Karen Mahoney ( a.k.a. Official Honorary Book Smuggler) is a Young Adult writer whose first story, Falling to Ash has been published in The Eternal Kiss Anthology (reviewed today by Ana) . She is also one of the Deadline Dames and can be found writing about writing, reading and other cool stuff in her livejournal. When we were organising the YA month ,we just knew we would invite her over.
We are more than happy to give the floor to Karen Mahoney and her post on writing YA.
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Eternal Teenagers
I write YA fiction because every time I sit down to write something, my characters turn out to be 17 or 18. Apparently, this means I write YA. 
I think I’m drawn to these ages because this is when a lot happened in my own life, and those experiences always seem more important and powerful when you’re going through all the inevitable changes that the teenage years bring. All those ‘first times’ that we go through… It makes for wonderful drama and conflict in fiction. The potential for emotional writing is huge, and I love writing big emotional scenes. I remember how brave I could be at 17 – there’s a fearless quality to being a teenager that I wish I could get back.
I used to work with older teens, as a student advisor, and I learned so much during that time. I think it was then that I realised I wanted to focus on the teenage years in my fiction. Now that I’m writing YA urban/contemporary fantasy, I can allow my imagination to soar while still grounding myself in the very real issues of what it’s like to be growing up in today’s society. To think that I’m writing books and stories that might one day be read by young adults who experience things so passionately… that just blows me away!
My story in THE ETERNAL KISS, ‘Falling to Ash’, is about an 18-year-old vampire called Moth. She was Turned into a vamp over a decade ago, so she’s really a 28-year-old woman stuck in the body of a teenager. I love thinking about all the questions and issues that raises: imagine being trapped as a teenager for eternity… How would you change and grow? Would you develop as a regular human being should do, or would you always be just a little immature? (Moth can be quite immature and impetuous, but at the same time the wisdom of her years shows through when she needs it.) How would it feel to see ‘real’ teenagers enjoying life, while you just continue on the way you’ve always been? Never growing physically older, but perhaps feeling the weight of years as each one passes. Imagine how it would affect your family and friends. What would you tell them? Would you tell them? All these things I’ve explored with Moth, and packing it into 32 pages wasn’t easy! Luckily, I’ve now written a novel about her (BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS) which I hope will be picked up by a publisher one day. Watch this space… 
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In her varied career Karen Mahoney has been a professional Tarot reader, a college counsellor, a dating agency consultant and a bookseller. Ever since she was six years old what she really wanted to be was Wonder Woman, but has instead settled for being a writer which she thinks is the most fun you can have without bulletproof bracelets.
Her YA contemporary fantasy, THE IRON WITCH (Book 1 of The Ironbridge Chronicles), is currently on submission in the US. Among other work she has recently completed a companion novel, BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS, which is set in the same world but completely stands alone. It continues the adventures of Moth, the teenage vampire who was introduced to readers in her recently published short story, ‘Falling to Ash’.
A huge thank you to Karen for the great post.
Now for the giveaway:
Karen is generously offering a signed copy of The Eternal Kiss to one lucky reader! The contest is open to anyone, and will run until Saturday August 1st 11:59pm (PST). To enter, simply leave a comment here. Good luck!
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89 Responses to Young Adult Appreciation Month: Karen Mahoney on writing Young Adult Novels (and a giveaway)
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count me in please!
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
I’m really excited for The Eternal Kiss.
I would love a chance to win.:D
Thanks, Karen, for the great discussion on YA. All of the emotions packed into being a teen are part of what makes YA novels really appealing to read!
Can’t wait to read “Falling to Ash”.
Oh, just read up the thread — Karen, did you see the YA superhero novel HERO by Perry Moore? It’s very much about the identity politics part of the superhero venue (the main character is also gay, so sexual identity gets wrapped in), and it’s brilliant.
I’ve also really enjoyed Jennifer Estep’s superhero romance novels in the “Bigtime” series.
Count me in!
This sounds like my kinda book! Can’t wait to read it!!
This looks like a great anthology and I just love the cover!
Margay
I’d love to play please! Thanks!
Sounds like a good read. Thanks for the contest!
Sounds like a great story.
This anthology looks so good!
Count me in!
I’m in!
I love reading Karen’s blog. She’s awesome! I’m so glad one her stories are published. I’m very excited to read it in The Eternal Kiss.
Thanks ladies for the chance!
mishtakes AT gmail DOT com
Hi Karen, I’ve not read any of your books yet, but they do sound interesting and I’ll have to add them to my TBR list.
Thanks for being here,
Sharon
Oh yes please! sounds like a great read.
Thanks for the contest Ladies.
jennygirl73(AT)gmail(DOT)com
sounds awesome sign me up
Please sign me in I’m really looking foward to read it. So many great authors in 1 book!
I have to admit I have been watching the reviews on this book but have not seen a giveaway until now for it so yes sign me up.
Looks like a good book, please enter me into this drawing.
Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
jake.lsewhere[at]gmail.com
I’d love to have a copy for my library! The teens here go crazy for supernatural books
I have to agree with the others, “Moth” is a unique and fascinating name for a protagonist. That alone grabs a reader’s attention.
I’m looking forward to reading your work and would love to win a copy of the Eternal Kiss to get me started!
This anthology looks great–it contains a lot of writers I already love. I’m looking forward reading Karen’s work–and hopefully falling in love with that too!
This anthology has a lot of cool authors in it. I would love to check it out.
I really want to read Karen Mahoney’s story. I hope that she does get a chance to publish her book continuing the story from the anthropology like Kim Harrison did with her new YA book. I would love to read this book.
Please enter me. =)
bookrealm@gmail.com
I’ve just read your review, and now I’m more excited than I already was (and trust me, that was a lot!) to read this book!
Please sign me in
juiceb0xx at hotmail dot com
I love the concept of this book and the cover is stunning. New — like so many — to YA (well, this time around, anyway), and so loving it!
Thanks for the post and the contest!
~bella
This sounds like a great story! It’s definitely going to be added to my ‘Must Read’ list.
Please enter my name in your draw. Thanks!
Hi Karen~
I have really been looking forward to reading this.
Have a great weekend.
Wow, I just read some more comments here and it’s so nice to see them all.
Thanks guys! I am buried deep in the Revision Cave as we speak, working on making my Moth book more shiny.
Cheers,
Kaz
This book sounds amazing! I love the name Moth.
I’d love to win!
Hey Karen! Thanks for sharing! I’m really intrigued by Moth’s story – usually when we get the I’m-a-vamp-I-never-grow-old issue it’s hundreds of years later when they’re in a totally different time, but when you’re still a “young” vampire, how do you deal with the years? Like when you’re 18, you feel SOOOO OLD and every year creeps by, and then suddenly you realize you’re almost 30 and freak out (well… not freak out, but one day you look at your mother with a distressed look on your face and whisper, “Mom, I’m almost 30.” And then she smacks you).
Good luck with your novel!
I’ve been waiting for my library to get this ^^ The premise is so intriguing, I love your individual take on the vampire. Enter me please~
I cant wait to read this! I love supernatural fiction
Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net
great post, kaz!! youre inspirational!! keep your zest…concerning getting back the fight you had in you at the fearless age of 17, i have no doubt you can gain it back. At full force. Just try. Take opportunities to show off you inner fearlessness. It’s all capped up in there, Kaz.
H.A. Little