Day 4 Fic for dreamer_613

[tarotgal]

Title: Day 4
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Looking for Alaska
Rating: PG
Summary: Pudge comes down with a cold during his first month at school.
Notes: Written during my 12 Ficlets in 12 Days in 2012 project for dreamer_613

Link: http://tgsrealm.beastlet.com/stories/12Ficlets12Days-2012/12in12Day4.html

Project: http://tgsrealm.beastlet.com/stories/12Ficlets12Days-2012/index.html

Okay, so it's my first time writing these guys and it's a bit weird to me because I like John Green's books so very very much and this isn't remotely as good. But they are fun characters and I love 'em and I hope the story is okay!

Comments

Thank you!!

[dreamer-613.livejournal.com]

You are awesome, and I do mean that. Awe-some. I am always so impressed every year when you churn out 12 or more fics at Christmas, an already busy time of the year. I'm glad I finally jumped in and requested something because it was exciting waiting for it to appear. And then I was just so tickled to see your post with my screen name and the picture of smoke (very pro-John of you to only include the smoke and no candle, by the way).

Firstly, I appreciate how well you captured the boarding school environment like the bit about being homesick and the pranks (even though that was in the book). Most of all I enjoyed your approach to being sick at boarding school, and Pudge's adventures at the health center.

Speaking of which, I was greatly amused to read your different spin on the age old I-can't-stop-sneezing-long-enough-to-put-that-thing-in-my-mouth aka what I like to call The Thermometer Dilemma. It was nice to read that kind of scenario, but with a different device of torture. Especially since the required "ahh" for the injection of the tongue depressor is reminiscent of the prelude to a sneeze. Very clever.

A final thing I really liked about this fic is that it was very in-character and "in-book." The Colonel seemed appropriately unpredictable yet kind and, well, Colonel-y. And Alaska seemed spot on too: adventurous and living without censorship. I particularly love how "in-book" this was with the couple last lines you included, especially since recitation of last lines were my favourite parts of the book.

In short, this is a delightful fic that I very much enjoyed reading and I am very grateful that you took the time, energy, and courage to write it. I think it turned out great.

And now a quote (though not a last line) to finish:
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." -Winston Churchill

PS: Sorry if you got an early edition of this post. Instead of this rambling one.

PPS: I've been kicking around the SF community for a while. I go by the name me2(11152004) also. I like to lurk a lot, so "hi!"

Re: Thank you!!

[tarotgal]

Cutting off the image wasn't entirely intentional, that's just how it fit, I'm afraid. But I'm glad you liked the unintended symbolism :-)

I really appreciate all your great feedback. I was super nervous about this one, especially as it had been a while since reading LfA. I definitely wanted to get the characters as close as possible, as they're my favorite parts of John Green's books. And of course I needed some last words in there!

I'm glad you liked the tongue depressor moment; that one was fun to twist around/play with. Poor Pudge :-)

And thank you for the quote; it's a great one and I hadn't heard it before. Definitely one I'll have to memorize.

And oooohhh I know you! Hi! *waves hi* You wrote some nummy Jacobfic back when I was reading Twilight and really needed some :-) And you've written Harry Potter fic too, if I remember right. I'm so glad to have you lurking :-)