Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[ifyoucantfixit]

Long live the long hair...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I AGREE                                                       janice

[louisev]

On a Livejournal comment I received today.

I have outlined the next book's plot:  "The Long Way Home", about Ennis and Ellery taking a pilgrimage to Brokeback, so that Ennis can show Ellery the importance of the place, and of Jack, in his life.  That is why Ellery is buying a new horse, so they can ride up from the trailhead to the camp.  However, as we get closer to the end of "Shelter From the Storm" I am getting more and more LJ comments expressing disappointment and anger that Ennis intends to bring Ellery to "his and Jack's special place."

Here is one from today, and it is unfortunately, anonymous.

PLease do not take Ellery to Brokeback Mountain with Ennis. That is his and Jack's special place. Tell me something is Ellery the one true love of Enniss life?. I get the impression that Enniss is so much more in love with Ellery than he was with Jick. In fact I get the feeling that what they have the the real thing. I feel real sorry for Jack. I feel really angry at Ennis that it took a man he knew only hour to be the man he would move in with in say

My response is here:


I'm sorry you didn't register an LJ name so you won't get notified of this message, Anonymous.  However, I have outlined the plot for readers for how the next book will unfold.  The next story is entitled "The Long Way Home" and it will include Ennis bringing Ellery up to Brokeback, in part to show him what happened in 1963, and to explain the continuing importance of Jack in his life.

Let me explain now that this story is not to portray Ellery as Ennis's "one true love."  Ennis loved Jack, first and foremost, and that has never changed.  The reason Ennis is more demonstrative with Ellery is because of the torment he suffers from losing the love he had with Jack and not recognizing it for what it was, then.  And it is because of his love for Jack that he was able to recognize love again when he felt it.

If that makes you too sad to read on, you may want to avoid the next book.

My perspective, unlike that of a reader who can flip back to the beginning of "Brokeback Mountain" or start the DVD over, is that Ennis has lost Jack.  Jack is not coming back.  He can't get him back no matter what.  He is in the position of an inconsolable widow, who discovered love when his lover was killed.  This story is about loving again when there is no going back.  That is the story you are reading, and that is the story that will continue to unfold.

I would like to take a moment to urge people, if you find yourself angry about the idea of Ennis going to Brokeback with Ellery, or if you know people who are reading the story who are not happy with the storyline - not to go on with the story if you are uncomfortable.  I am writing for the pleasure and well-being of the readers, not to torment them, and I would not want anyone to read anything they feel uncomfortable about.  I have a very good friend who is a fan of my writing and loves it to pieces, and she skipped reading "Looking for Answers" because there was so much in it about Jack's death and Jack's killer.  We are still friends even though she skipped that volume.  So please do not feel you owe it to me to read any story or any part of any story out of loyalty.  Do what feels right for you.

Update on the plot:  My original plan was to conclude "Shelter From the Storm" with the wedding scene, but due to my own plot tangle, it will end shortly after the apprehension of the Brotherhood murderers.

[opinionista]

On a Livejournal comment I received today.

I have outlined the next book's plot:  "The Long Way Home", about Ennis and Ellery taking a pilgrimage to Brokeback, so that Ennis can show Ellery the importance of the place, and of Jack, in his life.  That is why Ellery is buying a new horse, so they can ride up from the trailhead to the camp.  However, as we get closer to the end of "Shelter From the Storm" I am getting more and more LJ comments expressing disappointment and anger that Ennis intends to bring Ellery to "his and Jack's special place."

Here is one from today, and it is unfortunately, anonymous.

PLease do not take Ellery to Brokeback Mountain with Ennis. That is his and Jack's special place. Tell me something is Ellery the one true love of Enniss life?. I get the impression that Enniss is so much more in love with Ellery than he was with Jick. In fact I get the feeling that what they have the the real thing. I feel real sorry for Jack. I feel really angry at Ennis that it took a man he knew only hour to be the man he would move in with in say

I happen to like the idea of Ennis bringing Ellery to Brokebak. I don't think it means he loves Jack any less, or that is replacing Ellery with Jack. IMO, Ennis has to make peace with Jack ghost completely. Because no matter how happy he seems to be living with Ellery, he still feel guilty and bad about how things ended with Jack. Ellery is not only Ennis's new boyfriend, he's also Ennis's friend. A friend who has been there, holding his hand while he grieved.

