I Love You, But
A father's final gift46 total reviews
Comment from GWHARGIS
OMG!! I had to grab a dish towel to wipe my eyes while reading. This was incredible. A woman, polished and professional, reduced to her father's little girl all by a letter. Wonderfully descriptive lines that I could see. The skid marks of mascara. The perfectly wrapped package. This was magic. I was so happy when at the end she finally understood why he had rejected her manuscript. Her father was larger than life in her eyes and apparently in his as well. He would not accept his own mortality. Her writing about something that mirrored what was happening, too much to take. But illness has a way of humbling you. It makes you appreciate life. Both big things and small things. This was incredible. Please, please,please don't leave Fanstory. Screw the contests. Your work is so good. I look forward to every post. Please think about it. Gretchen
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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OMG!! I had to grab a dish towel to wipe my eyes while reading. This was incredible. A woman, polished and professional, reduced to her father's little girl all by a letter. Wonderfully descriptive lines that I could see. The skid marks of mascara. The perfectly wrapped package. This was magic. I was so happy when at the end she finally understood why he had rejected her manuscript. Her father was larger than life in her eyes and apparently in his as well. He would not accept his own mortality. Her writing about something that mirrored what was happening, too much to take. But illness has a way of humbling you. It makes you appreciate life. Both big things and small things. This was incredible. Please, please,please don't leave Fanstory. Screw the contests. Your work is so good. I look forward to every post. Please think about it. Gretchen
Comment Written 27-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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Well, you're writing War and Peace, so how can I?!!
Thanks for this wonderful review. You totally get every single part of what I intended to convey. That is so satisfying!! xo
Comment from Wendy G
What an amazing story, very moving. The reader could identify with Tessa in her distress, and then at each step as the reality was revealed. Some fathers don'tknow how to express love, for sure, but it was wonderful that he had the grace to explain and confess his self-preoccupation, and to try to make amends, and to show in a practical way that he believed in her. Very well written.
Wendy
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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What an amazing story, very moving. The reader could identify with Tessa in her distress, and then at each step as the reality was revealed. Some fathers don'tknow how to express love, for sure, but it was wonderful that he had the grace to explain and confess his self-preoccupation, and to try to make amends, and to show in a practical way that he believed in her. Very well written.
Wendy
Comment Written 27-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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Thank you very much, Wendy, for this warm and "you get it completely" review. Thanks, too, for the additional star. Totally appreciated. Xo
Comment from Jay Squires
Rachelle, this is a marvelous post, one of the best things I've read on FanStory. You have a distinct voice, and it echoes even after I've finished reading. Your characters rise above the narrative and achieve their own rarified level of autonomy. It was amazing to me how one character, Tessa, carried the reader over the full dramatic arc with enough tension that the reader was thoroughly invested in her struggles through the loss of her father along with the diminution of her self-assurance as a writer.
A marvelous job that is worthy of a six but can only receive a five this late in the week.
Your star is rising!
Jay
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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Rachelle, this is a marvelous post, one of the best things I've read on FanStory. You have a distinct voice, and it echoes even after I've finished reading. Your characters rise above the narrative and achieve their own rarified level of autonomy. It was amazing to me how one character, Tessa, carried the reader over the full dramatic arc with enough tension that the reader was thoroughly invested in her struggles through the loss of her father along with the diminution of her self-assurance as a writer.
A marvelous job that is worthy of a six but can only receive a five this late in the week.
Your star is rising!
Jay
Comment Written 26-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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Wow. Because of you, I'll now have to live outside for the crest of my life because my head will no longer fit through any doors. Oh well, trade-offs, don'tcha know...
Thank you for this beautiful, encouraging review. They really impacted my heart. Thank you. Xo
Comment from nor84
beautifully written! This is the first six star review I've given in years, because most of the writing on fanstory doesn't deserve six stars or even three stars. This one does deserve six. Best of luck with it.
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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beautifully written! This is the first six star review I've given in years, because most of the writing on fanstory doesn't deserve six stars or even three stars. This one does deserve six. Best of luck with it.
Comment Written 26-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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I'm crying. This is such an incredibly bolstering review. I could not appreciate it more. Thank you very, very much. Xo
Comment from WalkerMan
Many parents, especially perfectionist fathers, express their love for a son or daughter through excessive strictness of their own principles, and their offspring either do their best in hope of approval or rebel even to the point of utter failure. This story presents a lifetime of the former by a daughter who greatly admires her father's success but is never satisfactorily praised for her efforts until his last message to her after he realizes he had been harder on her than necessary or appropriate. What a blessing it is to her to know he finally admitted the truth, acknowledged his overly strict attitude, and rewarded her accomplishment by publishing her book he had formerly criticized so excessively. This eye-mister conveys an important lesson to parents who criticize rather than praise and encourage.
Superb, and aptly illustrated.
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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Many parents, especially perfectionist fathers, express their love for a son or daughter through excessive strictness of their own principles, and their offspring either do their best in hope of approval or rebel even to the point of utter failure. This story presents a lifetime of the former by a daughter who greatly admires her father's success but is never satisfactorily praised for her efforts until his last message to her after he realizes he had been harder on her than necessary or appropriate. What a blessing it is to her to know he finally admitted the truth, acknowledged his overly strict attitude, and rewarded her accomplishment by publishing her book he had formerly criticized so excessively. This eye-mister conveys an important lesson to parents who criticize rather than praise and encourage.
Superb, and aptly illustrated.
Comment Written 26-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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Salesman, you know how important your reviews are to me, and I know you are very selective with six stars. So these words and the extra star mean the world. Thank you SO very much. Xo
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"Salesman"? Anyway, you are most welcome, Rachelle. Your post is likely the most thorough account of a perfectionist parent versus an offspring trying desperately to meet just-out-of-reach standards that keep rising as prior requirements are met.
