Date: 22 May 2013 14:38 Title: Fourteen
Oh, Scotty, the machines and the fixing - that is what you understand, and what understands you.
Author's Response: It very much is. He gets mechanics and engineering, and it's definitely a sort of mental circuit breaker and safe space, all at once. Thanks for the comment!
Date: 22 May 2013 07:11 Title: Fourteen
Scott: Doing what Scotty does when he needs to make sense of the world. Fixing the fixable.
Corry: Awwwwwww. <3
Author's Response: He does, at that. Finds a way to survive, and some of it through his hands.
Date: 22 May 2013 07:11 Title: Fourteen
Gracious, my Scott (Danny) was just reading/watching this with big eyes. He was like ... really? Him too? And I can't disagree with Danny. It seems that the Scott family has similar issues in the 23rd and 24th century. Scotty's pure need to get out, get away, get to doing something he can be good at is all too real.
And Corry, on the flipside, is being a kid. Even at fourteen he still has the unbridled enthusiasm couched in love he will later show for one Scotty. His excitement here is palatable. A far happier life than Scotty.
Author's Response: It wouldn't shock me much if the dysfunction in that family has been around for generations before both, and may be for generations after. Cait Scott had issues, though I don't think she ever paid for them like her son did. Edward and Charlie turned out pretty good, but they were very close and could hold onto one another. Should you ever wish to share the universe between 'em and hash it out, I'd be thrilled. And yes, Corry does have the happier life. And then later, he shares it. <3
Date: 22 May 2013 00:16 Title: Eight
No that is your genius. The ability to pare things down. To make the reader work for it but you do so so that the reader seems to do it unconciously. It really is clever writing. And add to the smart style of contrasting ages of their lives you parallel the events in themes from pets to water. You make these guys bookends to one another and these contrast ficlets are little insights as how or why it is they may make for perfect bookends to one another. Hinge and bracket. What fits and what does not.
Author's Response: And I think you're still being too nice, but thank you. Honestly, I've got great characters. They do all the work, I just have to make it make sense on paper -- admittedly no easy feat with Scotty -- and if I manage that, I'm a happy camper.
Date: 21 May 2013 23:53 Title: Twelve
You do know you are a genius. Maddeningly brilliant.
Author's Response: I don't know about genius. But I know I try hard to say it without giving it all away. <3 Thanks, dear.
Date: 21 May 2013 14:41 Title: Twelve
Big, big contrast here - despair (and addiction? Abuse?) vs. hope.
Author's Response: Time tells all. (Except not in this set.) Thanks for the comment!
Date: 21 May 2013 07:07 Title: Twelve
Well this ficlet certainly lives up to the series name. What a contrast between these two. Happy Corry, out on the sea, enjoying his freedom without a care in the world. And Scott, recovering from trauma ... an attack on his life ... fighting to survive.
Author's Response: Aye, a contrast it definitely is. Thanks for the comment!
Date: 21 May 2013 07:06 Title: Twelve
Wow. Poor Scotty. I have no idea where he is or what's happening ... in a bathroom? But why? I don't know but the scene you set was disorienting, confusing, and completely engrossing.
Corry's is just the opposite. He's happy, joyful, and you can feel his enthusiasm with every wave he hits. He loves what he's doing and he loves that it's him doing it by himself.
These were contrasting indeed. I don't what's happening to Scotty but I know he turns out all right in the end ... it still doesn't make it any easier to read about. Well done.
Author's Response: Takes Scotty about... another fourteen years before he ever tells that story. (Now I just have to finish writing it.) And another two after that before he comes clean on all the pieces leading to it, too. Yeah, I figured this one would be the biggest divergence of the pair. Totally opposite lives, at this point. Thanks for the comment!
Date: 21 May 2013 03:26 Title: Ten
Nice contrast to their lives here. Corry has the support and understanding, and love of his family, even though he might not realize yet that we moms give The Look out of love.
The fact that Montgomery's uncle had no words, and wasn't able to get to the root of the problem between him and Alan by hook or by crook speaks volumes about the early life situation he is dealing with. It explains a lot about the man we see later in life.
Author's Response: I've always really loved the Corrigan family for their entirely normal lives. And yes, Melinda is so very good at The Look -- it even comes up long after both guys are adults in Rank Has No Privileges. I also, oddly, love the Scott uncles -- they try so hard, but for the longest time, they're operating on the wrong assumptions when it comes to their black sheep nephew. Takes 'em just a wee bit too long to figure it all out, but they acquit themselves well when they do.
