Love Notes For All
A piano teacher is re-infused with love for her profession23 total reviews
Comment from RodG
This is a beautiful story well-worthy of its new moniker--Story of the Month. I like it most because as a former teacher I can relate to Annie who was suffering from teacher burn-out until Rose hired her. The story about Scotty and his father playing the piano together is poignant. The ending brought tears to my eyes. Just the right amount of descriptive details Congrats details and backstory. The dialog, both on the phone and in the large room, is excellent. Congrats! Rod
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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This is a beautiful story well-worthy of its new moniker--Story of the Month. I like it most because as a former teacher I can relate to Annie who was suffering from teacher burn-out until Rose hired her. The story about Scotty and his father playing the piano together is poignant. The ending brought tears to my eyes. Just the right amount of descriptive details Congrats details and backstory. The dialog, both on the phone and in the large room, is excellent. Congrats! Rod
Comment Written 14-Mar-2019
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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So NOW I see why we've gotten along so quickly and well, RodG - it's our innate Teacher Bond. Thank you for this absolutely wonderful review that just sang to me. I appreciate your words SO very much. xo
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You are very welcome. A splendid story. Rod
Comment from MissMerri
A wonderfully well-written story, told in beautiful language and with all the heart a good story should have. I loved this, and am so glad to see it was voted Story of the Month. What a great accomplishment Rachelle! Congratulations. ~MM
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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A wonderfully well-written story, told in beautiful language and with all the heart a good story should have. I loved this, and am so glad to see it was voted Story of the Month. What a great accomplishment Rachelle! Congratulations. ~MM
Comment Written 14-Mar-2019
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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Oh, my sweet and wonderful reviewer-friend! You always have the nicest way of making me feel so loved and appreciated. Thank you for this awesome review. xo
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I'm so happy you are here Rachelle. It is nice to meet you, and without FS, I perhaps never would have had the opportunity.
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I hear you, Miss Merri; that's EXACTLY how I feel about you. xo
Comment from Lordinajamjar
Wow. This is a beautiful, well written gorgeous story. Your writing just flows and the imagery you evoke is sublime.
This is a very worthy winner and deserving of the honour of being selected as the Storybook the Month.
Very well done Rachelle.
Best
John
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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Wow. This is a beautiful, well written gorgeous story. Your writing just flows and the imagery you evoke is sublime.
This is a very worthy winner and deserving of the honour of being selected as the Storybook the Month.
Very well done Rachelle.
Best
John
Comment Written 14-Mar-2019
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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Thank you, John. Especially coming from someone with your knack at this craft, that means the world. xo
Comment from Helena Frances
What a wonderful tribute to music, and its teachers:)
A beautiful story that flows so well and tells many things simultaneously - I love Annie's honesty and self awareness-- we all get a bit jaded at times.
The visual of metallic pincers on her hands leads the reader into yet another story.
Great story, congratulations on the Story the Month--well deserved:)
Helena (actually,Priscilla)
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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What a wonderful tribute to music, and its teachers:)
A beautiful story that flows so well and tells many things simultaneously - I love Annie's honesty and self awareness-- we all get a bit jaded at times.
The visual of metallic pincers on her hands leads the reader into yet another story.
Great story, congratulations on the Story the Month--well deserved:)
Helena (actually,Priscilla)
Comment Written 14-Mar-2019
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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This is an absolutely heartwarming review, Priscilla, that has made me feel wonderful. Thank you for all your kind words and for everything that you noticed about this story. I couldn't appreciate this more. xo
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Grateful to share my thoughts and give you a smile:)
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Grateful to receive them. xo
Comment from Contests
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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 A seven star rating from the Contest Committee for the recognition this post has received from the FanStory community. While this was not a Contest Committee decision, the committee recognizes this achievement with a seven star review. |
Comment Written 14-Mar-2019
reply by the author on 14-Mar-2019
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WHOA!!! This is SO very exciting!! I could not be more thrilled. Thank you, FanStory! xo
Comment from C. Gale Burnett
What a beautiful, beautiful story! It just about had me in tears.
The writing was exquisite, like fine wine. So natural.
