One of the challenges I have while writing my debut young adult series, THE RISE AND FALL OF DANI TRUEHART, is telling an engaging and exciting story while not putting my character in age-inappropriate situations that parents will find objectionable. My series centers on a teenager who becomes a world famous singer. It’s a challenge to create tension and conflict while using circumstances that are both realistic and suitable for young adults to read about.
So what’s an author to do? Well, I kinda cheated a little bit by taking topic of sex off the table in the first book, RISING STAR. Having my teenage character be extremely focused on becoming a popstar made it easier to sidestep the topic of sex with her boyfriend. Her domineering mother keeps Dani so busy that she and her boyfriend are practically never alone together. There are a few make-out sessions, but I kept the steam at a low-level because Dani’s story isn’t about romance or love; it is about how chasing her dream to become a star transforms Dani’s life. While she is totally head over heels in love with her boyfriend, the fact that Dani’s burgeoning career is the real driving force in the story creates a viable reason why she and her boyfriend aren’t rounding fourth base half-way through the book. Was I being a big old chicken by choosing to avoid teen sex in book one? Maybe. But it’s more important for me to shed light on the darker, seedier side of fame and the entertainment world rather to explore the angst and joys of teenage passions. There are thousands of books on the market based young adult relationships and I realized early on that my series isn’t among them. So bullet dodged. (phew!)
While I side-step the issue of sex, I dive deep into the topic of family dysfunction and its effect on a developing young adult. The family dynamic is completely bonkers in the Truehart household and many of the adults who have read the book have commented how uncomfortable it made them to read about Dani’s dynamic with her mother, Jodi. For me, this is important plotline because parents are the primary relationship for a child and a child’s first experience with love, honesty, truth, discipline, safety, and a host of other emotional situations. A child takes those experiences into the world as they mature. Dani’s mother, Jodi, has such a fierce hunger for fame and wealth that her entire family is warped by her obsession. Dani’s confidence and value system is rooted in Jodi’s dysfunction and her decisions are made either because of or in spite of Jodi’s parenting. It’s been incredibly gratifying to write this part of the series because even though these characters are purely fictional, the impact of a bad parenting is very real problem. How a child learns to live because of or in spite of what they were taught when they were young is a fascinating aspect of the human condition to me. No matter how much money or fame you have, if you don’t have that basic unconditional love of a parent, it can cause lasting repercussions if it is not addressed. Teens are smart, self-aware people, so I felt there wasn’t any danger in addressing family dysfunction and its impact on a developing teen.
The most difficult aspect of writing the series is building a world where my underage character is surrounded by adults and placed in situations normally reserved for adults. Most teenagers do not have careers and this dynamic has been tricky to write. But this it’s a very real aspect for children who work in entertainment. Unless the parents are vigilant in protecting their working child – allowing them to attend regular school as much as possible, being with them on set instead of sending a legal guardian, approving scripts, costumes or song lyrics – being a working minor can be a dangerous prospect. Too much freedom, not enough guidance from trusted adults or exposure to experiences or ideas that are too mature for someone so young…the pitfalls are many and the consequences are long lasting. Growing up too fast is a harrowing and dangerous experience for any teen. But doing it in the public eye with unlimited cash raises the stakes to dizzying heights.
My goal in writing this series is not to shatter the innocence of young adult readers. Rather I want to open their eye to the real cost of fame. As an author, I think I can illustrate that point in an effective and interesting way without crossing the line of propriety. I hope my readers agree.
Happy reading!💕