Black Widow (Story Discussion)

[Headstall]

 in this case it's just good memory and the fact I noticed this detail for some reason.

Which is why you're such an awesome editor ... or at least one of the reasons...

Edited July 22, 2015 by Headstall

[Timothy M.]

Reply from Mark Arbour (author)

Thanks for the review! I'm trying to remember the boyfriend that Will slept with, but regardless, I think you describe Will very well.

 

How could you forget Kyle and Eric and Will's broken nose? It was the incident which led to one of the most painful moments in CAP when Will once more was betrayed by someone in his Family (his Grandmaman and Claire). But at least Brad was there for Will, standing up for him - one of Brad's finer moments.

 

 

I loved your review, but I was kind of surprised by your last line. Will hooking up with Tony...that's quite possible. 

 

If Will wants to salvage his relationship with Zach, he should stay away from Tony - hell he should stay away from him in any case. It seems to me whenever Will gets involved with Tony in any way it fucks him up - including his relationships with others. I want him to write off Tony as anything but an old acquaintance he's polite to when they meet. Sorry, but I hate Tony.

Edited July 25, 2015 by Timothy M.

[Headstall]

I've been thinking about Zach, and his reasons behind dumping Will. I do think there is someone else behind this... and the whole scenario brought to mind the Robbie/Neil deal. Does Zach have a Neal in his life who has something on him? Maybe his big roommate? Zach has his own little kink that could have got him in trouble... maybe enough for blackmail. Was he set up? Just a thought....

[methodwriter85]

I loved that JJ realized that Carter was hitting on him and basically wanted no part of it. Dude is just not slummin' it.

 

I'm still kind of hoping for JJ to have his Cutting Edge romance, though:

 

 

I kind of wanted him to fall for a Boston Southie hockey player from a blue-collar family, but I don't think he's going to stay in Boston. I wonder if he'll run to Chicago or Los Angeles?

[methodwriter85]

More stuff from the reviews:

 

 

But then I realized I was being unfair to Brad. In this situation he would have dropped everything and come to JJ's rescue, just like Will did. JJ simply did not wish to call Brad, and very understandably too, because Brad didn't like JJ's relationship with Alex and he would have been pleased it was over, even if he'd been furious at the method.

 

JJ really just doesn't look to Brad for any kind of support or advice. It's not to say JJ doesn't love Brad or Brad doesn't love JJ, but JJ really doesn't expect that much from Brad or confide in him all that much.

 

 

I hope Wade discards ME and Alex once and for all, and throws his lot in with JP's family. Or he could argue ME is now part of Alex' family ahd therefore no longer worthy of consideration as a Danfield. Will is going to need Wade, and Matt will want to help JJ, so this aligns nicely. Having Wade snub him as a dishonorable and weak ex-friend will hurt Alex as much as losing JJ.

 

You really think Wade is going to cut himself off from his newborn nephew? Because that's what cutting himself off from ME and Alex would entail. I'm pretty sure Wade is going to try and at least keep tabs on Ricky as he grows up to make sure he doesn't turn out as horribly as ME.

 

 

Overall, this was a truly excellent chapter, but one thing confused me: does anyone really like poached salmon?

 

JJ is 5'6" and probably weighs about 125 pounds of pure lean muscle. I think he can like it if that means he stays at that size because jumps are easier the lighter you are.

 

Actually, that was a detail that I got when I read about Evan Lysacek. During the 2003-2004 skating season (which JJ doesn't look likely to participate in), Evan got really into changing his diet and basically lived on poached salmon and grilled veggies. Daisy referred to it as "controlled eating."

 

There are basically only two references I can think of where JJ eats something unhealthy- the pizza boxes that Will yelled at him for way back during Paternity when JJ and Robbie had this weird co-dependent relationship going on, and when he eats Ben and Jerry's right after Robbie dies in 9/11. Otherwise, this is a kid who pretty much has lived on a constant diet since he was 12. He is not at all like Will, who seems to scarf down whatever he wants without really thinking because he's got a sixteen-year old 6'2" jock body that will pretty much burn up anything.

[Timothy M.]

You really think Wade is going to cut himself off from his newborn nephew? Because that's what cutting himself off from ME and Alex would entail. I'm pretty sure Wade is going to try and at least keep tabs on Ricky as he grows up to make sure he doesn't turn out as horribly as ME.

 

That's a very good point. But Wade and Matt already have two kids of their own (+ Ethan) to take care of, so how much time will Wade have to fly to England and look after Alex's son?

Edited July 26, 2015 by Timothy M.

