What We See
Viewing comments for Chapter 46 "What We See - Epilogue"A wrongly accused teacher reinvents his life
16 total reviews
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Very well done. This was a good and wholesome story with sufficient drama and suspense.
Alan was a superman: family man, income earner, inventor, baseball coach, and obtaining a doctorate! He must have discovered how get 30-40 hours out of every day.
Best wishes.
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Very well done. This was a good and wholesome story with sufficient drama and suspense.
Alan was a superman: family man, income earner, inventor, baseball coach, and obtaining a doctorate! He must have discovered how get 30-40 hours out of every day.
Best wishes.
Comment Written 10-May-2024
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Thanks very much, Wayne, for all your reviews and the great feedback you gave me throughout. As a fellow novelist, I think you appreciate the difficulties in presenting a story the way we do here. Some chapters will be eventful, others slower and serve more as background or context and are also the calm before the storm. It can be a challenge to keep them interesting and relevant and to keep your readers wanting to come back for more.
I especially appreciate those, like you, who have been with it from the start and saw fit to review practically every chapter, and I also appreciate the 6 stars you gave the story. Thanks so much, my friend.
Now, I've got to begin planning the next one, as I've got the germ of an idea I may follow.
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Only 3 chapters left in mine. (I'm not going to continue the saga with any more Ben Personses. I think I've milked that man to death (for real).
I'd like to present a bunch of stand-alones before another novel, though I have one ready. (smiley face here)
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That's typically what I do too--present a few stand-alones between novels. Do you have an idea for your next novel yet?
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personification of ants
a love/adventure story
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I have a 35K heavy outline now
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You'll be the Richard Adams (Watership Down) of the ant world.
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
Firstly, just a nod to Mr Robert Frost with whom you seem to be on the same wavelength: "I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering."
Your 'poem' has never seemed like you were feeling your way because the structure is so perfectly done with your themes resounding loud and clear without distraction. Alan's emergence from rather timid, introverted singleton to confident, successful married man is credible. And what it took was a life-changing trauma to set him on the right path of recovery and renewal. Plus a belief in people that was never shattered by his experiences. In the end, some of those people reciprocated and even evolved, themselves, in self-knowledge and fulfilment. Yes, there are always going to be the smaller challenges along the way but they pale in insignificance, especially when you have the support and encouragement of those you love. In the end, your symbolism of the glasses doesn't go unnoticed. Alan is no longer disadvantaged by circumstances and can see the future ahead clearly and optimistically.
Thank you, Jim, for an original and enjoyable read throughout these 4 months. I fully appreciate all the hard work that's gone into the background detail that's been both informative and clearly conveyed, never losing sight of the need to keep the reader hooked and wanting to know more. An exceptional piece, deserving an appropriate rating as a cumulative 'thank you' and well done! Debbie
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Firstly, just a nod to Mr Robert Frost with whom you seem to be on the same wavelength: "I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering."
Your 'poem' has never seemed like you were feeling your way because the structure is so perfectly done with your themes resounding loud and clear without distraction. Alan's emergence from rather timid, introverted singleton to confident, successful married man is credible. And what it took was a life-changing trauma to set him on the right path of recovery and renewal. Plus a belief in people that was never shattered by his experiences. In the end, some of those people reciprocated and even evolved, themselves, in self-knowledge and fulfilment. Yes, there are always going to be the smaller challenges along the way but they pale in insignificance, especially when you have the support and encouragement of those you love. In the end, your symbolism of the glasses doesn't go unnoticed. Alan is no longer disadvantaged by circumstances and can see the future ahead clearly and optimistically.
Thank you, Jim, for an original and enjoyable read throughout these 4 months. I fully appreciate all the hard work that's gone into the background detail that's been both informative and clearly conveyed, never losing sight of the need to keep the reader hooked and wanting to know more. An exceptional piece, deserving an appropriate rating as a cumulative 'thank you' and well done! Debbie
Comment Written 10-May-2024
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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I'd never heard that about Robert Frost. It's interesting that he's a pantser too. Many novelists are the same way, including Stephen King. For someone who was a systems analyst for much of my career, it rather surprised me that that is the direction I would also feel most comfortable taking because my former job required an extreme amount of planning and thinking up front, and there was not much room for winging it.
