It's NaNoWriMo Time!

Greetings! If you are a writer, chances are good that you know all about National Novel Writing Month. If you aren't, or if you don't know about it, go here to learn about this terrific way to give your writing a huge boost!

I'm writing the tenth book in the Tales of Telmaja series this November. I'm excited! This will be the final book in the series, making this the first series I've finished so far

Happy writing!

Edgy fiction and the young reader

The following is a re-post of a piece I wrote before on a website I'm no longer using, but since it helps to explain my writing philosophy I wanted to share it here:

Whenever I write about what's wrong with children's fiction today, someone invariably asks: "What's wrong with edgy fiction? Don't the great classics of literature feature adult themes and language too? If a seventh-grader can read Shakespeare, why can't she read the latest YA paranormal romance title?" I could easily write pages on this topic, but to keep things brief, here are some guidelines when evaluating whether edgy fiction is right for your kids:

1. Does the work have excellent overall literary merit? Is it thoughtful and thought-provoking or is it mere "fluff" for entertainment purposes?

2. Does the work contain graphic sexual or gratuitously violent content that is well beyond the level your child is ready to read? Is there an extreme amount of crude or obscene language or swearing?

3. Has your child read enough classic adult fiction to be able to put modern works in context, or is he or she still just beginning to venture beyond children's fiction?

4. Does the work explore universal themes and contain at least some clear moral values, or does the fictional universe promote immorality, situational ethics, and wrongdoing as things that are actually good when the protagonists indulge in them?

These ideas are just a start, of course. What things do you pay attention to when evaluating modern intermediate or YA fiction for your child?

Who I am, and why I write

Welcome! My name is Erin Manning, and I write clean Young Adult fiction for ages 12 and up.

I'm an avid reader and I've been telling and writing stories pretty much my whole life. My favorite books have always been works of imaginative fiction that take you to mysterious lands, far-off planets, or mystical realms of wonder and magic. One of my greatest joys as a homeschooling mom was getting to introduce my three daughters to some of my favorite books and authors and to join with my girls in the quest to find new, exciting books that would inspire them.

There are a lot of really good new young adult being written today. Unfortunately, publishing has changed. Books for young adults, which are marketed to children as young as twelve, often contain overt and graphic sexual content, gratuitous violence, obscene language, and morally ambiguous use of drugs and alcohol. YA books don't have to be like this, and self-publishing offers writers like me a way to make a difference. 

My tremendously supportive husband has always encouraged me to continue writing, and I started writing  while I was still teaching our daughters at home. My first book, The Telmaj, was published in 2012. 

I continued homeschooling our daughters until our youngest finished high school in 2016. I also continued writing books in the Tales of Telmaja series and began several other writing projects, including a new series, The Adventures of Ordinary Sam. None of my books would be possible without the efforts of my volunteer Advance Reader Team, whose help is invaluable to me.

Currently I have fifteen books available. Please click on the "Buy My Books Here" tab at the top of this page to visit my Amazon Author page and learn a lot more about each book I've written. And if you have any questions, please contact me!