YA - A Universal Genre

It's no secret that I'm no longer a young adult. Now in my early 30's, I've surpassed those years by at least a decade. BUT I DON'T CARE!!! I love reading and writing YA, and I'm proud of it!

A friend of mine is writing an article about why people of all ages love YA and has asked me to give my two cents. On this subject she may get way more than two cents. I'm very passionate about the YA characters in my books, and the books I read. So let's get to it. Some of the many reasons "I" LOVE YA...

• YA can cross many genres within one book (for example - sci-fi, dystopian, mystery & romance are all intertwined within Across the Universe by Beth Revis).
• No matter how old you are, you were once a young adult and can relate to the issues/feelings the characters are going through because you've been there or know someone else who's been there.
• I really enjoy the writing style. It's easy to immerse yourself within the world the author is creating. Yes, the same goes for adult fiction, but I find that YA has its own unique voice. One that I happen to prefer reading, most of the time. There are exceptions like J.R. Ward (I love her Black Dagger Brotherhood adult series). Again, these are the reasons I read YA, not to say other genres aren't wonderful - I think they are.
• Haha, yes, I have to admit that many of the YA characters are swoon-worthy (kind of like those classic 80's movies - Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Say Anything, that we all love). My faves happen to be Jace, Dimitri, Four, etc...

I could probably go on forever. How about you? What do you think makes YA a universal genre for all ages? You never know, your comment could end up in the article, so be sure to respond :)

Cheers!

Taryn