Your authors notes really make me laugh. This chapter ROCKS!

Author's Response:

Thank you as ever Miss Poison! You made me smile! A lot!

I'm throwing down the gauntlet here to say if you liked this one, the next chapter should really make you happy.

At least I hope. You'll have to let me know.

Best,

Books

Jugurtha is giving you his best leer.

Another great chapter!!!! Gonna start reading this whole story again...just cause I am impatient!!!! Love it lots, keep them coming.

Author's Response:

Hi there lisamackb!

Thanks so much for reviewing! I look back on the first seven chapters and kind of cringe because I'd like to think I've progressed as a writer since then - this is my first fiction of any kind - like ever. You might find re-reading them useful because I went back in and edited them for all the horrific grammar mistakes, punctuation,etc. that I found. I had to smack myself for being a bad beta. And I expanded a few sections and tried to deepen the characterization in a place or two. And I added in two scenes to HOD 1 because I felt it needed more dialogue to "show" what Edward was feeling.

Working on the next chapter already. Swear. :)

Starched Shirt Edward is winking at you.

Best,

Books

And yet another delicious chapter! Mmmmmmmmmmm.... :)

Disney Vampire

Author's Response:

Hi there Disney Vampire!

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I had fun with Edward. Thanks so much for reviewing. :)

Best,

Books

He is so beautifully flawed. It really is like watching a great mural being constructed. Thank you, love.

 

~Mia

Author's Response:

Hey Mia!

Thanks so much for reviewing! FitzCarrion is blowing kisses at you. My brother, the Latin scholar is chiding me for not naming Fitzcorpse "Fitzcorpus" so he might get a name change or at least a good argument over the name with SSE. I'm really having fun with this particular section of the story. I'm glad you are enjoying it. Thanks for hanging in there with me and your support of this story. It means the world.

Best,

Books

Hi Books!

St George...is that true, he is the patron saint of all that stuff? That's amazing. I learn so much from me dear Strached Shirt Edward.

Jasper eating the crocodiles and making boots from their skins...great image. Seriously, I will call upon that whenever I need a chuckle!

I just love the little details you come up with, often times they really are what make the story. Like Esme, creating dirty dishes, I just love it!

Just so you know, my son and I both survived his week away at camp. I could not have done it without my Starched Shirt Edward here, praying over me. Thanks SSE!

And thank you, Books, for this long, action-packed chapter. As usual, I can't wait to find out what happens next!

--Stacy

 

Author's Response:

Hi Stacy!

I'm so happy to hear that you got through the week! I remember going to camp at his age and I feel like now looking back it was so good for me. Saint George is indeed the patron saint of all that stuff. If you PM me, I'll give you the link. It's hilarious. I wanted to kind of explore the idea of intimidation in this chapter. Edward is overconfident thinking since he beat the Gorgon that this will be a piece of cake and gets a little over-confident and boom. I also liked the idea of "acting" in warfare as part of strategy. Edward killed all those people during his rebellious years but he never really tried to scare them. He simply killed them and fed and called it a day. Jasper - seeing Jasper and from one serial killer's POV to another - seeing how scary Jasper was - I liked the idea of Edward not having all the power despite all those wolf powers. I liked the idea of him sitting there and questioning his "scariness." He overthinks everything.  Glad you liked the Jasper image. I've made it a running joke that Jasper eats just about anything. Jasper cat eating hungry was one of my favorite lines from Bonkers.

And thanks for the nod to the details. Sometimes I worry I stuff too many. I wanted to show how the Cullens go out of their way to "perform" being human down to meticulous details even when they don't understand them.Thanks for the amazing review and your overall fantastic self. :)

Working on the next chapter already. :) Books

okay...i still imagine grace as a cat sometimes...and i cannot for the life of me figure out why (like when she is watching things for edward...)

totally hilarious that you pointed out just how many things a saint can be patron of...that has always floored me a little...there are all kinds of things that have patron saints that make you go wtf?

there is probably real glowing algae in lake arthur...and glowing fish for that matter! lol there are a lot of chemical plants in the area and we always make jokes about stuff in the water...so it made your algae hilarious for me! i think it is funny that emmett had green glowy eyes because he accidentally ate algae... you have me stumped with the algae though. i know there is something else there that i am just not picking up on. and of course bella would be a multimillionaire with no clothes. she's so selfless sometimes it makes me wanna puke! lol but how did they accrue all that money?

wow...that is all i can say about edward/carlisle/edward's mother-the whole family thing. and if his mother saw it then i assume she had some type of mortal talent. perhaps edward seeing his mother wanting him to live on will relieve some of his immortal emoness...

i swear...every chapter answers about 5 of my questions before giving me like 15 more!  although i am sure once this all gets tied together i will have a "doh! that makes sense!" moment! and then i keep forgetting that once heart of darkness is gone we get to go back to pasties and making fun of mike newton! lol

:D ~s

Author's Response:

HI there Sariedee!

