Reviews (93)

Author's reply

I'm so glad you enjoyed the story! I remember being fascinated with stories about the Resistance in WWII, and Tolkien's mentions of Fatty Bolger's band and the Tooks keeping Men out of their homeland inspired me to think further about Shire-folks' experiences during the time the Travellers were away. Pippin does seem to have a flare for the dramatic... If this Thain thing doesn't work out for him, maybe he can become a carnival barker? I loved your description of Estella's growth and transformation. That's exactly what I hoped readers would see. And I have grown very fond of Ferdi. Sometimes I have fears that he's "too good to be true"; hopefully he has enough flaws to save him from that problem. (His flaws can be problematic in the other direction, though. Sometimes he's a very frustrating character to deal with due to his pride and stubbornness!) You're quite welcome, and many thanks for your encouragement.

Author's reply

Pippin deserves your accolades here; he is walking a very fine tightrope without a net at this point while resolving to make good (and for people who, frankly, don't always seem to deserve such consideration! Arrgh. The Tooks can be so exasperating sometimes). Thanks so much for reading and for pausing to share your thoughts for each chapter. I really appreciate the encouragement. While the stories are still yammering at me to polish and post them, it's hard to dredge up the energy lately with the pollen count so high... (((hugs)))

Author's reply

Building on Frodo's emphasis in 'The Scouring of the Shire', I've continued to try to show hobbits as reluctant to take life. Thus, Paladin would not simply concentrate on protecting his archers but would try to protect all the other hobbits as well. He probably wasn't as concerned about the Men, considering that there were likely half-Orcs sprinkled among them or waiting on fast ponies behind the main force, but they benefited anyhow. Thank you so much! I appreciate your kudos. (I am using the word as from its Greek origin and not as from a certain individual who tarnished the word more recently in his usage. I was going to substitute a different word, even, but why should I let a perfectly good word go to ruin just because a low-energy being abused it?)

Author's reply

I loved that Eglantine had a definite role in resisting the ruffians: making over children's songs with secret messages. I used to sing songs to my littles all the time with altered words to include them and their doings in the story. I can imagine Eglantine doing the same thing with her children and grandchildren... Thanks!

Author's reply

Whew. It was such a relief to deposit Estella in a safer place! Ferdi really ought to have sent Estella in his place. She knew all the details as well as he did! On the other hand, he probably knew that Paladin would take the warning more seriously coming from him. Plus, if the Great Smials was the target of the coming attack, his promise to his sister to seek safety for Estella would have been broken. Or at least, he would have seen things that way. Thanks!

Author's reply

This was a difficult chapter to write. When I don't want to write something that seems like a critical plot point, that's usually a clue that I need to put a content warning at the top of a chapter and offer a toned-down summary at the top of the next chapter so people can skip disturbing details... Thanks!

Author's reply

It was fun to look up the words JRRT used and find that "Attercop" is a spider reference, but "Tomnoddy" means a fool or stupid person! Thus, it fit perfectly into Estella's plan. (And I loved attributing her skill in aiming stones to Frodo's teaching...) Thanks!

Author's reply

Definitely! (I bet her capacity for planning fit well with Merry's capacity for planning after they got together!) I'm not sure if she was already a planner (maybe she had to be, in order to successfully tag along after Frodo and Freddy and their cousins without being discovered and sent home), or if she learned it from Hally and Rosie in the woods... Thanks!

Author's reply

While Ferdi could (and had, multiple times already) make this journey somewhat less riskily by himself, it was never a sure thing. And you're right, this stretch where the constant cover of the Woody End is behind them and they're crossing open country including a bog is the most dangerous part of the journey. Thanks so much for reading and stopping to share your thoughts!

Author's reply

I remember being fascinated when I learned that many people groups told traditional tales involving a Trickster. I learned about Brer Rabbit in my own childhood, but became acquainted with Anansi the Spider when my eldest was little, and then enjoyed stories about Coyote with my younger ones. I later incorporated the Trickster theme into my hobbit bedtime tales of "the clever coney who outwitted the fox". Poor bunny, indeed! ...and as a result of Estella's experiences here, she never ate rabbit again. (I'm glad he got away.) Thanks! Author Reply: p.s. We know from the original that at some point, Ferny removed from Bree to the Shire. Since we don't know exactly when, I felt safe in taking the liberty to have him cross their paths in the Woody End during late Spring.

