Guest Post: Karilee Townsend author of Fused

Why MG Versus YA

I’m often asked why I chose to write MG versus YA. In all honestly, I didn’t really choose to write one versus the other. When I first started writing THE SAMANTHA GRANGER EXPERIMENT: FUSED, I set the story in high school. It was only after the book was finished that I realized it might work better as an Upper Middle Grade. A lot of YA these days tends to be darker and edgier. My story is more on the light and funny side. Mine is also full of action and adventure which really works well for that age group versus older teens. Not to mention a couple of my children who inspired this book by being obsessed with their gadgets, especially their cell phones, are in Middle School. That gave me the clue that this just might be right up their alley.

 I also thought about what it’s like to turn thirteen. That age is so full of new experiences and adventures. It’s a confusing yet exciting time in every kid’s life, but especially for girls in that age group. I have three boys and only one girl, so I love the idea of a girl superhero. There are not nearly enough positive role models out there, showing girls they can be the hero. They can be the ones to stand up and be strong and save the day.

I do enjoy writing YA as well and have some ideas brewing for future books in that age group as well. And, of course, I have an adult mystery series that debuts in August called TEMPEST IN THE TEA LEAVES: A FORTUNE TELLER MYSTERY. It’s also a lot of fun. No matter what genre I write, I always have quirky characters and humorous scenes. And I love paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi. The possibilities are endless in that realm so stay tuned J To find out more about me and all my books check out www.karileetownsend.com