Date: 08/04/14 03:16 pm Title: The Birthday Box
Great job, Mare!
lol just kidding, I know how much you hate that kind of review. 😊
I don't have anything to comment about your writing because you know that you are one of the greatest fanfic writer this fandom could ever have. So, I'll comment about the idea/plot of the story. Birthday box is a great idea. You can be such a great Mom. And, Nick taking out the items one by one and reminiscing what happened that year is awesome! It made us like sitting there beside Nick and watching his life unfold. You captured the emotions perfectly. I was smiling, then became sad when he reached the item for his 25th birthday and slowly becoming happy again as he picked up items that represents him moving on to happy ever after. 😊
Author's Response: I don't hate that kind of review actually, just for challenges I do. lol I'll take whatever kind of review I can get as long as I get one! Thank you for saying all of that! Believe me I would love to be a mom some day but it isn't in my cards. This is something I would have definitely done it if I were able to have kids though. Glad it made you go on a little emotional roller coaster, that was what I wanted! Thanks, Ritz!!
Date: 02/01/11 12:35 pm Title: The Birthday Box
Really enjoyed this Mare and laughed at some of the random items he put in the box. Aww what a sweet ending too :)
Author's Response:
Thanks Steph! :O)
Date: 01/29/11 09:46 am Title: The Birthday Box
Hey you still have to time to trademark, if it goes to court I'll vouch for you.lol He definitely has turned out to be an amazing guy, especially given all the major things he's been through, I'm so happy for him. And trust, I may not have the time to review, but I'm always reading and enjoying what you write Mare. : )
Author's Response:
I know! i'm so proud of him! *squeezes Nick* Thanks Sam!
Date: 01/28/11 10:36 pm Title: The Birthday Box
Uh-oh Mare, I think you might have started a trend with any fan who reads this and their future kids. lmao, That was sweet though, cannot believe this guy is 31, crazy. I loved the ending, thought that was great, but year 25...I imagine he might have had a few moments like that. But he's come out from those dark times to a great man now, and you illustrated that in this story as well. Thanks for the read!
Author's Response:
See? I KNEW I should have trademarked the birthday box idea! I could make a fortune lol I love how much he's grown from just a few years ago. He's got his life together and he makes me smile whenever I see him. Yay Nick! And YAY Sam! Thanks for reading! I love whe you pop up. :O)
Date: 01/28/11 09:12 am Title: The Birthday Box
Aaaw, this was cute! Loved it.
Author's Response:
Thanks! i'm glad oyu enjoyed it! :O)
Date: 01/28/11 08:59 am Title: The Birthday Box
Wow this was beautiful, Mare! Love the idea. Birthday 25 was...wow. Very sad but yay for Howie saving the day! Lol. And loved the last bit with what happened for his 31st bday. Great job :)
Author's Response:
Thanks Sel! Yeah like I said i'm sure in his life he had at least one of those down birthdays. It's me though so I had to make him way down lol
Date: 01/28/11 08:35 am Title: The Birthday Box
This was a really sweet story and a great concept. Experiencing that one day out of someone's whole year gives such an interesting look at their life as a whole. Question is: do you have a birthday box? Inquiring minds want to know! :P
Author's Response:
I don't have a birthday box. I am the Nick who throws everything away. I do like the idea of one, obviously because I made it up lol it would be something i'd consider doing if I ever had some of those little tiny people of my own one day. Thanks for reading! :O)
Date: 01/28/11 06:14 am Title: The Birthday Box
Lmao! Ah, only Carter. Though, tha box does sound like anextemely good idea. Though, with my luck, I'd read what was written & still not remember why I had chosen whatever it was I'd chosen - lol.
~Lenni~
Author's Response:
LOL thanks Lenni, I would be the same way. Even with writing the notes i'd still be confused.
Date: 01/28/11 06:00 am Title: The Birthday Box
I loved this, the birthday box is such a cool concept. The part about him thinking about suicide made me cry because it hit home. When I was 24 I was going through some depressing times....I came home one day from work and was so stressed out and tired from everything. It was Thanksgiving day...I held a razor in my hand and was going to slit my wrists. Nick's solo album was playing over my stereo. I remember crying and listening to his voice, he calmed me down to the point where I realized it wasn't worth it. Nick in a way saved my life that day. I hope it really never got that bad for him, but you made it seem so realistic that I cried. I loved the part about Lauren at the end too, it was very sweet. Love your work mare as always!
