
2/9/2012 c25 Amethyst-Heart
I know you probably won't see this, since it's been years and you've probably moved on from writing, but I just wanted to take the time to say that I love this story. I LOVE it, really love it, and I guess that's part of the reason why it's heartbreaking for me that this will probably forever remain unfinished. Ben and Hailey's story, especially in Splintered Tears, and now again in Whenever it Rains, touches me. I don't get attached to characters easily - even if it's a book I really love. Outside of Harry Potter, very few stories, no matter how much I enjoyed them while I was reading them, stay with me. It's a testament to your skill as a writer, or more accurately, your skill as a storyteller, that this one has stayed with me since I first read it years ago, and even now, when it's been years since you've stopped writing.
Ben and Hailey have been with me since high scchool (I'm now a uni graduate, so that's a long time). I stumbled upon Splintered Tears almost by accident. I was new to the Fictionpress scene, and I was discovering writers on the site that were as talented as the authors I admired who had written my favorite books, but most of those stories, no matter how well written and intriguing, just flew out of my head the second they finished. Splintered Tears, however, had me DYING to know what happened every second of every day. I hadn't read Anyone But Me before it - I actually didn't even realize it was a sequel to that story, and yet, I still fell hard for Ben, Liam, and Hailey. I watched them realize they truly loved each other, I watched them struggle through whatever life threw at them, no matter the circumstances and no matter how difficult. Liam's story, especially, touched me and I found myself crying for the Leigh brothers so many times. I wanted them to find success and happiness and love and everything in between, and even when Ben and Hailey were apart or broken up, I eagerly waited to watch them grow and to eventually, thankfully, find their way back to each other. I found myself caring about them more than I care about some other, well known fictional characters, and if I had a list, Ben and Hailey would be somewhere at the top of my all time fictional couples list. There is something so agonizingly, beautifully real about these characters and the way you write them. I know nothing about Australia, but you make me feel like I AM there, visiting these cities, hanging out with the characters, watching them live their lives and grow. And it's amazing.
After Splintered Tears, I of course read Anyone But Me, and then Whenever It Rains. Though I love the first two (especially Splintered Tears because that story even by itself is beautiful and complete without the other two), Whenever it Rains is my favorite. You have this amazing way of writing that has improved with every project, and it's interesting to see you grow as a story teller from Anyone But Me to Splintered Tears to Whenever It Rains, which is your strongest writing (and at the same time, it's interesting to see Ben and Hailey grow along with your words). You have a real talent here, and if you had any thought of becoming a novelist, I would encourage you to do so immediately because this is the kind of story I'd love to see written and published.
Even more than that, I'd love to know what you had in store for Whenever It Rains. I mentioned this before, but it is truly the best of your Ben and Hailey stories and some of your best written work. The emotions, the experiences, the trials and tribulations these characters go through are so real. Part of their appeal is that they are so relateable, but coupled with your beautiful, almost lyrical words, it's hard not to be totally gone on them. In this story, especially, with the unplanned pregnancy, Ben's medical complications, Liam's hope for love, Mac and Jared's problems, Hailey's job and assault and university... An unskilled writer would just go to town with all these things and write a bad soap opera where the drama is unending. But you, however, have nuanced everything. It's realistic the way these things appear in the story, it's realistic the way your characters face them, it's realistic that not everything is easy to resolve and not everything can be resolved. You also have these beautiful little, touching, human moments that make me want to hug Hailey and Ben forever and lock them away in a bubble where they can finally just be together and for once, let everything else fall into place.
I know you're not going to see this, but I love this story, I love it a lot, and even if you were to leave it where it is now, I'll be content. Only because you've allowed me to know the characters so well that I can imagine somehow Ben or Liam or both will find a way to do music together in Brisbane, that things will resolve somehow with the band and they'll give the boys their blessing and allow the Leigh brothers to pursue their dream, that Andy finally gives Liam a chance and it's the real thing, that Heiley finishes uni from Brisbane and she and Ben have a happy and healthy baby, that Mac and Jared end on better terms or even find each other again and that things don't remain bitter between them whether they're together or not, and finally, that Ben and Hailey make it down the altar and it's the happiest day of their lives.