Author's reply

There's a kind of childish delight in contemplating hobbit-sized places, whether you're talking about their normal surroundings or even hiding places. Whenever I've read a chapter of Dreamflower and KathyG's shared story lately, I've thought about how it would feel to be a five-year-old taking tea with Bilbo, for example... (((hugs))) It's good to hear from you.

Author's reply

That's one of many things I love about hobbits! I noticed your new chapter, and I'm looking forward to reading it as soon as I get some quiet around here... hopefully tomorrow if I can't get to it tonight. (((hugs))) Thanks for stopping to share your thoughts. I really appreciate it.

Author's reply

Ah, yes, here is where Estella starts to come into her own. What was it JRRT said about the core of courage deep in the heart of the most timid hobbit? (She wasn't timid to begin with, of course, but even she had no idea how brave and resourceful she could be when push comes to shove. And now I'm tempted to look up "when push comes to shove" to find out how that saying came about...) Thanks! It's so good to hear from you.

Author's reply

Best case would be to encounter no Men and come away with two backpacks full of mushrooms, for sure! And Ferdi said it had worked once. But, of course, he would most likely have been travelling alone at the time and hadn't tried it yet with a companion. I've got to say, it will be a positive pleasure to see Sherriff Tallow get his comeuppance when Paladin passes judgement on the collaborators in one of the later chapters of The Proposition. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to share your thoughts!

Author's reply

I figure a curfew and passes would be wholly foreign to hobbit thinking. Poor hobbits. It's too bad people didn't listen to Paladin's warnings early on, before Lotho's Men got a firm foothold... Thanks!

Author's reply

We know from the "Scouring" chapter that Ferny ended up in the Shire at some point, so I figured that having him working for Lotho at this point during the Troubles wouldn't be too much of a stretch. (I haven't quite figured out yet if he leaves Bree before or after Bill returns from the Wilds... Still thinking that part over.) Thanks!

Author's reply

Thank you so much! I appreciate your taking the time to leave some encouraging words.

Author's reply

It's a good thing he convinced his parents to send her to the relative safety of the Tookland! I don't know if Freddy suspected Lotho's intentions from the beginning or not since he didn't tell Hally and Rosie about it when he first left Estella with them. However, hearing about Lotho's order to find Estella would certainly have removed all doubt about the matter! No wonder he felt the need to warn Hally that Estella was not only in greater danger than he'd originally feared, but she was also now a serious danger to the forest Bolgers if they should be caught sheltering her. Thanks so much for reading and pausing to share your thoughts!

Author's reply

Estella is not the most patient person as it is; she's impulsive, very much like her cousin Pippin. Her experience with the Bolgers and later with the family of back-country Tooks was probably excellent training for the future and taught her valuable lessons in subtlety and discretion! Thanks!

Author's reply

It was fun to envision this scene through Estella's eyes. The idea exists in draft form in The Proposition, but it remains unfinished there. Thanks!

Author's reply

It must have been so difficult for Hally and Rosemary as well, yet another sacrifice of sorts, a price they must pay in terms of conscience and feelings of guilt in pursuit of a noble cause. Good to hear from you, my friend! (((hugs)))

Author's reply

She never told Merry. Somehow this "surprise" revelation, courtesy of Pippin, makes me chuckle. Merry knew about "Twig" since he was part of the search party that restored Estella to her parents, but he didn't know the half of it! Thanks so much for reading and stopping to send along your impressions. I appreciate it.

Author's reply

LOL! I imagine a Mad Baggins could make quite a lot of sense if people would only listen to them! Thanks! I appreciate your reading and taking time to leave a good word or three.

Author's reply

The Shire-folk are awfully self-isolating. Even Tolkien said as much. I would suppose that makes the Travellers even more intrepid and courageous, in that light. They have little or no idea what lies beyond the Bounds – they only know that banished hobbits never return (because they're not allowed to, not necessarily because they've died, but how would someone be able to tell?). Except for Bilbo, the first time he left the Shire (and maybe more times, for he was the wandering sort). That said, even Bilbo vanished permanently that last time he left the Shire. Only one of the Tooks who went to Sea is noted to have returned – maybe, depending on how one interprets the note about Isengar in the Took Family Tree. The remaining Boffin who went to Sea and Took who went off on a journey, according to notations in their respective Family Trees, were apparently never heard from again. Thanks for listening to me natter on about hobbits. I can never see to get enough of them.

Author's reply

O I know! The thought makes me shudder! Glad to have you along for the adventure! (Did I say that? I meant, "for the story" of course.)