Date: March 28, 2008 07:17 pm Title: Chapter 13
I caught your little, itty bitty sentence where you remark that Michael doesn't notice the lies between Jim and Pam. It was so perfectly placed, and just incredibly phrased: completely summed up exactly what has been going on with them in the past few chapters. I think you don't give yourself enough credit-- I don't think that you glossed over the Roy/Pam stuff at all. In fact it was very much like an average episode-- leaving the viewer aparty to only that which one needs to know. Pam living in the hotel room is enough for the reader to understand what the past few weeks (days?) have been like for Pam. And I know that I certainly just imagined some grand conversation having taken place during one of those drunken calls. Anyway, a great "in between" chapter (is that what they're called? LOL). I'm curious how you are going to have Pam (or Jim?) make the next move and so chapters like this are torture (in a good way!) because they make us WANT MORE. Good thing Mr. g7 is going out of town. The rest of us always benefit ;-)
Author's Response: You are too kind, my friend, too kind -- saying this is like an episode? Wow. High praise indeed. :o) Thanks so much!!
Date: March 28, 2008 06:47 pm Title: Chapter 13
Bravo, cheers!! What a lovely story. I've spent the whole night reading it because I couldn't tear myself away. You had me hook, line and sinker right from the start. A really great story!
Author's Response: Yay -- so glad you're enjoying it! And whoa - you read it all in one sitting? Shoosh. I feel like I should apologize, given how angst-heavy the first twelve chapters are. :o) So glad you enjoyed it -- and thanks so much for reviewing!
Date: March 28, 2008 05:31 pm Title: Chapter 6
Oh girl7. You are a gem of a writer! Even when I don't intend to get sucked in by your stories, it happens. It's beyond my control. You have amazing powers. Thank you for using them for good, and for writing amazing fanfic.
Author's Response:
Thank you so much, Daoust! Seriously...it's really amazing to hear you say you always get sucked in, because that's exactly what I hope happens! (And actually, every single time I post a chapter -- no exceptions -- I always worry that nobody'll read or review it.)
Thanks so much for your kind words!
Date: March 28, 2008 04:03 pm Title: Chapter 13
oh...this was so GOOD! i loved it. poor, nervous jim. and lovely, oblivious michael who, unbeknownst to him, really did "make everything all right again" - i loved it!
Author's Response:
So glad you liked this! I really wanted to sort of transition away from the angst into a lighter place, and what better way to do it than via Michael, no? :o)
Thanks so much for reviewing!
Date: March 28, 2008 03:22 pm Title: Chapter 13
This chapter makes me so proud of Pam. Like, she's so disoriented in her own life, but she keeps moving forward. I am very proud of her and of course Jim for being so faithful and patient. I also really enjoy the decription of Jon's "look" - yeah, my big sis has one of those...nothing gets past her.
Author's Response:
Oh wow -- thanks. :o) I really wanted to write her that way -- as not having all the answers and being completely terrified, but still determined to keep taking steps forward. You know, I'm not sure where I got the idea of Jon as being uber-perceptive, only that I've seen the look I described him having (though I couldn't tell you who in my life gives it to me, LOL).
Anyway -- thanks so much for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: March 28, 2008 01:52 pm Title: Chapter 9
Quick Mose story hour: A few years ago, Mrs. Mose and I adopted a dog from a rescue shelter, and this chapter reminded me of it. Not that the circumstances were that similar, but something about the personal nature of your narrative (which, apparently is drawn from real life!) just brought all those happy memories back. :)
Speaking of memories, it's an interesting counterpoint to have that one up against Pam's memory of a Valentine's Day gone wrong. Poor Pam. And Poor Roy, too. I don't think Roy means to be such an oaf, and I don't think he ever did anything to hurt Pam deliberately, so I tend to feel kinda bad for the guy these days. (Now, if I'd read this in the throes of S2... :D)
Excellent chapter!
Author's Response:
Listen, I love animals, particularly dogs; my husband does, too, but thankfully, he's got more restraint than I do -- otherwise we'd have a house full of them! (We've got two.) We moved into a different neighborhood a little over a year ago, and one of my favorite things about this place is that there are dogs everywhere!