[PrivateTim]

You really think Wade is going to cut himself off from his newborn nephew? Because that's what cutting himself off from ME and Alex would entail. I'm pretty sure Wade is going to try and at least keep tabs on Ricky as he grows up to make sure he doesn't turn out as horribly as ME.

 

Otherwise, this is a kid who pretty much has lived on a constant diet since he was 12. He is not at all like Will, who seems to scarf down whatever he wants without really thinking because he's got a sixteen-year old 6'2" jock body that will pretty much burn up anything.

 

It is premature to speculate on anything. We have to wait and see what Alex does with Mary Ellen. He isn't going to let her leave the country with his son and heir and no British court would side with ME in a custody battle.

 

As to poached salmon I probably eat it once a week as it is about the easiest thing a working couple can fix for dinner.

 

JJ might be small, but a competitive figure skater needs about 5,000 calories a day to maintain their weight when they are in training.

Edited July 27, 2015 by PrivateTim

[Boyke77]

I've been thinking about Zach, and his reasons behind dumping Will. I do think there is someone else behind this... and the whole scenario brought to mind the Robbie/Neil deal. Does Zach have a Neal in his life who has something on him? Maybe his big roommate? Zach has his own little kink that could have got him in trouble... maybe enough for blackmail. Was he set up? Just a thought....

 

David louis Parnell maybe?

[Headstall]

David louis Parnell maybe?

I think it's possible he could be an instrument for someone else? Maybe? I don't think Parnell could have seduced or fooled Zach in any way... it's fun to speculate though, isn't it?

[methodwriter85]

It is premature to speculate on anything. We have to wait and see what Alex does with Mary Ellen. He isn't going to let her leave the country with his son and heir and no British court would side with ME in a custody battle.

 

As to poached salmon I probably eat it once a week as it is about the easiest thing a working couple can fix for dinner.

 

JJ might be small, but a competitive figure skater needs about 5,000 a day to maintain their weight when they are in training.

 

Right, but it's going to be healthy food nevertheless. We're not going to see JJ scarf down bacon cheese fries.

 

My guess is that JJ consumes small meals that consist of lean meats, fish, veggies, and fruit at constant intervals during the day.

[impunity]

I had no idea my offhanded comment about poached salmon was going to spark such an intense debate. Surely we could find something more interesting to talk about.

 

FWIW, I prefer my salmon raw--in sushi, with avocados.

[Headstall]

I had no idea my offhanded comment about poached salmon was going to spark such an intense debate. Surely we could find something more interesting to talk about.

 

FWIW, I prefer my salmon raw--in sushi, with avocados.

LOL ... if we're sharing, I like mine baked with lemon and onion and black pepper... cooked in a sealed foil boat

[impunity]

LOL ... if we're sharing, I like mine baked with lemon and onion and black pepper... cooked in a sealed foil boat

 

That sounds pretty tasty.

[Headstall]

That sounds pretty tasty.

It is ....

[mmike1969]

I had no idea my offhanded comment about poached salmon was going to spark such an intense debate. Surely we could find something more interesting to talk about.

 

FWIW, I prefer my salmon raw--in sushi, with avocados.

I prefer my fish still in the water alive while I eat a bacon cheeseburger and fries with mayo.

[methodwriter85]

I prefer my fish still in the water alive while I eat a bacon cheeseburger and fries with mayo.

 

Have you tried eating fries with chipotle mayo ketchup? It's delish.

 

An East Coast tradition I think you'd like would be disco fries- basically, mozzarella and gravy on fries. It's just too damn good. Unfortunately the diners I used to get them from all closed down.

[B1ue]

Right, but it's going to be healthy food nevertheless. We're not going to see JJ scarf down bacon cheese fries.

 

My guess is that JJ consumes small meals that consist of lean meats, fish, veggies, and fruit at constant intervals during the day.

Or two to three large meals in addition to an assortment of healthy snacks that he eats constantly throughout the day.

 

He's a teen-aged athlete. He's going to be hungry, and he's going to respect that, because he doesn't want to pass out in the middle of a routine.

[mmike1969]

Or maybe JJ (excuse me, Jermey) will become depressed because he finally realized all his work wasn't worth it and stop eating healthy and balloon like a middle age man while looking at that bottle of aged Scotch like a man crawling out of the desert.

 

One can hope can't we?

[Daddydavek]

In my:

 

(Chapter 4 Review)

Starting with Will, it appears that he really plans to make dad's life 'interesting'!
Will's love life with Zach appears to be on the downhill slope...
JJ realized the sad truth about Alex and he is finished with him However, I suspect he is not finished with ME and that could be something else as he is noted for being dramatic.
Alex was never one of my favorite people and while I thought it would never last, I thought JJ would become bored with him instead of it ending this way.
It seems there may be whole nest of black widows in this book of the saga....
More please!

