The process of reading
Young Adult books usually begins around the age of fourteen, when the Middle Grade
phase of reading books for pleasure and/or in the curriculum wanes. Young Adult
novels sparkle and shine for the older, more mature reader. Let the magic
begin!
Young Adult novels can be
found in many guises. From fantasy to dystopia to romance to historical fiction
to…the sky, as someone said, is the limit. And perhaps even that is not the
limit anymore with all the space opera options swirling around the reader.
A teenager, of course,
should be the protagonist and preferably the antagonist as well. Adults are
certainly welcome within the pages but should only be supporting characters and
happily can be villains (as many adults seem to be villains within a teen’s
real life.)
The most important part
of a Young Adult novel is this: The teenager/s should act like teens! And this
is where the process becomes
important, because growing up is just that. For the impressionable teen to
mature, for new concepts and values to light up his/her brain, the truth must
shine through. Of course, that truth can be dark, hurtful, even sinister. But
truth must be there, on the page, in the very sinew and soul of the book. If it
isn’t, the work will be a sham. It will be false and clearly a danger to the
reader, who by virtue of his/her youth, is beyond vulnerable to what s/he
reads.
My debut Young Adult
novel, Beulah Land, tells the story
of a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in the Missouri Ozarks. Part of the book
deals with dark, hurtful, and sinister events. The protagonist, Violette
Sinclair, is smart, and strong-minded, and gay. She and her best friend, Junior McKenna,
navigate treacherous territory in the form of a dog fight ring, a corrupt
sheriff, and Vi’s mother, who harbors dark and sinister secrets.
A coming-of-age story, it is my great hope that Beulah Land will not only sparkle and
shine for the reader but will give insight, courage, and above all, integrity
to all who read the book. And, of course, viva to the process. Once more, let
the magic begin!
