Comment from T B Botts

Excellent

Hey Jim,

I liked how much Marie has changed. Having her first grandchild was a magical event for her obviously. I'm still fighting the flu and can't pull words together, so this is short. Well done in any event.
Blessings,
Tom

 Comment Written 02-Jan-2025

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reply by the author on 02-Jan-2025

Thanks, Tom, but that's a rotten way to start out the new year. Hope you feel better real soon.

I'm enjoying writing about Marie. We still have a ways to go with her transformation. She will also have a significant role in one of the plots toward the end of the story.

Comment from LJbutterfly

Excellent

I appreciated the honesty with which you had Dana explain her relationship with Abby. In real life, self reflection is often rare. All of your characters are realistic and relatable...like Marie, who considered how her own childhood affected her as an adult and mother. She was never taught love as a child.

You have made the reader care about your characters and want them to succeed. They seem like actual people we can relate to.

 Comment Written 31-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 01-Jan-2025

Thanks, Lorraine, for your very kind words about the characters. The original concept of this story was more along the action/adventure line, but as I started getting into it, I really enjoyed the character development aspect of it, so I've spent a lot of time on that.

I really had no concept of just what I would do with Marie when I started writing, but her character transformation will be a major plot line before we are done.

Comment from Pam Lonsdale

Excellent

I think the ground shook during that scene with Marie at the airport! What a transformation from super-bitch to Gam-ma!

Wow, Jim, you really have done some research for this (I know I dwell on the research, but I appreciate it so when others incorporate what they've made the effort to learn rather than just winging it). Right down to Pennsylvania being a "two-party consent-to-being-recorded state.

"Got it. No heroics." Ah, famous last words.

Have a great start to the new year, Jim. This will be a quiet week for us, and I'm really looking forward to having nothing (one 4-person get-together on Thursday night) on my schedule all week:-)

xo
Pam

 Comment Written 29-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 29-Dec-2024

I really appreciate your words about the research I do for the story. I like to get the facts right rather than wing it, as you say, with guesses, especially when it's so easy and quick to get the facts right using an AI bot.

I will even ask its opinion about the reasonableness of certain scenarios I intend to use. One such is the speed of Marie's transformation. It gave me some good ideas about how to make it seem more realistic, many of which I had already incorporated into future chapters from the one we are on now.

Hope you enjoy your quiet week, Pam, and have a happy New Year.

Comment from Wendy G

Excellent

A good combination of exploring and developing relationships and the sometimes inevitable conflicts while moving the story steadily forward in an engaging way.
Wendy

 Comment Written 29-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 29-Dec-2024

Thanks so much, Wendy. I had started out with the intention that this would be more of an action/adventure type story, but the more I got into the writing of it, the more I enjoyed the relationship aspects of it. It will end up being a good mixture of both.

Comment from Carol Hillebrenner

Exceptional

Marie is a new human being with a conscience and a realization that music isn't everything, but people are. She even wants a return visit even if she didn't like barbecue and country music. Dana still isn't over being jealous of Abby, but Fran did a great job of explaining how hard it must be for the people who are so smart they have no one to consult. You did a lot of good explanations about character building.

 Comment Written 28-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 29-Dec-2024

I appreciate your terrific analysis here, Carol, and the 6 stars too. What you mentioned is a significant aspect of Marie's transformation--that music doesn't have to be her whole life or Julia's, and that ultimately people are more important, especially family.

Comment from Pearl Edwards

Excellent

Fran and Dana's talk about Abby and Fran's perception was very interesting. I was never the smartest in any group so I didn't have that problem. Another great chapter, Jim with Dana now heading into who knows what. Well done, cheers
Valda

 Comment Written 28-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 29-Dec-2024

I was never the smartest one either, but I appreciate the pressures on the one who is. Always expected to have the answers and no one else to go to for help.

I think Dana is finally excited about something in her life and eager to make a contribution. Let's see what trouble she can get herself into!

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

I like how Marie is developing into a loving grandmother and she can even joke with her son-in-law about all his great qualities now. It sounds like she will be back when Abby will return.
It's too bad that Dana still feels some competition with Abby despite her friendship. Hope she resolves it all as they work together!

Side note, for some reason the headers of who was talking didn't show up on my phone but it's fine on a laptop.

 Comment Written 28-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 29-Dec-2024

Marie has come a long way so far, but she's not totally fixed yet as we'll see down the road. Let's see if Dana can also gain some more confidence in herself.

Comment from Dolly'sPoems

Excellent

This baby has melted the heart of the ice cold Marie and she also appreciate's Brians efforts as a Father and his success as an inventor. The battle over this new drug continues Jim, another fine chapter in your story here, love Dolly x x x

 Comment Written 28-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 29-Dec-2024

Thanks so much, Dolly. This is turning into a major life change for Marie, but there may still be a few bumps in the road before her transformation is complete.

The devil is stating to fight back alright, and we've got some major battles to come.

Comment from royowen

Exceptional

Beautifully written as always Jim, these episodes are important in mote ways than one, bitterness in families is endemic around us, some very close to even keep their grand children away from grandparents, and that is something devised out of the rotten depths of hell, if this persists it endangers humankind, also corruption in high places. So beautifully written my friend, blessings Roy

 Comment Written 28-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 29-Dec-2024

Thanks very much, Roy, for your kind words and the 6 stars too. That would be the ultimate downer, I think, to be prevented from seeing your grandchildren, especially if you don't think they are being treated right by their parents. Sometimes grandparents can be the only stabilizing thing in their young lives.

reply by royowen on 29-Dec-2024

That's right

Comment from barbara.wilkey

Excellent

I hope Dana completely understood that she's not to try to be heroic. I don't want her to be compromised. I'm glad Julia and her mom have worked things out. Is this the calm before the storm???

 Comment Written 28-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 29-Dec-2024

Well, Dana is not one to just sit around and wait for things to happen. You just know she will try to take a more active role. Let's see what trouble she can stir up.

Good guess about the calm before the storm. Marie still has a ways to go before things go smoothly for her.