by the Author
Chapter 12
My apologies to anyone who was offended by this chapter. It was not my intent to portray Edith as being callous or with a revengeful attitude.
When I write, I just turn my imagination loose and hang on for the ride. I’ve always had an active imagination. When I was writing chapter 11 I had about half of the chapter written when I stood back in horror at what I’d written. I’m obviously not going into the details of why but I deleted the entire chapter and started over. Sometimes my imagination goes somewhere other than where I intend. I'll have to be more careful in the future.
After I’ve completed my rewrite of this chapter, I will, of course, repost it. If anyone else has any comments about the recalled chapter, now it the time to give them to me. I'm only doing this once.
Oh yes, if you have anything nice to say that would be nice to see. As it's been stated before none of the authors here are paid, our only payment is to know that our work in enjoyed by others. I know it's human nature to complaine about the negitive and just smile and sit back when we like something. Please let the authors here know when you like their work. This series will come to a close in about 2 or 3 more chapters. I have ideas for another series floating around in my mind for a future series. The difference between leaving them floating or writing them down and posting will be determined by the comments recieved. My origional plan was to end this series with Matilda's death but the overwellming response to my story is what pushed it on. I've heard some authors comment that they will write a chapter in an afternoon or in evening. Not the case with me, it takes me several weeks to write a chapter. That's quite an investment in time, one that I may not continue if nobody likes what I'm doing.
Remember the origional Star Trek series? oh oh dating my self. It would have been cancled after the first season, and then again after the second season if it weren't for the overwhellming amount of mail recieved by NBC in favor of keeping it on the air.
Thank you for being so understanding, and of course, thank you for your comments.
Huggs & Giggles
Penny
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Comments
Are these reviews...
...based on a deleted chapter 13; a rewritten chapter 13; or a rewritten chapter 12? I suspect it is a rewritten chapter 12 though I can't be sure.
I suppose the suicide was suppose to be matilda's aformentioned demise but if the chapter is rewritten is(was) the demise of a different more sinister nature? Based upon the reviews of the mothers activities, I can't help but to think it might be.
I thought the mother was being given too much credit for her 'understanding'. There is no way in hell she should have allowed her hubby to strip that kid; even if it meant introducing his head to a louisville slugger.
The reason I thought that this section pertained to a rewritten chapter 12 is because everyone is talking about the mother's callousness in the diaper changing incident. The way I read the chapter it seems there is malice missing and I must have read the revised version? With reservation I would have liked to have had the opportunity to connect the reviews to the material being reviewed.
Is the Issue of SRS
.. going to be taken up in the school or afterwards with Matilda? The Hormone Therapy should start immediately if that is the route Matilda is going. (*Best results occur before the age of 13 preferably 11-12 so that structural bone growth will follow the pattern of female growth and make passability as a woman so much greater.*)
Secondly, why the purpose of such secrecy with the school so the parents or family cannot visit the children? That seems a little cruel mentally.
If the answers are integral to the plot further in, Penny, I know you cannot answer them then. Just these 2 points are nagging me. You know your writing is good if Im trying to pry for more information :)
*hugs*
Sephrena Miller
Matilda's Hormone Therapy
should start very soon as you said. It was Karen's Education series that gave Penny a way to save our precious Matilda. To me, Her death would have been Tragic. Mow I want to see Penny post Chapter 12. I want to see Immagration Manor serve justice to the school that lets Black Bart reign and that evil white van that takes Matilda away so men can abuse her. GOD, how i want to see those evil men get their just deserts.
May Your Light Forever Shine
About the school
I suggest you check out Karen Page's excellent "A new style of education" for more details on a school that (by pure coincidence I'm sure) closely resembles Immigration Manor
Mom again.
Am I missing something regarding the diaper incident? It certainly made mom seem very shallow and petty - like "You hurt me so now I'm going to hurt and humiliate you!" But if that was the purpose, why exempt Mary Beth? I'm confused"
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!
