Days of Becoming, Chapter 4

[talktooloose]

Wow, I finally got here. I swear to god, I thought this would be an easy chapter to write. I now know that I'm doomed to never find anything easy in this life because as soon as I acheive some kind of competence, I immediately set the bar higher.

Thanks again to my wonderful betas for asking the right questions. mofic got the subtext and nixed the kiss (blame her!). kuria_dalmatia's stubborn love of my story made her particularly passionate on structural issues. I went down a long rabbit-hole I didn't need to in response and then came halfway back to the original. I have to think before I edit!

The link will send you off to the DOB website, but the comment button at the end of the chapter will bring you back to LJ. Please comment; it gives me hope!

Chapter five is already underway.

Read Days of Becoming Chapter 4!

Or go to the DOB homepage!

Comments

[thisgirlhere666.livejournal.com]

thanks for the chapter! i love this story. i cant wait until the next one is done!

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading. I'm having a great time.

[painglass.livejournal.com]

!!!!! I think I just saw you in a video on You Tube! hahahah! Well, it made me think of you anyhow. Go here, enjoy the music, and guess which one I think looks like your pictures. :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkCfh7ayDms&search=ok%20go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5zWaTEVkI

Still no internet here. When i get a working computer at home I plan to sit and read everything you've been doing in the last few weeks- comic, writing, and all. :)

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Oh, you mean the sexy one in the wingtips? Oh, you mean the bald guy. LOL, I've seen this before. It's awesome.

Sorry I've not been commenting. Life is unspeakably busy and I've become a very distant friend to many.

[painglass.livejournal.com]

Hey, don't worry, I've not been posting enough to warrent replies since my computer died 3 weeks ago.

[stand-ford.livejournal.com]

God, i'd been waiting this chapter for like...forever! It seems like years ago since i read the first three chapters...And it the waiting was worth it!!
I just hope chapter five comes a little faster than this....but you're rocking!

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Can't promise my pace will improve but I will not abandon the novel. Especially since I now know how it ends!!

Thanks for reading.

[strumquill.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you were writing a book...too!

Mine has been going along fro almost two years now, but I'm still into it, one chapter a month, halfway through.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/codystrum/write/IdolBoyz/

ALso unedited form. (and I am only putting the first ten chapters)

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Yes, reading Idol Boyz is definitely on my list. I want to get a used PDA so I can easily take digital novels on the bus.

You've seen the X-Men films, right? Check out a chapter of my novel and see if you like it.

[train-diskense.livejournal.com]

I've waited so long for this chapter to come out and I have not been disappointed. I find myself deeply loving Mike. ^-^

I liked the different powers you scattered around and loved all the Pyro and Bobby interaction. Bobby's though process made me giggle a lot. Like when he thought Scott was the professor.

I find myself becoming attached to Andi as well. ^-^ You are an amazing writer and I hope you update. Soon. Very soon, preferrably.

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Very soon is difficult, but soon is possible!

I enjoyed making up my mutants and keeping some of their powers a mystery. Ben will be back; I'm not sure about the others. I was tempted to make Lynn Chinese and name her Lin. Then the doppleganger would have been "Nil". But that seemed too obvious. Too comic-book!

Andi has an adventure coming up in a few chapters. I think Mike might be involved in it, too. They both seem to be popular and I mustn't let them drop off the radar!

Thanks for reading.

[zero-tourniquet.livejournal.com]

Yay! An update!

OMG! Must I tell you how much I loved the way John entered the story?

He pulled the cigarette from his mouth, exhaled a large puff of smoke and smirked, “Is this ‘Cancer?’”

Stunned silence reigned for a moment before Andi answered, “No, this is…”

“Just kidding,” he grinned at her, though the grin wasn’t meant to appease. “I’m here for the merry mutant meeting.”

That was just too awesome. lol. But I guess Bobby could of been all like: yeah, yes it is, cancer indeed. You knopw, cause of that guy outside calling them cancer.

But yeah, best chapter yet! I loved all the John and Bobby parts! I really like how you write John.

Guess Bobby will figure out that St. John is the same person from the chat room now cause of how he signed the poem and the same name he used in the chat.

And yes! can't wait for the next part!

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

My writing of John owes a lot to the great fic-writers I've enjoyed. But I do see him differently than the others. Those variations are the meat of any fandom.

Yeah, I think Bobby realized St. John = St. John as soon as he read the signature on the poem. Part of me wishes I had been able to keep that as a surprise. My beta wanted that, but I HAD to bring John in chapter 1. It seemed important.

Thanks for reading.

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

beautiful icon, btw.

[redknot.livejournal.com]

how are you?
i keep forgetting to check this journal.
love!!

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Not much happens in this journal, actually. But do check out the latest post and weigh in my music history question.

[redknot.livejournal.com]

hah, i already did! :)

[judas-denied.livejournal.com]

I have just sat here rooted to my comp reading this wonderful fic. You've got me hooked to say the least! It's really fabulous and the last bit of the last chapter was grand. Mmm and you got St. John's snark and combative nature down perfectly I think.

I am wondering if you could maybe direct me to some more of your fics? I'd be thrilled to read them.

*sounds like a fangirl*does not mind in this instance*

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot. I'm writing chapter 5 now and we'll learn more about what Johnny's up to when he's not snarking at mutant youth meetings. "Mutant youth meetings." Try saying that 10 times fast.

