tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post571012612019316362..comments2023-12-10T19:04:26.773-08:00Comments on Author2Author: Where Are Her Parents? (or Make Her Behave Creatively)Emily Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07073350248209507278noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-91118132853534588062011-11-09T19:42:32.332-08:002011-11-09T19:42:32.332-08:00Michelle, I am also dealing with this in my YA wip...Michelle, I am also dealing with this in my YA wip. One MC has an excuse for where she is all night, but I need to come up with one for the other. Bc even though he's 17, his Mom wouldn't just let him disappear for 12 hours without worrying about him!DeenaMLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01093257361683249174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-40821445126497878042011-11-09T13:03:52.109-08:002011-11-09T13:03:52.109-08:00Great post! I am dealing with parental presence in...Great post! I am dealing with parental presence in my ms right now. Thanks for your insight.Michelle Julianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16695109813853570206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-51224131950019522172011-11-09T10:29:10.605-08:002011-11-09T10:29:10.605-08:00Em -- I agree that I *like* missing YA parents so ...Em -- I agree that I *like* missing YA parents so things can happen the way we want them to, but the *reason* the parents are MIA has to be BELIEVABLE, not just so it feels like a convenience for the MC to go on their quest.<br /><br />Kate -- Yes, I also think MG readers will not buy it if a kid does a whole bunch of stuff with no parent involvement. I know when I read books as a kid, I'd be like, Yeah right, my parents would NEVER let me do that!<br /><br />The key -- which is HARD for writers -- is to have enough parent involvement to be realistic, and also find CREATIVE ways (not easy ways) for the kid MCs to be able to do what they need to do.DeenaMLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01093257361683249174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-42436585242174100462011-11-09T10:23:12.473-08:002011-11-09T10:23:12.473-08:00I love Michael Buckley's Grimm Sisters books. ...I love Michael Buckley's Grimm Sisters books. When their parents go missing, they think they'll be able to find them on their own, but then Grandma steps in and puts an end to that. You get both the tension of missing parents and the inability for the MC to do as she pleases. I'm reading my son Deltora Quest, and it's similar. Dad's in jail, but Dad's best friend will not let the main character go off and do anything he wants. Even without parents, having 13 year olds wander around without constraints defies suspension of belief. And I've put down a few books about NYC club hopping 16 year olds for the same reason. I couldn't buy into the belief this would happen.Kate Fallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12856887940900664692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-17384671610689009622011-11-09T10:08:44.696-08:002011-11-09T10:08:44.696-08:00Ha...meant lack not lake (that's funny).Ha...meant lack not lake (that's funny).Emily Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07073350248209507278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3318840210070768346.post-34967969974430681912011-11-09T10:08:03.195-08:002011-11-09T10:08:03.195-08:00I actually like the lake of parents in most YA'...I actually like the lake of parents in most YA's (as do teens, I'm sure), which is why the parents are often missing I think (or atleast not focused on nearly as much as in MG). When I wrote my MG novel, I did have to concentrate on adding the parents more. It was hard, because I wanted her to be more independent, but had to somehow work in how she could be out by herself, given her age. It makes it a challenge to work in those pesky parents :)Emily Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07073350248209507278noreply@blogger.com