I spotted a review of my book today that gave me a pause. I’m not upset with the review. Only a fool would be upset with five stars and a reader actually taking time to write down a few words. What made me do a double-take was the reader’s notion that the book was written for teens.
I’ve never written anything for a younger audience. I didn’t like being a teenager and don’t care to relive the experience, and I don’t understand the current generation of teenagers at all. I’ve read enough cringe-worthy YA where the current day teen protagonist enjoys the things that made the author happy in their youth in the 70s and 80s to know to stay out of that game.
The book in question is Hexing the Ex, which starts my House of Magic paranormal mystery series. The first-person protagonist, Phoebe Thorpe, is twenty-seven, has a university degree, a steady job, active social life, ex-boyfriends, and a current crush on her boss. There are no bedroom scenes, with or without the door closed, but I consider her an adult, and she was written for the adult audience in mind.
The tone of the book is light, and the mystery isn’t terribly gruesome.
The next book is slightly darker and the upcoming third book darker still, but
the overall reading experience should be joyful. The reviewer here definitely
found it such, which delights me.
I have another mystery series too, where the protagonist, Tracy Hayes, is twenty-seven. She has no college degree, but she has an ex-husband and a string of minimum wage jobs until she lands a job as the apprentice to a private investigator.
The mysteries of P.I. Tracy Hayes series are a bit darker, there are murders, and themes that have made readers issue trigger warnings, but the overall tone aims to joyful too, with family shenanigans and romance. There are some references to bedroom scenes, but nothing overt.
Both books have cheery, colourful illustrations on their covers. Maybe younger people like them more, but the idea was to capture readers who like light-hearted books. I think it has worked perfectly. Before this, no one has ever suggested that either series is meant for teenagers.
It’s impossible to know what makes a reader view a book one way or another. I’ve reviewed books myself that others have perceived completely opposite to how I saw them. I can only make a guess at the elements that some readers find more suitable for children, and that is magic and paranormal creatures.
My assumption, fair or not, is what triggered me to write this post.
Book twitter is full of rants by writers of adult fantasy who rage against their books being classified as YA. The tendency of bookstores and libraries to shelve fantasy with YA seems to indicate that only younger audiences are allowed to enjoy imaginative worldbuilding and fantastic creatures. They’re stating that adults should steer away from fantasy, no matter how dark, gruesome, or erotic the books are otherwise. And more often than not, it’s fantasy written by women that gets this treatment.
Maybe that applies to my little paranormal mystery with its urban fantasy setting too. That isn’t to say it’s not suitable for younger audience; teenagers might enjoy it even. But adults need not to be ashamed of enjoying fantasy elements in their reading either. You’re not alone in finding them a pleasure. I definitely do.
If you’d like to check out either or both series, you can find more about them on my webpage, the series starting with Hexing the Ex and Tracy Hayes, Apprentice P.I. If you’re waiting for the next House of Magic book, it’ll come out on March 20th. The name and cover will be revealed soon.
