Gaby Obits (Original - Book 5 Chapter 36) by Maddy Bell.

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Maddy Bell asked me to post this for her. I do so with reluctance and sadness, for reasons which will become clear.

Angharad.

Obits

Dernau 1st January 2005: Jenny put the book she was reading down and went to answer the door.

“Morgen.”

“Frau Bond?” the policewoman enquired.

“Yes, what’s happened?” policemen at your door were never bringing good news.

“May we come in?”

“Oh sorry, please.”

The two upholders of the law entered the Bond’s kitchen and waited for Jen to join them.

“Your child rides a race bicycle?”

This was not going to be good.

“A red Schauff, why?”

“Would you like to sit first?”

“No just tell me, he’s in hospital, is he okay?”

“I’m sorry Frau Bond, he’s not in the hospital. A bicycle was found on the Radweg south of Remagen an hour ago.”

“Oh no! Not Drew!”

-------------

***---***----****REUTERS BONN****JAN 1ST 2005****17.35****----*****

Body found in Rhein — thought to be missing teenager — extensive search called off — more.

-------------

Kripp 1st January 2005: It was always good to get out on the bike for a bit and start the year as you mean to go on. Drew turned onto the river front - not even a ferry running he noted seeing the ‘Linz’ tied up by the ramp. Geez the river was high this morning, as high as he’d ever seen it in fact. Well he’d ride down to the deer park and cut over the hill back home.

Drew being Drew he slipped up a couple of gears and picked up the pace, hmm better watch out, I’m sure that looked like ice back there. The trail was a mixture of paving slabs with the odd patch of tarmac ‘repair’ and the river was barely a metre below him, swirling and gurgling towards the sea.

Yup, that was definitely ice, hmm have to be a bit more careful, don’t want to deck myself. The river turned lazily towards Remagen, he could see the remains of the bridge on the opposite bank. At that moment the sun chose to break through the cloud.

It happened so quickly — the glare from the ice caught him straight in the eye — by reflex he grabbed the brakes but he was already on the ice. Rider and bike slewed dangerously, the front wheel finally catching an edge that flipped Drew over the bars. SHIT!

-------------

CYCLING WEEKLY Jan 5th 2005

Andrew Bond
We are sorry to have to announce the death of one of the UK’s best hopes for the future in an accident near the family home in Germany. Full story next week.

-------------

Dernau 1st January 2005: “Where is he?”

“I’m afraid we don’t know Frau Bond, we have the river Polizei searching and teams on each bank.”

“Drew!” Jen wailed.

“Is your husband in?” the other cop enquired.

“He, they, they’ve gone for a walk.” Jen managed between sobs.

“They?”

“My other daughter and my mother, Dave’s taking them to Rech.”

“We’ll find them,” the female officer stated, “Dieter.” She signalled her colleague who departed to start that search.

“Is there anyone you’d like me to call?”
“Oh Drew please be safe.”

-------------

PROCYCLING, FEBRUARY 2005

Drew Bond. The year started on a bad note for UK cycling with the death of Olympic hopeful Drew Bond on January 1st. Still only fourteen, Drew was following in his mother’s illustrious footsteps having secured a place on both the British Cycling development squad and the German Apollinaris youth team. He shot to fame in 2004 by winning the schools circuit race championship in the face of older and more experienced competition. This was followed up with a string of impressive rides at both hill climb and ‘cross resulting in him securing a second national title at hill climb.

2004 saw a move to Germany to join the Apollinaris squad where he again had an impressive season competing at Junior Elite level across Europe with six wins to his credit. He returned to the UK in August when he took an impressive win to secure a second under 16 title at Bristol.

On the morning of Jan 1st he was out training at the side of the Rhine when its thought he lost control and left the path landing in the swollen river. His body was found later the same day 10kms downstream.

The funeral was held in Dernau near the family home on January 10th and was attended by many of his friends as well as representatives from teams and organisations across the cycling world.

-------------

Church Warsop 2nd January 2005: “hi Aunt Jen,” Mad bubbled, “Happy New Year!”

“Hello Maddy, is your mother there?”

“Yeah sure, hang on — MUM! It’s Auntie Jen — she’s just coming, give Drew a kiss for me.”

Jen lost it then and Dave rescued the phone passing his wife to her mother.

“Hello, Jen?”

“Carol, it’s Dave.”

“Everything okay? Its bloody cold here.”

“Its Drew, he’s gone.” Dave struggled to not break down himself. These calls needed to be made; he owed it to Drew to do it himself although Josie had offered.

“What? Run away?” Carol was confused now; Drew wouldn’t do something like that.

“Nnno, he’s dead Carol.” Dave couldn’t prevent a sniff escaping.

“Oh no! Hang on let me go outside…how’s Jen?”

“Not taking it well, Josie’s here.”

