While I write YA fiction in multiple genres—from suspense to fantasy to urban fantasy—all my characters encounter similar social issues as we do in our daily lives. Beyond the typical turmoil all teens experience, my novels incorporate serious social problems that are in our society, like human trafficking, drug use, abuse, and poverty. These are important social problems many young people face, but that are seldom addressed in the media or YA novels, though that is changing. I write about these difficult topics, but I include action, humor, and romance alongside them so that my books are entertaining rather than bleak.
My goal in writing these novels is to educate, yes, but mostly to inspire. While I want readers to learn about the severity of these social issues to help avoid them, for those who are already caught in poverty or abuse, I want them to feel inspired after reading my books. By seeing how my characters combat similar circumstances and survive, I want to give teens in those same situations hope and the courage to create better lives for themselves. Even if you never experience any of the issues I include in my books (as I hope is the case for most readers) my goal is that the strength my characters have in confronting their fears and opposition inspires you to overcome whatever challenges, be they internal or external, that you face in your own life.
Allison Burton 