The French Letter
Viewing comments for Chapter 60 "Small Arms Fire"A Novel
28 total reviews
Comment from MsPetra
You have it moving along nicely. I felt compelled to read on. Thank you for that.
I am looking forward to whatever is coming next. Best of luck with this offering.
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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You have it moving along nicely. I felt compelled to read on. Thank you for that.
I am looking forward to whatever is coming next. Best of luck with this offering.
Comment Written 13-May-2019
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Many thanks for your review, MsPetra. Much appreciated. Glad you were entertained by this chapter. All the best, Tony.
Comment from C. Gale Burnett
I enjoy digging through each of your chapters, as I seek out little nuggets or tidbits of clues. This one did not let me down.
The way you end your chapters makes readers anxious to see what is going to happen in the next chapter. There is never a lull in the conflicts and drama. If something significant is not happening, we still are entranced, learning more and more about each character.
This is another brilliant write. Totally entertaining, and I am thoroughly enjoying this novel.
Always keep writing!
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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I enjoy digging through each of your chapters, as I seek out little nuggets or tidbits of clues. This one did not let me down.
The way you end your chapters makes readers anxious to see what is going to happen in the next chapter. There is never a lull in the conflicts and drama. If something significant is not happening, we still are entranced, learning more and more about each character.
This is another brilliant write. Totally entertaining, and I am thoroughly enjoying this novel.
Always keep writing!
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Very many thanks for these supportive comments, Gale, and for the sixth star. Great affirmation and much appreciated. Best wishes, Tony
Comment from Mastery
Hi, Tony. Great action sequence in this chapter, my friend. Wow!
Charles get married? I wouldn't advise that, my friend. I had people telling me they wanted Cleve to marry Mo in my series. As romantic as it may seem and sound, I feel it will take something of my protagonist's mystique if he is no longer a single man. Just something to consider.
You can tempt your readers with "almost' but were it me, I would not marry them. Unless of course you plan on immediately getting rid of Helen after they marry. (Isn't it fun molding people's live like that?)
Suggestions: "looked at me pityingly as she dismissed the relevance of my chief concern"
Try to avoid doing this Tony. (Using an adverb (ly) word as a crutch when you really should use a stronger verb to modify the noun.)
Bless you my friend. Bob
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Hi, Tony. Great action sequence in this chapter, my friend. Wow!
Charles get married? I wouldn't advise that, my friend. I had people telling me they wanted Cleve to marry Mo in my series. As romantic as it may seem and sound, I feel it will take something of my protagonist's mystique if he is no longer a single man. Just something to consider.
You can tempt your readers with "almost' but were it me, I would not marry them. Unless of course you plan on immediately getting rid of Helen after they marry. (Isn't it fun molding people's live like that?)
Suggestions: "looked at me pityingly as she dismissed the relevance of my chief concern"
Try to avoid doing this Tony. (Using an adverb (ly) word as a crutch when you really should use a stronger verb to modify the noun.)
Bless you my friend. Bob
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Very many thanks for these supportive comments, Bob. Great affirmation and much appreciated. Thanks, too, for the suggestion and advice. Best wishes, Tony
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
A very well-written chapter and more revelations that make the head spinning and wondering who is lying and who is telling the truth. It seems the characters keep using each other in mysterious way to get sot the point.
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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A very well-written chapter and more revelations that make the head spinning and wondering who is lying and who is telling the truth. It seems the characters keep using each other in mysterious way to get sot the point.
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Very many thanks for these supportive comments, Sandra. Great affirmation and much appreciated. Best wishes, Tony
Comment from Ulla
My goodness,Tony. This is getting more interesting by the minute. Who's foe and who's friend. It get more complicated by the minute.I love the story,as you well know, and it's so darn well written. Looking out for the next chapter. All best. Ulla:))
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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My goodness,Tony. This is getting more interesting by the minute. Who's foe and who's friend. It get more complicated by the minute.I love the story,as you well know, and it's so darn well written. Looking out for the next chapter. All best. Ulla:))
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Very many thanks for these supportive comments, Ulla, and for the sixth star. Great affirmation and much appreciated. Best wishes, Tony
Comment from LIJ Red
The women in your protagonist's life might make me yearn for bachelordom, if I hadn't been one for eight years now...excellent chapter.
That is the only point I share with Islam...two distinct sexes were not an accident...
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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The women in your protagonist's life might make me yearn for bachelordom, if I hadn't been one for eight years now...excellent chapter.
That is the only point I share with Islam...two distinct sexes were not an accident...
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Many thanks for your review, Red. Much appreciated. If I were in Charles's position, I don't think I'd be marrying one of them. All the best, Tony.
Comment from giraffmang
Very nice instalment once again, Tony. The arrival of Jeannne was both unexpected and fun. the scuffle was well-executed.