“Do you want me to come out?”

“You don’t need to Carol.”

“How did…”

“It happen? We think he slipped on some ice and got thrown into the river.”

“He drowned? Oh the poor luv.” Carols own eyes were close to betraying her own emotions.

“Can, could you tell his friends for us?”

“Of course I will,” oh god how do I do that? “You’re sure you don’t want me to fly out?”

“I’ll talk to Jen and call you again later. I’d best get off, there’re lots of people I have to ring.”

“Give Jen and Jules my love — and you take care too Dave Bond.”

“Bye Carol.”

“Bye Dave.”

“What’s up Mum? Why are you stood out there?” Mad enquired.

Carol gathered herself but couldn’t stop a tear trickling down her face.

“Something’s happened.”

“Aunt Jens cancer has come back?”

Carol Peters closed the door behind her.

“No it’s not your Aunt Jen.”

“What is it then?”

“Come here luv,” Carol gathered her daughter into a hug, “it’s Drew, he drowned yesterday.”

“No! You’re lying!” Mad shouted.

“It’s true Mad.” Carol clung closer to her daughter, for whose comfort she couldn’t say.

They held the embrace for a minute or so before Mad broke free and ran to her room. Carol started to follow but Johns voice stopped her.

“Let her be luv, I heard you telling her. Are the Bonds okay?”

“John, he’s dead!”

John Peters held his wife tightly, he didn’t know what to say but holding his wife seemed the right thing to do.

-------------

Dernau 10th January 2005: Dave was doing his best to retain his composure but it was a struggle. They had discussed taking him back to Warsop but somehow that didn’t feel right. No this was their home now, for better or worse and he knew they’d all feel better if Drew was here with them. He looked across the crowd — Drew would’ve been impressed. He spotted Cara with John from BC, all the Apollinaris team were there too. There was a sobbing mess of teenage girls — ironically it was as Gaby that Drew seemed to flourish. The team had paid for Ally and Bernie to come out, they hadn’t managed to contact Rhod in time but there were flowers from his mother.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the place; even the Polizei and rescue services were struggling with the emotion. You never want to bury a child — when that child was Drew it made it even harder. Jen had barely stopped crying for over a week and Jules, well she was outwardly together but she was pretty obviously on the edge.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…” the Minister concluded the service and Dave took his place alongside John, George and the surprise of the day, Lance Armstrong. They lowered the casket into the still frozen earth and the final act of his son’s life started.

-------------

Dernau 25th February 2007: Jules was a regular visitor to Dernau Friedhof; at least she visited when she came home from Uni. Her footsteps seemed loud on the gravel and her destination was over at the back wall. The plot was as usual tidy and had fresh flowers below the headstone, Mum said that Connie and the girls came every week, Drew woulda liked that. She put her own blooms with the others, carefully arranging the card with the same words as always ‘Miss You’. She fingered the inscription,

Andrew Bond
Loving son of Jennifer and David
Brother of Juliette
Born 25 Feb.1990
Taken 1 Jan.2005

Always missed, you touched so many

It was ironic really that there was no mention of Gaby on the stone, it was after all as Gaby that most people had known her brother. Not that there weren’t reminders of his alter ego at home. At first Mum had made his room into a sort of shrine, nothing was to be moved or disposed of but Aunt Carol had eventually convinced her to be more practical so that there was now a selection of photos, both Drew and Gaby, along with his medals in the family room alongside Mums own collection.

Why did you insist on going out that morning bro?

Maddy Bell 03.01.08

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Comments

Is this???

So, is this the end? Or just like Maddy's own version of a fanfic??

Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur

Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur

It can't be

Is this a joke? Is Maddy just feeling low? I can't accept it.

Or is the story going to pick up in heaven, where all the angels think he's a girl, and he can't convince them otherwise?

Is this the end ...

... or is it like the Reichenbach Falls and, like Holmes, there'll be a 'Return of Drew Bond'?

A very touching (and, from experience, very realistic) piece. I've always been nervous of ice on two wheels and always used a racing trike when it looked dodgy.

Geoff

A Sad Day—I'm in tears

Oh dear, this is too awful. I am totally bereft.

Surely Maddy can't mean it, although she didn't seem her usual self on the zone last night.

I hope she will at least finish Bits.

Sorry, I'm lost for words and weeping buckets.

Gabi

Gabi.


“It is hard for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.” Thomas Hardy—Far from the Madding Crowd.

