Choices is an intense, emotional read - mostly because of the domestic violence scenes. I didn't like writing them but that's the world Shauntice lives in; the world I lived in growing up. I didn't like writing the acquaintance rape scene either, but there is a lesson there. So, if you like intense, emotional, oh, and fast-paced... if you like stories that evoke just about every emotion (I laughed, got angry and even cried at times as I wrote it), Choices will satisfy.
If you're a parent who isn't quite sure how to talk to your teen about sex, Choices could spark that much needed conversation. And if you're a teen looking for a book with believable characters you can relate to or you'd just like to see how Shauntice, Angel, LaKeeta, Bridgette and Hope deal with the whole 'boyfriend/sex thing', then Choices is a good book to read. I do believe you will be entertained, even uplifted at times, and you will also learn something. In fact, there are messages for both parents and teens, however, the most important message I wanted to send to teenage girls is this: When you mess up (and we all do) it's never too late to begin again.
As a Christian, I could not write a story that did not include the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Shauntice, LaKeeta, Bridgette & Hope are Christians), but with some of the content in Choices I didn't think I should label it Christian Fiction. Still, others have tagged it Christian Fiction. (Feel free to check out the APOOO BookClub review on Amazon) So if you are a reader who enjoys Christian Fiction (the genre I most prefer, by the way) and you don't have a problem reading a book that steps 'outside the box' of what some people believe Christian Fiction should be, then I believe you will enjoy my book. Just so you know, if you haven't figured it out already: This is not a goody-goody story, it is in no way preachy, and, yes, some of the teen characters engage in sex just like teenagers do in the real world; whether non-Christian or Christian. I leave the consensual sex to the reader's imagination but, sadly, the acquaintance rape is vivid because I figured teenage girls who read this book wouldn't get the particular message I wanted to send unless they felt this character's pain.
This is young adult fiction for mature readers. I received an email from an adult reader a while back who described it something like this: It's not a teen book, it's an adult book about teens. I'm thinking it was a pretty deep read for her. So if you like 'deep' teen fiction, then this is a book you should read .
Choices has also been tagged as Urban Fiction (I'm thinking because the story takes place in the city of York, PA) so if you enjoy that genre you may want to give my debut novel a try.
If you've read Choices, thanks very much. And if you'd like to email me to let me know what you thought of the story -what you liked or didn't like, who you liked or didn't like, who you could identify with, which part of the story you liked best, what you learned from it, your favorite character -I'd be glad to hear from you.
If you haven't read my book, I'd like to invite you to stop by my website where you can learn a bit more about the story and even enjoy a few music videos -
http://www.kapribooks.com/. If you decide to purchase a copy of Choices once you have more information, your support will be greatly appreciated!
On Saturday, October 10, 2009, I put myself out there for the first time. I was nervous at first because I didn't know what to expect but everything went well. A lot of people who were genuinely interested in Choices stopped by my table. Twenty copies were sold. I was hoping for more, of course, but I do thank God for each and every sale. Some who didn't buy a copy on Saturday did say they might go oline to buy a copy later. I hope they do because I really believe they'll enjoy the story. An...
