Married mom of 2 almost grown and flown kids who began watching The Office when her own teenager put it on. And began writing soon after.
A series of Jim/Pam one-shots, inspired by lines in the show (now in chronological order!)
1 A very fun peek into the craziness of having two under two - having lived through it - you made me wonder how I ever did. All with the heart of Jam in the middle. Well done.
Author's Response: Haha - yes! Thanks so much, I'm glad you found it fun (and sorry for taking so long to reply to this review!)
This one was really fluffy but I love me some good fluff.
I worked for the ad agency for Fisher Price (even wrote copy for a few ads and catalogs) during the Puffalump era and we all got one. I still have my dinosaur Puffalump and it even has a squeaker inside to make it roar so you can imagine I loved the bit about Wally.
Author's Response: Thank you! And haha that is amazing about the Puffalump
1 So I've been meaning to get to this fic for a while now - there's so much to read being a newbie to the site plus everyone is posting like mad lately. Anyway I finally got to it and now I'm sorry I waited so long because now I'm way behind and I loved this first chapter and I anticipate they will all be a joy to read.
It might take me a while to get caught up since I want to really devote attention to the words because I think you have great insights and a great way of portraying the scene and I want to give my due attention.
ON to review
First off, the you/them stuff, the camps - yeah we've all been there thinking we were on the outside (at least I've been there at times), wanting to be on the inside. I love how you describe this.
And how Jim comes up, reads the situation and the Irish Cream banter very on point for them.
The dancing is great fun - I actually think they both dance pretty dorky - ever notice Jim dancing on show - he reminds me of the Peanuts characters when they show dancing scenes - even my son says the same thing. There's a scene in episode where they do the cold opening with the lip synch dance where it is so apparent. anyway I think the way they both dance is just one more reason they mesh so well.
Jim's lankiness description hits home because to me it does make him so endearing.
I love the way you tell the back story (could see it happening just like that ) and give both points of view that mirror each other in their conclusions.
The way you tie her comment about being blind to his feelings about it being easier if he were is perfect.
Coconut shampoo - seems to be the only scent available in Scranton - I've used it for Jim and I've seen it in so many other fics but LOVE it.
Really enjoyed this first chapter - Hope you enjoy my review - I know I love to hear about the things that resonate with readers. Can't promise I will always have the time to go on like this but I plan to read more.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review (I also love hearing about the things that resonated with readers, and I really enjoyed this one) - so it's hugely appreciated! And as another newbie, I am also struggling to keep up with all of the great fics on this site...
I can definitely relate to the us/them - I was also interested in writing about it from Pam's POV because I feel like Jim is naturally more confident and sociable than she is, but I don't think that's an issue when they're in the office (and it's not ever to him anyway).
I definitely agree that Jim is a dorky dancer! I was thinking specifically of his dancing in Cafe Disco when I was writing this. I love that episode mainly because of his dancing - I think it's the bouncing up and down on the spot for YMCA that does it.
And ha I'd not realised that about the coconut shampoo...I do also love it though.
Thank you again! :)
1 This was just lovely. The whole thing but I think my favorite line was
He’d grabbed an entire armful of pamphlets on their way out, and Pam thinks it’s the most excited she’s ever seen him about paper.
But what a lovely picture or the excitement and nervousness of the new life growing inside of Pam.
Author's Response: Ah, thanks so much - and yeah, I enjoyed writing that line :) Thank you for taking the time to review all of these chapters: I've fallen slightly behind, but was a really nice thing to come back to! I really appreciate it.
Another great story - yeah for a JAM story -although I do so enjoy your ensemble tales and especially your rejected cold opens.
I will say I have a different vision of Pam meeting the friends, but I really enjoyed this one and does feel right, too. I'll be sharing mine take on it way off in a future chapter and we will have to compare and contrast then. It's one of the things I am enjoying in this forum of talent and different mindsets - all the possibilities for our JAM, each one creative and beautiful and so real in their own way.
Stuff I loved here. the disclaimer of course, meeting Larissa, the female Jim, great stuff there. Little boy boss - yup that's Michael. The Voodoo doll -(if you look closely at Jim's room in Office Surveillance, he may have one there although I think this one is a Roy version) and Pam seeing the night as a piece of art she goes home to create. All great touches.
Great work as usual.
Author's Response: The rejected cold opens are fun (and honestly both more enjoyable and easier to write), but what can I say? I need my daily dose of JAM.
I am very much looking forward to seeing your take on Pam meeting the friends - there's a lot of great meet-the-family JAM fic out there, but they're still within an age range where meeting the friends is a pretty big milestone and it's very under-explored. And I agree - one of the things I love about fanfic is seeing how different people come up with different answers to the same questions and how that changes how I think about it.