Gaby obits I'm Gone

I've been reading 'Gaby' stories for years.
I servived an attack,that left me unable to have children 30 years ago.
outlived my husband of 23 years.
I come to The Big Closet, and The Gaby zone to relax and read interest stories by interesting open minded people.
Good fiction that escapes the derivative and boreing writing of the lazy mainstream writers.
If I wanted to read of stupid senseless death I can pick-up any nrwspaper, or turn on chicken noodle news on the boob tube.
Changing Keys By Jillian killed off the main character just as life was comeing together for her, now Maddy kills off Drew!
Both out of thin air and senseless death.
I'm tired of stories that end in hopless death.
We have to deal with that shoved in our faces every day by real life. I'll try to find some good stories somewhere else.
Good bye, and God bless.

A Bit Harsh, Don't You Think?

Whenever a story ends in death, it seems the "happy ending police" come out in force to trounce on the author. This in spite of the fact that sometimes stories simply can't have happy endings without abandoning all contact with reality.

Note that the dates listed in this story place it beyond the timeline Maddy's been working on in her latest book, as the latest "Bits" chapter time-wise takes place on Christmas just before this happens.

Now, the only question left to answer is whether this is Maddy's way of stirring some things up, or if this is how the story is really going to end.

Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur

Never let it be said that I don't enjoy the occasional delusion of grandeur

Sad

So sad.
Michelle

My Opinion

of this travesty is that both the author and readers are going to suffer from the shutdown of this wonderful universe. The Gaby Universe was a bright and fun one for myself to read and enjoy. I loved imagining myself as Gaby/Drew as I read it. It made me laugh and squirm at the situations and I truly enjoyed the experience. Even though the story was fiction, the character was fiction... to me... while I read it... it was real - for me.

What saddens me most is that the author has chosen to end the universe as she had. I for one am mourning the loss of that great cycling character, Gaby Bond. Many hugs and you have all my love.

Please, as readers, remember to comment your author's stories which you read. Show your support.
 

    Sephrena Lynn Miller
BigCloset TopShelf

Obits

I think we need to wait until the reasons are posted. When she updated her page last time, she included future plans. Finishing book 5 and then doing book 6 was listed. Plus there are other things like her dolls that make me wonder about the story reasoning. I will hold off judgment until definitive word is given.

Well, if Maddy is......

closing down her universe, then I guess I had best find a way to end my story as well. I would not continue to write it if the she is wrapping up her universe.

Best wishes for the future Maddy. I will try to wrap the story within the next month and get everything to you.

Much love;
Kate
"While the rest of the human race are descended from monkeys, redheads derive from cats."

Kate
"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes." William Gibson

Maddy's e-mail yesterday was ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

... full of plans for the future. She did mention an accidental self-inflicted knife wound, though. I am afraid something very bad has happened to Maddy; i will pray that that is not so.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

scars

I do hope it's not that. I have a few of those marks and memories myself. But then, we all have some reminders of hard times, and most of us are better.
Along with all the fun and silliness, Maddy often writes about challenges and hope. Real life immitates... but that's so cliche.

Michelle

I Think We Should Remain Calm

about the news of Maddy ending the Gabyverse. Let's not attack one another over this event. Its tragic the author is stopping it, but why quit reading TG ficition over this? The authors are people just like the readers and they have real life issues outside of their stories. In time, perhaps, Author Madelline Bell will approach us and explain why... and perhaps she wont. With the legacy of Gaby and how deeply it affects a lot of us, I feel for all of us.

From all of us here at BigCloset TopShelf, we salute your writing legacy Maddy. We appreciate your writings, characters and situations you brought us. To this reader, It was a magical experience that affected my life personally and no matter what your future plans entail, please know that this reader loves you.

All of My Love
 

    Sephrena Lynn Miller
BigCloset TopShelf

You're right, of course

You're sooo right, of course, Sephy. All we can do is wait and hope for an eventual explanation. What we must NOT do is to demand an explanation from her—that will achieve absolutely nothing.

All we can do is to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Love and hugs
Gabi

Gabi.


“It is hard for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs.” Thomas Hardy—Far from the Madding Crowd.

shock...

I only recently signed up to here, but ive been reading for quite a while now, Gabys story has touched me greatly, They are a similar age to me (well a few younger) but Stories around your age hit home so much harder.
Im shocked to see that its ending, But im sure Maddy has her reasons... id LIKE to know why, but hey, her call, and i would like to thank her from the bottom of my heart for an awesome series that has kept me reading late into the night/morning many a night.
Thankyou Maddy
R

An open letter to Maddy and Drew/Gabi

I begin with a confession. There have been a great many times when you, both of you, have annoyed me a very, very great deal. Drew's story (along with Kelly's and many more that aren't nearly so good) and that annoyance supplied the greatest impetus for me ever to write this kind of story.

Drew always had it so easy, slipping back and forth from one gender to the other. We know that is not the way it goes. Even in the best of all possible worlds it would be a very difficult way to be. So I began to try to write something that looked at the difficulties such children face. (but I'm not nearly the writer to do it, among many other problems, I can only write the story when my personal life is on an even keel; a problem I'm sure others face but manage to over come better than I. I don't mention this because of my own self-absorbtion but, also, to show my envy and admiration of the way you have kept this ball in the air for so long.)