Louise, throughout the story, Ennis has spoken a great deal about Jack, he has told Ellery everything about him, even some their most intimate moments. And Ellery has always listened, and has remained as his side. Furthermore, Ellery has gone all the way and has risked his life trying to solve Jack's murder. And as a result the whole Laramie police force has been having extra work, after Jack's murderer, Worrell came to Wyoming shooting his way in and trying to kill Ellery. Even Edna was in danger when Worrell showed up at Wes's ranch.  I even think that if he could, Jack himself would rise from his ashes just to take Ellery to Brokeback as gratitude for all he has done.

I disagree completely with that poster. If Ennis takes Ellery to Brokeback it doesn't mean Brokeback will become Ennis's and Ellery's place. IMO, Brokeback will always be Jack and Ennis's place, because the loved they shared that summer can never be replaced not even by Ellery's short visit to the mountain. I think you should stick to the plot you outlined.

[louisev]

I have not, and don't intend, to change the plot I outlined.    The update on the plot has to do with the fact that I overwrote the weekend, where my original plan was to end the current story after the wedding, it will now go a little further.

The plot of "The Long Way Home" will remain much as I described it.  If readers haven't figured out after 4 books and nearly 600,000 words that the story is about Ennis finding a new life and a new love, it's getting a little late in the game to discover that and become indignant.

[opinionista]

I have not, and don't intend, to change the plot I outlined.    The update on the plot has to do with the fact that I overwrote the weekend, where my original plan was to end the current story after the wedding, it will now go a little further.

The plot of "The Long Way Home" will remain much as I described it.  If readers haven't figured out after 4 books and nearly 600,000 words that the story is about Ennis finding a new life and a new love, it's getting a little late in the game to discover that and become indignant.

Well, I'm glad you have the intetion of sticking to the plot you outlined. Whoever wrote that comment is not reading thoroughly IMO.

[pastorfred]

I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but part of my story touches on the question of Ennis and Ellery visiting the sacred mountain together.

My first marriage ended in divorce after my wife experienced cataclysmic personality changes that left a different personality in the same body. She was the great love of my life, and the person there now is my lifelong friend.

My second wife became a close friend of my first. The three of us had many good times together, visiting in each other’s homes, seeing places special to us all. I’ll never forget the moment my second wife and I told my first that we were about to be married. The first smiled and said, “Well, that’s the logical next step in your relationship.”

I’m sharing this to say that love and friendship are very fluid. One relationship does not threaten or weaken another that has irretrievably ended. Brokeback Mountain will not be less sacred after Ennis takes Ellery there. If there is any change, it will be more sacred. Memories of Jack are not diminished by Ennis’s recognizing that he and Jack shared a deep and true love. It works both ways: Because of his great love for Jack, Ennis was able to recognize true love when it was born in his heart for Ellery. Because he learned to name the feelings as love for Ellery, he was able to recognize that he loved Jack. Love begets love.

[louisev]

The bad news:

Yesterday morning I woke up with spots coming up on my face and itchiness: classic allergic symptoms for the antibiotic I was taking.  Even though my dentist had prescribed something in the "safe" family of cephalosporins, I was stuck in a dilemma.  I have an infection needing antibiotics, and I am allergic to the antibiotic now.  So I called my doctor and he told me to stop taking what I was taking, and give it 24 hours. If I worsen then he can give me the "safe" one I have used for the past 10 years.

A night and half a day went by, and I worsened.  Now I am using up my precious codeine as I wait to get out of work to rush to go get Cephalexin, and hope that I don't worsen too much more before the tried-and-true antibiotic kicks in.  More than this, there is a lingering possibility of developing an allergy to the old tried and true.  Which might make getting better from this infection problematic.  I know there are hundreds of antibiotics out there... but I am already allergic to a half dozen of the most-used and most-indicated.

In the midst of this I am still hanging fire on the Foreign office for my visa extension (which visa expires next Thursday.)  Even if it does come through, my contract customer here wants to reduce the rate on my contract in October, which means I should find another job, and my boss in Britain is putting the pressure on for me to take a different contract in Hertfordshire, meaning uprooting and jetting over there for 6 months.  Ai yi yi...

The punch line:  I hope I don't worsen so much that I have to stop writing again, but that is always a possibility.  The next few days look iffy, and my surgery is scheduled for Monday.  Wish me luck!

[notBastet]

a member of the choir here Fred, but I still really liked what you had to say.  it's exactly how I feel.

especially this, "One relationship does not threaten or weaken another that has irretrievably ended."
of course that is much easier to say than understand sometimes.

[louisev]

Is that anyone we know?

We have an opening for a new assistant D.A.

[MaineWriter]

Who could this guy play?     Hehehehehehe

Maybe he's your Ellery, but he sure ain't mine! I don't think we've cast Reynolds yet, either, but I picture him younger than this.

L