Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion

Here is the new discussion topic for Stranger Things Have Happened. Have fun!

For this one, I loved having the paper version. This way I could put a ton of post-its in to mark my way through the book. :-)

The ebook should work too. ;-)

Thanks, Calathea!

So, who had all the pathways figured out?

And again, where were the tentacles? I want my read to be tentacle free. :P

You may want to beware of the giant rat paws as well. :-o

Eh, rats don't bother me. :)

Yes, but we're not talking about rats. Just their giant paws -- in a place where no rat paws should ever be. I swear, it's freakier than the tentacles! LOL

I guess I'll see. :-D

It seems that I have managed to block rat paws and tentacles frimly from my memory. I did read that book...

I have a paper version.

Thank youfor opening this topic, Calathea!
...Giant rat paws??? Where?? Should I look for that? I don't remember them, maybe I skipped that one too...

Rosa, I found completely them by accident, while I was doing a word search in the Kindle version of the book for something else. And next thing I knew, there was a scene I'd never seen before, featuring the mad scientist Sir Basil and the giant rat paws. :-0 (Page 79 of the Kindle book, if you must see for yourself.)

Teal wrote: "Rosa, I found completely them by accident, while I was doing a word search in the Kindle version of the book for something else. And next thing I knew, there was a scene I'd never seen before, feat..."

Teal, that was scary... I need to wipe that image from my head, poor Jake!
So I'm going to look for Capitain English to help me with that :D

Hmmmm, maybe I'll go look for Captain English too. ;)

I'm really tempted to go and download this book. Stop tempting me, I have a lot of books to read already. :D

But reading this book isn't really like reading a book. It's more like an experience. Like play. I recommend you give in to temptation. (But then, I have a TBR stack 300 books deep. So I would say that.)

Just think of the tentacles.......... Or of Captain English, if that's more your thing. ;)

Elena wrote: "I'm really tempted to go and download this book. Stop tempting me, I have a lot of books to read already. :D"

I think you won't regret it, Elena. Capitain English is worth it! ;)

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "Thanks, Calathea!

So, who had all the pathways figured out?

And again, where were the tentacles? I want my read to be tentacle free. :P"

Not sure that I have all the pathways figured out, but I think we agreed this was close around release time/discussion in Jan. 2014. The routes have page numbers and spoilers, so I wouldn't suggest that anyone look at them until their own explorations are done. Have fun! These are for the print version.

"Here's a transcription of 25 routes, with spoilers in the notes, so don't even think (!) about looking unless you've already fully explored and want to check out/compare to your own adventures. ; )"

< > indicate no choice — "Josh made me do it."
[ ] indicate voluntary side-trips

(view spoiler)[Round 1
1, 16, 23, 21, (9), 27, 45, 149, 161, 173, [9], [187], 220-225

Round 2
1, 7, 10, [9], 19, 23, 30, 39, 32-38 (pirate fantasy)

Round 3-4
1, 7, 25, 47

1, 7, 25, 14 (RIP)

Round 5
1, 7, 23, 21, (9), 43, 75, <149>, 226-232 (vampires)

Round 6
1, 7, 23, 21, (9), 43, 75, <149>, 161, 194-198 (kitchen table —> bookstore fire)

Round 7
1, 7, 23, 21, (9), 43, 75, <149>, 161, 173, [9], 220-225

Round 8
1, 16, 29, 46 (Bruce hit by car; Claude arrested.)

Round 9
1, 16, 29, 25, 47

Round 10
1, 7, 23, 30, 39, 65 (Angus), <37>, 68, 49-64 (bad-guy n-c, but Jake saves the day)

Round 11
1, 7, 23, 30, 39, 65 (Angus), 46

Round 12
...43, 45, 71 (quadriplegic), 5 (HEA w/ Claude) or 103 (Jean Paul) cell phones!

Round 13
...43, 45, 149, 161, 173, [9], 187 (Really?)

Round 14
1, 16, 25, 47

Round 15
1, 7, 23, 30, 39, 65, 68, 81, <84>, 86-90 (Jake confronts Gavin Spade)

Round 16
1, 7, 23, 30, 39, 65, 68, 81, <84>, 91 (lunch w/ Lisa), 93 or 96

Round 17
1, 7, 23, 30, 39, 65, 68, 81, <84>, 91 (lunch w/ Lisa), 93, <96>, 100, 117-132 (Better late than never.)

