10 [Report This]Date: February 11, 2011 02:58 pm Title: On the Advice of Pablo Picasso…
That speech was terrific. I'm so glad Jim let her get it all out.
Author's Response: Thanks.
10 [Report This]Date: February 11, 2011 04:35 am Title: Being With Someone
I haven't been getting update notices!
I'm glad Pam and Larissa had a chance to talk.
Author's Response:
The notification feature has been broken FOREVER. I don't know if it's a problem with the Archive or with the backbone that it sits on. But you have to look for yourself now.
Date: February 10, 2011 10:33 pm Title: You Love Me
Oh man! Look at you with the chapters coming, missy! I love it! Thank you so much for getting this out so quickly. There's a lot to love here, but my absolute fave moment had to be that cocky second there when Jim let his voice drop in a way that "women responded to" and Pam shut her eyes...haha. CLASSIC. So, so true! (and I'm glad your Jim knows it!) lol.
Bring on the next one, lady!
Author's Response:
Ha! Yes, he DOES have a wonderfully melodious and sexy voice, doesn't he?? How could he NOT know it?
I have a long weekend coming up. Been thinking about how much to compress of my outline into the next chapter. I hope to start writing soon.
As always, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
10 [Report This]Date: February 07, 2011 06:37 pm Title: You Love Me
Hate you?? This is sort of maybe kind of the chapter we've all been waiting for! It took 41 chapters for them to see sense and now here we are, I can't hate you for that! You should know that I will hate you if you wait another 6 months to update ;)
No pressure on the smut, what I really want to see is them truly connecting as well as both Pam and Jim building a stronger relationship his parents. I love the tension you created between Jim and his Dad and Pam and his mom and I want to see that played out. But...if you insisted on writing a slightly smutty scene, I wouldn't object.... :D
Can't wait for more, althought it's a little distressing to think that you'll be wrapping this up soon....what will I do then?!
Author's Response: Hi, MandS! I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. I don't know how much more relationship-building will actually happen with Jim's parents. I've decided to jettison most of my remaining outline in the interest of actually finishing this story. I am not going to shorten by so much that the ending seems like it was just stuck on the story but I really want to get this baby finished. I already have the final chapter written. It's been in the can since last July, to tell you the truth ... I just have to write the intervening chapters to get us there!
10 [Report This]Date: February 07, 2011 03:09 pm Title: You Love Me
SO P E R F E C T!!! Seriously! This chapter made me give a contented sigh because the misunderstandings are done. You again wrote this so perfectly! I love how you make Jim realize not only that he just isn't caable of jus lying there while Pam is crying... over him, bt also tha if he doesn't act then, while she is being brave and honest, well he just may miss the boat. It's great that he knows her so well that he knows that when he startles her she going to go for her necklace so he is able to use that knowledge to grab her arm before she can get anywhere. I love him comforting and reassuring her. I have to imagine that she had a whole lot of emotion built up with them 'pretending' to be in love all day and then at night having to go back to the just friends, if even that, routine. THAT alone coupled with the ehaustion of the hospital and running arouns and trying to meet Jim's eeds and his parent's need in any way she could, I would think when she was able to cry and let it out she probably had a lot to get rid of. So perfect that they are just laying there, tentatively 'getting to know each other.' I love how you described Jim's feelings when their tounges touched, a feeling he had never felt before, a feeling of being connected to Pam. I am curious as to why his mom is calling, I hope nothing bad has happened, I'm wondering if maybe she wants to ell him that if Pam tries to talk to him, he needs to be open to listening. I'm sure that no matter what, Jim's mom wants him to be happy and despite any reservations she may have, I think Pam has shown Larissa that she really does love Jim and I'm certain that Larissa knows that Jim still loves Pam.
This story truly gets better with every single chapter. BTW, just wanted to say about the smut issue... Now I love some smut as much as the next guy, but I think you can also et the point across, make it clear what they are doing, without being descriptive, if that makes sense. I think you can make it clear the actions they have taken without talking about thrusting and contracting and where they licked and such. I have seen beautiful stories with it and I have seen equally beautiful stories without it. Persoally I thik what is most important is that you stay true to yourself as an author because it is YOUR writing, YOUR style that has kept people coming back chapter after chapter, so anxious to read more. If you stray away from what you are comfortable writing I think it could change the tone of the story because you weren't comfortable with it when you wrote it. That said, if you decide to go for it, I'll be happy to read it and I am certain that anything YOU write will come out great!
Can't wait to hear what the phone call is about and what comes next for Jim and Pam. I want to thank you for sticking with this story. Even when you had a tough time with it and it took you a long time to get a new chapter out (and we wee getting desperate!!!) you have still come back. Thank you for that.
