What a wild week I’ve had: three signings attended (if I was a woman with super powers I could have gone to seven of interest), two author dinners, one reader lunch and one reader dinner. Today I go to our monthly tea and we’ll have a guest, Marie Bostwick. But first all this gadding about is expensive and second fun and third, exhausting. Why exhausting? Good question, I’ll tell you! Because I bought a bunch of books and oh, my, even YA ones. And now I’ve got to read them!
All right I can say I’ve read YA in the recent past, after all, you’ve heard our stories of being there for at least three of the final Harry Potter release parties, which I’ll always remember until I die. They were fun and I doubt ever to be replicated no matter how hard they try to make a book or series so “important.” HP has the magical quality of reaching all generations. And it was in all the media: books, audio, movies, games. Only thing I know missing is the television and since The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ is now open, they’ve covered the theme park version as well. And yes, I’ll be going to Orlando this summer, it’s a must see adventure.
But, back to the subject of YA (young adult in case I’ve lost anyone). I do read some but not an overwhelming amount. It’s usually something brought to my attention forcibly, in other words I don’t necessarily hunt them out, but I won’t dismiss a new author because they only write YA, otherwise, how would I have found and fell in love with Rosemary Clement-Moore? But I’ve found more and more of my favorite authors are straying into YA. Next thing I know, Nora Roberts will! A young Eve Dallas perhaps? That would be just wrong, I’m afraid!
So why do they do it? Reasons I hear are I started writing when I was young so I have young stories and ideas (Hmm, I started reading when I was young but I grew up and so did my reading tastes. Just a statement.) I’ve always wanted to write a YA novel. (I’ve always wanted to be 25, can I? no. Except maybe in my head.) I write outside the box and in YA they encourage out of the norm stories (This is true but in most stories somebody dies, no adults are heroes and the guy and girl never ever get a HEA.) I’m still a child and think like a child. (Seriously, I really did hear this come out of the lips of a 50 year old woman. I wasn’t sure if we should be checking her for the meds she forgot or if she was making a joke.) But I really think the most honest answer is the YA books are outselling 2 to 1.
When I heard from Kelley Armstrong her new YA books are outselling her adult books by the ratio of 2 to 1. I was shocked. Really shocked. I knew that YA was über popular, you’d have to never visit a bookstore or discount retailer not to know this because their book shelves are dictated by what’s selling and the YA books outnumber the rest, but I never realized the ratio was so large. It’s no wonder everyone is rushing to be a YA author. But my hope is we “adult” readers won’t be abandoned by our favorites and forced to subsist on a diet of strictly YA novels. Unfortunately, I desire a bit of HEA in my diet. And adults as heroes. And a few other things that give the adult in me, hope.
What do you think? Are you a YA fan at heart? Like variety? Will read anything your favorite author reads, even YA? Only read YA (no crime in that btw)?
Until next time…Get out there and READ a book…
Sara Reyes
DFW Tea Readers Group
Join us at Readers ‘n ‘ritas November 12-14, 2010! with Sherrilyn Kenyon and more guests
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