The Dwight voodoo doll is my not-so-secret favorite part of this, not going to lie - I'm glad you liked it all!
1 This rung so true, all of it - I always thought there had to be something Pam saw in Roy and I could see the little bits a teenage Pam might see in him and a mindset of her own that could make her stay with him so long.
You have a good balance of what we know of Roy, a side that Pam only sees and her own self-doubt and self-worth getting smothered in her relationship with him.
I'd like to think that there are teen guys that are more Jim than Roy (I have 2 myself and I try to teach them well) but I imagine, a lot of teenage boys don't discover their inner Jim until they get a little older so I cut him a little slack at this stage and time in the relationship. But we all know where this goes and he does not get better.
Really enjoyed this and looking forward to seeing what Pam looses next.
Author's Response: Thank you so much for your review! As a mother of three girls, thank you for raising your own Jims. Haha I want them to find Jims! I think teenage Pam starts making excuses for Roy and then over time they just become her norm, which is sad. But we know she finds her way out, which is good!
Jim and Pam meet during their sophomore year of college. They’re at different schools, but somehow, they just might make it work. Modern day college AU.
Really enjoying this so far. I can picture a slightly younger Jim and Pam. Interesting choice to have Pam and Angela be friends but it works and you've even managed to retain some of her Angelaness.
The scene where she looks around and he points to her totally made me think of Jake Ryan and Samantha in "16 candles." Nice touch.
Looking forward to reading more and seeing what the title is all about.
1 Haven't had a chance to check in since reviewing Chap 1 but I have been reading and here was a good time to jump in again.
I love reading about College Jim and Pam - the beginning of this AU relationship is so sweet and yet seems so true to JAM with know albeit without the angst.
I do love how you are presenting the real along with the fluff and the steam, especially after their getting together in the dorm - you sent me back to my college days and it was quite a bit ago so well done.
1 More sweetness. Something about morning Pam just tickled me but the whole chapter did. New Love it's just so fluffy and adorable and joyful to read.
I enjoyed this chapter. The introduction of Dwight and Mose were done very well. I could see Moses’ quirky personality and You hit the Dwight beats well.
Drunk Jim is a hoot. Yes quite the opposite of Roy.
You got me wondering about Pams history with drinking. Is it more than her experience with Roy. Curious to see if you expand on that.
Also curious do you have a significant other playing college sport? You gave new meaning to sports widow in your description.
Author's Response:
Bold of you to assume that I have a significant other. ;) My cousin plays college football, and so I know a little bit about how insane student athletes' schedules can be. But also, Jim and Pam are just starting out in their relationship, and they haven't quite figured out their rhythm yet. I think they'll get it eventually, though.
I'll touch on Pam's history a bit more in the next chapter. Thank you for your review!
1 Welcome TIS from one newbie here to another.
I really enjoyed reading your take on this. My first entry into this world is also the post-NY story (I'm 6 chapters in but you're already past me in time) and I love to read other takes on it.
I love the way she musses his hair up - yup that's her Jim and that's just one difference between him with her and him with Karen.
It's interesting to see the things we hit on things exactly the same, the barely touching, the hand on the small of her back, the emotions they were experiencing and also where we differ - he leaves Karen in NY without ending things. I really want to know how you see that going. (Are you a Karen Sympathizer or Hater or somewhere between - I think I have an idea.)
Your style makes it so easy to read, the pace quick and flowing but with descriptions that put you there with them. You say so much with your words and it's refreshing to read.
I'm looking forward to going on the journey with you and see where you take this - from the looks of things our JAM will be similar but the path's we lead them on may diverge - and hey isn't that what this Fan fiction is all about.
Author's Response:
I think Karen was put into a difficult position. Like, she was being used by Jim to try to forget about and move on from Pam. And her character was actually really interesting and cool. Until she started getting desperate to make things work with Jim. Obviously he could only be with Pam but poor Karen just got so twisted around it was difficult to watch. I liked her alot better in Stamford and then when she was revisited after Scranton.
What's your take on Karen?
Thank you for reading my story and for talking with me. You're very kind. :D
1 I love the efficiency of your writing style - you pack so much punch without having to say a lot. All the little call backs are so wonderful.
Being on her own for a bit, crucial to her growth- I appreciate the way the TV story unfolded allowing her to have a time on her own instead of going right from Roy to Jim - really glad you touched on that.
Again - I think we see a lot of things the same - you can get them across effortlessly in few words - but I know exactly where you are coming from! (Me, I need to use a few more words)
Great bit how they decide not to come out.
Nice to get the call out - thanks and aren't Jelly Beans the BEST!
