Why I read and write Young Adult fiction by YA author L.S. Murphy

Today’s guest is the wonderful L.S. Murphy, author of REAPER, a young adult urban fantasy coming out January 7, 2013.  You can find the details about her book at the end of the post.

This feisty YA author has agreed to hang around for a day or two so feel free to leave comments and ask her any questions you may have about her book, writing, etc.

On that note, Linda, take it away.

In the late 90s, a boy wizard burst onto the literary scene. Maybe you’ve heard of him. I refused to read them. They were “kiddie books” and I only read serious novels. Snob? Oh yeah, I was a complete literary snob.

When Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out, I’d heard there was a major death in the novel. As a lover of pop culture, I couldn’t be left in the dark so I succumbed to my usual “need to know” attitude. They weren’t bad.

For “kiddie books.”

During this time, I had returned to college to get my degree as a non-traditional evening student. My class choices were limited and I had no choice but to sign up for a course called “Adolescent Lit.” I figured it would be a blow off course and an easy A.

I was wrong.

Instead of taking a course to fulfill my academic requirements, I discovered what I was supposed to do with my life.

We read Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech first. It was … literature. I was shocked. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson came up next. I was blown away. These weren’t “kiddie books.” Along with our assigned reading, each class member had to choice a middle grade or young adult book to read and report on. I picked Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas.

I can honestly say that this book changed my life.

Rats Saw God is about high school senior Steve York who must complete a 100 page paper so he can graduate. He writes about how he ended up where he is. The brutal honesty of Steve’s journey struck a chord with me. But it was the relationship with his father that hit me the hardest. It mirrored mine more than I expected.

It tore at my heart.

My father and I spent three years not speaking. My choice, not his. At the time that I finally read this book, our relationship had been patched up, but still not healed. Even though I was not seventeen anymore, I knew how Steve felt. I understood his pain more than I could Harry Potter’s or Melinda Sordino’s.

As soon as I finished it, I knew what I wanted to do. Write for young adults.

Writing had always been my dream.

Thank you, Linda, for being a part of this week’s YA Blog Takeover!  I had tons of fun learning more about you.

Now all you peeps…check out Linda’s new novel, REAPER, and put it on your Must Read list today!

Description:   There’s no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.

She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.

It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.

Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.

Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.

Maybe … just maybe … that’s okay.

It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.

Links to L.S. Murphy:

Blog:   http://lsmurphy.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSMurphy
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LSMurphyAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5046440.L_S_Murphy