Jericho and Other Short Stories
Contents:
I knew about where I lived: I knew about being a librarian: I knew about what it was like to live in a community full of odd and quirky characters: I was related to most of them. I also knew a little about what it was like to come out at age thirty. So I decided to set my book in a small, Virginia town—modelled after the small, Virginia town where my parents lived. Why did I call the book Jericho? I named the town in the story Jericho to parallel the biblical city by the same name. Jericho is a book about the walls we hide behind, and about how love, in all its forms, can topple them.
How has the reaction to the book changed your view on the industry and has life changed for you since its publication? I owe everything to Jericho. But I will say that the overwhelming response the book got—and continues to get—has really been a mixed blessing. As a serious writer, I want to write the best books I can—and that means I want to grow and branch out into other kinds of storytelling, and explore different styles and themes.
And that upsets a lot of readers—who can be pretty energetic about expressing their disappointment. So how do I, as the author, respond to that? We have more than one kind of story to tell, and we should encourage each other to work harder to find the best ways to do that. Structurally, Jericho is a mess—even though my sainted editor, C. But I cannot be blind to its flaws. And I think that Jericho, in spite of its sweetly intended, structural weaknesses, taught me how to be a better storyteller…hopefully, one who embeds her work with fewer dangling participles. Onto Dust, After the success of Jericho , how difficult or easy was it to write another book.
What brought Evan Reed into your mind? Evan Reed is darker, more riddled with angst and self-doubt—and more likely to front-load all of her relationships with the seeds of their own destruction. Evan Reed is a whole lot more like me. So writing Dust was a reflexive, creative reaction to the two years I spent wandering around the loveable, bucolic world of Jericho.
I liked her grudging and clandestine faith in God. Was Dust hard to write on the heels of Jericho? Oddly enough, it was like a catharsis for me. The book was actually published on December 15, the day my father died. I remember driving home that night from the hospice house where my brother and I had been staying with him—distractedly watching from the sidelines, while sadness and elation slugged it out for control of my tired psyche.
I think you probably can guess which one won out. The end of the story, when Diz sees a Cardinal in the snow, was written as my private farewell to my father.
Sad Day in Jericho: And several other very short stories [Peter Maxwell] on www.farmersmarketmusic.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. In the title tale of Sad day in. Jericho introduces new and emerging voices in short story and poetry. The fiction includes title story 'Jericho' by Vivian Hassan-Lambert, a slow-burning.
When the going gets tough, I look for something to make me smile—or for some ironic twist on misfortune that gives me hope because I realize that I can still laugh at myself. And if that fails, I still have twelve-step programs…. Aftermath deals with the town recovering from a natural disaster.
Is that session something you will offer again? Entertaining and interesting, and as some people mentioned, the dialogues and humor are a couple of the shining stars in this one even if as I said, some conversations were unnecessary. I can recognize good ones when I read them, however. But I was enthralled, captivated by the romance and the good feelings permeating this tale and passing through me. Rather than describe the house, you get names of particular brands of furniture, classy pianos, art works etc etc.
Was that always the plan to explore the characters in that setting? How difficult or easy was it to balance the humour of Syd, Maddie and friends with the seriousness of the storm? Aftermath followed Dust, and it seemed natural to me that I would write a book that explored the healing, and lack of healing, that take place after great loss. Aftermath was also an attempt on my part to address those flaws. It was a laboratory that allowed me to step back into the lives of this small community, and dig around inside the minds and hearts of a broader cast of characters.
I used multiple points of view. I went deeper into the lives of players who had been peripheral in the first novel.
Inky Inspiration – Ann McMan
I developed a rhythm and structure for the chapters and more carefully connected them to each other. I tied up some plot threads, and opened up a few new ones. And all along, I did a balancing act between the sacred and profane. Comic relief is the thing that keeps us sane—that allows us to inveigh against darkness and hopelessness and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
How enjoyable was it to write the collections of short stories? Did it take a different approach to the one that you use for full-length novels? They should each come with a warning label: You have to get in, make your point, and get out—all with dispatch. They have different parts that all work in different ways—and most of them spin in opposite directions. I can recognize good ones when I read them, however.
Or attempting to write them?
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- Jericho: Dirk Bogarde: Bloomsbury Reader.
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There is an entirely different standard at play. What is it they say about scientific studies having integrity? The results have to be repeatable. I guess that part remains to be seen. That cute little blogger with the great gams and the husky hair a. She gets the co-author credit for Hoosier Daddy. I like to say that she wrote the parts that are most coherent. As Barrett covered most with her wonderful interview. I thought I would ask what you learned from the process.
For anyone looking for a great series read, the Jericho Quinn tales are just your cup of tea. Cameron has written the latest Jack Ryan book in the Tom Clancy universe, I am currently reading that, while eagerly awaiting the newest Jericho quest. Jul 11, John E. Donovan rated it it was amazing.
