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Post by Sy on Apr 11, 2017 1:11:55 GMT -5
I'm with you on this!! I'm certainly excited by the Linc , Micah and Jamie thread which Dave has so tantalisingly left unpicked š x I'm really not sure how much of an impact Linc can have. At this point he'd be, what? 5? 6? In first grade, maybe? Micah and Jamie will occur, or at least it's planned as the story is a few pages in. Will Austin show up? Possibly. I had a dialogue going in my head with Micah and Nate but we'll see what happens. I'm curious if Micah can (1) see the limits Linc's parents set for him; (2) understand those limits in relation to Linc's age/maturity/growth and (3) relate those observations to his own situation with attentive foster parents. Would Micah be able to see Linc misbehaves from a position of security whereas Micah misbehaves from a defensive position?
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Post by Dabeagle on Apr 11, 2017 6:29:56 GMT -5
I'm really not sure how much of an impact Linc can have. At this point he'd be, what? 5? 6? In first grade, maybe? Micah and Jamie will occur, or at least it's planned as the story is a few pages in. Will Austin show up? Possibly. I had a dialogue going in my head with Micah and Nate but we'll see what happens. I'm curious if Micah can (1) see the limits Linc's parents set for him; (2) understand those limits in relation to Linc's age/maturity/growth and (3) relate those observations to his own situation with attentive foster parents. Would Micah be able to see Linc misbehaves from a position of security whereas Micah misbehaves from a defensive position? Those are very interesting questions and I'll have to give that some thought.
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Post by Dabeagle on Apr 11, 2017 6:34:59 GMT -5
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my comments. I appreciate your willingness to explain your process in the face of observations that may appear overly critical. Sometimes time constraints and a need for clarity keep me from being as tactful as I should be. Actually, Iām kind of surprised that after a couple of my blunt and lengthy posts, you havenāt gone into the witness protection program. Despite my criticisms, Iām very much a fan of the Sanitaria Springs stories. Some may appeal to me more than others, but Alecās story really grabbed me when I first ran across it about four years ago and I continue to read each new story as itās published. Characters like Alec, Jamie and Micah are particularly appealing because their energy and tendency to strike sparks off the other characters around them is interesting to me. Much of my career has been spent working with at-risk youth and young adults, and I suspect that intelligent and engaging young people with mildly maladaptive social behaviors will probably always appeal to me. Itās a lot of fun to just sit back and watch a character like Alec, who has those characteristics in abundance and is completely irrepressible. But really any character who is a bit different, yet trying to engage the people in his or her environment despite the obstacles, is interesting (e.g., Devyn, Nik). I guess this kind of leaves me sounding like I really want you to ācheck inā with Alec, Jamie and Micah frequently. Iām such a hypocrite. I donāt wish anyoneās favorite character to disappear from Sanitaria Springs, but if some move on it will make it easier for me to keep score. That really is a problem for me. I hate to say it, but as I sit here I really canāt even recall who Elliot is or where he fits into the picture. A story featuring him will help me sort that out. But my inability to even remember him is symptomatic of what is, for me, just too many characters moving in too many different directions. (Ah. I just saw your exchange with Paul. I guess Elliot was the guitarist? Devyn met and got involved with when he joined the honors band, or whatever it was?) āHopeā is a great central theme for this series. Itās a nice distillation of three of four lesser themes Iāve noted throughout the series, but they all really are encompassed by hope. Iām glad I asked. Thanks again for your response. I appreciate both your effort and your patience. I've very rarely, maybe once, gotten feedback that made me defensive, at least made me feel that way - what comes across here on a message board may not always reflect the way I feel. I welcome discussions such as this, the one where a few readers were talking about how they might feel with a joking Alec in Micah's place - it's all good stuff, I'm not kidding. Conversations about characters, motivations and speculation all fuel the fires. Think of it this way - each discussion is a big what if question, which is essentially how each story starts and advances. What will Jamie do to solve his issues with Emily? Will she be mature enough to deal with said situation? What complications could Jamie be going through while he's worried about his relationship? Who is going to help him? What happens if someone he cares about suddenly professes deeper feelings for him while he struggles with trying to repair his relationship? Life is messy, sometimes. Things happen when they happen, not when they are convenient and sometimes that feels like a soap opera. Other times, it's just Tuesday.
