[Jwolf] The Funny Thing Is

[Conner]

Cooper, you brought this all on yourself.

 

No one told me we could talk to the characters!!

[Jwolf]

No one told me we could talk to the characters!!

 

Of course you can. In fact, it's quite encouraged. But we all know Cooper isn't the best listener.

[Jwolf]

Hey all. The next chapter is ready and available here! One of my favorites so far, so let me know what you think Thanks again for reading!

[methodwriter85]

It's cute and sweet that Liz and Mike are dating. Given the close proximity of the family, it seems inevitable.

 

I thought it was a good chapter that underscored the importance of Cooper's kids in his life...I'm not entirely sure how well Chase is going to fit in with that. He doesn't seem like a "Dad" type.

[Conner]

Something's been on my mind (hey, it happens!) since this story began. It's the book, The List, that Coop hopes to get published, presumably in the near future. He just finished up the edits in this last chapter.

 

Now Coop already has one book published, a best seller, and it dealt with gay erotica. I believe this is why he was offered a professorship at the university. I don't think there has been any fallout from that first book, meaning, given he is in a straight marriage with kids, he or his family haven't suffered from undue media attention or his kids getting teased or harassed at school. So I sort of concluded that this new book shouldn't be a problem.

 

How about now, though? Given what happened at the temporary divorce proceeding, should Coop be going ahead with this book? Will it not seriously jeopardize the court's eventual decision on shared custody of the kids?

 

My own view is Coop needs to be cautious here and put off publication. Of course, a complicating factor is he already has signed a deal with the publisher. It seems nothing in Coop's life comes easy.

 

To close off, a LMAO moment from the prologue. The scene is Coop complaining to Mason, his literary agent, about all the edits the publisher is calling for.

 

 

“That’s because it’s perfect. That bitch at Knowles Publishing is trying to suck all the joy out of the story.”

 

“The story is about a boy who has sex with other boys for the first time and loves it,” he said. “It’s chock full of joy. The pages are stuck together with joy. Make the edits and do it now.”

(emphasis added)

[methodwriter85]

This is where I'm REALLY having trouble with the plot. I've actually talked to more than one academic about this plot, and they emphatically agree that it's really unlikely that Cooper would keep his job once The List comes out. Academia doesn't change all that much in twenty years, and from what I understand, there's no way in hell something like the List would fly at a school like SMU, especially since it paints SMU in a party-school light where kids had anoymous sex, gay sex at that. It's just not going to fly. It may be okay with the faculty that hired him, but it's not going to be okay with the very conservative, big-time donors that SMU has, and likely the alumni and the conservative rich parents who send their kids there. Once they get wind of the List, they'll be screaming at SMU to withdraw Cooper as a professor. With him as just an associate, he's pretty easily diposable and it won't be hard to get rid of him.

 

I don't think Cooper will get outright fired. More like he'll be told that his contract will not be renewed at the end of the semester because of either bad student evaluations, or just budget constraints means they're cutting the class. But in any event' Cooper is just not going to continue teaching at SMU once the List becomes a big hit. It would competely contradict everything I've learned about how the academic world works, and what I've learned about SMU from a dear friend of mine.

Edited August 15, 2011 by methodwriter85

[Jwolf]

The whole book thing is a really good question. Conner, the first book Coop released, All Cooped Up, had less of an erotic angle and more of a marriage help angle. Think the 'blog' snippets at the beginning of each chapter in more depth and fleshed out. Very much Cooper's personal experience and how it relates to marriages universally.

 

The situation with The List being released and effecting Coop's job is something that comes up in a big way here pretty soon. To a certain extent, SMU knew what they were getting into with Cooper, but I agree with Method and some of the feedback he dug up, so expect shit to hit the fan on that. I won't elaborate more for fear of spoiling anything, but yeah. Subplots abound

[Guest]

Cooper, you brought this all on yourself.

 

I agree he did, but still he is a good father and loves his kids. Devon had no right to put a restraining order on the kids. Having said that I feel the time away from his kids will allow him to clear his head and settle down before His children are introduced into his new life.

[Jwolf]

I feel like you're both right in a way. Cooper messed up, so he rightfully deserves whatever he gets. I think there's something interesting, though, about seeing it from Cooper's perspective. I agree that it does make Devon's actions that much more extreme.

[Frostina]

Damn you Coop and Kyle!!! :P

 

Grrrrr!!!

**Goes to **

 

okay.. once that 'damn' scared J, sooo... i hope this time he knows what that's in reference to...

[Jwolf]

Chatper 8 is up and available here. It's a little longer than most chapters so far, but I love this one, so check it out and let me know what you think.

