10 [Report This]Date: December 03, 2008 05:00 pm Title: You must be happy
My heart is breaking :(
Author's Response: Sorry about that...thanks for reading, Hannah!
Date: August 12, 2008 11:16 pm Title: You must be happy
I hope you know how well you write. When I read it I see it in my head like I'm watching it. Fantastic chapter! The scene in the doorway was perfect.
Author's Response: I love that you got a visual when you read this - and that the door scene worked for you. Thanks again, raspberryjam!
Date: August 12, 2008 10:38 am Title: You must be happy
Oh, Colette. This looks so simple; you don't embellish, you don't add anything unnecessary. But it's just so full and precise and perfect. He hadn’t had much luck with that approach in the past. Wow. It's amazing how that simple sentence conveys a world of hurt, of wry humor, of the very "Jim-ness" of the situation. I'm astounded, as usual. More, please!
Author's Response: Aw, thanks so much nqllisi - I really do strive to accomplish just what you said in your review when I write (fanfic and regular fic), so it's v. gratifying to know that's what you see. And Jim's 'world' that you describe is precisely as I saw him too. And, voila, more is already here ;-)
Date: August 12, 2008 09:58 am Title: You must be happy
Wow Colette - I've gotta join the chorus of reviewers singing your praises. I just read over some of your older stories and they are terrific. I love this story and the bittersweet scene of the party. All during S3 I hated how things were so angsty - yet I have to admit it had its brilliance. Those scenes of Pam and Jim so distant, so sad or angry, stick in my mind so vividly.
Pam's little homely pot is such a good metaphor to Karen and everything she is. But I wish I could see it! Any chance of a visual?
Thank you again - more soon. Hope that fanfic muse gives you a MESS of stuff to play with.
Author's Response: You're very generous, MintChocolateChip - and I agree, S3 was a hard pill to swallow, but it did give us some pretty interesting fodder for thought. And fanfic, lol. Glad you thought the pot worked as a sort of metaphor - sorry though, I don't have a visual to share (but, sshhh...don't tell, but the pot I described is a lot like one I made as a teenager, that my mom still has.) Thanks so much!
10 [Report This]Date: August 12, 2008 05:56 am Title: You must be happy
new Colette! hot damn!!!!!!!
Author's Response: Glad you're excited, downtown! More today, I hope. Thanks much!
Date: August 11, 2008 11:23 pm Title: You must be happy
There's always so much to love about your writing. There's such a richness to every line, but I must say my absolute favorite moment was the way you described Jim's reaction to Pam's embarrassment at the clay pot -- an unexpected knife to his own gut. YES. Exactly right.
Can not wait for more.
Author's Response: Yay! I could just imagine Jim literally feeling her discomfort viscerally - wanting to support/reassure her and not being able to. Ugh. S3 was all kinds of fun, huh? Thanks for always being such a great reader - and how about your great writing chops, my friend? (Who me, pushy? ;-)
10 [Report This]Date: August 11, 2008 09:49 pm Title: You must be happy
Oh Colette, how wonderful it is to see a new story from you! Completly compelling as usual. You capture Karen just like I imagine her, and the build up of the perfectly chic apartment and possesions, then the contrast you display when describing Pam's gift, it's amazing. Can't wait for more.
Author's Response: Compelling - now that makes me happy to hear! Really pleased the Karen/Pam contrast rang true for you. Thanks so much for reading and your kind comments, Annika!
Date: August 11, 2008 07:07 pm Title: You must be happy
Loving this! You're such an amazing writer! I am totally hooked!
Author's Response: Thanks so much, Jinxcoke!
Date: August 11, 2008 06:02 pm Title: You must be happy
A story from Colette, so yea, it'll be great...it already is pretty darn good. looking forward to more. Pam is so sweet bringing she devil Karen a homemade gift. ;)
Author's Response: Thanks, iwantphillyjim - happy this is working for you!
Date: August 11, 2008 05:53 pm Title: You must be happy
Ah, Ms. Colette, your writing is so wonderful, I can't stay away, even if it's angsty with poor James trying to walk the tightrope between the two women in his life. Good characterization of Karen's need to "prove" herself after having her confidence shaken hearing about Pam. Not surprised at how dismissively she treats Pam's gift, a not so subtle putdown of Pam herself. Despite her outward confidence, she's got some insecurities.
