Is it the Author's Job to Create Positive Role Models in YA novels?

I was recently talking with some writer friends and this question came up: 

Is it more important for YA authors to potray realistic characters (that may have a dark side)  or to create positive role models?

Good question. 

There have been some readers who weren't thrilled with the depiction of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in my YA novel, WANTED; DEAD OR IN LOVE, as being humans with wants and desires all their own. After all, Bonnie & Clyde were hardened criminals from the 1930’s who were in love and committed crime after crime. In my novel, they come back to life within the bodies of two teens, and um, they’re not necessarily typecast as “the bad guys.” 

No doubt about it, Bonnie and Clyde did a lot of horrific things in their day and were eventually gunned down for it by a posse of tough crime fighters called The Texas Rangers. I’m not making excuses for Bonnie and Clyde––it was good they were stopped. Gun downed by a posse of sharp shooters? Not sure about that one. Especially when you factor in the time frame when they lived (The Depression), where they lived (the poorest slum in Texas), and their age when they started to commit their crimes (16 for Clyde, 19 for Bonnie).

I think what I tried to show is that most of us––Bonnie and Clyde included––are not solidly “all good” or “all bad.” Many of us make decisions that seem like a good idea at the time that later turn out to be not-so-great. My main character, a teen girl named Monroe, has always lived by the motto, “You Only Live Once,” but when she faces the counterpart to that, “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time,” she starts to reconsider.

If she could do it all over again, she might say, “Yes, you are in charge of your own destiny. Just make sure it’s the destiny you really want.”

Actual footage taken from Bonnie & Clyde’s death scene in 1934.

 

So the long and the short of it is...while positive role models are wonderful, I need to trust that teens can "see behind the curtain" and realize that fiction serves many purposes: some to tell the truth, some to make you see the direction you don't want to venture. I did not try to glorify Bonnie and Clyde as heroes, but as teens who made choices that ultimately resulted in their deaths. Definitely NOT something anyone would strive for and I know teens reading my book can figure that out all on their own.

'Til next time, stay safe!

KYM

 

My new (and totally 100% perfect!) book cover for ONE SMART COOKIE...

When Omnific Press bought One Smart Cookie, I freaked out with delight. This book is so true to who I am (Polish, a little crazy and awkward at times, and naturally clumsy), that it feels like a little slice of my own life on the page. While my parents are happily married and didn't own a bakery, I did have a spirit-conjuring Busia who believed ghosts lived in her house and took her glasses when she couldn't find them.

When the Omnific Press art direction team sent me a page asking about the story and all the characteristics and the feelings one would get when reading my book, I knew they were serious about getting the cover just right.

But it wasn't until I actually saw the cover choices, that I knew they had nailed it.

They listened to me and it shows.

The other choices they sent were super cute too, but when I laid eyes on this one, I swear it was like the movie Ruby Sparks - a character I wrote about actually became flesh. And just like the character Paul Dano plays in the movie, I fell in love with her.

So here she is, Sophie Dumbrowski, on the cover of my YA humorous romance:

💙 Arrives July 15th, Omnific Publishing.💙

No links yet, but hopefully soon...

First SNEAK PEEK at my YA humorous romance, ONE SMART COOKIE (coming out July 15, Omnific Publishing)

You'll probably enjoy ONE SMART COOKIE if you....:

1) Love to laugh

2) Get a hankering for bakery treats

3) Ever felt embarrassed by your actions

4) Have ever been in love....or wanted to be

source

5) Are Polish or have Polish friends

6) Dream about the perfect romance

IF you've checked off any of the above items, feast your eyes on this official first sneak peek of ONE SMART COOKIE at my author blog HERE  (or click the awesome emblem below) :)

WOOT! A COVER REVEAL of Margo Kelly's YA novel, WHO R U REALLY?

To celebrate the cover reveal for Who R U Really? Margo Kelly is giving away TWO Advance Reader Copies of the book! Visit www.margokelly.net to enter by Sunday, May 11, 2014!

