Blog Posts

Raising kids and Growing Stories

Raising kids & growing stories

September 21, 2022

Stay in the moment

October 5, 2022

But/Therefore

October 19, 2022

Disappointment

November 2, 2022

Loving your enemies

November 16, 2022

Re-envision vs revision

November 30, 2022

Kill your darlings

December 14, 2022

Hurt your darlings . . . aka chase your hero up a tree and throw rocks at them

December 28, 2022

Likable characters are . . .

January 11, 2023

Nobody likes a wallower

January 25, 2023

Know your audience

February 8, 2023

If a book isn't clean, does that make it dirty? The problem with defining the word, “clean” is that everyone has a different definition of what is moral these days.

Don’t be offended when I call my book “clean”

In today's evolving literary landscape, the rise of "clean" YA novels—those devoid of explicit sexual scenes or content deemed inappropriate for children—has sparked debate. However, championing such novels isn't about promoting censorship, but rather preserving choice and diversity in literature. Just as stories delve into dark, real-world issues, many do so without crossing into explicit territory, offering readers meaningful narratives without compromising accessibility. Advocating for "clean" content isn't about restricting freedom but ensuring there's room for all types of narratives in the vast YA literary spectrum.

Are YA novels labeled “clean” offending you? Let me double-offend you with why