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[nicksgal]

it's OK -lol I have that same problem with cheesecake. 

Mmmm.... Cheesecake....

Me too, Kelly.

[MellzBellz]

it's OK -lol I have that same problem with cheesecake. 

I think all authors have their "sex food" LOL That's the big secret  Lol

[honey]

I think all authors have their "sex food" LOL That's the big secret  Lol

wait... were we talking about writing?? oh. um yeah. I meant that too. I don't have that problem in real life... I swear.

[starbeamz]

I think all authors have their "sex food" LOL That's the big secret  Lol

Really?! I must've missed that secret memo. I guess I'll go find my "sex food" now. What do you guys think of popcorn, mac and cheese, or a tuna sandwich? Are those "sexy" enough LOL

Mel! I'm so excited that you were picked! I'm glad I started reading this story last summer, and I really hope that being picked for this month inspires you to keep going.

I have to say, I like how complicated all of their feelings are. Or, at least, all of Alyssa's feelings are because we don't get too much of Nick's side at all, right? Or maybe I'm forgetting something? Anyhoo, it's nice to have those complicated emotions because love/lust/emotional entanglement is not all cut and dry stuff, and you've clearly depicted that in this story. I also enjoy not knowing the whole story behind the Katie debacle and the way that you slowly, through flashbacks, show everything that happened in the past.

Plus, Alyssa's hit the top ten females in BSB fanfic for me because she's no Mary Sue and she's not going to fall all over herself for Nick. I think I told you this before in the chapter where the fangirls spot her leaving Nick's room one morning, but I really like the fact that she doesn't want to be seen by the fans as just another girl and is afraid that that's how Nick does see her.  Also, she sees past his celeb status. You have passing references to the BSB plans, but it's not all about this concert, this party, this photoshoot, etc. You seem to have written a story that's more character and emotionally driven than one that's driven by the events (although, some of those events are pretty big). Oh, and also, I like the fact that Nick's not perfect (i.e. women in the couple's past). Both characters are just flawed enough that they appear human and accessible.

I'm sure I could go on and on, but this is it for now! I love the story, and I want more updates...NOW! LOL

[honey]

Spoiler warnings Sarah!!!!! Come on!!!! Work with me here!!!! -lol

[starbeamz]

Spoiler warnings Sarah!!!!! Come on!!!! Work with me here!!!! Nick sleeps with Steph??? GASP! I don't know who she is yet, but she sleeps with him??? The NERVE! -lol

SORRY!!!! I totally forgot! But, for everyone else, I edited my post, so hopefully that'll not wreck it for everyone else. I'm super sorry, Kelly!

[honey]

SORRY!!!! I totally forgot! But, for everyone else, I edited my post, so hopefully that'll not wreck it for everyone else. I'm super sorry, Kelly!

hehe, you're funny Sarah! now you have to edit this one cause you quoted me and I ruined it. I edited it from my post now too though so we should be safe after that...

[MellzBellz]

Really?! I must've missed that secret memo. I guess I'll go find my "sex food" now. What do you guys think of popcorn, mac and cheese, or a tuna sandwich? Are those "sexy" enough LOL

Hey whatever gets you going works! LOL 

Wow... Thanks for your opinions Sarah! I'm SOOOO happy that you're still enjoying UMS. You brought up a lot of great points in your last post about the story which makes me feel like Good! I'm getting my point across! lol

The whole "complication" factor in reationships is definitely what I wanted to focus on with this story. If I'm going to write something in the romance realm (and i think I consider UMS more angst than romance, but some beg to differ) I'm not going to do a cutesy fantasy type romance. I'm going to lay it out there how it really is. Men cheat, exes who try to be friends wind up more as friends with benefits, and sometimes your feelings for a person aren't as cut and dry as you'd think. I joke that the reason that I can write a story like this and keep it so raw and real is that I'm in a pretty bitter cynical place when it comes to love in general right now. Its very funny though because just the other night I was out to dinner w/ a friend who had just broken up w/ her b/f and she was really upset and pretty much spent the whole meal venting to me about the breakup. It got to the point where I actually swore that i could be talking to Alyssa from my story LOl. Like Nick, her b/f broke up with her cuz he felt that he "needed to be single for a while to just hang with the guys and do his thing." He also told her that maybe down the road they could get back together again when he's ready. She was actually saying something about how their relationship was so intense sometimes that it scared her which was actually something that I had just written for the next chapter. So, I guess when it comes to keeping it real I definitely did my job there!

