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A Healer's Tale  by Lindelea 9 Review(s)
Connie B.Reviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/31/2005
Sorry I'm posting my review so late. I spent the weekend at a fanfiction writers' convention.

This chapter had me wincing all the way through it. Burns are some of the worst, most painful injuries I can imagine. I knew something wasn't right when the started puting butter on the wounds. I knew that in all your other stories they had always used honey. Good thing Woodruff got there when she did.

It was also very wise of her to bandage each finger seperately. This prevents the webbing that Mardi had seen on the person he met who'd been burned.

Good, but unsettling, chapter.

Connie B.

Author Reply: Sounds like you had a fascinating weekend!

I remember being very impressed, years ago in first-aid training, seeing pictures of fingers that healed with the skin grown together. (shivers)

Thanks!

ArielReviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/31/2005
Oh, how exciting! And kudos for using honey! Best anticeptic the natural world ever produced! I am really enjoying this story!

Author Reply: Isn't honey amazing? I've learned so much while doing the research for this story (though I first used honey for burns in "Jewels", the first long story I ever wrote, I'd sort of forgotten about it until I started researching for this story).

Thanks!

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/30/2005
Oh, poor Mardi! I was flinching the whole time they were putting butter on his burns! Thank goodness Woodruff knew better--the old butter thing's been around a long time; I can remember my own mother (a nurse) putting butter on a burn--but she took her training in the thirties, and still has a lot of old fashioned ideas.
Thank goodness they got Woodruff there quickly!

Author Reply: Yes, so glad Woodruff got there quickly! She really needs a pony of her own.

Isn't it funny? I don't remember how I learned of the butter cure. Perhaps it was in the old children's book "Yonny Wondernose".

Have the hobbits eaten you out of house and home yet?

Mysterious JediReviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/30/2005
I can tell you've done research for this. It makes your story of a higher quality than would generally be expected of fanfiction.

<>< Saved from sin through Christ,
MJ

Author Reply: Thank you! I cannot just write off the cuff, I'm such a perfectionist that I want the details to be right. From all the research and time I put into a story before it ever gets posted, it is too bad I cannot sell the things!

Author Reply: (dreaming of the day an email arrives from an editor who publishes real-live books, saying they have a series in mind, and am I interested in taking it and running with it... hah. That'll be the day. But one can dream, can't one?)

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/30/2005
You are keeping your parallels going beautifully. This really is just the most awesome story!! I love it so. MEWD!!!!!

Author Reply: O thank you! Parallel stories are more challenging to write and for some reason help me avoid writer's block, much the same as keeping two or three stories going at a time used to. I only hope it doesn't annoy readers too much to be switching back and forth, especially as I have started on a new double story--that makes three! (Thain, Healer, and a winter story that will start posting when I get written a few chapters ahead)

KWYM about the encouragement to be found in reviews. I skimmed your falcon story yesterday, but was in too much haste to read carefully, so I hope to get back to it tomorrow, to savour slowly and take time to comment. But first impression--it is well-crafted and up to your usual high standard.

Anso the HobbitReviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/30/2005
Oh, poor Mardi! I hope both he and little Violet will be all right, but it`s a sad thing he got hurt when there`s so much to do for the healers as it is. Woodruff might need another assistant now as long as he is out.

Author Reply: I think Woodruff needs another assistant anyhow. She and Mardi were run off their feet before the accident, and as my dad always used to say, "Life is too short..."

Now to see if she can find a suitable assistant, living amongst Tooks as she does...

BodkinReviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/30/2005
Poor Mardi - he's in bad shock here. And the farm hobbits are doing the best they can, but they would have been far better carrying on with the cold water treatment. Butter! On burns! I've no idea who invented that traditional treatment, but over the centuries, did no-one notice that it didn't work? (I have a friend who swears by honey as a cure-all for pretty well everything.)

Rosemary's pony has a good supporting role here - hobbits with good ponies must get better treatment, not just because they have money, but because they can get the healer there quickly.

And Beryl is shattered, is she? And taken home to her mother? H'mm. I can see Tru tucking Mardi up for the care he needs and Beryl happily providing it.

Glad to see Mardi is just about there enough to remark that Woodruff's treatment is not usual. No, Mardi - it's better.

But those burns sound mega-nasty. He is going to hurt, poor hobbit.

Author Reply: Burned myself recently with steam and was amazed at how much and how long it hurt. Days! (I'm glad hobbits seem to heal faster than Big Folk.)

LOL, I think everyone in Tru's family except for Ted is aware of the truth about Mardi's preference.

I guess butter feels good on a burn, at first, because it's cool. Perhaps that was how it all started. I wonder how someone discovered the honey-cure?

pipinheartReviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/29/2005

Very nice...Had me very worried about Mardi..Very well written and th e tention was great,didn't want it to end. Is it true about honey to help a burn,I am curious?
Keep up the great job...good work....

Author Reply: I have not treated burns with honey (tempted to, next time one happens) but have done a lot of research. It is amazing what you'll find on the internet, for example, if you do a web search on "burn treatment" and "honey".

Thanks!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 23 on 5/29/2005
Ah, beautiful work Woodruff has done, and I love her determination.

Have the computer fixed temporarily, but need a new hard drive, apparently. Hate computer problems.

Author Reply: Hate computer problems too. The first hard drive we lost, I lost three years' worth of stuff. Seems our backup device wasn't working right, and we never realised, until it was too late.

Glad to see you posted a new chapter. Now if I can just find the time to read!

Thanks!

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