Grimmy- Sorry it took me days to respond. I’ve been out of town.



I’m lol that they won’t get bored with three kids: I’d say you’re right for sure about that. And yes, five year olds say the darnedest things. Tara had mentioned 2-3 kids so they are right on target.



I also liked the beginning the most, both reading and writing. Wow, that’s a complement about the paintings – thank you. And you are right, after the exciting beginning, Willow got sucked into everyday life. Hard to write and I hope not so hard to read. Thanks so much for all your feedback always.



Yvonne – Don’t worry about the feedback or lack thereof. I’m certainly guilty of reading lots of fics without ever dropping the author a line. Nonetheless, thanks for writing now. Thank you for your kind words.

Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment

Simply fantastic, fantastic, fantastic!



MJ

Thanks so much.



Could a moderator please move this to the completed fic archive? Thanks.

Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment

New to the archive. You can leave feedback!

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and i don't really care if you think i'm strange   /   i ain't gonna change

It truly has been a pleasure to read “Paths Diverged/Divulged”. I’m sorry I disappeared there in the end. I had to come back at least long enough to say thank you for writing this. Also, some belated congratulations on the birth of your son. I wish you and your family the best life has to offer.



Patty

Patty,

Welcome back girl. I saw your name in a thread the other day and was thrilled to see it. I'm glad you loved the story and thanks for the good wishes. The family is great and I've got a new one going in case you hadn't seen it.



Debra

Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment

Hey Debra!!



I don't post very much and im not as good with the words as many other kittens around here.. but I just felt I needed to tell you how much I adored your story. I read season 3 ya'll and paths all in a matter of days.. I was addicted and I am simply in with both fics. The way you capture the characters of Willow and Tara is just simply incredible and I think we all agree on that. I loved how you gave willows quirkyness much justice with her excessive willow babbling how adorable. I also enjoyed your cameos in paths and your tendancy to name the characters after the actors!! Very clever... your truly one of a kind Debra. You had me in tears at the beginning of paths..used up all the tissues in my house. I could probably go on forever about how much I love your writing but i guess I'll sum it up with just.. thankyou so much for sharing your gift with us. Its truly an amazing one.



Also i know im a little late lol but very big congratulations on your new I wish nothing but the best for you and your family



Thanks again Debra,

Jackie

Edited by: Warduke at: 6/20/04 2:43 pm

Words cannot describe how great this story is.



Being fairly new to "The K, The W, and The BW" site and fanfic, I struggled a little at first with the AU idea. And some I haven't been able to finish. But "Y'all" was recommended and I read it in one very long sitting. (Actually twice) Fantastic is all I can say. It just fit ya know?



And then I moved onto "Paths Diverged/Divulged". I struggled through the pain and tears of the first part because the end of Season 6 sucked beyond belief. Pushing through the angst I got deeper into the story and absolutely loved where you took it. I liked this Tara even though she wasn't the first, and the cross over between the two stories was very clever. The scattering of dirt at the end brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. This story is AWESOME and is indeed my favorite fanfic. Your writing is truly phenomenal!

Sorry it takes me so long to respond. I kind of tend to forget the fics on this board. So sorry for the delay.



WillowRTaraM1, Jackie – I think you do great with words and always enjoy your comments. I’m glad you liked both Y’all and Paths – they are meant as two halves of one story and I’m glad that works. And much as I’d like to say sorry about the Paths tears, I’m actually not. I like that the story touched you and brought out your emotions. Thanks for letting me be a part of that. You are welcome and thank you for your wonderful feedback. Never too late for congratulations. Thank you so much.



Irishgrl3 – Thank you so much. I’m glad that someone recommended these stories and that you liked them so much. Most of my writing is AU.



I’m very glad that you stuck it out through the beginning of Paths. You are right: I started that story at a very very low point and wanted to drive it home. I wanted to make sure that the reader could understand Willow’s desperation to go looking for the other Tara. I’m glad you could connect to the second Tara and appreciated the scattering of the dirt. Thanks so much.



