"T" is for That Genre Otherwise Known As Young Adult

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!

Oh, you write for teens, huh?  How come?  I hear this question at least once a week. And I always have the same reaction—a brief deer-in-the-headlights pause before I suck in a breath and explain my passion is and always has been teen literature. That The Greats doesn’t make me think of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens (though I’m a fan of both) but rather of Judy Blume, John Green, Laurie Halse Anderson, and my newest love, Rainbow Rowell. In short…I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to write Young Adult.

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.

 

Amazon

 

 

 

 

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.

 

MEET JENNIFER WALKUP

Today’s writer rarely has the perfect time and place to write.  For most, it’s a matter of carving out the necessary time while taking care of their responsibilities to family and job. It’s a tough juggling act. 

My guest, Jennifer Walkup, talks about some things that have helped her stay on track and overcome the negatives.

• How do you juggle working and family obligations with your writing career?

This is a tough one! I have a job, two young kids, a husband, a dog and a house. Plus I freelance edit for a few publishers and a literary magazine. I’m pretty good at multitasking but there is still only so much time. There are some things I won’t cut corners on - like family time with my husband and kids – but other things I have no problem slacking off on. I’m looking at you, housework! Ha! I’m not saying I completely ignore it, but there may be a few more weeds in my garden and a bit more dust in my house than there should be.

Many of us working mom types think we can do it all, but throw writing into the mix and it becomes literally impossible to get it all done. The sooner I let go of getting it ALL done, the better I felt. In other words: don’t sweat the small stuff! 

• What does your writing day look like?

Unfortunately, I don’t have a typical writing day. Being a mom to two young boys, my day is often upside down and backwards. Between that and working, I sneak in writing where I can. I try to write every night when the kids go to sleep, and can usually fit in a few hours. I’m a much more efficient writer early in the day, however, so when I can sneak in some morning writing hours, I’m a happy girl! 

• How do you handle negatives?

I try really hard not to let them bring me down. I’d like to say I don’t read reviews – I know some authors don’t – but I’m not that strong. I read them from time to time. When a reader doesn't agree with (or downright doesn't like) something about my book, I try not to absorb it. And it mostly works. Not every book is for everyone. And that’s okay! It’s just like when we writers are querying agents and submitting to editors and publishers. Not every agent or editor is going to love our work. Same with readers. As long as I’m entertaining some readers, I take it as a win! 

• How has associating with other writers helped you?

In all my years of writing and trying to get published, the writing community has helped me more than anything else in the world!

I have learned so much from fellow writers about the craft itself. Without the writing community I never would have gotten my manuscripts in shape to try and publish, and certainly never would have gotten published. The writing community is amazing – supportive, understanding and after all these years, filled with wonderful friends. Love my myriad critique partners and writing buddies! 

• What do you still struggle with as an author?

Everything! Ha, it’s funny, but true! Every single novel I write has its set of challenges. And every single story, every new character has the same approach. Is this interesting? Is this real enough? Will this grab the reader? Will this bore people? Will they like this character? Hate this character? Will this keep them guessing enough? All the fears I've had since book one are still the same. 

Now it’s a little scarier, actually. Since Second Verse came out, I've had people emailing to ask: “I loved your book! When’s the sequel?” It’s amazing feedback and it makes me feel great! But I’m terrified too. What if the sequel doesn't deliver? What if these readers don’t love it as much? So those fears, I think, they are always there. The key is channeling that into productivity, which I am slowly but surely learning how to do. 

• Second Verse is a ghost story—a bit dark and definitely on the scary side—with a rich portion of romance stirred in. What inspired this series or characters?

Second Verse is a mystery/thriller with paranormal elements. Not one bit of the story was inspired by anything in real life. Like most writers, I have a huge imagination and like many, I get inspired by seemingly innocuous things that cross my path. The inspiration for Second Verse was one of those instances. To make a long story short, it was inspired by the 30^th anniversary of a famous musician’s death. The whole story can be found on my site. 

• I’m always curious to see how people respond to the question of personal heroes. Who is your real life hero? Why?

My real life hero is my oldest son. He’s 7 years old and is the strongest, bravest boy I know. He was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years ago and even though things aren't always easy for him, he works so hard at everything he does and deals with so much that I wish he didn't have to. But he takes it all in stride and just keeps going. 

