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Joined: Jul 2005
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 247 |
I'm so thrilled to see another installment of this story, Caroline. I absolutely loved the paragraph stating all the things Lois would haved missed about Clark if he'd truly left after the heatwave. It's too long to quote, but what Clark has meant to Lois is just so well put. Perhaps when you spent so much time being larger than life, it was good to return to a place where you were nothing more than a pinprick on the neatly stitched landscape. She dismissed the thought as fanciful as soon as she had it; Clark loved Kansas because it was home. I just adore both sentences, because each thought is true. Again, very insightful writing. Loving Clark is rewarding, but it isn’t easy. It’s going to take a very special, very patient person. Someone who’s willing to lie for him every single day. Someone who’s willing to share him with the world and then to help heal that tender heart of his when he comes back with it battered and bruised.” You got it in one. Perfectly said. This story is such a thrill to read, Caroline. Insights, emotion and humor... it's a complete, wonderful package.
Chris
"Superman is a guy who's seen wonders we'll never see and Lois is to him, one of those wonders."
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Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Mar 2006
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She’d have missed Clark the most. She’d have missed a thousand sweet, funny moments and brown eyes laughing behind horn-rimmed glasses. She’d have missed late-night take-out and early morning coffee, fixed just the way she liked it. She’d have missed strong arms, broad shoulders, and a gentle, protective hand at the small of her back. She’d have missed friendly teasing, unconditional support, and appreciative glances at her legs when he thought she wouldn’t notice. She’d have missed loud ties and quiet comfort. She’d have missed all that and a hundred other silly, meaningless things that came together to mean more than anything else ever had. Clark’s friendship had been the one thing in the past year that was real. Only she hadn’t seen it, hadn’t treasured it. She’d fought like crazy to save Superman and let Clark Kent slip quietly away from her in the middle of the night. I don't even need to comment on why I'm quoting this, it's so good. The jealousy welling up within me for your writing skills is shocking! I *love* it! Great humour (I like the cat comment), great insight (as always, you really *know* your characters!), ANd you used one of my favorite and insightful quotes from the series ("in thirty years you're the first woman I could share this with" not an exact quote, but I'm short on time). I'm uncomfortable with the relationships which is great because that's how the characters feel. I love the comment about Lois's whole outlook being tempered by Clark and Lex and herself. I miss Clark though; I hope we see more of him in the next chapter. Oh, I don't know about that "Everyone in the world needs Clark" comment. Would Martha really think of Lois' comment in those terms? But I understand the use of the line, so it's all good. EXCELLENT work. You. Rock.
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Oct 2003
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Caroline...Brava! This story is just beautiful! I need clarification on this though... “I don’t think I can do that,” Lois admitted in a small voice.
Martha’s face suddenly lit up in the first true smile Lois had seen from her that day. “Then ask yourself why that is, honey.” What can't Lois do? Let Clark go or be the person that he needs in his life? Please dont be so long for the next part! 
I'm a firm believer in the fact that God doesn't put any more on us than we can bear. He does however make us come to Jesus every so often.
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 402 |
Originally posted by Sheila:
What can't Lois do? Let Clark go or be the person that he needs in his life?
Thank you so much for this bit of feedback! I meant the former, but upon reading over it, I realized that it really was unclear. I went back and edited it to something that hopefully makes more sense  I'm electing not to work with a beta on this story, and that's the kind of mistake that tends to slip through the cracks. Thanks for pointing it out to me, and thank you for your comments on the story. I'm delighted that you're enjoying it. Caroline
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 271
Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 271 |
I love this story!  I must say, I like this side of Martha, too. And I'm wondering how Clark would react once he finds out that Lois has a "date" of sorts. Please post again soon!!!!! 
