Twice Twenty by Dreamflower
Grey Wonderer · 2 April 2005 · Chapter 5: The Hard Things About Waiting
I never enjoyed waiting either. I enjoyed this one, especially Sma's part. He must have been lost whenever Frodo was away once he became attached to him. So sweet.
Author's reply
Yes, I could imagine Sam, especially in his younger years right after Frodo had come to live at Bag End, worrying that Frodo would want to stay in Buckland whenever he went back for a visit.
Saoirse · 2 April 2005 · Chapter 5: The Hard Things About Waiting
Awwww... they just can't be without one another. Pippin's was my favorite though -- I'm sure his sisters are just as anxious as he is for Frodo and Merry to return! Very sweet! :)
Author's reply
Yes, I imagine Pearl, Pimmie and Vinca get the brunt of their baby brother's boredom when he's forced to do without his cousins! LOL! I just thought I'd establish a little thing that's in the background of all my pre-Quest stories, of how they have their annual round of visiting one another.
Saoirse · 2 April 2005 · Chapter 4: A Sticky Situation
LoL! Argh! Getting things stuck in your hair is the *worst* I'm glad that the Gaffer was around too... I'm sure Pippin would've looked a bit funny with a huge chunk of his hair gone. The ending was the best though... lol I'm sure Bilbo will be delighted (and confused -- 'What, does she think I don't wash enough?') to receive soap for her birthday.
Author's reply
I thought it would be funny if Eglantine got a whiff of his hair, and totally jumped to the wrong conclusion! I figured if *anyone* knew how to get sap out, it would be the Gaffer!
Lindelea · 1 April 2005 · Chapter 4: A Sticky Situation
Chuckling. Is there really a soap in existence that will get out sap?
Author's reply
I seem to remember this goopy, gloppy, stinky stuff that would get just about anything off--it used to be sold for mechanics to use, as well as gardeners. I figured it would be something the Gaffer would know about if anybody would. Anyway, the description I give is pretty much what I remember.
Lindelea · 1 April 2005 · Chapter 3: What You're Used To...
Awww.
Author's reply
8-D Thanks.
Lindelea · 1 April 2005 · Chapter 2: Playing at Stones
More nice fluff! And a very good, concise explanation of "places" in the Shire, especially that it is the Gaffer who wishes to enforce the unwritten rules, and not the gentry... (for Sam's own protection, of course)
Author's reply
Definitely, it's the Gaffer's idea; it's certainly the last thing on Frodo's mind, Bilbo doesn't care, and Merry's too young to understand, and wouldn't care if he did. But the Gaffer is not going to lose sight of what is important to his way of thinking.
Lindelea · 1 April 2005 · Chapter 1: Set # 1(featuring young pre-Quest Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin (Now complete): Cloudwatching
Ah, fluff, a wonderful genre indeed to give one a break from the angst! A foreshadow, I see, for each of them--Elven ship, Oliphaunt, Troll... but none for Merry? (That wasn't criticism, for I love your writing, it was merely something that struck me at the end... somehow chilling, and if I didn't know the whole story, and that Merry survived, I'd be worried for him!)
Author's reply
Well, you know Merry is the one who saw the troll, even though Pip's the one it fell on, so perhaps in a way that was for him--anything that bad happening to Pippin would definitely count for Merry as a dreadful fate. But even though I was doing a bit of foreshadowing, I wasn't really trying to be that specific.
Anso the Hobbit · 1 April 2005 · Chapter 1: Set # 1(featuring young pre-Quest Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin (Now complete): Cloudwatching
Awww! Of course, cakes! What else could a hobbit-lad want?
Author's reply
Well, with Pippin: nothing else!
Anso the Hobbit · 1 April 2005 · Chapter 2: Playing at Stones
Aww! That was so adorable! I love wee!Merry, you know that, right? And i love your take on him. :) I also love your take on the friendship between Merry and Sam too.
Author's reply
I'm so glad you like my wee!Merry; I have a lot of fun with Merry and Sam being friends when they are little, before the Gaffer makes Sam get all "proper"--but I can see it as being a factor when Merry decides to take Sam into his confidence for the Conspiracy.
Anso the Hobbit · 1 April 2005 · Chapter 3: What You're Used To...
Oh, lovely! I can just see that. :) Snuggly cousins and snuggly siblings.
Author's reply
Snuggly hobbits! Can't beat that with a stick! 8-D
Larner · 1 April 2005 · Chapter 3: What You're Used To...
Oh, I find I truly like this one, Dreamflower--the assumptions about the gentry and the reality being no different from Sam's own experience.
Author's reply
Yes, I was thinking about that, how Sam would have shared his bed with his big brothers until they went away, simply because that's what his family would have done. Not realizing that even though they all had their own beds, Frodo and his cousins would still like to snuggle up for companionship and comfort.
Grey Wonderer · 31 March 2005 · Chapter 3: What You're Used To...
Sometimes every one needs a bit of company at night. These have all been so good and I am enjoying this a great deal. But a question. What is this challenge that these come from and are there a group of stories by various authors posted somewhere? (greedy for more stories.) Just wondering if there was a challenge site on this. I am enjoying all of your so much and I am curious.
Author's reply
I'm glad you are enjoying them. The stories are for an LJ Challenge community called 20_rings. There are two sets of twenty themes, and the challenge is to do something for each theme, using all the same characters for one set, and then another set of characters for the second set, for a total of forty stories altogether. It's really fun, and quite a challenge.
Grey Wonderer · 31 March 2005 · Chapter 2: Playing at Stones
I loved Sam reaction to the 'baby'. He likely had seen quite enough of them in his time. I also enjoyed the image of Sam and Merry selecting stones together. Too bad that Sam could always play like the other lads. Sweet story!
Author's reply
Yes, I'm sure Sam had seen plenty. Merry probably had too, at Brandy Hall, but of course, none of *them* were *his* Pippin... I could just imagine them trying to make sure Frodo got the best stones. Glad you enjoyed it.
Kitty · 31 March 2005 · Chapter 2: Playing at Stones
That was quite cute! It shows how close they were even as children, and it is in a way a first glimpse how they became the four travellers. Look forward to more of this!
Author's reply
Yes, my idea is that the friendship does go all the way back to childhood, especially Merry and Sam.
Grey Wonderer · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 1: Set # 1(featuring young pre-Quest Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin (Now complete): Cloudwatching
I want it to be cake too! Very cute and a great start.
Author's reply
Thanks! 8-D
Roger Gamgee · 30 March 2005 · Chapter 1: Set # 1(featuring young pre-Quest Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin (Now complete): Cloudwatching
This was so charming...I can only imagine what the rest of the stories in this series will be like. Nothing like a good bit of hobbity fluff to brighten one's day! Thanks for posting this - I'm looking forward to seeing more of these.
Author's reply
I am enjoying them so far. The first twenty feature our heroes as lads, the second twenty will be the Fellowship.