On that note, this would be a good time to mention that I’m donating a portion of all book sales in November to fund epilepsy research in honor of Epilepsy Awareness Month. 

So if you are interested in my book or know someone who’d like one as a holiday gift, if you purchase this month, part of the sale will go to epilepsy research!

Thanks so much for having me on OVER COFFEE today! I really appreciated getting to hang out here and chat with your readers!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, INDIEBOUND

Bad things come in threes. In Shady Springs, that includes murder.

Murder Now
Lange Crawford's move to Shady Springs, Pennsylvania, lands her a group of awesome friends, a major crush on songwriter Vaughn, and life in a haunted, 200-year-old farmhouse. It also brings The Hunt: an infamous murder mystery festival where students solve a fake, gruesome murder scheme during the week of Halloween. Well, supposedly fake.  

Murder Then
Weeks before The Hunt, Lange and her friends hold a séance in the farmhouse's eerie barn. When a voice rushes through, whispering haunting words that only she and Vaughn can hear, Lange realizes it's begging for help. The mysterious voice leads Lange and Vaughn to uncover letters and photos left behind by a murdered girl, Ginny, and they become obsessed with her story and the horrifying threats that led to her murder.  

Murder Yet to Come
But someone doesn't like their snooping, and Lange and Vaughn begin receiving the same threats that Ginny once did. The mysterious words from the barn become crucial to figuring out Ginny's past and discovering how their own past is connected to hers. They must work fast to uncover the truth or risk finding out if history really does repeat itself. Excerpt

                                                                                                                                                         

When Jennifer Walkup isn't writing or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and young sons, listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers, and coming up with costume ideas for Halloween. She’s obsessed with good coffee and new recipes and likes broccoli on her pizza, flowers in her hair, flip-flops on her feet, and the number 13. A member of SCBWI and RWA, Jennifer also serves as fiction editor for The Meadowland Review and teaches creative writing at The Writers Circle. Second Verse is her first novel. 

You can find Jennifer: Website, Blog, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter.

WHAT WOULD YOU SACRIFICE?

My guest is debut author, Cherie Colyer, and she's written an intriguing thriller about a young woman faced with too many changes. Does she embrace those changes or run away?  

As a writer, thoughts of What if? are always popping into my head.

What if a girl could embrace magical powers? 

What if she could conjure up a little help around the house? 

What if wishes could be granted? 

What if that wish came with a price?

That type of thinking led to this post. I’d like to thank Sia for having me here today.

We’re all faced with difficult decisions. When we are in school we have to decide how much of our free time to give up for our studies. Those of us with jobs have to decide just what we are willing to sacrifice to get ahead in our career. Parents sacrifice their time and often some of their interests for their children. Siblings protect each other from outside ridicule. But just how much would you give for the people and things that are important to you?

I think about this a lot when I’m writing. Madison Riley, my sixteen-year-old protagonist in the Embrace Series, finds herself faced with difficult decisions all the time. And since the job of a writer is to make things difficult for their characters, she isn't given time to weigh the pros and cons of her choices. Instead, she’s thrown into a situation and forced to react.

I had to get their attention. I had to make them hear me.

“Stop it!” I screamed as I ran between them, my arms out to my side, one hand on each of their chests.

When a life-threatening situation presents itself we often react first and think about what we've done later.  Madison’s quick reaction to a fight between her friends almost costs her life. Luckily for us, she survives or there wouldn't be a book two.

I admire Madison’s courage not only in that scene, but also throughout the books. She risks her life to save the people she loves without hesitation. I’d like to think I’d be just as brave, and yet I’m thankful that I've never been put in a position where I’d have to find out.

Hard choices, putting characters into situations that make them have to give up something big, is one way to up tension, but it also mimics real life. Every day we are faced with choices.  As I wrote Hold Tight I started to wonder just how much would a person give up for something they wanted.

Would you give up your dream job for love?

• Happiness for money?
• Your life for another’s?

Just how far would you go to save the people you love?

Some of the answers to the questions above are easy for me. If I loved someone, then I think I would give up my dream job for him. Fortunately my honey wouldn't ask that of me, and I can write just about anywhere I can plug in my laptop. No, I wouldn't give up happiness for money, because what good is all the money in the world if you’re miserable? The hard one is how far I’d go to save the people I love. I do know I’d give just about anything to save my family.

