BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Secret Santa Fic Exchange 2015

**Posted by SusiGo** December 15, 2015 10:15 am

Yes, I would second that. I suppose most people will not keep tabs on who has commented on which story, especially if there are several comments at once or in a reverse order. And even if you guess or deduce the author - so what? You do not have to reveal it and it is part of the fun.

**Posted by Dorothy83** December 15, 2015 10:42 am

I've set aside some time tonight to read and comment, so I will.

**Posted by gently69** December 15, 2015 1:13 pm

Letter from the Past

That's a nice little story with enough jealousy and heartche to still my taste. Love how it is written and can imagine Sherlock and John so well.

Dear unknown author, your work made me happy.

**Posted by mrshouse** December 15, 2015 1:13 pm

Dorothy83 wrote:
I've set aside some time tonight to read and comment, so I will.

Very well, you are a brave girl.
The least should be to thank for the fic that you have been gifted with.

**Posted by Dorothy83** December 15, 2015 1:32 pm

mrshouse wrote:
Dorothy83 wrote:
I've set aside some time tonight to read and comment, so I will.
Very well, you are a brave girl.
The least should be to thank for the fic that you have been gifted with.

I have? And commented on it as well?

**Posted by nakahara** December 15, 2015 1:41 pm

Dorothy83 wrote:
mrshouse wrote:
Dorothy83 wrote:
I've set aside some time tonight to read and comment, so I will.
Very well, you are a brave girl.
The least should be to thank for the fic that you have been gifted with.

I have? And commented on it as well?

This was just a proof, Dorothy, that no one remembers who commented on which story.

**Posted by Dorothy83** December 15, 2015 1:42 pm

nakahara wrote:
Dorothy83 wrote:
mrshouse wrote:

Very well, you are a brave girl.
The least should be to thank for the fic that you have been gifted with.

I have? And commented on it as well?
This was just a proof, Dorothy, that no one remembers who commented on which story.

I would never be so rude as to not comment on a fic after the author has spent time writing it for me to my prompt.

**Posted by nakahara** December 15, 2015 1:45 pm

Yes, of course. I never meant to insinuate such a thing.

**Posted by Dorothy83** December 15, 2015 1:46 pm

Not you, but as I already feel guilty for not having had the time to read and comment on the other fics, the initial comment made me feel a bit horrible.

**Posted by nakahara** December 15, 2015 1:48 pm

Dorothy83 wrote:
Not you, but as I already feel guilty for not having had the time to read and comment on the other fics, the initial comment made me feel a bit horrible.

It´s not Christmas yet. Still plenty of time to comment.

**Posted by mrshouse** December 15, 2015 2:33 pm

Dorothy, I apologize if I made you feel distressed or bad. That was never the intention. The comment about thanking wasn't directed at you but put generally into the audience, so to speak.
I'm sorry, I truly am.

**Posted by Dorothy83** December 15, 2015 3:01 pm

Thank you, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I just feel guilty!

**Posted by Yitzock** December 15, 2015 8:17 pm

I've fallen behind, myself, since I came home from university last week and had another writing deadline to prepare for. It took me a few days to get enough reading in to make another comment. After reading one, I decided to read another more recent fic to try and balance things out a bit.

(All) Good Things was nice. The only retirement/old age fic I had read prior to this was one that was good but also very sad. This one had some of that as well, but it also had a lot of nice Christmas reminiscence that was more warm and happy than sad. I like the warmth all the characters get in this, even "Uncle Mycroft." I also love the tenderness of Sherlock towards the daughter, it was very nice. Mary's fate in this one is quite upsetting, but that part, for me, is made up for with other nice things that happen. I'm guessing we're supposed to believe that Greg does end up with Molly, since there is reference to him having a wife who is much younger than him. I also like the idea of Greg, even in his retirement, going on a backpacking trip. I don't know why, and I never would have thought of it myself, but it just seems to fit.

Jam Tomorrow was structured in an interesting way. I couldn't help but chuckle at Sherlock dating a Bob Dylan type. Can see why that wouldn't have lasted. And I sense a recurring Viclock theme in this year's Secret Santa. He seems treated in a bit of a similar way to the two fics we've had so far.

Last edited by Yitzock (December 15, 2015 8:18 pm)

**Posted by nakahara** December 15, 2015 9:47 pm

Jam tomorrow?

Hmmm, this fic made me so hungry…! Still, it was a very good idea to frame the story of Sherlock´s many wistful loves with a cooking scene. Every little infatuation, every passionate enrapture, every hearbreak was served to us as one of the courses and it made a nice parallel with every dish being served. No surprise that with the appearance of Victor the bitter taste of cauliflower is mentioned and the water of potatoes almost boils over when John comes into picture for the first time. That love is really hot.

I also believe that a cute obsessive behaviour and the thorough chemist´s concentration on cooking Sherlock displayed here was also the very same behaviour he displayed when in love. He must be a wonderful lover, really. That wicked remark of „wrist that would be needed later with a bit of luck“ amused me too, I grinned from ear to ear.

It was very original of you, dear author, to make Sherlock date Victor when John left Mary and to complicate things that way. I enjoyed this unusual setting very much. It´s true that the feelings for the old flame cannot be distinguished so randomly, no matter if the new love already lurks around the corner. On the other hand, Victor, as portrayed here, althrough human and not unsympathetic, was really not a suitable match for Sherlock. This time I did not wish for an awesome threesome with him, John and Sherlock. With his lifestyle, he would soon drag Sherlock into ruin again. John, as sweet as a jam, was a much better choice – and he loyaly persevered to the end, to claim Sherlock´s heart as his own. Hurray!

Too pity that the wonderful food got spoilt without being eaten in the final scene. But not every thing must meet a happy-end, isn´t that so?

**Posted by Schmiezi** December 16, 2015 7:21 am

Hi everyone. There is something rather serious I'd like to discuss with you. I am still waiting for some of the fics to be handed in. Some of the authors are giving me updates on why they are late and when the fic could be ready, and that's fine.

BUT there are four participants who have not reported back at all, and I am a bit scared now that some of you will be left without a fic.

To make it more specific, there are four authors who have not answered to my mails and pms. That means possibly four participants who will not get a fic. Two of those unfortunate participants have not handed in a fic themselves. But the two others have written and handed in a fic already. It is those two I am mostly sad about.

What can we do?

Of course, they all could still answer me today, and all my worries would be for nothing. But they could also just never show up again and some of us would be left without a fic.

**Posted by SusiGo** December 16, 2015 7:43 am

This is indeed sad but it cannot be helped. I have a proposal to make for next year even if it may sound unfair. Members who have never contributed in the threads and only just registered before wanting to participate cannot do so. You will have to show at least the basic willingness to actively participate. Of course writing is fun but if you expect your own fic and do not get one, you will be disappointed. I think this has never been the case before and should not happen again.

**Posted by mrshouse** December 16, 2015 7:46 am

Hm, that is sad and a bit difficult to handle, Schmiezi, since you tried to reach the participants by email, too. I hope that they will respond now.
Otherwise the rest of us could collect some secret ideas via pm what we could give them as instead? I'm not sure anybody has the time to come up with a new fic that quickly but something small instead...? I don't know...

**Posted by SusiGo** December 16, 2015 7:52 am

Lovely idea, mrshouse.

**Posted by gently69** December 16, 2015 8:20 am

Yeah, something small could be possible.

**Posted by SolarSystem** December 16, 2015 8:24 am

Schmiezi, I just wrote you a PM with a little proposal. (And no, I'm not one of those four people... )