by Joanne Wadsworth | Dec 3, 2012 | Author Blog
I hope you’ll all join me in welcoming new Lyrical Press author, Renita Pizzitola, to my blog. She’s the author of Gossamer, a young adult paranormal romance which released on October 8th. I’m reading her debut novel and totally loving her fresh writer’s voice. I asked Renita if she would share the following post on my blog. It’s all about writing YA for an adult audience, because the one thing authors of the YA genre are learning is that YA is read by those of all ages.
By Renita Pizzitola.
Writing YA for an Adult Audience.
With the ever growing population of adult YA readers, how do writers appeal to both the young adult and adult readers? For the most part, I’d say don’t change a thing. Isn’t that the appeal behind YA?
Teen’s view their world from a unique perspective and, often, I think it’s this sense of nostalgia that hooks adult readers. After all, we (adults) will always have one thing in common with YA books…surviving the teen years. And though at the time, life may have seemed doomed by the smallest inconvenience, as adults, we can now look back on those memories fondly. Not to mention, reliving youth vicariously through a fictional hero or heroine (that’s probably a whole lot cooler than you were at that age…or any teen is for that matter) is the kind of escape from reality readers look for.
But, while these aspects can be fun, sweet, even comical at times, I think some readers want more from YA. Specifically, more romance…and not just hand holding. And it’s not only the adult readers looking for this change. Older teens and twenty-somethings crave their own niche of books. They may feel too old for some YA but not ready to move into the adult romance genre and stories about issues that aren’t really relevant to them yet such as marriage, kids or jobs. They need transitional books about life after high school but before the responsibilities of true adulthood. A good middle ground is upper YA (sometimes referred to as Mature YA or New Adult). This genre combines the elements readers love—carefree lives, first love, self-discovery—with more adult content. Eighteen-and-up characters are, typically, considered old enough to make their own decisions. Thus allowing writers more freedom to push the limits on relationships, life events, actions and consequences. And for me, I feel writing upper YA combines the perfect amount of adult appeal with the sweet side of youth and first love. It’s a story I love to tell and hopefully something both teens and adults alike will love to read.
I couldn’t agree more, Renita. I love reading YA for all the things you’ve mentioned and the fast pace of the books. Hey everyone, following is Renita’s new release for you to take a look at. Gosh, I love Gossamer’s cover.
Shouldn’t all faerytales end with happily-ever-after?
Kyla Ashbury is nearing her eighteenth birthday when a mysterious boy appears at school. Her instant attraction to him inexplicably awakens something inside her and she discovers her true identity.
Now, armed with the knowledge of her past, she is forced to leave behind the life she has always known for a new one filled with temptation, faery charm and magic, and a future she wasn’t prepared for.
Kyla is left with a difficult decision…but no matter which path she chooses, someone will get hurt.
A Lyrical Press Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Joanne– Where can readers find you, and your book, Renita?
Renita– You can find me here: website/twitter/facebook/blog/goodreads
You can purchase Gossamer here: Amazon/Barnes and Noble/iBooks/Lyrical Press
Excerpt:
I took several careful steps forward even as my body was reluctant to move. Every instinct told me to turn around, but I had to know what summoned me. I felt a bit unsettled but couldn’t resist.
I approached a large tree, but instead of my usual oak it was an ash. I felt pretty confident this was where the call came from, so I placed my hand on the tree and slowly peeked around it.
I found a small clearing. The air was still thick, and even though I knew it was daytime, the sun did not shine through the canopy overhead. Next to my large oak tree on the other side of the clearing stood a woman with her back toward me. Had she been on the other side of the oak tree in my last dream?
She had extremely long, blond hair, almost silvery. The pale strands lay like silken threads down her back in stark contrast to her black attire. She wore a dress with sleeves that puffed at the shoulder then ran tight down to her wrists. The gown tucked in at the waist and billowed out into a full skirt which touched the forest floor. The thick, heavy fabric seemed as if it would weigh down her slender silhouette. Her petite frame looked delicate, and I could tell she was young. She moved her head a little to the side, her hair forming a shimmering veil obscuring any real view of her face. She sensed my arrival and spoke. Her soft, delicate voice drew me in. I took another step forward to hear her better.
Her sweet voice spoke again, “They have found you. They have found you, Kyla.”
How did she know my name? And what did she mean they found me? Did she mean Grant and Conor? They had been looking for me, or maybe she meant Matt. He had found me for The Rite. Either way this wasn’t new information. Yet, I suspected I needed to know something more. Her soothing voice beckoned, and I stepped closer and closer.
Somewhere behind me, I heard a shout. It was a woman’s voice but this one was firm. “Kyla, stop!” I froze at the command. “Turn around!” The voice demanded.
The lady by the tree yanked her head up at a speed no human could match. With her neck craned, she turned her head side to side with quick, sharp, birdlike movements as if trying to place where the other voice had come from.
An uneasy feeling grew within me. Something wasn’t right. I took a careful step backward and a twig snapped beneath my weight. She whipped her head around at the sound. Her white, blonde hair fanned out around her with the rapid motion, finally settling down and exposing her face.
I screamed.
