Reviews (198)

Author's reply

You're welcome! Thank you! I appreciate your reading and taking the time to share your thoughts. I must admit I wrestled with how to end this story for a while until I got an inkling of Meadowsweet and her exasperation with her (sometimes too Tookish) husband! Some background info: I had several possible endings sketched out for this one. The current version is the one I chose to go with. Alternatively, I could have made it into one of the super-long stories in my collection, but those can be daunting to read (so much! happens along the way and during the visit, it could balloon to as many chapters as A Small and Passing Thing or even At the End of His Rope). Lastly, I might have added an epilogue chapter where Tolly returns and tells of some of the wonders he's seen, summarizing at least some of the events along the way and in the Wood of Greenleaves. Unfortunately, the "epilogue" idea (which I would have preferred, actually, because it would have been much faster to knock out) doesn't work because it would be heavily affected by events in an unpublished "Tolly" story on the list of WIPs I'm working on. (That one is the next one to be posted since it's only about 15 chapters, relatively short for me.) In other words, that story is set earlier on the timeline of Fourth Age life in the Shire, and the plot is life-altering, and the journey to see the Elves resonates with some of that energy. (Haha, maybe I'll add the epilogue to the end of *that* story, with the "benefit" of thoroughly confusing people, myself included. Sorry, feeling rather whimsical tonight.) I know, I ought to have posted that one *first*, but the idea and main plot point didn't occur to me until I was halfway through this one. I guess I had to get to know Tolly a little better first before I could work my way through that particular facet of his character formation. (Thanks for listening. I'm tired and more rambling than usual, sorry to say. I can be long-winded at the best of times, I know. I have missed the fanfic community so much, I can't seem to stop talking about stories, both my own and other people's.) So there might be the possibility of another Tolly story about the visit to the Elves. But it seems as if it would be difficult for an OC to carry an entire story. (Tolly and Eglantine's "Greening of the Year" worked because at least Eglantine is mentioned in the Family Trees and Pippin appeared in some scenes.) It might end up as a Legolas or Thranduil story instead, if only to make it attractive as fanfiction. The problem there is that I write Tolkien's Elves with trepidation for some reason. Hobbits, by contrast, just seem like long-lost relations, fun to sit down with and sip tea and gossip... Author Reply: (p.s. I suppose I could still add an epilogue here after the other Tolly story has been published to the end since it's the last chapter of that story that ties in with the ending of this story. So yet another option to consider! Thanks for listening. I often talk aloud to myself when I'm problem-solving to keep track and not get distracted.)

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Some friends and I actually debated this point once upon a time. I still remember the satisfaction of exploring together the concepts of hobbit metabolism and growth and development and cultural differences and even difference in temperament between Hobbits and the other races in Middle-earth. We had so much fun!

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Not exactly a lie, true! Pippin can be quite devious at times. I have gotten the impression from reading fanfic that Elrohir and Elladan were more warriors than healers after their mother was captured by Orcs. I don't know if it's canon or fanon? Thanks!

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;) back at you! In all I've read of JRRT's works, I've never found what happens to Hobbits after they die. When I gave it some thought, a feast made perfect sense to me, along with the idea that there's no time There (so hobbits who've died and are waiting to be reunited with loved ones aren't lonely for those they love) and that everything they ever lost is restored to them when they arrive. The idea first appeared in "Flames" (if I'm remembering right; so many stories spun themselves over more than two decades, sometimes I forget details) and grew from there, appearing in later stories. In fact, Pippin discusses the idea in a chapter of "All that Glisters", the story you asked about in your other recent review! I recently wrote my most detailed description of the Feast in a short story while looking for comfort after our last dog died – almost exactly a year ago. (The last one we've had, I mean. I'd love to adopt another dog, but I don't know if it will happen. Meanwhile, I'm spoiling our three cats thoroughly.) It's dedicated to lost pets, but it's also a hopeful vision of being reunited with lost loved ones, as well. Here's a link, if you're interested: http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=3065&cid=42425

Author's reply

Thank you for letting me know you had trouble finding "All That Glisters"! It's on the second page of my listing of stories. Another story you might like (which comes before "Glisters" on my timeline of stories) is "StarFire". For your convenience, I've provided links to both stories in this reply. StarFire: http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=1718 All that Glisters: http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=2707

Author's reply

I'm glad you've come along for the ride on this one. It's a long story, but I'm happy with how it turned out. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as well. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts! Thanks so much.

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Oh, I'm glad! I'm thinking I might need to add more notes to this one for clarity, but I haven't made up my mind yet. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts!

