So sad. I wish there had been some kind of way for Adam to know what happened to Zelphia.
Author's Response:
It would have been nice but Zelphia -- and Adam as well -- were both casualties of war. Thank you for taking your time to read and comment.
Reviews For A Morality Tale
Author's Response:
Date: 08/16/2019 - 11:00 am [Report This]
Dear author,
I read this story last night and I am still thinging about it the next day. I am lucky enough to have some of my ancesters' letters written during the Civil War. So this story did resonate with me. When I got to the end, I just stared at the screen, hoping there was at least an epilouge. The feeling of lost was quite accute. I have read the other reviews so I know you have no plans for a squel, but I do think that if they met up, the story would be intersting on where do they go from here, how do they react once the war is over, etc......anyway, that is just me with fingers crossed. I do believe you would do them justice. Thank you again for something I will think about for a while.
Author's Response:
Deat Reader, how wonderful it was to find a review on this particular story as it is one of my own favorites. And how interesting that you have actual records through your ancestor's letters, of the Ciil War. I relied on research and tried to make the story as authentic as possible
I know that many readers would like to have seen a sequel but as for me, the story is complete. But thank you for believing that I would do both Adam and Zelphia justice if I wrote another.
Thank you again for both reading and for leaving a review. It is wonderful to know that stories are still a few years after being written.
Date: 03/17/2019 - 02:51 am [Report This]
Wow! What a corker! I loved this from start to finish. I already love Adam :-) but Zelphia is so believable and even when she's being quite antagonistic to Adam you understand why. And even though you know what is going to happen, you're totally rooting for it and waiting with baited breath for the long anticipated event (so to speak!). I was reading this on a train and did a mental WHOOP and fist pump in chapter 14! As for the scene with the peaches... If I could have done, I think I would have been fanning myself quite vigorously :-D
I also think you gave it the perfect ending. To have anything else would have been too trite.
Oh, the other thing I liked was your depiction of Adam's injury. So often in stories if a Cartwright injures so much as a little finger they immediately develop a fever. It's such an overused formula (though I'm just as guilty of that so mustn't grumble). I think in this case it was totally justified, not over done and very credible.
Top marks yet again :-D
Author's Response:
So glad you enjoyed this story, Sierra Girl; I tried not to be too melodramatic but I think, as you said, things were a "done deal" as we say, a fait accompli, just because of the circumstances--it had to end the way it did or it would have been trite and unrealistic. The main point was that during times of war, everyone, even those not directly involved, suffer and I'm glad that you saw that. And I did try to keep Adam's injury and his heath problems accurate to the time and to an actual gunshot wound.
Oh, and I too love that "peach scene" and I wrote it! : ) THYank you for the lovely review.
Date: 11/28/2015 - 07:39 am [Report This]
Woe what an exciting story. You left me at the edge of my seat biting my nails!!! Such discriptive writing - I could feel the lice on me lol. Adam was always so eger to go to war he might rethink now. Page turner of a story THANKS!!!!!!!!!
Author's Response:
Thanks for reading. Tried to get in the dirt and grit--gklad that I succeeded! So glad that you liked it as this is one of my favorites.
Date: 10/01/2013 - 11:53 am [Report This]
Title: A Morality Tale Reviewer: mo1427 Anonymous
Enjoyed this story very much and it was so sad to see what Adam went through. Would love to see what happened to Zelphia.
Author's Response:
Thank you, mo1427, for letting me and others know that you liked the story. Congratulations on your new reviewer's badge and glad this helped you achieve it. :-)
Date: 05/17/2013 - 12:11 pm [Report This]
This is very well done but a difficult read. I can't imagine him in Andersonville or caught up in such a senseless war. Your descriptions of him are perfect and as usual you have captured his character.
I can't imagine this to have ended any other way. I prefer to think that she found her husband and left with him but poor Adam. He tends to look for love in all the wrong women.
Thank you for sharing this story.
Author's Response:
Thank you for taking the time to read the story and leave your comment, Calamity. The ending was problematic but in order to keep with my theme of the uselessness of war and the "collateral damage" done to innocent lives, I chose to end it in this manner.
I appreciate that you found my descriptions and portrayal of Adam true.