Au
thor Bio:
Renita Pizzitola writes Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy. An avid reader herself, she has always enjoyed stories with witty humor, romance, and fascinating characters. Renita lives in Texas with her husband and two children. When not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and playing referee to her two typically adorable children.
Joanne– Thanks for stopping by, Renita. It’s been fabulous.
Renita– Thank you so much for having me, Joanne!
by Joanne Wadsworth | Nov 4, 2012 | Author Blog
WEATHERING ROCK
Drawn together across centuries, will their love be strong enough to defeat an ancient curse?
Colonel Caleb DeCardian was fighting America’s Civil War on the side of the Union when a freak shower of ball lightning transported him to the present, along with rival and former friend, Seth Reilly. Adapting to the 21st century is hard enough for the colonel, but he also has to find Seth, who cursed him to life as a werewolf. The last thing on Caleb’s mind is romance. Then fetching Arianna Hart nearly runs him down with her car. He can’t deny his attraction to the outspoken schoolteacher, but knows he should forget her.
Arianna finds Caleb bewildering, yet intriguing: courtly manners, smoldering sensuality and eyes that glow silver at night? When she sees Civil War photographs featuring a Union officer who looks exactly like Caleb, she begins to understand the man she is falling in love with harbors multiple secrets–some of which threaten the possibility of their happiness.
Finding a decent guy who’ll commit is hard enough. How can she expect Caleb to forsake his own century to be with her?
Hey everyone. Please join me in welcoming Mae Clair, author of Weathering Rock to my blog.
Joanne: Mae, please tell us a little about your debut novel.
Mae: Thanks so much for inviting me to be here, Joanne. It’s a pleasure to be a guest on your blog! WEATHERING ROCK is a paranormal romance with time travel. ! My hero is Caleb DeCardian, a former colonel for the Union Army during America’s Civil War. He’s a man who’s used to being in charge and having others respond to his orders without question.
Shortly after the Battle of Gettysburg, he’s transported to the 21st Century by a freak shower of ball lightning. When the novel opens, he’s already been living in the present for three years, hunting for the man who doomed him to life as a werewolf. Seth Reilly is his former friend, now a bitter rival, and the man responsible for cursing him with lycanthropy.
For someone who thrives on being in control, Caleb finds himself at the whim of a curse he’s powerless to resist, while facing the challenges of a new and confusing century. He has a highly defined sense of right and wrong; is noble at heart, but conflicted by what he’s become.
Then he meets Arianna Hart, my heroine, and suddenly he’s battling a different set of feelings. Romantic feelings. The path to true love and an HEA is never smooth, but these two have enormous odds stacked against them!
Joanne: How long have you been writing, and what drew you to the genre you’ve chosen?
Mae: I’ve been writing stories since I was six years old. Spinning tales just always came naturally for me. My dad dabbled in writing (he as an artist) and both of my parents were avid readers. From the time I was a kid, they encouraged that gift in me. As for my genre, over the years I’ve written everything from fantasy, sci-fi and horror to romance, inspirational and urban fantasy. I love to read across genres and enjoy writing across them too, but for now I’m content creating romantic stories. I love an HEA and given it’s now acceptable to add other elements (fantasy, myth, etc.) it feels like a perfect blend.
Joanne: What’s your biggest tip in the submission process that helped you land your contract?
Mae: Honestly, I just went out on a limb and submitted. I was fortunate enough to get a contract the first time out, but I like to think I’d learned my craft through years of study, critiques and growth. I’d reached the point where I knew I was ready and it was time to get off my duff and start submitting. Without doing that, I would have stagnated and that wasn’t acceptable. I felt like a bird being pushed out of the nest. It was time to see if I could fly 🙂
Joanne: When you got your contract, and you realized your book had been accepted, what was your first thought?
Mae: Um . . . is it real?
I remember speed-reading through the email because it seemed like an acceptance and I couldn’t believe it had happened. Then I went back and read it more slowly, savoring the words. The first thing I did was send my husband a text. I was at work (my day job) and wanted to bounce off the walls but had to wait until I got home. I think I walked around with a silly grin on my face for the rest of that day.
Joanne: With the contract for Weathering Rock in your hands, how long was it until your book was released?
Mae: I signed the contract with Lyrical Press on March 5, 2012. The official release date for WEATHERING ROCK was October 8th, 2012, although it showed up on Amazon, B&N and most other sites about a week early.
Joanne: What’s your next book or books?
Mae: Thanks so much for asking! I have another release with Lyrical Press, called TWELFTH SUN, scheduled for August 2013.
It revolves around a treasure hunt for a valuable marine artifact. My heroine, Reagan Cassidy, has been asked by her uncle to work with a friend who’s a renowned authority in the field of marine archeology. She agrees, thinking he’s going to be a stodgy old man, close to her uncle’s age. Instead, she gets Dr. Elijah Cross, a quirky twenty-five year old who looks like a grunge musician and who has held a Ph.D. for several years. Reagan is an ‘older’ woman at thirty-five, but once they start working together, the sparks and attraction fly.
I’m also working on the sequel to WEATHERING ROCK and a romantic mystery with inspirational undertones.
