Thursday, April 2, 2009

Could I ever make a grown woman and a 9-year-old girl cry with the same story?

I just finished reading the last chapter of the 6th Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, to my 9-year-old niece. She cried just like I did when I finished it the first time. How many books out there can accomplish such a feat? I mean really, making a child and an adult cry, really cry together! Amazing.

This is what I wish I could give to the world in my writing. *sigh*
It's one of the reasons I started writing...I find books to be one of the best gifts the world has to offer and I want to give back what I've enjoyed all my life.

The thing is that though I adore the sort of books that cross generations and would love to write them but they aren't what comes out of my wacky little brain. I'm on the edgier end of the YA genre, writing for older teens. Funny how you might want to do something but just don't seem to get there. I'd love to write something that my niece and nephew could read but it ain't gonnna happen anytime soon. Let's face it I was up til 1am writing a love scene that takes place on another planet involving two bodies separating with an orgasmic intensity into sparkling strands of light...um, yeah not something kids should be reading. But it sure sounds good to me.

Is there any sort of effect you'd love to have on your readers that isn't what actually write? Like, say you write romantic comedy but secretly wish you could scare the crap out of your readers?

Anything is possible and I'm all about stepping outside your comfort zone to try something new but you know what I mean. Sometimes we seem to be wired for something specific. Like me I'm YA fantasy all the way baby!

For now I'm sticking with the 15 to 18-year-old female audience. I'll save my quest to include kids for later. Yet again the power of JK Rowling leaves me in awe. Not sure I can think of any other book that spans about six hundred pages that a third grader could read on their own in two weeks. (she would have finished sooner if it weren't for her waiting to read the last part with me me!)

5 comments:

JennM said...

Damn You!! Now I really want to read the new book. You better hurry up and finish!!

Oh yeah, btw, she had more homework than she lead me to believe and we had a bunch of trouble getting her to do it - anything for a good book :-)

Jennifer said...

I want to write a horror novel that seriously freaks people out and perhaps even makes them look over their shoulder when they finish reading it. Unfortunately, I'm just not that talented. I'll stick with fantasy for now... :)

Anonymous said...

I agree with Jenn M! I am so happy your writing now :) and love scene ah! I want to read it!

And yes JK is amazing, when someone can accomplish that it's beyond great it is a work of art!

Michelle D. Argyle said...

I have always wanted to scare my readers, but horror just doesn't seem like something I would be good at. I might try it sometime. Great question! Now I'm thinking more about what emotions I really want to conjure. :D

Tara Maya said...

I would love to be able to make a reader laugh out loud and cry -- with the self-same book.