Date: October 28, 2009 03:14 pm Title: Prologue
I really liked that you didn't let Jim off the hook, and that Karen maintained her self respect. And now he's free...
*grin*
Author's Response: Thanks again for the quick turnaround on the beta review!
Date: October 28, 2009 02:37 pm Title: Prologue
sounds good.
Author's Response: Thanks.
Date: October 27, 2009 08:17 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
I kinda feel bad that I don't feel that bad for Karen. I think I am just so happy it's done. You went into some great details of their dialogue. Once again, great job. As painful as it is to wait I like having something to look forward to.
Author's Response:
Thanks! You're making me laugh that you don't feel bad about not feeling bad.
10 [Report This]Date: October 27, 2009 06:43 pm Title: Prologue
lol! wow, it is an honor to review. i actually like it much better than writing stories. but i do have an idea stored up in my brain. don't actually want to write it out though. well i guess i do, i loved reading the reviews people left for me on my teeny-weeny one-shot, but.... oh well.
maybe it you have some time i could tell you about my idea, and get some feedback from you. that would be pretty awesome. let me know if you ever have a chance to read a brief outline and i'll send it to you.
but seriously, you are my favorite author here at MTT, you just keep getting better!
Author's Response: We're getting into a regular conversation here ... I PM'd you so we can continue offline...
Date: October 27, 2009 05:04 pm Title: Prologue
no problem at all. i'm going to have to admit you're my favorite author here at MTT so it's the least i can do! :)
Author's Response: OK, you are seriously turning into NanReg, Jr.! You're giving her a run for the money for most effusive cheerleader on MTT. Thanks so much!
Date: October 27, 2009 04:27 pm Title: Prologue
It's about time I came out and declared my love for this story. I lost most of a day to it recently, and it was totally worth it! (I did at the time write down some quotes I loved from the earlier chapters but I figure it'd be an insanely long review so I'll keep it short ;) Love the latest update, I'm glad Karen is finally out of the picture, but I definitely can't help but feel bad for her, I'm glad she made him realise what a jerk he'd been. Anyway, awesome update, awesome story :)
Author's Response: Wow, your first review! Thanks and welcome to the official user community! I'm glad you are enjoying the story.
Date: October 27, 2009 03:57 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
if i tell you this is still awesome, will you update quicker? ...and now i'm talking to myself, so i'm just going to pretend you say yes.
Author's Response: I will update as soon as I can. Thanks for the note.
Date: October 27, 2009 03:10 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
Ooh. She really let him have it. But thank heavens, he was finally honest with her. He summed it up right here: "You're great. You're just-not her." Awesome stuff.
Great chapter, I will wait patiently (somewhat) for the next one!
Author's Response:
Thanks! Yep, Karen didn't hold back at all here. But I think Jim kinda deserved it, didn't he?
I'll post as soon as the next chapter looks good!
10 [Report This]Date: October 27, 2009 02:19 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
Awesome. You know I love this story :)
SO glad Jim is finally free from Karen. Hmmmm, I wonder what will happen from here!
Author's Response: Thank you!
Date: October 27, 2009 10:36 am Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
Great chapter. Really, really great. You gave us a Karen that the writers abandoned circa Travelling Salesmen: confident, self-respecting and self-aware. She's though, but also vulnerable. And she has every right to be furious and very, very sad. Poor Karen. I do always feel for her, but unfortunately my sympathy mirrors Jim's remorse: it's mingled with relief that she's now out of the way, so to speak.
I found their conversation, both of their reactions and Jim's emotion quite realistic and believable.
I like that you added the detail of Karen seeing the documentary. Really, after seeing Casino Night and The Merger, the other show was bound to drop sooner rather than later. So the break-up was really inevitable.
It was very nice to have two chapters so fast, and thank you for the warning that the next one might take a little longer, so your fans can be prepraded to wait patiently.
*bites nails, fidgets* So, any idea how long our patience will have to last?
Author's Response:
Really, thanks so much for this great, detailed review. I'm so glad people are liking my Karen.
