DUEL with the DEVIL
Viewing comments for Chapter 41 "DUEL with the DEVIL - Chapter 41"The problem of creating a non-addictive painkiller
19 total reviews
Comment from Karen Cherry Threadgill
You certainly sound like someone who has been through their own addiction. Or know someone well who has. You write about it well. I have known quite a few, that can justify their over consumption to a startling degree. good work. Karen
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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You certainly sound like someone who has been through their own addiction. Or know someone well who has. You write about it well. I have known quite a few, that can justify their over consumption to a startling degree. good work. Karen
Comment Written 24-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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My addiction pales in comparison to Brian's. I would say I was psychologically addicted to pot back in my 20s, but I had quite an easy time getting off it when it started impacting my health (persistent bronchitis) and I started having kids. Still, it gave me some insight to the problem with drugs and addictions.
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The way you said things talking to yourself about starting fresh tomorro w, and you may as well go out with a bang. I have heard that stuff before.
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Yep, that's addicts' way of thinking.
That's often what I say when the holidays are just about over and I've been stuffing myself. "After New Year, I'll begin losing weight, but let's just finish these cookies and other snacks now."
It makes my body feel like crap, but gives me extra resolve to mend my ways. I can lose weight anytime I want to. I've done it hundreds of times!
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I had a good system of keeping weight down. I eat a snack every four hours. i maintained my weight and sugar levels. Then, menopause came and went four times. I put on thirty pounds eating exactly the same way. This is why women lose their minds and get vicious. :-)
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
Brilliantly done! I think I counted 'tomorrow' 5 times! I always wondered how you were going to get back to the prologue so seamlessly and credibly but you absolutely nailed it with that accidental dose and then your very stylish euphoric experience (which must have been fun to do!). The description of his woeful decline in his appearance and habits is excellent and achieves the aim of 'grossing out' the reader and drawing them back to the start of the book in a satisfyingly cyclical way. And what a great hook at the end after reinforcing that 'tomorrow' so many times. Reality begins today. Well done, Jim. Debbie
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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Brilliantly done! I think I counted 'tomorrow' 5 times! I always wondered how you were going to get back to the prologue so seamlessly and credibly but you absolutely nailed it with that accidental dose and then your very stylish euphoric experience (which must have been fun to do!). The description of his woeful decline in his appearance and habits is excellent and achieves the aim of 'grossing out' the reader and drawing them back to the start of the book in a satisfyingly cyclical way. And what a great hook at the end after reinforcing that 'tomorrow' so many times. Reality begins today. Well done, Jim. Debbie
Comment Written 24-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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You pick up on so many of the nuances of the story, Debbie. I try to lull the reader into the fact that he will enjoy his last day of binging and will start being responsible again "tomorrow" but they hit you with the surprise that she comes back early and reality will begin today.
When I first wrote the prologue many months ago, I didn't have the whole concept of the story in mind, nor the character of "his wife" at all, and it read like she had gotten fed up with him and left two months ago. As the character of Julia developed and their great love for each other became so clear, I decided to change that, which I thought readers might enjoy seeing how that shifted to a completely different context. I was hoping people would pick up on that, and I'm not at all surprised that you did, Debbie.
I also loved your comments on how we got back to that scene from the prologue which started two months prior with the accidental double-dose and the euphoric scene as the drug started taking its full effect. You're right--that was fun to write.
Thank you so much for those 6 stars and for the way you really think about and analyze this story, Debbie.
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An absolute pleasure! One of your best chapters yet. This story holds together very well which must be difficult given all the content you want to convey.
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I wish I could have combined this chapter with the next two to give the entire scenario because they all go together. But it would have been too long, so I made it into three chapters.
I think these three chapters are perhaps the strongest in the story--certainly the most emotional (and very loosely somewhat autobiographical).
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Really! I would never have guessed that this is even loosely autobiographical other than the degree of detail.
Comment from jmdg1954
Oh boy, here we go again... Brian had a break through drug that he developed by his hard work, perseverance and love from Julia and professor.
I'm surprised though not surprised by his downfall. Surprised that he was so meticulously keeping accurate records testing on himself, not surprised that one sli ip caused his immediate downward spiral.
Let's see how strong in fact there love is or isn't now that Julia sensed something went south and came home unannounced!
Let the merry-go-round begin!
Excellent, cliffhangerish conclusion!
Cheers,
John
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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Oh boy, here we go again... Brian had a break through drug that he developed by his hard work, perseverance and love from Julia and professor.
I'm surprised though not surprised by his downfall. Surprised that he was so meticulously keeping accurate records testing on himself, not surprised that one sli ip caused his immediate downward spiral.
Let's see how strong in fact there love is or isn't now that Julia sensed something went south and came home unannounced!
Let the merry-go-round begin!
Excellent, cliffhangerish conclusion!
Cheers,
John
Comment Written 24-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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I love that, John--"I'm surprised though not surprised by his downfall." Perfectly stated, for that was my intention. He is an addict after all, and it will always be with him. It's like a disease, and the best he can hope for is a lasting remission. This story is a test of his true character. He will be taken down repeatedly, but can he get back up again and eventually triumph?
Comment from Wayne Fowler
I don't expect you to get many accolades from this post. The writing was good, though. For me, it was too close to the behavior of my meth addicted 'friend-closer-than-a-brother'.
I don't believe Julia would have been fooled by the camera/Skype thing. The change in Brian would have come across, especially in long conversations. And Brian could not have kept from lying in response to pointed questions. I expect you're going to say that Julia's unexpected appearance was due to her suspicions. I can't see how she wouldn't leave him and cut off funding.