But your and Drew's story (along with Kelly's and a few others that aren't quite so good) have given me a great deal of pleasure. Gabi (or Drew; the name doesn't matter at all, nor the gender really.) have been fun. I am not above the nostalgia for youth, nor the enjoyment of displays of innocence and simple joys. It is escapism -- Hallelujah! -- and its enjoyment doesn't mean we have forgotten how awful childhood is in truth. Drew was always among the very, very best at that. Thank you, thank you very much, Maddy, for your time, your effort, your imagination, and the love you have given through this story.

Wanda's story has stopped, I think in part due to complaints from people who just didn't get it. I know you have received grief in the past about the way you have told your story. And these things pile on top of the mess thrown by those that say any story with a child protagonist is, per se, vile.

I am, perhaps in a lesser way, aware of how such characters can occupy the author's mind and heart. And of how they can seem to come to occupy the author's life. And, I believe, that even when the angst is kept outside the story (because so many reject any that shows up even between the lines) the writer knows and feels that angst for the character. What you have poured into this story for us is astonishing, phenomenal, stunning. The empathy that is needed to build such a character is a thing of beauty and wonder; and perhaps pain.

If you need to escape from that grip, it is your business only. I will miss Gaby and all the others, but what I hope is that I will not have to miss you. I am selfish perhaps, but I hope you will continue to give me you other stories and other new stories and other pieces of you amazing self.

With love; seek joy, please;
Jan

Deux Ex Machina...

It is sometimes nessicary for an author to throw a twist into a plot that is so completly out of left field that it makes the reader ask WTF? Sometimes, it is due to a frustration in real life. Other times it is due to becoming jaded with the way the story line is progressing.

That being said, I have to admit, if you would have told me this was going to happen, I probably would have said you were full of fecal defication. (see kids, I'm trying to watch my mouth.)

The thing we all need to remember, is that the Gaby stories belong to Maddy. Granted, she has honored the rest of us with allowing us to read, and enjoy then all these years, but they still belong to her. So the choice to end the story line the way she wants is her's, and her's alone. I respect her as a writer, and honestly hope this is an early april fools day prank.

Maddy, if you read this, please know that your writing will be missed. And may the new year bring you all the happiness you can handle.

Much love.
Toni

Sad but not overly surprised

I have been waiting for this shoe to drop since the end of book four. It seems the author almost killed off drew then but changed her mind with thease bits and pices. I will miss thease stories and trully hope nothing has happend to the author that mirrors this turn of events but hold hope that mabey she was just tired of this story arc and wants to break new ground. I shall do the only thing i can and wish her the best of luck and wait patintly for any new stories to apear.

god bless

Jen

Re: Gaby Obits by Maddy Bell.

I'm shocked and extremely saddened, I never expected the Gaby series to end in this fashion. If this is how Maddy intends it to end, I do hope that she will reconsider and find a way for it to continue, or, at least, to not 'kill off' Drew.

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading about Drew/Gaby's adventures and will miss them deeply if this is to be the end.

From what Maddy wrote in her update yesterday, things seemed to be going well in the Gaby universe, so I wonder what on Earth could have happened between then and today to bring this about?

I do hope that Maddy is OK, and that this turns out to be a 'false alarm', but whatever the outcome, it has to be what's best for Maddy.

Best wishes,

Dave.

Saddened, and hopeful

I was saddened by Maddy's action, and the apparent death of a person with so much of a future in front of him/her. For whatever reason, the death of a child hits me harder than someone who's lived a long and full life.

In any event. I certainly HOPE that this will be found to be a case of miss-identification (the body found was so disfigured by time in the water that it wasn't recognizable, and since basically of Drew's size, and by timing it was assumed to have been Drew.) That said, I suspect that the clothing might have something to do with the identification.

I'm hoping that Drew will end up dieing the same way Sherlock Holmes did when he went over the Falls...

Here's a twisted plot that MIGHT be made to work. You can probably come up with better ones:

1) Some criminal element ends up killing someone, and are prepared to dump said body into the drink - probalby with concrete sneakers.
2) Along comes our fearless hero (Drew), he sees something getting ready to happen, hits some ice and swerves/crashes as indicated.
3) Crooks seize the opportunity to swap clothing and take the unconscious Drew with them. They use some rocks to dammage face/jaw/teeth to make ID more difficult, and then toss it over the cliff so it will be found, and assumed to be Drew.
4) Drew (now alive) is taken by the crooks... Does he remember what happened? How does he get reunited? When does this happen?

Well, it's not a great plot, but what did you expect. It's my hope for a change that makes me come up with it. A better solution would be just a retraction of the Obit... And then back to business as described in Maddy's post yesterday.

