A friends book

[Nosquit]

New user, (literally just signed up) but used to have an account a while back which I’ve lost all details of!

So.... a friend of mine is a self published author and is writing a new book which I am not totally comfortable with and would like to garner opinion from mumsnet if I was right to advise her against it or not. (This is not market research - I got onto an argument with her tonight over it and I’m now thinking maybe I was U)

So.. so far her books have been mainly aimed at the 12-16 year old market with the main protagonists being of a similar age to that.
However her latest book is aimed at the adult market and has been billed as a “sexual romance with harem influences and some ‘bully boy’ sexual fantasies” - nothing wrong with that if she wants to branch out, after all JK Rowling and other kids authorised have done it. BUT today I found out that the main protagonists are all 16 year olds and some of them are in school. The main female character in the story, who is the centre of attention for about 6 guys she is having sex with, starts the book at 15 but the main action takes place when she is 16.

It just doesn’t sit right with me as 16 seems very young for main characters for that type of story. I mean 16 year olds have sex, but there’s sex and sex if you know what I mean. What if kids who read her other books get hold of a copy?

AIBU to advise her against writing it, or at least changing the age of the characters to 18 plus? Or at the very least to advise her to use a Pen name for it that is different to her name she uses for her kids books? I have been told that sort of stuff sells but I don’t know. I think of myself as very liberal, but it makes me uncomfortable to be honest.

I’m fully aware I might be being unreasonable here, but my DH agrees with me. I want to be a good friend and support her venture but not sure how I can right now.

It's true that you can see some very dubious self-published stuff on Amazon but if anyone reports a title for containing underage sex, down it goes. (Well, unless the author is an already-famous middle-aged white man who can claim it's 'literature')

Just to clarify: AFAIK All the main characters in the book are around 16 years of age, not that it makes it any better in my eyes!
I’ve told her how I feel and her only response is “Well they are legally allowed to have sex at that age and other books and movies have teen sex in! It wouldn’t work with them being older because XYZ!”
I think I’ve persuaded her to at least use a pen name that’s different to her other books. She has also accepted that if she goes ahead that I don’t want to be involved with the creative process. (But am happy to still for her other books.)

I just feel I’m learning something about her that I don’t really like through this.

legally allowed to have sex at that age and other books and movies have teen sex in!

She doesn’t sound like a great author for children if she can’t think through the possible negative emotions for her female teen character of having sex with a load of different guys... I know this book is not for kids, but if she can’t take opinions on board or see the issues with this then she’s not going to be a successful writer.

I don't see a real issue with 16+ characters having sex in literature; it depends on how trashy the book is going to be on whether it'll be cringeworthy or just totally OK. Sixteen is not the age of consent everywhere, so that's something to keep in mind, but it is in the UK, so I wouldn't make a big deal out of that (you can give an honest opinion on the cringe factor).

However, considering her previous publications, I would indeed strongly recommend a pen name. You really don't want to mix these genres and audiences. You can just explain this rationally, without judgement, and if she is in any way sensible, I am sure she will understand.

OK, because I am nosy I have done a bit of digging (absolutely nothing to do with seeking your your friend's identity, OP so please don't worry.)
There is a category called 'bully romance' which is clearly the Next Big Thing at least in the world of romance novels. It appears to be on the borders of YA romance and hot romance, and the main plots appear to be a version of 'couple hate each other but they really love each other.)
So your friend has made a reasonably intelligent and understandable business decision to have a go at this new genre, but it's clearly hit the sort of bandwagon-jumping level which means that to sell more than a handful of books she would have to be either really good or really lucky. And she would still be better off doing it under a pen name, and you are still entirely reasonable to let her know that you don't like the subject matter of this new book and would rather not beta-read that genre.

ReanimatedSGB Thanks.

So we’ve come to the agreement that I will have nothing to do with this latest book. I will still support her in whatever but I just won’t read this particular book. I don’t think she is happy with it, but she has accepted it.