Publishers connect with teens in their 'real world'

When he wrote his heart-pounding thriller, Germ, best-selling author Robert Liparulo never imagined the novel for adults would spark fascination among junior and senior high school students. 

The fan mail the book generated led to personal appearances, electronic interviews and a newly discovered appreciation for teens' love of story. This interaction ultimately inspired Liparulo to write "Dreamhouse Kings," a two-year, six-book series that concluded last May with the release of Frenzy.

Today, teens play a key role in his work, with a 10-member focus group vetting his juvenile fiction manuscripts. Liparulo also gets feedback from his 13-year-old son, who claims celebrity status at school because of his father's books.

"I realized I love this age group," Liparulo said of his entry into the young adult (YA) market. "They weren't interested in the 'business' of writing. They wanted to know all about the very thing that made me want to be a writer: story."

Not only do these 13- to 18-year-old readers understand the symbolism behind "Dreamhouse," they engage in story and characters in ways adults don't, Liparulo said. Since writing is such a lonely profession, their feedback reassures him that what he's doing is worthwhile.

"These guys are very sophisticated when it comes to story," Liparulo said. "I'm so grateful I have a young readership out there. They're quick to send emails, and they don't hold back their praise. It seems I have hundreds of 'No. 1 fans.' "

Canadian journalist Mags Storey has similar feelings. She loves teens' emotional honesty, dramatic lenses for examining the world and the way they challenge everything.

"I think we need to respect that and help them find answers which make sense to them," said Storey, author of the award-winning If Only You Knew (Kregel Publications, 2009). "I truly believe that teenagers are incredible people, with the potential to change the world."

It is a world she believes they are more prepared to face than many parents realize. Storey recalls the teen who shared about her mother's refusal to let her read romances, even though the girl was secretly dating.

Storey realizes some parents feel strongly that their children should only read how-to books on dating and morality. Yet she thinks that fiction has an amazing ability to break down walls and cause deeper reflection. 

One reason for this outlook is the stream of emails her mystery novel—winner of the Grace Irwin Award for the best book published by a Canadian author, as well as the romance and YA categories at the 2010 Canadian Christian Writing Awards—has prompted from teenage girls.

"I think they like that I'm honest about how messy and complicated life and faith can be sometimes, because that's the real world they're trying to live for Jesus in," Storey said. "My favorite email comes from a 15-year-old pastor's daughter, who said, 'This book says everything I always wanted to say about my faith, but was too scared to admit.' "

FANTASY FICTION

These authors' success bolsters Dale Anderson's belief that fantasy fiction is a tool to attract more young readers to Christian retail stores. 

The executive director and publisher of AMG Publishers liked the promise of this genre so much that seven years ago he converted its Living Ink imprint from Christian living to YA fantasy fiction. 

"This category is great," Anderson said. "The Washington Post recently had an article saying that Christian fantasy fiction has caught fire. Ignited by Harry Potter, it sent Christians looking for alternatives. We've had numerous testimonies from (teen readers) about their renewed interest in reading the Bible and turning to faith in Jesus Christ."

Even though music, jewelry and apparel drive YA spending, teens are still quite interested in books and Bibles. A recent study by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association found that in 2009 shoppers ages 13 to 17 bought 6% of the fiction and nonfiction and 11% of Bibles at Christian stores. That doesn't count items parents purchased for them, which would drive those numbers higher.

This is another reason Anderson believes so strongly in the kind of fantasies spun by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, which remain popular long after those authors' deaths.

"We believe God is using this genre," Anderson said. "Millions of people have read (their) books and been inspired. We think it's time to renew this vision and to promote Christian themes such as faith, hope, integrity, and honor … and that good prevails over evil."

Bryan Davis, whose Raising Dragons (2004)—first in the "Dragons in Our Midst" series—has sold more than 100,000 copies, is the leading author on the Living Ink roster. 

Winner of the 2010 Clive Staples Award for The Bones of Makaidos (2009), Davis is working on Song of the Ovulum. The July release launches "Children of the Bard," a four-book series.

Recent releases from AMG include Scott Appleton's Swords of the Six, first in "The Sword of the Dragon" series (February); The Book of Names (February) and Corus the Champion (April) by D. Barkley Briggs, the first two of the "Legends of Karac Tor"; and Map Across Time by C.S. Lakin (February).  