Phrances

Sometimes things suck

I must say I never expected the story to go this way. On the other hand anyone that rides often knows it can be dangerous. Although it's usually the motorized vehicles that cause the issues. As with driving, riding in bad weather is definitely more of a risk. Flying off a bridge is a bit dramatic (likely the point). If this is the end, so be it, didn’t expect the story to go this way. Then again accidents can and do happen to all of us. If this is a reflection of something in Maddys life I hope she gets through it ok. Then again the way the story comes in bits it could be a bad dream of one of the characters. I did notice that the format was changed slightly, most noticeable was the addition to of the date notation. Sort of reminded me of Tuck chapter.

I liked the story, well except for this last bit.

----------
Jenna

Puzzled...

I'll admit that some of the plots that Gaby/Drew have been involved in in the past have left me cold... the whole thing with Jen's affair/cancer thing was mad... But As far as I am concerned thats up to the author and how she writes the story.

And its one of the sites that I check every week (or more often) looking for an update in a tale I love to read, Gaby/Drew may be a little blonde ;) but s/he is a great kid who I like and admire.

Maddy seems to be making a go of the doll shop, not something I can profess to having any interest in at all, but I keep an eye on it as I hope it does well. I have every intention of getting some dead tree versions of the books, when I can afford them.

I also can't find anything in the public domain that would have left Maddy feeling like she did last time she nearly killed the universe off, it could be too soon. And again nothing is posted on her own site or the Gaby zone forums...

I for one hope this doesn't spell the end, in fact I'm hoping that so much I'm not reading the bulk of the above, I read enough to know what happened but as far as I'm concerned this is an aberration in the life of a normally excellent author. If in fact this is the end I will be much saddened but can, by not reading the above, allow myself to just feel its an unfinished story.

The Legendary Lost Ninja

Finito

Ciao e amore, Gaby.

marie c.

marie c.

It doesn't make any sense!

From Maddy's web site!

2nd January 2008
Maddy has been stabbed!
but Happy New Year!

Other plans for 2008 include:-

* At least one new Nena story
* The conclusion of Sam an tha
* Start of Gaby book 6!
* The first 'proper' International Gabycon*
* An all new standalone story in print
* The release of Gaby Bits in print
* Production of the Gaby figurine
* Release of Nena series dolls / models
* Release of full series of Gaby dolls

* Full registration details will be available in the next couple of weeks!

That was from Maddy's web site posted yesterday.

So I don't know whats going on...

As for Obits "I DON'T LIKE IT" it made me cry.

Konichiwa

It's Drew's Obit, Not Maddy's!

You know, Maddy wrote Drew's Obituary not her own - just because Gaby may be coming to an end doesn't necessarily mean that she is stopping all writing - she has written several other stories, and at least one other major serial (Nena)

Giver her a break, please.

jaime

A BREAK?

Is that a drum or a disk, metallic or not?

What I don't understand is why the comment on Gaby Book 6?

OMG," its full of Stars

Open the pod doors Hal.

Konichiwa

uhhh....

Homonyms can be difficult, I know. You're hearing this from the queen of using the wrong ones. But I do feel I need to point out that "break" is not what stops a vehicle. That would be "brake."

Just trying to contribute to the conversation. I sincerly mean no mallace in what I was saying. Just pointing out a possible misunderstanding.

Much love.
Toni

You say tomato

I say Tomado, You say potato, I say patodo, tomato, tomado, potato, patodo, lets call the whole thing off! :-)

OMG," its full of Stars

Open the pod doors Hal.

Konichiwa

Kaleigh, that is the ultimate cop out ...

... and is definitely NOT permitted. I once read a whole novel about a gallant hero that turned out to be the day dream of a poor disabled newspaper seller - I never felt more angry at the wasted time.

We should all remember that this is the death of a fictitious character. Drew isn't real and never was. I've cycled through Market Warsop, I go to track meetings at the Manchester Velodrome regularly through the Winter and I've spotted neither Drew nor Gaby. I'm sorry the series has ended too. There were two main attractions for me. First was the cycling and second was the setting as I know North Notts quite well. I lost some interest once the story moved to the US and the story became yet another High School one, but I was hoping it would continue.

The only concern we should have is if this is symptomatic of something amiss with Drew/Gaby's creator, Maddy and from what evidence we have (ie the recent update on her web site) that doesn't appear to be a problem. Another possibility is that someone has fooled Angharad into posting a spoof story not written by Maddy - just a passing thought.

Geoff

She did it once, though

One of Maddy's Nena stories ends that way, so it's not without precedent.

I do have the concern you mention -- it's in an earlier comment.

The ending of the ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

second Bob Newhart show.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

Premature Obliterations?