I wanted Grace to be something that no one saw coming and having her as a dog to me was predictable. A manta ray? Not so much. I stumbled upon the Saint George thing when looking up the patron saint of soldiers and thought it was hilarious just how many countries claimed him as well as professions. So I had to have Edward make a snarky comment. I didn't expect Lake Arthur to have pollution. I did expect Lake Charles to. A significant number of the people on my Grandmother's street - not far from McNeese died of cancer. I didn't put the algae in though due to the whole pollution thing. I wanted to pick a place that most definitely would have algae and when I think of Louisiana - algae is not the first thing that comes to mind. Food, excellent cajun food is. :)

Don't beat yourself up for not understanding everything about the algae at this point in the story. You aren't supossed to. Right now the only things that I think you should focus on are a) what the hell was Liam doing with it, b) why the secrecy, c) why was he acting as if he expected Armageddon? and d) WTF is up with these spirits lurking in the cave killing humans that live on the land. Why'd they let Liam and Genevieve's family live? They kllled everyone else.

In Bella's mind that is not her money and never will be. And she takes her responsibility of taking care of the land seriously. So to me it made perfect sense that she wouldn't spend money on herself - it never would occur to her to use that money for herself. I also don't see her as the type who sits there and sulks because no one has noticed that she needs new clothes. In her mind, she's fine. She has a coat. She'll deal. And you ask a very, very good question as to where the money came from. I've dropped a hint or two in past chapters. More will be revealed on that later.

The sight ran in Edward's side of the family. His Grandmother had it very strongly. His mother? Not so much in comparison, but she still had it. Edward? Not at all as a mortal. To me I liked the idea of famlies having talents that were genetically passed on, so I didn't have a problem writing both his mom and his grandmother as having unusual talents for a human. I think Edward seeing that scene will make him think a bit. But keep in mind he's known from day one that Carlisle turned him because his Mother asked. Now he's literally witnessed it. But he never knew about her throwing in the prediction about the famliy. And he never knew how lonely Carlisle was - he suspected it but those two visions flat out shoved that in his face. And I wanted to use it to show his development in being able to empathize. And give him something to ponder.

I'm delighted by your last comment. I was worried that when I introduce new things that it might frustrate people. I wanted to solve things a bit at a time and make you ask more questions. I haven't made up my mind for sure. But I am strongly considering keeping the rest of CC in EPOV. I am not going to go back to the light and airy tone of the first seven chapters. We will most definitely be getting back to Tanya and the pasties, but you'll have other things to think about at the same time.

As ever, thanks so much for spoiling me with the amazing review.

Best,

 

Books

 

omgomgomg.Thanks for the shout-out in the A/N. That was totally cool. I knew reading those things would eventually pay off. Okay, now downn to business.

Why is the algae considered a food source? Was it a food source for those guarding it? If Emmett ate enough of it, would he be able to leave his human body behind too? Is that how the lost covens remained hidden all those years (by leaving their bodies)

I think that it was really cool Edward got to see Carlisle's first meeting with Grandmother Grace. It showed how much Carlisle really needed a family to call his own and the fact that he really was extremely lonely. I'm also glad Edward witnessed the whole scene between Elizabeth and Carlisle. Maybe now he will be able to overcome all his issues about being a vampire...especially knowing that his mother knew what Carlisle was and still asked for Edward to be changed.

You made a really funny comment about Edward being a premature power user.

I liked how you portrayed Rosalie as someone with more substance than many of the other fanfics. It's cool to see that she is this hard-core science geek that likes to cinduct research (that isn't as...private...as Edward's) hehe.

Random questions: Will Paula be having problems with the pack about her leadership? Will Emmett or Jasper get a sidekick too? I seems like they really want one.

Author's Response:

Hi there Bella S!

I wanted to thank everyone who has been so supportive of me (that include you my dear) because I've had people tell me that I'd never keep readers intersted in a story this long. It means the world to me that I still have readers. And that they like what I'm doing. So of course I did a shout out. Readers like you are why I keep posting the chapters.

Do you remember a chapter or so ago when Carlisle talked about meeting the woman from the lost coven who was so desperately ill and that she refused blood? She was living off of another food source. I had to come up with a device that showed just how different the lost covens (some of them) were from the rest of the immortal world. If you are a vampire and you are hiding, by watching the food supply that's how they'd catch you. And make no mistake the Volturi are scouring the earth irritated like no one's business that they haven't found the lost covens. They know they are out there. So to me, coming up with a different way to feed - plant life - odd plant life at that - one that you'd kill over - that was interesting. And if you have a technology or way of making your scent disappear so that you can't be detected by smell? Even better. One of the mysteries in this story is how the lost covens hid. And I'm only now starting to delve into that part (although we will definitely learn how).