Anyway.... I'm with you on the Roy sympathy; I think he really just drifted into taking Pam for granted, and she never spoke up about it...so there they were. I would bet that he was absolutely blindsided when she finally broke off the engagement, actually.
Thanks for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: March 28, 2008 01:37 pm Title: Chapter 8
Oh man... I'm lost in this story. Not in the "what's going on? Where am I?" sense, but rather in the "I'm enjoying the brilliance of the details that I'm not even concerned about whether or not I've wandered off the trail" sense.
And I like that feeling. A lot. ;)
I swear, reading your words is like swimming--I feel like I can dive as deeply as I want to find meaning and symbolism, or else I can float gently on the surface and let them bouy me up in sheer bliss.
Also, you write hot kissing scenes. :D
Author's Response: Okay, that review? WOW. Poetic, I swear --- you're one to talk about the way words flow, let me tell you! Thanks so much for your kind words, really. Wow. :o)
10 [Report This]Date: March 28, 2008 01:25 pm Title: Chapter 7
Boy, talk about inevitability... Jim and Pam seem to be fighting against the tides of fate that keep inexorably drawing them back together--even when they don't want to be together. (Because, clearly they do want to be together, but are too stubborn/clueless/prideful/stupid to know better. :D)
Another marvelous chapter. And methinks poker night with Roy and the gang is a little different that poker night at casa de Halpert. ;)
Author's Response:
As usual, I'm way late in responding to reviews. :o) But yeah, I was really fascinated with the idea of Roy sort of pushing them together in all his obliviousness, forcing them to deal with all the things they're trying to wish out of existence, you know?
Thanks for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: March 28, 2008 01:03 pm Title: Chapter 6
Well this was just a tornado of emotion and hopelessness, wasn't it? :D
Seriously, though, this was a powerful chapter. I loved the parallel scenes of Jim and Pam both feeling so helpless, and both having a Halpert brother to sort of talk them off the edge (get it? "off the edge?" "nearing the edge?" See what I did there? :P).
And I really loved Pam's phone call with her mom. It reminded me of a combination of what I think her short conversation on Casino Night was like, as well as having some little flavors of what Michael told Jim on the Booze Cruise with the differences between "engaged" and "married."
Excellent work!
Oh, and I'm back, and trying to get caught up! :D
Author's Response:
Welcome back! (BTW, I started reading -- and reviewing -- your latest this afternoon -- awesome!) Yeah, this chapter was an angsty one indeed, but for some reason, I find the angst so much fun to write. (Not sure what that says about me...probably things I'd rather not know.)
And the prize for punning goes to you! Heh.
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: March 28, 2008 11:40 am Title: Chapter 13
i love all of your stories, girl 7, but i especially love when they get to this point here...this delicious, irresistible tease that they do so well (and that you write so well!). it's so good (and seriously, how cute were they here at the end!) that i want it to stretch out, grow, expand...and finally, blissfully erupt into a full-fledged, angst free make out session! too much?
in conclusion, you are awesome. as is this installment!
Author's Response:
First of all, the ten year-old boy in me has to point out the TWSS in your review. :o) Second of all, you are so awesome for reviewing this quickly! (And have you read Stablergirl's latest chapter? Oh my god oh my god oh my god....)
I'm glad you're enjoying the happy bits -- they're so much fun to write! Steam on its way.... :o)
Date: March 28, 2008 10:46 am Title: Chapter 13
Oh, girl7, you always make me so happy : )
Author's Response:
As do you, I...also...therefore. (Variation on Michael, poorly done.) :o)
Seriously, though -- I really do appreicate how faithfully you review every chapter. :o)
Date: March 22, 2008 12:51 pm Title: Chapter 12
Wow, this is really tough to read. It is interesting that in "show world" we have no idea how Pam broke up with Roy and what his reaction was. At any rate, I really enjoyed the kitchen moments with Josh & Pam, that was great.
This was all I could think of when reading Josh & Jim's talk:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JQS1m65WUCI
Author's Response:
You know, one of the things that bugs me most about GWH is the way they totally glossed over that breakup -- totally, totally disappointing. Bah. Glad you enjoyed the kitchen moments -- and OMG, that video made me laugh so hard! (You've gotta love Scrubs, no?)