There go those wishes, galloping off into the sunset again." - delete the marks from the end here.
Bamforth were to hear about...,"- don't think you need the comma following the ellipsis.
So the affair is a fantasy and nothing of the sort and a marriage potential for convenience.
good stuff
G
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Very nice instalment once again, Tony. The arrival of Jeannne was both unexpected and fun. the scuffle was well-executed.
There go those wishes, galloping off into the sunset again." - delete the marks from the end here.
Bamforth were to hear about...,"- don't think you need the comma following the ellipsis.
So the affair is a fantasy and nothing of the sort and a marriage potential for convenience.
good stuff
G
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Many thanks for your review, Gareth, and for the catch. Much appreciated. Glad you were entertained by this chapter. All the best, Tony.
Comment from Pantygynt
Quite an action-packed chapter this one. The disarming of someone who pokes a pistol in your back is a well-known trick to anyone who has studied unarmed combat. The mistake here is that a professional agent would never get that close to the 'target' for that reason, but then the fight wouldn't have happened and all that excitement would have been lost.
The beginning felt very true to life as far as I was concerned. Not that I have had coffee flung in my face, but the curious illogicality of the species 'woman' is well understood.
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Quite an action-packed chapter this one. The disarming of someone who pokes a pistol in your back is a well-known trick to anyone who has studied unarmed combat. The mistake here is that a professional agent would never get that close to the 'target' for that reason, but then the fight wouldn't have happened and all that excitement would have been lost.
The beginning felt very true to life as far as I was concerned. Not that I have had coffee flung in my face, but the curious illogicality of the species 'woman' is well understood.
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 13-May-2019
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Many thanks for your review, Jim. Much appreciated. Glad you were entertained by this chapter. I've written myself into a corner here. No idea why Jeanne should have wandered into the apartment and stuck a gun in Charles's back. Seemed like a good idea at the time! She made a bit of a mess of it, too. All the best, Tony.
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I understand completely when you say you gave 'written yourself into a corner. In the course of revamping my fairy stories into a novel I thought I had done the same but after endless discussions with my dog I think I have found the answer.
Comment from Alex Rosel
Even though I missed out on the earlier episodes, I enjoy reading these.
Here are a few things you might like to consider:
If wishes were horses then beggars would ride -- I've never heard this before. You've taught me something. Thank you :)
Helen shifted uncomfortably. -- Perhaps I'd nix this. You're showing the reader enough with the sentence that follows.
How could you possibly believe...?" / I cut her short. -- An em dash is the correct punctuation for interrupted speech. An ellipsis signifies an omission in the dialogue or the narrative.
The floor creaked as she came up behind me. A small cylindrical object was pressed into my back [...] The next seconds were a blur. The gun clattered to the tiled floor -- You've prepared the reader for this with the toothbrush incident. It a nice construction to pull the reader's emotions with a jerk :)
"I don't think you understand," she continued, in an expressionless tone. -- Personally, I find this too wordy. I'd just have the tag as something like, her tone was expressionless. After all, the reader knows she's continuing; they've already read the snippet of continued dialogue.
reply by the author on 12-May-2019
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Even though I missed out on the earlier episodes, I enjoy reading these.
Here are a few things you might like to consider:
If wishes were horses then beggars would ride -- I've never heard this before. You've taught me something. Thank you :)
Helen shifted uncomfortably. -- Perhaps I'd nix this. You're showing the reader enough with the sentence that follows.
How could you possibly believe...?" / I cut her short. -- An em dash is the correct punctuation for interrupted speech. An ellipsis signifies an omission in the dialogue or the narrative.
The floor creaked as she came up behind me. A small cylindrical object was pressed into my back [...] The next seconds were a blur. The gun clattered to the tiled floor -- You've prepared the reader for this with the toothbrush incident. It a nice construction to pull the reader's emotions with a jerk :)
"I don't think you understand," she continued, in an expressionless tone. -- Personally, I find this too wordy. I'd just have the tag as something like, her tone was expressionless. After all, the reader knows she's continuing; they've already read the snippet of continued dialogue.
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 12-May-2019
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Thanks very much, Alex. Some good points here. A most useful review. Appreciated. Tony
Comment from Sankey
This was another great chapter. Look what has now turned up after missing out elsewhere. Or maybe I did get it over there. No spags good reading again.
reply by the author on 12-May-2019
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This was another great chapter. Look what has now turned up after missing out elsewhere. Or maybe I did get it over there. No spags good reading again.
Comment Written 12-May-2019
reply by the author on 12-May-2019
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Good to hear from you, Geoffrey. Thanks very much for the review and the six stars. I appreciate your supportive comments. All the best, Tony