As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

young adult

For Writers: Pen Names and YA

by
Pen Name

Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Denise Dechene: If you are an author and write contemp MM romance and want to branch out into YA or NA should you have a new pen name or just tag it as adult, curious as to the authors thoughts. It’s a good question, especially for those of us who write toward the more erotic end of the LGBTIQA pool… I know we have a number of authors here who have done just that. Wanna talk about your thoughts and reasoning for it? Join the chat

For Readers: Sex in YA

by
Love Hunks - 123rf

Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Denise Dechene: What are your thoughts about sex in YA books (dealing with teens 15 and older) should there be sex on page or do you think it should be fade to black? This is always a tricky one. Let’s approach this with our usual (trademarked) QSF calm and collective reasoning. :) Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

For Readers: Who Decides It’s YA?

by
Gay YA

Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Richard Wood: Who makes the decision whether a LGBT book or story is YA suitable or not? Is it the author or the publisher and do different publishers have different standards of what is suitable as far as depictions of sex in a LGBT YA rated story? It’s a good question. For instance, I’ve often heard that works with fade-to-black sex scenes… you know: “Christian took Skylar by the hand with a wicked grin. He pulled him down onto the bed as the door slowly closed behind them…” …are “suitable” for YA because there’s … Read more

Announcement: Rediscovery, by Sandra C. Stixrude

by
Rediscovery

QSFer Sandra C. Stixrude has a new sci fi book out: An inhabited planet is not what an interplanetary mining company hopes to find while in search of rare mineral deposits, but the low-tech natives should be won over by a few ‘miracles’, right? Emily Nandi, the mining company’s legally mandated xenologist, isn’t so sure. The planet’s social structures are complex, fascinating and frustrating – she advocates research and caution rather than the seat-of-the-pants first contact the company president wants. Investigator Shadow is convinced ghosts are watching him until a fellow investigator disappears, plucked from his harduk’s back without a … Read more

For Readers: YA Fiction for Girls

by

Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Angel Martinez: Are we seeing the things we need to see? Recommendations and how spec fic can help. MM seems to be the dominant force in the LGBTIQA fiction market these days. But for young girls, especially girls who like girls, we ought to be encouraging more YA fiction. So what’s out there now that’s good in YA FF speculative fiction? And what would we like to see more of? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join … Read more

“A Little Bit Langston” by Andrew Demcak

by

Genre: Gay YA Science Fiction Length: Novel   James has a pretty boring life. Sure, his mom is nuts, and also sort of interesting, but that’s par for the course for adults, who all seem a bit off. He’s in high school, but he still has problems with reading, and his best friend, Paul, seems to have a few problems as well. But people pretty much leave them alone, and all in all, he has nothing to worry about—just the average life of an average teenager. Until one day when he blacks out, and wakes up to find he’s written … Read more

Announcement: A Little Bit Langston, by Andrew Demcak

by
A Little Bit Langston

QSFer Andrew Demcak has a new paranormal book out: Being different can be dangerous, and discovery can be deadly. High school freshman James Kerr is finding out he’s not quite like his classmates. Around the time he realizes he’s attracted to his best friend, Paul Schmitz, James starts channeling a dead writer’s poetry and also discovers he has an ability to manipulate energy—a super power. Before James can figure out why this is happening to him, tragedy strikes in the form of Paul’s abusive father, and James is sent to a government-run school, The Paragon Academy, which specializes in juvenile … Read more

YA in Speculative Fiction

by
Gay YA

Today’s topic comes from QSFer Anastasia Vitsky: “Could we have a day devoted to YA?” I think it’s a great idea. While I haven’t written any yet myself, there’s a market for it. So here are my questions today – do you write or read LGBT YA sci fi, fantasy or paranormal books? If you’re an author in this genre, how have they been received? What sells and what doesn’t? Is it difficult navigating the line between what’s acceptable and what’s not in YA? And as a reader, what are some of the stand-out books you’ve read?