Sunday, May 10, 2009

Date Night

Comment post for new Web Story, "Date Night."

You can read the story here.

26 comments:

  1. gah. that was really great jane! I hope that in a future web story D can explain his desire to make it 'real' (can it really get anymore realy? hah) and propose. I don't think we'd mind seeing more of his romantic side for that. Not atl all. :)
    j

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  2. *now that i'm calm enough to leave a comment*..............Hmmm...I wonder if Jack is afraid of the commitment or afraid to make D feel pressured into making a commitment.....and how is D going to take it if Jack avoids the subject again.
    Now, would D be carrying a gun(unbeknownst to Jack) even on a "date night"?

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  3. i really enjoyed the party and d playing with the little girl, and then them going out afterwards. it was all great, but i especially loved the reassurance that Jack doesnt smell or pick his nose too much. D has himself a good guy for sure! :)

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  4. What a wonderful surprise to come home and find a notification for this in my inbox <3 The scene with D and Ellen just made my heart hurt in the best possible way. As always, your work is an absolute joy to read. I loved it!

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  5. I liked this so much, thank you!

    I especially liked the part in the bar, and the ending was very beautifully written.

    It's nice to see them having some good times, in the midst of the stress of their jobs.

    I hope there will be a proposal at some point.

    This made my Mother's day happy.

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  6. So J and D do have nights that are ordinary and relaxing. My own husband is as hard to get to parties as D.

    I have a suggestion about the sequel and Jack's character. I hope you don't mind my suggestion (you can always disregard it).

    Next to D., who has so much backstory ad a deeply drawn character, Jack seems almost generic. D has a complicated backstory closely tied to who is is today. I'm not sure I remember anything about Jack's backstory, and if I culd pick out one word to describe him it would be "nice." There is only one D, but a lot of guys like Jack.

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  7. Loved D making an effort for Jack, forcing himself to mingle with Jack's friends. But it was his interaction with Ellen that got me most - very cute in places (Jack smells good and doesn't pick his nose - LOL) and also very poignant, too, with regards to D's own little girl. I'm glad Jack heard some of what he was saying...and I look forward to one day reading about the proposal, assuming it's going to happen.

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  8. Dear Jane,
    very well written. I enjoyed every word and I loved what D said to Ellen and later to Jack, it warmed my heart.
    Thanks for the joy you gave me.
    Roby

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  9. Hi, Jane!

    This was a lovely surprise.

    It's a wonderful story, sweet without being sappy.

    The interaction with Ellen was absolutely cute. I loved this: “You
    go with Uncle Jack, right?”... “You know. Like Mommy goes with Daddy. And, uh…like cereal goes with milk. You know.”

    But D obviuosly is not used (anymore) to deal with children. The best policy with them is truth. It's amazing how they can accept things like death that adults still have a problem accepting.

    I liked a lot the fact that they didn't go straight home, the dancing together in a place where gays and het couple mix and the ''gentle restraint''.

    Thank you very much for sharing!

    Antonella

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  10. What a great way to start my week! I enjoyed Date Night very much. The 'gentle restraint' at the end was lovely, as Antonella mentioned. We just love these peeks into the eb and flow of Jack and D's lives, of how they're working on making themselves fit together; these shorts are very illuminating and very realistic.

    I quickly re-read the other shorts, to get a feel for where this latest one fit, more for progression of their relationship than for plot. I remember that in Liar, Liar Jack refers to D as his husband. I appreciated seeing in this short a bit of how Jack and D got to the point calling each other that.

    Especially I like the fact that you're showing us that this didn't happen without some bumps in the process.

    Interesting - Jack refers to D as his husband in Liar, Liar and later when D is kidding around on the phone and refers to Jack as 'wife' Jack takes huge exception to it: “I’m sorry, all right? Jesus, cain’t even make a fuckin joke ...”
    “Do I make jokes about your insecurities?”
    "Jus about the ones you think ain’t important.”
    hmmm ... can open, worms everywhere?? About their roles in a marriage and what-all else??? Complex ... I love the layers!

    One of the things I'm looking most forward to in a Zero sequel is how you're not ignoring the fact that the HEA in Zero isn't necessarily gong to make for a life of hugs-and-puppies afterward. I'm really taken with how you're seeding the shorts with the insecurities, doubts and frustrations between Jack and D, as well as the love and committment.

    I'm sure you're going to have a kick ass and rocket ride plot to the Zero sequel, but I'm pretty sure it's all the Jack and D complications your fans are going to be hooked on - again!

    Thanks so much for sharing this!

    Elizabeth

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  11. Great story, Jack and D are so amazing together. Loved that D played with Ellen so nicely and made an effort to go to the party. Hope that you'll post more web stories soon! It made my day :)!

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  12. wonderful, They are just so natural together. And I loved how D made an effort to go to a party with Jack's 'people' I loved his convo with Ellen. How hard it must still be for D, missing his own daughter. I loved how the night ended with them dancing together.

    Thanks so much
    Linda

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  13. D lifted one hand and smoothed it over Jack’s hair, feeling a tug deep in his belly. “It ain’t about needin somethin,”
    he said. “It’s about bein somethin.”
    This sentence hit me right in the gut. You've captured a very strong sense of emotion - of belonging, having a home, of, as you said being a part of something that really touched my core.

    Thank you.

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  14. I love the way Jack know's D so well that he knows when he is about to loose it and steps in to defuse the situation.

    I am not sure about nobody even noticing the two of them dancing together, I know I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes off of them.

    I think D will probably never ever feel really comfortable at a party and that is alright, that is D he wouldn't still be D if he did, that's real and I love you for writing him that way.