The readers of this story are undoubtedly one of the most patient groups of people ever to walk the earth! I've gone sometimes MONTHS between updates and people are sticking with the story anyway. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I'm hoping I can have the next one done within 2 weeks. But I have conflicting plot points to hammer out. Something is going to have to drop and I can't decide what...
10 [Report This]Date: October 27, 2009 06:48 am Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
Oh...my...GAAAWWWWWD! VB, this was another thrilling chapter. My heart broke for Karen. Holy cow! Did I just say that? You wrote her so dang GOOD. And as she was railing on Jim, I was thinking, "Jim's dad was right!" And then Jim thinks the same thing! I can't tell you how excited and greedy I feel right now. I want more! : D
Author's Response:
You crack me up, Nan! I'm glad the promised chapter lived up to expectations. Like I said in my response to lisahoo, I definitely wanted to do a better job with Karen's character in this story than I did in Gifts. My portrayal of her in that story was pretty much character assassination, so I felt like I owed the poor girl.
I'm starting to get ideas for the next chapter. I'd kind of written myself into a corner with something I've got in the can and I needed to figure out a more realistic bridge. It's starting to gel in my mind. I'll try to get it done quickly, but I don't want to rush enough to do a shitty job.
As always, thanks for being such a great cheerleader!
Date: October 27, 2009 04:29 am Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
Love having a chapter of this story to greet me now that MTT is back. And it's the Karen chapter! Great work! Can't wait for the Jim/Pam confrontation now that everything is out there - or almost everything :)
Author's Response:
Yes, a "discussion" will ensue sometime in the foreseeable future...
Thanks a lot for leaving a note.
10 [Report This]Date: October 27, 2009 04:07 am Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
YES. I'm so happy he's spoken to Karen and that they're doneeee. Now he can not feel so guilty about Pam :D
LOVE THIS!
Author's Response: Thanks a lot!
10 [Report This]Date: October 27, 2009 01:49 am Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
This will be a pretty short review because thhere are only so many ways to say I love you and I love this story (too many times and it just gets boring, right? ;)...). So the breakup. I can't help but feel a little sorry for Karen because...well...they broke up over the phone, which is not good. But still, my sympathy for her is always very limited which is a shame because I'm sure she's very nice but like Jim/you said - she's not Pam. And Pam is awesome. Period.
The way you described it at the end I think really sums up what Jim's feeling: remorse but more than anything, relief. Besides, who'd want to stand in the way of two perfect people being together. So I refuse to feel too guilty about being happy Karen is no longer in the picture... :P
Anyway, I realise this isn't as short as I had intended but thought you should know I felt you handled this tough bit really, really well and plus you love reviews ergo - long review. I think I've been spoilt by the quick updates you've been making so you should know I expect another one in the next few days.
Just kidding!
But not really....
Author's Response:
Thanks, MilkandSugar! I'm glad you liked how the chapter came together. Long reviews are ALWAYS appreciated ... by any author.
I'll have the next one up as soon as it's written and meets the standards of my top-notch beta team!
10 [Report This]Date: October 26, 2009 11:54 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
so glad you decided to post this. it definitely is something i'd find hard - practically impossible to write. but it needed to be done, and you did it very well. (i'm going to hold back here. it's 11:50 pm but i just had to read this story, but i'm thinking about something that starts with a 'that's'... fairly obvious)
okay. i'm really not making any sense. but i love this story, and i knew the breakup needed to happen - i just wasn't sure when it would happen. i think the anger from karen actually works and i can't wait to see how you continue. great job!
and also, i read the 1st dates..... story you wrote a few years ago with the other authors - it was incredible. i loved the whole story and as i was reading i decided not to see who wrote each chapter until i wrote a review - yet i could always tell which ones were yours because i thought they were the best ones written - not to mention the most creative. the day in philly was brilliant!
so shocked to see this chapter posted - you said it would be up this weekend - what a great surprise!
Author's Response: Thank you all around! You say the nicest things!
Date: October 26, 2009 11:01 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
Dude...this was brutalitarian. lol. Don't know if it's a word, but it seemed to require more than just "brutal". lol. Poor Jim. From Karen's POV I can totally see where she's coming from, but of course I still feel bad for him.