[Jwolf]

So, I missed my Friday deadline by 30 minutes. It happens. Nevertheless, chapter 9 is up and available here. It's a much lighter chapter than I think we've had in a while, so I hope you enjoy. As always, questions and comments are welcome and appreciated.

[jinkies33]

Fantastic as always. Keep being amazing. And stay out of the hurricane, if that's coming right for you; someone's gotta keep writing for us.

[Conner]

So, I missed my Friday deadline by 30 minutes. It happens. Nevertheless, chapter 9 is up and available here. It's a much lighter chapter than I think we've had in a while, so I hope you enjoy. As always, questions and comments are welcome and appreciated.

 

Being on Pacific time, no problem there for me.

 

Lighter chapter, eh? I suppose, you being the author and all, I can give you the benefit of the doubt on that call.

 

It's just that I find myself totally consumed by Coop's character and his pursuit for happiness; a happiness that continues to elude him. I'm getting desperate. My worst fear is he'll be alone. The usual objectivity I bring to a story has simply died; a valiant death I would add, but dead nonetheless. Being alone may well be exactly what Coop needs right now. I don't think Coop could bear it and, frankly, neither could I.

 

Chase, on the other hand, I see much more clearly. He left Coop behind 20 years ago, essentially for his own glorification. A lover, and I do believe he loved Coop, just didn't fit in with the plans he had for himself. One could argue that maybe what Chase did was best for both of them. Relationships rarely survive that kind of stress. Now Chase shows up in Dallas, the glory days over, a failed 7-year marriage that's still on his mind, and plunks himself into Coop's arms. The bastard! I have to admit, though, his timing was exquisite. Chase then proceeds to lie about his ex. I wanted to shoot him.

 

Coop really nails it in this chapter when he says something like "I could be happy with Chase but can I trust him?" I hope he doesn't forget that. Chase is the consummate showman. The dinner thing was incredibly romantic and Chase knew that Coop would eat it up; which, of course, Coop did. Right now, I don't trust Chase. He needs to put all this romantic bs aside (including the ring and proposal) and prove himself trustworthy.

[methodwriter85]

He needs to put all this romantic bs aside (including the ring and proposal) and prove himself trustworthy.

I agree totally. I just kept thinking to myself, reading that scene, "This is a fantasy fairytale scene that someone should have grown out of wanting way before they got to 40 years old." Long, sustained relationships/marriages aren't based on romantic candlelight dinners; they're based on grit and determination to get through the day-to-day with your intended life partner.

 

What I want Cooper to get is that there is no such thing as a "Perfect 10" relationship. Right now he's still buying into these romantic ideals that he should've grown out of a long time ago.

 

For Chose to work in the long-term, I think both Chase and Cooper need to grow up. A lot. And they need to be willing to stop putting on such a show with each other- it's like they're both playing out some dumb romantic comedy in their head.

Edited August 28, 2011 by methodwriter85

[Jwolf]

Hey Connor and Method, I agree with both of you to a certain extent. I don't necessarily think it's wrong that Coop gobbles up these big gestures from Chase, and I do think now more than in the past, he's taking them in with a grain of salt. I dunno, I feel like our little Coop is learning that a candle-light dinner does not a relationship make. He definitely didn't buy into all of the candles and flowers last time around. He knows Chase's game, I guess.

 

There's a pretty long scene in the next chapter where Coop and Chase literally just sit and talk that I'm actually quite proud of. I had to go back to the last few chapters of the List to remind myself of their dynamic, but these two work well when they strip all of the glitzy stuff away and they just talk. I think the romantical stuff has it's place, but I agree that they have to get past that, and they definitely do.

 

P.S. I would have chimed in ages ago, but I totally forgot they'd moved my forum. Go figure

[MJ85]

I have to thank Conner for...accidentally...providing a new perspective on this story with his two posts here:

 

Who's really pissing me off is Kyle. He's totally wrapped up in himself. As I see it, he has no business judging Coop.

 

 

Chase, on the other hand, I see much more clearly. He left Coop behind 20 years ago, essentially for his own glorification.

 

You hit the nail right on the head, and it's occurred to me: Kyle, Chase...Cooper...and Devon too, they all have one incredibly toxic trait in common: They all have their own self-interests above everything else. Even when they try to make it work with someone else...in the end, it's about what they want. And that's why we've had such paths of destruction as we've seen in both The List and this story.

 

I don't think any one of them would truly realize what they've done unless all four of them were put in the same room together.

[Jwolf]

Hey folks, just wanted to announce that the next Chapter will post slightly late. Check back for it either Sunday or Monday. Have a swell weekend

[Conner]

I have to thank Conner for...accidentally...providing a new perspective on this story with his two posts here:

 

...

