All Comments on 'International Exchange Concert'

Too damn long of a story should have been broken down into several chapters posted separately.

WOW!! Great plot, nicely wrought story line! The Marine sub-plot with the greasy lawyer episode was a bit superfluous, and you kept us waiting a bit long for the erotic climax (pun intended) but that's just quibbling. I appreciate your posting the entire work together, rather than parceling it out in bits and dribbles over several days. Thank you for a most exciting read! And I will eagerly await Episode II - Spock in Canada.

Enjoyed the story, really liked the main character. Thought he was pretty bad-ass to believe he'd be pushed around so much though.

Also struggled a bit with the detail of the orchestra and marching structures as well as the musical piece descriptions. Being mostly unfamiliar with the subjects, it seemed to me a bit esoteric.

The date rape scene was an attention grabber, albeit a bit contrived. The sex scene (near sex anyway) on the dance floor was cool too.

A couple scenes ran together and caused me to double take. Noting scene transitions somehow, like maybe "captain's log" style would have been helpful (and kinda' funny too).

I really enjoyed this story. Nice to run across a longer story here, glad it was posted all at once rather than having been parcelled out. Ignore the ADD sufferer who thought otherwise, obviously he's been watching to much TV and can't concentrate for longer than a commercial break. I'd love to see a sequel to this, it'd be nice if they could hook up on a more permenant basis as they get older and more able to travel/relocate. The band/music portions were a little over the top for me, I wasn't aware this was such a big deal. If asked I'd have thought maybe for a military school or on base schooling but not otherwise. Obviously you know better, it had the appearance of someone who knows what they are talking about. Good job.

Love this story, obviously you know your stuff, or have done a lot of research. I love longer stories with character development, and I agree that this one could have been longer, or could be ripe for a sequel (hopefully longer) :)

My first story of yours that I've read, can't wait to get to the others.

PS. I like the one chapter format as well, rather than many seperate chapters.

Wish it was longer. You have lots of room for more, he and she together, his dad + her mom together, problems with the creep family, lots and lots of paths to follow.

More please! I think Papa Boom-Boom could probably convince a bunch of Blackwater rejects to do a snatch job in exchange for decent gear. Of course, finding the bad guys would require pulling in a bunch of favors - who knew Robbie's father had such an interesting rolodex? - then a Rescue, which turns out to be a Trap, followed by an Escape, which in turn leads us into the Chase, and so on and so forth...

And at the end of the whole thing, a wedding, I hope!

I agree with others that the details of the marching band performances were a little over the top, and could have been pared down a little.

But a high school band doing a USO tour in a combat zone? That rings false to me. And then letting one of the children away from supervision? Not going to happen.

Apart from those two nits, I liked it very much, as I have liked your other stuff over the years.

Normally I wouldn't say this but, it feels just off. Lacks a backround of some characters while going into tyraids of minor details which the story could back off a bit. Added to the somewhat awkward storyline I just couldn't connect with the story completely. Nonetheless, it was a great read and little could be done to improve it; though would have liked to have more details on charcter descriptions.

It's a brick of a story, but god is it good!

Enjoyed it immensely and would love to read more of it.

Loved the fact that it was all one submission as I hate having to wait for chapters. I agree with most of the others, I got a little lost in the marching technicalities but don't feel that they took anything away from the story.

Had to giggle though, sigh, alas the poor misunderstood "eh". We Canucks don't say "eh" as you've used it. Close though, as you did put it at the end of a question. We tend to use it on its own much like you would say "pardon" or "what". We also say it to express surprised annoyance or reprimand, very similar to how some use "hey". Should also be noted that different parts of canada use it in different ways....who knew that one little non-word could be so indicative of one's origins.

Great story!! I hope to see a continuation of it, in the near future!

This is defiantly a five-star work.

My only question is how you would make "Ride of the Valkyries" hard for high woodwinds. I play flute, and the whole piece is just one high-F trill, some rests, and a few runs. Of course, that depends on if your high woodwinds is high single-reed woodwinds, in which case it makes sense.

This was absolutely fabulous... you sir have real talent... encore encore encore... we all call for it good sir!

You have a great story going beging for more

I couldn't finish it. The info-dump on Robby's elaborate backstory was irritating, as if the writer is rubbing in my face how tragic and cool at the same time Robby is. It was as if I was choking on his demise as an awkward teen with his bouts of 'coolness'.

Most excellent

Your vocabulary remains exquisite.

I suggest an 8 page version. Then polish it.

One of your tendencies works sometimes...but not always.

A character's speech will be a full paragraph. Uninterrupted.

Too many times. And its content is more like author description.

When (hopefully) you put fingers to keyboard again, this could use a follow-on; Robby & Inga are both worth it!

Would it me nice if both families went on vacation together or just had dad start seeing her mom.

This is a lovely story, and you obviously know a lot about a lot of different subjects. I'm afraid I got a little lost sometimes, particularly in the band drill sections, but that didn't stop me from reading and enjoying. Many thanks.

The proper response to "Live long and prosper" is "Peace and long life" ;)

Please write more, Thanks.

Hadn't thought of Frederick Fennel since I played for him in 1963. Nice realistic touch, among many others.

Thanks for a good story.

Can we get a sequel?