Comment from ShirleyT1

Excellent

Thanks for sharing this beautiful tribute as well as additional insight to the life of Mastery. Although I've only recently returned to FanStory, I remember him from my earlier days. I always enjoyed reading his material, and he was such an encouraging reviewer. I shall miss him!

 Comment Written 25-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 26-Jul-2021

Thank you, Shirley, for your beautiful and thoughtful review, and for the five stars. I've only been on this site less than two years, so I don't remember his early writing, but then enjoyed his deeply touching book on Amazon, "Falling Up the Stairs," and then discovered "Santa's Diary." He overcame so much, in life.
Thanks again. God bless you.
Love, Mary Kay xoxo

Comment from robyn corum

Excellent

Mary Kay,

Almost without fail (I think?), whenever I read you in prose I come away shaking my head.

Your writing is SO good! The friendly, pull-up-a-chair-n-sit-a-minute style with that easy, natural flow
sucks the poor reader right in from paragraph #1, and just teases* em.

Yeah. You got a gift, my friend. Try to be sure to use it for the Forces of Good and not Evil. *wink*

And, of course, I agree with pretty much everything about Bob. The PI stories are crazy-good. Master~ful, certainly. I was flabbergasted by, but loved, Falling Up... Wow. Made crazier for being based on real life!!

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for participating. I hope to read more prose from you in the near future, and I shall be watching for that.

~salute ~

 Comment Written 25-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 26-Jul-2021

Thank you, Robyn, for your stellar review, and your beautiful compliments (to both Bob and me). I was really bowled over by "Falling Up the Stairs" -- it was so incredibly sensitive and stark, all at once. I was saddened by Bob's loss, hoping, like so many, that he would pull through; diabetes ran in his family, and while I don't know his actual cause of death, we can only outrun certain conditions for so long.
Yes, I will do my very best to use my writing for the Forces of Good. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are here with me right now, reminding me :-)
Thank you so much for your top-notch encouragement! God bless you, my friend.
Love, Mary Kay xoxo

Comment from Elizabeth Emerald

Excellent

Fine tribute piece--the most extensive by far of the dozen I've read--point taken about promoting his work--perhaps you can ask Tom to arrange for a mass message that Bob died and suggesting they read the story.

 Comment Written 25-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 26-Jul-2021

Thanks very much, Liz, for your lovely and thoughtful review, and the five stars. Ralf said she's going to compile a collection of his poems and stories for his children, at his prior request. I don't know if that would include the Santa Diary and if it would eventually appear on FanStory, but that would cover it ... I guess I can ask her.
That's an interesting idea about a mass message, I just don't know. These things can be so sensitive in nature. I guess we'll see how things work out.
Thanks so much, and God bless you.
Love, Mary Kay xoxo

Comment from RGstar

Exceptional

Well done. He was a friend, and an excellent writer. We spoke much of his earlier years as a child...we had similar backgrounds in care as children.
A lovely tribute you wrote here. I only found out late as I was away from the site. It hit hard. I will donate a poem tomorrow.
My best wishes.
Bravo for these kind words.
My best wishes.
RGstar

 Comment Written 24-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 26-Jul-2021

Thank you so much for this exceptional and heartfelt review, and for the six stars. I'm sorry you lost a good friend; you had much in common -- not an easy start in life. May God bless you. Thanks again. - Mary Kay

Comment from pharp

Excellent

Mary Kay,

I have never had the pleasure of knowing Mastery, yet from all the tributes I have read, he was indeed a generous and kind man.

You did an exceptional job in your tribute honoring his memory; this is a very heartfelt and emotional read. Thanks for sharing your book review.
My prayers and sympathy are with his family during this difficult.

Thanks for sharing with us this loving and heartfelt tribute.

Hugs...Portia

 Comment Written 24-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 26-Jul-2021

Thank you for your beautiful five-star review, dear Portia. I appreciate your kind comments and observations. We are in agreement in prayer for his family, during this time of grief.
Blessings and love to you and your family,
Mary Kay xoxo

Comment from Sally Law

Excellent

Thank you, dear Mary Kay. Bob was a FanStory icon and will be missed by many.

I enjoyed Bob's older writings and have a signed copy of Falling Up The Stairs in my home library. I will cherish it forever. I've read it three times. I throughly enjoyed his Santa escapades too. He faithfully posted those at Christmas and made it more festive among our group. Good times! I had hoped things would turn around for him as well. I'm still praying for his family.
Sending you my best today and blessings always,
Sal XOs...

 Comment Written 24-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 26-Jul-2021

Thank you so much, dear Sally, for this lovely and excellent five-star review, and especially for filling me in on some of the background; I've only been with FanStory for less than two years.
He was certainly an icon here, and I'm grateful that Ralf introduced me to his most tender work, "Falling Up the Stairs," while he was still with us in this world. I didn't realize that he posted the Santa escapades during Christmas seasons, but of course, that makes the most sense. Yes, I'm still praying for his family, too. I think everyone was fervently hoping he would pull through...
May God bless you always, my dear friend.
Love, Mary Kay xoxo

Comment from Pearl Edwards

Excellent

I remember when he was writing, chapter by chapter, Falling up the stairs, and how emotional I found it knowing it was based on his early life. He wrote well both his detective series and true-life stories that he shared with us. Bob will be sorely missed.
thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 Comment Written 24-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 26-Jul-2021

Thank you, Pearl, for this excellent and thoughtful five-star review. Yes, we're sorry to see him go. It's touching that a number of FanStory members have expressed their thoughts, also, whether in poetry or in prose. God bless you. Love, Mary Kay xoxo

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

Thank you for this wonderful eulogy for Bob! And I remember his Santa stories. He had an amazing list of various jobs that he did over his life. And I did read his Falling Up the Stairs book while he posted it here. Appreciate how you celebrate Bob as a person and as a writer!

 Comment Written 24-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 25-Jul-2021

Thank you for your sweet review and the five stars, Helen. I was sad to see him go. Thank you for your very kind and thoughtful comments. Blessings and love, Mary Kay xoxo

Comment from amahra

Excellent

What a beautiful tribute to a fine writer and man. You really covered a lot of territory explaining in depth Bob's great character and what he meant to his fanstory family. Great blessings to you, Mary Kay. Your writing was heartfelt.

 Comment Written 24-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 24-Jul-2021

Thank you for your lovely review, the five stars and your thoughtful, meaningful comments. I was sad to see him go. May God bless you, too. Love, Mary Kay xoxo

Comment from Pam (respa)

Excellent

-A very nice image and
tribute, Mary Kay.
-Bob would be very pleased,
especially with the praise
for his books, and your
kind words.
-I didn't not know him well, but
I am reading the tributes people
are posting.
-An interesting bit if trivia is that
his FS name, Mastery, came from
looking at or using one of those
Master Locks, I think they are called.
-He had said he thought about
changing his name, but he had
been using it so long, he left it.
-Thanks for sharing your tribute.

 Comment Written 24-Jul-2021

---

reply by the author on 24-Jul-2021

Thank you very much, Pam. I appreciated your lovely review, the five stars and the information I didn't know before. I'm glad you liked the image, as it really seemed to fit him. God bless you.
Love, Mary Kay xoxo

reply by Pam (respa) on 25-Jul-2021

You are very welcome, Mary Kay. It was a very nice image, and Mastery would have liked it and your tribute very much.

reply by the author on 25-Jul-2021

Thanks again, Pam. It's a blessing to think so!

reply by Pam (respa) on 25-Jul-2021

You are welcome.