Date: July 05, 2018 07:26 pm Title: A Lot of Reasons
I didn't think it was possible to hate Roy anymore than I already do, but here we are. What a jerk. Although, I'd kind of be interested in seeing some of those counseling sessions.
I was so sad that Pam lost the picture and then so happy that she got it back! And he's right there! Will they recognize each other?! Definitely looking forward to the next chapter!
Author's Response: To me Roy is a guy who peaked in high school. He may be an adult legally, but like many other males, doesn't know how to me a man much less a gentleman. Thus me writing him the way I've been. I was quite proud of myself when I thought up the bookends for this chapter with the picture. Especially the way I've had the chapter end. Lots of evil grins I assure you. As for what's coming, well we'll just have to wait and see but I assure you I'll do my best to write it well.
1 [Report This]Date: July 05, 2018 09:10 am Title: A Lot of Reasons
Oh wow, what a whirlwind! What an interesting way to have Roy and Pam end up engaged. It was so perfectly in character for them, as painful as that sounds, but you did that well! Also, that cliff hanger! Ugh! Can’t wait to see their reactions to one another—will they remember right away? Will he see the sketch? Ahh!
Author's Response: Yeah, you probably get the reason behind the chapter title from Pam's speech on the beach. I wanted to explore some of those reasons she said she didn't care about. I do feel a little bad for dumping on Pam for two chapters though. Things will start looking up from here though.
1 [Report This]Date: July 03, 2018 01:34 pm Title: A Lot of Reasons
Ahhhh!! I was so sad to read that she’s lost the sketch, then so glad that she’d gotten it back, and *then* so excited to have her looking at it right as the subject came in! Even if she doesn’t know it’s him (or he knows it’s her) and even if there’s still a long way to go, I am loving every second of this. You’ve given them such a great backstory and it feels like it all could have really happened. I literally cannot wait for the next chapter!
Author's Response: Thank you. I'm glad you liked it so much. I had a huge grin on my face when I thought up the ending to this chapter. It's what kept me driving through all the rest of the stuff I put Pam through. (I'm sorry Pam) There's still a lot of backstory to create too as according to what I've dug up they'd both been at DM for a few years before the show started. So lots of time to play around before we run into canon, kind of. ;)
1 [Report This]Date: July 03, 2018 12:02 pm Title: A Lot of Reasons
Oh god, that stuff with Roy was hard to get through (not that you wrote it badly, just that it's hard for me to read that kind of pregnancy scare/proposal thing). But I'm glad Pam has the sketch; I hope she and Jim get along the way they ought. I have full faith in you for how this will go.
Author's Response:
Thanks for the vote of confidence. It wasn't the most fun thing I've ever written that's for sure. That's also why I ended the chapter the way I did. There's was no way I could leave Pam hanging anymore. We still have a lot of journey left, but at least there's a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel now.
1 [Report This]Date: July 01, 2018 11:21 am Title: Looking Ahead
I’m so so so excited to read the next chapter when they finally are in the same room after all this time! I know it won’t be so easy, but I all the same I can’t wait. I liked the peek into the early days of Athlead and I think the entire bar scene/breakup scene was written really nicely. I also always enjoy a good Larissa moment! Can’t wait for your next chapter!
Author's Response: Thank you. I'd love to tell you what I have planned for the moment Jim and Pam, rather than Jamie and Morgan, meet but what fun would that be? Thanks for the feedback on the breakup scene. I was lucky and married my first serious girlfriend so I have no direct experience with breakups so I'm glad to hear it when people say what I write is realistic. Thanks for the review.
Date: June 28, 2018 06:26 am Title: Looking Ahead
See ya, Jess! I liked the idea that Jim was in a serious relationship for so long... that seems really in line with his character. Always good to see Larissa pop in and set him straight too!
The wings and salt prank made me cringe at the idea of how awful that had to taste but it sure gives us a glimpse of the prank loving Jim we all know and love! And your Michael was fantastic. That whole interview scene had me laughing.
