RiYA: Sweet and Clean or Sexy and Passionate? Giveaway of a Signed Paperback of The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

Hi guys! It’s time for another collective interview as authors voice out their thoughts about the type of romance that they want to see in YA. Stick around for a giveaway!

What kind of romance do you like to see in YA? Clean and Sweet or Sexy and Passionate? Why?

Jennifer Hubbard said: I like all kinds in books, because that's they way life is. I prefer books that address the complexity and the not-always-perfect side of romance, although once in a while I like a fun, lighthearted romance.

Cheryl Herbsman said: Honestly, I like to see every kind of romance in YA. I think there’s room for them all. And since all of them exist in the real world, I love that YA can mirror all those different kinds of relationships that actual teens are experiencing.

Kim Culbertson said: Oh, I want to see all of it.  Because relationships have all of it.  Clean and sweet – absolutely.  Sexy.  Absolutely – though I think sexy is in the eye of the beholder.  I think it’s sexy when my husband does the laundry.  Passionate – I think most YA novels are just full of passion, of life and emotion.  That’s why I love reading and writing YA.  It’s a time of life when the feelings are so large and things matter so much.

Cat Clarke said: It depends on the book. Sometimes clean and sweet is exactly right for the characters and the story, and sometimes you NEED it to be sexy and passionate. I think there's plenty of room in the market for both kinds of romance... but I must admit, I have a penchant for sexy and passionate. As long as it's not too icky.

Shelena Shorts said: Clean and Sweet because it usually lasts longer that way!

Angela Morrison said: I admire writers who can write clean, sweet romance that doesn't make readers gag. I love to read those books. I wish I was better at writing them, but I have a weakness for writing steamy kissing scenes. I write about older teens, so sex becomes an issue. I think I fall in the middle of the continuum. My novels are all first person and intimate, so the passionate feelings, whether they are acted on or not, need to be there. I try to portray those passions honestly and realistically, without crossing the line into what I consider is explicit. My characters are only naked in the shower. I don't describe private body parts. And if they do have sex, it's not on screen. The curtain falls. It's not easy to do, but for me it's a moral issue. Plus, I want my readers to know that when they pick up a book with my name on the cover, they are safe. It'll be realistic, the kissing scenes will be fantastic, and the story won't talk down to them, but they won't turn the page and find they are reading soft porn. Porn is addictive, dangerous, and destroys healthy sexuality. Readers are bombarded with porn, or something very close to it, on TV, in music, in advertising, at the movies, and in a lot of YA. They don't need it in my books. What they will find is an honest discussion and characters with differing view points, beliefs, and motivations. And all those creative kissing scenes.

Sara Bennett Wealer said: I think you can have both! To me, sweetness is sexy. When someone knows you well and treats you well and makes you feel loved and valued, it's easy to be passionate about them!

Conclusion: Both sweet and clean and sexy and passionate but it depends on the story and the characters. It’s also good to use the type of romance that can really show the complex side of the relationship.

Giveaway: Signed Paperback Copy of The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

*Giveaway Closed*

Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia's boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can't mourn Julia openly, and he's tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia's journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he's desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

Jennifer Hubbard was generous enough to offer one lucky reader a signed paperback copy of The Secret Year!

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Ends on February 28, 2011! Open to US/Canada (sorry! But Jennifer will be sending it. If you have a US address or if you know someone who can receive the prize for you and send it to you, you can join)!

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