Thanks for reviewing (and for sharing the video)!
Date: March 21, 2008 12:39 pm Title: Chapter 9
You'll be getting a long-winded email from me shortly. Am finally making my way through the chapters I missed when I was in FL. The Jim lovefest continues. Why can't he be MY boyfriend? *sigh*
Author's Response: And you'll be getting one back from me eventually, I swear. :o) I'm telling you -- if one of us could figure out a way to clone Jim Halpert, the world would be a happier place. Sigh indeed.
Date: March 21, 2008 12:38 pm Title: Chapter 12
Oh, Pam. Her leaving Roy behind is completely heartbreaking, but I thought you made the event subtle yet realistic. I'm excited to see where you take the Jim/Pam relationship next in the story.
Author's Response: So glad you liked it -- it was hard and slightly terrifying to write. :o)
Date: March 21, 2008 11:40 am Title: Chapter 10
Holy suspenseful ending! Excuse me while I go to the next chapter... LOL Dang!
Author's Response: Heh -- evil cliff hangers... :oD
Date: March 21, 2008 11:13 am Title: Chapter 12
Oh wow. I love how you handled Roy's reaction. He's really not as dumb as all that. He does love her, even while he takes her for granted. I'm so enjoying this AU you've created. It's completely fleshed out and utterly believable.
Author's Response: I'm so glad you liked it! No, I don't think Roy is dumb either; I just think he lapsed into the (very easy) habit of taking her for granted, and she never spoke up about it, so he never realized there was a problem. And seriously -- means so much that you'd say you find this believable, seriously. I'm always nervous about writing AU stories because I worry about veering too far away from canon into something that doesn't remotely resemble the characters we've seen. So thanks so much for your kind words, and for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: March 20, 2008 10:23 pm Title: Chapter 12
ugh great job with this. What a tough thing to write, and you did wonderfully. the breakup was perfectly heart breaking and Jim was so good. Well done.
Author's Response:
Thank you so much! (And I'm well behind on your latest because of grading and all sorts of other ridiculous interferences, but I have every intention of catching up...and am looking ridiculously forward to doing so, as a matter of fact.)
Thanks for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: March 20, 2008 07:40 pm Title: Chapter 12
OMG, the way you wrote Roy I don't think I would have been able to leave. It was nice to see him so human, though I guess his imperfections have proved all along that he is inarguably human. Well, I like how you're taking this one b/c it seems very real.
Author's Response:
Really? Yay, because that's exactly what I was going for! I really didn't want to gloss over the breakup scene too much (no matter how tedious it felt to write for some reason); it would've been very difficult, I think, for her to have broken things off, especially if Roy -- for the first time in ages -- was actually showing emotion and expressing that he needs her.
And as for your comment that this seems very real -- wow. Couldn't get a higher compliment, really. Thanks so much for reviewing!
Date: March 20, 2008 06:18 pm Title: Chapter 12
Wow. Incredible.
I was really struck with your portrayal of Roy here. My heart really broke for him and Pam. I also love how you made Pam strong enough to walk out that door.
Kudos!
Author's Response:
Thank you so much! I've mentioned in other review responses that I found it difficult to write such an abbreviated break up scene -- usually I write a much more indepth one (given that I'm the queen of being long-winded, LOL). So it's nice to hear that the emotions came across anyway. And yeah, I really didn't want to make it appear too easy for Pam to leave, because it would have to be excrutiating to walk away from a ten year relationship -- especially for someone as hesitant as Pam. (Well, as Pam used to be.)
Thanks so much for the review!
Date: March 20, 2008 06:11 pm Title: Chapter 12
Aww, angsty yes, but not in a bad way -- I mean, I feel sorry like crazy for Pam and I'm sure this transition period will be hard for Jim too, but I don't feel bad for Roy at all. You know how the saying goes: "You've made your bed and now you've got to lie in it." Well Roy, here's your extra small twin with a topper made of rusty nails -- now DEAL.