Looking forward to updates, dear.
Author's Response: So glad you're liking this, even if it does revisit such a not fun era. Like I said earlier, this isn't AU, so yeah, ouch. (And I love all these metaphors you reviewers are coming up with - 'walking a tightrope' is another great description.) I agree about Karen - how could her insecurities not come out, in subtle and not so subtle ways, given her situation at that point? After all, GF was no wonder woman, just a human girl, with a very conflicted bf and a lot of pantsuits. Thanks, EH - always pleased when you're on board!
Date: August 11, 2008 05:47 pm Title: You must be happy
Oh, ouch. Please tell me Jim & Karen didn't buy that fancy imported cheese together.
This is great: He just couldn’t figure out how to be around her. Oh, Jim. Poor guy. Trying to color in the lines, but not doing a very good job of it.
Author's Response: No, I promise - no joint fancy cheese shopping sightings were reported anywhere in the vicinity of Scranton. Hope that gives you a little solice ;-) And, trying to color inside the lines is an apt description - what a tangled web he wove, that heartbroken lanky lunkhead. Thanks so much Lisa - more later, I hope.
9 [Report This]Date: August 11, 2008 05:34 pm Title: You must be happy
Thanks for the quick update, Colette. It made me all squirmy (in a good way). You brilliantly captured the awkwardness between Jim and Pam while emphasizing how out of place Jim is with Karen. He's so out of his element. Somehow, that fleeting gesture conveyed more about territory than an elaborate treaty would. Perfect. And this, too: 'Yeah, well… I’ll just throw this on the…bed,’ the word stumbled haltingly off his tongue. He felt his face and ears burning as he fled to the bedroom. Really loving this--as I knew I would.
Author's Response: Is is wrong that I'm happy to hear I made you squirm? ;-) 'Out of his element' is a great way to describe it, btw. Thanks, as always, NanReg! Glad you're loving this.
9 [Report This]Date: August 11, 2008 05:21 pm Title: You must be happy
"Wait. Isn't he the cute blond one? .. You should introduce him to Pam." Isn't that the way of women right there!
Love your characterization of Karen's elegant grace compared with Pam's more earthy kind of beauty. But this in particular sums up Jim's entire season 3 dilemma perfectly:
But now, stripped of the armor of the office setting, he felt like he was back to square one. He had no bearings.
He just couldn’t figure out how to be around her.
Great work, as always, and I hope the gods of fanfic are with you tomorrow, for all of our sakes :)
Author's Response: Yeah, I didn't want to dis Karen...just focus on how she and Jim didn't quite fit. And your reading of the line about Jim not knowing how to be is precisely how I saw him in S3. Many thanks Callisto - love hearing from you!
Date: August 11, 2008 04:42 pm Title: You must be happy
The uneasiness between them is so sad and so frustrating. But during this time all they did was make small talk and so the uneasiness between them is very realistic. I like Pam's choice of clothing, simple, understated and classic. And to Jim she is still the most beautiful woman in the world.
Author's Response: That frustration and uneasiness was so relentless in S3, wasn't it? Is it mean to say I'm glad you felt that in this, lol? Thanks so much Alamos...really appreciate it!
Date: August 11, 2008 04:36 pm Title: You must be happy
I just loved this:
Much as he tried – sometimes the harder he tried – there were many things he knew he withheld from her. But this he could do. So, he did his best imitation of a dutiful boyfriend, smiling proudly, acting like this was exactly where he belonged.
And I love Karen's territorial display at the door and that she manages to make Pam feel so small. So well done.
Author's Response: Glad that scene at the door came across - I didn't want to overwork it. Thanks so much Vampiric Blood!
Date: August 11, 2008 03:08 pm Title: You must be happy
I'll go with option "B" please. ;-)
This is very good. And we all know that Jim prefers Pam's artsy fartsy turtlenecks to Karen's expensive silky black blouses!
Author's Response: At least he eventually went with option B...and never looked back ;-) Thanks Abigail!