...117, 112 (dead again and Jake in prison)

Round 18
1, 7, 23, 30, 39, 65, 68, 81, <84>, 91 (lunch w/ Lisa), 96, 98, 114, 133-142 (He teaches you a couple of neat tricks that can be done with handcuffs.) (or 143)

Round 19
...114, 143, 109 or 145, <145> or 110 (nap), 110 to 145, 153, or 11 (Uh oh.), 153, 155 (Kit signing at C&D), 168 (dinner w/ Bruce), [108], 180 or 181, 180, [37], 178, back to 171 or random page or on to 181, 183, 185 or 190, 185, 199 or 201, 199-200

Round 20
...183, 190-193 (Henry Harrison and the Cross of Rouen)

Round 21
...185, 201, 202 or 206, 202-205 (Jake in hospital w/ Kate)

Round 22
...201, 206, 208 or 213, 208-212

Round 23
...206, 213-219

back to

Round 24
...168 or 178 (stay home), 178

Round 25
1, 7, 23, 30, 39, 65, 68, 81, <84>, 91 (lunch w/ Lisa), 96, 98, 110... 145, 153, 233, 234, 133-142 (hide spoiler)]

Teal wrote: "But reading this book isn't really like reading a book. It's more like an experience. Like play. I recommend you give in to temptation. (But then, I have a TBR stack 300 books deep. So I would say ..."

It certainly sounds like it's a lot of fun!

Karen wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "Thanks, Calathea!

So, who had all the pathways figured out?

And again, where were the tentacles? I want my read to be tentacle fre..."

That was hands down the most difficult project ever. Not just for me, but for my editor and formatters. It was insane.

If there is any one thing that separates me from everyone else in the genre, it's projects like that one. :-D But seriously. WHO DOES THAT?

:-D

It would probably be impossible to ever put on audio. :(

Karen wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "Thanks, Calathea!

So, who had all the pathways figured out?

And again, where were the tentacles? I want my read to be tentacle fre..."

Thank you for posting that again, Karen! :-)

I knew the list was around somewhere but didn't know what to search for to find it.

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "It would probably be impossible to ever put on audio. :("

Captain English could be put in audio though, right?

Josh wrote: "Karen wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "Thanks, Calathea!

So, who had all the pathways figured out?

And again, where were the tentacles? I want my read to b..."

You do! :-D

Karen wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "Thanks, Calathea!

So, who had all the pathways figured out?

And again, where were the tentacles? I want my read to be tentacle fre..."

Thanks! I'll make my own list when I eventually get to this and then compare.

Jordan wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "It would probably be impossible to ever put on audio. :("

Captain English could be put in audio though, right?"

I vote for that! Pretty please? *____*

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "It would probably be impossible to ever put on audio. :("

I agree. Chris Patton asked me about it way back when, and I briefly considered it -- and then had to accept reality. It would be impossible to record.

Jordan wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "It would probably be impossible to ever put on audio. :("

Captain English could be put in audio though, right?"

Wellllll...yes, that would be possible, :-D

Also, the fact that the CYOA is available digitally is totally and completely due to Calathea. I think she deserves a round of applause because I'm sure she was tearing her hair out -- though she remained gracious throughout the process. :-D

Josh wrote: "Also, the fact that the CYOA is available digitally is totally and completely due to Calathea. I think she deserves a round of applause because I'm sure she was tearing her hair out -- though she r..."

Hear, hear! Thank you, Calathea, and thank you, Josh! :-) It's super awesome to have the digital version.

Josh wrote: "Also, the fact that the CYOA is available digitally is totally and completely due to Calathea. I think she deserves a round of applause because I'm sure she was tearing her hair out -- though she r..."

She is awesome, isn't she! I really am IN AWE of how her brain works — I know I never could have figured out a problem like that!!! *applauses*

Thank you a lot, Calathea!!! I could have that book thanks to the digital version :)

*blushes*

You know, it was a fun project too. :-)

Calathea wrote: "*blushes*

You know, it was a fun project too. :-)"

:-D

Uh huh.

I just finished this book and I wanted to thank every single one of you who recommended it during the AE re-reading. You were right, it was so much fun!

I spent hours playing with it and some paths made me laugh, some made me melt and others left me just plain confused. :D
I found the fact that a lot of times you didn’t really get a choice between going with/opening the door to Jake or not pretty coherent with Adrien’s nature. ;)

I loved the paths/endings linked to (view spoiler)[Ball and Chain (hide spoiler)]. It was so strange seeing Adrien and Jake doing and saying things they would never do in the original series, but that was the whole point and seeing them get together so “easily” was very refreshing.
I almost missed the path where Adrien goes to the PI and that would have been a shame, it’s definitely one of my favorites.
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that I’m not a fan of Adrien going with (view spoiler)[Mel to Jake’s wedding with Kate. I’m still unsure if I wouldn’t prefer Jake in prison and Adrien killed. Kidding. (Or maybe not. :P) (hide spoiler)]

I loved all the references to Kit and J.X., but the line about things like that never happening to Kit Holmes while Adrien was being chased by a car made me laugh out loud. :D

I can’t even imagine the amount of work necessary to make this project come to life, but the result is awesome. :)

I finally got it and was going to wait until the audio for STIC, but since it looks like that's not happening - or will be happening much later due to maybe getting a new narrator - I'm going to go ahead and bump it up my TBR list.

Mymymble wrote: "I love the Mel choices and always follow them! Even though they just lead to Josh calling me a kook.
I guess that's the point, that we can make our own bad choices."