I noticed that too!
I also found that a bit disturbing as Matilda is recovering from a suicide attempt which means she is propably very vulnerable. And a show for everyone?
Jezzi, it wasn't mother (Edith) who told Mary Beth to turn. It was Ellen. I still wonder how Ellen - a professional - actually let the situation go forward. Not to mention those nurses doing the trick to a new nurse - very unprofessional all around.
I have a feeling that Matilda will be better off without her rather weak mom. Maybe she won't see her that much in the new school?
As for the story generally I would like it to get on and leave these interludes behind. Writing is superb as always but somehow this part didn't really connect with me (sorry, but those are my feelings).
And I am as ever waiting for new parts!
Hugs,
Sissy Baby Paula and Snowball
Bothered Me, Too...
I'm with Jezzi on this one -- "let's humiliate the suicidal kid" isn't exactly an ideal problem-solving technique, unless one considers further suicide attempts a solution.
I also get bothered -- I've posted this complaint before -- with situations in which vital information is withheld from an emotionally vulnerable youth in a situation where the good news would provide an emotional lift at a time of need. That's what's happening to Mary Beth here. It'd be much healthier for her to know now that Matilda's going to be her study partner at the new school than to spend the next three days thinking that she's never again going to see any friend or relative until she's 18 and clinging to Matilda like a teddy bear, so that the school can surprise her with it later. In the meantime, Matilda has to lie to her (and, as she noted, keep track of the lies), which can't be doing her any good.
If the story arc needs a character to be kept in the dark, find a compelling reason for it. I don't believe we're seeing one here.
On the positive side, I'm enjoying Matilda's inductive/deductive reasoning a lot, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out.
Eric
Seems like a character problem ...
... in terms of consistency. If Matilda's Mom is so concerned with protecting and encouraging Matilda, why engage in petty humilation? Especially when Matilda just tried to kill herself, partially because of her father's abuse and partly to protect everyone else in the family from being abused?
Jezzi's right. I can't think of any real reason for her to engage in that behavior, given the story to date. Unless it's the beginning of the author attempting to position the Mom as less than worthy to continue to be with Matilda? Can anyone come up with a logical rationalization?
Randalynn
"Logical Rationalization"
FWIW, Randalynn, I was thinking along the same lines this morning after I signed off. If Penny is setting us up for the mother getting fired or suspended for misbehavior when she takes the job at the school, this would be the way to do it. (And given the school security situation, what happens after that could be interesting.)
On the other hand, that seems to me like sort of an odd place for Penny to take the story -- not that she couldn't make it work. (However Matilda feels about it, depending on what Mom does to get into trouble, it seems likely to set up conflicting thoughts in her mind.)
Also, I think this is at least the third episode where one or more of us have objected to Matilda or Mary Beth getting humiliated or tricked, or having "jokes" played on them, by their presumed friends and supporters at times when the kids appeared to be vulnerable enough to make those inappropriate. It seems apparent that Penny has different thoughts about this than her critics do, and of course it's her story to tell.
Eric
It's her story ...
... but this is more of a concern with helping Penny with the craft of writing than the actual storyline. Characters need consistency -- or if there is to be a radical change in a character, some level of foreshadowing would be helpful to make a reader say "A HA! I knew there was something strange about her!"
I suspect these occasional flights into humiliation are just Penny's way of having a little fun, but they do tend to jar the reader. After all, the story has made readers care for Matilda and the people around her very much -- to have the people who care for Matilda casually behave badly towards her damages the relationship Penny has worked so hard to build between the readers and the characters.
Just a thought!
Randalynn
Immigration manor 7 secercy
Sephrena, LostWildSoul is right. This story ties in with Karen Page's "A New Style of Education". In fact, the two schools and stories interact. I won't say more, so I am not a spoiler. Please read Karen's story.
One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness.
It usually comes back to you.
Holly