Reviews from

In Need of A Friend

A prayer, a hug, just a shoulder to cry on

33 total reviews 
Comment from T B Botts
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Hello Carol,
I know it's upsetting to deal with losing some chapters, but I suspect we've all gone through something similar. It doesn't mean you're losing your mind. My fingers have inadvertently hit the wrong button more times than I can count, and entire sections of writing have disappeared. When I was writing my first book, more than once I wiped out entire chapters. The thing was, as frustrating as it was, when I re-wrote, I liked the second try better. Hang in there gal. Like so much in life, you'll get over this.
Have a blessed day.
Tom

 Comment Written 21-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
    i think I've reconciled myseldf to losing the chapters. I was told that my internet/cell phone tower was hit by a construction crew and that it was shorting out for three or four days. There is a possibility that when I hit save...I didn't have internet so it wasn't saved. But I have moved on as you said.... Thanks for the review and the comments. Have a great day!
    Smiles, Carol
Comment from Carol Clark2
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I'm so sorry you've lost part of your new story. I've been enjoying it. However it happened, I pray you'll forgive yourself and begin to write it again. I do pray it comes back to your memory, maybe even a little better than the way you wrote it the first time. Hugs and prayers as you write again. Blessings. Carol

 Comment Written 09-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 09-Aug-2024
    I'm told that my internet tower was hit by a construction crew and it was shorting out for a few days before it finally went down. I guess it might have happened when I was saving things. Who knows? I just have to Begin Again.
    Smiles, Carol
reply by Carol Clark2 on 13-Aug-2024
    That's a bummer! There've been a lot of sun flares also, which have affected communications in our area. Happy writing! Sorry you have to 'Begin Again"!
Comment from BOO ghost
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

BOO has been procrastinating! Oh, a true story contest. I read everything. Well, ain't you #1 in the novel category? Hey, that's one massive undertaking. I'm ranked 47 but I missed January through June. Was Pandora's Box from a movie or poem? I need to research that! Oh, I also save my manuscript on Google Docs. Not sure if it's as good as Abiword Word Processor. Oh, eventually, I save my prose on Hermit, it's a free site to store novels. Well, I see you wrote this, so, you ain't lost your marbles. BOO is a friendly ghost. I have lost entire novels because of switching devices. I mean, a 1,600 page novel, that hurt! Guess the contest will be up for vote soon? You at the top of the pyramid! And getting prose reviews is a challenge even if you pay a buck! I been gone so many moons that I don't have the fraction of fans that I used to, and without fans you got about a zero chance of winning a contest! You got a lot to be grateful for.

BOO!

 Comment Written 08-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 09-Aug-2024
    I am listed as Number One at the moment and I can thank my readers, like good friends like you, for doing it for me. I love to write and I am thrilled when people enjoy what I do. Losing three chapters threw me for aloop, but I'm good and things will go forward once more. I can't imagine losing an entire novel. I've been struggling to pay more money to the reader, but it doen't pull in many readers. I too once had many fans when I first joined in 2009, but things change. Thanks so much for always being so gracious and sticking with me. You're the best BOO I know.
    Smiles, Carol
Comment from estory
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

This story illustrates what we all go through sometimes as we get older, the frustration we feel at not being able to keep up with life, the fear at losing control. I've felt this myself a few times; not being able to recall words, and struggling to read. But this story also illustrates how technology can be difficult to master, especially for people of our generation. One wrong key button push can wipe out a year's worth of work. Stay with it and good luck getting the story out. estory

 Comment Written 07-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 08-Aug-2024
    I must admit it knocked the socks right off me and I was freaking out.... possibly because I had so many other things going on too. Or possibly because my stories are my babies...and I lost them. I was told that it might have been caused by the internet/cell tower that was shorting out for days off and on. Who knows. But I am writing again and hopefully I don't lose it.
    Smiles, Carol
Comment from TERI W.
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Dear Begin Again,
I enjoyed reading your post and can relate to you. For most of my life, I have been walking into rooms and forgetting why I was there, so age is not a factor. However, I think that sometimes we lose things only to find a better version of ourselves in the future.

Think of your missing work as a prequel to your best work that is yet to be!