WHO R U REALLY?

by Margo Kelly

Merit Press -- September 18, 2014

Description:

Thea's overprotective parents are driving her insane. They invade her privacy, ask too many questions, and restrict her online time so severely that Thea feels she has no life at all. When she discovers a new role-playing game online, Thea breaks the rules by staying up late to play. She's living a double life: on one hand, the obedient daughter; on the other, a girl slipping deeper into darkness. In the world of the game, Thea falls under the spell of Kit, an older boy whose smarts and savvy can't defeat his loneliness and near-suicidal despair. As Kit draws soft-hearted Thea into his drama, she creates a full plate of cover stories for her parents and then even her friends.

Soon, Thea is all alone in the dark world with Kit, who worries her more and more, but also seems to be the only person who really "gets" her. Is he frightening, the way he seems sometimes, or only terribly sad? Should Thea fear Kit, or pity him? And now, Kit wants to come out of the screen and bring Thea into his real-life world. As much as she suspects that this is wrong, Thea is powerless to resist Kit's allure, and hurtles toward the same dark fate her parents feared most. Ripped from a real-life story of Internet stalking, Who R U Really? will excite you and scare you, as Thea's life spins out of control.

And now...for the beautiful new cover or WHO R U REALLY?

DRUM ROLL PLEASE....TA DA!

 

About the Author:

Margo Kelly is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. A veteran public speaker, Margo is now actively pursuing her love of writing. Who R U Really? is her debut novel and will be published by Merit Press in September 2014. Margo welcomes opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book clubs.

Links:

Website: www.margokelly.net

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21444891-who-r-u-really

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoWKelly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargoKelly.author

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/who-r-u-really-margo-kelly/1118847853?ean=9781440572760

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Who-R-Really-Margo-Kelly/dp/1440572763/ref=la_B00JY4LYZS_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398971448&sr=1-1

How the Barefoot Bandit Helped Sell my YA novel

Did you know that a famous news story gave me the idea for WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE?

Click the newspaper boy and "Read All About It!"

My Writing Process - Blog Tour Stop

Thanks so much to my friend, Kelly Hashway for inviting me to participate in this blog tour! Be sure to check out her website HERE where she talks about her writing process. So interesting to see all the different ways we work. :) 

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

So you want to know about my writing process? Toot! Toot! First stop on the crazy train... 

FIRST OFF, when I'm not at work or out watching movies, you'll usually find me in my home office (read: LaZ Boy chair in living room even though I have a lovely home office.)


1) What am I working on?

Two books actually! (I'm sort of jumping between them) When I get stuck on one, I switch to the other. First time I've done this, but it's working to unlock my story issues that I seem to get hung up on. They're very different, but both suspenseful and have (what I think are) cool, unique topics. Hope you do, too!


2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Hmm...good question. I *think* it differs because I'm all about coming up with a great PLOT first, characters second. I know. I'm not supposed to say that aloud, but the truth is, the premise has to grab me around the throat and threaten to kill me before I'll spend a year writing the story down.

Here are the topics in some of my novels:

*I NEED MY SPACE: space camp, Mars exploration, twins, crushes

*FLIP THE BIRD: falconry, animal rights protestors, first love, loyalty

*INSOMNIAC: sleep disorders, online bullying, court case



WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE (June, 2014, Merit Press): Bonnie & Clyde, falling for bad boys, deadlines, criminal records (*AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER HERE)

ONE SMART COOKIE (July, 2014 Omnific Press): Polish bakery goods/legends/ falling for two boys at same time, family business

 *The first three are not yet published, but if you're an editor and you're interested in seeing one of the first three, email me or my agent, Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency. :)

3) Why do I write what I do? BECAUSE....

I love exploring all the changes/challenges/heartbreaks/triumphs teenagers go through. 

I love researching unfamiliar topics and putting teens in places they might want to go...and places they don't...and seeing how they'd react. 

I love when books make me think about them long after I've stopped reading them. 

I love when a book is soooo good, I want to tell everyone I know to read them.

I love when I can't wait to get back into the story when I'm in the middle of reading it.

I love when books make me think about my own life and how it can be different or better or makes me realize I already have lots of things to be thankful for.

