Comment from Cecilia A Heiskary

Excellent

Jim,

This was a nice epilogue with a bad twist for Marie. She was coming around and you pinged her with cancer. That was a big surprise. Hopefully she'll go into remission, so she can enjoy her grandchildren.

Well done my friend

I haven't had a chance to look at that email. I have tomorrow off and will did into it and get back to you.

Cecilia

 Comment Written 08-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 09-Apr-2025

Thanks so much, Cecilia. Yes, it hardly seems fair that Marie made such strides in her personal life throughout the tale, only to be struck with cancer at the end, but life isn't always fair. I haven't yet decided what will happen to her in the final story of this trilogy, but I've got a lot of time to think about it, because I will begin posting another book before that one in about 10 days.

Thanks for your great support throughout, my friend. I always enjoy your comments.

Comment from eliz100

Exceptional

I can not give six stars to every chapter, but your book is a six-star book. Marie's cancer leaves this reader wanting to read the next book. I do not see any need for improvement. Have a blessed day.

 Comment Written 08-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Apr-2025

Thanks so much, Lee, for your kind support and generous reviews. I really appreciate the 6 stars you gave the novel as a whole.

I'll be presenting another novel before the final one in the "Devil" series, so you'll have to wait a while for it, but I hope you'll enjoy the next one, which should be a bit more fun.

Comment from LJbutterfly

Exceptional

Congratulations on the completion of a riveting novel of pharmaceutical development and corruption. Your research and comprehensive explanations of drug manufacturing processes made the story clear and easy to understand.

I enjoyed all of your characters, especially Marie, who started out a villain but ended up a star. I could relate to the basic plot to develop a non-addictive pain killer. If Glyptophan was actually available, I would be asking my doctor to prescribe it for my chronic back pain.

Most of all, I enjoyed the happy family ending, despite Marie's illness to be delt with in a future novel..

 Comment Written 07-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 07-Apr-2025

Thank you very much, Lorraine. I'm so appreciative of your fine reviews and wonderful support throughout this story. And I certainly appreciate the 6 stars too.

The next novel will be a change of pace before the final "Devil" story and should be a bit of fun.

Comment from Carol Hillebrenner

Exceptional

I have thoroughly enjoyed this exciting and entertaining book. You have drawn good people doing the best they can in a very realistic way, even when times get tough. It is so nice Marie became a real human being. Brian has created a very necessary drug and with his sister's help has destroyed the plants needed to make the addictive form of his drug. I'm looking forward to your next book.

 Comment Written 07-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 07-Apr-2025

Thank you so much, Carol, for your excellent review and your kind gift of 6 stars for this story. I'm looking forward to the third book in the series, but there will be another one first that will be quite a bit lighter and have a very different tone than these serious medical stories.

reply by Carol Hillebrenner on 07-Apr-2025

Do you get this published anywhere or are you thinking about it?

reply by the author on 07-Apr-2025

No, not any more. I've tried to get some of my other novels professionally published but with no luck. I'm not really interested in either a hybrid publisher or self-publishing. I've self-published a couple of my earlier golf stories on Amazon, and it was fun, but not into that any more. I've got my audience here at FanStory and a few friends and family, and I'm satisfied with that.

reply by Carol Hillebrenner on 08-Apr-2025

I'm so happy you are here as I really enjoy your stories.

reply by the author on 08-Apr-2025

Thanks so much, Carol. I hope you'll enjoy the next one which is very different, but I'm getting a real kick out of writing it with its subtle humor.

Comment from Pearl Edwards

Excellent

Well done Jim with finishing off this storyline. Marie's diagnosis is unfortunately something many famlies face and it will be interesting to see where you go with that, in the future.
Cheers
Valda

 Comment Written 06-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 07-Apr-2025

Thanks very much, Valda, for your kind words and support throughout this story. I haven't quite figured out yet what will happen with Marie in the next novel, but I'll be taking a break from that with a different story first in about two weeks.

Comment from barbara.wilkey

Excellent

I am encouraged by your author's notes and about the coming of the third novel. It is possible to beat stage 4 cancer. I have. I liked the ending to this novel. Thank you for sharing.