 

 

Accidents happen around me all the time.

 

Your observation is accurate. I believe, however, that we have to temper that observation with the fact that we only get Coop's version of everything. I'm not even sure we can rely on the dialogue from other characters as being accurate - it's what Coop heard them say and Coop doesn't listen well.

 

I would love to be inside Chase's head. (Well, other places too , but let's not go there.)

[Jwolf]

Accidents happen around me all the time.

 

Your observation is accurate. I believe, however, that we have to temper that observation with the fact that we only get Coop's version of everything. I'm not even sure we can rely on the dialogue from other characters as being accurate - it's what Coop heard them say and Coop doesn't listen well.

 

I would love to be inside Chase's head. (Well, other places too , but let's not go there.)

 

That's a really interesting observation, Conner. I guess I should have considered it, but I never realized that with first person, it's up to the reader to trust whether the narrator is telling the truth or not. I don't think I'd ever deliberately mislead the reader, but you're right... what's to say the character Coop sees and hears things accurately? I guess that gives me something to possibly think about.

[Conner]

I mentioned in an earlier post that Chase needs to earn Coop's trust back. I also stated that he needs to do something that goes beyond the romantic bs that he's come up with so far.

 

When I say "romantic bs", I mean all the sweet things we say and do, usually to someone we care about, that is ultimately intended to get us laid. It's essential if you want the relationship to flourish. (Maybe Coop will put this into his relationship column. )

 

When trust is the issue, romantic bs simply doesn't cut it.

 

So what is that "something" that Chase needs to do? What I would like to see goes like this - Chase sacrifices himself in some intrinsic way for Coop's benefit.

[MJ85]

Accidents happen around me all the time.

 

Your observation is accurate. I believe, however, that we have to temper that observation with the fact that we only get Coop's version of everything. I'm not even sure we can rely on the dialogue from other characters as being accurate - it's what Coop heard them say and Coop doesn't listen well.

 

I would love to be inside Chase's head. (Well, other places too , but let's not go there.)

 

Even if we had a third-person perspective or we were able to get first-person perspectives on the other three...

 

Chase left Cooper to go to the Olympics, and had a 7-year marriage to another guy that Cooper dragged out of him.

 

Kyle first screwed Rusty to get into Sigma, and now he's marrying (and screwing) Winston to get the DA position.

 

And Devon hid how much she's making off the clinic, not to mention the custody fights (specifically, her decision to escalate them).

 

With evidence like that, it's hard to argue that they're not just as selfish as Cooper. I will agree that getting things only from his perspective might make them seem worse than they are, but he didn't make any one of them choose to do the things they did (except maybe the custody fights).

[Conner]

Even if we had a third-person perspective or we were able to get first-person perspectives on the other three...

 

Chase left Cooper to go to the Olympics, and had a 7-year marriage to another guy that Cooper dragged out of him.

 

Kyle first screwed Rusty to get into Sigma, and now he's marrying (and screwing) Winston to get the DA position.

 

And Devon hid how much she's making off the clinic, not to mention the custody fights (specifically, her decision to escalate them).

 

With evidence like that, it's hard to argue that they're not just as selfish as Cooper. I will agree that getting things only from his perspective might make them seem worse than they are, but he didn't make any one of them choose to do the things they did (except maybe the custody fights).

 

I surrender. <waves white flag>

 

Btw, welcome to GA!

[Conner]

That's a really interesting observation, Conner. I guess I should have considered it, but I never realized that with first person, it's up to the reader to trust whether the narrator is telling the truth or not. I don't think I'd ever deliberately mislead the reader, but you're right... what's to say the character Coop sees and hears things accurately? I guess that gives me something to possibly think about.

 

The approach I take with first person stories is to accept what the narrator is saying as basically accurate until I learn otherwise. An example, Chase told Coop that he would file his divorce documents right away. I accept that he's done that, but it hasn't been confirmed one way or another. It may turn out that he didn't file. I wouldn't see this as you, the author, intentionally misleading me.

 

Maybe I read too many mystery stories. Here "misdirection" is a more commom tool used by authors, otherwise it wouldn't be much of a mystery. But certainly misdirection can be used in other genres effectively. Keeping the reader off-balance is ok - it usually makes for a bigger "WOW!" along the way.

 

What I really want to say is don't think about it; in fact, forget I even said it! Just keep doing what you're doing.

[MJ85]

I surrender. <waves white flag>

 

Btw, welcome to GA!

 

Haha, put that flag away. And thanks!

Edited September 3, 2011 by MJ85