I wanted to show how Edward is learning how to empathize over the courses of this story. He never turned angry at Carlisle for changing him because he knew from the beginning that his mother had asked. But to me it really makes him have to think when he sees why she asked. And I also had his reaction about how she had misplaced her faith in him because of sentimentality - I wanted that to be ironic. He's saying she was wrong to believe in him because humans fool themselves with emotions - while fooling himself with emotions. I also wanted to draw a parallel between Edward and Carlisle. Carlisle left the Volturi because his conscience could no longer take watching or even hearing feedings going on. And his attitudes although the leaders liked him a lot - the rank and file snickered at him. So he's a pariah in his world - loved by the powerful - yet mocked by others. And one of the most basic human needs if you read Abraham Maslow is the need for love and belongingness. So I wanted to show Carlisle coming in from the cold and being welcomed by his family.

I don't know if you remember but if you go back to the unfortunate venom incident, Alice made a crack about Edward being a premature ejaculator, and I've been making little references to that ever since. He's been bugged by it.

I think that Rosalie was completely wasted in the books. Alice, too. I wanted to portray them as having brains. I wanted to show Rosalie with her techincal knowledge as being a brainiac who used it well. I liked the idea of her coming up with ways for the family to blend in like the battary packs in the clothes, etc.

Paula is most definitely going to have problems - she's got two problems so far. First, she's not able to access her shaman powers and second she can't link minds with anyone. Each of them alone is a problem. Both of them together is a big problem. But Paula also is a smooth talker. Confident. She needs time to learn from Edward how to unlock the memories. Time that they don't have at present. I wanted to throw that in to show pack politics.

I have no plans for Emmett or Jasper to get a sidekick. I could always change my mind, though. I liked Jasper having envy over Grace. :)

Thanks for your review. It was amazing!

Best,

Books

Well, after that literary digest, I have to say things seem to be moving in a more interesting patten.

And I'm left with a few more questions than the last, like What's up with the blood relation of Edward and Carlisle? I feel like it's hiding a clue to the overall plot of the story, but I just can't put my finger on it.

Also, a question like this There's more to Mary Alice's story and how it relates to the red-eyed people and possibly Liam's algae research. But, again, I do not know for sure. It's just an uneducated guess of of now.

I still appreciate the Saami dialect. And, on an off-topic idea: was Edward every a boy scout, you think? Obviously, the Boy Scouts were formed back then, right? According to some research, it was formed in 1910.

Author's Response:

Hey Mizra,

Honestly, I haven't written anything more on the Carlisle Edward thing. As of this moment I had no intention on expanding that plot (I could always change my mind). I wanted to use it to show a) how Edward had completely forgotten his past - he knew at the time of his death that Carlisle was his cousin (although he called him Dr. Cullen) - but woke up not remembering. I wanted to b) Show that Carlisle was not only capable of shutting his mouth and keeping things from Edward, but that sometimes he did so out of hope, his eternal optimism that Edward commented about in HOD1. And I liked the idea of well the flat out irony that Edward has longed for his family while all along he's in one and is actually blood related to Carlisle.

I threw in the boy scouts data when I found they claimed St. George as their patron saints. I can totally see Edward being a member but not remembering it. And I'm glad you like the dialect. I threw in the one from the Soloman Islands, but I think next chapter I'll have them add one more. I like showing their vigilance. Thanks for the review, hon!

Best,

Books

As always, I am am impressed and delighted by this latest chapter. A lot of interesting things have transpired. Edward's dream about his mother's request was very important and hopefully it will change his feelings toward Carlisle. Saint George is the funniest thing I've ever read. I always knew there were saints for most everything; I just never realized they covered so many varied topics individually. Of course, Starched Shirt and Jugurtha are still quite entertaining. How you come up with this is still beyond me, but I am SO glad you do. I only wish I had half the creative mind that you possess. His endearing name for her "my little bottle cap" is my favorite. Looking forward to the next chapter!

Author's Response:

Hi there Merrisol!