I love the one where Mel unintentionally helped to bring Adrien and Jake together, when the fact that Jake was visiting Adrien in the hope that he was still interested went completely over Adrien’s head, until Mel spelled it out for him.
These two will be the death of me, even in this book sometimes they’re just hopeless.

I agree about making our own bad choices, like all the paths after you choose to run from Bruce at the end lead to Adrien and Jake not being together.
I think pretty much everyone reading FS wondered why Adrien wouldn’t just run for it at one point and this seemed like Josh telling us: “You see? If he had run, you would have missed all the good things to come.” :D

I still can't work out how to get to the Jake/rat path. I'm sure there are other secrets.

I think I missed that one too.
I found Captain English, the tentacles, the purple vampires, but no Jake/rat.
I’ll keep looking.

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "I finally got it and was going to wait until the audio for STIC, but since it looks like that's not happening - or will be happening much later due to maybe getting a new narrator - I'm going to go..."

Do it, Linda, you won't regret it. :)

When I read it, I remember having to go backwards sometimes to figure out how to get to certain places.

Now you have me wanting to reread it! Maybe this weekend I'll find a little time for that...

Elena wrote: "I just finished this book and I wanted to thank every single one of you who recommended it during the AE re-reading. You were right, it was so much fun!

I spent hours playing with it and some pat..."

You just made my afternoon. ;-)

Mymymble wrote: "Elena wrote: "I just finished this book and I wanted to thank every single one of you who recommended it during the AE re-reading. You were right, it was so much fun!

I spent hours playing with i..."

That was the craziest, funniest project ever. And even if only a handful of you enjoy it, it makes it so worth it. :-D

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "I finally got it and was going to wait until the audio for STIC, but since it looks like that's not happening - or will be happening much later due to maybe getting a new narrator - I'm going to go..."

UGH. DON'T REMIND ME.

**wanders off into the night wailing**

Josh wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "I finally got it and was going to wait until the audio for STIC, but since it looks like that's not happening - or will be happening..."

We are all wailing at the news. :(

Josh wrote: "You just made my afternoon. ;-)"

I'm glad. :)

I finally got around to this one and loved it! Brilliantly done, Josh. I was especially tickled by (view spoiler)[Gavin Spade and the vampires (hide spoiler)], and who knew Bruce could be even creepier than he already was (view spoiler)[date rape and moving in (hide spoiler)]. I wiuld like to request that (view spoiler)[Gavin and Jean Paul (hide spoiler)] get their own series and (view spoiler)[stay away from Adrien (hide spoiler)].

Question: I thumbed through page by page to make sure I found everything, but there were two alt endings I hadn't seen: 79 and 93. I suspected at least one of the links is broken on my Kinlde edition, since both links from 91 took me to 96. I checked the paths listed here, and see that the second link is indeed supposed to take you to 93 (view spoiler)[expedition ending (hide spoiler)]. I don't see a way to 79 (view spoiler)[mad scientist ending (hide spoiler)]. Is that an Easter Egg? There is only one path following 73, and 79 is right after that, so I'm guessing Easter Egg.

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "I finally got around to this one and loved it! Brilliantly done, Josh. I was especially tickled by [spoilers removed], and who knew Bruce could be even creepier than he already was [spoilers remove..."

I checked the link you mentioned, Linda, the one that should take you to 93, and you're right, in the Kindle version both links take you directly to 96. In fact, I just read the "detour" at 93, I didn't even know it existed.

About 79, I didn't find a "normal path" to reach it either. I found it the same way you did, I was going through the book after I finished exploring to make sure I didn't miss anything. Apparently I wasn't as throughout as you, though. :D

Elena - I have a spreadsheet. :D

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "Elena - I have a spreadsheet. :D"

LOL. I didn't even have a chance to compete, then. :D

There were so many ways to kill Adrien, lol.

Elena wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "I finally got around to this one and loved it! Brilliantly done, Josh. I was especially tickled by [spoilers removed], and who knew ..."

Could you guys please post the text of the links? I'm on the phone and want to search for them. Thanks!

Calathea wrote: "Elena wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "I finally got around to this one and loved it! Brilliantly done, Josh. I was especially tickled by [spoilers removed],..."

Page 92, Kindle Location 856

First link: "If you decide to let Jake in, click here"

Second link: If you decide it would be wiser not to answer the door and instead catch up on your paperwork, click here

Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "I finally got around to this one and loved it! Brilliantly done, Josh. I was especially tickled by [spoilers removed], and who knew Bruce could be even creepier than he already was [spoilers remove..."

Yes. Easter egg. Because I planned it as a print book, I always assumed readers would go through it page by page eventually.

I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It's nuts, but it's fun, I think. And actually kind of romantic and sweet in parts. In a surreal way. :-D

Elena wrote: "Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "I finally got around to this one and loved it! Brilliantly done, Josh. I was especially tickled by [spoilers removed], and who knew ..."

Hmm. Did I miss that?