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Post by PaulR5 on Apr 12, 2017 1:28:00 GMT -5
Elliot was the pianist and a male vocalist in Sahara, the school show band. Elliot and Kale took piano lessons together, which was how Elliot knew that Robin's father was a judge. Elliot was the first teen to learn sign language for Devyn. Devyn was the second person Sean surprised in a major way by knowing sign language (Teddy Granger was the first). Colby, Elliot's current boyfriend, rescued Elliot in a snowstorm in the story, "The Last Gasp of Winter." The breakup of Elliot and Sophie is given at the beginning of "Last Gasp" and spurs Elliot toward the accident wherein Colby rescues him.
I see where you might feel the need to have a scorecard, or better yet, a spreadsheet. It can sometimes seem like one is doing a 3-D vector analysis of interacting motions, as I sometimes had to do in Advanced Algebra way back in my college years. But it's sure fun to try!
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Post by Nico Gray on Apr 12, 2017 11:49:34 GMT -5
Elliot was the pianist and a male vocalist in Sahara, the school show band. Elliot and Kale took piano lessons together, which was how Elliot knew that Robin's father was a judge. Elliot was the first teen to learn sign language for Devyn. Devyn was the second person Sean surprised in a major way by knowing sign language (Teddy Granger was the first). Colby, Elliot's current boyfriend, rescued Elliot in a snowstorm in the story, "The Last Gasp of Winter." The breakup of Elliot and Sophie is given at the beginning of "Last Gasp" and spurs Elliot toward the accident wherein Colby rescues him. I see where you might feel the need to have a scorecard, or better yet, a spreadsheet. It can sometimes seem like one is doing a 3-D vector analysis of interacting motions, as I sometimes had to do in Advanced Algebra way back in my college years. But it's sure fun to try! Thanks, Paul. I had completely forgotten "The Last Gasp of Winter". Also had no recollection at all of Colby. I hope it's just due to the size of the Sanitaria Springs universe and not some early-onset dementia. That would really spoil my day.
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Post by DavidAMorse1701 on Apr 22, 2017 15:53:08 GMT -5
You are right in that what I see or intend may not be what you see or interpret as the reader. A line I write that I think it funny or a throwaway may carry greater meaning for a reader whether it develops into something or not. Many times, in my experience, the kids in care will be contrary to the extreme. It's motivated from fear - in Micah's case, more likely that he's afraid to believe that Alec and Sasha are going to stick by him. It doesn't matter what they have done and it may not until Micah reaches the 'finish line' of his childhood. It's not so much he gets angry at Alec's teasing but angry at the fear the idea invokes in him. My hope is that being with the family for the summer will make Micah's safety net so wide that he will start to believe in the hope of a loving family. I have to agree with David Morse. Some kids have trouble understanding teasing, and Alec's brand can be especially difficult to interpret, for those who are not yet VERY familiar with him. I was always a serious and literal-minded child, and my mother would attempt to tease me and I would shake in fear, at times, that she might really mean what she meant as teasing. It wasn't until I was almost Micah's age that I began to "get" some of Mom's teasing. We all interpret the world, especially as kids, only by trying to interpret the present in light of the things which have happened in the past. But the story is a great one. The only nit-pick I saw, Trace is a Harries, instead of a Whitmore, although Trace and Logan are cousins-in-law. Thanks paulr5, While I am always clear that I love the stories as written, I do not shy away from how I see it. I greatly enjoy these stories and respect those that can write so well. Its nice though to see that other readers have similar views.
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Post by DavidAMorse1701 on Apr 26, 2017 19:23:45 GMT -5
Elliot was the pianist and a male vocalist in Sahara, the school show band. Elliot and Kale took piano lessons together, which was how Elliot knew that Robin's father was a judge. Elliot was the first teen to learn sign language for Devyn. Devyn was the second person Sean surprised in a major way by knowing sign language (Teddy Granger was the first). Colby, Elliot's current boyfriend, rescued Elliot in a snowstorm in the story, "The Last Gasp of Winter." The breakup of Elliot and Sophie is given at the beginning of "Last Gasp" and spurs Elliot toward the accident wherein Colby rescues him. I see where you might feel the need to have a scorecard, or better yet, a spreadsheet. It can sometimes seem like one is doing a 3-D vector analysis of interacting motions, as I sometimes had to do in Advanced Algebra way back in my college years. But it's sure fun to try! Thanks, Paul. I had completely forgotten "The Last Gasp of Winter". Also had no recollection at all of Colby. I hope it's just due to the size of the Sanitaria Springs universe and not some early-onset dementia. That would really spoil my day. Don't worry Dave. If its dementia to forget a character in this huge universe than I have it too. I'll be turning 50 next Wednesday, May 3rd. I wrote to you recently about my need for a spreadsheet of character relationships.
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