Amusement Park gone gruesome, thanks to terrorists intent on creating as much carnage and death as possible, hopeful of media coverage that would in their own sick and twisted minds immortalize their deaths and bring glory to their cause Believable unfortunately plot, great characters, and action Dead on! Believable unfortunately plot, great characters, and action-galore make this a must-read for those of us who enjoy action-thrillers.
My only complaint is that I would have liked the book to be longer. Jul 20, Trevor rated it liked it. This is a short story in the Jericho Quinn series, that sees Jericho and his friend having a day out at an amusement park. What starts as a family outing, soon descends into panic, as terrorists take over the park and start shooting everyone they find! This is a a good story, but as a short, does not really develop the characters, as a full novel does.
It is worth reading and fills a gap, until the next full length novel arrives. Jul 11, Liza Gusarova rated it liked it. Weak and rather boring I found Dead Drop rather boring , with childish plot and unlike all other Jericho Quinn novels I read before. The author piles up killings of innocents, stupid and poorly organized terrorists-teenagers, the theft which is the real goal of that terrorist attack and non-stop talking of the main hero Quinn about his love for his daughter in rather incoherent heap, which left me bored and indifferent to the story.
Jericho Quinn and his friends Ronnie Garcia and Jacques Thibodaux are at a Virginia water park with their families when Islamic extremists take over the facility with a plan to martyr themselves in front of the world's media. Unluckily for them, Jericho Quinn is a wolf amongst the sheep, and very keen to ensure the bad guys don't walk out alive. A fast, violent, sharp and exciting novella to whet our collective appetites for the next full-length Quinn adventure.
Jun 29, David Hogan rated it really liked it. R U Kidding me Love the series and the characters. But putting out an appetizer instead of a meal is not right!!! It almost seamed a waste of 15 min! The true fans of this series should be less than happy of the cliff note book. We wait a good amount of time in between releases to only have a taste. Jul 19, Linda Goudreau rated it it was amazing. Good story wish it had been longer.
Had really good "bones" to it. All Jericho Quinn books are pretty good. Really enjoy Maddy and Ronnie characters and Thibedoeaux and his whole family. Please keep all these great stories coming, they are really exciting to read. Aug 03, Jack rated it really liked it. Really short all action book. This seemed more like an action packed short story than a novel. It was entertaining in a die hard kind of way but it was better than watching tv.
Sep 05, David Debenham rated it it was amazing. Can't stop reading This is probably the fastest I've ever read, it's too tense to put down for even a second. The only problem with this book is how short it is! Oct 22, Anadarko52 rated it it was amazing.
Inky Inspiration – Ann McMan – Jody Klaire .com
Short but plenty of action This was a quick read but lots of action. Terrorists in an amusement park battling Jericho Quinn and Jacques Thibodeaux. What more could you ask for? Aug 11, Mary Ellen Taylor rated it it was ok. I have read all of the series and this is terrible. The people sound like children and the interaction between Quinn and Jacques is sophomoric. Jul 22, Norma rated it it was amazing. A new Quinn favorite from Cameron Loved watching this story unfold in real time! What a ride of non-stop adrenaline All of their interactions are witty and amusing and each of their characters are without fault.
And they're not the only ones. Everyone takes the high road in this story Nothing is too dramatic, too crazy, too hot, too intense, too anything There are sooo many story details and it unravels so slowly that it felt like I was reading about the relationship and events in real time. Because of that, I had mixed reactions to this story. So many lesfic plots have the leads fall in love in a day, it was nice to see a long slow burn of the women developing a strong friendship first. A lot of plots have the straight woman agonize about her sexuality. A plot that jumps or has holes? Nope, won't find that here but we get the opposite where, as readers, we get everything and the kitchen sink And, man, can these ladies drink.
They never get drunk but I've never read so many detailed mentions to wine consumption in a story before. They drink every meal Seriously, these women don't drink any other liquid the entire story. As a credit to the author, though, Jericho is perhaps the most entertaining, easy reading Overall, this is a syrupy sweet, feel good, everything falls into place perfectly book. The romance is fulfilling and a fantasy come true. Sometimes we need that so if that's what you're looking for, definitely read this.
It's extremely well done for what it is. One of my favorite books of all time. This one comes in at over 21 hours of audio. The audio version in my opinion was absolutely flawless. View all 6 comments.
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Aug 30, Jhosy Lephor rated it liked it Shelves: While I feel confident reading, I believe my writing is not so good. So, forgive any mistake or confusion. Sometimes I think I'm being very strict in my comments but at the same time I think I have to be true with what I think I'm qualifying this reading as a 3. I loved the fluid form of the narrative and the banter moments between the characters. One of the biggest attractions for me was that the character is a librarian, I love it not because it's my profession, but One of the weaknesses of the book, for me, was the edition of the paperback.
The letters are insanely tiny, the separation between one scene and another is not very apparent, so if you stop a reading it is possible to get lost easily until you can find where you left off again or until the reader picks up the pace of the book. Another point of disappointment was This is extremely tropish I love trope from time to time But the way the writer created all the trope It was not even interesting, because I could see this coming miles away.
