Comments | wl_fanfiction: [FIC] Glory Days

sungreen70 in wl_fanfiction

[FIC] Glory Days

Aug 07, 2010 12:31

Well, this is the fic that I never thought would happen :) It was inspired by a recent conversation in the journals about Mr. Sherwood. I hope I did him justice. Many thanks once again to my wonderful beta, ktnflagTitle: Glory Days ( Read more... )

a: sungreen, c: brad

Comments 29

pdglyph August 7 2010, 17:37:28 UTC

Unfortunately that's exactly how their shows feel these days. It's the same thing every fricken time, like a broken record :(

Awesome story, tho! Wonderful, and feels quite real.

sungreen70 August 7 2010, 18:42:16 UTC

*nods* I've not seen the Colin & Brad live show, but that's the general consensus I hear from the ones who have.

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed :)

rycolfan August 7 2010, 18:05:56 UTC

Poor Brad! So much can change in 10 years. I hope he doesn't really feel that unfulfilled. I guess it was harder for the younger cast members when Whose Line ended because their careers were just getting started.

I am, as always, in complete awe of your writing. Your words stir my imagination and create a perfect picture in my head. I can only aspire to one day be as good. x

sungreen70 August 7 2010, 18:43:39 UTC

*blushes* Wow, thanks! But your writing is wonderful, you know that, right? I'm glad you enjoyed this one!

rycolfan August 7 2010, 19:00:44 UTC

I can honestly say I enjoy all your fics - you and Clay are probably my favourite authors in the comm...so talented *sigh*

Thanks for your kind words. I tend to doubt myself a lot when it comes to my writing so that's nice to hear, especially from you. I'm trying hard to keep improving. x

clayangel August 7 2010, 22:17:15 UTC

That's a perfect character sketch. You can really see the difference in him between then and now in watching the shows, and you portrayed that truth perfectly. I love the way you used the setting to back up your character analyis. NYC going from a shiny place of hopes and dreams to a dirty, broken back alley worked in so well as both a simple setting for the story as well as its commentary. Really, really nice. ^_^ And you actually made me sympathetic for Brad.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, but I LOVE your Colin here, too. The difference in him is far more subtle, but just as interesting. From the polite, straight laced guy to someone who obviously barely gives a fuck. It's sad, really, but it all rings very, very true.

sungreen70 August 7 2010, 22:35:07 UTC

I'm glad you liked the NYC setting... it kind of made more sense to set it in Hollywood, since that was where Britline was at the end, but I liked the metaphor of the World Trade Center mirroring Brad's career - huge and powerful, and then gone a few years later.

And YAY! for your feedback on Colin! He actually wasn't even in the first section in the original draft. But after I finished the second part, I was intrigued by his demeanor and what it said about his own career arc. I kind of waffled about including him, because I wanted it to be purely Brad's story, but I'm glad it worked out.

Thanks!

ktnflag August 8 2010, 00:49:36 UTC

Yay! You posted it! :-)

It's funny, my thoughts usually tend to slide right over Brad, but you've drawn such a thoughtful, poignant, REAL portrait of him here that I'm almost tempted to dig up (if you know what I mean) more Brad fic.

I adore the contrast between past!Brad and present!Brad and how you highlight that with all sorts of wonderful details, like NYC at night vs. the gray NJ waterfront. I especially love the difference in how Colin reacts to Brad's innuendo with genuine laughter at the beginning but doesn't even react at the end... hell, I love Colin in this; the way you've written him seems so honest and true. And the use of the WTC as a symbol of Brad's career trajectory is really poignant.

Also, after having read various drafts of this fic over the past few days, you've got me adding "if you know what I mean" to pretty much everything I say IRL. People are starting to look at me funny... if you know what I mean.

sungreen70 August 8 2010, 12:28:08 UTC

lol, Colin is popular in this story! I'm glad his inclusion seems to be working. Yes, Colin stopped finding Brad funny a long time ago... poor Brad.

you've got me adding "if you know what I mean" to pretty much everything I say IRL

*pulls a Ryan and looks at you blankly and says "no. I don't."* ;)

trulyobsessive August 8 2010, 13:23:18 UTC

Yes, I know I say this every time, but you really are an amazingly talented writer. I read some of the comments before reading the fic (because I like to know what I'm in for), so I was aware of the fact that it wasn't going to be a very happy story... And yet somehow, I was still surprised by how heavy this story felt. It instilled some mighty powerful feelings in me.

Of course, I'd rather stay in denial and pretend Colin and Brad are oh so happy and completely satisfied with their lives -- for all we know, they could be -- but this story did ring eerily true. Though I do suspect that with your skilled writing, you could make anything ring true. :P

I also want to echo what others have said here and tell you that I loved Colin's inclusion in this, and I loved the way you used NYC to mirror what's going on with Brad.

It's a heartbreaking fic, but oh so beautifully done. :)

sungreen70 August 8 2010, 22:25:41 UTC

And I say this every time, but your comments rock!

Yeah, this definitely wasn't one of my cheery fluff pieces. Just the impression I get (from reports of the Colin & Brad shows, which I have never seen) that this is an approximation of where Brad is in his life now. Colin too, for that matter.

The NYC backdrop just seemed to fit the tone for me. I lived there on 9/11 and so the World Trade Center disaster is very near to my heart. And now I live in NJ and see the gap with the big crane (yes, there really is a big crane still at Ground Zero that can be seen across the harbor) every day and sometimes I do exactly as Brad does in the fic and stand and stare at it.

Aaaaand that was a lot of extraneous info in a comment meant to thank you for your feedback! ;)

trulyobsessive August 10 2010, 20:53:17 UTC

Just the impression I get (from reports of the Colin & Brad shows, which I have never seen) that this is an approximation of where Brad is in his life now. Colin too, for that matter.

I'm very curious. Would you possibly be able to point me in the right direction when it comes to finding some/any of these reports? I'd absolutely love to read them...if that would be possible. :)

Oh, I'm sorry you had to live through that. I mean, it was a huge deal all over the world, but I really can't even imagine what it must have been like for the people actually living in NYC. It must have been terrifying... And so sad. I actually went to see World Trade Center, once, when I was 12 years old on a family vacation, and then I saw Ground Zero a few years back, since I go to the US now and then, and it really is a very sad sight. :(

Oh, but, I've got absolutely nothing against extraneous info. :)

sungreen70 August 11 2010, 00:36:02 UTC

*laughs* You know, I was going to point you to the whoselineslash comm and the Colin & Brad tag, but... I discovered when clicking on the tag myself to see what was there that most people who post a live show report on a forum like that are going to do so because they had an amazing time and want to share. And don't get me wrong, I'm sure it is a fun show, especially if you haven't seen it before. But I know a few people on my F-list have seen several shows and get bummed because they are basically the same thing over and over. I'll see if I can dig up a few reports to share ( ... )

Thread 6