As a blatant Plug, you can find my other stories at:



Turned



Two Days



Please: The Series(unfinished but serialized - you can read it without it being finished). NC-17.

Go Lance!

MoveOn.Org

American Civil Liberities Union

Woot, I read the sequel, and it too was wonderful. I happily found your fics at Mystic Muse and placed them onto my happy hard drive, so that I may forever have your wonderful works. Thanks for writing it!

-Ellen

Once again, you are the queen. I bow down before your greatness. This was just as addictive as Season 3 Y'all. I lost count of how many nights I stayed up later than I should have just to finish this. You depressed the hell out of me to begin, but of course you knew what you were doing. Bravo. A pity about no further sequels; I guess I'll just have to make do with everything else you write.

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That’s right: In order to make this event LESS popular, the female activists take off their tops and jog in front of onlookers. - Scott Adams, regarding the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona.

ExtraFlameh Candlelit – Again I say I apologize for the delay in responding. I’m glad you liked the sequel so much. This is probably my favorite of my fics. Mystic and Through the Looking Glass are both convenient places to get the stories because you don’t have to plow through the comments on every page. I’m glad that worked for you.

Darth Pacula – Hey. Welcome again. The queen and the king? Over in the current fics, I’m Elvis and have considered changing my screen name. See the link below for details. Sorry about the lost sleep but I’m glad you found the story so addictive. It is my favorite of my writing and I’m always excited when readers like it.

Imagine what it was like for those who read it “live.” They had to suffer through the beginning angst with nothing but my promises and the Kitten board rules to see them through.

There is a quite a bit of that. Current is Survivor – Ash Island which is about to wrap up. I could also recommend some very fine fics on the board so there will be no shortage of reading material. Thank you.

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Menorah Tales | Working It Out | Random Bits

Ummm i know this is a finished fic, but i just wanted to say BRAVO! I have no real criticism or anything to offer other than my congratualtions on one awesome fic. Thanks, shell

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My Wrath Is As Fearsome As My Countenance Is Splendid

Boadecia - Thank you so much. I'll tell you a little secret: It's my favorite of my fics. Glad to see you enjoyed it. Thanks for posting.

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Menorah Tales | Working It Out | Random Bits

I think i already send you some feedback from muse mystic cause the frist time i saw and readed this fic was on that site.
And yes i'm not original, but it's my favorite fic, and your are my favorite autor as well
I'm so glad you let me translate one of your fic (it's this one by the way).
it's very difficult, cause it's very very good and i don't want to waste it ! ! !
So i take my time (when i have time cause you know and i think i won't be the one to tell that being student and work it's not easy !)
You will be the first who will see my translation promise
Oh and i have to tell you
THANK YOU, yes a really really big thank for you and all the autors cause you make the dream keep doing.
By you all the love between Willow and Tara is still alive.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Auriam - You are very welcome and thank you for your fantastic feedback and your request. I hope you're enjoying it.

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Menorah Tales | Working It Out | Random Bits

Absolutely beautiful.... at first I was a bit miffed and confused about Willow just seeking this Tara to replace her other one, and still have some difficulty with the fact that they are two different people, that Willow loves them both,and that it isn't an insult to the memory of the first Tara.... I love these two together by the way, but it still makes me sad I guess... and confused. Which is probably a mark of great writing... I'm used to things being in black and white.... well, I know there's grey, but I'm used to being able to make things into black and white.... my friends constantly bug me about this, actually. I dunno. Maybe the grieving peroid Willow had didn't register in my mind as as long as it should have been (should probably go reread...) It was also kind of disappointing that there was no POV of buffy and company getting the letter, but it was probably better that way. The story completely stuck to Willow's view on things (and then later Tara's too!), which was tactful for something like this I suppose...

In any case, thanks so much for the recommendation! Or telling me that there was a happy ending! I should never have doubted you... Honestly though I would never have read it otherwise..... I get really into reading, and reading non-happy things equals a very depressed Lor... lol.