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Thank you! I'm glad you like it. I have used it in more than one story. Some readers have told me I shouldn't repeat myself so much, but it seemed logical to me that traditions tend to be repeated in pretty much the same form. That's my story, anyhow, and I'm sticking to it.

Author's reply

We really can learn something new every day if we want to! (Sometimes even if we don't want to...) You're welcome; I'm glad the explanation was helpful. Runaway took a young hobbit who'd been forced to grow up too fast (because of Pippin's health problems) and taught him perspective way beyond his years. I'm so grateful for JoDancingTree's help with that story as I was unable to deal with that level of angst at the time. (Perhaps because she helped me work through that story, I was able to write stories with much higher levels of angst afterwards.) I was not happy with the story at the time because I'd never before started something I didn't think I could finish. Worse, I did not like Pippin at all! However, that work has become a foundational stone in the body of stories I've constructed, as well as a turning point in various relationships. Jo also helped me see how Pippin could be a much more complex, multifaceted character than I had written to that point. (For example, he could be the best Thain in 100 years and still be someone who lost his hold on rational thought when his family was threatened. It was a great setup for character growth. But painful!) Hats off to her. You're right; Meadowsweet is not at all happy, but she's learning, too. (Why does growth have to be so uncomfortable so much of the time?) It's good to hear from you. Thanks for reading and stopping to share your thoughts.

Author's reply

That sounds so familiar ("in one sitting, no self discipline at all). Some of my stories are like pearls strung together, and this one has references to several earlier "pearls" on the string. Let my try to give you a nutshell version to help: In FirstBorn, set two years before this story (I think... I'm typing off the top of my head), after a tragedy where Diamond loses the child she's carrying, Faramir falls in with a bad crowd of peers, where mischief shades into trouble-making. Because they "know better" than the adults who set the rules, they venture past a "Danger" sign on a closed trail and become trapped above a raging river. One runs for help and finds Ferdi, bird-watching with Rudi. Ferdi sends Rudi for help and goes to do what he can, but he is swept away and presumed drowned until late the next day, when the farmer who found him downriver (only half-drowned) brings him back to the Great Smials. This is the time Tolly is remembering in his fever-induced delirium at the beginning of "One Who Sticks Closer". In Runaway (co-written by JoDancingTree), set in November before this story, though still very young, vicious gossip drives Faramir to run away (to Gondor, though he has no idea of how far away it is) because he thinks his parents will be better off without him. Trying to prevent a scandal, Ferdi and Tolly work together to conceal his disappearance until he can be found and brought back. Unfortunately, their efforts lead to accusations that they are in league with child-stealing ruffians, and following Pippin's wishes, Merry nearly banishes them from the Shire. Farry wakes up from a fever just in time to clear their names. Pippin and Everard have made a false accusation and must pay restitution or suffer the penalty, in this case, banishment. Ferdi and Tolly's pride prevents them from accepting full restitution in the form of half of Pippin's and Everard's assets, which leads to more troubles down the road. In A Matter of Appearances (set about a week after Yule 1 and 2), Pippin is trying to repair the damage he's done to Ferdi and Tolly's reputations. Thus, Tolly escorts Farry to Pearl's farm, and Ferdi is supposed to escort the lad back just in time for a grand celebration with Mayor Sam and Master Merry. Ruffians in the Shire to steal the Tooks' treasure waylay Ferdi and Farry on the way back. Ferdi is seriously injured, has an out-of-body experience and is pronounced dead by the searchers looking for him and Farry after they don't show up when they're supposed to. Meanwhile, the ruffians have recognized Farry – worse, they really are the child-stealing type. While Pippin and Merry lead a muster to try to rescue Farry, and Sam leads a group aiming to capture some of the ruffians who split off from the main body, back home at the Smials, Ferdi is shrouded and buried, but he's rescued from the grave because of the vision had by a delirious hobbit. One of the ruffians turns against the others, buying Farry just enough time for the muster to arrive. Just as Farry is rescued, a message comes from Elesssar at the Bridge; seeing Farry's peril in the palantír, he has ridden like the wind down from New Annúminas. Merry and Pippin bring Farry to the Bridge, where Elessar applies the magic of athelas to all three of them to heal them from their trauma. Then the King rides back north, where the royal party is preparing to travel to Gondor. They'll stop at the Bridge for a grand fare-well celebration with the Travellers, of course. That story ends (and this story begins) with Tolly returning from the Bounds with Sam after escorting the ruffians to their deaths. Ferdi's head injury from the ruffians' club is not survivable, the Shire healers fear; he's bleeding internally, and losing ground, and they don't have the skills or knowledge to deal with a brain bleed. A day after he's taken out of the grave, he loses his ability to speak and is partially paralyzed. Tolly is also in bad shape mentally and emotionally from the horrors of child-stealing and the guilt he feels from letting two ruffians go the previous October, fearing that they might have shown these murderous ruffians safe passage into and out of the Shire. A serious fever is already going around the Shire, and the hobbits who were mustered are extra vulnerable after riding nonstop for two days in icy winter temperatures with the added stress of knowing they might not come in time to save Farry from a horrifying fate. Reflecting the impact of stress on the body in real life, the effects of that stress linger even after they recover him safe. (And the mustered hobbits don't have the benefit of athelas to dissipate those stress hormones like Pippin, Merry, and Faramir.) I think that should be enough background to set you on a steady footing, but if I'm wrong, please let me know if anything else puzzles you. (And hopefully I got the html tags right in this answer so that it's readable!) Author Reply: p.s. Ferdi's ability to sing even though he cannot talk is based on real-life situations where a person is able to sing clearly despite having had a stroke that wiped out their ability to speak. The area of the brain where speech is generated is in one hemisphere of the brain; however, singing appears to be controlled by an area in the other hemisphere of the brain. Thus, a non-verbal stroke victim may be able to sing even though they are unable to speak! I've seen this phenomenon in real life.