From your long experience dealing with creative children and their often over-aspiring parents, you are well qualified to write such a story. :)) -- Mike
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Oh, geez! That was Autocorrect @ work, and I didn't proofread my work! Lol. Sorry, WALKERMAN!
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Ha! No harm done. I never use Autocorrect because of such errors programmed into it. If this amusement saves you from such when it really matters, it has been worth my moment of confusion. :))
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Thanks! Once, because of Autocorrect, a piano mom texted me that she needed to cancel her daughter's "herpes." I wrote back, "Oh wow! I didn't even know that was an option!" She was initially horrified, but then it gave us a really good laugh.
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Hmm. You never know what is hidden in apps these days. :))
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
This is a wonderful, achingly emotional story that is as good as anything I've ever read in a magazine. I think Harper's Magazine (if it survived the pandemic) has a contest once a year that you could win with this.
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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This is a wonderful, achingly emotional story that is as good as anything I've ever read in a magazine. I think Harper's Magazine (if it survived the pandemic) has a contest once a year that you could win with this.
Comment Written 26-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 27-Nov-2022
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Holy Moley. I love you for this review. Thank you for being so extremely supportive and encouraging. I will check it out for sure. Thank you, Carol. Xo
Comment from T B Botts
Hello Rachelle,
This is fiction, but it reads like non-fiction. What an imagination. Well done on the story line. Your ability to draw the reader in to feel the strong emotions you've written is wonderful. I wish I had a six, this is certainly worth it.
Have a blessed evening.
Tom
reply by the author on 26-Nov-2022
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Hello Rachelle,
This is fiction, but it reads like non-fiction. What an imagination. Well done on the story line. Your ability to draw the reader in to feel the strong emotions you've written is wonderful. I wish I had a six, this is certainly worth it.
Have a blessed evening.
Tom
Comment Written 26-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 26-Nov-2022
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What a great review this is. Thank you for making me feel all KINDS of encouraged here. Xo
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You're welcome gal.
Comment from Ricky1024
Very touching with a perfect ending.
To give up on oneself.
But then to reinvent?
This was well written rich in Theme and Imagery.
It also, read well and Flowed well with No Grammar Issues.
...
Complete Synopsis:
The Adjective and Objective Contents were both Excellent and Exceptional while Descriptive Measures Aligned most Perfectly.
Doctor Ricky1024
reply by the author on 26-Nov-2022
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Very touching with a perfect ending.
To give up on oneself.
But then to reinvent?
This was well written rich in Theme and Imagery.
It also, read well and Flowed well with No Grammar Issues.
...
Complete Synopsis:
The Adjective and Objective Contents were both Excellent and Exceptional while Descriptive Measures Aligned most Perfectly.
Doctor Ricky1024
Comment Written 26-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 26-Nov-2022
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Thank you, DoctorRicky!
Comment from Susan Newell
Rachelle,
This deserves a six. Your rich vocabulary and allusions have captured both the emotions and the messages of a father- daughter relationship that I fear may be common. Your title is perfect and the plot for resolution is equal to it. I have pulled just a couple of my favorite parts and made a couple notes.
Sue
It's the embodiment of my father, this package he has bestowed from beyond the grave, corseted so tightly that all eight corners appear to have been professionally creased. Like with me, he has pressed them into submission without so much as a hair's breadth of wiggle room. ******
A cream-colored, high-grade parchment envelope falls onto the table like a flag of surrender upon a battlefield. ******
At this point, my hands are tremoring so furiously -- tremor is not a verb; I believe ==> trembling
referred to it as my 'defense mechanism.' -- Why not double quotes?
reply by the author on 26-Nov-2022
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Rachelle,
This deserves a six. Your rich vocabulary and allusions have captured both the emotions and the messages of a father- daughter relationship that I fear may be common. Your title is perfect and the plot for resolution is equal to it. I have pulled just a couple of my favorite parts and made a couple notes.
Sue
It's the embodiment of my father, this package he has bestowed from beyond the grave, corseted so tightly that all eight corners appear to have been professionally creased. Like with me, he has pressed them into submission without so much as a hair's breadth of wiggle room. ******
A cream-colored, high-grade parchment envelope falls onto the table like a flag of surrender upon a battlefield. ******
At this point, my hands are tremoring so furiously -- tremor is not a verb; I believe ==> trembling
referred to it as my 'defense mechanism.' -- Why not double quotes?
Comment Written 26-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 26-Nov-2022
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Thank you, Sue, for always helping me so much --both by letting me know the parts that landed with you, as well as where improvements need to go. You've been such a helpful reviewer since you came to this site. Xo
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Always welcome, Rachelle.
Comment from Debbie Pope
Oh, your writing always moves me. It's because you have such a gift with words and an uncanny understanding of human nature. Plus, you write about what I long to read--women's struggle to get by and thrive. This story does not contain the humor that I love in your works, but I love the sensitivity of this piece. What a remarkable display of true love. I believe that no one loves like a parent. That's what your story tells me.
Such a wonderful read.
reply by the author on 26-Nov-2022
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Oh, your writing always moves me. It's because you have such a gift with words and an uncanny understanding of human nature. Plus, you write about what I long to read--women's struggle to get by and thrive. This story does not contain the humor that I love in your works, but I love the sensitivity of this piece. What a remarkable display of true love. I believe that no one loves like a parent. That's what your story tells me.
Such a wonderful read.
Comment Written 26-Nov-2022
reply by the author on 26-Nov-2022
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I love receiving reviews from you. They are so full of warmth and expressiveness, and they help me immensely. Thank you for another wonderful, bolstering hug. Xo