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Healing the Long Cleeve by TopazTook	4 Review(s)
	Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 10/10/2007
Wow. Just read your story- and wow. I'm amazed at how well written this is- you truly capture their characters, as well as their development. Dealing with parents' aging and death, you wrote that so poiniantly, it felt so realistic. Its clear that you did a lot of research- I loved the note at the end, and all the little refrences that you slipped in! Thank you for sharing your story, I really enjoyed it. Author Reply: Thank you, kind person, for your kind words. I'm glad to know you enjoyed the story. (And I love research - I'm just that kind of gal. ;)

storyfish	Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 11/17/2006
wild applause Absolutely wonderful! I wish I had more time to leave a more thorough review now, but since I'm strapped for time I better make this short and sweet--I absolutely adore this story, and the time and thought you put into it is obvious. I love your perceptive depiction of Pippin--how gentlemanly he is, and the way his perceptions of himself (especially in the chapter(s?) about his nightmares) differ so much from those around him (he think's he's broken, but Bert & Diamond only see who he truly is--incredibly brave). Diamond too is a very complex character, and I love that you've given us reasons for that "aloof" Diamond we see so much in fanfiction (a depiction I always thought was unfair)--reasons that make her much more sympathetic. And your OCs, like Bert, are wonderful wonderful wonderful. So bravo, bravo, bravo! :-) Author Reply: Thank you ! [blushes] As for the time, I think I mentioned that I can tend to get kind of research-happy, LOL...but I really didn't intend for it to take over a year for this story to be finished. RL just kind of got in the way. I like Pippin, too, and I didn't think it fair for him to be saddled with Evil Diamond of much fanfic, particularly when I was always left wondering why she is portrayed in such a manner...so I decided to try to answer the question. And I'm rather fond of Bert, too. :)

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 2/20/2006
These notes are fascinating. I love the little quotes that you identified, sprinkled here and there. I have to confess to splorking when you said that you quoted "Gilligan's Island" theme, LOL! But you know, it sounded perfectly natural, and rather hobbity, after all. I'm going to have to check out some of the herbal sites you identified. You can't have too many of those where you are writing hobbits, especially h/c. And I plan to copy off that recipe, too! As to the "Song of Roland", well, I just knew it! And your use of those names was so apropos. I discovered long ago that JRRT deliberately used "high-sounding" names from Frankish, Merovingian and Carolingian sources, "Song of Roland" among them. It is definitely an excellent source of hobbity names--it really gives me a jolt when names are used inappropriately in LotR fanfic--he was so very particular about names, and it seems to me that we should be, as well. I was very impressed with your use of names. I also like the various chapter names--you are so clever. I am abolutely lousy at titles, and I rarely use anything but numbers, because the one story I have attempted to put chapter names to--well, let's say that at best they are lame. You do so well with that! I really look forward to seeing more from you soon! You have left a few bits and bobs that I wouldn't mind seeing addressed in shorter fics. I will refrain, however, from lobbing bunnies at you right now. Author Reply: I’m glad you enjoyed the notes. I can get kind of research-happy on certain subjects, LOL. And, really, I tried to get Sam to stop putting the words to the “Gilligan’s Island” theme in my head, but, as you said, it was just too hobbity to get him to stop. :) (And making someone splork is a good thing, right? ;) ) The herbal medicine research was fun; I have a thing for plants and wish I had more time/confidence to actually employ more herbal methods in RL. As for the recipes, I was surprised --- since I really like apples -- that I didn’t care for Rosie’s Creamy Apple Slaw in Chap. 10 as much as I thought I would. I really like the cucumber recipe from Chap. 9, though. On “Song of Roland”: yeah, you may have been the reviewer who had her suspicions early on, when I wasn’t quite ready to let the cat out of the bag. :) And I love playing with names, and their meanings. Glad you appreciated it. (Have had inklings of thoughts about doing something with Gerontius Took and the impact of his descendants/the poem “The Dream of Gerontius” and the rough translation of the name as “old man.”) As for chapter titles, thank you again. This also reflected some of the fun of the research -- and is a shining example of my response to that fanfic meme about “some sort of wordplay will be involved” in my fics “because the author thinks it’s fun.” (And as for the numbers: well, now you know why some of your stories may be getting odd numbers of hits on chapters occasionally -- it is because I have no brain for math! :) ) As I said in a response to an earlier review, I have tried to leave a few things open in this. I also have a shadow of an idea for a story with Pippin’s family when the children are a bit older, in a different part of the Shire -- but it’s a sequel to another story that I haven’t finished writing yet, so that will have to wait! There are a few bunnies in the hutch right now, but thank you for not bombarding me with more at this time (although at least they’re soft, and cute...hmm, might make good nursery decorations....) ;)

Chancey Ann	Reviewed Chapter: Author's Notes on 2/20/2006
Topaz, I have been reading this wonderful story for over a year now... chapter by chapter. It is the most beautiful portrayal of Diamond and Pippin's relationship that I have ever read. I'm not usually one to read uncompleted works, but from the very first chapter I knew this was special. Yours is the only story I've read that I loved so much that I actually printed it and lovingly placed it in a special binder. I did so that in years to come I will be able to reread it. I have recommended it to many friends. Thank you for your time and devotion to this story. It is the way I will choose to view Diamond and Pippin for as long as I read fan fictions. Author Reply: Chancey Ann, Thank you so much for your response. (I haven’t even printed the story off out of its electronic format, although I keep meaning to.) And I know what you mean about uncompleted works: that was one reason I vowed to myself I was going to keep the implicit “promise” I had made to readers, and finish it. For your recommendations, for saying it’s “the most beautiful portrayal,” and “the way you will choose to view Diamond and Pippin”: thank you so much for such wonderful, kind words. You’re making me tear up. (They’re happy tears, though, and I cry easily these days. :) ) Thank you again.

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