Five Things that Never Happened to Alan Shore

[3pipeproblem]

Behold, my Alan Five Things story. You're, as always, free to skip these and go right into reading it. I wrote most of it over the summer, so it has more to do with The Practice than Boston Legal (although why I'm specifying the universe these things never happened in, I really don't know). There aren't any crazy AUs with, say, Alan as a journalist

Comments

[dana___]

Realization: Oh... my favorite author's has written again!
Setting: Phone off, house quiet. Perfect.
Timing: I gave myself 24 hours before reading to allow anticipation to build. Only one story at a time. One task, then a story reward. [we'll see how long that lasts]

i. just musings

God. The imagery ["...a business card worried half to death..."] I'm in love.

The reverting back to childhood nuance ["...toyed with the notion of etching his name..."] and the metaphor of what happened to the pencil.

Humor. That distinct, dry brand of Alan ["...impression of his mother..."]

and finally - your inspired distilling of what should go on the CP&S letterhead: "We can get you out of this"

Words cannot express.

Now to ii. beside the point. Well, after I pay penance by performing required work. Reluctantly.

[3pipeproblem]

Awww, you flatter me so :D

You have no idea how much I appreciate the feedback.

[dana___]

It's not flattery [an insincere word] if it's true.

Are you publishing this elsewhere? If you want feedback and fans [oh, and you will have devoted fans], please let me post them you-know-where [bl.org].

[3pipeproblem]

I posted it on ff.net, but nowhere else. I'm not so sure about publishing it beyond that--it didn't turn out the way I would have liked.

[dien]

Adore. This is beautiful stuff. Alan is so incredibly human and organic in these, and it's actually painful, the line between him and other people, the line which he so wants to cross-- sometimes even tries to-- and then he just does this wry self-deprecating smile and steps back and lets the opportunity pass. (At least that's the image that 1,2,4, and 5 leave me with. 3 is a slightly different creature.)

4 and 5 = almost enough to make me into an Alan/Tara True Believer. Okay, fuck it. Definitely enough. Argh, again, the laying out of Alan's heart practically painful to the reader, worse because the other person can't quite get it. Guh.

Nervous-Gestures!Alan: Very vivid, I can see him in the office doing all of this, every last bit. And I can definitely hear hos voice in the dialogue, especially on: “I haven’t murdered anyone. Don’t worry.” (Great bloody line

[3pipeproblem]

Argh, I have such difficulty responding to feedback as wonderful as this. They didn't turn out the way I'd have liked in that, like you said, he's never quite able to cross the line. Considering the "genre" (I guess 5 things is a genre) and the more or less infinite possibilities I had, I think what I chose to write was far too limited. I could've gone a lot deeper than I did, and...well, I think the scope was too narrow. As soon as I finished it, I immediately wanted to redo the whole thing with less...confined scenarios. Like one where Alan has a kid. I just don't think I took full advantage of the genre.

You weren't an Alan/Tara true believer? I thought everyone was. I guess most of the good stuff was on last season, though. They have some fantastic scenes. I'd elaborate, but I'm not sure if you're okay with spoilers...suffice to say she's capable of making him stammer and say "um."

Anyway, I won't bore you with more of my rambling. Thanks for the feedback, and I'll be sending along my comments on your story ASAP.

[monack]

you are officially my new favorite author. You've made me realize that perhaps this show (and this character) is ficcable -- and now you've set a standard that is rather high in my expectations on how I expect Alan Shore to be written.

This was -great-. You definitely have his voice down cold. And I really think that your story #5 was an excellent prediction of Alan and Tara's morning after scene. ;)

[3pipeproblem]

Wow, again, thank you. I think Alan's eminently ficcable...we always get those weird bits of backstory (cohabiting with a midget, being shot, someone close to him dying of Alzheimer's) that just scream for fic. And I adore writing him :D

[aboxofscraps]

Ohmigosh. <3<3

I found your fics while digging around the Alan/Tara community, and, well, you don't know how much I love you!

Everything I wanted to comment on (like the amazingly accurate portrayal of Alan's character), has already been said, but I figure every author wants to know that their work is appreciated, so I thought I'd leave a comment. :D

I'm looking forward to reading more stuff from you!