I could feel every emotion and could picture every scene.
The dialog was wonderful.
I loved the narrator's thoughts, the conflict of losing purpose and enthusiasm for her teaching. What a great ending ... hope, love, purpose and joy reborn for the giver and receivers.
Wonderful, heartlifting story :)
Gale
reply by the author on 13-Mar-2019
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What a beautiful, beautiful story! It just about had me in tears.
The writing was exquisite, like fine wine. So natural.
I could feel every emotion and could picture every scene.
The dialog was wonderful.
I loved the narrator's thoughts, the conflict of losing purpose and enthusiasm for her teaching. What a great ending ... hope, love, purpose and joy reborn for the giver and receivers.
Wonderful, heartlifting story :)
Gale
Comment Written 13-Mar-2019
reply by the author on 13-Mar-2019
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This review could not have been sweeter or more touching for me. Thank you, Gale. You have made my whole night. xo
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A truly beautiful story and well written :) You are gifted! Thank you for sharing.
xo gale
Comment from WryWriter
I really enjoyed this story. Sad and refreshing all at the same time. The struggle of the teacher trying to hold on to her enthusiasm, along with the broken (mentally and physically) vet, his brain trying to keep some sanity by returning to childhood. The perfect pair. Great job on this one!
reply by the author on 12-Mar-2019
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I really enjoyed this story. Sad and refreshing all at the same time. The struggle of the teacher trying to hold on to her enthusiasm, along with the broken (mentally and physically) vet, his brain trying to keep some sanity by returning to childhood. The perfect pair. Great job on this one!
Comment Written 12-Mar-2019
reply by the author on 12-Mar-2019
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WryWriter, this review could not be more perfect because I love the way you 'get' all the different facets that were presented. What feels better for a writer than being understood so well. You've made my day already, and it's not even 11 a.m. Thank you. xo
Comment from kiwijenny
This is powerfully good. Music is therapy....but love notes and a mother's love knows no bounds, this is amazing. Thank you for it.
I'd never heard the saying Music is the sound our feelings make...your tune would be lovely'
God bless
reply by the author on 20-Feb-2019
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This is powerfully good. Music is therapy....but love notes and a mother's love knows no bounds, this is amazing. Thank you for it.
I'd never heard the saying Music is the sound our feelings make...your tune would be lovely'
God bless
Comment Written 20-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 20-Feb-2019
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Thank you, Kiwijenny! You bestow the BEST reviews, and I always appreciate them. xo
Comment from giraffmang
hi there,
That's a nice opening paragraph which introduces questions for the reader as to the real reason. it also gives a good bit of insight.
"Oh, no, you're not waking me," Annie responded with a warm smile in her voice. / "You're so nice," Annie said with warmth in her tone. - be careful of the near repetition. these both really amount to the same thing.
s Annie's car rumbled up the expansive driveway toward the stark white opulence of The Best House in Town, she reminded herself that she'd always wanted to teach here. Both the antique grand piano and picture window that showcased it were so large that she had a delicious eyeful on her walks every day through the park below.- I'm not sure the descriptions fully gel here. if it's an expansive driveway, that would suggest length as well. So given this, would the piano inside have been able to give her such a 'delicious' eyeful from quite a distance away? Just a thought. You also say below which suggests an elevated position for the house, so taking into account angles etc it may not gel. 9Also this may be pedantic, and not many folk will think about these things, but I tend to see it and if it dosn't quite fit it stands out)
Later on the description of the house would lead ne to believe that the windows were quite dirty and grubby and little would be seen beyond them. The descriptive writing is very good but it isn't always consistent within its own parameters.
but each was macrame'd to its closest neighbor with spider webs.- no need for the apostrophe at macraméd.
Either go into the Army or leave our house. - so basically, get out of the house as they both amounted to the same thing. lol
most wreaking of urine or decay.- reeking.
I think this is a little over-written in places, but the story itself is a good one and holds up well. I think if you made he descriptions a bit more streamlined and consistent it would work better.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
reply by the author on 20-Feb-2019
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hi there,
That's a nice opening paragraph which introduces questions for the reader as to the real reason. it also gives a good bit of insight.