Author's Response:
Thanks Tracy and thanks for sharing your story. I think 24 is a hard year in general. I know i'd like to forget all about my 24th birthday as well. Glad to see you're still around and i'm sure maybe that would be a story that Nick would like to hear when you get to meet him this summer! :O)
Date: 01/28/11 05:48 am Title: The Birthday Box
I loved this! It was very Nick. I liked how it basically chronicled his whole life up to this point, and sort of how he got there with glimpses year by year. The part about his 25th birthday and how Howie saved his life made me tear up. I also liked how Nick said that when he got the empty box on his birthday it was the first sign he'd need therapy from his upbringing, lol, poor guy. I especially liked the part at the end, where he said what he put in for 31. Very sweet :) I love the way you write Nick, Mare! He is so real and relateable. You make 15 year old Nick and 31 year old Nick both seem like the same person but you are able to show their differing levels of maturity. Anyway I babbled a bit but I loved this story! Great job!
Author's Response:
Thanks Steph! I can see his reaction to getting an empty box at 5 and I can see Jane doing something like that lol Glad you enjoyed the ending. And thanks for the compliment on my Nick writing skills. I really appreciate it! :O)
Date: 01/28/11 05:28 am Title: The Birthday Box
LOVE IT! Great work! :D
Author's Response:
Thanks! :O)
Date: 01/28/11 05:27 am Title: The Birthday Box
Nicely done Mare. I love these short stories you write! This one is no different. The idea of a birthday box is such a great idea! I wish I would have done that for my kids now that I think about it. I, myself, am a HUGE packrat...lol
I loved each thought of each item you described. I can totally see this really happening. The pill bottle really had me near tears tho, I just pray that really never happened. My life would NOT be the same today if not for Mr. Carter, and the rest of the fellas. For one, I wouldn't be sitting here writting a review to this wonderfuly written story..lol. And I agree with Julie, I think you should give a romance fic a try. The ending is perfect, and I do truly think Nick has found his match in Lauren.
Again, beautifully done!
Author's Response:
Aww thanks Jen! I hope he never felt liek that either but what's a short Nick fic without a tiny bit of angst? lol I love the idea of it too, and it's never too late to start the tradition now just leave out the part where you got the idea from lmao I am very nick in this story where I pretty much throw out everything. Still not sure what the opposite of a pack rat would be though.
Date: 01/28/11 05:10 am Title: The Birthday Box
Whoops! Sorry! I got sidetracked and then remembered I hadn't written the review yet. I swear, I have the attention span of a squirrel lol
Aww, I like the idea of a birthday box! It almost reminds me of the box in that ABC Family movie Lucky Seven where the girl's dying mother gave her things to remember for each upcoming year of her life. Anywayyy, I liked the story! I liked that it was introspective, just Nick's thoughts, and the stories behind each item were cute! Of course, I don't know how much I like the thought of Nick marrying anyone, let alone Lauren...but, hey, if that's what fictional Nick wants to do for his 31st birthday, who am I to say nay? lol
Glad I picked a good story to read as my occasional foray into the fanfic-land :)
Author's Response:
Thanks Sarah. I'm glad you picked this story too lol I have never seen that movie you are talking about but it sounds good. Some squirrels I know have very good attention spans so you are in good company. Plus they are cute which is an added bonus. :O)
Date: 01/28/11 04:46 am Title: The Birthday Box
Aww, I loved this story!!! The whole idea of the birthday box is adorable. Is that something you just thought up, or do you know people who have that tradition? Just wondering. I love how the items changed as Nick got older... from the cute kid stories to the early fame stuff to the dark era in his 20s. The 25th birthday one surprised me and made me sad. I hope things were never quite that bad for him, though that birthday was probably the tail end of that time in his life... 2003 and 2004 weren't good years for Nick. 2005 got better. I LOVED how you ended it! So romantic!! i'm proud of you, Mare! LOL I think if you ever felt the urge to write a romance, you'd be good at it! You know just how to make it sweet and cute without being cheesy. Absolutely loved it; I'm glad you wrote another one of these for the occasion. :)
Author's Response:
Thanks Julie. The idea just kind of popped into my head. I saw him going through this box full of stuff. It does seem like a nice tradition. Maybe someone out there really does it? lol Also thanks for the compliment about the romance writing. I'm not sure I could pull it off. Lauren wasn't even in the story and I had the hardest time trying to make her seem real. I hope his mind never went to the pill bottles either but yes, I think if it did it would have definitely happened in or around that year in his life. So glad you enjoyed it! :O) Thanks for reading!
Date: 01/28/11 04:27 am Title: The Birthday Box
Awwwww this was so cute! I loved it Mare. I like the thoughts put in behind each item as he pulled it out, and how it basically does cover the crazy timeline of his life. :)
Author's Response:
Thanks Rose! :O)
