Liberty began as my coup de grace, my life goal, my finishing moment, my culmination…or something like that.  I live in a community where mining for ore over a mile underground is commonplace, so why not combine my love of YA with my knowledge of mining?  Seems like a logical fit?

The writing part came easy, words flowed from my mind like water through a sieve. (Take that analogy any way you like, I’m okay with that)  The writing I was ok with, but it interfered with my other love – reading.

Reading to me is as important as chocolate covered almonds is.  I need both in my life and I need both to survive.  Pounds of chocolate covered almonds (CCA) have been ingested by my person while reading.  In all honesty, I am voracious when it comes to turning a page or pressing the button on my ereader to do it for me.  In the past year, I have probably read close to 150 books, all varying genres, but mostly YA.  I could say what started out as a way to be a better writer became an obsession, but alas, my obsession started as a wee one, reading my very first book, The Best Little Girl in the World by Steven Levenkron at the age of six.

Since then, I’ve devoured hundreds of books, mostly YA and learned some valuable lessons especially within this genre:

1. Most leading characters are girls, and that’s okay.  And most, not all, but most, are meek, shy, troubled and awkward girls who would get the crap kicked out of them in real high school which I would not be okay with.
2. Most male characters are gorgeous, smokey eyed, raven or blonde haired demigods who sport at least one tattoo/scar and can bench press a Volkswagen.  And I’m okay with that too – seriously okay with that – because we all need to find our happy place sometimes.
3. Paranormal Romance is a huge and albeit great market, one I find is getting very worn out (the first novel I wrote was paranormal romance).
4. Some people will write about any garbage that pops into their heads, and get paid to do it.
5. Some people will write about the most significant, mind bending, readable plots and get paid to do it.
6. Main stream adult fiction authors are jumping on the bandwagon of YA.
7. There will never be another Twilight – thank God.

Among many other valuable lessons, like where the garbage cans are hidden in Chapters, these are the ones that popped into my head.  YA is becoming a very diverse and conforming genre these days.  I know one thing, I’ll keep reading all the surprising, mundane books I can get my hands on. 🙂