The Writer’s Reading Corner: Nadia L. King #YA #contemporary #amreading

It’s Friday! We had a gorgeous day here yesterday, temp around 70 degrees, but today is supposed to be colder and rainy. My guest today is Nadia L. King, and seeing her picture by the pool below makes me think about how much I also love reading on the beach or by a pool – now I just need a vacation in a warmer climate. Welcome, Nadia!

Recently, I read A.S.King’s novel, Please Ignore Vera Dietz while on holiday in Singapore (hence the picture in front of the hotel pool).

Vera Dietz is seventeen years old and trying desperately to avoid her destiny which she mistakenly takes to be her parents’ past–Loserdom–pregnant at seventeen like her mother and a drunk like her father. But Vera is a sassy, strong female protagonist who is so sensible she could literally run the small town from whence she hails. Her mother left for Las Vegas with her podiatrist boyfriend when Vera was twelve, and Vera struggles to come to terms with her mother’s abandonment and the aftermath of the meaningless death of her best friend, Charlie.

In Please Ignore Vera Dietz, King tackles issues modern society prefers to ignore, the very issues we should never ignore–wife beating, child abuse, rape, alcohol abuse and gambling.

The novel is told in first-person with past and present cleverly interwoven. POV’s of Charlie, Vera’s dad, and even the inanimate Pagoda pop lively into the narrative offering unique insights.

I highly recommend Please Ignore Vera Dietz for young adult audiences who want more than a romance story or a token vampire. King goes deeper to prick her readers to life and I am certain this book will become a cult young adult book.

My debut book, Jenna’s Truth was inspired by Amanda Todd’s tragic story of bullying. It’s more than just a teen story—it’s a lesson in empathy, self-awareness, and speaking out about what matters, especially bullying. Jenna’s Truth explores themes of cyberbullying, teen drinking, sex, and suicide. Life isn’t black and white, and sometimes teens can be the most insensitive people.

A new and revised edition of Jenna’s Truth will be available in April 2018 from Serenity Press (https://www.serenitypress.org/product-page/jenna-s-truth).

Nadia’s Bio

Australian author, Nadia L King, was born in Dublin, Ireland. Nadia is a YA author and short story writer. She is passionate about changing lives through fiction. Nadia lives with her family in Western Australia.