Thank you for your review! I really wanted to write that scene with Edward's Mother and try to make it show a little more about Carlisle. I was always kind of repulsed that Carlisle would have bitten Edward without his permission. I guess that comes because the idea of informed consent is something that has been burned into my brain. So when I started doing research I had to remind myself that informed consent didn't become common practice until the 1970's so the Carlisle of 1918 - wouldn't have been thinking so much about what Edward wanted because I wasn't a cultural norm in medicine. That kind of changed things for me. Mind you I still didn't like how Edward got bit, but it made me maybe a little more understanding of Carlisle. I wanted to use that scene as a way of showing more about Carlisle to humanize him. In the books we really didn't get to see much of that beyond him giving advice on medical affairs. And I wanted to kind of muddy the waters about . I didn't like how in the books he gave out his car keys to human dependent vampires when he could have given them bags of blood. So I wanted to show him as not perfect but not hypocritical in it. Thanks for the comment on my creativity. I have a twisted imagination which I think helps. But I went out of my way when writing this to try to make sure that this story was unlike anything else I had read. I guess that is the inspiration behind much of it. I wanted to do a completely different plot so went out of my way to look for things that supported that. I kind of came up with my little bottle cap by accident. I was getting worried that the "my human" and "my singer" and "my dear little one" were getting overused so also wanted to come up with something that showed Edward's evolved thinking. Now we have "my little algae lover."

Already working on the next chapter. Thanks so much for your support of this story!

Best,

Books

Another magnificent chapter. Thanks for the references to Saint George, Ansel Adams, Edgar Allen Poe and the Manta Ray formally known as cephalopterus vampyrus. You completely floored me with this update. Little hints, all the information, the suspense, the subtle sweet moments between E+B, the whole family coherence paired with just the right amount of your unique humor. Everything is so well balanced and the story just flows so well I always find myself becoming engrossed for hours reading what's going to happen next.

I am working on my review on FF. In a very dark corner of my brain I've found some crazy and morbid ideas...

A big shouted out "CHAPEAU" with frosting, whipped cream and a cherry on top all the way from my desk here in Germany to your american computer screen. Big bow - you rock, girl!!!

Author's Response:

Hi there Cullen Pearl!

How you spoil me so! If you haven't read the Poe story I put the link on it on my ff profile. It's one of the best short stories I've read and kind of captures Edward's fears pretty well. Honestly, the Manta Ray information just floored me when I was doing the research. I had already decided I was going to have her take that form and then when I saw the cephalopterus vampyrus - her being derived from wolf power and all - that was too funny not to use. I'm glad you liked the subtle nature of the Edward and Bella as to me that's hard to write. I don't want it to be cloying sweet. Many thanks for your support of this story. :) Books

Well, Edward definitely was able to cause a distraction with that news.  Poor Starched Shirt and his hygiene I mean ritual of prayer?  ;)  That was quite the letter to Charlie, he really had to look at himself as a parent.  I am sure that the added details Bella dreams about Jasper's vision will come into play later... oh and those tricky relatives with the box numbered 1918 and still others yet to be revealed... well onto the next part of their first romantic excursion!!!  ;)

Author's Response:

Hi there fanficreader83!

Thanks so much for reviewing! This is the part of the plot where I'm trying to tie things from earlier chapters together into a coherent form and drop new breadcrumbs along the way. I wanted to "show" how Edward is willing to engage in outrageous behavior for her sake: stripping naked to be found by Charlie when even Carlisle hasn't seen him um ever in a doctor professional manner of course, walking wearing only a towel to his closet while Bella slept, and now engaging in the common trashy habit of gossiping. He decided to give everyone something else to worry about and since he's manipulative and doesn't quite understand human emotions dropped two bombs, when just one would have sufficed. I'm not trying to portray Charlie as an actively abusing parent. 50% of fathers who have children that leave the state after a divorce lose contact with them. Bella spent her summers and alternated holidays with him, but he was working during the days and often times nights, so he didn't get to spend much time with her, nor did he really go out of his way to. He's non-confrontational, and grew up feeling like he was a disappointment to his parents because he just wasn't smart enough like they had hoped. That gets transfered to him being a parent. When his parents would try to tell him to spend more time with his daughter and be a better parent in Charlie's mind that meant showing them that he could provide for his daughter by working hard and taking extra shifts to save up money for a college fund for her. And Charlie in his mind thinks that if Bella had a problem, because he loves her and she loves him, that she would tell him. So this letter uses the device of her clothes to show how out of touch with his daughter that he is. Being a single dad is hard enough. Charlie has just been reminded how hard. I never put in plot parts for random reasons so if Bella is having a dream about Jasper's house, you definitely will hear about it in the future. And I liked the 1918 touch. How snide. Makes you wonder why they picked that number. Enjoy the romantic excursion. There will be more Edward and Bella up ahead. Best, Books

Absolutely hilarious!!! You have quite the imagination. Keep up the great work.

Author's Response:

Hi there twimomgina!

Thanks so much for reading my twisted take on Twilight. You're not far from the section where we switch into EPOV. He'll start out mopey for one chapter, but I do think you'll enjoy the last section in particular of Heart of Darkness Two.

I had so much fun with Edward, Bella, and Tanya in this section. :) Books