"Why, yes," she laughed. (yes." She laughed.)

 Comment Written 06-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 06-Apr-2025

Thanks so much, Barbara. And good for you for beating cancer. I haven't actually decided yet what Marie's chances will be when I get back to writing that one. It will be a while because I have another one I will post first starting in about two weeks on a different subject entirely. It will be a big change of pace from these "Devil" stories.

Comment from royowen

Excellent

What a happy ending to the Dipraxa saga, all the main players in the affair (except Johnny) we're decorated and rewarded decoratively and monetarily despite the fact the Fran wanted to reward the others more generously, beautifully written Jim, well done, blessings. Roy

 Comment Written 06-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 06-Apr-2025

Thanks, Roy, for your great support throughout. I always appreciate your good wishes and interesting takes on events in the stories.

reply by royowen on 06-Apr-2025

Good series

Comment from Neonewman

Exceptional

Yes! I was hoping you would add to this story, Jim. You had this grown man tearing up over Marie's diagnosis. I don't want her to die! She's turned out to be so incredible.

I have enjoyed every moment of this novel, my friend, and look forward to the next adventure.

I loved the Author notes. Especially the part about the new drugs that may help, like in your story. Let's find a cure for cancer.

God bless,
Steve

 Comment Written 06-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 06-Apr-2025

Thanks so much, my friend, for your keen interest and wonderful reviews throughout the course of this story.

I haven't fully decided what will happen to Marie in the next story, but I've got a long time to think about it, as I'll be posting another story, which is about 75% complete, first. It will be more of a long novella than a full-length novel, and it will be quite a change of pace from these "Devil" stories. I'll be attempting something a lot lighter and somewhat humorous written in a different style than I have in the past. It will be more of an upmarket style as opposed to the commercial style I usually write in.

Thanks again, Steve, for your wonderful support throughout.

reply by Neonewman on 11-Apr-2025

My pleasure, Jim. I do hope Marie finds a way to survive.

Comment from lancellot

Excellent

Congratulations on completing your latest novel. You did very well in writing each chapter, including this last one. It's a good and happy ending with a family lovingly together and bringing the two women full circle.

 Comment Written 06-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 06-Apr-2025

Thanks very much, Lance. Now I need a little break from this series before beginning the final one. I've got a novella cooking that I will post before that one, which will be something a lot lighter and more fun.

Comment from Debbie D'Arcy

Exceptional

Oh Jim, this is so sad! Poor Marie, I've got to know her so well and love her to bits! I have to say, though, I love the way you've tied in the devil that now curses her with the title and theme of your wonderful book. And it does offer us some hope and expectation that Marie will fight back in your next book. How brilliant and coincidental, too, about Journavx being approved this year! This has been a thoroughly immersive and enjoyable read - original, informative, shocking, exciting and gratifying. So many genres in one well-structured/written and researched book. You deserve to feel very proud:)
Well done! Love Debbie

 Comment Written 06-Apr-2025

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reply by the author on 06-Apr-2025

I love how Marie grew on people as the novel progressed. She certainly grew on me too and became my favorite character in the story and the one most fun to write about.

I haven't given too much thought yet as to what will happen to her in the next story--whether she'll be able to beat the cancer or not. The next one will be about an early cancer detection system, and it's already kind of late in the game for her. If this new system had been in place, she would have never gotten to this stage. That story will also be based on cutting edge science that I've just begun to research.

However, I decided I needed a little break before all that heavy science again, and I've been writing a much lighter, humorous, and more fun story that I will be posting next. It will be more novella length than a full length novel.

Debbie, I want to thank you for your tremendous support and your wonderful reviews during the telling of this tale. Sharing this story with readers like you has made it such a wonderful experience for me, and you really went above and beyond with your analysis and thorough attention to the details of the story. It felt to me like you really got what I was saying, and your favorite parts were mine as well.

I'm certainly going to miss your reviews for the next one, but perhaps you'll be back before it's over. I wish you the very best in your absence and hope to see you back renewed and refreshed one day in the not too distant future.

Take care, my friend.

Love, Jim