AMG's sales and marketing director, John Fallahee, said Davis' works have been picked up by such accelerated reading programs as Lexile and Renaissance and drawn good marks for quality, showing that even public schools embrace them.

"We're reaching a whole new audience that wouldn't have been reached any other way," Fallahee said. "Storytelling is a time-long tradition for any culture. 'Chronicles of Narnia' tapped into that tradition and now our authors are continuing it. Whether in church or out of church, kids are captivated by stories." 

Allen Arnold agrees. The senior vice president and publisher of fiction at Thomas Nelson lists "Dreamhouse," Ted Dekker's "The Lost Books" collection of six novels and four graphic novels and Andrew Klavan's "The Homelanders" trilogy as the kind of storytelling that captivates YA fans.

Teen girls also admire the "A Charmed Life" series by Jenny B. Jones and novels by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma. Arnold credits the popularity of these authors to strong storylines and accessibility.

"Teens won't read a story simply because it has a good message or their parents ask them to," Arnold said. "It has to connect on a very real level with them and be authentic. And they need the story to be in the format and accessible how they want to experience it: e-books, audio downloads, graphics, text, price. … If they can't find it how and where they want to purchase it, the sale is lost."

Innovative design and interactive elements are other popular features, according to the senior editor of Warner Press.

Karen Rhodes said the Church of God (Anderson, Ind.) affiliate decided to plunge into YA books in 2008 because of the groundbreaking nature of Allan and Christopher Miller's "The Codebearers" series. 

Not only did both brothers contribute to the story and illustrations, they have blogged and maintained a Web site to connect with teens, she said. The third title, Hunter Brown and the Eye of Ends, released in January.

"We've had parents who said, 'I couldn't get my kids to read before this,' " said Rhodes, who is considering publishing two other YA-oriented manuscripts. "I'm very hopeful (about the genre). I believe they'll be drawn to anything that puts together a book and technology."

Still, there is nothing for Christian teens that matches the buzz behind such general-market powerhouses as "Harry Potter," "The Twilight Saga" and "The Hunger Games." However, Arnold thinks that day will come through a bold, original series.

"When it hits, it won't be from the author or publisher trying to copy the secular YA titles with a bit of Christian content thrown in," Arnold said. 

A DEVELOPING MARKET

The market has come a long way since 2003, when NavPress launched its Think imprint into a "black hole" of products for teens and young adults, said Rebekah Guzman, the company's editorial director.

The company's goal is to produce innovative resources that speak to independent thinkers, yet has truth to motivate them to live out their faith, Guzman said. She sees enormous rewards from reaching young adults, saying that publishing messages that lead to life transformation is priceless.

"Teens don't want to be told what to do; they want to figure it out on their own," Guzman said. "The Christian YA audience is highly influenced by peers, media and culture. We win their hearts by taking them and their faith, friends and lives seriously."

Yet that sometimes proves challenging, particularly the tension that exists between being gritty enough for teens while not crossing boundaries of good taste.

While it may clash with Christian sensibilities, it is essential to show Christ in the midst of difficult, realistic situations, such as teen pregnancies, self-mutilation and eating disorders, Guzman said.

"That is what teens today are facing," she said. "YA content in the general market is getting edgier, and Christian fiction is changing, too."

One general market title that has generated pre-release buzz is written by a professing Christian who reads the likes of John Calvin and Augustine. Veronica Roth's Divergent (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, May) is the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers. 

Set in a future Chicago, her debut title looks to a society where 16-year-olds must choose between five factions that cultivate a particular virtue—a choice that will brand them for the rest of their lives.

Annette Bourland, senior vice president and publisher at Zonderkidz, has observed the "stellar" writing in general market YA titles. "The ABA has seen a great deal of success because the quality is so high, and the writers and their books aren't afraid to take chances and explore ideas and themes that might sometimes seem edgy, but in fact explore and address things teens face and relate to," she said. 

"And there's no reason why Christian publishers can't publish the same level of amazing writing, plots and characters, as well as address themes and concerns teens are looking for," she added.

Bourland said that teens are able to handle books that take on the gritty and real. "This is a generation that grew up in the wake of 9/11: they know the world isn't always a safe and happy place," she recalled. "In the CBA, YA hasn't always been as keen to show the broken as it is, but that is starting to change. And it has to in order to reach the teen reader—be it fantasy or a contemporary novel, the book has to be real, and not sugarcoat a plot. 