~Miss. Darkmoon

(By the by, does anyone else find it pathetic that I was the only person in my Planning class who knew who Tara Maclay WAS, let alone who played her, or is that just me? *shakes head*. Some people were asking me: Is that the red-haired witch?, and one person even had the gall to shout out 'Male or female?' ....grr. Going off caroling now...)

Miss. Darkmoon – Hello and thank you for taking a chance on reading this fic. I know you have reservations at first and I’m glad that you were able to come through those. I agree that the thought of Willow merely seeking a replacement is abhorrent and offensive. I think that at first, in her grief and pain, she thought she could succeed at that. But I think that she learned that this Tara is a Tara in her own right and she fell in love with her independently.

I think that confused is a fine way to feel about a situation or a fiction. It is confusing and not just because it’s reality. There was a reader who commented that she had a friend who was married and he lost his wife and later he remarried and how confusing and strange it was for him to have loved two women so completely. I would imagine that is always confusing.

How interesting that your friends accuse you of making things black and white. Is it something that bothers you? If not, then stand firm with it, I guess.

Buffy and co. Yes. I get that disappointment but I wanted to stick in this AU as this is where Willow is now committed. Does that make sense? To go back to Buffy and co. would be like admitting that Willow isn’t as committed as she should be. Don’t you think that we should be as committed as she is?

Thanks for trusting my recommendation. I hope you have a wonderful holiday.

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Menorah Tales | Working It Out | Random Bits

I read this fic a while ago, but I wanted to tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed both this and the prequal. I was a little confused as to how you were going to handle this alternate Tara, but it worked out beautifully. The tiny difference between them made two different people, but yet both were totally Tara. Congrats on a beautiful fic.

~Sara

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How far will she go to save her life?

Find out in Speak Easy

tazraven/Sara –Thanks so much. I’m glad that you enjoyed the way I handled the two parallel Taras. Certainly readers were nervous about it to start with but most who trusted me felt that it was worth it in the end. Thanks so much for the feedback.

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Menorah Tales | Working It Out | Random Bits

i never replied when this wonderful fic was active but I have re-read it again so Im leaving you a re-ply now.

willowhand - Thanks so much. I'm glad you liked it.

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Menorah Tales | Working It Out | Random Bits

Debra,

Right, its me again. I had to comment on the sequel as well. Since Y'all wasn't even finished when I left the board I had the added treat of getting to read this piece.

What a brilliant curve you threw, missy. It was set up very nicely. It was so nice how in the end this was Willow's destiny all along. Also, as I think I've said before all the referances to physical thearpy were nice to read seeing as that is the field I am going into when I graduate... *sigh* almost finished. In general it was brilliant.

-Brea

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"You are an octagon of evil. That is eight sides of badness."

Brea – Hello again. Well, I’m thrilled that you found this story too. I have to admit that with the exception of my current (unfinished but nearly complete) story Waiting for Dani, this is the story that I consider to be my best long fiction.

Wow. That has been a long time. I think about everything that has happened during the course of that fic and it amazes me. While writing/posting Paths, we got my wife pregnant, my mother died, and my son was born. That really encompasses quite a few of the more major milestones in my life up to this point. And my son is 3.25 years old so it’s been a while since I finished it…

I kind of wish I could say that I had planned both stories out together but that would be just blatantly untrue. I’ve had readers say that it was obvious that W/T Season 3 was just set up for this one but really, I had the idea for Paths over the course of about 3 hours very close to the time that I finished S3.

Yes, saying that this was Willow’s destiny all along is both beautiful and a little sad to me. But it’s quite true. I’m glad you liked the PT stuff. I have known some PTs and they are just such powerful and inspiring and helpful people. I’m glad that’s your goal. Great for you.

Thanks.

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Menorah Tales | Working It Out | Random Bits

yup....still an awesome story...no matter how many times I read it.

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Frivolous Views

Thanks, Car. I'm actually rereading it myself. I'm up to Tara's birthday.

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Menorah Tales | Working It Out | Random Bits

Debra!

What a positively radiant story you shared with us. I actually finished it over a week ago but haven't found the time to leave feedback. My mind is whirling with your gift, Deb, and I'm so grateful that you take the time to write these stories and share them with us. I'm serious. I enjoyed W/T Season 3, but Paths was better.

