Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[magicmountain]

It is very likely that Ellery would wear a signet ring if Ennis chose this as his token of commitment.. Perhaps with two Es discreetly intertwined or positioned facing each other.

[Kelda]

I know we have at least three people (me, David, and Jenny) and maybe four (Kelda?) who are hooked on the series of stories by Louise about Ennis and Ellery. And I suspect there are more out there. Anyway, we keep discussing the story on various threads (the latest is the 1000+ posts club) and I thought maybe we could all gather in one place for some real discussion. Hmmm?

For those who may be reading this and are not familiar with the story, it is (at present) a trilogy. Louise, who lives in Germany, iis the author. Two stories are finished, the third is in progress. The first one is called "Taking Chances" and can be found here:
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(EDITED:  30.September.06)  It is now a 5 book series!


http://louisev.livejournal.com/2743.html  Book 1: "Taking Chances"

Ennis receives a journal written by Jack Twist during their months on Brokeback Mountain in 1963, and decides it is time for him to find out what it means for him to be homosexual.

http://louisev.livejournal.com/27985.html  Book 2: "Looking for Answers"

Ennis finds an unexpected love relationship with Ellery Cantrell, the deputy Sheriff in Laramie, Wyoming, and as he struggles to make peace with the mysterious circumstances of the death of Jack Twist, Ellery offers to investigate his death and search for Jack's killer.

http://louisev.livejournal.com/50230.html  Book 3:  "A Second Chance"

Ennis and Ellery, having come face to face with the serial killer responsible for the death of Jack and other unsolved deaths, grapple with the specter of AIDS which has begun cropping up among the small, fragile gay population surrounding Ellery's private men's bar.  As their relationship grows closer, Ennis must deal with a painful relationship from Ellery's past which threatens his relationships and his job in the present.

http://louisev.livejournal.com/75525.html  Book 4:  "Shelter From the Storm"

Ennis is swept up in an outbreak of violence aimed at him, his lover Ellery, and the gay patrons and employees of the Red Stallion bar.  Ellery and the staff of the Sheriff's department try to find those responsible and uncover a conspiracy within their own ranks.

http://louisev.livejournal.com/101593.html  Book 5:  "The Long Way Home"

"The Long Way Home" traces Ennis's pilgrimage with Ellery back to Brokeback Mountain as he struggles to come to terms with his loss and love for Jack Twist, and as Ellery and his colleagues try to bring Jack's killer to justice.

Book 6, The Red Stallion, will be starting soon!


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The premise: story starts in 1984, two years after Jack's death. Ennis has been doing some reading, research about queer life, trying to come to grips with Jack's death and who he is. In the process of reading, he sees an ad for a gay bar in Laramie, WY. The story starts when he walks into that bar...

A few other comments. Louise describes herself as a "canon" author in that the she does not read or write AU (alternative universe) stories. She is true to the book/movie which is why this story picks up after Jack is gone. She also believes that Ennis is a fairly young man (41) and made the decision to not let his life go down the drain in that depressing trailer where he was living. Some people object to MovingOn!Ennis but I don't. I think she has taken an interesting and honest approach to what might have happened.

There is plenty of sex in this story, but I also think she is a good writer and taking a nuanced approach to exploring Ennis's emerging sexuality.

Ellery is the man Ennis begins a relationship with. I don't think I am giving away too much here to new readers because he shows up fairly early in the first book. Many of us have super major crushes on Ellery. I do. I am seriously thinking of getting pregnant again so I can name the baby Ellery. Well, all right, that might be a slight exaggeration!

So...dive in everyone.

L

la la la not readin any further than this - just to say a thanks to natali for sending me the woerds docs od the story so I can finally get round to reading the laramie saga. I'#m now onto chapter 56 of book 1! all in less than a week - woohwee!

[Bigheart]

Jo! You are amazing, you keep coming up with the most fantastic things! 

Thank you 

[Bigheart]

there's more to this "I've got AIDS" story than meets the eye, as well.

I should have known.........................

[MaineWriter]

la la la not readin any further than this - just to say a thanks to natali for sending me the woerds docs od the story so I can finally get round to reading the laramie saga. I'#m now onto chapter 56 of book 1! all in less than a week - woohwee!

Kelda, I am glad you have finally come on board. I have only been waiting since June....LOL

Leslie

[MaineWriter]

A lot of people complain about "porn without plot." But you know, Louise, if you wanted to write endless chapters of "intimate chat without plot (and a little sex thrown in)" I, for one, would never complain. And I suspect a lot of other readers feel the same way...

Leslie

[yb]

A lot of people complain about "porn without plot." But you know, Louise, if you wanted to write endless chapters of "intimate chat without plot (and a little sex thrown in)" I, for one, would never complain. And I suspect a lot of other readers feel the same way...

Leslie

I raise my hand in agreement.

[louisev]

"Intimate chat without plot!" that is a great concept.

But of course you know... that isn't going to happen.

[MadLori]

I know, I haven't been around much.  I've been supah busy.  Plus I've been writing a lot myself, as you may have noticed!

But that doesn't mean I am not hanging on every word and compulsively refreshing waiting for every update.  I am so right there.

[Bigheart]

A lot of people complain about "porn without plot." But you know, Louise, if you wanted to write endless chapters of "intimate chat without plot (and a little sex thrown in)" I, for one, would never complain. And I suspect a lot of other readers feel the same way...

Leslie

Yes, I do! Lovely