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Post by PaulR5 on Oct 2, 2016 19:40:00 GMT -5
Wow, great story! Sometimes it seems, from your stories, and the stories of a couple of other authors, the professionalism of Child Protective Services (Division of Family Services, Child Welfare Division, Department of Human Services, or whatever the terminology is from state to state) ─ varies a lot even from county to county within a state. Not all counties have a Judge Kirkwood or someone of equal professionalism and compassion in the Family Courts division, either.
Dave, I'm affected by the realism I see in your stories. I can tell your experience with the foster care system makes the story resonate even more that it would otherwise. I will have to read this story two or three more times to fully appreciate it. Thanks.
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Post by Dabeagle on Oct 2, 2016 19:51:27 GMT -5
Thank you, Paul! It is true that the standards vary wildly by county, sometimes within the same office. I have had good a decent workers and others whom I've told their bosses simply suck at their jobs. I have a feeling that we have a reputation in offices because we just don't take their crap. Things like calling the night before to tell us there is a court date don't fly with us. You want them there with no notice? You get them there. People actually do take jobs with agencies to further their education and job opportunities and then leave. The turnover in things like county workers, agency workers and things like the Bridges to Health program are insane. In the 3 years Blake had bridges to health we had, I think, 6 new workers and managers. We had to fight when they were going to take one away who'd been with us the longest. I had to go to the state to complain in order to force them to let us stay with her. When she left, so did we.
Thanks for writing in, Paul, I appreciate each time you do.
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Post by David Bear on Oct 2, 2016 21:33:11 GMT -5
Another great story. I laughed, I cried. I grew up a long time ago, and when I was a teen, I thought I was the only gay guy in my high school. Later of course I found out that there were a lot of us. I wish I had gone to high school in Sanitaria instead of my crappy little town in Utah.
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Post by Dabeagle on Oct 2, 2016 21:50:32 GMT -5
Another great story. I laughed, I cried. I grew up a long time ago, and when I was a teen, I thought I was the only gay guy in my high school. Later of course I found out that there were a lot of us. I wish I had gone to high school in Sanitaria instead of my crappy little town in Utah. Oh, me too! I'll never forget the first teenage couple I met. I was like, 'There were no gay boys like this when I went to school!' Of course, there were and they came out after high school. Thanks for taking the time to write in! |
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Post by Steve T. on Oct 2, 2016 22:11:28 GMT -5
Another great story, Dave! This story had such a gritty realism to it that left me feeling so many emotions while reading. Empathy, anger, fear. Whatever the characters were feeling, you expertly put into words and made me feel them too. Excellent job. I'd love to read a follow-up on Micah and his summer with the guys still in SS. I know you've got the last part of Crispin's story, but if you ever get a chance, I'd love to see this story arc continued. Thanks!
Steve
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Post by Lindsay on Oct 2, 2016 22:56:53 GMT -5
Oh, but I loved this one.. I have to catch up to what I've missed. Little Bit is lucky to be with Sasha and Alec. I loved the compassion and eventual falling for Micah. I always appreciate how well you capture the nuances and realism of the Social Work system. I'm happy that this situation will resolve to a happy ending for all involved. Thank you for this...
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Post by Greys on Oct 3, 2016 0:15:43 GMT -5
Loved it,and was wondering if this was the individual who walked Alec through his journey when he had been stabbed in an earlier story? I will not forget one of the last lines in that story, and it stated," I will be your first case". Had forgotten about it until reading this story, and am looking forward to the addition of a new character to the Sanitaria Springs Cast. Enjoy the writings and other stores that are also posted on here, So Thank for all of the Hard Work, that all of the Authors put in.
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Post by paulb on Oct 3, 2016 0:50:27 GMT -5
Alec at his best this i why he is one of my favourite carrectors
loved the chapter cant wait to see what happens when micah meets the family hope lucien noy jealous
paulb
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Post by Alastair on Oct 3, 2016 1:35:39 GMT -5
What an astonishing piece of forward planning - writing Micah into The Space Between, I mean. The story's been sitting on the back burner for a while and then he pops up again.
I hope we're going to hear a lot more about how the gang in the Springs wrap him up and begin the healing process.
Another great instalment of the series - thank-you.
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Post by paul on Oct 3, 2016 1:56:59 GMT -5
I really liked this. Alec is one of your greatest creations, and your characterization is so consistent it's as if you're relating the ongoing life of a real living, breathing person each time we see him again. And by consistent, I don't mean unchanging, but rather remaining essentially the same person even as he grows and matures. In the beginning, we saw his innate compassion and what was, at the time, a perhaps unconscious reflex to want to help people. Now that he's benefited from both life experience and education, his inborn impulses are finding better and more informed and thought-out ways of accomplishing those goals. But he's still in many ways a lovable loose cannon, still doing those "Alec-like" things, but now in the context of someone with a firm idea of where he wants his life to go and who has a plan for getting there. It's great seeing him still being a wise Alec but also becoming an Alec who's wise.
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Post by Lugnutz on Oct 3, 2016 2:13:31 GMT -5
I wondered how you were going to do this. You beat my expectations. You write from experience most times as I do.
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Post by Jason on Oct 3, 2016 5:17:18 GMT -5
Fantastic story. I just loved it. It had always been in the back of my mind whether we were going to get to see the continuation of The Space Between. I particularly loved how Alec used his humour to connect to Micah when he was feeling at his most vulnerable but it was not in a offhand or dismissive way, in fact it emphasised the bond that was developing. Really moving. I hope we get to see more of Micah.
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Post by Chris on Oct 3, 2016 10:57:35 GMT -5
What a fantastic story. Great to here about Micah background
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Post by Dabeagle on Oct 3, 2016 11:36:46 GMT -5
Another great story, Dave! This story had such a gritty realism to it that left me feeling so many emotions while reading. Empathy, anger, fear. Whatever the characters were feeling, you expertly put into words and made me feel them too. Excellent job. I'd love to read a follow-up on Micah and his summer with the guys still in SS. I know you've got the last part of Crispin's story, but if you ever get a chance, I'd love to see this story arc continued. Thanks! Steve Thanks, Steve! I don't know when that could happen. With Ryan's passing there are a ton of existing characters that fall to me, excepting the ones Cynus and Israfil have created and that JohnInLex has taken charge of Ty and Eric. There's a lot of people around here! |
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Post by Dabeagle on Oct 3, 2016 11:38:56 GMT -5
Oh, but I loved this one.. I have to catch up to what I've missed. Little Bit is lucky to be with Sasha and Alec. I loved the compassion and eventual falling for Micah. I always appreciate how well you capture the nuances and realism of the Social Work system. I'm happy that this situation will resolve to a happy ending for all involved. Thank you for this... Thank you, Lindsay. I appreciate you leaving a message. The social work system is nuts, no question, and a lot of things are based on things I have observed. Alec is such a charmer, spotting Micah and handling him in a firm but loving way and that, really, was my guide on this. I'm so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for telling me! |
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