Comment from Pam Lonsdale

Excellent

And now Johnny will forever be throwing his food at the table, lol!

$100K for a violin? And I thought Porsches were expensive!

Okay, Jim, I have to admit that I find Marie's sudden change in character to be almost like reading a fantasy. In fact, as I began to read that she was warming to Brian's pitch and holding back a smile, I thought it was a dream scene. And the food fight ... the Marie I know would be horrified that so much mess was being made.

I don't know what your other reviewers had to say, but it seemed an awfully quick make-up session for so many years of bad feelings.

xo
Pam

 Comment Written 09-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 09-Dec-2024

I actually agree with you that it was a quick makeup session, but personally, as the author, I had no desire to draw out their rift any longer. You probably knew that eventually she would come around; I made a conscious decision to make it sooner rather than later. Do I sacrifice some believability? Perhaps, but this is just one aspect of a long and complicated story that I didn't want to draw an inordinate amount of attention to. Get it over with and move on. That was my thinking.

I won't be changing her personality too much. She will still be snobbish, and think her mean thoughts; she just may use a little more restraint in voicing them now.

As far as the food fight goes, she just hurled a piece of toast at him. I don't think she had the intention of starting a full-scale attack until she saw Julia join right in. When she scored a direct hit with a soggy waffle to his face, then it became too delicious to pass up.

Comment from Wendy G

Excellent

Well that is a surprise - I thought Marie would refuse any sort of reconciliation, and I never would have thought she'd enjoy taking part in a food fight! Lol. A fun chapter and well written. Good to hear that Marie and Julia are playing violin together - you obviously know a lot about violin playing as well. Great chapter. I enjoyed the music clips as well.
Wendy

 Comment Written 09-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 09-Dec-2024

Thanks, Wendy. I'm glad you were surprised and amused; that was the intention. Totally believable? Probably not, but I didn't feel like drawing out their rift any further.

My knowledge of violins is not as great as you think. My son played the viola, so I know a little bit about stringed instruments, but research had to go into this chapter. I just found out there is actually no such violin maker as Joseph White. My bot, Poe, made a mistake. Joseph White is a luthier, but makes guitars, not violins. But I think I'll just leave it that way. Who's going to know or care?

reply by Wendy G on 09-Dec-2024

Exactly right. On both counts you are in charge. And Joseph White is a common enough name for there to be one who crafts violins.

Comment from Lea Tonin1

Exceptional

Hi, Jim. I have the privilege of looking at your first chapters yet which I shall do for sure. Reading this one I can tell that you've got serious riding chops! You are articulate descriptive and great dialogue to punctuations way better than I do.That's for sure! I think you've done marvely well and if this chapter is an indication of the others, I will thoroughly enjoy these then too!

 Comment Written 08-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 09-Dec-2024

Hi, Lea. Thanks so much for this wonderful review and the 6 stars. I'm happy you've found the story. This is a sequel to my previous story that featured Brian's long and sometimes torturous route to creating his non-addictive painkiller. Short of reading all the chapters to catch up, you could shortcut the process by reading the chapter recaps that I have in each chapter for the previous one. They are detailed enough to give you the main plot lines.

This story has two main plot lines as told by three different characters: Brian's sister Fran who is an FBI agent, Dana Padgett who appeared in two of my previous golf novels, and Marie Schmidt who is Julia's misanthropic mother who was also in the previous novel. The first main plot line is the discovery that Brian's first attempt at a new drug, which turned out to be highly addictive, has gotten out to the general public, and now it needs to be stopped before it wrecks the country. The other main plot concerns Big Pharma's reaction to Brian's second, successful drug that is currently undergoing human trials. They want to stop it because it threatens to replace their big cash cow--opioids.

The three main characters will weave their way through these two plot lines in varying degrees.

Comment from Carol Hillebrenner

Exceptional

What a way to break the ice! Brian did a great job of yucking up their amusing apologies. I can't believe Marie threw the first piece of toast. It will be nice for them to now have a pleasant relationship.

 Comment Written 08-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 09-Dec-2024

Thanks so much, Carol. I'm so glad you enjoyed this surprising chapter. Thanks very much for those 6 stars too. I'm not sure Marie had the intention of starting a full-scale food fight until Julia joined in. Then it became too irresistible to stop.

Comment from Ric Myworld

Exceptional

I have to admit, it wasn't exactly what I had pictured happening so soon, if at all. But even I, a lover of conflict and discontentment in stories, enjoy those happy softhearted moments too. Thanks for sharing.

 Comment Written 08-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 09-Dec-2024

Thanks so much, Ric, and for those 6 stars too. Yes, I threw a surprising curve here, but I didn't feel like prolonging Julia and Marie's angst any further. Time to get on with the job of a more normal relationship. So glad you enjoyed it.

Comment from Wayne Fowler

Excellent

Very nice writing.
I recognized several of the artists in the 'Foggy Mountain Breakdown'. Only generally speaking, Blue Grass is played without percussion.
Best wishes.

 Comment Written 08-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 09-Dec-2024

Thanks, Wayne. Yes, that was definitely a jazzier version of that banjo classic. I really liked hearing the renditions of it on different instruments.

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

I love Steve Martin's playing! And yes, that's a bluegrass classic! Thanks for including the music. I knew the bluegrass but not that Bach piece.
I liked how you used Brian to launch the reconciliation. That's more believable and natural. And Marie's grandmotherly instincts are kicking in!
I think Julia could have tried the mandolin first because the tuning for the mandolin is the same for the violin.

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 Comment Written 08-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 09-Dec-2024

Thanks so much, Helen. Since Brian was probably the main cause of the rift in the first place, I felt it would be cool if he were the one to help end it.

We will see some more thawing of Marie's heart as she spends more time with Johnny.

I think Julia is one of those natural musicians who can pick just about anything up quickly and learn to play it well. Maybe I'll get her to learn the bagpipes next!

Comment from shad blunt

Excellent

Love this chapter, sorry that I am picking this up know halfway through.
It's a wonderful reminder that when we make amendments of the past. On how the music comes to be beautifully played for others to enjoy. Holding on to resentments only stunts are growth to forgive one another, especially ourselves.
I am going to listen to some music as I review some more. Wishing that I only had the previous chapters to read. Shadrach

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 Comment Written 08-Dec-2024

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reply by the author on 09-Dec-2024

Welcome to the story, Shad. It can be tough to jump into the middle of a story, bit if you're truly interested in catching up, you could do it fairly quickly by reading just the chapter recaps that I provide with each new chapter. You can access the table of contents of the novel by clicking on the >>> link next to the partial chapter list links at the top of the screen. That will get you to the list of chapters and you can bring up each one. If you start with chapter 2, which has a recap of chapter 1, then when you finish reading the recap, you'll also see a link for chapter 3 at the top where you can read the recap of chapter 2, and so on.

reply by shad blunt on 09-Dec-2024

Thank you