My total fic history:

1. "Democracy Frozen" (http://members.shaw.ca/serenity_ca4/authors/talktooloose_index.html). A stand-alone Bobby/John fic and my first ever. Canon mistakes and a too-pat resolution but I'm proud of the writing. Written in response to the 2004 American elections. Johnny with a boner and attitude. The fic does not fit into the timeline of Days of Becoming at all.

2. Various 100-word drabbles written in x_men100. I'll post them on my fic site at some point.

3. Days of Becoming

Not a lot for you, sorry! But thanks for reading.

[mandlebars.livejournal.com]

love it dude

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Hold tight for more. I'm writing, writing...

[forty-licks.livejournal.com]

:D delightful read!

Its fuckign great to see someone taking their own ideas St john/bobby right from the begining, ive been looking for fics that deal with the first manifestation of powers in depth rather than in passing, and that fact that this has that, promises to be novel length (my personal fav length, with the joys of slash, and low and behold the long considerd missing from many-a-fandom *coughHPcough* PLOT!

It makes me smile to read a good meaty fic. If only more good writers would get teh balls to do something epic and leave their mark!

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Yes, manifestation is fun and powerful to write. I haven't got St. John's totally clear yet, but it's not as devastating as Bobby's. Some fics have him accidentally killing his parents and stuff, but my John's tragedies are of human dimension.

And plot? I got more plot than you can shake a stick at! Hoo boy!

There are quite a few good epic writers around and they are my role models:

Mo, Minisinoo, to_cry_about, kuria_dalmatia, domenika.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

go on and write soon

[(Anonymous)]

im just like...whoa O.O
this fic of yours is great...
i was consumed by it i just couldnt stop reading till i finished the available chapters...
`n believe me, you created something and youre goin to finish it `k?
cause if you dnt ill have to burn you up alive ¬¬ (yeah yeah, sure )
nah, im inoffensive, but please write fast and soon
ill be waitin
so...thats it
take care
see ya

Re: go on and write soon

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness, that's so nice. That kind of encouragement is awesome.

Chapter 5 is almost ready to go. My betas, who are brilliant, are also incredibly busy people and I have not got back all the comments and done the fixes. I think it will be up latest Sept. 29.

Write fast? Not likely, but I will write steady.

Re: go on and write soon

[forty-licks.livejournal.com]

ITS OCT 1st!!!! IM CLINGING ONTO THE EDGE OF MY SEAT!!!

ARRGGHHHHH

sorry, had bit of a moment there. Chap 5 done yet? i don't think i can quite take the lack of good fanfic around atm! Please save us.

*runs off to reread DOB*

Re: go on and write soon

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

First of all...

Your icon is so great it defies description.

Okay, here's what happened: I wrote 11,000 words of Chapter 5 and then sent it to my wise betas who unanimously agreed that it was really two chapters trying to pass as one. So I've cut it in two and I have to flesh out each half. I'm almost done with the new Ch. 5 but I want the betas to see it one more time as I've added new material.

The good news is, as a result of the split, Chapter 6 is mostly written. I will concentrate exclusively on finishing 5 and posting before I solve the problems of 6 but I will try to have them up within a month of each other instead of my usual two months.

Thanks for your patience.

WOW~ This IS REALLY Good

[asm613.livejournal.com]

I've read the previous chapters and enjoyed them immensely. It's the first story I've read that seems to start from b4 the beginning. But this chapter was remarkable; which is why i decided to leave a comment now.
Your words are very powerful and descriptive. I could imagine feeling the feelings of your characters as i was reading your words. Almost as if your talent had breathed life into them; and since they lived, I reacted. If that makes any sense to you. I really like the way you had the initial conflict of divorce which caused Bobby to go to the support group on the web. How he met St. John on the web without yet knowing it. And then again in New York at the support group, he met St. John again without really knowing it. The instant connection/attraction Bobby felt for him; which seemed to be mutual. And St. John's poem gifted to Bobby about Fire looking for a friend being a glimpse into the future friendship. I'm assuming Bobby is going to recognize the name St John signed at the bottom of the poem as being the same one he met on the web.And all the other hints you gave for Bobby to recognize that the Pyro he met in New York is the same person he met on the internet... I noticed how you also tied the internet meeting with St. John and the Gifted poem from St. John as another way for Bobby (and us) to recognize that St. John from the meeting is the same St. John from the internet. By using the story of the green girl on the internet, the poem on the internet from St. John about the green girl;and the gifted poem to Bobby from St. John written in green ink. (I'll have to wait and see until i read the next chapter). You've managed alot of symbolism of the way things currently are and of the way things will be in the future. There are too many good points to speak of so far in your story that i can't list them all; and i have trouble finding ways to put them all into words. It's 5am and i still can't find the willpower to stop reading. I wanted you to know how much i appreciated the time and effort that you put into creating this story. Your sharing your gift and talent for writing is a gift to all of us who read your work.

[dutchxfan.livejournal.com]

The speech by the preacher was awesome. It made me wanna kick him in the balls. There is so much of the same stupidity going on in the real world. If you're not 'normal' according to the mass out there, there must be something 'wrong' with you. Tragic.

I'm gonna take a break now, but I'm going to continue reading soon, I hope :)

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Yeah, take a break! I've written something like 200,000 words so far. No need to read it in one day!

Those street preachers with the cheap mikes have such a particular sound! And bad suits, too. I'm off to NYC in 10 days and there are lots of them preaching hate there on street corners. All part of the local colour.