Hello Everyone
I am from London and I am new to DC although not new to BBM. I first read AP's short story about 2 years ago. When I heard that they were making a movie I couldn't believe that Hollywood would be able to do justice to the power of APs language. I read the short story one last time before I went to see the film because I knew that I would never again be able to imagine Jack & Ennis in the same way again. I was right about that but wrong about the film. Like most people I was bowled over by it. Saw it 4 times in the cinema. Downloaded the music and listened to it incessently. Got the screenplay and then the DVD. Nothing seemed to assauge the feeling of desolation and loss that the story created and the film reinforced and multiplied a thousand times.
It wasn't until I started reading BBMfanfiction, mainly, Never taking no + When the snow didn't come (Ladymoluk), Human Interest (madlori), Somebody New (Jenna), Dreaming( Caithlin) and more lately If I asked (Amy, midwestgirl) that I began to settle down. It was like putting bandage onto a wound.... Actually many different bandages each of a different material with a different flavour medicine. There is a lot of mediocre stuff out there that does justice to neither the film nor the book. But the ones I mentioned are among some of the best fiction I have read anywhere. I am astounded that these writers haven't been taken up by publishers... they are so good.
Over the few months that I've been reading BBNFiction I've been faciniated by how the best writers have ferreted out themes, events, and relationships that are in the short story or the film, and often created whole new universes that are true to the original but discover new things about the characters. I have normally avoided stories that paraphrase or expand on the original for two reasons; because they always fall short of the power of the orginal; and because if I wanted to know more I prefer to re read AP or watch the film again. AU treatments are much more interesting and innovative as well as rewarding for my soppy soul.
Anyway, so much for introducing myself... I''m off to explore DC ...you'll hear from me again.