Timeline
I’ve been asked about the exact timeline involved in my books. The stories all take place in roughly the order they were written, but I’ll try to sort it all out.
Promises starts in April of… let’s call it Year 1. It ends in January of the next year (Year 2). A to Z starts later that same spring. Zach and Angelo meet Matt and Jared at Folk Fest in August of Year 2. A to Z ends just before Christmas of that same year.
Simple, right?
Here’s where it gets confusing: The Letter Z and The Promise sort of overlap. The Letter Z starts only a few weeks after the end of A to Z, on New Year’s Eve. But that’s only the first scene. The bulk of the story (the trip to Vegas) takes place in early March of that year (Year 3). The final scene takes place on Zach’s birthday, April 14th. The Promise starts shortly after the boys return from Vegas, and the final scene is the same day as the last day of TLZ (Zach’s bday).
Clear as mud?
While in Vegas (early March in Year 3) Jared tells Jonathan that he’ll have his friend in Phoenix look Jon up. Cole’s first phone call to Jon takes place on April 16 of that same year.
Putting Out Fires (short story about Matt and Jared, available only from Dreamspinner Press) takes place a year later, on Valentine’s Day of Year 4 (which is somewhere in the middle of SfD). Cole’s last email to Jared in Strawberries for Dessert is dated September 30th of Year 4.
Paris A to Z picks up in November of that same year, although the bulk of the story takes place early February of the following year, Year 5. Fear, Hope, and Bread Pudding also picks up shortly after the end of Strawberries for Dessert and glosses over the wedding, but the bulk of the story spans the year that follows (Year 5 into Year 6).
Even though the dog Scooby appears in Putting Out Fires, the short story Coda Scooby-Doo doesn’t really take place in the Coda world. It’s more like a random adventure in some goofy alternate reality. Or maybe it’s just a really strange dream that Jared had after eating cold pizza and pickles. Think of it as fanfic that just happens to be by the actual author. Whatever you do, please don’t take it seriously!
Please, please, please, write another Jon and Cole story. Them having a baby and all the fun and drama surrounding that would be fantastic. Love these characters, if you could throw a little Zach, Angelo, Jared and Matt throw in. I know that you could make this book awesome. Thanks for many hours of reading pleasure.
At the moment, my use is occupied with very dark, kinky cyberpunk smut. However, the Coda boys are never far from my mind, so there’s no telling what could happen down the road.
Exactly clear as mud…I was lost in the 2nd row of explanations..don’t care.
They were great books(the 4 I have read so far) and though I love all the characters I do hope that Cole and Jon get another story.
Anyway these books rock.
I started my own little Book Club out here in Oahu… there’s about twenty of us currently. We started with the Coda Books. And I have to say, your writing style won me over instantly! We all quickly fell in love with Matt, Jared, Zach, Angelo, Jonathan and Cole! Thanks for devoting your energy to such an incredible series. It would make a great HBO mini-series one day. ; ) Hope 2012 has treated you and your family well.
Thanks so much, Elijah! I’m really glad you enjoyed spending time with my boys. And as for HBO, I sure wouldn’t mind!
Hey!!! Just read them all, any plans to continue to this series? I’d love to see Anonio’s and Zach’s wedding or maybe Cole and Jon get a chikd since he mentioned he’d like one, just my thoughts, lol… But anyway you choose to do it, I’d love it, this boy’s became like the gay brother’s I never had, I love them all and wanna hear about their lives some more…
So any plans to continue? I’d love you forever, even more than I already do….
LOL. Thanks Chrystine! I’m glad you enjoyed spending time with my boys. Jon and Cole may eventually get another story, but I don’t have anything in the works right now.
Just a quick note to say: I have read them all, I love them all, and I can’t wait to see them all again (especially Matt and Jared).
Thanks so much! April 6th isn’t TOO far away.