Thank you for writing these characters, for giving this series three installments, and for stopping in a place that isn't conclusive but is quite hopeful (so much that I'm able to imagine what will happen eventually, even if I don't know how you meant it to happen or if there would be anything more along the way). I sincerely hope you one day do finish this or at least remember it enough to jot down what you had always intended to happen, but even if you don't, I understand and I am so grateful for having the chance to meet these characters and to learn to love them. Thanks again and I wish you all the best.
I know you probably won't see this, since it's been years and you've probably moved on from writing, but I just wanted to take the time to say that I love this story. I LOVE it, really love it, and I guess that's part of the reason why it's heartbreaking for me that this will probably forever remain unfinished. Ben and Hailey's story, especially in Splintered Tears, and now again in Whenever it Rains, touches me. I don't get attached to characters easily - even if it's a book I really love. Outside of Harry Potter, very few stories, no matter how much I enjoyed them while I was reading them, stay with me. It's a testament to your skill as a writer, or more accurately, your skill as a storyteller, that this one has stayed with me since I first read it years ago, and even now, when it's been years since you've stopped writing.
Ben and Hailey have been with me since high scchool (I'm now a uni graduate, so that's a long time). I stumbled upon Splintered Tears almost by accident. I was new to the Fictionpress scene, and I was discovering writers on the site that were as talented as the authors I admired who had written my favorite books, but most of those stories, no matter how well written and intriguing, just flew out of my head the second they finished. Splintered Tears, however, had me DYING to know what happened every second of every day. I hadn't read Anyone But Me before it - I actually didn't even realize it was a sequel to that story, and yet, I still fell hard for Ben, Liam, and Hailey. I watched them realize they truly loved each other, I watched them struggle through whatever life threw at them, no matter the circumstances and no matter how difficult. Liam's story, especially, touched me and I found myself crying for the Leigh brothers so many times. I wanted them to find success and happiness and love and everything in between, and even when Ben and Hailey were apart or broken up, I eagerly waited to watch them grow and to eventually, thankfully, find their way back to each other. I found myself caring about them more than I care about some other, well known fictional characters, and if I had a list, Ben and Hailey would be somewhere at the top of my all time fictional couples list. There is something so agonizingly, beautifully real about these characters and the way you write them. I know nothing about Australia, but you make me feel like I AM there, visiting these cities, hanging out with the characters, watching them live their lives and grow. And it's amazing.
After Splintered Tears, I of course read Anyone But Me, and then Whenever It Rains. Though I love the first two (especially Splintered Tears because that story even by itself is beautiful and complete without the other two), Whenever it Rains is my favorite. You have this amazing way of writing that has improved with every project, and it's interesting to see you grow as a story teller from Anyone But Me to Splintered Tears to Whenever It Rains, which is your strongest writing (and at the same time, it's interesting to see Ben and Hailey grow along with your words). You have a real talent here, and if you had any thought of becoming a novelist, I would encourage you to do so immediately because this is the kind of story I'd love to see written and published.
Even more than that, I'd love to know what you had in store for Whenever It Rains. I mentioned this before, but it is truly the best of your Ben and Hailey stories and some of your best written work. The emotions, the experiences, the trials and tribulations these characters go through are so real. Part of their appeal is that they are so relateable, but coupled with your beautiful, almost lyrical words, it's hard not to be totally gone on them. In this story, especially, with the unplanned pregnancy, Ben's medical complications, Liam's hope for love, Mac and Jared's problems, Hailey's job and assault and university... An unskilled writer would just go to town with all these things and write a bad soap opera where the drama is unending. But you, however, have nuanced everything. It's realistic the way these things appear in the story, it's realistic the way your characters face them, it's realistic that not everything is easy to resolve and not everything can be resolved. You also have these beautiful little, touching, human moments that make me want to hug Hailey and Ben forever and lock them away in a bubble where they can finally just be together and for once, let everything else fall into place.
I know you're not going to see this, but I love this story, I love it a lot, and even if you were to leave it where it is now, I'll be content. Only because you've allowed me to know the characters so well that I can imagine somehow Ben or Liam or both will find a way to do music together in Brisbane, that things will resolve somehow with the band and they'll give the boys their blessing and allow the Leigh brothers to pursue their dream, that Andy finally gives Liam a chance and it's the real thing, that Heiley finishes uni from Brisbane and she and Ben have a happy and healthy baby, that Mac and Jared end on better terms or even find each other again and that things don't remain bitter between them whether they're together or not, and finally, that Ben and Hailey make it down the altar and it's the happiest day of their lives.