I'm sorry, was that mean? :-p
I absolutely love how this story is evolving and I particularly love how you've incorporated Josh and Jon into the tale -- not just as support for Jim, but in the way they are both playing a huge role in Pam's evolution. My favorite moment of the story so far was Pam's revelation talking to Josh in the kitchen:
"...because the world he's giving her a glimpse of is so foreign to the one she's inhabited for close to ten years now that she can scarcely imagine it, even in the face of empirical evidence that it actually does exist."
How lovely is that? Just the idea that it isn't just Jim that is different than Roy but that being with Roy has somehow blinded her to the way the world can really be? That there are people out there who care more about other people's happiness then their own. What an eye opening moment for someone who has lived such a narrow existence that it never occurred to her to wonder if there was something more out there...
You are doing a brilliant job with this tale and I can't wait for the inevitable fluffy steam -- I must admit that it is one of the things I love best about your stories! :-)
Author's Response:
YOur beginning little diatribe against Roy just cracked me up. :o) (And no, it wasn't mean, given the way I've portrayed him as a ginormous oaf here.) So, so glad to hear you enjoy the incorporation of Jon & Josh -- it's always nice to hear that. I'm also glad you liked the bit in the kitchen, because it was one of those moments I had doubts about -- whether what I was trying to convey would successfully come across. And what I was trying to illustrate was the little bit of wonder Pam might be feeling at the realization of how much of a different world is out there waiting for her.
The fluffy steam is on its way very shortly, I promise!! Thanks so much for your thoughtful review!
10 [Report This]Date: March 20, 2008 05:33 pm Title: Chapter 12
Oh, this chapter killed me. That last scene, so poignant. And so real. You write so beautifully.
Author's Response: Really glad you enjoyed it -- and even better, that you found it real. It was hard for me to write such a short (well, for me anyway) break up scene. Thanks so much for reviewing!
Date: March 20, 2008 05:18 pm Title: Chapter 12
Ouch! There goes my grief bone! Poor Roy. But I'm so glad she stuck to her guns, because even if he'd done everything he could to change, Roy would still be Roy and not Jim and Pam needs Jim, and... and why am I telling you this? Of course you know all this.
Anyway, this was really good. I loved the stuff with Josh too. I can just picture him in his PJs in the kitchen looking all Jim-ish but not. So cute!
Author's Response:
Ha -- I think you're right, though (as usual!); Roy would still be Roy no matter how much he tried to change (which we saw in BS with the whole, "Your art is the prettiest of all the art" comment). It's a relief to hear you liked the bits with Josh in the kitchen -- I lapsed into a bit of Chuck love there for a moment, but I really did want to draw a contrast between the world Pam's lived in for ten years and the other one that's out there waiting for her. :o)
Thanks, my friend, for reviewing!
Date: March 20, 2008 04:22 pm Title: Chapter 12
whoa - that was a heavy chapter! nice job tho. and gooooooooo Pam! i, like jim, was worried she'd lose her courage when face to face with roy. so glad to see her stick to it!
only one complaint - updates sooner??? ;-)
Author's Response:
Yay -- so glad you enjoyed it! I really think it must've been incredibly difficult for Pam to have stuck to her guns in the face of Roy's pleading, just because they share such a history. But also because it'd be easy to *want* to believe that he might be capable of changing into the man she wants him to be, you know?
Thanks so much for reviewing -- and yes, updates soon!
Date: March 20, 2008 03:47 pm Title: Chapter 12
I'm glad Roy seemed more upset than anything else. While Roy is usually seen as a person with a horrible temper, I just think (in this situation)he'd be a lot more upset and hurt. I mean it has been 10 years.
Anywho, awesome job! Love how you write these characters.
Author's Response: Yeah, I know what you mean; I really think that -- while he might've gotten mad initially -- the prevailing emotion would be a deep, profound sadness once the reality set in. Thanks so much for your kind words, and for taking the time to review!
Date: March 20, 2008 03:28 pm Title: Chapter 12
Wow. I really like how you wrote Roy. He is an oaf, but also very human. Nicely done! I can't wait to see what you have in store for the next chapter.
Author's Response: I'm glad you like the way I wrote him, scrantonbranch. I usually write a much more sympathetic Roy, but here he was more on the periphery of the action (or at least, moreso than in other stories I've written). Thanks so much for reviewing!