"The wave may be publishers providing books that are not afraid to show a broken world, be that realistically or through a created world as Suzanne Collins does with Panem (in 'The Hunger Games'). And because we as Christians know who the ultimate power and controller of our world is, we can show there is hope and a future and light even when things look darkest."

Zonderkidz takes on some real-life issues in books like May's Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston. In the coming-of-age novel, Emily Curtis and her dad are driven from their home after Emily's mom dies and the family can't pay all the medical bills. In Nancy Rue's latest "Real Life" title, Limos, Lattes & My Life on the Fringe (Zonderkidz, May), Tyler Bonning struggles to fit in with her peers at prom time.

The balancing act publishers face when it comes to content poses a perennial challenge, said Jennifer Leep, editorial director at Revell. The Baker Publishing Group division released two YA devotionals, God Guy by Michael DiMarco (2009) and Devotions for the God Girl by Hayley DiMarco (October 2010). 

The husband-wife team runs Hungry Planet, a YA publisher known for its innovative design and with nearly a million copies in sales. Two titles from Hungry Planet and Revell—Sexy Girls (2007) and B4UD8 (Before You Date, 2010)—have won the Christian Book Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Hayley DiMarco's God Girl Bible, in God's Word Translation, released last month.

Not only do vendors have to walk a fine moral line, Leep said they must appeal to two different audiences: teens who want to read the books and adults who are often the book buyers. 

She said the DiMarcos have done that by satisfying parents who want teens to grow spiritually and YA readers who want to grow closer to God. In addition, teens listen to someone who takes time to understand their world, Leep said.

 "We've seen the same principle at work with other teen titles we've published, particularly those tackling perennial teen topics such as dating," she said. "Here again, parents want their teens to be getting solid, biblically sound advice. And it's a topic teens are interested in reading about, provided an author seems to 'get' them and the content is presented in a format that keeps their attention."

Still, Christians can't sacrifice quality to see the same explosion in the category as in the general market, said Shannon Marchese, senior editor, fiction at The WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. 

Because many general market titles include dark themes, the Random House division is committed to offering creative, entertaining reads that offer hope, Marchese said. 

As examples of Christian success stories, she points to Donita K. Paul's "The DragonKeeper Chronicles," a five-book series with more than 300,000 copies sold; Chuck Black's six-volume "Kingdom" series and Robin Jones Gunn's "Christy Miller Collection" novels.

Despite WaterBrook's long history with YA books, it still faces challenges in reaching an audience that is constantly shifting. 

"As with a number of demographics these days, marketing strategies from recent years do not connect directly with the intended reader," Marchese said. "The challenge is establishing contact with that 13-to-18-year-old reader and beginning a relationship with them in which they see you as a valuable content provider."

MORE THAN FICTION

Fantasy fiction isn't the only segment reaching teens. Multnomah Books has a pair of popular nonfiction titles by twins Alex and Brett Harris. The brothers' "Rebelution" blog led to their first book, Do Hard Things (2008), followed by Start Here (March 2010).

"The success of Do Hard Things and others like it suggests to me that a growing number of teens are suspicious of messages that major on production value or trends and minor on enduring truths, even if those truths are difficult," said Executive Editor David Kopp.

Another nonfiction entry from WaterBrook Press addresses such topics as moral boundaries, romance addictions and what to do if a boyfriend is using porn. What Are You Waiting For? by Dannah Gresh released in January. 

Others have tackled real-life issues. Among Thomas Nelson's 2010 releases were A Guy's Guide to Life by Jason Boyett (June) and A Girl's Guide to Life by Katie Meier (June), both revised books, and perennial best-selling author Max Lucado's You Were Made to Make a Difference. He co-authored the September release with his daughter, Jenna Lucado Bishop.

In February, Nelson released repackages of teen speaker Chad Eastham's The Truth About Dating, Love & Just Being Friends and veteran author Susie Shellenberger's Girl Talk With God.

New nonfiction releases from NavPress include The Grad's Guide to Surviving Stressful Times compiled by the Think staff (March); and An Exposé on Teen Sex and Dating by Andy Braner (May). Though aimed at parents and youth leaders, the latter could end up reaching YA audiences.

"We feel the key to winning this audience's attention is to resonate with relevance," Guzman said. "We focus on keeping current with the issues and topics young adults are dealing with rather than trends that may come or go quickly in this fast-paced culture." 

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