Author's Response:
I agree with you. She needed to be on her own for a bit. And frankly, she needed the experience of being friendzoned too. Even if it was painful for all of us involved.
The jelly beans really are adorable, yes!
And thank you again for taking the time to read. I very much appreciate it and your kind words about my writing style. 🙂
1 Lots of good stuff here. You really nailed the essence of the co-workers. Amazing how three m's epitomize Stanley but they really do.
Author's Response: Stanley is Stanley, right? Ha! And thank you!
1 I noticed that too or heard it in OL or both. But I love that you wrote about it. It was a lot of fun.
Author's Response:
I never did, I mean, how did I miss it??
Oh, that's right. I was staring at Jim staring at Pam. ;)
And thank you!
1 There you go toying with me with your "I can't " and then your your "yet". Well done. The whole story was a fun visit back to what we know from the barbecue through his eyes and then hers. I enjoyed where it went from there. Always happy when the Jam get to add a little more time to their happy ending. Some fun stuff like Kevin bringing twinkles. He had to do more than impulsively check the door. Yup that would be Jim. Michael not knowing word fetish.
My heart melted with the how long... always...why haven't you. And I like to have my heart melted. So thanks for a good read.
Author's Response: Thank you so much, Maxine!! I’ll happily melt your heart with some Jam. :)
Great job with your first fic. That first one always is toughest, take it from another newbie, but once you do it's often 'off to the races', That said, I agree with some of the other reviewers here...we want more.
Enjoyed the angst and the idea Jim 'thinks' he's happy and tried to stay mad and Pam but when there is even the slightest indication she is in danger, that dissipates. I always wondered why Pam wouldn't have warned him knowing how volatile Roy was and seeing how he reacted in Cocktails. Good job bringing that in.
So, if you decide to expand, I'm game. If not, looking forward to another story from you.
First off, I love that you are digging into the different reactions to the new film crew. It's great insight to how they were on day one compared to how normal it becomes for them as time goes on.
It's a nice tie back how he talks about this boring job in episode one and how at the end everything he owes to the same job (you know the line I don't have to repeat it for you)
Very astute line "like they’re saving the rainforest instead of killing it"
and a fun one
He had needed to let off some steam right away, and his supplies were already on-hand. Since he couldn’t stick Michael’s beloved World’s Best Boss mug where he’d have liked to stick it, into the Jello it went.
I like the new twist on how it really began with Jan. Clever. The long con, huh? That he doing it for Pam's honor makes it even better.
Looking forward to more.
Author's Response: Yeah, as we've talked about before - there's a lot to be said about the way the documentary crew impacts what's going on onscreen. I felt like that was particularly important for this episode, where Jim and Pam seem noticeably more distant from each other than they'll be even in Diversity Day and Health Care, and other than the presence of the cameras it's hard for me to identify a reason why.
Really, imagine Jim and Pam in an office where they actually had to WORK most of the time. Who knows what their story would've looked like?
I'm glad you flagged those lines - I feel like Jim would have been very lost as to what exactly the documentary crew was doing there at that point. And the thing about the mug just made me giggle.
And it all paid off! Mainly at Jan's expense! (Although also a little bit at Pam's.) Poor Jan. I felt bad, but really, I didn't do anything to her TPTB didn't already do.
The last line did it for me. The line that had me smiling and satisfied.
Michael was extremely cringe in the interaction with Pam and so glad to see Jim retaliate even if it meant putting himself in harms way to do it. Anything for Pam, right. the little fantasy in his mind was different for Jim but he also was playing with the blow up doll this episode so I'll buy it.
Author's Response: I would say something about how I felt that even in Jim's head, he probably tries to change the subject with a joke sometimes, but honestly that line just made me laugh.
Michael definitely needed to be brought in line in this episode - I don't know that this was the writers' intention or anything, but it was always striking to me that Jim does something so short-sighted so soon afterwards just to tweak Michael.
I think the fantasy is pretty realistic. He's great, but not a saint. I'm just not sure that including the objectification of Pam undercuts the point of a chapter about the objectification of Pam. ::shrugs::
1 SO first I have to say this - Pam IS a football fan - she even has a touchdown dance!
OK let's start at the beginning - could not understand why you started with the quote from a much later episode until I did and it was perfect.
The caper - how it all worked - A+. The redirected sales the unread memos all smoothly came together - the choreography was wonderful.
Lines I loved:
“No. I mean, who doesn’t like a nice googi-googi?”
“Yep. It’s gonna be a good year over at Schrute Farms. Bet Mose will be sporting the finest overalls and straw hat in all Lackawanna County come summer.”
I just love your office scenes - always fun and an inspiration.
Can't wait for what is next!
Author's Response: At the very least, she's definitely a fan of the touchdown dance!