Thank you for writing these characters, for giving this series three installments, and for stopping in a place that isn't conclusive but is quite hopeful (so much that I'm able to imagine what will happen eventually, even if I don't know how you meant it to happen or if there would be anything more along the way). I sincerely hope you one day do finish this or at least remember it enough to jot down what you had always intended to happen, but even if you don't, I understand and I am so grateful for having the chance to meet these characters and to learn to love them. Thanks again and I wish you all the best.
10/22/2010 c1 aliaschantra
I honestly love this, seriously!
Please come back. :)
I love their relationship. It's not perfect, it's far from perfect but somehow amidst all their individual insecurities and doubts and the constant "rain" in between, together they're able to rise above it all. Their love is just amazing, I can feel it, it's in the little things, I can't describe it but somehow you were able to translate that feeling beautifully into situations. Your writing is witty, it flows naturally, it moves me.
I hope that you're doing well and that you'll remember this story one of these days.
I honestly love this, seriously!
Please come back. :)
I love their relationship. It's not perfect, it's far from perfect but somehow amidst all their individual insecurities and doubts and the constant "rain" in between, together they're able to rise above it all. Their love is just amazing, I can feel it, it's in the little things, I can't describe it but somehow you were able to translate that feeling beautifully into situations. Your writing is witty, it flows naturally, it moves me.
I hope that you're doing well and that you'll remember this story one of these days.
6/17/2009 c25
1LUVAB
LOVE this story. One of the first i read since stumbling on this site a few months back. Nice to read a story with the highschool romance thing but without the typical popular guy, nerdy girl cliche :) Any way thanks for a good read.

LOVE this story. One of the first i read since stumbling on this site a few months back. Nice to read a story with the highschool romance thing but without the typical popular guy, nerdy girl cliche :) Any way thanks for a good read.
7/11/2008 c25
1Bellaria
i love this so much, one day if you ever do come back to it please know that i will be watching it as it bloody well rocks!

i love this so much, one day if you ever do come back to it please know that i will be watching it as it bloody well rocks!
6/19/2008 c25 Michelle D
I really really like this story. Are you ever going to update?
I really really like this story. Are you ever going to update?
11/1/2007 c25 MZ PEACHESZZ
so i wait, everyday, checking and checking back to see if there is an update...anything, a note, an excuse, a word that says that you're still alive somewhere, anywhere...but there's nothing.
please continue ben and hailey's story...it started off immature and wordy and not wordy enough and cliche and not worth it and evolved into one of the most tender, realistic, and affectionate relationships i have ever read about. i want to see them...please, at least, leave a note...tell us you are still here...have you given up writing?
so i wait, everyday, checking and checking back to see if there is an update...anything, a note, an excuse, a word that says that you're still alive somewhere, anywhere...but there's nothing.
please continue ben and hailey's story...it started off immature and wordy and not wordy enough and cliche and not worth it and evolved into one of the most tender, realistic, and affectionate relationships i have ever read about. i want to see them...please, at least, leave a note...tell us you are still here...have you given up writing?
9/3/2007 c1
1PINKGAZER1990
i read all three of these about ben and haliey and i loved them! amazing story =]=]=]=] keep writing.

i read all three of these about ben and haliey and i loved them! amazing story =]=]=]=] keep writing.
7/13/2007 c1 A former faithful reader
I don't normally do this, but I had to in your case. After over a year of no updates I am officially giving up on this story (and you, I suppose). I am going to forget that this installment ever happened. I think it's sad that you even started this if you weren't going to finish it. A lot of your fans probably agree. I realize you don't want to be a writer, but it's kind of mean to start something and not finish it. Or even give updates on what's going on. Or write a short epilogue explaining how it was to end up if you had continued the story. There was so much left to do. You have a gift, it's too bad that you're not going to pursue it, but you have to do what you feel is best. I'm just saddened that Ben and Hailey got kind of left up in the air. I agree with the reviewer before me. I hope you decide to maybe revisit your stories since you have four I was reading that were left unfinished. It's a real letdown.
