Why I Write YA
Guest Post by Lisa Orchard
First of all I love this age group! When I started writing “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer”, I looked back on my own life and realized my teen years were some of my happiest times. It’s that time in your life when everything is possible and I remember how excited I was to explore all the possibilities I could imagine. I wanted to bring that same feeling of joy and anticipation to my readers.
It’s also a time in your life when you develop your strongest bonds. There’s a lot going on during those tumultuous years and teens go through many changes. They learn a lot about themselves as they grow and challenge their boundaries.
In my story “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer” my lead character Sarah develops a strong bond with her new friend Jackie. In the story, an innocent game of Truth or Dare turns dangerous when Sarah is dared to go up on the Cat Lady’s porch and ring her doorbell. Sarah discovers the dead body of the old woman and shows it to her sister, Lacey, and Jackie. Suffice it to say the girls are found at the crime scene of the Cat Lady’s murder and the story takes off from there. The relationship between Sarah and Jackie is strengthened by the setbacks that they experience as they try to snare the Cat Lady Killer. Sarah’s relationship with her sister also takes on a new dimension as she realizes that not all relationships are the same and she gains a new perspective about her sister as the story develops.
Not only are relationships evolving during the teen years, but there are added expectations as well. With all the pressures on young people today there are times when a teenager is going to make the wrong decision. There’s a lot of angst about making a bad decision at this age, and the reason for this is that it’s the first time young people will be making some of the decisions that they have to make. It can be overwhelming. In my stories my characters sometimes make bad decisions and I did this on purpose, because I wanted to illustrate to teens that they can survive a bad decision. They will have to suffer the consequences of those decisions, yes, but those consequences are not permanent. Good news, wouldn’t you say?
So there you have it, my inspiration for writing my stories in the Young Adult Genre. So, check out my books and let me know what you think! I’d love to hear from you!
“The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer”
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-Lady-Killer-ebook/dp/B007JZH61K
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-super-spies-and-the-cat-lady-killer-lisa-orchard/1109518725?ean=2940014338202
Astraea Press: http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/id=10078468
“The Super Spies and the High School Bomber”
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-School-Bomber-ebook/dp/B008P8O7OY
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-super-spies-and-the-high-school-bomber-lisa-orchard/1112263058?ean=2940014992244
Astraea Press: http://www.astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/id=13594238
You can find Lisa Orchard at these Social Media sites:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Orchard/328536613877060?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisaorchard1
Website/Blog: http://www.lisaorchard.com/
7 comments:
You are the only writer I've ever met who had a really happy teenage experience! I would have expected a "Sweet Valley High" kind of writing from someone whose experience was so positive, but your work is so dark and investigates the negative side of humanity.
Still, I found your story really compelling. My own adolescence was full of angst and harsh life events. I guess that's why my own writing for this age group is a more literary form of Sweet Valley High....
You have a great way of explaining (and seeing) the teen years. I am all fan-girl over you covers. Just gorg! It was great getting to know you better, Lisa. Thank you for sharing, and thanks to Dorothy for hosting you.
Kate, thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it! I wanted to share with you my goal in my writing. I have life lessons weaved throughout my story that my readers can learn right along with the characters. :) I had one mother who read my story right along with her daughter and it sparked a family discussion on what they would do if they ever found themselves in a similar situation. What a compliment! I'm hoping that my other stories will spark other discussions and who knows...maybe it will strengthen the bond between parents and teens. Wouldn't that be great? So, even though my stories seem a little dark...I'm hoping that they prepare the reader just a little so if they do themselves in similar situations...that might have some coping tools to help them overcome and maybe it will be a less traumatic experience. :) That's my hope anyway. :)
Eeek! I see my fingers are to fast for my computer...The last sentence should read..I'm hoping that they prepare the reader just a little so if they FIND themselves in similar situations..they might have some coping tools to help them overcome it and maybe it will be a less tramautic experience. :) Sorry about that!
Thanks for stopping by SA Larsen! I appreciate your positive comments and I love my covers too! My cover artist is awesome! :)
Thanks for allowing me to guest today Dorothy! I appreciate it! I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Thank you for chatting with us, Lisa! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too!
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