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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I don't expect you to get many accolades from this post. The writing was good, though. For me, it was too close to the behavior of my meth addicted 'friend-closer-than-a-brother'.
I don't believe Julia would have been fooled by the camera/Skype thing. The change in Brian would have come across, especially in long conversations. And Brian could not have kept from lying in response to pointed questions. I expect you're going to say that Julia's unexpected appearance was due to her suspicions. I can't see how she wouldn't leave him and cut off funding.
Comment Written 24-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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Exactly so. I wanted this chapter to be his downfall into pure hedonism to see if he will ever be able to triumph over this internal demon and win back his life. That's the battle that all addicts have, and it's very sad that some, like your friend, lose that battle.
Brian will go through a lot of soul searching in the coming chapters, and we'll get to see Julia's perception of things in the next chapter which will be from her POV.
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
"I'll do it tomorrow" - the constant refrain of an addict. Has Julia been calling from the road? Does she realize that something is amiss?
Brian speaks of "the failure of Dipraxa", but it's his failure, not the drug's. I wonder if he will realize that later on.
Julia is home. I'm thinking she may have realized something was up. No matter, she knows now.
At the beginning of the book, I really thought Brian was in a place where a loved one had left him and he was alone. But he still has Julia, and I know she will fight for him instead of deserting him.
Having Fran and Mike go on missions was smart, as they were not able to check up on him.
Now the story really begins!
xo
Pam
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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"I'll do it tomorrow" - the constant refrain of an addict. Has Julia been calling from the road? Does she realize that something is amiss?
Brian speaks of "the failure of Dipraxa", but it's his failure, not the drug's. I wonder if he will realize that later on.
Julia is home. I'm thinking she may have realized something was up. No matter, she knows now.
At the beginning of the book, I really thought Brian was in a place where a loved one had left him and he was alone. But he still has Julia, and I know she will fight for him instead of deserting him.
Having Fran and Mike go on missions was smart, as they were not able to check up on him.
Now the story really begins!
xo
Pam
Comment Written 24-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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You'll see in the next chapter, which will be from her POV, what she has been thinking since they've been apart for two months.
Nicely put: It's really his failure, not the drug's.
Absolutely correct. When I originally wrote the prologue, that was my intention--that his wife would have gotten fed up and left him, but as the character of Julia developed and their great love for each other blossomed, I decided to change the context. I'm glad you picked up on that and you predict that she will fight for him. That shows me you really understand the character I've tried to portray. We'll get more clarification of this in the next chapter.
And you also picked up that Fran and Mike couldn't be around or Fran surely would have known something was wrong. I had to provide a reason for her not being there.
Thanks very much for the 6 stars, Pam. It means a lot coming from you.
Comment from Wendy G
What a cliffhanger! And, it's probably appropriate, despite what will undoubtedly follow, that she can see the full imact of what he has done to himself. Excellent writing - I knew this would happen but it's still devastating.
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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What a cliffhanger! And, it's probably appropriate, despite what will undoubtedly follow, that she can see the full imact of what he has done to himself. Excellent writing - I knew this would happen but it's still devastating.
Comment Written 24-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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Thank you so much, Wendy. It wasn't going to be this way when I first wrote the Prologue many months ago. Being a "pantser," I didn't have any concept of what his wife would be like then, and it sounded like she had become fed up with him and left two months ago. But as I developed the character of Julia and their love affair, I decided to give that a different context and turn it into a surprise for her to see him like that.
We'll see how she processes this in the next chapter, which I temporarily change to be from her POV.
Thanks for those 6 stars too.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
What a slob he has begun and how happy he is with his huge doses of Dipraxa. He has created a drug that takes away all pain, even the pain of a conscience. And then his wife arrives early. He doesn't feel any embarrassment that his drug has failed because he feels so good. Sadly, now he has to deal with a lot of problems.
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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What a slob he has begun and how happy he is with his huge doses of Dipraxa. He has created a drug that takes away all pain, even the pain of a conscience. And then his wife arrives early. He doesn't feel any embarrassment that his drug has failed because he feels so good. Sadly, now he has to deal with a lot of problems.
Comment Written 23-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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Perfect summary of where we are now, Carol. Do you think there's any hope of resurrecting a normal life now, or does this lead to the end for Brian and Julia? We'll see.
Comment from lancellot
Well, I will say, I think the writing and editing are sound, and this chapter is in keeping with the how the story, and Brian have been crafted so far. It does wrap back around to the prologue in a way that is also in keeping with tone of the story.
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reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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Well, I will say, I think the writing and editing are sound, and this chapter is in keeping with the how the story, and Brian have been crafted so far. It does wrap back around to the prologue in a way that is also in keeping with tone of the story.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 23-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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You're holding back here, Lance. Or you're reserving judgment until you see how this unfolds. I look forward to your real take on things.
Comment from Tom Horonzy
I am disappointed in Briam who left the path intended to be drwan into the weeds and brambles to be ensnared as some of the souls in pre-mortality were by Lucifer's cunningness. Damn. I would let Brian go if I was Julia. We'll see.
P.S. -I had a piece released today.
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reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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I am disappointed in Briam who left the path intended to be drwan into the weeds and brambles to be ensnared as some of the souls in pre-mortality were by Lucifer's cunningness. Damn. I would let Brian go if I was Julia. We'll see.
P.S. -I had a piece released today.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 23-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 24-Sep-2024
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Good thing he's not married to you! We'll get Julia's take on things in the next chapter.