• How about you? How would you answer the questions above?

                                                                                                                                                                                    

BUY: AMAZON AND B&N

How far would you go to save the people you love?

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.
Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound.

                                                                                                   

Cherie Colyer is the author of  YA paranormal thriller/romance, EMBRACE (available now), and HOLD TIGHT (August 2013), from Omnific Publishing. Check out her website and blog for news on her books and bonus material. Follow Cherie on Twitter and/or Facebook for updates on writing, book and special offers. 

                                                                                     

COMING SOON:

HOLD TIGHT

You can read the synopsis here

Balancing The Unknown With The Familiar

It’s my pleasure to have Sci-Fi adventure debut author, Alex J. Cavanaugh, as my guest.

My first contact with Alex was seeing this really cool trailer of his book a blogger friend had on her blog (Helen Ginger, Straight From Hel). I asked her to pass on my compliments to Alex. I *met* Alex a bit later, read his blog when I had the chance and then read the preview of his book and being a Sci-Fi fan, I knew I wanted him to be a guest on Over Coffee. I was curious, you see, how he handled promoting a debut book and juggled life. Especially so when I found out that before he had a book out he had no internet presence. I don’t hear that very often. So Alex agreed to visit and tell us how all of this came about.   

Sia, thanks again for allowing me to visit and amuse your readers. I have to confess, I don’t drink coffee, but a Dr. Pepper would be great! Now, where to begin…

I’m the type of person who enjoys normalcy and a daily routine, but writing forced me out of my comfort zone and into a new world of blogging, promoting, and other opportunities. Forcing those two worlds to co-exist is like blending oil and vinegar. Not impossible (keep shaking) but it’s a big challenge for me.

Most people know I’m a private person who relishes stability. I don’t like disruptions in my world. My wife moves a piece of furniture and I’m instantly annoyed. I had to accept changes would occur, though. Life as I knew it would be turned upside down.

I never intended for writing to replace my day job. I certainly never anticipated a sequel! (I’m working on one right now, but progress is slow. Maybe after CassaStar’s release I’ll have time to complete it.) I just decided to tackle a story I’d begun as a teen and see what happened. Little did I know that I would be on this author path, doing my best to promote my book.

Unlike most writers, I had no web presence until after signing the contract for my book. Again, I just never expected it to happen! I envy writers who already blog and socialize. I had to hit the ground running hard.

I started blogging first, and it was such a new experience. I had no idea what I was doing and floundered through the first few months. By some miracle, I started to pick up followers, and through the course of a few challenges and blogfests, I gained a lot of followers. My time online went from fifteen minutes to two-three hours a day. I’m fortunate that I can blog from work, (multiple computers on my desk are a blessing), but it still takes time – time from my family and my writing.

Of course, it’s had incredible benefits. I used to think it was silly – how could I be friends with someone I’ve never met? But, I’ve made some really great friends online. Bloggers are so supportive of each other – it’s just amazing. They keep me going, especially on days when I’m dragging.

Yeah, I won’t lie to anyone. Promoting a book is time-consuming and stressful. There are days when I think back to my life before all this and wonder… what the heck was I thinking?

It all comes back to balancing those two worlds.

Free moments are rare now. There’s always some detail or promotional item that requires my attention. However, I’ve learned when to just shut it down and take some time for me.

Sometimes I’ll chill with a movie or TV show. Those who follow my blog know I’m a NetFlix and Hulu junkie. It’s my chance to escape. I often listen to music, too. And play music! I own three guitars and practice every single night. Nothing relaxes me more than thirty minutes strumming some tunes. (Well. almost nothing!)

And that reminds me of the one person I didn’t want my author status to affect – my wife. Some days it really sucks, too. I know she’s sacrificed so much. With little or no complaint, I might add. Makes me feel like a schmuck. But if it weren’t for her encouragement, I wouldn’t be on this path. I wouldn’t have written this story or pursued it past my own satisfaction.

Balancing the unknown with the familiar? It’s tough some days. But, I think if writers keep it in perspective and understand that things will be out of balance for a while, it’ll be all right.