 
I want to write those kinds of books––heart-stoppers, page turners, make you want to be there or try something new books.



4) How does my writing process work?

Not quite sure I can call what I do a "process" or claim that it "works," but it sort of happens like this for me:

• See interesting news articles/life events/ social media blurbs that makes me say "Whoa! What if..." with a twist.
• Add thoughts to the file called "Cool Story Ideas" that is on my laptop.
• When ready for new story, visit the file and let ideas percolate - brainstorm lots of storylines, usually based on multiple cool things in the file.
• Research s the topics involved in new story.
• Keep thinking, plotting, coming up with more twists, characters, and conflicts. Have a decent idea of beginning, middle, and climax.
• After one month, start writing.
• Bring chapters to critique groups and keep twisting, revising, rethinking.
• Viola! After approximately 9 months, I'll have a (crappy) first draft that I'll hope to revise into something I really love (and hope readers will too).

UP NEXT WEEK:

Beth Fehlbaum: A longtime English teacher, speaker, advocate for abuse survivors, and founder of the gritty YA fiction website UncommonYA,  Beth is the author of Hope in Patience, a 2011 Young Adult Library Services Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Big Fat Disaster grew out of her own struggle with an eating disorder. Visit her on the web at www.bethfehlbaumbooks.com, www.uncommonya.com, and the Merit Press Facebook page. She lives in Texas.

Beth will be posting her writing process here: http://bethfehlbaumbooks.com/bloggity-blog.html

BOOK COVER REVEAL...CHALLENGING DESTINY by Cherie Colyer

 SOOOOO excited to be able to show off my critique partner and long-time friend, Cherie Colyer's book cover for her brand-new book coming this spring! 

CHALLENGING DESTINY

 Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint

Being Chosen is a terrible thing 

when there's no one you can trust...

 

READ MORE ABOUT IT:

Synposis:

Logan Ragsdale and his younger sister, Ariana, have been marked, chosen to be unwilling participants in a war between angels and demons. Logan can sense something's not quite right. Like an unexpected chill on a summer's day, he can feel the unseen closing in. He's had these feelings before and, each time, someone close to him died. He's afraid this time it might just be Ariana. Logan's fears are soon confirmed when he discovers their new friends aren't human, but rather representatives from Heaven and Hell sent to Earth to ensure he and Ariana accept their roles in an ancient prophecy. 

Demons want Logan to open the gates of Hell. Ariana has the power to stop them, but if she chooses to side with Heaven to spare the lives of thousands of innocent people, she'll damn her brother for eternity. Together, they must derail the biblical event if they hope to save themselves and the future of mankind...but what price are they willing to pay to keep the other safe?

OOH - it's HEAVENLY!

About the author:

Cherie Colyer is the author of YA paranormal thriller/romance, EMBRACE and HOLD TIGHT from Omnific Publishing. Her latest novel, CHALLENGING DESTINY will be available this spring from The Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint. Check out her website and blog for news on her books and bonus material. Follow Cherie on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and/or Goodreads to get the latest updates on her books.

BOOK LOVE ~ Win an Uncommon YA novel of your choice! *swoon*

 For a short time, Uncommon YA is offering YOU the chance to choose the book of your choice! Click on the titles below to learn more about each one.

We'd LOVE for you to add it to your "WANT TO READ" Goodreads' list, too!

WARNING: It will be a tough choice choosing which one!

   

  

  

A special thank you to MELISSA WRAY for organizing this cool giveaway!

ENTER NOW!

5 people will win their choice of selected titles. Book to be determined on win.
ENTER NOW!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love FREE stuff? Check out the I ❤ SWAG GIVEAWAY HOP!

In honor of Valentine's Day, 24 authors are participating in a giant LOVE FEST - giving away books and other cool stuff related to their books.

Who doesn't LOVE freebies from authors?

Since this is my first giveaway hop, you can be among the very first perps (wink) to win some of my WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE memorabilia or even a copy of the book! You'll have to wait until it comes out, however.

