I've always written YA Fantasy, with the occasional foray into more adult-oriented literature. I like YA because of its immediacy, its freshness, and its willingness to challenge the status quo, in many cases. You can do an awful lot with a fantastic premise, and if it's done right, it can please any reader out there, no matter what their age.

For me, it's truly magical. Not in the sense of waving a wand, no, but in how people find each other and learn to relate to each other as well as finding out more about themselves. This is the key for me: how the protagonist(s) learn and how they have to step up, sometimes against impossible odds.

The selling point, though, is something that I'd like to address. On FB and Twitter, to a lesser degree, it's the adults who are vetting the books, not their kids.

While I do agree that in the case of younger tweens and teens (i.e. 12 to 15 or so years of age) the adults should have a say in what's bought and what isn't--and, after all, it's the adults who are buying these books, by and large--I think that they tend to view the stories in terms of what's acceptable to them, not necessarily what their children would like to read.

I would certainly hope that they consult with their children over what they want. Me, I write clean. I keep the swearing to the bare minimum, and most of my novels have zero cussing. (Unless you count "damn" or "pissed off" as swearing. On occasion, I've used the S-bomb, but nothing more than that).

Same deal with sex. If the story calls for it, then I include a sex scene, but do it in a fade-to-black kind of manner. Other writers will differ in their approach, as is their right.

Overall, though, I think that I can offer something that appeals to everyone. That's what I'm aiming for: a good story that entertains, enlightens, and that satisfies the readers.