Beverly Colleen's picture

Hmmmm. I'm definitely not one to post like EVER, but this particular incident seems to have moved me to make a response. There are a few ways to look at the possible reasons for such a post.

One that jumps out at me is simply that Maddy appears to be writing and posting her fifth book in a format that tends to be jumping all over the place as she gets the scenes right in her head and onto paper. This is really a fairly usual process in which authors write stories, especially serials that have an ending in mind and a place to start but the middle tends to have to fill itself in bits and spurts. We as the reader are in a interesting position to see a book and or series as it is written instead of just seeing a finished, final published product. There is a very good reason some of your favorite published mainstream authors take a long time to write a book and that is as i stated above. One such example that comes to my immediate mind is Stephen R. Donaldson. His beloved Chronicles of Thomas Covenant has been in the writing for decades at this point and only consists of 8 books at last count with the next due in a couple more years.

BTW, I tend to rample on and on taking me into tangents away from what i started from so I'll try to get back on topic here....

Anywho, i see this posting as just another piece in the unfinished and incomplete main Gaby series. Even the time stamps may mean nothing until the absolute final product is done with a "Finis" or "The End" stamped on it. Though with this post she has certainly raised a few hackles but then that brings me to....

Possible Reason #2 - She wants to get a response from her audience at a time when she is investing a great deal of time, effort and money into the whole Gaby experience and maybe feedback is a slight bit lackluster atm, I don't know. ./Shrugs (That's the whole World of Warcraft influence kicking in. :> )

Three - OK, maybe in just shoveling a lot of horse excriment with the above speculations and she really is ending everything in a spectacular and unexpected manor of which imho it doesn't seem to be the case because the postings on both her main site and then Topshelf are a bit BiPolar and seem unlike her usual behavior.

Did i mention the whole rambling and tangent part of my reply?

I am not trying to speak for Maddy or anyone who may be closer to her or her situation but as a long time reader from the beginning and a site owner who was supposed to post her Gaby saga in all its glory, but found my own time and energy sapped and unable to do so but will at some undisclosed time into the future, I hope and pray that this truly isn't THE END. I would understand if it were and would continue to wish Maddy and company continued happiness and success irl as well as online and I would continue to be a fan and avid reader.

Whew! Alright enough torturing people with my unending babbling. (I'm also under the influence of a viral infection and subsequent medications, thus releaving me of any and all responsibility in any and all of the above statements and specualtions.)

ENOUGH!

Ok. ok. Sheesh! All i wanted to do was make a simply post. ./grumble....cough...hack snort!

Beverly Colleen

www.bevsbalcony.org

(For those who like to see what a static and non updated site looks like)

**********
I am a leaf on the wind, but someone turned the fan off.

Gabyzone

Come on over to the Gabyzone at http://www.gabyzone.com/ There is info on the main page on how to get to the mIRC chatroom, and there is a non hava link for those that don't care to mess with stuff

We don't have a definitive word so far, but it is being worked on.

Stop in to see the latest on what we do have, or havenot, or just to say HI

Gaby Obit

I was devastated to read Maddy's latest offering. I have looked forward to reading Gaby's adventures for a number of years now and found Maddy's characters fun to follow. To find that we are probably at the end of Gaby is like losing a close friend and a fun companion. I am not totally shocked because it seemed like Gaby was consumming more and more of Maddy's time. She has had a number of stories hanging for some time. I guess Gaby had to end sooner or later. I would like to thank Maddy for the enjoyment she has provided and sincerely hope that she will continue with her writing.

Bobbi_E

Actions & Consequences

Yes, it's a story. Yes, Drew is a fictional character.
Yes, Maddy is entitled to write the story any way she wishes.
But, I for one feel betrayed and I'll get over it.

However, my 12 year old son is a different matter.
In the past few months since we discovered Drew together the story has helped him/her and our family face some difficult situations.

S/he has grown to accept that s/he is not a freak, that there are many like her with similar problems. As a family we had reached the stage where she was quite comfortable being herself around us, even if not in public.

Then came bloody Christmas with visits from/to the extended family and the inevitable red-necked, fundamental religious reactions.

Now this.

I won't go so far to say that the family is on suicide watch, but there has certainly been very little sleep around here in the past two days.

Sorry, Maddy. I'm sure you have very valid reasons but could it not have been done in a more sensitive manner.

Consequences and Responsibilities

Rachel Greenham's picture

Most of us have probably forgotten it's there, and there's no link or reminder on the topshelf sub-site home page, but on the domain main page there is a notice:

This site is intended for the entertainment of adults.
If you are not permitted to view sexually explicit material
in your locale or are offended by such material
please stop reading immediately and exit this site.

