“When Polly Robinson visits the village of Charity Cove, she becomes the victim of a devilish cult.”

This is what Cruel Cove is about.

“Polly’s vacation in the coastal village of Charity Cove quickly turns into the ‘holiday in hell’.  Though Aunt Emily and young cousins Arnold and Elliot welcome her, it’s harder to understand  her cousin Skye’s unpredictable moods. Polly’s first night in Cove, she learns that Derek Somerset is manipulating a village desperate for money through the re-introduction of an ancient cult. The only positive for Polly is her growing romance with Rudi Somerset. Rudi is equally interested in Polly. But his father has plans for Polly, plans Rudi doesn’t like.  How can he warn her? And why is Polly’s mother telling her lies? If she can’t trust her own mother, who can she trust?”

I started this YA novel some years ago, and when I couldn’t get it to work, it ended up at the back of my computer. But the current self – isolation meant that I had enough time to clean up old files. I read it again and thought it showed enough promise for resurrection.  But more needed to be fleshed out and Rudi’s thoughts added.

I was interested in how adolescence can make a youngster rebel against strict parenting, and how certain unexpected events can help a protagonist achieve growth and independence. In “Cruel Cove” Polly has a double problem.  She is a diabetic who must watch her food intake very carefully. As well, she has nightmares, predictions, about unfortunate events that have yet to take place. With no father or siblings, a school where Polly won a scholarship but where she doesn’t fit in, and a mother determined that they both succeed, Polly finds growing up difficult.

A small reprieve happens when Polly holidays in Charity Cove with her aunt and cousins. Only things don’t turn out the way she might have hoped – apart from falling for Rudi Somerset. As Polly’s diabetes dominates her life and Rudi stutters badly, both struggle against dominating parents. Meanwhile Charity Cove is suffering from a lack of employment. Will the building of a giant hotel with a wonderful view make a difference? All this makes Charity Cove a natural place to promote a secret cult that promises the locals a far better life.

At their core, YA books are for and about teenagers, usually between 12 and 18 years old, but sometimes younger. Yet certain titles are considered mainstream fiction for adults and often turned in movies. Some authors believe the intent to write for young readers is a prerequisite of YA fiction; others don’t even realize their books will be labelled as YA until after they finish writing. But it isn’t just that the main characters are teens. It’s that the novel actually sees the world through a youngster’s eyes.

Many successful authors say there’s no secret to writing for teenagers. Good writing is good writing. Believable characters, compelling plots and believable dialogue is crucial regardless of who picks up the book. But many YA authors will also tell you there’s something particularly fulfilling and rewarding about writing for youngsters who will respond to stories they identify with more intensely than adult readers.

Good YA writing doesn’t make the reader scratch his head because either the writing or the story becomes too complicated.  It’s all about perspective. Good YA novels take you into the minds of the young protagonists. The defining characteristic of YA literature is emotional truth. The characters are all dealing with issues of who they are, who they should be, and in their own ways, what they should and shouldn’t do.