Date: August 20, 2008 10:44 am Title: one - roots
Wow. I'm stunned by this piece. It's truly amazing. Poor Mose. You are doing an astounding job of illustrating the weirdness and fear and wonder of a child in a new setting - particularly with language and cultural barriers a-plenty.
Author's Response: Thank you! I had a little trouble finding the right tone/POV at first, so I'm glad it works!
Date: July 31, 2008 09:07 am Title: one - roots
I tend to read shorter fic these days (between work and mothering an infant, my windows of time are short), but I was intrigued and have read your first chapter. It is lovely and sad and haunting and I will find time for the rest. Eventually. Thanks you for exploring this unseen part of the Office world.
Author's Response: Thank you for taking time from your busy life to try this out. It means a lot to me that you would take a chance on Mose. Congrats on the wee one - I think that happened during my hiatus from fandom. You'll be great! Thanks, lis!
Date: July 30, 2008 02:16 pm Title: one - roots
If someone had ever told me that I would tear up reading a fic about Mose, of all people, I would have thought they were crazy. But this was just an amazing piece of writing, Paper Jam! I love how you incorporated tidbits from the show into your own creation. Great, great job! Thanks for sharing your hard work with us all. :)
Author's Response: Pleased I could make you weep ;) Thank you so much for reading!
10 [Report This]Date: July 30, 2008 11:20 am Title: one - roots
This was so beautiful. I feel like I can't say anything that hasn't been said already, but this is such an original work. Mose is such a fascinating and difficult character to write, but you stay so true to what we know about the Schrute family while explaining so many things about Mose. I think the greatest compliment a writer can recieve (especially when doing such an original piece) is that their story fits perfectly with what it's inspired by, so much so that it seems to blend with the larger work- in this case, The Office. And I know that when I see Mose on the show, I will think of maples and true love and the art of patience.
And Nazis, of course.
Author's Response:
What a great compliment, thanks! I'm so honored that you would think of my version of Mose while watching the show. I had such a great time writing him. Thank you, josephine!
Date: July 29, 2008 05:43 am Title: one - roots
Sorry it's taken me so long to comment (life a bit crazy chez moi lately) but was so happy to see something new from you! But here I am and THIS is incredible - it comes as close as anything I've read her to truly being 'original' fiction.
We know so little about Mose, that you really had to invent this character/life - and you've done that SO convincingly, while still weaving in the bits of Schrutiana we do know, to keep it conceptually true to the Office universe we do know. Very, very impressive. Lines like this: Throughout the day, the house's inhabitants ebb and flow like the tide in Helsinki Harbor (love that!) and so many wonderful idiosyncratic details (the grandparents' simultaneous deaths and his fascination with the funeral prep - perfect) make it come alive and precisely capture Mose's peculiar universe. Yet it never feels like parody, because you've made him so affecting that we really feel for him - almost reminds me of a great John Irving character who grows up in a semi-surreal circumstance that somehow makes complete sense within the reality of the story. Just so poignant and fun and inventive - this is one I'll re-read many times.
Author's Response:
What can I say to such a generous comment except thank you so much? It was a pleasure for me to spend time with Mose and his life and I'm grateful others enjoyed the product.
I'm so ashamed to admit that I had to google John Irving. But now that I know who he is, I'm very excited to read all his novels. It sounds like something I could definitely get behind.
Thanks again for commenting! I know you have fic I have to catch up on, so I'm looking forward to it!
L.
10 [Report This]Date: July 28, 2008 08:23 pm Title: one - roots
Oh, my. This? Was just so fantastically, brilliantly written. You managed to take a "throw-away" character -- one that is mostly used for comic relief, no less -- and just constructed this amazing story centered around him. I won't lie...I actually got misty-eyed at a few of the passages, heh. Definitely one of my favourite stories in quite a long while, gorgeous writing all around.
Author's Response: It's funny, but because I spent so much time thinking about how Mose evolved, I completely forgot he was a throwaway character until you said that. Thank you for taking the time to comment, jenn; I'm so happy you enjoyed it.
10 [Report This]Date: July 28, 2008 01:52 pm Title: one - roots
This was so moving. Brought me to tears, sad and happy. Just lovely. Am adding to my favorites. Thank you for posting it.
Author's Response: I'm so happy I could share something that moved you. Thank you so, so much for taking a moment to comment, Cheeb!