Author's Response: ftmill, you leave the most amazingly detailed reviews! And thank you so much for the compliments on my writing style and for the vote of confidence on handling the smut/no-smut issue. I will say, jazzfan and andtheivy are GREAT betas and they will save me from posting anything that reads terribly because I've tried to write something I'm not comfortable with.
Date: February 06, 2011 01:53 pm Title: Prologue
Go, Ann! Go, Ann! This was perfectly placed. I absolutely agree that their current situation would prove to be distracting. You handled it beautifully. Love it. I'll just be fidgeting over here waiting for more...
Author's Response: Thanks! I'll try to get the next chapter written and keep your fidgeting to a minimum.
9 [Report This]Date: February 06, 2011 01:08 pm Title: You Love Me
I adore this story Vampiric Blood. Thank you so much for pouring so much time and effort into making Jim and Pam feel so real and for making the medical aspects so realistic.
Author's Response: You're welcome, jinx. I'm glad the story is coming across as realistic to you. That is really important to me!
Date: February 06, 2011 09:30 am Title: You Love Me
I love this story. Really love it. And another chapter posted so quickly...almost makes up for the fact that I will spend most of my day doing taxes! And don't worry, well written "sweet" can be just as good as "hot"!
Author's Response:
Hey, jkfan! I hope you found out that you'll be getting a REFUND when you finished with a day of doing taxes!
Thanks for leaving a review!
Date: February 06, 2011 08:44 am Title: Prologue
Finally! After all the misunderstandings,the back and forth, the pain, the everything... it's so good to see them finally be HONEST with each other. And when they finally began to touch, really touch, after all that resistance, it was lovely and truthful, not all Harlequin.
And I loved Mrs. H. calling at the end. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or panic. Is there a problem or is it something else? Looking forward to finding out!
Author's Response: Thanks for your help on the first part of this chapter. As always, your insights made for a MUCH better product!
10 [Report This]Date: February 05, 2011 09:29 pm Title: You Love Me
Ahhh finally! This is my all time favorite storie on here. Even registered just so I can comment on this one. Please add more... And quickly!
Author's Response: Hi, Flonkerton1987! Welcome to MTT! You really DID register the other day just to leave that review ... so maybe you've been out there reading for a while. I really appreciate your registering and leaving a review for the story. We writers spend a lot of time writing and revising and these reviews are our "paycheck" as it were. If there are other stories out there that you're enjoying, take a couple of seconds and leave a note for the author when you finish a chapter. It means the world to us, really! :-)
10 [Report This]Date: February 05, 2011 08:45 pm Title: Prologue
Love, Love, LOVE IT!!!!
Thank you. You have made my day..week...month....year!!!!!
Author's Response: Thank you!
10 [Report This]Date: February 05, 2011 08:15 pm Title: On the Advice of Pablo Picasso…
WHEW! I was so excited at the end of the last chapter to see the nate that said Pam talks to Jim or whatever it said, then I 'turned the page' and it said 'sort of' and I thought NOOOOOOO!!! However, this was the PERFECT way to do this. Pam is getting more courage, but she isn't there yet, so how perfect, practice on Jim when he is sleeping. Of course I would think she would have had to have known, somewhere in her mind, that he very well could wake up at some point and may hear at least some of what she had to say. I mean... I love how she just really went for it, said what she had to say even going as far at the end as to say, I don't want you to love Karen, I want you to love me. Poor Jim HAD to questioning at least in part if maybe he had just dreamed that he had woken up and was hearing this. I mean, as great as a face to face discussion would have been, that has ever worked too well for these two so a talkwhere one is just laying it all out there, you really did pick the perfect way to do this! This story just gets better and better!
Author's Response: Thanks!
10 [Report This]Date: February 05, 2011 08:07 pm Title: Being With Someone
Oh I cannot tell you just how excite I was to see that there were new chapters added to this fic! Such a happy joyous day! Okay, this is a really GREAT chapter! At first I was thinking, geez mama Halpert, you're being pretty harsh with Pam. I mean, she hut Jim, but he hurt her too! Then I thought about my own 20 yr old son and heck, he had a girl hurt him recently, nothing like this, no prolonged period of time and certainly not in front of an audience. Thinking about that I realized that the love of a mother isn't always the most rational thing, especially when it concerns a mom and her 'little boy' when she feels he is sensitive.
That said, you do SUCH a fantastic job with the emotions and the explanations in this chapter. I thought it was so realistic that after Jms mom had seen all that Pam had helped with in the prior chapter, then here she is, sitting with a woman she doesn't know all because she loves her son, without realistically expecting the love to be returned any longer... it would be hard for the irritation NOT to melt away. At the same time, I like how Larissa get's to the point asking why Pam is there and when Pam uses phrasing that of course we all know is BS and is really just using the 'repaying of a debt' as a justification to be there, well, Larissa thinks again about her wounded son and is right back in THAT mindset.
