All Comments on 'My Summer Wife Ch. 02'

So now he has TWO wives, a brother/husband, PLUS the chance for TWO summer wives as well? He should be laughin...

But the "oh yeah, we should be more honest" feels like tacked on fanservice. I don't think you or they believe it. They think it worked out fine with Bob, and that Jimmy was an idiot to refuse, so really, why change what they see as a working policy? I can't see these people making any great effort to change their family practice.

Finally, I am curious if this free and easy sharing viewpoint is an Australian thing? I've been seeing a bunch of it from authors claiming Australian locations recently.

I read the sentence "It's time to confront the truth of our way of life, that it's great, but does need to change in some ways so as to hurt those few who do get hurt by it" several times. Is there a 'not' missing somewhere? Where?

Kelly says, "I thought for sure that if I loved other women's husbands, I'd really get into mine, and I did for a while" but she also says she was faithful to Jimmy. How could she love other women's husbands while being faithful to Jimmy? Or have I missed a time change somewhere?

I agree with Axelotto that the honesty requirement sounds tacked-on, and much less important to the participants than the arrangements for polyamory. I understand you're making your case here, and that's fine, but I think it would have been more effective had you ironed out the confusions above (and others), and made honesty and up-front-ness feel more like a prerequisite than an optional add-on.

Okay, that happens. Secondly, regarding what Kelly said, yes, she was talking about prior to being with Jimmy. That was kind of implied, so I'm not sure how it was missed, but maybe I should have spelled out that she was speaking of her past (which frankly, I thought that I did). Fair enough, that happens at times, confusion over what the author that he or she made apparent, but somehow wasn't communicated. Was it my fault as the writer or yours as the reader, or a little of both?

Anyway, for the record, yes, she was talking of her past, as indicated by her saying that she thought that, based on her track record, she would be even more attached to her own husband than to other women's. Was she a homewrecker? Was she involved with cheaters, or did she just do the summer wife thing? That is somehow left vague for now, but perhaps I will address it later. Maybe. She's human and could have done some unethical things at times, especially when younger. Then again, she wasn't very honest with Jimmy about this, and that was a goof-up, so that's part of the learning, and that's the point.

The part about being more honest is part of hers, Sandra's, and other's necessary improvement and growth. They have some learning to do. They are still growing, both in terms of how I develop them, and in terms of, within the arc of the story, their own personal learning and self-discovery. If you want to view that as contrived for fan service, that's your right to see it that way, but I'm not necessarily going to view it as such myself in terms of my motivations. I see it as more that I am still developing these characters, and while they grow organically up to a point, my subconscious can easily see how Robert would agree with the same objection that fans had that made sense, the dishonesty and manipulation part.

It doesn't change his mind about the basic objective and its appeal to him, but I am somewhat blurring the fourth wall here in developing him (and them to an extent), albeit not breaking it or intentionally violating a core aspect of the plot in the interests of fan service, as accused by some. One has more options with newer characters like this, that's all.

I commented in the hope that you would clear those two matters up for me. You did; thank you. I'm quite willing to own my own part in the confusion.

I should have been clearer in my comment: I do not accuse you of fan service. I do think, however, that your characters are building up trouble for themselves by not taking the time to establish everything on an honest basis *before* proceeding farther. I think they could build a more secure foundation for their future by having Sandy come home before she does anything with Steve, and having Jimmy there, too. Put everything on the table, apologize sincerely where necessary, commit to always deal in complete truth with each other, and *then* decide together how to move forward.

I do understand about the fourth wall: it's hard to keep that inviolate when the protagonist is narrating.

I'm not sure if Jimmy will have anything to do with Kelly anymore, or if they are even compatible, but perhaps she and he could make a clean break, an annulment maybe, since the marriage was less than honest at the outset. He deserves a wife that fits him better, just as she deserves to be in a relationship where she can be honest without losing the man's affection. This situation is a prime example of why the tradition, while it has its upsides, badly needs some reform, as the dishonesty and manipulation is a bit much to stomach, no matter why it's done.

Nietzsche once wrote that "there is an innocence in lying that is a sign of faith in a good cause." That is more or less the nature of this deceit, yet it remains dishonest and manipulative, and it's understandable if it leads to some resentment. Since Sandra's not working that summer and neither is Steve, it might well be practical for them to drop by and clear the air for the future. If Jimmy can get out of there with an apology to and from Kelly, that might help the peaceful dissolution of their marriage as well.

As you can see, I do value constructive criticism. I do not consider many of the comments that I got in chapter one constructive, but yours actually was, and you didn't hide behind the anonymous label. I can respect anyone willing to stand by their words and offer lucid objections rather than ad hominem attacks and armchair psychoanalysis.

Really enjoy the story. Hope you have more chapters in you, Next summer Steve has to get his sister pregnant.

Can't find a mistake in this one and if there is one I obviously didn't see it. Looking forward to where this now goes.

Dumber than a stump.