about gay men in love :god: :god: and I can’t thank him enough. It’s obvious the fans feel the same way, going by his runaway win as Favourite M/M Author in 2011.

I will miss his insight and our animated discussions (that’s euphemism for “fights”) 😆 at 1.00 A.M and look forward to his return with six guns blazing. (I understand that’s a good thing in the US but what do I know? In Canada only the criminals are allowed to carry guns). 🙂

On a personal note, Josh has done a lot for this site starting with his first interview which shall go down in history and I’m truly appreciative.

Don’t enjoy your sabbatical too much Josh. It’s a time for reflection and regeneration but also to kick start your engines. Vroom, vroom!! Au revoir Josh!


For those of you who are already experiencing withdrawal pains, Josh’s essays can be found here. He also wrote a number of articles for our Ins and Outs of M/M Romance series on Writing which I have linked.

 

Wave

 

Author

Josh Lanyon

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41 comments

  • I hate to see you go Josh, but I wish you a wonderfully restorative sabbatical. I’ll be doing a lot re-reading starting with “Cops before breakfast. Before coffee even” and all the wonderful books that followed until you return. And with number of books that you’ve written, I should be kept very busy all year. 😀 Thanks again for sharing your wonderful talent with us all.

  • While the author in me totally gets the need for the sabbatical, the fangirl reader is very, very sad.

    Josh – you don’t know how happy I was to “hear” you say you’ll be commenting from the peanut gallery. It would be tragic beyond words for you to maintain total air silence.

    So, here’s love, admiration and all that good shit, and wishes for a restful, inspiring and rejuvenating 2012! :biglove:

  • Enjoy every moment of your well deserved sabattical, Josh! May all the dreams you have for next year come true! We will miss you and you will be in our thougths. 🙂

  • Well, dear man, not much left to say, eh?

    I could tell you that you should “reconsider”, “say it ain”t so”, shouldn’t go cause the “fat lady hasn’t sung”…but you are determined to have better mental health and the use of your wrists in the foreseeable future, go figure=:) So I won’t…won’t give you any arguments…will go “quietly into that night”. I will leave you with this instead:

    “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
    E.E. Cummings

    Thank you Josh, for showing us in so many ways just how much courage it truly takes.
    My best wishes to you…come back soon…until then…I will visit you in your books.

  • Gah! I hate goodbyes, so I’m not going to do it. It’s not like you’re going off to the desert to live like some recluse..oh wait. 😀 I wish you joy and peace. See you around the interwebz, my friend. :loveyou:

  • I’ll miss your columns, Josh. Even though I’m not an author I have always found them interesting and there has been something in each one that has made me stop and say “Hmmm”. See you around on Facebook.

  • Be well, Josh, and be happy! Know that you are loved and will be sorely missed. Hurry back to us refreshed, renewed and ready to enchant us with more of your wonderful characters and their stories! :biglove:

  • Happy New Year, Josh. I hope you have a wonderful year and that the year renews your creative energy. You have more than earned a rest and some time with family and friends. I hope it is a joyous time full of love and fun!! Many hugs.

  • Thank you very much Kari, TJ, VJ, Johanna, Sammy, M, Rhys, Denise, SusieQ & Amanda.

    I’m not going far — and it would be utterly beyond me to keep radio silence for long!

    I am really looking forward to seeing what (if anything) transpires minus deadlines.

  • Best wishes, Josh. I hope that this sabbatical brings you the rest and recharging of that extraordinary creative talent we all have come to love – all of which are part of you, so a lot of words to say we love you. Take care and most of all have fun.

  • Enjoy the time off; there is such a thing as too many commitments, so it’s good you’re able to pull back enough to regroup.

  • Have a wonderful New Year Josh and a different year. Remind the SO who he married!
    Come back when you are ready, wrists and creativity restored. We shall all be waiting, and in the meantime don’t be a stranger.
    With love. :hug:

  • Thank you Janet, Cryselle, and Jan.

    One of the main things I plan to do is read. Read, read, read. I’m so looking forward to losing myself in books — good books, bad books, just lots and lots of new stories.

  • It’s sad that you are going away (I only just discovered your work!), but it’s great that you recognized that you needed to take this time off (instead of realizing it AFTER you’re completey burnt out… what’s that old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”).

    I hope you have a great year off, and that it doesn’t fly by too fast. 🙂

    • Thanks so much, CK. I do think the break will be good for me. When all you have to draw on is about five years worth of sitting in front of a computer monitor, the stories are bound to get a little thin. I think a year of getting out there and reading, watching, observing and researching is bound to result in good things.

  • Aw, I know it’s not like you’re going away forever, but like others, this column is making me feel a bit more finality, kind of like when you know your favorite professor won’t be teaching next year.

    Given my TBR mess o’ ebooks, I still have enough JL books to read, as well as all the ones you’ve recommended, but still…

    Have a wonderful, healthy, fun New Year. Enjoy your days and moments with those in your life you haven’t seen as much of, and spend some time wandering your home in pjs with hot cocoa in one hand and a book in the other.

    Not good-bye, but so long, and see you soon.

    **sniff**

      • I’m on the fiiiiirrrrst step, Cleon…

        No, seriously. You’re all being very sweet and it’s comforting to know that my incessant harping and carping will be missed in some quarters.

        I’ve been reading nonstop for the past week and watching movies and I already feel surprisingly energized.

    • Thanks, Anne. Thanks, Pauline.

      Thank you, MC. It is absolutely nothing more than an au revoir.

      In fact, I’ve promised Wave to check in regularly with my adventures and misadventures in self-publishing.

      Yes, folks, I’m turning to comedy! 😛

  • Hope you enjoy all that reading and recharge your creative batteries, Josh!

    All the best for your year off. At least I still have a fair few of your backlist titles I can work my way through, so it won’t seem like you’re gone 🙂

  • All the best for a happy, healthy and restorative 2012, Josh! *Dives into Kindle to start rereading Josh’s stories . . . *

  • Have a wonderful break, Josh. As much as I hate how quickly time passes these days, I’m really hoping the next 12 months or so speed by extremely fast, and before we know it, you’ll be back with some more amazing treats for us. 🙂

    • Hey there, Gaycrow. That’s a fact, and I know only too well that in what feels like six weeks I’ll be planning for Christmas again and realizing it’s time to get back to work. 😀

  • I’m glad we’ll still be seeing you around to banter with, and that I haven’t blazed thru your entire backlist, so I still have lots of new JL books to keep me happy. For now. 😉

    All the very best to you in 2012, Josh. *hugs*

    • And discover the new classics. 😛

      Thank you rdafan7! I’ve spent the last week reading gay mysteries and making notes for potential reviews, so I know it’s going to be an interesting year. For all concerned.

    • My personal favorite is this one:

      :fish:

      I’m not sure what emotion it’s supposed to indicate, but it’s hilarious.

  • Josh, I first discovered you when I downloaded and read Men Under the Mistletoe from NetGalley. I needed to know about ‘gay’ fiction for my job (buying books for library) and MUTM was a revelation. For my sins I am a very fast reader, so your backlist is now in my past, which tells you something about how hooked I was. So thanks for all the great reads and the fab intro to M/M fiction. I have really enjoyed your writing style and characters and wish that more of the high quality fiction you and your colleagues writing M/M had more opportunity to publish in the mainstream world. So many people hungry for great reads. Vaya con Dios on your sabbatical.

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