    Thank you
    Lorna

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  15. I don't know how I missed this one before, but I found it when I ordered a copy of ZATB. I don't think I'll ever tire of these guys. They are just so sweet when they are allowed to dance.

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  16. I just finished reading Zero at the Bone and your three short fics with D and Jack. Absolutely LOVE them. Can't wait for the sequel!

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  17. It took me a long time to come back and comment on this as I printed it a while ago and then tucked it in the back of my Autographed Copy of Zero at the Bone *smiles proudly* so I could read it after I re-read Zero. Well I just did both - finished at 3:00AM (something I never allow myself to do in every day life anymore - staying up all night reading - but I'm on vacation this week and told myself I deserved it)!!

    Oh I am reeling right now about everything Jack and D!! My poor husband and son have had to listen to me go on and on about them and the story and your writing for a week now as I forced myself to spread out my reading...I would read a little every night and then force myself to stop so I could make it last! It was kinda crazy since it's my second time reading it and I knew what was going to happen but I don't care...I just never want it to end! I find myself rereading certain lines over and over again.

    Just having D "attend" this party "for" Jack in Date Night was enough...but for him to slowly relax (at least around Portia and her family) was fantastic to "watch" and I just loved him playing Legos and having that sweet conversation with Ellen.

    And the ending...beautiful! I can picture it so vividly in my head.

    The best part about coming to this blog was getting to go through old posts and to get excited along with you when it comes to your writing and Zero and everything else you're working on! And just thinking of the sequel is a bit too much right now after spending so much time with them these past few days. I need to keep things in check so I don't start becoming impatient...but I know it will be worth the wait!

    So a great big THANK YOU to you for this amazing story, these beautiful characters and these wonderful mini-chapters that will help us along while we wait for that sequel of yours. You take good care of us and we appreciagte it!!

    Love,
    Lisa

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  18. Just read Zero at the Bone 2nd time and I am consoling myself with your short stories until the sequel is out. I still marvel at your writing style, how you bring the characters of Jack and D closer to the heart of the readers. Jane, I send you my best wishes and light and hope you are doing alright, maybe busy writing the next great stories and adventures of D and Jack. Your book is one of the best I ever read in the romance genre, great that it is even in the m/m genre.

    Regards Ursula

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  19. Just finished reading zero at the bone. It is an amazing story. The last gay story I liked nearly as much was Grey's Awakening by cameron Dane.
    I am realy impressed by Jane's book. The story is so well written. I loved D and Jack! Jack was so courageous and resilient and clever! He was a perfect match for D. And D... wondderful, complex, adorable character! I know some people may have a problem with a hero like him, but, well he was more than he seemed and Jack just proved that! And to be honest, D is not much different from jack bauer (from 24), james bond or other secret services heroes we like. Well a bit different but bot that much...

    I just finished reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown who is one of my favourite fiction authors and I realise that I took the same pleasure reading Zero to the Bone. I think it should be turned into a movie. A kind of Jack Bauer-Brokeback Mountain movie. Hum!
    I can't wait for a sequel. Will they get married? Will D carry on working 2 weeks away from jack? Will they adopt a child? (D lost his Jenny. Doesn't he deserve another chance at parenthood? D was wonderful with Portia's daughter!).

    One major think I loved about the story is that both D and Jack are alpha males. I like how Jack is pissed with the word "wife". I just love it! Nobody dominates the other, in and out of the bedroom they are equals. I did mind a bit when (in one the web stories) D told jack he wanted him to take control sometimes because at work he has to blablabla! It did not seem right. Jack as well has a highly stressful job, when he makes decisions about people's lives and futures etc. They both have high responsibility, life-death kind of job. It is one of the things on which jack insisted in the beginning of their story, when D tried to proptect him like he was some weak man who could not face some realities. Jack would tell him that his line of job ain't no easy at all.

    So, please, Jane, do not turn our D into a guy weaker than Jack, please. Let the control in and out of the bedroom be something balanced equally between both, so that nobody dominates the other, or both control each other in and out of the bedroom. I feel like the originality, the equilibrium, the thing about Zero to the Bone is that both men are alpha men in a healthy and equal relationship. The fact that Jack was not a weak surgeon gave strenght and bone to the story and made him an equal of D from the very beginning. That is why your book is sooo powerful. Let's keep our dear D and jack that way please. Well, it was just a suggestion... Thanks you again for a wonderful story.
    Ines

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  20. Anson doesn't smirk. George Bush smirked. Anson's smile is kindly not snide.

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  21. loved it :)
    thanks for adding another short story, I just reread Zero to the Bone and felt the need to check out your site again *g*

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  22. I really enjoyed reading this and Zero to the bone. It's a great mix of action and love. I would love to read a sequel or any other story you can come up with. Just about everything on amazon is trash. I liked your vocabulary usage!

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  23. More? More, Please? Jane, I loved Zero and reading these makes me want more from you. Are you working on anything right now? You write so well and I'd really like another story.

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  24. This whole series is great. I left a much longer comment but it got erased somehow. Basically I said that I hope you will be releasing the sequel soon...when? Do you know? And I also said that I would love to see Jack and D become parents after getting married. After seeing D with Ellen I'm sure that plopping a son or daughter or both into their lives somehow would be healing for D.

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  25. I wish i had known about these stories long ago. I'm not really swift using the computer. My daughter left it for me when she moved out and i still don't know much about it. I read ZERO to the BONE long ago and just last night began reading it again. I love anything and everything about D and Jack. Someday i hope you will discover another novel in your head and put it down on paper for all of your fans. Nothing like reading about D & Jack. They are very special characters. Not to forget about Megan, Churchill, & Frank. Love them all.

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