All Comments on 'Head Above Water Pt. 03'

This the way to do it! Every chapter is better, and it started off awesome. Ominous ending! I eagerly wait for the next. Like a boss! Randi.

Every story makes me feel strong emotions. The dialogue tells me so much about each character that I feel I know them personally, that I care about them, and that I want to be around them. As always with your writing, I anxious as hell wondering what happens next.

Your writing is just so much better than what we readers are accustomed to finding here. I know stories like this take time and a great deal of your heart to write and post. I thank you for making the effort for us readers. It is greatly appreciated.

Love your character development. Dialogue amongst female friends & between main characters - priceless. Last sentence foreshadows another chapter. Unalloyedly hope so. Mega kudos!! Five stars.

WS

Absolutely wonderful. The finished product is near perfect. Thank you for writing. Can't wait for the next chapter. You've found your stride with this story. Bring it home strong.

Spyauth

wonderful chapter.

I'll be sad when the story is over.

Sorry so long waiting to comment.

Loving this, but it's "anyway," not "anyways"!

I see who commented on your story. You have the right fans. RPL

Loved it. commenting for the first time. Do I really need to wait a month? Can we get an eta?

Way to go, Nora!!

You're a very good writer. I just think you took the easy way out. Even though she would not let herself open to any man - she fell for him hook line and sinker! He did to her what no man living or dead actually ever done. You are the Gaud who creates all this. I think you should have wrapped this story up. Now it actually begs another chapter!

That last sentence has me worried. Great story though.

Just fyi, the university and hospital name is Johns, with an "s". Great writing; looking forward to more.

Well, I know you have heard this before, but you have some talent. I am impressed with the character development and the pace of the story. I love the interaction and the banter they exhibit. You do a great job of working the characters and building to the next scene. This is a romance story that sets the standard. Please continue and write for your enjoyment as well as mine. Thanks for your time and imagination.

Please update soon!

Nicely done to this point... I think this would have been a good place to wrap it up with a happy ending. Even with the improvements to her psyche to this point, Celine’s constant angst could get old if it takes years for her to overcome it enough to admit she can love another human being.

And then that last line underlined her fears of commitment and, after publishing over a 3-month period, 4 months have past and the story looks like the author has left it finished unfinished. I mean the story thus far has good plot points and indicators, great character development of both MCs and peripherals, I can see why Wes would find it hard to commit to children but he clearly wants a family of two in a committed relationship. And while Celine fears that emotional moment of surrender and commitment, her body tells her (and us eavesdroppers) otherwise. You may feel your story is finished but to the reader their story hasn't ... with that last line, it is a teaser for continuation or a finite point of Celine's anticipation of failure. Without commitment their relationship is like a plant that now needs repotting; sure if well fed and watered it will still flourish for a while but it is destined to be pot bound. For a healthy future the Wes and Celine relationship plant needs a richer, deeper loam from which to draw sustenance and broader root base to prevent falling over when future storms threaten, and a lighter and more open aspect to provide the energy in which they can flourish and blossom, whether their stamens fruit or not. No, Nora, this story is not finished, it is still a seedling off potential that has yet to flower.

I understand what I hope is the underlying sentiment. Anyone with an appreciation for excellent fiction wants to read more of Nora's writing, but I'm always inclined to go with an author when they decide that the story is complete.

That's not to say that Nora might not write more about these characters. Maybe she will. I hope she does. If she doesn't, I'll be grateful for what we, as readers, received.

There just seems to be a bit of hubris in your deciding what is finished, what isn't, what the characters need and why.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but a simple email via the Lit system saying "Hey, just wondering, will there be a "Head Above Water" chapter 4?" without the borderline florid prose might have worked.

Spyauth said there would be another chapter, you’d think a beta reader would know...

I have never ever posted anything on this website. Heck I don’t even have an account. Yet I spent 3-4 hours this morning binge reading the whole thing. It’s got that addictive rom-com feel to it, and I can’t get enough. I texted my boyfriend, reminiscing on our rom-com moments. This story made me smile and laugh and feel so many things. I would love to read more sex, but I’d keep reading even if they never touched each other again. Fingers crossed you write another chapter!

I am satisfied because of your plot with great characters! When I started reading Literotica, like most people it was for the different sex situations. However, now I like a story that's good, (in your case - excellent), more than graphic sex every other paragraph! After reading a lot of stories, I have seen every graphic sex scene depicted.

"Her eyes rolled to the back of her head...." Etc. It gets old after a while. It's more about the chase, characters, and plot.

I'm not satisfied because you left it hanging, I hope you take the time to conclude this story. You're a great writer! I also hope you don't abandon Literotica and add more stories!

I hope there will be a chapter four. Your writing is really good. Please don't quit now.

that last line blew me away, pls tell me theres a chapter 4??