I have no problem sometimes in deciphering some scenes from the books The problem is when you decipher the whole book and probably next in the collection I know that this book is not a suspense but It is one of the elements of a good book to make the reader want to know what is going to happen It did not happen here Any moment Another thing that struck me a lot was that despite being a slow burn The author kind of knocked out the slow brun sense from the moment that made the character say "I love you" and give meaningful gifts with little time in which they became together.
I understand that they were friends for a while although in a few weeks one of the characters already invites the other to spend the night in their house, platonically, This is not slow burn for me I always say that fanfics ruined my life because after reading a fanfic slow burn I can not believe a plot that has all the above points cited and falling into that the category. Despite the points I've cited, I believe that if a reader likes cute romances, with enough banter and tropes Then this story will be a full plate for them.
It just was not for me. However, because I have adored the author's writing style, I must try another book of her again. Oct 02, Voronwer rated it it was ok Shelves: Sadly enough, this is also exactly what I got: This book suffers from excess. The story would have been better if it'd stopped pages sooner. There are one time point of views in the book that have very little point.
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Cut those out and I would have felt more engaged, but instead, the book drags at points, and especially in the last part. You could see it coming from a mile away. It's almost a miracle she didn't right kill off the kid's dad for it. No, I'm not just talking people, but the need to mention brands drove me to distraction.
It's borderline snobbish, really. Every meal and there are a lot of them needs to be accompanied by a particular brand of wine. It gets ridiculous after a while. The same thing happened with some of the descriptions, especially those of all very fancy homes of people. Rather than describe the house, you get names of particular brands of furniture, classy pianos, art works etc etc.
It's like everyone in the book is supposed to be the height of good taste in the author's opinion and the reader just has to know it. As someone not from the USA, this can be downright annoying as not all references make sense.
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The first time, I shrug my shoulders. The second time, I roll my eyes.
The third time, I'm sick of it. It's consistent and present in the author's writing throughout the book and it comes across as snobbish. It's not that the writing is terrible. It's fine most of the time and the characters are actually likeable, but there's really not much to the book. Cut out all that excess and the eyerolling ending and this book could have been so much better. Instead, it was a struggle to finish. No more uber Xena for me, no matter how bad my lesbian romance novel craving. I should have known better.
Nov 13, Anja rated it it was amazing. I read a lot of lesbian fiction and Jericho by Ann McMan is really high on my list that I would recommend for a really well written lesbian romance with awesome dialogue. I really enjoyed how it does not follow the typical arch of lesbian romance where girl meets girl, there is some conflict, then they fall madly in love and have mind blowing sex.
This is different and has a complimentary cast of characters which for the most part really add to the entire story. What is a true standout is the di I read a lot of lesbian fiction and Jericho by Ann McMan is really high on my list that I would recommend for a really well written lesbian romance with awesome dialogue. What is a true standout is the dialogue. It is smart and funny with a razor sharpness that is quite creative. I do not think anyone who reads this book will be disappointed with it.
Mar 02, Alealea rated it it was amazing Shelves: Oh my God what a trip! This book is great! The pace is very very very slow and there is a lot of meat on the bones of the story That made the story so much believable, you could feel the characters changing, growing into something else, and And I should be ashamed to have spend my all day reading it but hey, I'm sick so I have the right to read on the couch all day, especially with such an enticing treat!
Back to Oh my God what a trip! Back to the book. I can't believe it's a first book for the writer! I am so adding her to my writer-to-follow list! The first chapters were a bit harder to get into, but I got addicted pretty soon after we got to Jericho. Dec 13, Luce rated it it was amazing Shelves: I've read this numerous times - either the online version or the published ebook.
Obviously, I love it - it is a comfort read for me. There are a number of side characters, all well developed. Apr 12, C rated it it was ok Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I initially liked Maddie a lot although she started to irritate me over time because she was amazing at everything and everyone in town was in love with her, also I suspect this is a Xena fanfiction with the numbers filed off and after a while it got distracting because I kept thinking "is that Xena?
I mean, I like Xena, but I don't want to read a novel about her. I thought Syd was kind of underdeveloped, but pleasant enough. I liked discovering the town with her. Lesbian romances, I want to love you. I just want good characterization that doesn't get completely steamrolled by sugary sweet truuuuee loooovee and bizarro out-of-left-field plot developments. Sep 11, Jae Jae rated it really liked it Shelves: Syd Murphy, a librarian, relocates to the little town Jericho in Virginia after her almost-ex-husband cheats on her.
A flat tire stops her before she even reaches Jericho, and she's rescued by Maddie Stevenson, Jericho's doctor.
Maddie has returned to Jericho after her father, the local physician, died two years ago and she took over his medical practice. Syd and Maddie become fast friends, and Syd, who has only planned on staying for eighteen months to set up a library in Jericho, becomes more an Syd Murphy, a librarian, relocates to the little town Jericho in Virginia after her almost-ex-husband cheats on her.
Syd and Maddie become fast friends, and Syd, who has only planned on staying for eighteen months to set up a library in Jericho, becomes more and more involved in the community.