Life Goes On
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| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Life Goes On |
| Publisher: | IDP Press |
| Editor: | |
| Author(s): | Joana Dey |
| Cover Artist(s): | |
| Illustrator(s): | Joey |
| Date(s): | January 2001 |
| Medium: | print zine, fanfic |
| Size: | |
| Genre: | |
| Fandom: | Professionals |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | online at The Circuit Archive and AO3. |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Life Goes On is a slash Professionals 104-page novel by Joana Dey. It is an additional chapter in Gentle on My Mind by Kathy Keegan.
Summary
From a distributor, Agent With Style:
In the 1980s, Kathy Keegan started a series called Gentle on My Mind, where Ray Doyle is in a major car accident and he sustains a severe head injury. The series follows his progress as Doyle grows from the mental age of a child into a teenager and finally a man once again. The gains and losses are great, but Bodie's and Doyle's deep and abiding love for each other bring them through. This novel is Chapter Six in the series, a final chapter which stands alone, written by Joana Dey with permission from Kathy Keegan. After tragedy strikes the Doyle family, Ray has to deal with the loss, while Bodie is forced to realise that Ray is at last an adult once more. It takes up where Chapter Five left off, but it is not necessary to have read the first five chapters in order to understand this one and enjoy it thoroughly. There is a short synopsis of the first five chapters at the front of the zine to acquaint the reader with how the characters came to be where they are.
Excerpt
From an announcement in DIAL #17:
"Ray watched with disinterest as Cowley left the room. He'd been sure Bodie was here; for just a second he'd been so happy... His glance landed on the tape player. He was afraid nobody was telling him the truth about anything. What if Bodie had told them where he was and they just didn't want to let him know? He got up and pushed "play."
"... Tyler somehow. I don't know if he gave himself away or if it was... Oh, bloody hell-"
There was the sound of the phone dropping and a loud bang, then nothing but the swish-swish-swish of the tape feeding through the machine.
Bodie... "
Sample Interior Gallery
sample text
art by Joey
art by Joey
Reactions and Reviews
I have no idea how her sequel was received, strangely. When I was reading through the convos on Pros-Lit looking for my posts and that excerpt, I noticed at least one fan of GOMM saying she hadn't liked the sequel because it was too different; Joana had brought Ray forward more in age and ability, made him more independent, and the dynamic had changed too much for that fan. So I suspect it may have been too much of a middle ground - people who disliked the original wouldn't read it because they would have no reason to want to pick it up, and people who loved the original wouldn't get the same emotional hit off it. It's a pity, if so -- she put so much into that! But like you, I couldn't even read it. I do not want to go back to that universe, ever. [1]
I actually sold quite a few "Life Goes On" seeing that is was such a ... um... different universe *G* My Ray was different as much as he was because, while I liked the hurt/comfort of the original GOMM, the 'youngness' of Ray bugged me. I loved writing it, and even now I'll get the odd email about it. It's one of those "to each his own" universes :-) [2]
... I'm no fan of the original work, though I have read it. Whatever your take on Gentle, however, I highly recommend this sequel. The zine is well presented, well edited, well illustrated and, most important of all, well written. It's an excellent example of how good fan writing can be when time and effort are put into the work. For example: I found insights into human behaviour that left me breathless. So skillfully worked into the plot and character development that at times I missed them consciously while absorbing them at another level, and I found myself going back, re-reading and saying "wow!' This is fanfic at its best: multi-levelled and complex. No spoilers, but the one detail that I liked the best was the "personification" of 4.5 in Doyle's mind as a guide to-more responsible (brave) behaviour. Such a lovely touch. The plot works. It's complex enough to satisfy while not taking away from the immediate issues of Doyle's mental level and Bodie's burdens and responsibilities. The artwork is far more then mere re-representation. These are drawings that let the viewer play with interpretations and not just "see" pretty men. The illos fit each phase of the text well, though I'd have liked more "Bodies." The "Doyles" are just right for the story, and the artist lavished attention on fine details, giving an innocence around the eyes that fit the character perfectly. The things I did not like were necessary to keep faith with the original, so I won't speak to that. All in all a great fannish read. [3]
I'm really enjoying this one. Would love to read the prequel but cannot find it any where. Any ideas where I could get it? Thank you. [4]
References
- ^ from Arduinna, Archived version (2011)
- ^ from Arduinna Dreamwidth journal, comment Anonymous, who reveals later is the author, Joana Dey, Archived version. (2011)
- ^ from DIAL #18 (2001)
- ^ comment by Analie at AO3, (2014)