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Old 07-31-2004, 05:09 AM   #1
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Old 07-31-2004, 05:13 AM   #2
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Old 07-31-2004, 09:44 PM   #3
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Re: Change in the Weather

I really enjoyed reading your work. The description is beautiful, letting the reader know exactly how to imagine everything. From reading this excerpt, I already know the character's personality, which can be very useful later on in the story.

I would just like to point out a few things from this paragraph:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tori

Snow floats from the sky blessing the Earth and leaving her in silence and awe on this December morning in New Hampshire. It is the first snowfall in the town of Marlow since last November. It is late in coming. The White Mountains have seemed to beg the sky for snow. The Boston ski travelers are staying indoors at home sipping lemonade confused by the heat. They are left wondering where they should take their long holidays if it remains so pleasant at home.
This first sentence seems a tad bit awkward. In my opinion, it seems to give out more information than a first sentence should. My suggestion would be to talk about what month it is and where she is later in the story.

Personally, I think past tense can sometimes sound better than present tense. Although you do not want it to sound like this occured a while ago, using past tense makes the sentences flow better. In your case, I think you overused present tense. If you could change a few of the words to past tense, your story would sound smoother.

Overall, I would have to say this is one of the best pieces I have read on this forum. It interests the reader. I hope to see more of this novel, here on the boards.
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Old 07-31-2004, 10:57 PM   #4
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Very nice. Almost ethereal. Romantic without any romance.

Quote:
The Boston ski travelers are staying indoors at home sipping lemonade confused by the heat.
The lemonade is confused by heat, or the travelers are confused by heat?

Quote:
Instead she slides on her husband’s large black boots and goes out on the deck in nothing but them and his baggy t-shirt she was planning to wear to bed.
It feels like you're commiting boots to personification because of the pronoun "them". I think i would prefer 'goes out on the deck in nothing else but his baggy t-shirt...' your preference, though

Quote:
The leaves sprinkled the green grass with radiant colors as if asking to be seen
Struck like a very sexy brick. Nice.

Quote:
She left the store smiling and without reached for her pendant.
Wait, what did she do?

Quote:
It was like an oasis in the desert of Kat’s usual suburban world.
Like the analogy.

Quote:
She chooses to remember her first vision of Marlow as she has been nothing but surprised since then.
First thought: "What? Oh." Maybe rephrase?

Quote:
Her eyes scan the sky and take in the dizziness of the snow as it starts to come down harder and harder. There is no judging here. All her flaws are gone for these moments she shares with the world.
Lovely conclusion. As I said. Romantic!

Thank you for that, and keep writing
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Old 08-01-2004, 02:39 PM   #5
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Old 08-01-2004, 02:42 PM   #6
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Old 08-01-2004, 02:44 PM   #7
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Old 08-01-2004, 03:55 PM   #8
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Re: Change in the Weather

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tori

Snow floats from the sky blessing the Earth and leaving her in silence and awe on this December morning in New Hampshire.
I would change the first sentence to this:

Snow floated from the sky, blessing the Earth to leave her in silence and awe.

This way, it is still in present tense, but is at the same time a little less awkward.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tori
The White Mountains have seemed to beg the sky for snow.
In this sentence, the word "have" does not need to be there.

The White Mountains seemed to beg the sky for snow. <-- sounds much better.
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Old 08-01-2004, 04:13 PM   #9
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I really loved reading your next two posts. I can see this story is going somewhere and will someday be an excellent read, when finished. Below, I have pointed out a few things that could be corrected. This is my first critique. Hence, a second opinion could come in handy.




Quote:
Originally Posted by Tori
Kat sticks out her tongue as a child might and feels a snowflake melt quickly from the heat of her tongue.
Read this sentence aloud. I think you should replace "her tongue" with a pronoun. It would sound smoother.




Quote:
Originally Posted by Tori
It hurts him not to please her but she is so hard to please. He feels like telling her to get in bed and be quiet, but he knows enough to tread lightly with his words. Kat can cry quicker than any woman he has ever met. Every time he has to see her tears it surprises him and hurts him like he himself has the need to cry suddenly. Maybe this is the real reason he loves her so. He can feel her pain and he can never feel his own. He can only name one time in his whole life that he really cried and it was the day eight years ago when Kat threatened to leave him.
I would just like to congratulate you. I love this paragraph. It is very well written, one of my favorite paragraphs. In the last sentence, I suggest you change it into two. The two statements before and after the "and" are not closely related. Or maybe a semicolon would work.




Quote:
Originally Posted by Tori
“Kat, can this wait till morning, I mean it will still be there and I’m tired.” He sees the disappointment twist across her face.
I would change this sentence into three. The first part is a question, and the last two statements.
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Old 08-01-2004, 06:29 PM   #10
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Old 08-01-2004, 07:36 PM   #11
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Your welcome. I'm glad I could help.
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Old 08-01-2004, 10:13 PM   #12
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Random technical nitpickiness that I gleaned from a quick read:

Quote:
Knocking is not one of Kat’s strengths especially not if her mind is entirely elsewhere. // Angel slowly makes his way up the stairs wondering what type of punishment he faces.
Comma would make the sentences flow better

Quote:
Angel is trying to go to the bathroom in a sleep like state.
Sleepy.. or sleep-like.. not sleep like!

Quote:
She tries to calm herself when speaking, “I don’t suppose you saw the snow falling outside?”
She tries to calm herself while saying, "I don't.." OR: she tries to calm herself while speaking, PERIOD, "I don't suppose...?"

Quote:
was not 3 in the morning.
was not three in the morning


I didn't really like this one as much as the first one. What happened to the pacing and plot?
Still, nice work.
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Old 08-02-2004, 01:00 AM   #13
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Old 08-02-2004, 07:19 AM   #14
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I always read these too late!
Everything I was going to say has already been said. I still felt the need to reply, though, and tell you how much I'm loving this! Great characters!
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