Debbie, I really appreciate this thorough and thoughtful review which was emblematic of the many similarly thoughtful reviews you gave me along the way. You have been the ideal reader because you've always seemed to understand my thought processes and the nuances of the story. It's like you were inside my mind, and you could often predict where it would be going accurately. I think you really understood the characters and their motivations.
Thank you so much for the 6 stars you gave it. It's readers like you that make it so gratifying to post my stories here.
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Well thank you too, Jim! What a lovely response to my review:) I'm going to miss Alan:(
Comment from Pearl Edwards
Well done Jim. This was a good final chapter and a story that had many different roads to take. You showed that one hard lesson can change the course of your life. You did well with these characters.
Cheers
Valda
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reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Well done Jim. This was a good final chapter and a story that had many different roads to take. You showed that one hard lesson can change the course of your life. You did well with these characters.
Cheers
Valda
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 10-May-2024
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Thanks very much, Valda. I so appreciate readers like you who have been faithful followers of the story and gave me great encouragement along the way.
Comment from tfawcus
Well done, Jim . You've tied up the loose ends nicely in this final chapter. It's always interesting to hear what eventually happens to the characters that you have become invested in over the course of time. I've very much enjoyed your writing and wish you all good fortune with it in the future.
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Well done, Jim . You've tied up the loose ends nicely in this final chapter. It's always interesting to hear what eventually happens to the characters that you have become invested in over the course of time. I've very much enjoyed your writing and wish you all good fortune with it in the future.
Comment Written 09-May-2024
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Thanks so much, Tony. This is high praise from a fabulous author like yourself.
I also like reading and hearing epilogues in books and movies to see just what eventually happens to the characters when the main action is over with. It lets you know that their efforts have been worth it and that even a few of the villains, like Tina, have some hope of turning their lives around.
This has been a gratifying experience, and I so appreciate your excellent input throughout. Thank you greatly for the 6 stars as well!
Comment from jmdg1954
Well, Jim ... congratulations on yet another completed novel. I'm sure it's gratifying in so many ways.
Thank you for developing and sharing your story with us here on FanStory. I know I was one of those pesky reviewers asking questions and being told the answers are coming. If your story telling and writing weren't u to snuff, then no one would as or wonder.
Anyways, congrats once again. It's been a pleasure to take this ride with you.
To future endeavors...
John
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Well, Jim ... congratulations on yet another completed novel. I'm sure it's gratifying in so many ways.
Thank you for developing and sharing your story with us here on FanStory. I know I was one of those pesky reviewers asking questions and being told the answers are coming. If your story telling and writing weren't u to snuff, then no one would as or wonder.
Anyways, congrats once again. It's been a pleasure to take this ride with you.
To future endeavors...
John
Comment Written 09-May-2024
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Indeed it was very gratifying, John, especially with readers and reviewers like yourself who have been so appreciative and helpful in letting me know how the story is being received.
I've really appreciated your honest reviews in which you let me know that something either resonates or misses the mark. That means you were invested in the story, and that's music to a writer's ears, my friend.
Thanks also for the wonderful 6 stars you gave it!
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
If I had a six, I'd give it to you for finishing an interesting book and summing up a happy life at the end. Bravo and I look forward to your next book and interesting characters.
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reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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If I had a six, I'd give it to you for finishing an interesting book and summing up a happy life at the end. Bravo and I look forward to your next book and interesting characters.
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The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 09-May-2024
reply by the author on 10-May-2024
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Thanks so much Carol for the virtual 6. I'm so glad you found the story interesting, even though it got pretty technical at points. As a fellow novelist, you are well aware of what a challenge it is to keep readers hooked and invested in the story, especially since there is so much to read here. I especially love hearing from other novelists because you know what writing an interesting and well-paced story is all about. Things have to unfold in their own time, and main characters need to develop throughout.
I very much appreciate your perceptive reviews. You seemed to understand the characters and their motivations very well and made a lot of accurate predictions about what was to come.
