Date: Feb 26, 2019 2:12 pm Title: Rebirth
Having Cynthia around will make bouncing idea's easier so Brian will see whether Justin will be okay with things. Love the standing chair idea. What is with Mikey thinking Brian should tell him everything before doing something. Love how Justin has found a new way to express his artistic talents and how Brian saw the way Justin saw him.
Author's Response:
I'm excited to bring Cynthia into the "New York family." She's fun to write! The standing chair is really cool. I don't think it was necessarily that Michael was demanding that Brian should have told him before he did it...just that he was surprised Brian hadn't mentioned anything at all. (Plus, he thought they were moving back, so he thought it was bigger news than it actually was). There is more to come with Justin's art!
Date: Feb 20, 2019 8:54 pm Title: Release
What an amazing chapter. You must be drained by the time you let all this emotion flow into words. Your writing is beyond fantastic. It is so easy to feel what they are feeling by the way your have written it. Thank you for sharing this gift you have with your readers.
Author's Response:
Thank you so much for this wonderful comment. I so appreciate your kind words! These last few chapters have been intense to write for sure. The final few will be emotional too but in a different way.
Date: Feb 17, 2019 11:14 pm Title: Release
Excellent description of how treatment for anxiety works. Poor Justin, I can empathize with his struggles. TAG
Author's Response:
Thanks - I can empathize with that part of it as well. That's what made a lot of the last few chapters hard to write, but important, I think.
Date: Feb 17, 2019 10:35 pm Title: Release
Difficult chapter with Brian's revival of the prom. Maybe it helped him, explaining Justin what he wanted to do and what he had to do to save him, and then the wait at the hospital.
The end is lighter as Justin is getting more confident to go out and letting Brian alone. His studio is going to see some action, finally.
Author's Response:
This chapter has been a long time coming...but yes, it's definitely a key in helping Brian to stop locking up these memories in a box. And now, we are setting up for the final few chapters... <3
Date: Feb 17, 2019 3:47 pm Title: Release
Love, love love this story â¤ï¸
Author's Response:
Thank you so much! <3 Thanks for reading!
Date: Feb 17, 2019 3:33 pm Title: Release
I had an anxiety attack just reading this. That's how well you brought out the feelings. Things do seem to be improving.
Author's Response:
It's been hard to write some of this because of the way I write -- I put myself in the character's headspace and just write what happens in my head. This one was not as challenging as the other two where he was having more of the outwardly visible panic attack, but on a lot of this, I've had to stop and take breaks and write at the right time. But now, things are definitely improving!
Date: Feb 16, 2019 11:07 pm Title: Fighting to Let Go
PTSD is so debilitating. Come on Brian. Open up and deal with it already. TAG
Author's Response:
Yes...and until he talks about it with Justin, really talks about it, he will never be rid of the guilt...
Date: Feb 16, 2019 9:45 pm Title: Wake Up Call
I really like Rob - great job developing his character. Personally, I find character development the hardest part of writing. Especially with an original character. That’s why fanfic is so much easier than other writing, because you start with a character that’s already essentially formulated. But you do a great job here with Rob. Kudos. TAG
Author's Response:
Thank you! After writing this, I decided to flesh him out even more and did a character worksheet for him. I know all kinds of things about this character now and it was so fun to create. I really like him too. Thanks so much <3 If I do a third story he will definitely have an important role.
Date: Feb 16, 2019 8:41 pm Title: Emergency
So glad Justin remembered to call Rob. TAG
Date: Feb 16, 2019 8:06 pm Title: Stress Response
This sounds really bad... TAG
Date: Feb 16, 2019 10:17 am Title: Adaptation
Yay! Justin’s painting again! TAG
Author's Response:
Yes! More baby steps! :)
Date: Feb 14, 2019 11:47 pm Title: Family
I love Jennifer! TAG
Author's Response:
Me too! She's so fun to write! Her and Cynthia. :)
Date: Feb 14, 2019 10:25 pm Title: Breathe
I need a visual of the chair/swing thing they used. Please? TAG
Author's Response:
I'll pm you :)
Date: Feb 14, 2019 8:22 pm Title: Memories
Glimmers of hope... TAG
Author's Response:
Yep, we're getting there...this is a big turning point for Justin.
Date: Feb 14, 2019 7:54 am Title: Home
I think things are gonna improve quickly now that they’re home together and finally talking. Not to mention touching! Lol. TAG
Author's Response:
It definitely helps...although it’s not quite that easy... ;)
Date: Feb 13, 2019 11:09 pm Title: Rehabilitation
Brian is being incredibly understanding and patient with Justin. I almost feel like it might be beneficial for him to finally lose it and throw a temper tantrum and scream at Justin, just to get the younger man’s attention. Also, if Justin knew how hard Brian was struggling, maybe he’d forget about himself and his own problems so he could try to help Brian more. I don’t think they’ll finally get better until they help each other. TAG
Author's Response:
Brian doesn't want to put any of this on Justin when he's in the middle of dealing with so much. Helping each other through this is the main plot arc of the story...I promise we will get there. ;)
Date: Feb 13, 2019 8:44 am Title: Frustration
Ooooo - Justin remembers the Prom! A trade off... TAG
Author's Response:
Yep...it's a tradeoff for sure. And it's a hard one for Brian to deal with.
Date: Feb 13, 2019 7:44 am Title: Friendship
Rob is a wonderful character. You did a great job making him seem real. TAG
Author's Response:
Thank you so much! It was a big leap to give him a chapter (and he has another coming up later) but it was so fun to start from scratch with a character, with no canon expectations.
Date: Feb 13, 2019 1:05 am Title: Relief
Yay! The pictures are saved. TAG
Author's Response:
Yes! Most of them, anyway. And now, you meet the OC that I am super proud of and have had so much fun fleshing out...
Date: Feb 12, 2019 9:35 pm Title: Sleep
Yay! He remembers! TAG
Author's Response:
Yes he does... but alas, there's more to the story...
Date: Feb 12, 2019 8:44 pm Title: Pain Management
Is this rock bottom? Shit, I hope so because this was painful. Poor Brian. TAG
Author's Response:
This story has a lot of twists and turns... and that's about all I can say about that.
Date: Feb 12, 2019 8:02 pm Title: Danger
Too good to be true... TAG
Author's Response:
Yep...this is a story by me...angst is a requirement. Long held angst.
Date: Feb 12, 2019 5:50 pm Title: Alone
Such a sad, lonely, Christmas Eve. TAG
Author's Response:
Indeed. Not sure what else I can say without spoilers. ;)
Date: Feb 12, 2019 4:51 pm Title: Take Care
Great job writing in Debbie’s voice here. TAG
Author's Response:
Thank you! She's fun to write. And I love her relationship with Brian. I took the parts I liked from canon and expounded on them. :)
Date: Feb 12, 2019 3:19 pm Title: Post Trauma
So Justin’s waking up... now comes the harder part. TAG
Author's Response:
Yep...this journey is just beginning...