I love the backstory you created (at least I think you did) of Jim and Mark moving from and apartment to a house together and that putting doubt even in Pam's mind as to Jim's sexuality, even if she had long ago concluded that she was wrong. I like that she was able to make Jim's mom really see her side, how se felt, what she thought and explaining about how much was shot for the documentary vs how much is shown was crucial. I think it was also good for his mom to hear that one reason Pam didn't seriously consider it was that she simply felt that the girls Jim dates are far out of Pam's league. I think you showed in there that even his mom didn't really agree with that. I really LOVED his mom giving Pam advice that Pam needs to talk to him and that she would need to be the one to start the discussion. What Pam doesn't know is that his mom I think, along with his dad of course, have known for some time that he isn't happy with Karen and is just going through the motions and trying to protect himself. I think that as a mom, seeing what Larissa had seen both in Pam's actions and her words, she could sense that Pam really and truly does love Jim, his heart would really be safe with her and she knows that Pam is what would really make Jim hapy and complete and that's why she was willing to listen to her and give her advice. I think that Larissa really got the chance to see that Pam really is a good, aring, loving person and that THAT is exactly why Jim fell in love wth her.
This really was an awesome chapter and as eager as I have been for interraction between Jim and Pam, I think that this chapter was absolutey necessary! (Not that it matters what I thnk! :o) )
Author's Response: Of COURSE it matters what you think! I'm writing for the READERS!
Glad you liked the back story I made up about Jim & Mark's living arrangements. And I was so glad to read your comment about Larissa's irritation melting away during the day but coming right back when Pam says something that puts her "right back in that mindset." That emotional mental switch is exactly what I was trying to convey. Thanks!
Date: February 05, 2011 06:18 pm Title: You Love Me
Hoyl Crap! I was more than estatic when I saw another chapter posted. I agree with the others about it being more than a physical connection between those two. I know you are anxious about writing the next bit but I think the way you have made us all "feel" so much with them we will not be disappointed. If it's too much than just forget it and move on. I hope everyone will understand. I personally am just so happy that you came back to us.
Author's Response: Thanks a lot, kh! I gotta say I was pretty ecstatic to see another chapter get posted, too! I am really touched that a few people are so invested in the story. Thank you.
Date: February 05, 2011 04:50 pm Title: You Love Me
Nooooooo, please. You can't leave us like this. They've onfessed their feelings to each other, they're hot and bothered.... and his mom calls. WHAT IS HAPPENING? I hope she's okay, but damn, they need to get it on LOL. Seriously though, I really love this. The emotion youhave written in to these two is amazing.Yes they want to get in to each others pants, but it's not just about that, and you show that so well.
I loved Pam defending Jim, very cute.
Author's Response: Thank you, HH! I'm glad you liked Pam's defense of Jim. I think it would be reflexive for her, even if it wasn't in her own best interest!
Date: February 05, 2011 04:44 pm Title: You Love Me
Whoa, way to kill a mood, Mrs. H. But that's really OK, there's too much going on right now for full on sexytimes. They've waited this long, they're not going to have their first time together be something they'd be embarrassed about. Besides, I'm ore interested in their emotional connection than where the parts go, so to speak.
Pam talking to someone she thinks is sleeping could have been really trite, thanks for moving beyond that. Nice job publishing 3 chapters in a week, BTW!
Author's Response: Thanks, lisahoo. I hope this amount of Pam's talking to a sleeping Jim didn't come across as trite. And I'm relieved to hear again that people will forgive me if I can't manage a Tab J into Slot P kind of chapter.
Date: February 04, 2011 04:42 pm Title: On the Advice of Pablo Picasso…
OH NO YOU DIDN'T! You did not just leave it like this. With Pam confessing everything, unaware that Jim heard everything!!! YOU DID NOT JUST DO THIS TO ME. I am now going to be bugging you constantly to update. Guh, this was... perfect Him hearing it but unable to comment as she's talking, that was genius. Seriously, are you writing yet? ARE YOU?
Author's Response: Yes, I did it to you! I did! I've had that chapter ending written FOREVER! I just liked that little plea as a way to close.
I'm writing RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!! Jim is tenderly comforting Pam, even as I type...
Date: February 04, 2011 04:25 pm Title: Being With Someone
I LOVED this conversation between Larissa and Pam. Totally how I imagined she'd be. In her eyes, she broke her son's heart and she got all protective and Mama bear on her.The video isea is AWESOMEEEEEE!!!!
Author's Response: Thanks for leaving a review! This one is like a poor little orphan chapter, since it got posted with another one at the same time. It's nice to hear what resonated with readers on this one, too.
Date: February 04, 2011 06:25 am Title: On the Advice of Pablo Picasso…
Where's that next chapter, VB? *prods*
Author's Response: Working on it today, actually! You'll be the first to know when it's close to done!
