Janet B Taylor- Writer of YA/HisFic/Time Travel

Gonna take a little break from Teens Through Time to share some very exciting news.

OK- Now that I have your full attention! *smirk*

Last week, one of my dreams came true.

No…For reals.

I’m talking Dream. Come. True.

Last Tuesday, I agreed to an offer of representation from the fan-freaking-tabulous *drumroll*…Mollie Glick of Foundry Lit.

Mollie reps such amazing writers as Gen Albin (CREWEL), Josephine Angelini (STARCROSSED), Rebecca Serle (WHEN YOU WERE MINE), and tons of other incredibly talented authors.

These guys are so spectacular, I can’t believe I’m even a junior member–the towel girl–on the same team.

Mollie was a dream agent for me. (There’s that dang word again) One of those pie-in-the-sky agents you fantasize will offer, but that you know deep down is waaaaayyy out of your league. I was driving with my mom when it happened. I had to pull over to the side of the road to keep from flying off the side of a mountain.

I have lots of work ahead of me. And I’m sure there’s plenty of heartache in store. But before the pressure really hits…Just for a little while…I wanna bask in the gooey agentedness (not a word, I know, but roll with me here) I wake up to each morning.

Are you newly agented? Do you feel a little nervous and intimidated by the terrific authors your agent already reps?

Are you seeking an agent?

If you are still striving toward that goal, please listen to my advice. I know what I’m talking about here.

KEEP TRYING! Keep working. Keep leaning the craft and keep perfecting your novel. I’m here to tell you it can happen. If it happened for me it will happen for you. But you must…

Never give up…Never surrender!!

Thanks for listening and have a super day!!

Teens Through Time-Part 2 Parents

What is a universal theme that all Teens through Time, all characters in YA Hisfic or YA Time Travel have in common?

“Issues” with their Parents.

That’s right. It doesn’t matter if we were born in medieval days, the Victorian era, or if we’re walking the earth today..There is something inside us all that–once we reach a certain age–makes us inherently want to rebel against the folks.

Things have changed over the years, believe it or not. Modern teens may think they have it rough. That they have little say in how they live their lives. But when we look at the kind of control parents once had over the lives of their young ones, kids today have it pretty easy.

Up until a relatively short time ago, parents made all life decisions for their children. Particularly their daughters. Sure, the sons may have been given freedom to take off on adventures. Go to University. Take fun vacations with their friends around the ‘continent.’ Boys could even decide to go to war–against the wishes of their parents–and their wasn’t much Mom and Dad could do about it.

For girls it was much different. Can you imagine? We of the X chromosome still had to OBEY. Totally and completely. From the time they we were born till the day our dads walked us down the aisle and “gave” us to another man, (sometimes against our wills) where we vowed to…you guessed it…OBEY him. (Who’s glad we removed that little clause out of modern wedding vows?)

*shudder* Can you imagine? Little to no freedom. Your entire life ruled by one man or another. It’s astonishing when you think about the fact that in the course of history, women have only gained a significant measure of freedom in the last century. And when I say ‘women,’ that freedom still didn’t apply to teenagers.

And maybe–in this day and age, and in most cases–that’s a good thing. For those of us who are “slightly” past the teenage years, we can look back on some of the decisions we wanted to make in those days and thank our lucky stars we had parents who said…. “NO WAY!”

Coming next week in Teens Through Time….BOYS.