"Oh, no, you're not waking me," Annie responded with a warm smile in her voice. / "You're so nice," Annie said with warmth in her tone. - be careful of the near repetition. these both really amount to the same thing.
s Annie's car rumbled up the expansive driveway toward the stark white opulence of The Best House in Town, she reminded herself that she'd always wanted to teach here. Both the antique grand piano and picture window that showcased it were so large that she had a delicious eyeful on her walks every day through the park below.- I'm not sure the descriptions fully gel here. if it's an expansive driveway, that would suggest length as well. So given this, would the piano inside have been able to give her such a 'delicious' eyeful from quite a distance away? Just a thought. You also say below which suggests an elevated position for the house, so taking into account angles etc it may not gel. 9Also this may be pedantic, and not many folk will think about these things, but I tend to see it and if it dosn't quite fit it stands out)
Later on the description of the house would lead ne to believe that the windows were quite dirty and grubby and little would be seen beyond them. The descriptive writing is very good but it isn't always consistent within its own parameters.
but each was macrame'd to its closest neighbor with spider webs.- no need for the apostrophe at macraméd.
Either go into the Army or leave our house. - so basically, get out of the house as they both amounted to the same thing. lol
most wreaking of urine or decay.- reeking.
I think this is a little over-written in places, but the story itself is a good one and holds up well. I think if you made he descriptions a bit more streamlined and consistent it would work better.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 20-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 20-Feb-2019
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Thank you, Giraffmang! I can always count on you to help me with the fine tuning, and each one was spot-on. (though "macramed" presents on my editing program as a misspelled word, whereas macrame'd does not. So I don't know the answer to that one. What's your opinion? When I just look at both, the apostrophe does help me understand better what the word is.)
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I think it comes up wrong without the accent over the last 'e'. I'd leave t if no one else pointed it out. lol
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Also, you aren't being 'pedantic,' you're being ASTUTE. No way you're the only one with these questions; you're just the only one helpful enough to point them out, and I appreciate it.
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You were instrumental in making this the success it was. I can't thank you enough, Giraffmang. xo
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A pleasure.
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You've been a great help to me. This is an awesome site that way. Writers genuinely HELPING other writers. I've loved being part of it these past going-on-two months. xo
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Absolutely. I joined in October 2014 and I'd never written a short story before. I few very helpful folk gave me some great advice. I am now traditionally published many times over in anthologies and have won some good competitions off the site as well as on.
There can be a great learning curve here if that's what folk want.
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Wow. Now THAT's inspiring!! And I agree, because I feel my writing's improved a lot already because of reviewers who offer suggestions.
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The thing is folk have to be open to it and take the critique the way it is meant. Sure, there are some nasty reviewers around but they are by far in the minority.
it's also important to not take advice on blind faith. lol Well-meaning advice can still be wildly inaccurate or just plain wrong. lol
Some folk take offence when there's a differing of opinion but it's all good if constructive and respectful.
G
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Oh, do I ever hear that!! Once recently, a reviewer gave me a litany of grammatical improvements to make, not one of which I thought was accurate, When I mentioned that in my response, I was told defending my work was against the rules. ("Well, how about if I'm defending myself against YOUR work," I wondered to myself.)
But, exactly as you said, those kinds of reviewers are in the minority (in fact, in my experience, the minority of one and only.)
I've always loved the way you've made suggestions. (and I've always found them to be spot-on, as well.) So please keep helping yourself to everything I write. As you can see, it's made a huge impact! xo
Comment from LIJ Red
A touching story well written. The residents in the nursing home where my mom spent her last days would respond to music after they had lost interest in all other forms of entertainment and communication...
reply by the author on 19-Feb-2019
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A touching story well written. The residents in the nursing home where my mom spent her last days would respond to music after they had lost interest in all other forms of entertainment and communication...
Comment Written 19-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 19-Feb-2019
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LlJ - Yes! That is what I've found, as well! I take my students (voice/flute/piano) to nursing homes once a month, and the residents are always responsive during that time. Even the ones with Alzheimer's. It's magical.