Here's my book cover and a little blurb about it:

 

Impulsive high school senior Monroe Baker is on probation for a recent crime, but strives to stay out of trouble by working as a flapper at her father's Roaring 20's dinner show theater. When she cuts herself on one of the spent bullets from her father's gangster memorabilia collection, she unwittingly awakens Bonnie Parker's spirit, who begins speaking to Monroe from inside her head.

Later that evening, Monroe shows the slugs to Jack, a boy she meets at a party. He unknowingly becomes infected by Clyde, who soon commits a crime using Jack's body. The teens learn that they have less than twenty-four hours to ditch the criminals or they'll share their bodies with the deadly outlaws indefinitely.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
BE SURE TO VISIT THE OTHER AUTHORS ON THIS HOP! Official hop starts 8 a.m  EST Monday, 2/10 and lasts through Sunday, February 18th! Good luck!


A special thank you to Kelsey Ketch for hosting this awesome author hop!

My new baby, WANTED: DEAD OR LOVE book trailer!

I'm a HUGE movie fan, so watching previews before the movie I came to see is something I love to do. So it's no surprise that I, along with my daughter, Karly,  just HAD to make a book trailer for my book. It was fun to make, but man, what a time-sucker. Nine hours (not counting the time it took to find copyright free images) for a one-minute video. But I LOVE how it turned out! I wanted it to be creepy and compelling. See if you think I've met my objective:

Let me know if there's something you think should be changed. It's an easy fix ~ thanks! KYM

Want to see the original book cover for WANTED: DEAD OR IN LOVE?

Authors need to create lots of original content for blogs.

It wouldn't be right if I copied my blog post from Uncommon YA here, so click HERE to see my old versus my new book cover.

YOU JUST WON'T BELIEVE YOUR EYES!

Vote on the HALF-DEAD SOCIETY logo!

Sometimes I think I write some seriously weird stuff and wonder if people who read it are going to scrunch up their faces and say, "What was she thinking?" (This happens a lot with my critique group).

Case in point:  in WANTED:  DEAD OR IN LOVE (due out in May with Merit Press), I came up with a group of people who belong to the Half-Dead Society. Yup, you read that right.

The Half-Dead Society is a group of people who have someone dead sharing their bodies with them. Like inside of them. Living and coexisting as one. Creepy, huh?

This week, a fabulous writer-artist-friend of mine, Michael Kelly, designed a logo that I explain in my book. I can't tell you how cool it is to describe and see something in your head and have it come to life before your very eyes. (Kinda like the "Grow Your Own Boyfriend" kit I got as a white elephant gift from a colleague at my work Christmas party. Yes, I'm looking at you, Laura Jaeschke! Just one of the lovely things you can win!)

WHICH LOGO DO YOU LIKE BEST? 

The logo with the most votes will end up on my bookmark!

(Unless no one votes and then I'll close my eyes and point at the screen - very scientific!)

1. MAROON WITH GRAY TONES

2. MAROON WITH SKIN TONES

3. AQUA WITH GRAY TONES

4. AQUA WITH SKIN TONES

5. SLIME GREEN and RED

To be eligible to win the prize package of:

One "Grow A Boyfriend" kit (you know you want it)

One Bullet keychain (A real bullet! Everyone need this. It's significant in my novel)

One Wanted: Dead or In Love Sticky-Notes Notepad (oh yes!)
One bookmark with logo (you'll be the first! Amaze your friends!)
and
One Really Grateful Author (I'll put you on this list: GOOD-LOOKING PEOPLE I LIKE AND ADMIRE)

All you have to do is:

Vote in the comments (your name entered once)
Follow my Blog (your name entered twice) *There's a little blue sign "Follow This Site" on the left side of this blog to click and add your name OR you can subscribe by email - let me know in the comments.
Add Wanted: Dead or In Love to your Goodreads "Want to Read" List (name entered thrice!) Again, let me know in the comments if you did this. :)


THANKS to all who wandered in here (even if it was by accident!) I'll email you if you won so I can get your address. (US & Canada residents only for this one, unless shipping's less than five bucks. Vote and we'll see what happens. Hey - I'm from Chicago. Voting is always shady.) ;)

Catch you next time! KYM