 Comment Written 06-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 08-Aug-2024
    Thanks so much for stopping by to read my story. I guess with age things aren't so easy at times. I'm told that the internet tower was sporadically shorting out for days and there is a possibility that it just didn't save. Whatever...they are gone and here I go again. thanks so much for your thoughts.
    Smiles, Carol
Comment from Annmuma
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Star #6 is for encouragement and empathy. I think I've lost every thing on a computer at one time or another -- a story, a picture, a poem whatever. Typically, it turns out that I have deleted it. I rarely empty my deleted materials and can usually find whatever I lost there. The upside is that I do toss the trash as I raffle through it in search of my lost material!
Good luck and hang in there. ann

 Comment Written 05-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 05-Aug-2024
    Thank yo so much...I have been totally heartbroken, but I lost my entire internet and cell phone today and was told construction hit the underground cable and took it out. The gentleman told me that it had been spoatically cutting out over the last few days so maybe that's when I lost my stuff...it didn't save. who knows! So I start again. Thank you for all the encouragement and the stars.
    Hugs, Carol
Comment from prettybluebirds
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I can relate to your situation as I have also done such things. I hope you find your lost chapters, but computers can be mean and unforgiving. I'm sending you a huge hug and sympathy.

 Comment Written 05-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 05-Aug-2024
    I lost the entire internet and cell phone today...something about costruction knocked out the tower. It had been sporacically shorting so they tell me it might have shut down and not saved my stuff. I'll get over it but it stung.
    Smiles, Carol
Comment from Sally Law
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

A prayer comes with this, my friend. Think of yourself, first, and give yourself some time and cut yourself some slack. Stress can give way to panic. Sleeplessness and emotional upheaval can add to stress of it all.

Consider it gone and start afresh. You have three wonderful chapters. Think of nothing expect adding another chapter once you've rested. Keep paper notes tucked in you desk drawer or your underwear drawer, wherever you look every day. Call it: Carol's Novel Thoughts. Write down some things you'd like to include in your chapter. I have had a bear of a time with the internet and with FanStory's edit, so have many on here. I'm not sure what's going on with FS, but I've had to contact Tom several times for help.

Always have things in more than one place. Send your draft to Evernote before you post, print it out, or both.
Let me know how I may help.

Mostly, please rest and take some time to refocus. I think that will really help.
Love & Blessings,
Sal Xos

 Comment Written 04-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 05-Aug-2024
    Thank you so much, Sally. It was a terrifying few moments as first when I couldn't remember anything...It was as if the story hadn't happened but I knew it had. then I compounded it by letting my mind go crazy. I've never ever done something like that before and it scared me. Still not sleeping well and the story ...well, I lost my way...but I know if I just let it go and it will come back on its own. thank you so much for your prayers and your kindness.
    Smiles and hugs, Carol
reply by Sally Law on 05-Aug-2024
    You're so welcome. Glad to help of only a little bit.
    Sal XOs
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I vote for the wine. My name train keeps derailing (but it always has) so I have to keep going back through notes to find out who everyone is. I had a similar experience to yours only this past week. I could only find one chapter from the middle of the novel I have online now. And it is such a long story. In the end, after checking every folder that has Talisman on it (there's over thirty), I finally looked several blank pages down after that odd chapter and, for some reason, all the rest of the novel was there. God bless you with characters that come marching back telling you the story.

 Comment Written 04-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 05-Aug-2024
    I am so sorry that you too had this type of an experience, Carol. It's a horrible feeling... almost like being in a store and suddenly you don't know where your child is. I'm still struggling with my thoughts of where I was headed with the story but I know if I just let it go, my writing will return. Maybe not where I'd been but we will move forward. Thanks for being so kind.
    Smiles, Carol
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

You have no doubt heard many voices of commiseration. I'll add mine. We have probably all lost precious work. Some of mine that I thought gone forever, I eventually found. I feel your pain, truly.
The sixth star is for that pain. Bless you.

 Comment Written 04-Aug-2024


reply by the author on 04-Aug-2024
    Thank you so much, Wayne! I was heartbroken...three chapters gone. My son thinks it happened when I had my computer update and it cleaned it...probably hadn't saved it right or somethng. But, it rocked me, but I will write again... Thank you so much for being so kind. I trule appreciate it.
    Smiles and hugs, Carol