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Please use this topic to discuss the sixth story in Holding Fire, "Do Seconds Even Matter?" by Tayah Reed.

What do you think of this story? What do you like most about it?

I like the way this writer expresses emotion with her writing.

What do you think?

I thought the author did a really good job conveying teenage emotion when dealing with a ton of stressors and difficult situations. I really like Kyle but had a hard time liking Lana especially at the end when she is willing to bring others into her destruction.

Overall, a really well written story.

I completely related to the drama going on in Lana's head and her struggle to control it. I felt like the author had gone through it herself, though I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Great work, especially from someone so young.

I thought this story effectively conveyed the way the girl felt about living with a mentally ill mother. The writing is excellent and the plot elements were subtly revealed. Personally, the subject matter wasn't my cup of tea; pretty much everything was depressing. However, I appreciate that it is a well-written, interesting story.

I agree with bookowlie but I did like the story.

I was glad that Kyle hadn't died. I liked him a lot and thought he was trouper. When Lana first talked to him and asked him if he played an instrument, he handled it in a good way. I mean, here is this awkward, unpopular girl asking him a question like that and he finds it rather endearing, even if it isn't spelled out. I was sold on him from the very beginning.

Lana was a little tougher for me and I really hated it that she took off on his motorcycle and blew threw a light and nearly killed both Kyle and herself. I understand being blinded by grief and such but she took it to an extreme. I wanted to slap her up for being so careless and selfish but she is filled with self-loathing and self-pity so you had to expect something like that from her. It fit her character.

And, who doesn't like Batman?

This story nearly made me cry. I could relate to the circumstances; when I was a little girl I would shriek my lungs out regularly because I had no other outlet for ... living in that situation. Still nearly crying. Don't even tell me a sixteen-year-old wrote this. GENIUS! OMG. Tayah Reed, you are brilliant. Thank you.

To comment on the other posts, I didn't find the heroine unlikable at all. I understood her actions. She was terrified of inheriting her mom's illness, almost to the point of self-fulfilling prophecy. She didn't know how to love herself.

Freakin'. I need to go play some Tetris, or something.

-- 12 May 2015, 23:59 --

Oh, and another thing. I could totally relate to Lana's fear of giving too much information and alienating the guy she liked. I always worry about that too. That was so believable. Trying to navigate that line between sharing and over-sharing, and having fun with a romantic partner vs. delving into family drama, wowza! You know, I can't decide if this young author should pursue writing or psychology. But, gee, what talent!

I thought the writing was clunky, but mine probably was too at that age. That will come with practice. The story-telling--well, I'm mind-blown.

I also thought it was very realistic that Lana was afraid Kyle wouldn't like her if he knew about her family.

Khudecek - I was also happy that Kyle didn't die. I initially thought he died, which is a testament to the author's talent in slowly revealing that he lived.

Yeah, freakin' brilliant. But it's not even so much about the factual matter that her mom killed her dad. It's about opening yourself up emotionally, letting someone see inside you, and watching as they run for the hills, horrified that you encompass so much darkness. I deal with that a lot, and was really impressed with this author's grasp of that at such a young age.

I was also thrilled that Kyle not only lived, but really did love her. Gush. That was beautiful.

Well, it was a well-written story, I respect writers who could express their emotions and put them selves out there.
And it conveyed the teen experience in an interesting way, it was a fun read.

Love this story! Great job on the characters. The struggles that Lana had was told amazing! Can't imagine her fear! Hate that dad was killed! Kyle is my hero as well as Lana's! Amazing ending! Tayah, I look forward to reading your future!

This was a wonderful story. The main character's struggles to gain identity while dealing with not only the mental illness of her mother but also the fact that her mother had murdered her Father whom she had left without turning back really added to her confusion. Enter the friend Kyle and you have a recipe for an interesting journey. I loved how the ending was a giant sigh of relief for Kyle, Lana and her grandmother. This was a good read.

I cant say I liked this story. Too dramatic and pessimistic for me. I could not relate to any character. At least it had a good end. But i have too give credits to the author for the remarkable way she expresses emotions in a difficult subject as this.

The author did an amazing job. At her young age, I am very impressed. I did have a hard time relating to the story, but I have never had much for family issues.

This was a good story. It was a little hard to get into, but I can understand that the author was trying to convey what the character was feeling. I liked how it dealt with a subject that is not all that uncommon in today's society. Overall I enjoyed it.

Do Seconds Even Matter seemed like a twisted kind of inspirational plot. I didn’t like that they kept the disease a mystery for so long and I was so caught up in the illusion of what was wrong with her mom that I was distracted from the story. I was actually a little pissed how it ended because who in their right mind would still have empathy towards her after what she did. The character must have had some serious brain damage done along with all the other broken parts of him.