32 Comments

Gorgeous writing, great use of a classic text and a chilling portrayal of male bullying. What an immense chapter! Brilliant.

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Thanks Jeffrey - this was a big one, and the next - two of the three climactic episodes, with a little poetic interlude in two weeks, if I can pull it off... ;)

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I adore this English class scene. It can be such a vulnerable space! And it can also go so wrong.

Also - this audio is fabulous, Troy! Really love this additional layer to your rich prose. 💜

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I'm glad you like it! Slowly adding back episodes, hopefully all will be updated in the next weekish... :) xo

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Lamb is back. What a great read, and I see now the Moby Dickness. Such a great coincidence between our posts, a mere 10 days apart. But why oh why choose that passage of all passages, of course, it must be so... hapless Lamb. And only 5 more chapters, and then we'll be lambless...

Audio sounds great btw! Great job, Troy!

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Hapless indeed, his middle name. Glad you like the audio, good god it had me so nervous!

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Another great installment — hard to read about Lamb's experiences here, especially being locked up in a box by a bunch of bullies. I think we need the next chapter sooner rather than later! And special shout out to the clever weaving of Moby-Dick into the story.

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Thanks Jeffrey! Next chapter is on its way - you'll never think of "Baby" the same way again! ;)

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Gosh I'd missed Lamb. And ugh, my stomach can hardly handle everything he's been through. Brought back some gnarly memories of school. It's just wild how creative us humans can get with our cruelty. Your audio is brilliant, brilliant, (and thrice I'll say) brilliant. So excited you've chosen to add that, I loved listening 💜

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Thrice thank you to you, my dear! The audio recording was a personal overcoming of fear of no small significance, I'm glad you like it - more to come! 🤗🩷🎙️

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Fantastic as always. I cannot imagine the horror of being stuck in a box all night. Gave me chills reading it. Can't wait for the audio version to come out!

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I'm so glad Lamb has returned! I had no memory of just how homoerotic the story of the great white whale was. This episode like everything you've told in this story is both funny and heartbreaking in equal measure. You strike such a perfect balance that's hard to achieve. Also, I love your narration. What took you so long to start!? One minor suggestion - you might used the "voiceover" option rather than the embed option when you upload your audio. It's handled better by the mobile app audio player when you do.

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Thanks Ben! What took me so long? Fear, mostly. Stages are not my friends. ;) Also, a super crappy computer which I finally replaced. Thanks for the tip about voiceovers I will try that option.

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I feel like I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating — poor Lamb! Damn school boy macho nonsense it’s such an ugly thing. And by endearing is to Lamb and then taking us with him through these sucky experiences you’re really capturing the extent of the effect they can have.

Thank you, Troy. This is really good and I’m excited for the next instalment. :)

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It is ugly, and the scars can run deep. Thanks Michael! We’re back on track, every two weeks until the finale. :)

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I am literally so excited to see how it all turns out, Troy. :)

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Haven't listened to the audio yet (I'm sneaking this read in in the office ;)) but I look forward to doing so, especially with the Moby Dick passages there for you to read. Wonderful writing as always, Troy. Sucked right in. Plus, this assignment of memorising passages (wtf are they expected to achieve by memorising pages from a book? eye-roll old-school teaching approaches 😆) is brilliant and apt. Wonderful. Wonderful stuff. I've missed Lamb. It's been too long.

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Thanks Nathan! Yeah, August was a slow month for Lamb, but I needed a break lest I burn out. We’re on track for every two weeks until the finale now. :)

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Understandable. I think I’ve been teetering on that burn-out myself for a good while now!

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Troy! This chapter is devastating and hilarious all at once! And now I must listen to your audio version and pay special attention to the Moby Dick excerpts as I sense yours at the end is foreshadowing dear Lamb’s end? “So man’s insanity is heaven’s sense; and wandering from all mortal reason, man comes at last to that celestial thought, which, to reason, is absurd and frantic; and weal or woe, feels then uncompromised, indifferent as to his God.”

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It's def not an advertisement for his future healthy mindedness, that's for sure... ;) Thanks Kim!!! 💜

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Well done on the audio Troy, it's excellent.

This is heartbreaking and Lamb will live with me forever.

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Oh I'm glad - I haven't even turned on the "magic dust" yet (what?! yes! podcastle has magic dust for audio recordings which is supposed to smooth it all over but it's a paid feature - and you were just talking about it...!) Thank you my dear 💜

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Love the audio, I’m a much better listener than reader. Also, only 5 episodes to conclusion! I’m not ready for it to end. ❤️❤️❤️ this series!

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Thanks Sky! I know, 4 more now - it's wrapping up one year to the week since the beginning!

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Hot dang - I could see all this unfold before me in such a devastatingly beautiful, powerful, hilarious way. I appreciate you reading your amazing book for us. I look forward to listening to you and following along!

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Thanks Nadia! You should see my office, draped with coats and blankets trying to muffle the echo - it's rather cozy, actually, a little padded room action... ;)

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😂 it sounds divine!

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it's my dream vacation 😶‍🌫️

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And no need to pack! Lol

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... his shipmates called him mad ... well, indeed! Great episode, Troy.

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Thanks Martine!

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