Followed by,

If you are 18 or older click here to go to BigCloset topShelf

I'm pointing this out not to tell you off for sharing material found here with a transgendered child; I can very much empathise with that, and I'll tell you why in a minute. You want her to read stories of hope and joy with characters with issues with which she can relate. You want her to find the positive; dare I say it, you want her to enjoy who she is, and who she's going to be.

I'm pointing it out as a reminder that when you're looking in a place that explicitly has material for adult consumption, you need to be careful. Sometimes 'adult consumption' doesn't only mean a few rude words and a few rude body parts (whether or not they're a match for the clothing around them). Sometimes it means that adults who have their own problems, who have traumatic memories of abuse at the hands of others, who may have mental illnesses either incidentally or as a direct consequence, who have some demon they're trying to get out, expose them here. And many transgendered people carry deep wounds, more often than not inflicted by those from whom they should have received only the love and acceptance you're showing to your child. I have a hope that the transgendered children of this and future generations will carry fewer wounds.

It may sound callous to say it, but if your child is hurt by material she reads from this site, it's not Maddy's fault. People here are writing about their hopes, what they wish had happened, what should be, and their outright fantasies; but they're also writing about what has hurt them, and what they fear. And for the most part, they're not writing for children; they're writing for themselves and for each other, and sometimes in anger, and sometimes they regret what they write. It would be easy to read such stories and form an impression that tragedy is inevitable: it is not; that persecution is, in some subliminal sense, deserved: it is not. Not for this next generation. Not for our children. I grew up thinking that transsexuals are people who die lonely, violent deaths in seedy nightclubs, that they come in three types, Mad, Bad or Sad, or some combination of the three. It took too long to learn that it's not true. The wrong stories.

I have a four year old nephew who is showing strong signs that he may turn out to be my niece. The parents are very tolerant about it, even if, for now, they keep it in their comfort zone by telling themselves it's only a phase that will end naturally. It may yet, but the point is, there's no conflict yet, it doesn't hurt yet. But he starts school this year and I'm afraid; and I'm afraid that no-one else is going to be able to tell the difference between a child whose cross-gender phase has ended, and one who's learned to hide; because hiding only seems like a good idea at the time. You have to spend so much time later trying to find where you put that part of you that you hid. You're always stronger when you show the world your true face.

And because I write, my mind turns, as yours obviously did, to what stories I want him to read while he's growing up. Stories of hope and joy that say, you're not alone, you're not a freak, you're wonderful and beautiful, and you have a kind, and you deserve a lovely life. And I think of what stories I want the parents to read, to tell them, above all else, don't be afraid. Because most of them that hurt their transgendered children are afraid for them, and are trying to protect them from harm and in so doing often make the deepest wounds of all. Because fearful people do stupid things.

And there's not many stories like that around. No wonder you came here, because whether by accident or design there are such stories here. Heather Rose Brown's "Shoes" springs instantly to mind. I haven't read enough of what's here to give a more useful list, maybe someone else can. Just be careful; some of us have open wounds.

So maybe it's time for more of us to look outward, and to write the stories that 'our' children need to read, the stories that we needed to read when we were those children, but that weren't there for us. Writing for children is a very different discipline. It is a discipline after all; and it's not all about your (the writer's) wounds and fantasies. But I think this is the time when these stories both need to and can find their audience. I've recently started my first attempt, for, and inspired by, my nephew-who-may-be-my-niece, to discover in the years ahead, I hope. (His current reading matter is Songs From The Night Garden; I'm not in a rush to get my story written!) That means getting it, and others, where they can be discovered by the people for whom they're written.

(Yes, I'm talking about a professional venture here; yes, I'm serious.)

For what it's worth, I don't count myself among the deeply wounded. Maybe this is how I can believe that so much of the suffering that so often goes with being transgendered, and specifically transsexual, is avoidable. It is what it is, it sucks to have the wrong body, to go through the wrong puberty, to have to choose between being a father or a childless woman, but most of the distress is not innate to the condition; it comes from other people.

By accepting your child, by believing your child, you're already sparing her much. By defending your child, you can spare her more. If a family member had physically assaulted her, you would at the very least deny them the opportunity to do so again. Ever. Doesn't matter if it's your brother or your mother, it's a no-brainer. It's your child. Well, some wounds aren't physical but they cut as deep and deserve the same response even if they're not prosecutable. Your child is transgendered. You will continue to have hard choices to make for the foreseeable future. And I wish you the strength to choose for the best.

Gaby and Maddy

I have read all the comments on the latest and possibly last chapter of Gaby.

As an author, all be it not a professional, sometimes you feel that you have gone as far as you can with a story. You get writers block, real life gets in the way and bites you in the leg. These things can influence the way you write and the actions you take on your stories.That is how it's been with me, anyway.

Maddy has given us a real corker of a story and many thousands of words. The quality has, in the main been high and has gripped me. I have felt sympathy and empathy with Gaby/Drew and the way she has stumbled through life trying to make sense of what he or she is. This is a true indication of a good author, the ability to grip an audience and hold them. Maddy has done this in spades with Gaby.