Author's reply

Thank you so much for your note, Leithian. They really do somehow manage to wrap themselves around our hearts, don't they? And it's so incredibly painful when life tears them away. Today, I'm seeing Ollie in all his familiar places, if only in my mind. And the other cats seem to be filling in for him, in various ways, doing things that Ollie frequently did in addition to their own typical behaviors. One cat, not a furniture scratcher, actually started scratching the couch where Ollie always used to (and got scolded for it, just like Ollie always used to). Ollie wasn't a lap-sitter, like our other cats, but he was always around. In addition to hurrying to be petted whenever I sat down, he loved popping up unexpectedly, like attacking my feet from under the couch or suddenly rubbing against my leg while I was writing. Sending hugs back. I hope this reply finds you and yours well.

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Thank you. Hugs back.

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Belated thank you for stopping by and leaving a good word! I missed this review, when it was posted, and just saw it now. Thanks so much!

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Blessings to you! Yes, it is nice to have all sad things come untrue, at least whenever possible. *sigh*

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They did their best to give him enough rope to hang himself... Whew.

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So glad you're back! Sounds like you're having a busy time of it. We have just moved house and home, and have spent the last two weeks first packing and then unpacking boxes. There are more boxes to unpack, but we are making progress. (Perhaps we ought to have set up the computer last of all, to make the progress move faster...) Thank you so much for the encouraging words!

Author's reply

It is always a pleasure to sneak a reference to Frodo in, especially one that honours his memory, after he has sailed. And yes, to pack a banquet hall (a *Hobbit* banquet hall at that, yes, that really would be something) full of celebrating hobbits and then set them up to cheer the Thain... well, a satisfactory conclusion to a story set in the Tookland doesn't get much better than that. ;) Little Panda sends wags and puppy kisses back. She has reached 55 lbs at the age of six months (after being 44 at 4 months, which was possibly enough to hold down a hobbit knight recovering from being half-crushed by a troll) -- I wonder if there's some sort of chart that can tell me what her ultimate weight may be? Will let you know as soon as we do!

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Thank you! This is the fun part of an angsty story -- tying up the loose ends. Not many more, as you've perceived. Just a couple of things to deal with, and then this one will be a wrap.

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Thank you! Happy Mothers Day to you as well.

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If you got the hint, it would be an incredibly subtle one. You might see it in hindsight, but then, I'm not sure I would, either, if I didn't already know what discussion is about to take place. I do love it when things are coming together, and all the bad times are past, and the celebration's about to start... Thanks!

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It would probably be tiresome for Diamond as well, if she were not fully confident that Pippin will fill her in later, when "little ears" are not about, on whatever the secretive "matter of business" might be.

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LOL -- I do love a happy ending. Sometimes I can write "bittersweet" but I just can't see any point in writing a story and giving it an unsatisfying conclusion, though there are others who can do that very well. Just a few more loose ends to tie up, and this one's done, and hopefully happy endings all round...

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It was lovely that the "miracles" chapter happened to fall on this weekend. LOL about being on the same page -- one of the reasons I love your characters! They have so much fun being in love with each other. Thanks!

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Hooray! I'm glad they're on the mend, too. Oddly enough, I'm a little tired of writing angst at present. Yet it keeps popping up in plotlines. Go figure. (I guess a story could be awfully boring without any conflict.) Thanks!

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LOL! No place like home, indeed. Now I am starting to want a bubblebath... Thanks!