Date: 05/13/2013 - 01:04 am [Report This]
That was wonderfully written, Ant! Adam smelling bad and crawling with lice was distressing, yet she was already falling in love with him before he even got his bath! The "Adam Cartwrightness" of him obviously showed through the filth!
Seriously, though, it was a very touching and heartbreaking story. You showed the realities and individual consequences of war extremely well, and your description of the infamous Andersonville was probably quite close to reality. I don't believe there was any actual glory in the Civil War -- each man involved found that out in his own way. But there was honor and determination, which Adam demonstrated.
It DOES beg a sequel, but I can see your reasoning for not thinking it's necessary!
Good work!
Peg
Author's Response:
Thank you for the nice words about the story. I did do research on Andersonville and the conditions there and based the short section on Adam's time in Andersonville on facts.
I tried to show that Adam fought in the CW because to him, it was a matter of personal honor and self-respect, not for glory or praise. And that he was pleasantly sidetracked for a few months, well, the man deserved it--and who could help but fall in love with Adam. Of course, his being deloused helped. : )
Thanks again for reading--so glad you liked it.
Date: 05/06/2013 - 11:40 am [Report This]
Ant,
I believe this is one of your very best stories. The elegance of simplicity shines through to all. I particularly liked the way you let the reader know what was happening without graphic descriptions to distract from the heart of the story. At first, I thought I wanted a sequel and now I am not sure that I do. If anyone could write one, you could, but in order not to spoil the effect of the original tale it would have to be gently handled and something very special.
Bat
Author's Response:
Thank you for the compliment on the story; it actually really wrote itself.
I don't think that a sequel would work well either and could only be anticlimactic. Besides, what would it be about that would be the least bit interesting?
Thank you for reading and leaving such positive comments.
PS--I hope that my stories are better than the ones I started out writing almost three years ago--it has been quite a learning process with many a mistake along the way.
Date: 05/05/2013 - 01:31 pm [Report This]
I like how you made the story so interesting and it is a sad story I enjoyed reading it
Author's Response:
Thabk you, Pam, for reading and sharing your thoughts.
Date: 05/03/2013 - 09:18 pm [Report This]
Absolutely masterful!
Author's Response:
Thank you. I appreciate that you took the time to read.
Date: 05/02/2013 - 04:01 pm [Report This]
This is one of those stories that leaves me silent - breathless - sad. You are one of my favourite writers. I would like to think that there will be more - a happy ending perhaps but sometimes that spoils the effect of the original story. Thank you
Author's Response:
Why, thank you, janess, for liking my writing. I agree with you that a sequel might very well spoil the effect of this story. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Date: 04/30/2013 - 06:08 pm [Report This]
This story left me breathless. I had to know what happened next, and as the little bar on the right of my computer moniter slid closer to the bottom, I dreaded reading more because I knew it was almost over.
Glimpses of the Adam we knew shine through, but they are weighed down with the cirumstances of war, and as painful as it is to get to know this "new" Adam, you've allowed us to eavesdrop on Adam himself realizing those changes, as well.
This has to be one of my favorite FanFiction stories - and one of the most difficult to read and accept.
Well done.
Author's Response:
Thank you so much for the flattering review and the feedback you gave me along the way as I wrote it as a WIP. So glad that you consider this story as one of your favorites, Tracy. Thank you for letting all know that you like the story.
Date: 04/29/2013 - 11:21 am [Report This]
Very well written story. The horrors of war come to life with your words.
Thank you for sharing.
EPM
Author's Response:
Thank you for reading and for letting me and others know your opinion. I appreciate your comments.
Author's Response:
Thank you for reading and for letting me and others know your opinion. I appreciate your comments.
Date: 04/28/2013 - 02:13 pm [Report This]
OH NO! THere has to be more! Loved it, thanks
Author's Response:
So glad that you liked it, Bertha. Thanks for reading.
Date: 04/28/2013 - 03:28 am [Report This]
Fantastic, poignant and haunting in it's quiet quality. A marvelous tale.
Author's Response:
Thank you! I worried at first that there wasn't much action but so glad that the tone and setting worked to enhance the tale.
Date: 04/28/2013 - 12:32 am [Report This]