Joanne: I’m going to have a fun rapid fire question round.
Tea or coffee? That’s a tough one, LOL! Right now I’ll say coffee because I’m addicted to my Kuerig, but I also love tea.
Have you ever traveled to New Zealand? No, but I would love to. The scenery is beautiful. Can you bottle some and send it my way? 🙂
Dog or cat? Cat. They’re a weakness of mine.
Beach or skiing? Definitely beach!
Chocolate, or vanilla, or rocky road ice-cream? Rocky Road. Although if that hadn’t been an option, I would have chosen vanilla.
Lemons or lemonade? Lemonade. I’ve always been a glass half-full person.
Do you write on holiday? You mean like a vacation? I generally don’t write, but it’s a great time to gather ideas and be inspired. I always have a tablet with me and take lots of notes.
Do you brainstorm during your sleep? Constantly!
Favorite food? Maine lobster tails.
What three things would you take to a desert island? My hubby, my Kindle Fire and a cat.
Joanne– Where can readers find you, and your book?
Mae—
I’m at the following haunts:
Website
Blog
Twitter (@MaeClair1)
Facebook Author Page
Lyrical Press Author Page
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Book Blogs
Buy WEATHERING ROCK at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Lyrical Press
iBooks
View Book Trailer for WEATHERING ROCK
Joanne– Thanks for stopping by, Mae, and huge congratulations to you on your debut release. (Which I’m currently reading, and thoroughly enjoying.)
Mae– Thank you for having me, Joanne. It was such a delight to be here. You were one of the first authors I connected with when I ventured online and it’s been a true pleasure to get to know you. I’m flattered to be able to share a little of myself and my book with your readers!
EXCERPT–
“Stop it!” Arianna shook off Wyn’s grip, pivoting to face him. “Are you crazy?”
Before he could answer, something slammed against the door. Caleb screamed. The sound knifed through her like the violent jolt of an electrical wire.
“Caleb!” She launched herself at the door, panicked and terrified by the thought of the man she loved in horrific pain.
“Don’t!” Wyn stiff-armed her aside and grabbed the knob, forcibly holding it in place. “Get a chair. Something, anything! We’ve got to keep him locked inside.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Arianna, get a fricking chair. Now!”
There was another crash, and then a bang as something heaved against the door, making it shudder from top to bottom. Arianna heard a snarl that turned her blood to ice. The door rattled in its frame, weakening as something battered against it. Something inhuman locked in the room with Caleb.
A cold fist clamped over her stomach.
“Wyn, what’s going on?”
“Chair!” he spat. “Get me a damn chair.”
The raw urgency of his voice plowed through her confusion. She darted into the dining room, snagged a chair, and dragged it into the hallway. The thing in the parlor was still hammering away, heaving itself against the door in an attempt to burst through. Wyn’s face was white with strain as he struggled to hold the door shut with both hands. He rammed the top of the chair beneath the knob, wedging it securely into place. A blood-thirsty howl exploded from the other side, kicking Arianna’s heartbeat into overdrive.
“My God, Wyn, what’s going on?” She lurched for the door.
“Don’t. You don’t know what you’re doing.” Wyn caught her around the waist and swung her up against the wall.
She tried to squirm free. “I know Caleb’s trapped in there. We have to help him! There’s something in the room. Can’t you hear it?”
He held her wrists, pinning her arms to the wall. “Listen to me!” His eyes were wild, his face inches from hers. With a single frenetic skip of her heart, she realized he was as terrified as she was.
“There’s nothing in the room. Only Caleb. Do you hear me, Arianna? It’s Caleb.”
“No!” She shook her head, unwilling to believe what he told her, but another ear-splitting snarl fanned her fear higher. Nothing made sense. Not the stark fear in Wyn’s eyes, the sweat-slickened grip of his palms crushing her wrists or the chillingly inhuman sounds coming from the parlor. The man she loved could never sound so guttural or barbarous.
“I don’t care!” She ripped free of his hold. “I don’t care if he’s by himself or in there with something else. You have to help him!”
She lunged for the door, but Wyn grappled her around the waist, holding fast. They were still struggling when the sound of shattering glass rang through the narrow center hall of Weathering Rock.
BIO–
Mae Clair knew from the time she entered grade school that she wanted to be a writer. She credits her parents with instilling in her an insatiable love of reading through weekly trips to the library when she was a child. Her father, an artist who tinkered with writing, encouraged her to create characters and make-believe worlds by spinning tales of far-off places on summer nights beneath the stars.
Inspired by folktales, legends and things-that-go-bump-in-the-night, she loves to blend the fantastical with the ordinary. Her heroes are known to be flawed and complex, her heroines capable, independent and sexy.
Throughout the years she has been actively involved in various writing and critique groups and is a past President of the Central Pennsylvania Writers’ Organization. She lives in Pennsylvania and is married to her high school sweetheart (a.k.a. the Love of Her Life). In her downtime she enjoys reading, digital scrapbooking and unwinding with her husband by the pool when the fickle PA weather permits. A self-admitted idealist, Mae is passionate about writing, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail and cats.
thor Bio:
