What inspired me to write my new novel, Lindsey: Love and Intrigue? My daughters. I’m a working mother of three, two girls and a boy. My girls want to read about realistic characters – no magic, no sci-fi, no vampires, and no zombies. They want to read about girls like themselves; girls who face the very real stresses and joys of being a teenager.
You would think it would be easy to find realistic books for kids. Try it. I challenge you to find a stack of books that delivers the following: 1) a book that a 16 year old wants to read because the story is engaging; 2) a book with a realistic view of high school, and; 3) a book with socially responsible content. I can’t tell you how many librarians and bookstore sales clerks I have asked for recommendations of books that meet these three criteria – and how frustrating it is to read cover after cover of books that I’m told are for middle school kids, but that I often find socially inappropriate and, frankly, extreme.
The latter point was my other inspiration. As a parent, I want my kids to read books they will enjoy (because I want them to have a lifelong love of reading), but I also want the books to have socially appropriate content. In my search for age-appropriate content, I became increasingly frustrated by many of the novels being recommended. Just because a child is intellectually capable of understanding the words in a book, does not mean they are emotionally prepared to truly understand the socially charged topics presented. While many of these books are entertaining, my kids weren’t connecting with them or I thought the content was too extreme. Kids today are both concerned and curious about their teenage years. They will benefit from the glimpse they will get into the typical challenges they will face and the decisions they will confront, as they read Lindsey. Seeing these scenes play out in a story will get them thinking and better prepare them for dealing with them in real life.
As a human resources professional and an executive coach, I have spent my career listening to and connecting with people. So I decided to take my skill for understanding people and their insecurities and write a book I would want my kids to read. I think kids who read Lindsey will quickly connect with the characters and be swept into the story – but my hope is that they also get the subtle message that life is about progress, not perfection and that they need to consciously and deliberately make good choices.
“We don’t need a list of rights and wrongs,
tables of dos and don’ts:
we need books, time, and silence.
Thou shalt not is soon forgotten,
but once upon a time lasts forever.”
~Philip Pullman a British author of several best-selling books.
After reading Lindsey – I’d love to know what you think about its ability to subtly relate socially responsible messages to teens. Please feel free to leave a comment below!
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