Please continue their story.

Excellent writing thanks for sharing your talents with us! Another chapter wouldn't go astray...

This ending begs for a continuation. Did he get into Johns Hopkins? Did she get her bachelors? Does she send him to Maryland and realize she can't function without him? Does she figure out that she's actually deeply in love with him? Does she fly across the country and propose after breaking his heart and her own in the process? I'm invested now! I need to know! LOL! Beautifully written as always. Just don't leave us hanging. :-)

so I don't need to repeat all those good things again. Loved the mellowing of Celine and trembling at the last line. Wonderful job.

Part four is coming soon! ;-) I finally have the time to write it!

Please let there be another chapter (soon). You cannot write three parts of us falling in love with these characters and their relationship, rip it apart right at the end with three words and then leave it hanging forever!!

..."I was wrong"????????????????

I've loved this story but the end of chapter 3 has me very nervous. I'm a happy ending kind of guy.....

yes, what everyone else said, you have to finish this, you can't leave us hanging!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of us have all these problems dealing with problems but things always seem to work out. Soooooooooooo............what problems could they be facing? very good writing but I think your fans are sending a team to kidnap you and sit you down and force you to finish this story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Part 4 has been submitted for publication! :D

Not John Hopkins. My uni. See, even editors miss some things. Enjoying the story.

our son, daughter wouldn´t know either...

they´re comfortable in their choice of no higher ed...but it shows.

you write well, otherwise...i´ll keep reading

This story is so exciting. To me the relationship is so real, you know, been there done that...hope grows as the character's learn each other. Again thank you for your time and effort.

DP

Fascinating. Rolling along so nicely and then that cliffhanger just 3 words.

Somehow you dropped off my radar so I've reread the first 2 chapters which are still as good as they were and now this one. Once again, loving the banter between them. The whole story so far is so well written it's almost unbelievable. Wondered why Celine was so uptight and know we know.

You've INSURED both characters grew by helping each other. It's a marvelous (albeit very uncommon) twist, as both wish to do better--and they do so.

It's so wonderful to see Celine's metamorphosis under Wes's tender loving care, and even to see her comforting him after that one girl dies needlessly because her parents don't follow pre-surgical directions. What a wonderful reversal to read. It's even jaw-dropping to see Celine pardon Ryan and Addie's relationship although she never would have tolerated it just 4 months before.

A cliffhanger with bad news? Really? I'm miffed!

excellent. I'm addicted...

however, the odd ¨off of¨ still trips me up

but ¨John Hopkins¨? ¨John Hopkins¨??? it´s JOHNS HOPKINS, a composite of two surnames in one institution, not anyone´s name.

it fits however, with ´local college´, or even with ´local university´, whatever that is.

in spite of my pedantic criticisms, i acknowledge the quality of your writing. way beyond literotica...

great writing.

i´m just sick and tired of comments with ¨character development¨ in them. make me want to throw up.

Great story. The flow and rhythm is strong and the zooming out to other aspects of the characters' lives really builds them as full-fledged people.

I'm so glad I'm reading a finished series - that cliffhanger would have ended me. So good!

I’m now officially at the midpoint of this wonderful story. I haven’t commented on the other, earlier pieces because I was too busy reading them. I’m loving Nora’s writing. She doesn’t just write about the sex bits. She also writes about the love in her characters lives. She gives you the whole person all fleshed out. I feel like I know Celine and Wes. That’s hard to pull off as effortlessly as she does. On to part four!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The time and emotional energy that it took to write this series boggles the mind. We care about these people, we want them to be happy without suffering any more. We can only hope that the ominous portent in those closing three words proves to be a detour, not their journey's end.

Now that, was a roller coaster of emotions. What a talent you have, thanks again for sharing.

Alright. After 3 parts I finally found a bone of contention to pick with this story. Before they go to Chipotle, they say it's just before 10 AM. Then she says the Chipotle is only 5 minutes from his place. Chipotle isn't open at 10! They don't open until like 11! SCOFF I hope whoever allowed this oversight through lost their job!

It's a great story by a talented writer so far. I'm just having a little bit of trouble connecting with the main character. I'm not usually a fan of women either in real life or in stories who profess to have no interest in marriage or kids. I like women who want to settle and start a family. I'm hoping that her non maternal ways are a result of her trauma and as she heals she'll decide she wants a different path after all. Especially since the beginning of the story made it pretty clear that in actuality she despises her job and the corporate rat race, she straight out states that she's only doing it at this point to "rub society's face in it". I hope by the end of the story she decides to seek something that's more meaningful than spite.

What makes a great story is conflict and crises that may crush the MC, or the struggle and sacrifice the MC needs to surpass them. Now for the 'crucible'?