Date: December 16, 2007 08:52 am Title: Chapter 4 - Mrs. Halpert, in the Art Room, with a Secret
Oh, Pam...
Is it wrong that I sorta want to hug her and tell her it'll be okay? (Was that the most dorky thing I've written all day? Answer: Yes.)
I like that Pam made a new friend here, and I like that she's able to confide in someone else for a change. Jim and Pam need more "regular" friends, not just the inmates at the Dunder Mifflin Asylum for the Clinically Insane where they work. :)
I'll tell you the scene that really hit me this time was Pam's talking sketch book, making snarky remarks to her as she leafed through it. I'm pretty sure it was made by the same company that made my computer, because it does the same thing to me when I look back at some of the older things I've written. :)
Another fabulous chapter! I'd love to finish reading the rest right now, but I really DO have some stuff I need to accomplish right now. But I promise to come back and finish reading and reviewing soon!
Author's Response:
Not the dorkiest at all, but definitely the sweetest. Jim and Pam do need some real friends outside the asylum (love that) and even though Kellie is a patient there, she seems pretty normal. And we must have the same computer, Mose, because I do that while I'm writing!
This was so kind of you to do and I can't thank you enough.
Date: December 03, 2007 09:31 pm Title: Chapter 4 - Mrs. Halpert, in the Art Room, with a Secret
You know, I find it so interesting what you've done here in terms of an entire story being built around a comment. Isn't that how life goes? Someone you respect makes one inane comment that probably meant very little to them and was completely innocent, and it can set the course of your life for awhile. I hope Pam gets her groove back. :-)
Author's Response:
Ack! I clicked "Submit" way too fast on my previous response and didn't thank you for the review. So, I'm thanking you twice, here! Thank you, thank you!
I can think back to teachers' comments as far back as grade school, and some of them...I can remember every last detail and can see what an impact they made on me, both positive and negative. Even though what Gil and Oscar said about her drawings really hurt Pam, they didn't have the same effect on her.
Date: December 03, 2007 04:44 pm Title: Chapter 4 - Mrs. Halpert, in the Art Room, with a Secret
i love this story. its so realistic and well written and a great character study of the Jams. I do feel like this is the calm before the storm? But I don't mind being wrong. :D
Author's Response:
Thank you so much for such a sweet review, Sharipep! I'm not giving anything away, but I have such faith that these two can weather any storm, so don't worry. The Halperts are pretty tough cookies. More soon, promise!
Date: December 03, 2007 09:34 am Title: Chapter 4 - Mrs. Halpert, in the Art Room, with a Secret
poor Pam! I don't like it when she forgets who she can be. Hopefully Fancy New Beesly will regain some of that Fancy Newness? I'll be checking for updates on your lovely writing to find out!
Author's Response:
rulesofjinx, Pam is struggling, and trust me, that is fun for no one! I could never just leave her like this, but she's on a bit of a journey. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing and I'm working on chapter 5 but Jim is giving me a bit of a hard time (TWSS). Soon, soon!
Date: December 02, 2007 08:02 pm Title: Chapter 4 - Mrs. Halpert, in the Art Room, with a Secret
I love Kellie, she's such a hot ticket and Pam needs a woman friend right now. I feel so sad that Pam is really locking herself away from her art, both physically and mentally. Can't wait for more.
Hope your headache got better today. If you had tried to jump out the window, I would have thrown a rope and lassoed you back in, so there would have been no escape from me stomping my feet, demanding more chapters. :)
Author's Response:
Kellie may, uh, bear a resemblance to a certain, ahem, author. ;)
So good to know you'd break my fall...sort of!! Yes, the headache did improve...after I added the last chapter. I really do have to lighten up a little bit. But just today, I caught a bit of a timeline error and I can't BELIEVE it considering the number of times I read and edited, so THAT's why I'm so anal about it.
I can't thank you enough for being so supportive and so encouraging. I appreciate it so much!
Date: December 02, 2007 06:48 pm Title: Chapter 4 - Mrs. Halpert, in the Art Room, with a Secret
Whoa, it's an early fanfic Christmas present! I love the structure, the first-person POV, how you're portraying Pam's issues with her art. I can totally relate. Especially the part where Kellie is complimenting her drawings and she can't truly believe it. Ah, so good!
Author's Response: sudzy, that's so wonderful to hear. I'guess a lot of us have been at that low point where our faith in ourselves and our abilities gets shaken to the core and that's right where Pam is right now, the poor thing. Writing the conversation with Jim in chapter 3 just wore me out - going to that place where you feel unworthy of and pressured by the support and encouragement from someone who loves you. Man, that's a tough place to be. Ya gotta have faith, though. I can't let anything too awful happen to our girl!
Date: December 02, 2007 04:35 pm Title: Chapter 4 - Mrs. Halpert, in the Art Room, with a Secret
Two more solid chapters, Sweetpea. So wonderful. I have to admit, I think I'm partial to Jim's POV. You capture him so well.
Author's Response: Thank you so much, Nan. I'm secretly (okay, not so secretly now!) partial to Jim's POV, too, probably because it comes more easily for me. Pam is really hard for me to nail down, and she's in a terrible funk right now, so there's not a lot of joy in Pamville. I'm not going to give anything away, so I'll just say thank you for being such a faithful reader and a regular reviewer. So great to hear from you.
Date: December 02, 2007 12:23 pm Title: Chapter 4 - Mrs. Halpert, in the Art Room, with a Secret
Oh man.. the last part made me want to cry. my heart got a bit heavy there... I feel that way about writing when anybody reads my stuff. I can't imagine the emptiness I would feel if it didn't excite me when someone said "hey, this is really good." if you truly love something, that stuff does excite you, and I think it's more that Pam is trying hard NOT to care about design and art more than she really doesn't love it anymore. If she didn't love it anymore, I doubt she'd be so reluctant to show it off.
And two kelly/ies.... wow, you are a brave soul.
Great chapter! (hope this review excites you!)
Author's Response:
It does, it does! And now, AvilaGrace, I'm going to admit to you and everyone else in the circle that I didn't even realize the two Kelly(ies) deal until I read this review!!! Oh my God! But you may have just given me an idea....
Anywho, you totally nailed where Pam's head is right now. Her confidence has been shaken and she doesn't want to love something that's betraying her and eluding her. Our girl's really struggling with this whole thing and she's in a bit of denial. But it's only chapter 4, so who knows what might happen! Thank you so much for the review.