After all, we didn’t get into this to drive ourselves insane, did we?

We started writing because we had a story to tell!

CassStar Blurb:

To pilot the fleet’s finest ship…

Few options remain for Byron. A talented but stubborn young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude, his cockpit skills are his only hope. Slated to train as a Cosbolt fighter pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life as he sets off for the moon base of Guaard.

Much to Byron’s chagrin, the toughest instructor in the fleet takes notice of the young pilot. Haunted by a past tragedy, Bassa eventually sees through Byron's tough exterior and insolence. When a secret talent is revealed during training, Bassa feels compelled to help Byron achieve his full potential.


As war brews on the edge of space, time is running short. Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive, and Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit? Trailer Excerpt

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal



Buy: Amazon, BARNES & NOBLE,  Books A Million.  Also available in eBook format for iPad, Nook, and others

~ * ~ * ~

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He’s experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Currently he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

OVER TO THE DORK SIDE—WRITING IT FUNNY.

My guest is Tina Ferraro, author of The ABC's Of Kissing Boys. A story about a girl who didn’t make varsity soccer with her teammates, and comes up with a crazy-but-just-might-work scheme to get promoted that involves learning everything she can about the art of kissing.

Some authors seem to have the knack of being able to write humor. One would think its inborn gift and one that requires little effort on the part of the author. So receiving a note from your editor with the suggestion to make it funnier should be an easy thing to fix, right? Tina discusses how she handles those sort of suggestions:

I once read an interview with the witty actress/author, Carrie Fisher, where she recounted how painful it was for her to go on talk shows. For not only did she need something interesting to say, she was expected to be funny. And while she knew she was capable of making people laugh, she simply could not count on her sense of humor walking out from behind the curtain with her.

I totally related. While no one’s going to ask me onto a talk show, the young adult novels that I write for Random House are considered by my publisher and reviewers to be humorous. I admit that I have an eye for the absurd, and have been known to “crack up” my fellow airport shuttle bus riders or the back row of a PTA meeting with LOL one-liners. But like Carrie Fisher, my humor is not something I can control.

So imagine my horror when I got the line edits back on my 2008 release, How to Hook a Hottie, and saw notes from my editor that said things like, “Good, but make this funnier.”

Make this funnier? Make this funnier?

Would if I could!

I went into a total tailspin--including taking a dive for cover underneath the nearest bed. Only to find the space crammed. With the workout clothes. Dust bunnies. Tooth fairy teeth. Which meant in order to complete my breakdown, I was going to have to clean. And sorry, but that was a deal-breaker.

So back I went to my line edits. Make this funnier.

Heaven help me.

Next up: I grabbed a carton of ice cream and my Sienfeld DVD’s, and began my own private marathon. Trying to immerse myself in the obsessive, zany, and over-the-top humor that makes me laugh.

Eventually, I had no choice but to return to the manuscript. With a heavy heart and even heavier stomach, I flipped to those scenes and addressed my editor’s concerns, and tried to make them funnier. Whether or not I hit the high notes is a subjective call. But I must have done “well enough” because the American Bookseller’s Association named it one of their top teen picks of the season. And it was recently named a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence contest. I’m proud of those accomplishments, and of the book.

But here’s the thing. If we ever meet face-to-face (and I hope we do), and you want to see a glimpse of my humor? Don’t mention this blog or my books. Don’t ask me about my writing process or my kids’ teeth.

Tell me I have leaves in my hair. Or better yet, that I sat in something that looks like melted butter. I can pretty much guarantee, in the throes of my utter embarrassment, I’ll be funny. Because I’m starting realize...that’s where my humor goes when I can’t find it.

Over to the dork side.

Hey, think this revelation could help Carrie Fisher?

Tina Ferraro is the author of three young adult novels, Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, How to Hook a Hottie (2009 RITA finalist), and The ABC's of Kissing Boys. Her fourth book, When Bad Flings Happen to Good Girls, releases summer of 2010.

She lives behind a computer screen in southern California with her husband, their cat, and whichever kids happen to be home.

Some of Tina’s favorite things include reading, drinking lattes, hanging with her family, watching the TV show Lost, and chatting with her readers through her Website, www.tinaferraro.com

and her blog at www.yafresh.blogspot.com.