Oh yes, her attitudes definitely change--not in one big epiphany, but you see her gradually become more open-minded throughout.

In that case I think I would have written "At the start of the book..." followed by whatever you have to say about her attitudes.

In writing class tonight, I got applause. And then one of my classmates said it was a very polished scene, so he wasn't surprised it was from earlier in the story than the previous things I'd had workshopped. I said, "I've been writing the book out of order. I actually wrote this scene last night." They then clapped again.

I'm floating about six feet above the ground right now.

Cool. Go, Susan.

Something I've been working on. Needs polish

Borrowed

I heard you once
I heard you say
(heard someone say,
at least):

This seems like what it needs to be.
There you are. Where did you go?
I will! Let's go tomorrow.
(I'm so happy) What good news!
Did you? I did! Oh, good for you!

This isn't what it should have been.
Where are you going? I can't find you.
Will we finish by tomorrow?
(I'm so sorry) Is there news?
Did you? I did. Oh, that's awful.

This isn't what it used to be.
I think I lost you. How'd I lose you?
I'll be gone, this time tomorrow.
(I'm so tired) That's not news.
Why did you? I just... did.

I like it, Holli. I especially like the rhythum of the last stanza, "I think I lost you. How'd I lose you?/ I'll be gone, this time tomorrow."

The last line is a bit, um, clunky- 'I just... did' doesn't feel like it works. Perhaps something which worked with the metre rather than against it would be better?

The pattern of using brackets is clever, too- and it works. The first stanza doesn't go with the rest quite as well, although that doesn't feel like it stops it working.

Would it work better if I changed the last line to "How could you? I don't know."? That sounds better in my head.

I think 'Yes" Holli.

I think 'yes' too.

Ooh, coming in late to the s's discussion, but I've been wondering. What am I supposed to do with my name? It doesn't actually end in an s, just an s sound. But if the Buffistas are saying s's for everyone except Moses and Jesus, and I'm evidently not them, I suppose it's s's for me. Liese's. It looks funny. But not as funny as Liese S.'s message center, which, as I may have mentioned before, amuses me with the sibilance every. single. day. I may start using it as my standard mic check routine, instead of Jabberwocky.

Anyway, it's not an issue with my name name, just my pseudonym, which I rarely say, but I always vacillate before posting.