It's a nice bonus for me that this (largely unintentionally) redeems my girl Phyllis a bit. There's some history behind that shot at Pam now.
The other quote I thought about starting this one with was Jim's from The Alliance about no one knowing more about the office than Pam - her access and the fact that people don't pay enough attention to her give her delightfully evil mind plenty of options.
Very pleased you caught the Mose line, that was a favorite of mine.
Thanks as always for your kind words - glad you're enjoying these!
Canon-Divergence AU, set during Casino Night.
She could lie to herself all she wanted, she could pretend she had missed all the signs and was taken by complete surprise by those five words of his. But she knew she had only missed as much as he had misinterpreted.
Nothing, that was.
1 Wow. You've done it. Gone and left me speechless and that is not something easily achieved with me but this writing was just so .... See I can't even find a word to describe how it made me feel
The way you added such depth to the things we knew and saw-the conversation with her mom and the dojo and dundies and teapot add-ones, all of it heightened what made this chapter so gorgeous.
I'm almost afraid to read more as my heart is already hurting and Jims pain might be too much when told with your words.
But I'll try to be strong and read on.
1 Bless you. Really. That was one of the best descriptions of Jims feeling I've ever read and as he slowly realizes all the things Pam was saying without saying anything had me as giddy as him. I was going to go an spit back your lines. Had even copied the first one "paste here" but I didn't think a review should be as long as the actual story.
But "you lied". Omg. And "you moaned" double omg
And "Before I let you go, I had to taste you. Just once...You taste so good. You must know that, he must tell you all the time. I had no idea."
So good.
Once again all you added to past events like palm reading, the falling asleep on his, shoulder, the basketball, the bedroom, the unasked question, all of this had me in awe.
What else can I say but bless you for going AU because this was pure magic. Thank you for sharing and please, please write some more.
1 OMG SOOOOO Good!
I loved it. It was actually refreshing to witness a Pam and Jim fight (we get so much fluff here and I'm just as guilty as the rest so no judgements)-
BUT as hard as season 9 was it really didn't give us the heart we had experienced in the first 3 seasons.
But with this - you did!!
There were so many little lines I loved but I'm already late to start dinner because I stopped to read. Just know that it was all great.
I appreciated the way the love scenes were written and their back and forth playfulness even in the middle of a fight (that's how I see it, too) always something to break the tension when it gets too heavy. And of course talking about Michael cam always do that.
I did make a little change in my head in the line "As you Wish" reciting it like Wesley since Princess Bride was on her Desert Island Movie list... As you wiiissshhhh! Hope you don't mind.
Author's Response: Maxine, thank you so much!! Your reviews are always so thoughtful. I’m so glad you liked it! I tried to strike a balance between raw emotion with their fighting and still keeping true to who they are as a couple. And “As you wish” is 100% a callback to Princess Bride. :)
1 How I wish all this had really been said by Jim that day. So much emotion behind the words you write for both of them and you expressed it so well.
Author's Response: Thank you! I honestly started writing because I was bored but I hope to actually finish this once I have time. I appreciate the positive response.
Jim’s been visiting reception five (or 10, or 15…) times a day for years. It turns out it’s become a reflex, and one it will take some work to get rid of now that Pam sits next to him. She’s got a plan, though. (Also: the story of how Jim lost his virginity.)1 Keep 'em coming -they are always so fun. A smile formed at the disclaimer and just kept widening until the Network Notes.
Giggly Pam - adorable.
Poor Erin but just as adorable.
You rock cold open composing.
Can't wait for the next one.
Author's Response: A smile from sentence #1 right to the end was absolutely my goal with this. Thank you so much!
I know, I felt bad for putting Erin through this - and just for comedy purposes, too. Don't worry, Erin, he likes you fine, it's just not true love!
Thanks for reading and reviewing! There's probably another one coming relatively soon actually...
1 Hi 3V, Silent treatment - what's that? I tend to put it all out there. Guess I relate more to Jim in this story - since I tend to put my foot in it sometimes. I remember seeing this deleted scene somehow and being curious about it.
Nice to see your take on what happened and how he finally put an end to the non-verbal fight. (yes, I know that what in the scene but the explanation you provide is what I'm referring to).
Kelly scene is fun bit but I especially like the scene with Helene- yup sometimes a mirror helps you see things more clearly. Nice job with this one. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Yeah, I'm a vocal person myself. Don't know when to shut up, in fact. I too relate to Jim. And I like the idea of him being so desperate to get his wife's attention that he does something like spanking.
Writing Kelly is always a treat, but I have to admit I'm proud of the Helene scene, especially considering she has to deal with cold-sore Michael.
Thanks for the review!