Well, I must say...I like Jim and feeling relieved! lol. This next chapter is going to be the longest wait in history because now he's free and well...I can NOT wait to see what happens. HURRY! :-)
Author's Response:
BRUTALITARIAN? Wow! Now that should totally be a word!
Yeah, I was trying to make both Karen & Jim sympathetic characters in this chapter. Bit of a challenge in a break-up conversation but, based on feedback, it's looking like I succeeded, so I'm really happy. Thanks a lot for leaving the comment.
Date: October 26, 2009 10:00 pm Title: Prologue
Oh, yes - I'm picturing Jim feeling guilty for about 30 seconds, then a big Yes! then remembering Pam is waiting out in the hall and wiping the grin off his face before letting her in. He doesn't want to behave unseemly...
Author's Response: Nope, our boy Jim would not want to behave in an unseemly fashion. ;-)
Date: October 26, 2009 09:54 pm Title: Prologue
Such a great chapter! I'm one who checks on updates repeatedly, so I'm really excited to get two so soon. I share Jim's relief that Karen dumped him. Now when his Dad wakes up, Jim can honestly tell him he was right and that Karen is out of his life. Dad will be so pleased - no doubt Pam will be too - and Father/son can reestablish their relationship. So glad you've removed this major obstacle. On to JAM!
Author's Response: Well, the breakup probably won't be the FIRST topic of conversation when Dad wakes up from his sedation! Thanks a lot for taking the time to leave a note!
10 [Report This]Date: October 26, 2009 09:25 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
So... you really love reviews, eh? Well, I really love this story, so I guess we are even.
Really good job writing Karen. I love Jim completely, but he totally deserved this conversation, or worse, even, because he really has not been good to Karen at all.
I wonder what he and his dad will discuss when his dad wakes up? Wonder what, if anything, he tells Pam (please come clean, dude)? And how his mom is coming along? And (nope, didn't forget) WHAT DOES THE RING SAY?!?! Sorry, not yelling, just got a little excited....
Okay, looking forward to the next update!
Author's Response: Thanks a lot! Of all your questions, the only one I've got a firm answer for already is what the ring says. I have a lot of thinking to do!
Date: October 26, 2009 09:15 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
Ugh, another chapter so soon after 34? You're awesome! God I love this story so much. I hope the next one comes out soon. :) Oh and in response to your response to my last review, yes I want
more! What a stupid question, woman! ;)
Author's Response: Thanks, yanana! The next one is definitely going to take longer than 4 days, I'm sure of that. I'll see what I can do about the "more." Not sure I have it in me, but I'll try!
10 [Report This]Date: October 26, 2009 07:51 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
Wow! Karen really said a lot in those few short minutes! Have we seen the last of her?
Oh...I'd also like to extend a thank you to andtheivy and jazzfan for the quick turnaround! I was thinking we would have to wait until Friday for the next chapter.
Write like the wind, VB!
Author's Response:
Yep, that Karen ... she's an efficient communicator! Not sure whether we've seen the last of her. I'm running out of my drafted chapters now. I'll write as fast as I can!
Thank you for always leaving reviews!
Date: October 26, 2009 07:48 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
I like that you gave Karen more self-respect than the show did.
And Jim must feel like a total heel -- but one who will do anything to keep Pam from leaving. So true, that when you are that low, you'll do anything to keep the one thing that makes you feel the tiniest bit better.
Author's Response: I'm glad you liked it. I wanted to do better by Karen in this story than I did in Gifts. (Nor sure I did that URL thingy right...)
10 [Report This]Date: October 26, 2009 07:42 pm Title: You're a Piece of Work, Halpert
You really, really, love reviews? I really, really, really love this story!!!
Author's Response: Yay! Thanks!
Date: October 26, 2009 09:21 am Title: He Wouldn’t Touch Her
“Pam! You’ve really gotta stop that!” may be my favorite line in this whole story.
10 [Report This]Date: October 25, 2009 12:51 pm Title: Prologue
Can't wait. It'll be so hard to wait though - I'll probably have hallucinations that you posted it because I have been seriously spoiled in reading 2 years worth of writing in 3 days. I LOVE THIS STORY!
Author's Response: Thanks again!