I was shocked to find you skimming so much history in the very first post, and even more shocked to find our Tara dead by Warren. You didn't leave me in suspense for too long, though, as I voraciously kept reading and discovered Willow's plan. It actually made perfect sense to me. I was a little concerned that Willow was just trying to fit in a puzzle piece, to make a new Tara fit into her old life, but that was just part of Willow's healing process, wasn't it?

I absolutely loved their first moments together in the clinic. When Tara looked up and said, "Willow," my heart just about died. You brought us through their relationship so patiently, so carefully, that every step made sense to me, and I wallowed in it. One night I stayed up until 2 am because I just could not stop reading!

I didn't know that you could create a Tara that I loved more than the first, but I guess I was just like Willow. This Tara seemed even more caring, more confident, and generally more amazing than the first. She took the serious curveball of her accident with Chestnut and used it as a catalyst to improve her life. It was a concept that hit close to home for me, and I admired her for it. And I admire you for portraying it so honestly.

I was wondering if you were ever going to peek back into Willow's old world, especially as Tara's nightmares never ended. I wondered if she was seeing their battles with the First, as she saw so much else. By the way, wonderful invention, Deb. The connection of this Tara with Willow's old world was sublime, and I loved reading it. The erotic pictures, the horror pictures, the nightmares; I could see that this Tara was vibrating on an ethereal frequency with Willow all along. And vice versa. Learning that the first Tara had known when Chestnut died, that sent shivers down my spine.

I'm glad that Willow committed to stay in the new world with Tara. You're right, it would have weakened things if you had changed that, even though I do wish I could have known what Buffy and everyone else thought of Willow's letter. They must have missed her terribly. Maybe they didn't survive their fight with the First without her. Hmm, brain's a whirling...

I've still got quite a stack of your fics to get through, but I'm very grateful I read this one. I think I'm on to Survivor - Ash Island next. What shall I read after that? (As if I could ever run out of reading material here...)

Kudos, Deb.

Phoenix

Phoenix – What fun it is for me to have a reader such as yourself going back through all my fics. It allows me the chance to reflect on each of them, my motivations, how my skills have changed (I hope grown), and what was going on in my life personally. I think you generally read on LG but if you read this one here, you would come across notes regarding two of the most significant events of my life which always strikes me on re-reading.

Still, you want to talk about the fic (enough about me, let’s talk about my fic, tee hee).

Thank you for your praise. I certainly understand about not having the time to post feedback in a timely manner and I know what you’ve had going on so thanks for reading and posting and don’t worry about the week.

I’d say that is and was overwhelmingly the most popular response to that first chapter. I think that you’re right that willow started out thinking that Tara would be a replacement and would just fit into Willow’s life and plans. She had to learn that that was not possible or reasonable.

Thank you. I wanted that moment to leave the reader wondering what was meant by that word just as Willow was. It sounds like that worked.

Thanks for that.

Thanks so much. I thought so much about “adversity breeds success” and going through fire and things like that in creating this Tara. I wanted her to be a person who had been forced to become much stronger and more powerful through 1. not having Willow but being obsessed and 2. the accident and everything that entailed. I love the first Tara but I wanted someone even stronger and more passionate.

I’m glad you liked the portal to the other world aspect here both for newTara through the dreams and art and oldTara through the knowledge of Chestnut’s death. I didn’t want to overdo it but the connection remained for them even when they were separated.

I totally get that but I wanted to leave it open to everyone. You can imagine whatever scenario or scenarios you would like. Be creative. Oh, wait you already are.

You compliment me by working through my catalog (as it were). I guess next read School Days just because it’s fun.

Thanks so much.

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Uh huh...this one too. Though I think this was my 7th time for this one.

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Frivolous Views

Did you reread Hellebore too? Tee hee. Seven times really says something. I would guess that tempest Fugit S7 is probably the only fic I've read 7 times. Not to give you homework, but I really recommend Waiting for Dani. It's my favorite of my stuff.

Thanks, always.

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