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Aug 2005
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I so wish I had time to do your story any sort of justice with my feedback, Caroline, but RL is overwhelming right now. Your story, however, leaves me in awe. You show us not only where Clark, Lois and Martha are starting from, but also where they are going, and why. You put them in situations that are bound to affect them very strongly, then you examine how they think and feel after that, then how they make new choices and act in new ways in response that, etcetera. And at the same time they have this core that is so perfectly themselves, their absolutely true character that guides and controls them, but new circumstances bring out new aspects and new ways for them to be truly themselves. It's all so complex, so intelligent, so sensitive, so brilliant. You have a wonderful way with words, creating an easy flow of well-formulated but easily-digested language, occasionally interrupted by breathtaking images, such as the idea of Clark feeling like a pinprick on the neatly stitched, wide open, flat Kansas landscape, and I'm absolutely overwhelmed with the image that fills my mind as I take in your words. As for language, I notice how beautifully you juxtapose sentences or parts of sentences so that they contrast and thus enhance each other. You say, for example, that Lois would miss Clark's loud ties and quiet comfort or you say that Lois had fought like crazy to save Superman and let Clark Kent slip quietly away from her in the middle of the night. A more complex image of contrast and comparison works, if possible, even more beautifully: It hadn't been Lex's money that had attracted her any more than it had been Superman's powers. It had been the things he'd done with it. She'd thought he was a great philantropist, just as she'd thought Superman was a perfect hero and Clark Kent was a simple farmboy. I'll bet quite a few of us FoLCs could have a field day analysing all of your brilliant story, Caroline, but I at least have no time for it. Let me just say that I feel lucky and privileged that you have chosen to grace this fandom with your intelligence, sensitivity and beautiful writing skills, resulting in such a wonderful story. Ann
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 289
Hack from Nowheresville
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Hack from Nowheresville
Joined: Apr 2006
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Ditto to everything Ann said! I couldn't have put it any better.
This part was so impressive, not only storywise but also extremely well written. I am in awe! So many emotions at once, I feel for the characters and can totally understand where they are coming from.
I just hope and pray there will be a happy ending.
Natascha
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,384 |
Originally posted by mmprincess: And I'm wondering how Clark would react once he finds out that Lois has a "date" of sorts. I was wondering the exact same thing! Excellent story, Caroline. Ditto what everyone else has said. Post more, soon!
"Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution" - Daniel Webster
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 446 |
I absolutely love this - “He’s not naïve, Lois.” Martha looked suddenly serious. “Remember, as Superman, Clark’s seen more of the underside of Metropolis than you or I ever will. He knows the worst of what’s out there. He just…lives as though the world were the way he wants it to be rather than the way it is. I think it’s his way of counterbalancing the things he sees as Superman. It would be so easy for him to let himself stop trusting people, to believe that there was no good in anyone, but I think he knows that if he does that, Clark Kent will disappear.” Beautiful! Keep going!! ~Toc
TicAndToc :o)
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"I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three."
-Elayne Boosler
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,093 Likes: 40
Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,093 Likes: 40 |
Yay!! There's more! She’d have missed Clark the most. She’d have missed a thousand sweet, funny moments and brown eyes laughing behind horn-rimmed glasses. She’d have missed late-night take-out and early morning coffee, fixed just the way she liked it. She’d have missed strong arms, broad shoulders, and a gentle, protective hand at the small of her back. She’d have missed friendly teasing, unconditional support, and appreciative glances at her legs when he thought she wouldn’t notice. She’d have missed loud ties and quiet comfort. She’d have missed all that and a hundred other silly, meaningless things that came together to mean more than anything else ever had. Clark’s friendship had been the one thing in the past year that was real. Only she hadn’t seen it, hadn’t treasured it. She’d fought like crazy to save Superman and let Clark Kent slip quietly away from her in the middle of the night. AWWWW!!! I love that. She heard the rest of what Clark told her, but it had all seemed unnecessary at that point. She believed him. Somehow, he’d managed to tell his story without a single ‘I told you so,’ but the words echoed through her head anyway. He’d tried to tell her. And when she wouldn’t believe him, he’d let Superman tell her in a way that was guaranteed to get her attention. She wasn’t sure she could give him full credit for that, since it seemed to have been the work of an impulse, but the bottom line was that Clark had saved her from herself once again, and she wasn’t sure she could bear it.  “Hi there,” she said softly. She took a step toward it with one hand extended, but she checked herself when the cat’s ears went back and its mouth opened in a prolonged hiss. She sighed. “You’ve been talking to Martha, haven’t you?” ROTFL! But I understand that you need to be here right now, and I’m prepared to try to make the best of it if you are.” Whew! It's an uneasy truce at best, but it's a start!! She wondered if maybe that was why Clark liked it there. Perhaps when you spent so much time being larger than life, it was good to return to a place where you were nothing more than a pinprick on the neatly stitched landscape. She dismissed the thought as fanciful as soon as she had it; Clark loved Kansas because it was home. Oh, wow! I love this. “We found him right over there,” Martha blurted into the silence between them, as if she’d tried to keep the words in and at the last minute they’d made a break for it anyway. She pointed off to her right, but the field looked like any other to Lois. *gasp* And I'm tearing up! That's so... *snuffle* “That’s pretty much how most of my investigations with Clark went,” Lois said, smiling sadly at the thought.
