tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529969472454786525.post4001227832252417865..comments2023-09-28T04:31:56.852-06:00Comments on TravelinOma: The Write GroupTravelin'Omahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18415472674768977723noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529969472454786525.post-69762792253520352332010-05-16T20:49:49.154-06:002010-05-16T20:49:49.154-06:00Not looking back, just from the one read-through.....Not looking back, just from the one read-through...<br />It's about a boy and his family who are living sometime before cars and such were a usual thing and farming was.<br />The boy overhears some gossip, figures out it is about his Mom, and wants his Dad to defend her honor. He is upset that his Dad only ignores the gossip and has resentful feelings about his Dad, thinking him a coward for not defending the boy's Mother.<br />The boy is being raised to be self sufficient (as most children were back then) and can hunt for food. I also got the impression that he wasn't too fond of school but that schooling was important to his Father.Heffalumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166154112206680302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529969472454786525.post-89441057725998390802010-05-13T17:04:43.648-06:002010-05-13T17:04:43.648-06:00My thoughts...
1. It's about JJ as he deals wi...My thoughts...<br />1. It's about JJ as he deals with his (and his mother's) past and tries to figure out who he is. Sounds a little like a cowboy-coming-of-age type of story.<br />2. Old West, mid-1800's. From this excerpt, I can't figure out if it's before or after the Civil War or the exact state/region.<br />3. Sounds like in this scene, he's gotten his first glimpse about the truth of his mother's life...and he wants a real name.<br /><br />And a couple extra thoughts, if you don't mind...<br />The first bit of dialogue seems a little forced. It's usually awkward to have a character give exposition like that. Maybe structure it more as a couple lines between two characters? Make JJ have to read between the lines a bit--JJ's reaction would clue us (the readers) in.<br />And I'm not sure if the last bit a dialogue actually happens on the ride home or is just something that JJ often asks and Leo often answers. It seems like on this particular ride, JJ would be more likely to press Leo about what the gossipers said about his mother.<br /><br />Love the back story about the fox and the birds--nice insight into JJ's and his ma's character.Allisonhttp://lifeunqualified.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529969472454786525.post-6783856398024929482010-05-13T11:28:04.032-06:002010-05-13T11:28:04.032-06:00J.J. Barlow, Mid to Western US 1800s, AS a boy of ...J.J. Barlow, Mid to Western US 1800s, AS a boy of 10, J.J. is beginning to recognize himself as an individual and wants to understand who he is<br /><br />I don't think of myself as enjoying "Westerns," but am looking forward to reading more. Thanks. Hang in there Partner.Val and Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08798202516462646918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529969472454786525.post-17915669405657989002010-05-13T09:09:37.591-06:002010-05-13T09:09:37.591-06:00Without referring back to the excerpt:
1. This exc...Without referring back to the excerpt:<br />1. This excerpt is about JJ (previous reading has included Ruby, and Leo)<br />2. Takes place in the west, in 1800's.<br />3. In this excerpt JJ is beginning to get a hint of his own history, but doesn't know it yet.<br /><br />(Nice character building going on--I liked the school reference to add more meat to the character).Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01405496874813879203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529969472454786525.post-2346945905502466172010-05-13T05:33:46.206-06:002010-05-13T05:33:46.206-06:00After reading the excerpt, the impression I got wa...After reading the excerpt, the impression I got was that the book is about JJ, taking place in the western US in the late 1800s and it's about JJ discovering who he is regardless of other people's labels.Jenniferhttp://literarysoundtrack.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com