How I Miscategorized My Book: Why I'm so glad the readers it was meant for found it.

Three Reasons My Book Was Miscategorized

The readers have spoken, and they are not the seniors in high school. The majority of my readers have been adults above middle age, and I am thrilled.

Interestingly, before publication, I knew it would be somewhat difficult to target my audience for several reasons.

1.    Back Cover Space Limitations

The back cover copy only has so much space, and explaining that the story is told in

retrospect from an adult's teenage perspective took too much space from the hook and

marketing copy.

2.    Historical Fiction Timing Misalignment

Though WHISPERS OF SEA GLASS is considered historical fiction, most young adult

readers interested in this category are thinking "nineteenth century or earlier," not "mid- century 20th century---1950s." When YA readers see "historical fiction," they're

expecting Victorian dresses or Civil War drama, not poodle skirts, saddle shoes, and Elvis, along with the cultural nuances of the time period. (Sidenote: The book industry considers any novel set fifty years before the current day to be historical fiction).

3.    Protagonist Age Assumption

Since the book is told from the sixteen-year-old perspective, I assumed the audience would be in that age range as well. That's a natural assumption for coming-of-age stories--but it's not always accurate. Sometimes the story isn't about being sixteen; it's about remembering what it was like to be sixteen, and what those years meant when you look back on them as an adult.

So, how did I discover my real audience? The readers showed me.

4. Why Seniors Love This Book

The readers who've embraced this book aren't teens. They're the generation that lived through this time period, have memories of the stories their parents shared, and/or lived through reruns of TV shows like "Happy Days" or the movie "American Graffiti."

The music, the movies, the nostalgia of the way life was, all bring them back to a time that has lain dormant in their memories. They're not reading about a stranger's coming of age. They're revisiting their own connection to the time period.

That's the beauty of retrospective storytelling. It's not just about growing up. It's about

looking back and understanding what those years meant, how different times were, and how some things are still the same.

By Popular Demand: New Large Print Hardcover Edition

By popular demand from my adult readers, this edition is now available with a beautiful new large print hardcover format--offering enhanced readability and a timeless, collectible

presentation ideal for:

• Book clubs

• 55+ Communities

• Avid readers

• Anyone who appreciates a more comfortable reading experience

• Gift-givers looking for an author-signed copy

Whether you're a young adult with an old soul, a young-at-heart senior citizen drawn to mid-century historical fiction, or somewhere in between, you will find this edition pleasing to the eye. This layered, coming-of-age story has depth and mysteries rooted in personal history, and also includes a study guide at the end.

And if you happen to see the book labeled "young adult," just remember, it is written for the part of us that still lingers in those in-between years, when everything felt possible, and nothing was quite understood. Click below to read Amazon book reviews of WHISPERS OF SEA GLASS.

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