Author's Response: I actually pulled that wings prank back when I was in high school. The results were amazing. Didn't do the salt bit, but it's also a classic prank. Glad you enjoyed the interview scene. It was a little tricky to write, but I like how it ended up. I figured I had to give Jim at least one serious relationship before Pam since I had him single in high school. That way he learns how to be a good boyfriend prior to meeting Pam. Thanks for the review.
1 [Report This]Date: June 28, 2018 05:43 am Title: Looking Ahead
I’m really enjoying your writing and the backstory you’re creating while also weaving in elements from the show.
That last chapter with Pam was maybe a bit depressing but it worked very well to get her where she needs to be. But I especially enjoyed what you did with this recent Jim chapter, it falls very much in line with my personal backstory for him. I tend to see him as very immature in relationships, I don’t feel he’s had much experience in relationships before what we’ve seen on the show. But I do feel he has an innate deep respect and value for love and I think that’s basically what you’re showing here and I really appreciate that. (Especially because I just finished reading one of our most popular stories here where they have jims “number” at 11 before pam and that doesn’t even include Karen! I just don’t buy that.)
Author's Response: Thank you. I've said this before, but creating character backstory is fun for me. Answering the question of "why is a character the way they are" when there's no canon reason can be the fuel for some great stories. Truth be told I didn't really like putting Pam through all that, but as you said it get her to where we first see her in the show. Same for Jim. I see both Jim and Pam as romantics, people who want to believe that there is just one perfect person for them. It's just a matter of finding them and getting the timing right.
1 [Report This]Date: June 27, 2018 07:31 pm Title: Looking Ahead
I love what you're doing here! A different perspective, but ultimately getting Jim and Pam to where we know and love them.
The breakup with Jess was super realistic, and I'm glad that Jim can grow and learn from it (and hopefully run into our favorite receptionist when he starts his new big boy job).
I can't wait to see more!
Author's Response: Thanks. It's a fun challenge trying to create the backstory to how characters came to be how we found them. Thanks for the review.
1 [Report This]Date: June 27, 2018 07:30 pm Title: Looking Ahead
I like Jim here and your vision of why he joins DM. Gotta say, it's not that serious of a relationship if you've been together for four years and you aren't actually discussing post-grad plans until 2 weeks before graduation, or telling your boyfriend that you applied for internships in California...
Author's Response: Thanks. That was what I was going for with the whole Jess thing. I always figured Jim had at least one girlfriend prior to DM, so this was me telling that.
1 [Report This]Date: June 21, 2018 10:13 pm Title: Fractured
So good! It’s always nice to see a bit of humanizing when it comes to Roy, and grief is such a powerful thing. I think you’ve translated it’s effects really well in this chapter. And I love getting to see the backstory that we missed on the show! So far this is all in character and well written, so much so that I’m accepting it as headcanon. I can’t wait to see where you go with this; I’m especially looking forward to a glimpse of college aged Jim/Jamie!
Author's Response: Thank you. To be fair, don't set your hope to high for Roy. At this point he's there because he's cannon and as I'm not writing an AU. Backstory is fun to write for me because you get to explore what made a character into who they were when we first see them. Next chapter will include college age Jim to be sure.
Date: June 20, 2018 11:22 am Title: Fractured
Ugh Roy. I’m finding it hard to feel bad for the guy here. I DO feel bad for Pam though.
What I like a lot about this chapter, and this story in general so far is that even though it was just one meeting years ago, Pam still hasn’t forgotten Jim and she still thinks and talks about him. I think most people have that kind of thing in their lives and it’s nice to watch it play out - it’s a good hopeful feeling.
Roy can go kick rocks though.
Author's Response: Yeah, Roy's not the greatest. It's really easy to just paint Roy as this real jerk of a character based on what we've seen in the show. However Pam did start going out with him for a reason and stayed with him for a reason too. So to my mind it's not that he's this intentionally super-jerk, just that he peaked in high school and never really grew from there.
