All Comments on 'Donny and Karen's Giant Leap'

Donny and Karen thrived from each other. They were each other's best friends.

I like reading stories of young live in times past, reminding me that men and women fell in love and had sex before marriage even way back then. And that when they married, it wasn't always "because they had to" (pregnancy), but because they wanted to. I think of teen, unmarried sex as vanishingly rare and shocking way back then, but I bet I was totally wrong. I hope that, even in these times, lots of couple "do it" because they enjoyed it with each other.

The Vietnam War was going on when I as a little boy too, but I had almost no knowledge of the anti-war protests, and certainly never heard a veteran called a "baby killer." I am shocked.

Best wishes to you as you continue to write.

If you want to write about history, do so. If you have a view point express it. But don't preach, explore. Having the only two characters in the story both share the same viewpoint makes this feel like the entire story is, "Fuck Hippies. I'm a patriot. Disease is bad. They had sex." This is a really one sided take on an interesting and divisive point in American history. Using this setting poorly is worse than not using it at all.

That was a great story told from the viewpoint of one character whose life was impacted beyond his imagination by his childhood friend and wife. There were only two characters because it was his reflection on their life together. It takes a hell of a writer to pull that off. Nicely done.

. . . I have to point out that the birthday draft lottery did not start until 1969. You needed to do some research.

The MyLai massacre did not become public knowledge until November of 1969, so there just wasn’t as much of the “baby killer” yelling during your story timeline. You’ve put too much 1971 and 1972 stuff in your story, and even then you”ve exaggerated it a bit. I went to a more conservative college, but even in 1971 and 72 we had ROTC students, in uniform, on campus and I never saw a problem.

My particular clique had Nam veterans in it — they were married students, and a touch older — and they didn’t seem to have any problems.

Most readers wouldn’t have noticed the problems, but I’m old enough and lived through those times. You need to do your historical research more.

I was a Marine in Nam parts of ‘66 and ‘67. I don’t know the history but I do know that my best friend would damn sure not have been there if he hadn’t been drafted. I advise you not to pay too much attention to nits being picked. You are writing for yourself and others to enjoy, not for your PhD. Keep up the good work.

I am a Vietnem vet and yes, some of what you wrote was inaccurate, but in my opinion it did not detract from your story. It was well written. The character development was good and the plot was interesting. 5*

This was so well written. I loved reading about their connection, and that two people who were really perfect for each other got to be together.