Yahoo Forum Archive

Greetings all ~

I made a rather graceless appearance here, by popping up with a bunch
of dumb questions, so I would like to make ammends. :-) I've been
poking through message archives here looking for feedback on my
stories, and I have to say ... you guys have almost brought me to
tears. *HUGS*

So, in random order I would like to thank:

Elena Tiriel
-- Comments on "Aglarond" - words are not thanks enough. The beauty
and generosity of your thoughts overwhelms me. I'd hug you until you
squeaked if I could only reach to where you are! Thank you!! :-)
-- Comments on "The Last Grey Ship" - That's it, you're going to make
me cry! (Speaking of tugging heartstrings, LOL!) All I can say is
Thank You So Very Much. You flatter and honor me beyond compare, and
I am truly grateful. :-)

Marta
-- Comments on "Aglarond" - I am absolutely delighted that Gimli's
voice and perspective worked for you. Somehow he seemed the natural
vehicle for the telling of that tale, and I really enjoyed viewing
their friendship through his eyes. Thank you!! :-)
-- Comments on "Ashes, East Winds, Hope That Rises" - Eeks, it felt a
bit scary to realise I'd surprised you by writing beyond Grima's
ouster, but I'm ever so glad it worked for you, anyway. I think it's
a bit risky to write with a "message" but that's what I was trying to
do here, and luckily it comes across for you: hope lost and found.
Whew! :-) Thank you!!
-- Comments on "The Last Grey Ship" - Oh, no, I need to hand out more
tissues! *G* Nonetheless, I'm very happy to know this story touched
you so. It remains a story that touched me deeply to write, so I'm
glad it has lost none of its power. And I'm glad the bits of humor
worked, too! As for type-os - yes, I'm certain there are several.
This was my first fic in the LOTR genre and done without a beta, so
probably it could stand for me to tidy up a bit. I've thought about
it ... ;-) For such kind comments, Thank you!! :-)

Ainaechoiriel
-- Comments on "Aglarond" - Yay, my descriptions worked! I'm so very
glad it played well for you, and that the words formed images in your
mind's eye. Writing such beauty was a tremendous challenge for me!
LOL, and I, too, would like to see from Legolas' standpoint. My fan
fiction muses have not been talking to me lately, but ... I really
would like to write that. Thank you for your comments!! :-)
-- Comments on "Ashes, East Winds, Hope that Rises" - Firstly, all I
can say for the title is that it just sort of fell into my lap, in
one of those strange little gift-moments that just works! {*looks up
at ceiling for invisible muses*} I am very pleased that my skating
so close to Tolkien's own writing worked without becoming a
distraction, and without bogging down in itself. This was a *tough*
story to write, simply because I felt I was balancing so many
factors. It was also my first story that I threw out before my LOTR
peers and cried for constructive critisism! So I owe a great many
people for how it turned out. Thank you for your kind words!! :-)
-- Comments on "The Last Grey Ship" - Laughter through tears, yes,
that is what this story wanted to be. This was my first LOTR fic
ever, and I have continually thought that it was a gift to me, a wee
peek through the magical window through which Tolkien so eloquently
viewed. Thank you for telling me how it worked for you!! :-)

Thundera Tiger
-- Comments on "The Lion And The Swan" - What a wonderful surprise
for me to learn that this poem coaxed you out of your traditional
avoidance of Romance! *G* Tell you the truth, I seldom write it,
either, so I'm tickled all to pieces that my little romantic detour
pleased you. Thank you!! :-)
-- Comments on "Aglarond" - *is gob-smacked* Wow ... LOL, I hardly
know what to say to such scholarly analysis, other than I find it
terribly wonderful that the fact I wrote this in 1st-person-present-
tense slipped by you the first time! LOL! I almost feel I need to
hand the credit off to some Higher Power for the positives you see -
plus I had some very good critics who helped me polish this
perfect. :-) The friendship of Legolas and Gimli is dear to me, so
I'm glad this story touched you, too. Thank you!! :-)
-- Comments on "Ashes, East Winds, Hope That Rises" - {*HUGS!!!*}
Sorry, I know that's not terribly dignified, but I am SO happy to
hear such kind appraisal of my Eomer depiction, and also of my
dancing around Tolkien's own writing so closely. Yes, Hama is dear to
me as well, a tragically noble figure that I was only too pleased to
give his moments in the limelight. I'm delighted to know this
pleased you, too! Thank you!! :-)

Dwimmerlaik
-- Comments on "Ashes, East Winds, Hope that Rises" - Yes, you were
there when I bared my breast to the world and hollered for help with
this story! It was the first time I did so, and the wonderful
response of the HA group cured me of my fear of beta-readers. *G*
Meanwhile, I am relieved and overjoyed to hear that even now the
story still works, given how close to Tolkien I was playing. I'm
glad my depictions of Eomer ring true, for his was the story that I
really wanted to tell and I desperately wanted to Get It Right. For
such kind and thoughtful comments, Thank You!! :-)
-- Comments on "The Last Grey Ship" - For this I can only say Thank
You for a wonderful review. I felt terribly daring back when I first
wrote this, so it still appeases me to hear that the many threads I
tried to pick up in this story work for other readers. It was a
delicate dance to write - and I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank
you!! :-)

Larian Elensar
-- Comments on "The Last Grey Ship" - LOL, yes, I confess I sniffled
along the way of writing it, too! As I've noted elsewhere in this
email, this was my first LOTR story, and I still feel it was a gift
that just came to me, whole and ready to be told. I only had to
capture it in words ... and yes, it yanks my heartstrings, too! *G*
Thank you!!


That's everyone I could find in a search of message archives! :-) If
I've missed anyone, please forgive me! Each and every one of you are
wonderful, giving people, and I can't tell you how much your kind
words mean to me. Especially as many or most of you are stellar
writers in your own right!! I was feeling pretty singed about fan
fiction in general after the Late Unpleasantness surrounding the
Mithrils, and it really feels like a long, clean breath of fresh air
to see so much positive energy shared amongst writers and readers.

I know all of us can stand to hear good constructive critisism, to be
gently told where we've goofed, what could be improved, what is
perhaps not entirely our best ... but it is also just plain WONDERFUL
for the creative spirit to hear what we've done *well*. It's a huge
relief to my muses to see people telling me that things I attempted
to do, points I tried to make, characterisations I struggled with
portraying ... actually worked. That means so very much to me. So
it's not just the empty joy of praise, but actual affirmation that
yes, sometimes I get something right. *G*

So Thank You, one and all, for your time, your labors, your efforts,
the hours, days and months you spent making this contest happen.
What I have seen here is a balm to my spirit. God bless you all. :-)

{{*HUGS!!}}

~ Erin