Why I Prefer Middle Grade and Young Adult Fantasy Over Adult Fantasy

The Emotional Connection of Middle Grade and Young Adult Fantasy

Over the years, I’ve found myself drawn to Middle Grade and Young Adult fantasy more than adult fantasy. Why? It’s simple: there’s more emotional content. I can always identify with the main characters. After all, those are the years that truly shape us.

I love the blend of the real and the fantastic that I often find in YA fantasy. Stories where the line between reality and fantasy is thin—easily crossed—are my favorites. Naturally, that’s why these are the stories I enjoy writing the most.

Authenticity in Storytelling

I don’t like the term "realistic." For me, that just doesn’t cut it. I prefer to think of my writing as "authentic." Each of my protagonists carries a piece of me, along with certain supporting characters. They come from deep places inside of me and embody emotional issues that still trouble me today. Issues like alienation, which I know many others have experienced as well.

Have you ever felt like you were "other"? Different? On the surface, you looked human, but inside, you were hiding another "self"? Afraid to show it to others for fear of rejection—or worse? This feeling led to the creation of my very first protagonist, Dillon Howell, from Welcome to Harmony. Luckily for Dillon, he finds himself in a place where others like him can accept him and help him become his best self.

Mental Health and My Characters

My next protagonist, a female character named Gwen Gladstone, became my way of addressing an important issue: mental health.

This was the start of my Growing Up Supernatural series, which I playfully refer to as a mix between Judy Blume and R.L. Stine. It centers on a group of kids facing real problems typical for their age, but each of them just happens to have a supernatural twist. They’re redefining what it means to be "normal."

A Journey Through Irish Mythology

The Fifth Cycle: A New Hero is Forged, the first book in the Colin Caulfield and the Irish gods series, was always meant to be a vehicle for my passion for my Irish heritage. However, when it came time to create the characters, I realized there needed to be more depth.

I’ve always been upfront that this series is essentially Percy Jackson but with Irish gods. (Not to go on a tangent, but has anyone else noticed the similarities between the Percy Jackson and Harry Potter series? Or is it just me?) While I enjoyed the first Percy Jackson series, my favorite character wasn’t Percy; it was Luke.

Growing up without knowing my birth father, I could relate to Luke's anger. I used Colin Caulfield as a way to process those feelings and others related to not knowing my birth father.

Exploring New Genres

Moving on, I have two standalone novels—well, standalone for now. Illumina is my "love letter" to the fantasy genre, while Death's Fair Maiden was my chance to step out of my comfort zone. Believe me, I never thought I’d write a fantasy romance novel. Yet, I did, and it’s just as authentic as everything else I’ve written.

The Future of My Writing

Those are the stories I’ve written so far, and I assure you, there are more to come. My stories may be fantasies, but they come from a real place inside of me. They deal with issues that are meaningful to me, and I hope they resonate with you too.

In the end, it’s all about connection. I want my readers to feel something. Whether it’s joy, sadness, or a sense of belonging, that’s what I strive for in my writing. So, let’s embark on this journey together. Who knows what adventures await us in the realms of fantasy?