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Date Posted: 19:04:21 09/27/24 Fri
Author: Curious
Author Host/IP: 49.196.177.74
Subject: (SFFR) The Way It Never Was (AZ-Man)

Warning: This Review Contains Spoilers

The Way It Never Was (AZ-Man) - A Review

Part One - The Author

AZ-Man was a smoking fetish fiction author active (Based on the stories archived at Loring's website) between 1998 and 2002. While not a prolific writer, they seemed to have been reaching beyond basic 'stroke fiction' in some of what they did write. Three of the stories have dedications to author SStoryman, 1998's 'House of Cards'(3), a sequel to his first story 'A Second Chance'(4), 1999's 'The Elusive California Dream' and 2000's 'Pygmalion'.(1) Similarly SStoryman dedicated five of their stories, published between 1999 and 2002, to AZ-Man and another writer Stogie-Man (StogieMon?).(2)

Part Two - The Way It Never Was

This story, the first of two published in 2002(5), is the authors penultimate story. It is a first person story told from the point of view of an unnamed narrator and outlines their search for a smoking woman to spend their years with.

Part Three - Comments

The story, like 'Amy's Choice' is preceeded by an 'SStoryman' style copyright notice. While the copyright notice makes it clear the story is fiction, both the title and the introspective prologue give the definite impression that, like the unnamed first person narrator who opens and closes 'House of Cards', the narrator of this story is a fictionalised version of the author. The prologue states that the story will be touching on a particular theme, and it's the theme the author used in three of their previous stories, 'A Second Chance', 'The Elusive California Dream' and 'Pygmalion', the search for the 'perfect smoking woman'. It differs from the previous three stories in that the narrator is trying to 'find' rather than 'make' the 'perfect smoking woman'.

The second overarching theme, is again one that the author used in their previous stories, namely the conflict between a fetishist's expections and reality. Chapter two (6) sees the narrators marriage founder because his wife is frightened of the fetish. Chapter three(7) sees the narrator pursue a fantasy to a disasterous, but not fatal end.

The final chapter shows the narrator entering into a new relationship which builds to a hopeful ending. Of interest in this chapter are the sections where Trish gives her smoking backstory, there are definite parallels to the Ron-Diane relationship in 'A Second Chance' and 'House of Cards', it's actually surprising the author didn't try to tie this story with the earlier stories by making the final woman Diane from those stories. The possibility that the 'final woman' was orginally intended to be Diane is strengthened by the fact that the finale of the story is clearly set in and around Atlanta, Georgia, the location of 'House of Cards' and by extension 'A Second Chance'.

It also brings in a third thematic element, the idea that a smoking fetish relationship has to be built on more than just the fetish, this is the issue mentioned in 'The Elusive California Dream' when the backstory for the character Tina is given in chapter eleven(8).

One of other point of interest in the final chapter is Trish's overall trajectory, part way through the chapter she makes a failed attempt to quit smoking, emerging with a changed relationship to the habit. Parallels to this can be seen in Richard's 'Annes Choice'(9), where it's the trajectory of the protagonist and MicGio's 'Sarah - Dark Allure'(10) where this happens to the protagonists mother.

This is a good story, one I have no hesitations in recommending.

Part Four - Chapters/Episodes

Prologue: Some Opening Words
1. Seeing My Babysitter Smoke
2. My Wife Renee
3. The "Jenni Incident"
4. Enter Trish

1. 'House of Cards' (1998): "...a special thanks to SSTORYMAN -- for providing me with the motivation to keep going and all the help during the rigorous editing process.", 'The Elusive California Dream' (1999): "...the author would like to thank SSTORYMAN for all his help and words of encouragement along the way. You're great, man.", 'Pygmalion' (2000): "A final thanks - to SSTORYMAN for his support, guidance and friendship."
2. 'Turkish Delight' (1999): "Thanks to AZ-Man and Stogie-Man for their support, ideas and encouragement.", 'Revenge' (2000): " Thanks to AZ-Man and Stogie-Man for their help and encouragement.", 'Cross-Cultural Experience' (2000): "Thanks to AZ-Man and Stogie-Man for their support, ideas and encouragement.", 'I Want You Back' (2001): "Thanks to AZ-Man for his ongoing ideas, support and encouragement" & 'Conflict of Interest' (2002): "Finally, thanks to AZ-MAN for his editorial suggestions, support and encouragement."
3. The story can be found in both the 12th volume of the Noble Leaf Library and the 'AZ-Man Anthology'. A review can be found in the 25th volume of the Consolidated Smoking Fetish Review series.
4. The story can be found in both the 9th volume of the Noble Leaf Library and the 'AZ-Man Anthology'. A review can be found in the 25th volume of the Concolidated Smoking Fetish Review series.
5. The other story, the authors last known, was entitled 'Amy's Choice' and can be found both the 22nd volume of the Noble Leaf Library and the 'AZ-Man Anthology. A review can be found in the 27th volume of the Consolidated Smoking Fetish Fiction Review series.
6. My Wife Renee
7. The "Jenni Incident"
8. Taking Care Of Business
9. The story can be found in volume 31 of the Noble Leaf Library. A review has been written and will appear in a forthcoming volume of the Consolidated Smoking Fetish Review series.
10. The story can be found in volume 122 of the Noble Leaf Libary and volume 35 of the Noble Leaf Original series, a review can be found in the 27th volume of the Consolidated Smoking Fetish Fiction Review series.

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