 Reply from Mark Arbour (author)

You picked up on something interesting about JJ, and that is that he made his decision about Alex pretty fast, and pretty firmly. The question is whether that's a big act, or whether he can actually do that...turn love off and on.

 

After thinking about Marks reply quoted above,  and the title of the book, I fear that a murder-suicide may be in the works.  

[methodwriter85]

Or two to three large meals in addition to an assortment of healthy snacks that he eats constantly throughout the day.

 

He's a teen-aged athlete. He's going to be hungry, and he's going to respect that, because he doesn't want to pass out in the middle of a routine.

 

I kind of wondered if we were going to go an eating disorder route with JJ, but Mark went with cutting, molestation, and orphaning instead. I think an ED would have been just a tad too much, although I'm sure JJ is still very weight conscious like anybody else in his sport would be. In any event, I don't think it would work to have a person with an eating disorder as a narrator, much like you're not interested in a drug addict for one. Eating disorders are pretty isolating and lonely and I can't see Mark having much fun in the mind of someone who's obsessively counting over the calories they didn't consume (or consumed and then purged) and turning down offers to go out because they've got to exercise.

 

 

Or maybe JJ (excuse me, Jermey) will become depressed because he finally realized all his work wasn't worth it and stop eating healthy and balloon like a middle age man while looking at that bottle of aged Scotch like a man crawling out of the desert.

 

It'd be funny if JJ became the family drunk. Well, not really. But wasn't there some family drunk on Original Recipe Dallas, which Mark has been taking a lot of his cues from? (It's like a gay version of the 1980's t.v. series.) I don't really know, because again, I'm a fan of Dynasty. It doesn't look like Mark is writing JJ as evil, so I can't see him taking up the Adam Carrington role as the evil schemer jealous of the Golden Son.

[impunity]

After thinking about Mark's reply quoted above, and the title of the book, I fear that a murder-suicide may be in the works.

That would be grim in the extreme, even for Mark.

It'd be funny if JJ became the family drunk. Well, not really. But wasn't there some family drunk on Original Recipe Dallas, which Mark has been taking a lot of his cues from? (It's like a gay version of the 1980's t.v. series.) I don't really know, because again, I'm a fan of Dynasty. It doesn't look like Mark is writing JJ as evil, so I can't see him taking up the Adam Carrington role as the evil schemer jealous of the Golden Son.

Ah, Sue Ellen Ewing was the designated drunk at Southfork. I don't see JJ as a drunk, though. I think he will channel all his energy into a design career. After he destroys ME.

Edited July 27, 2015 by impunity

[Headstall]

That would be grim in the extreme, even for Mark.

Ah, Sue Ellen Ewing was the designated drunk at Southfork. I don't see JJ as a drunk, though. I think he will channel all his energy into a design career. After he destroys ME.

We can't be giving Mark any ideas

[mmike1969]

Murder? suicide? There are no Disney television adaptions so Yeah.

 

This is completely within the realm of Mark. What books have YOU been reading?

[impunity]

Murder? suicide? There are no Disney television adaptions so Yeah.

 

This is completely within the realm of Mark. What books have YOU been reading?

Oh, all right. But only if the murder-suicide involves Alex and ME, leaving little Ricky to be raised by a series of indifferent governesses until he eventually becomes a victim of the public school system.

Edited July 28, 2015 by impunity

[Kitt]

In my:

 

(Chapter 4 Review)

Starting with Will, it appears that he really plans to make dad's life 'interesting'!

Will's love life with Zach appears to be on the downhill slope...

JJ realized the sad truth about Alex and he is finished with him However, I suspect he is not finished with ME and that could be something else as he is noted for being dramatic.

Alex was never one of my favorite people and while I thought it would never last, I thought JJ would become bored with him instead of it ending this way.

It seems there may be whole nest of black widows in this book of the saga....

More please!

 

 Reply from Mark Arbour (author)

You picked up on something interesting about JJ, and that is that he made his decision about Alex pretty fast, and pretty firmly. The question is whether that's a big act, or whether he can actually do that...turn love off and on.

 

After thinking about Marks reply quoted above,  and the title of the book, I fear that a murder-suicide may be in the works.  

 

Well, with the Crampton/Shulter family pissed off with you - murder is entirely possible!

We can't be giving Mark any ideas

He does do quite well on that front all on his own!