“Clark’s a lot like his dad.” She didn’t say that she and Lois were alike; it was more than either woman was ready to concede. LOL!!! I love this comparison! Brilliant. Martha’s lips compressed briefly, and then she offered Lois a wry smile. “Other mothers swap birth stories, Lois. When you find a baby in a spaceship, you don’t get to talk about it. In nearly thirty years, you’re the first woman I’ve ever been able to talk to about my son.”
Lois felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her as the magnitude of what Martha was saying dawned on her. Oh wow. “Mrs. Kent,” she said, her voice wavering, “I need you to know that I will never, ever do anything to expose Clark. Whatever happens between us, with our…friendship, I’ll protect him.”
Martha glanced at her, her mouth turning up a little at the corners. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Lois. I’ve told you to call me Martha.” YAY! I want to laugh and cry at the same time! ... I'm very nearly doing that anyway.  “Lois Lane! You’re Clark’s girl, then,” Adam said, offering his hand with a friendly smile. “It’s great to meet you.” I love that! I've never really had the small town experience myself, but that just seems so accurate... that no matter what you tell them, the folks are always going to call it like they see it.  Oh!! I'm so excited to read more! This is really and truly a brilliant story, chock full of emotions and wonderful insights!  Can't wait to see the next part! Sara 
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,846
Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,846 |
Hi, Great part.
Maria D. Ferdez.
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Don't like Luthor, unfinished, untitled and crossover story, and people that promises and don't deliver. I'm getting choosy with age.
MAF
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
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Caroline An excellent part! Tricia 
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
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That's it, I need open a new window just to comment while I'm reading. Some of this is just too good! It had been hard enough coming to terms with the fact that neither Clark Kent nor Superman was what he had seemed, but now she felt as though she’d spent the last year in a fictionalized version of her own life. So powerful. I never even thought of her life that way untl you pointed it out. Not once in the past year did she see anything for what it truly was...she just kept seeing what people made up for her. Martha glanced at her, her mouth turning up a little at the corners. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Lois. I’ve told you to call me Martha.” Wow, I didn't see that coming, but I'm sure glad Lois' last comment set it off. “I went in to buy deodorant and came out with a date,” Lois said to Martha as they were on their way back to the farm. “That never happens in Metropolis.” Nor in my town. Pack my bags, I'm moving to Smallville!  “I don’t think I can let him go,” Lois admitted in a small voice.
Martha’s face suddenly lit up in the first true smile Lois had seen from her that day. “Then ask yourself why that is, honey.”
Lois took a shuddering breath. “I’m not sure I’m ready for the answer.”
Martha chuckled. “No one ever is, Lois. That’s what makes it so exciting.” Awwwwwww.  That was so touching! Great, great part. JD
"Meg...who let you back in the house?" -Family Guy
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