Date: 21 May 2013 03:16 Title: Eight
You sure packed a lot about their respective natures into a wee bit. Scotty, wanting to ride alone - at a different time in his life he's surrounded by shipmates who admire and respect him, but he still manages to keep part of himself from them. There's always that private bit he keeps just to himself.
And Corry - even at this young age he's able to see what others miss. Able to look beyond the facade and see what's really underneath. You have such a beautiful way with these two men.
Author's Response: I've always sort of pondered that; he's alone in the group, and seems pretty good with that. Some of it I chalk up to age; he's got five years on the next closest, McCoy, and more like ten on Kirk. Doesn't seem like much, but sometimes it really can be. And aye. It takes Cor awhile to learn how to use it, but he eventually does to great effect. Thanks for the comment!
Date: 20 May 2013 22:53 Title: Ten
I love how he tries to tag on the tomorrow. An absolutely adorable scene. So much to chuckle about in it. And then we have Scotty's life. I love the approach you've taken to this and the style it gives the two pieces being framed in this way. Exemplory.
Marked contrasts indeed and it makes things all the more grim and bleak for Scotty in such comparison. It shows his resilience was built over the years. How he was forged like the shipbuilder's yard hulls. But he's hard and Scotty'll push back if you don't quit getting at him. And perhaps Andy's experiences in ways equip him to entreat and befriend Scotty down the line.
Author's Response: Aye, they diverge really sharply in the next one, then sort of come back towards similar again after. I think it really is a mix between compliment and contrast that lets them be friends later. Thanks so much for the amazing review!
Date: 20 May 2013 22:48 Title: Eight
Terrific writing. Always tightly condensed and to the core of thigns even if it seems frivilous in nature - of admiring ponies in the pasture or crabs in the rock pools. It tells something of their respective natures. And somehow I rather imagine "I know, you have to pretend to be a pebble, but I see you," as almost Andy speaking to Scotty.
Author's Response: 'And somehow I rather imagine "I know, you have to pretend to be a pebble, but I see you," as almost Andy speaking to Scotty'. And you now win the prize. Very good! Admittedly, not yet, but it's definitely an echo of what Andy uses and sees down the road. Thanks so much!
Date: 20 May 2013 19:31 Title: Ten
Awww. Poor Scotty, no one gets him.
And Andy! Dude, totally feel you getting in trouble for a girl. That's all little girls do is get boys in trouble ;) Nicely written, a mixture of serious and fun between the two future-best buds.
Author's Response: No, no one quite does, but they probably should have asked more questions than they did. And thanks, too, for the comment!
Date: 20 May 2013 15:24 Title: Ten
You're catching these time periods very well, and the divergence seems to be becoming more and more apparent.
Author's Response: Thanks! They definitely do go to the extremes eventually. Then back again.
Date: 20 May 2013 07:41 Title: Ten
Oh, poor Scotty. Big feelings and small kids can result in explosions. I could really feel his confusion and regret.
As for Corry ... too cute. I love that the specific thing he doesn't like about Sally is that she didn't like the dead lobster. How different things might have been if she had said, "Ooooh, wicked!"
Author's Response: His tune changes considerably when he gets older. XD And yes, she might have gained a boyfriend if she had liked the lobster. Thanks!
Date: 20 May 2013 02:37 Title: Eight
Still lovely on re-read
Author's Response: Thanks. <3
Date: 19 May 2013 18:34 Title: Eight
Nice! Scotty gets a taste of big boy freedom, and Corry shows his insight and compassion and love for the shore from an early age. Much as I liked Scotty's part of this piece, Corry's provided a tremendous amount of character exposition in a very small space.
Author's Response: Thank you! He definitely made me melt while I was writing it.
Date: 19 May 2013 18:18 Title: Eight
"I know, you have to pretend to be a pebble."
Lovely, perfect line.
Author's Response: Thank you! That one really came together.
Date: 19 May 2013 07:58 Title: Eight
Awww. I believe the word is "Adorable." Seriously, I can imagine wee little Scotty just lighting up as he petted that horse.
And Corry with the crab, perhaps more telling than anything. The sweet, caring nature that he would display later in life and even his sciefitic curiosity are all here in their beginning stages.
They were great kids I think.
Well done, Steff.
Author's Response: "And Corry with the crab, perhaps more telling than anything." You are very observant and I love you for it, thank you.