The Industry (Through my Eyes)

Niobia and YA Fiction

Young Adult fiction is my newest challenge, ya’ll.  Why? 

Two main reasons:

  • Simply because I love the genre:  My Mom was a reader.  I fondly recall going downtown every Saturday with her to shop and I knew for sure there were three stores we were going to hit: Woolworth for their lunch (best banana creme pie ever), Macy’s, and the bookstores.  She fed my nosy, being grown interest in her books by buying me books that were age appropriate: Sweet Valley High, the series of Laura Ingall Little House on the Prairie Books, Rosa Guy’s books, etc.  And I loved it.  I would start reading my books on the bus ride home and wouldn’t stop until I was done. I was just a kid reading about a bunch of kids.  I thank my Mom for that.  In hindsight it was refreshing to read stories that didn’t deal with adult issues.  Issues facing pre-teens through teens are serious to them.  Of course we adults look back and think, “Oh God why was I so concerned about that growing up” but in that moment and at that time it (crushes, embarassing school moments, cliques, popularity or lack of it, rumors, etc.)  was a big concern.  So I’m intrigued and excited about tackling  issues kids are facing in a fun and light hearted way. Plus, I still read YA to this day and I particularly care for those that read and feel like YA–no adult drama, no profanity, no sex.  Just a fun book to help kids escape the real world for a minute.  Those books remind me of being a kid and every so often I like feeling nostalgic.

 

  • My little cousins are always begging to read my books and they are so NOT appropriate for kids in middle school:  Just because I write urban fiction and erotic romance doesn’t mean I would let children read it.  They aren’t for children and I would frown if I saw a thirteen year old reading one of the Hoodwives books.  I screeched when my eleven year old cousin strolled in my office and picked up a copy of my romance HEATED.   I don’t believe in censorship but I do believe parents should try to control what their kids are reading, watching, doing, etc., etc.  So my YA series is for kids–and kids at heart like me–and even though the main characters of my upcoming series of books are seriously over the top, there are lessons to be learned for every child. 

So, I have these YA books coming soon under my newest psuedonym simone bryant for Kimani Tru and I am so excited about it.  I love each and every genre I write in and the variety helps me from getting bored.  Seriously. 

My new YA Fiction page will be up soon with info on the upcoming 7 book Pace Academy series centered around The Pacesetters.

I hope that readers of my romance, mainstream, or urban fiction will help introduce their younger relatives to reading through my YA books–or maybe even check them out for themselves.