The only thing that I do not like and I have said this before, I hate unhappy endings. However, this is the choice an author makes. We are all grown up and it's Maddy's choice whether to end it this way or not.

I am hoping that this is just a Bobby Ewing moment and that Gaby will come out of the shower OK, but if it's not, I want to thank Maddy for the story and look forward to other things from that fertile and creative mind.

Hugs
Sue

Maybe Maddy's accident left

Maybe Maddy's accident left her feeling that we are not immortal, and anything can happen IRL. So, the obit was thrown out there as a way to let others know what may have happened to Drew, should Maddy be unable to finish to story.

Why in death instead of an International victory would be one question.

And why not have the ending be held by one or two others, for later posting, should something happen to Maddy, would be another.

OR

Maybe it's a way to continue with Gaby, with no more switching back to Drew.

Thus one way to explain away Drew to all his new friends. Or to explain the appearance of Gaby on the cycling team.

Donna

Donna

Lift a Glass

Good Day to all

I have read this a couple of times, well writen i must say, IF this is the end of Gaby, and i say IF, i would like to raise a Glass to Gaby/Drew and hope that he made it to heaven before the devil knew he was gone. this Story is one of Fav's love it, even when Jen was sick, she took back her maiden name Aye? I down loaded three chapters from Bits today, didn't see anything on the web page to say she was ending it, even left her a nice note. but as an Author I know that sometime you just can't keep it up, she is talking about a sixth book, this last one, Bits is 40 chapters and only 19 are done, maybe 18 not sure, old age is getting me. I didn't know Maddy was hurt just so you all know that changes a lot in a person. Love you Maddy Bell and Love Drew Bonds so i say again, I raise a Glass to you both, a pint of bitter.

Hugs and Kisses
Melissa Ann

Hugs and Kisses
Melissa Ann

The truth hurts

Rule 1: People die.
In fact, we all do. No one lives forever.
Rule 2: People who try to deal with gender dysphoria have an extremely high death rate.
Some are unlucky, some die at their own hands.
Rule 3: Life isn't fair.

Yes, we try to stay up beat and look for the happy endings. Still, it is a cold and dangerous world.

And, many times when we get what we most desperately desire, we find that we are no happier, no better off.

Whether this particular story arc is closed or not really isn't the point. If all stories end 'and they all lived happily ever after,' then we are deluding ourselves.

That which is, but not seen.
Albedo Zero

That which is, but not seen.
Albedo Zero

...

Rule 4: Fiction can, and does, sometimes ignore all previous rules.

I might be the only one here who is less worried about the story and more worried about the author, but I don't think so. I don't want the story to end in this way don't get me wrong but I care far more that Maddy is okay than I do about a fictional character dying.

The suddenness of the change is what I think has got so many people here commenting, on the 2nd we're told that Maddy is looking forward to writing the rest of book five and starting on book 6, then we get a chapter posted by a third party that in effect closes the universe. (No offense intended toward Angharad.)

All stories come to an end, even this one. Normally you don't kill off your main protaganist just for the hell of it. If Drew had been found out and murdered it would have been within the story, this was more of a 'I can't be bothered to continue'... something I hope isn't true but if it is I hope that Maddy doesn't stop writing altogether as she has many stories left in her I suspect.

The Legendary Lost Ninja

Obits

This just doesn't feel (or read) right to me.
This seems more like a chapter to be set aside or to be kept in reserve.
May be those of you who ACTUALY KNOW Miss Bell should check in with her to see how she feels about this.
I just get the feeling she is in mourning for someone close to her.
Dexa

Obits

I have just caught up with all this, having been away for a couple of weeks. I echo the comment that Maddy's wellbeing is far more important than the continuation of a fictional character. However, having been a reader now for a couple of years, it does seem out of character for her and I will await further developments and announcements.

I can only admire the punishing level of output that we have seen from Ms Bell and sincerely hope that she is willing and able to continue to provide us with such quality reading.

I have eight stories in progress at the moment; some may not leave my PC. Only one has been published so far and that, and the others, are being drastically re-written following advice from Angela Rasch. I am therefore very well aware of writer's block and the way that real life has a habit of throwing 'need to do' things and unexpected events into our path.

Susie

The End ?

[email protected] All good things must come to an end . It's just that I did'nt know how emotionly envolved I was ! Thank you for the many hours of enjoyment .

Cavrider----Just another " Grunt."

re-read

It was not the end after all. But still it's so sad to read this back again. Still shed a tear to this post. Just need that sadness moment maybe.
Anyway I hope that you had overcome your negative in life Maddy Bell. Keep Gaby alive please.
God bless you always.
Love n hugs. :)