I doubt you'll even see this since you seem to have abandoned FP. I hope this isn't too harsh, but I can't help but be bitter because I really enjoyed your writing and characters. Good luck.
I don't normally do this, but I had to in your case. After over a year of no updates I am officially giving up on this story (and you, I suppose). I am going to forget that this installment ever happened. I think it's sad that you even started this if you weren't going to finish it. A lot of your fans probably agree. I realize you don't want to be a writer, but it's kind of mean to start something and not finish it. Or even give updates on what's going on. Or write a short epilogue explaining how it was to end up if you had continued the story. There was so much left to do. You have a gift, it's too bad that you're not going to pursue it, but you have to do what you feel is best. I'm just saddened that Ben and Hailey got kind of left up in the air. I agree with the reviewer before me. I hope you decide to maybe revisit your stories since you have four I was reading that were left unfinished. It's a real letdown.
I doubt you'll even see this since you seem to have abandoned FP. I hope this isn't too harsh, but I can't help but be bitter because I really enjoyed your writing and characters. Good luck.
3/18/2007 c25 Katie
I understand that you have a life, I really do. And I find no fault in you wanting to take your time in updating. But you have done what all the great writers do and made us care for your charecters. And I want to know what is going to happen to the charecters. I dont mind waiting for updates but I would like to know if this is something worth waiting for. I have been reading your stories for a while now and have not commented on them because I am a lurker and not an actual member of FP but I felt I needed to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading you stories. I just reread you Ben and Hailey series and I must say that your writing has improved since you started. I have actually read all of the stories you wrote. I also love Romeo and Juliet Revisited. I get so excited when I find out that you have updated. But it hasnt happened in a while. Please take into consideration that there are many of us out here that love you stories and really want to know what is going to happen to Ben and Hailey. I don't want to pressure you or anything, just let us know if you are going to continue updating or if your stories are soemthing is should give up on. I won't be upset if you have decided to stop writing (well I will because I want to know what is going to happen, but I can understand that there are somethings you grow out of) Good Luck in whatever you pursue and Thank you for writing such engaging and wonderful charecters.Katie
I understand that you have a life, I really do. And I find no fault in you wanting to take your time in updating. But you have done what all the great writers do and made us care for your charecters. And I want to know what is going to happen to the charecters. I dont mind waiting for updates but I would like to know if this is something worth waiting for. I have been reading your stories for a while now and have not commented on them because I am a lurker and not an actual member of FP but I felt I needed to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading you stories. I just reread you Ben and Hailey series and I must say that your writing has improved since you started. I have actually read all of the stories you wrote. I also love Romeo and Juliet Revisited. I get so excited when I find out that you have updated. But it hasnt happened in a while. Please take into consideration that there are many of us out here that love you stories and really want to know what is going to happen to Ben and Hailey. I don't want to pressure you or anything, just let us know if you are going to continue updating or if your stories are soemthing is should give up on. I won't be upset if you have decided to stop writing (well I will because I want to know what is going to happen, but I can understand that there are somethings you grow out of) Good Luck in whatever you pursue and Thank you for writing such engaging and wonderful charecters.Katie
1/25/2007 c25
1SiobhanO
oh, wow. i love this chapter so much. ben is finally gowing up!
update son - pretty please?

oh, wow. i love this chapter so much. ben is finally gowing up!
update son - pretty please?
1/24/2007 c25
15justine dayea
I read Anyone But Me, Splintered tears and the latest chapter of Whenever it rains for these past 3 or more days. And because of your stories, I got hooked up to coldplay. Well, they are a really good band. But my appreciation to their music was brought a notch higher because of your stories. They really crack me up most of the time, but there are times that they can really be depressing(?).
anyways, keep up the good work. I really enjoy reading your works,

I read Anyone But Me, Splintered tears and the latest chapter of Whenever it rains for these past 3 or more days. And because of your stories, I got hooked up to coldplay. Well, they are a really good band. But my appreciation to their music was brought a notch higher because of your stories. They really crack me up most of the time, but there are times that they can really be depressing(?).
anyways, keep up the good work. I really enjoy reading your works,