It is my pleasure to welcome and host author, Sophia Duane, as a guest on my blog today. She is going to talk about how the transition from Adult novels to YA went for her and how sometimes, you don't even notice who you are writing for until it is all said and done.
:Adult to YA:
The shift
between the adult and young adult was an easy transition. It was also not a
conscious decision. When writing a story, I think very little in regards to
genre until it is completed. After completing Ghosts of Our Pasts, I began to think of the next project. My Only was a novel I’d been quietly
developing for a little bit, so it seemed like the most natural project to
green light.
When I wrote it,
I didn’t pay attention to language until I realized the story was more suited
to young adults than anyone else. Then during the revision process, I took out
any off-color words that were inappropriate for young people to use or read.
Other than that, the transition was seamless. Well, at least I think it was.
It will be
interesting to see how readers respond to it, given the shift in genre. I read
a lot of Young Adult novels, so I hope that I’ve captured some of what I love
about them. The best Young Adult authors don’t talk down to their readers; they
craft highly emotional novels in which teenagers and twenty-somethings alike
can explore and connect.
With My Only, my main concern was building a
relationship between people who may seem so different on the outside, but are
really interested in the same things. Olivia and Adam are both on a journey of
discovery, they are just in different stages when they meet. Adam is stable and
Olivia is drawn to him because of it. She is a vibrant free-spirit who
possesses some deeper understanding of the world around her, and Adam is pulled
to that understanding.
World-view and
philosophy is something that people of the characters ages do quite a bit. When
I was young, it was during my high school years that I developed my sense of my
place in the world. I was drawn out of my smaller realm of family and friends
and thrust into the larger landscape of what was going on in the world. Like
me, Adam’s new world grows when he meets the girl across the street.
Olivia has lived
a somewhat nomadic life and given experiences sheltered Adam had never even
imagined. In bringing them together, my hope was to show how a friendship can
change a person’s perspective. Sometimes the change can be difficult and
painful, but it usually leads to something beautiful.
Young Adult
readers are very savvy these days. They see through phony relationships and
plot devices in order to find the heart of the story. It is my hope that they
see the heart of Adam and Olivia and can take away some part – whether big or
small – of either character’s philosophy on life. Or, better yet, further
develop their own.
Sophia Duane is a thirty-something writer from the heartland of America. She grew up telling stories and creating characters to pass the time. She enjoys books, movies, music, and yoga. An avid lover of history, art, and people-watching, she is interested in the study what makes people tick.
Goodreads Page
Goodreads Page
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Thank you so much Sophia!
Now, if you readers missed my review of my only then click below to go take a look!
And if you liked that, then go click on the book cover to head on over to goodreads and add it to your list!
I thought I would leave you all with one more temptation, the book trailer!
I thought I would leave you all with one more temptation, the book trailer!
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Monday!
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