10 [Report This]Date: February 03, 2011 09:12 pm Title: On the Advice of Pablo Picasso…
I was so excited when I saw you'd updated, not once but twice, I thought I'd implode. But my computer had a virus and was out of commission for weeks so I could only use my phone and then my phone wouldn't let me log onto the archive and blah. Basically I'm sorry it's taken me so long to review.
And I'm sorry I have nothing much more constructive to say than the fact I still adore this story and I still cannot wait to see where you take it, especially now Miss Pamela has finally spilt her guts! It's so interesting to have Jim's mom still not trusting her, but I hope she forgives her soon. And the backstory you created for Pam about how she thought Jim was gay, how she dismissed everything in her head and how that's what came out when he told her he loved her. And Jim has to put Pam out of her misery ASAP. And...And... Ah, I could gush about this all night long but it wouldn't be very helpful. Eagerly awaiting more :)
Author's Response: No, no, MilkandSugar, you are mistaken about that ... Gushing is VERY helpful! The gushy reviews are what keep me coming back to finish this thing that I keep dropping the ball on. (And the less-than-gushy reviews keep me from straying too far into what bores you all. At least I hope I change tack enough to keep things from getting boring.)
Reviews have really fallen off and I'm not sure if it's that my writing isn't as good, the readers who tended to actually leave reviews have wandered off, or something else ... but I truly appreciate it when you and others take the time to leave a thoughtful review, gushy or not so much so.
Date: February 02, 2011 06:10 pm Title: On the Advice of Pablo Picasso…
Aww, this is what we've been waiting for, the big reveal! I'm so glad you're back to writing this story! Don't worry about the smut, just write it as you feel comfortable, and run it by a beta reader or two, most folks here have read it before and can give good feedback.
I'm also looking forward to the Halperts' anniversary vids to each other. Nice idea!
Author's Response: Thanks, EH. I'd been planning to push the "big reveal" a few more chapters later but didn't think it would go over so well. I think I'm going to jettison a good bit of what I had in mind for the rest of the story and finish up in 2 or three more chapters. We'll see about the smut. The betas can help revise but they can't write it for you! Luckily, I have one of the best steam-producers on my "payroll." andtheivy has posted some truly smokin' hot stuff in her current story, http://mtt.just-once.net/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=5133&warning=5. And jazzfan has NEVER steered me wrong. I just have to get something down on paper all by myself. We'll see...
Date: February 02, 2011 12:17 am Title: On the Advice of Pablo Picasso…
You are pure evil, you know that? I just happened to check this site right as I was about to go to bed a couple of nights ago, and I noticed that this story had been updated. So, of course, I had to read the update immediately. And you posted not one, but two chapters! I had to stay up until 4 am to read them, but it was totally worth it. Great work, once again.
Author's Response: Hey, MayorHaggar! You must've STARTED the going to bed process pretty late if you were up to 4 a.m. – they were short chapters!
Thanks for staying up even later to leave a note.
Date: January 31, 2011 10:51 am Title: Prologue
P.S. Thanks for sharing the Picasso quote!
Author's Response: It is phrased wonderfully, isn't it? So dramatic!
Date: January 31, 2011 07:57 am Title: On the Advice of Pablo Picasso…
He was fully awake now, riveted, waiting to hear what she had to tell him. Love the idea that he's hearing all this. What a perfect way for Pam to feel comfortable enough to lay out all of her feelings.
I wanted to be the girl whose hair you played with in the movie theater. Such a sweet, simple detail, very girlish and very Pam. This, too: But sometimes I’d imagine that I was the one with you on the weekends. With you – that way. Great characterization--I can perfectly picture Pam saying that.
So many times he could have been a little more brave or romantic or something. Yes, indeed, Jimbo. mm-hmm. You could have spared us the heartbreak that was S3 ;) Nice touch having Pam break Jim's heart with the very words she envisioned him using on her. *sigh*
I hope you're on a roll, sweetie, because I'm still totally invested in this story. ::crosses fingers::
Author's Response: Thanks so much, Nancy! I always love your reviews.
Date: January 31, 2011 07:24 am Title: Being With Someone
You know how to make my day, Ann :) I liked this chap because it was rather unpredictable. Gotta say that you threw me for a loop in having Pam share that she thought Jim was gay initially--interesting little twist, that, and quite plausible. You did well in balancing Larissa's desire to protect her son but also keep an open mind in listening to Pam tell her side of the story. It was great having someone directly confront Pam on her behavior toward Jim, to ask those questions that everyone no doubt wondered. Oh, and another little detail that I enjoyed was Pam's reaction to Larissa asking why she was there, her horror at thinking she had overstayed her welcome. Two chaps! I'm so excited!!!!
Author's Response: Hey, Nancy! It's so nice to hear which parts worked well for the reader. Thanks for taking the time.