As we wend our way through the alphabet in the A-Z Challenge, today's letter is "T", for "Teen", a.k.a Young Adult. Our special guest is author Natalie D. Richards to tell us about the joys and challenges of writing for the Young Adult!
And some quick blog business: The winner of Susan Gee Heino's book from our "R is for Regency" blog post is Natalie Aguirre. Please contact Susan at: http://www.susangh.com/ContactMe.html.
Now, take it away Natalie!
But…you’re not a teenager! Despite the fact that I wear Chucks, suck down girly faux-coffee drinks at Starbucks, and talk as quickly as humanly possible all the time, I am definitely on the wrong side of thirty to be passing as a high-schooler. So, yes, it’s true, I’m not a teen. I’ve been found out!
The truth is, teenager or not, I’m profoundly moved by the teenage experience. I’m convinced there’s no more amazing time in a person’s life, where we begin to really shape who we are, what we want, and what kind of mark we will leave on this crazy world. I couldn’t fathom writing for an audience I love more.
So while it’s been done before, I figure I’ll do my shot
today at busting three myths about Young Adult fiction.
MYTH: Teen books need to be simple because your
readers are younger. The quality isn’t the same as it is in adult books.
FACT: Horse poop! My readers are studying literature in
school on a nearly daily basis, are you? Also many teens are voracious readers.
I know teens who read three to five books a week. A WEEK!
As for the quality question, I have a quick assignment. Go
read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Or Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. Or
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. If
you still have questions about the quality of Young Adult fiction, I’ll be very
happy to discuss them.
MYTH: Teen books are chock full of all that
fandangled modern-day music and slang. I can’t keep up!
FACT: Actually,
most of us avoid it. In truth, by the time a book releases, we’re already on to
the next phone, tablet, band, song, TV show, etc. Pop culture can be a part of
teen literature, but it’s generally used sparingly.
MYTH: Teen books are easy to write.
FACT: There are
no easy books to write. From picture books to romance novels to literary
masterpieces—they’re all hard for different reasons. And yes, as much as I love
writing my books, it certainly hasn’t been a walk in the park!
Kat and Sia, thank you both SO much for having me today. I can’t wait to hear from some of your visitors!!
Let's chat: Natalie says: So how about you guys? Have you read any teen fiction? Do you have a favorite? Or maybe you want a recommendation? Hit me up!
Natalie D. Richards is
the 2014 YALSA Teen Top Ten Nominated author of Six Months Later, a YA thriller about a girl who falls asleep in
Study Hall and wakes up six months later to a suddenly perfect life that’s
anything but.
Natalie was born and
raised in central Ohio (Go Bucks! Go Jackets!) where she lives with her
husband, three children, and a seventy pound dust-mop who swears he’s the
family dog. Six Months Later, her
debut novel with Sourcebooks Fire, is available in bookstores now! Her second
book, Gone Too Far, is due to be
released in January of 2015.
The "T" book list:
Daniel Tammet: Much like Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, Tammet has savant syndrome (autistic savant). His books are a beautiful look inside his extraordinary mind.
Travis McGee: Noir-ish knight-errant, salavager, beach bum, finder of lost things created by John D. MacDonald.
The Trade: by Colby Marshall. Reporter McKenzie McClendon is on the trail of a serial killer stealing unborn babies from women's wombs. Suspense thriller.
