Our guest today is Leslie Scott. Please welcome her and help her shake off her nerves.
Hello
Roses! I’m going to skip the lengthy introduction and just say that I’m a stay
at home, homeschooling mom, and my debut romance novel released last December.
I
debated what to blog about here because admittedly I’m more than a bit
intimidated. I’ll shake the nerves off
as I go, so be on the lookout for flying bits of anxiety. You see, when I first signed my contract
(almost a year ago today) my critique partner (who is priceless to me) wrote a
post about me right here on this very blog. ~ waves at Vonnie ~
The Finish Line is the first of
my Arkadia Fast Series, which centers around a small Texas town where street
racing is not just the pastime—but a way of life. The Finish Line, the as yet to be released Hot Lap, and the in progress Full
Tilt Boogie are all New Adult romances—which brings me to what I’m going to
discuss today: I don’t write YA.
I
can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a fellow romance writer turn to me and
say “Oh, you write YA, right?” I usually just smile and say yes because I don’t
want to stop and explain how my novels aren’t Young Adult and that there is a difference.
When
most people think Young Adult, they think children—teenagers. Which, New Adult
is not. The age difference is the biggest difference. Contemporary romance
usually starts with an adult character, established in life. YA is angsty
teenagers in the throes of firsts love. NA is a new beginning, those first days
of college life or striking out on your own for the very first time.
In YA
romance novels, characters are figuring out who they are going to be and what
the world has to offer them. In NA, the characters know who they are and are
exploring the world and their place in it.
My
heroines are college aged, free to make all the mistakes and bad decisions that
would often leave a contemporary heroine called TSTL. Though, I tend to think
my ladies rectify all the bad decisions—with the help of a bad boy hero.
Now,
let’s address the elephant in the room—sex. Young Adult, generally, is not
known for graphic sex. New Adult has sex and the rollercoaster of emotions that
comes along with it. And believe me, with a college aged heroine
So,
if you’ve stayed away from New Adult thinking it’s YA—don’t. Trust me the genre
is not the same. But, if you’re a fan of YA you’ll certainly find some
similarities. At the end of the day, New Adult Romance is its own genre—one
that much like its characters is trying to find its place in the romance world.
There are a lot of talented authors writing about—as Vonnie Davis calls them
“these damn kids”—who aren’t really kids at all. You’ll find on the conflict,
spice, and happy endings you find with a contemporary romance—just in a
different voice. Check one out!
Twitter:
@leslieSwrites
The Finish Line on Barnes and
Noble: http://bit.ly/2A88mjH
