still here

[cornerofmadness]

Oddly enough from the tornado storms I didn't get much but a short amount of heavy rain. Then after RPGing all night I go to get into bed at 3AM and I hear the weather alert again (It had been hours since the last time it sounded) so I sit up in bed and listen (I listen to classical music as i sleep. I can't bear a silent house). Another set of severe storms are on their way. Oh boy were they ever. They hit at 430AM with 60 m.p.h. winds. I'm still here, the house is fine, heck I didn't even lose any trees that I can easily see and the fish are all still in the swimmng pool.

I've been thinking about YA novels a lot as some of you know, getting interested in writing them, been reading a lot of them. Naturally there's huge differences in them because the maturity levels between a 12 year old and a 16 year old is vast. I just finished the last of the Lemony Snicket books (for my reviews chek out the daily pulp) that I know are published. Book 12 will probably be out soon if it isn't already. Can't for the life of me figure out who they're aimed at. The writing style is more simplistic but the subject matter way older. Then again I'm not sure the appeal isn't more to older geeks than anyone. Took me awhile to get into the series but as you go it becomes darker and more convoluted (so long as you can accept that adults in this world are both useless and nuts)

Then I saw one on the shelf, (YA novel that is) brand new and I almost borrowed it from the library but the subject matter isn't of interest to me (looked like boy coming of age) but just flipping through it there was more over sexual references and the word fuck a number of times and it just took me aback. Yes, kids have sex and say fuck but the publishing world has always been very reserved to put that in YA novels. Then again I borrowed one from the library in FL rated YA (why do I think it was a Christopher Golden book, non-Buffy stuff) can't remember the name now but it contained erotica and mentioned it to the librarians (FL is kinda Bible Belt and I didn't want some crazed mom causing them trouble) and they said the books come marked from the publisher and they have to list it as marked (which explains why Linda Fairstein, John Sandford and both Kellermans are usually in fiction instead of mystery as if being genre is bad).

So why am I bleating on about all of this? I dunno. I guess I'm finding it difficult to get a handle on what I can and can not do in YA. (Not that I plan on shoving tons of sex or swear words into my novel). My subject matter is darker but I'm beginning to think that's okay. speaking of that, here's my word count.

1,289 / 1,500 (85.0%)

and I'm still debating if I'll be going to Madison. I need to call the Canterbury Inn. I don't think they have their half price special any more and it looks like they raised their prices. Almost every hotel in Madison (except one in a bad area such as it is in Madison) are significantly more than 100$ plus all the parking fees if I want to go to State Street which I do...I just don't want to be over 400$ for three days when I was just there a few months ago. Sigh.