Other than that, picked up on a theme there did you? We may have to play with that some more in future chapters.
Thanks for the review.
1 [Report This]Date: June 20, 2018 09:58 am Title: Fractured
You know, I feel bad for Roy for losing his dad, but dang, I really have to hate the guy overall. I do like your Penny and Isabel a lot, though. Nice chapter.
Author's Response: Thanks. I'm not a fan of Roy either. One of the reasons I try to keep his screen time to a minimum. Thanks for the insight with Penny and Isabel. As a guy I'm always kinda wondering if I get, "girl talk" right or not. Glad to see it's working though.
1 [Report This]Date: June 19, 2018 05:43 pm Title: Nights to Remember
Aww, Fancy New Jamie. I love that.
Plus, a Meemaw shoutout, I don't know what that made me smile but it did.
Okay, we've got Jim and Pam now... now we wait. Can't wait to see what happens next!
Author's Response: Thanks. There's just far to many good lines in the show to not use them from time to time. Next chapter is coming, life gets in the way of writing sometimes, but hopefull it'll be up before the weekend.
1 [Report This]Date: June 14, 2018 03:28 pm Title: Nights to Remember
Ooohhh yes girl! Girl? Guy? Either way, I love where this is going! So well written and true to character, and I love fics that feature them as younger versions of themselves in one way or another. Can’t wait to read more!
Author's Response: Thank you. For the record I'm a guy. I'm glad you like it considering I've I've done the majority of my writing at the wee hours of the morning. I'm a paramedic and work nights and so I tend to do my story research and writing between 911 calls.
1 [Report This]Date: June 14, 2018 12:42 pm Title: Nights to Remember
And now they're Jim and Pam. Hooray! Of course, they'll never find each other if they keep changing names...
Author's Response: Don't worry there won't be anymore changing of names anytime soon.
1 [Report This]Date: June 12, 2018 07:32 pm Title: First Meeting
Okay, I'm into this. I'm super curious to find out how Jamie and Morgan transform into Jim and Pam. Can't wait to read more!
Author's Response: Thank you. Like my story description says, it's going to be a journey. I hope to do both the characters of both Jim and Pam justice regardless of what ups and downs may come. Thanks for the support.
1 [Report This]Date: June 10, 2018 10:08 am Title: First Meeting
Oh yay! I love HS Jam fic! This first chapter was excellent, I’m definitely hooked already!
Author's Response: Thank you. I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the story as well.
1 [Report This]Date: June 10, 2018 01:55 am Title: First Meeting
Really nice first chapter! I've never been into high school fics with them but I really like this one so far. I love adorkable teenage Pam!
I'm really looking forward to see where you go with this story! :)
Author's Response: Thank you. There was actually a lot of research that went into this chapter. From not only what we know from cannon, but of the actual high schools themselves. Also getting the timeline to match up to the start of the show took some research as well to make sure I've got everything in place. Glad you liked this first chapter.
Date: June 10, 2018 12:58 am Title: First Meeting
Hmmmm very interesting! I'm looking forward to reading more!
Author's Response: Thank you. I'm looking forward to writing more!
1 [Report This]Date: June 09, 2018 08:59 pm Title: First Meeting
Oh yay! I love young Jim/Pam stories! I can’t wait to see where you take this! And how we get from Morgan to potentially Pam ;)
Author's Response: Thank you. It'll be fun to see where this goes for sure.
1 [Report This]Date: June 09, 2018 06:39 pm Title: First Meeting
Nice start. I love fics where they meet in HS. I have to admit, I'll read it no matter what but I'm kind of hoping this version of Pam/Morgan doesn't date Roy for a decade given this start.
Author's Response: Thanks for the review. I'd love to tell you my plan, but what fun would that be? Thanks for the support as well.