I'm going to try to include more from Nick's perspective too. When I started writing the story it was pretty much Alyssa's story because A) I'm much more comfortable writing from a girls POV and B) Originally the story was supposed to be first person, but I felt too limited so I changed it. As the story has progressed I've slipped into Nick's head a few times too, but the predominant perspective has been from Alyssa. I'm going to work on that, but sometimes its just so hard to get both their opinions on something and not have the story drag. And I'm glad you like the flashbacks and how the mystery of their past is unfolding. Unfortunately, *hides* I don't think the complete Katie/Serena mystery will be answered in this story. I'm going to carry that over to the sequel just because it parallells events that take place in it. There will be one more major bombshell concerning Katie before the end of this story though.

About Alyssa not being a Mary Sue, I REALLY tried hard not to let her fall into that catergory. I wanted her to be very realistic and not one of those female leads where everyone of the guys (including Aaron and even Baylee or any other male period) falls in love w/ her. I've tried to make her flawed, but just flawed enough where the reader realizes she's human. She's definitely very jealous and maybe a bit posessive over Nick (although I would think you'd have to be to ward off all those girls lol) and she definitely has her bitchy moments like her lil snide comments about Paris, the whole wanting revenge on Katie... (left it vague so I don't spoil it for Kelly lol) In the end I think it makes you realize she's just your average 20 something year old female. Face it, we're bitchy when we need to be and I don't think too many fics show their main character in that light.

Ha don't get me started on Nick's flaws in this story. I alwas say that Nick is just complicated period, so he pretty much writes himself sometimes. But he's trying to change (operative word trying) he just becomes a little misguided lol.

[MellzBellz]

Oh yea! Sorry if Sarah spoiled anything Kelly. I forgot that you're only up to like Chapter 10 (30 more to go!)

Trust me though... You know Steph. You prolly don't remember her because she's played a very minor role, but you'll see more of her as the story progresses.

[honey]

Oh yea! Sorry if Sarah spoiled anything Kelly. I forgot that you're only up to like Chapter 10 (30 more to go!)

Trust me though... You know Steph. You prolly don't remember her because she's played a very minor role, but you'll see more of her as the story progresses.

OMG STEPH!!!! as in Alyssa's little sister!!!!!!! How could I forget!!!!!! UGH!!! Nicky just went down on my "reasons to kill your boyfriend" list!!!!

----would run off to read more right this second, but I'm like 1/2 a page away from finishing my story so I need to go do that first... Then I'll go read more cause now I wanna know how that whole STEPH thing came about!!!!!

[MellzBellz]

OMG STEPH!!!! as in Alyssa's little sister!!!!!!! How could I forget!!!!!! UGH!!! Nicky just went down on my "reasons to kill your boyfriend" list!!!!

----would run off to read more right this second, but I'm like 1/2 a page away from finishing my story so I need to go do that first... Then I'll go read more cause now I wanna know how that whole STEPH thing came about!!!!!

It's okay lol Take your time! You have quite a bit before you get to the Steph part and quite a few other reasons to kill Nick to get through LOL

[Chrissy]

This story is sooooo good.  Congratulation s, Mel, on getting featured!

My question is: How in the world do you manage to juggle two jobs, a life, and writing at the same time?  I must know your secret.  :3

[MellzBellz]

This story is sooooo good.  Congratulation s, Mel, on getting featured!

My question is: How in the world do you manage to juggle two jobs, a life, and writing at the same time?  I must know your secret.  :3

Well, the secret is that I don't really have a life LOL. Sad, but true... Hopefully that situation will improve soon. I'm looking for a permanent teaching job and as soon as that happens I can quit working at Macy's. I'll still have my Masters to do, but I'm trying to knock that out as soon as I can. I write in between whenever I get a minute. I've been trying to do a lot this week when I REALLY should've been doing schoolwork and I didn't even manage to crank out a whole chapter, so its difficult. I'm hoping once the summer comes I can have more time to focus on writing.

[mare]

OKay readers of Under My Skin time to plug this one!

Give us one reason that anyone who has not read this story should.

[Chrissy]

OKay readers of Under My Skin time to plug this one!

Give us one reason that anyone who has not read this story should.

My vote is for the excellent characterizati on.  Everyone in the story is so well fleshed-out and believable, and their actions (even when crazy or frustrating) make sense.  Mel puts so much detail into the psychologies of her characters that you'll swear you're caught up in the real-life drama of some of your best friends.  Read it!