J. K. ROWLING inclined to mix it up with the other girls. This, she would later report, was due in part to the fact that her glasses had been replaced by contact lenses, so she was less fearful of getting hit in the face In fact, Joanne, by her own reports, flowered in her teen years. She felt that, personally and socially, things had actually begun to get better and she fi- nally came to the all-important realization that there was more to Joanne Kathleen Rowling than someone who was driven to get everything right. Joanne was suddenly very comfortable with herself. Like most normal teenagers Joanne had a growing sense of independence; this would lead to the occasional row with her parents, usually short lived arguments over very little. Her relationship with Di remained close. When not helping her younger sibling with her homework, Joanne would continue to use Di as her first audience for the many stories she was continuing to write. The sec ond group to hear her latest tales was her girl- friends at school Despite the fact that she had numerous teachers who saw something in her and encouraged her in a creative direction, writing remained a largely pri vate pursuit. The stories she felt confident enough