I Have Seen the Light!

Friends, readers, we come together today to sing out in praise of the great gospel of YA! We are young and a little less young, black, white and brown, woman and at least two men (Hi Brian and Antony!), but we are all brothers and sisters in YA.

How many of us remember the dark days before finding YA? Raise those hands high! Some of you might never have left the fold, but most of us remember striking out on our own, full of doubts and pride, turning to the likes of Jonathan Franzen and Gary Shteyngart, or Dostoevsky or Ibsen. But today, we have seen the light! And we're not ashamed to let everyone know WE HAVE BEEN SAVED! So join us in singing the YAngelist anthem as we come down to the front to share our testimonies. And because the rewards in the church of YA are here on earth, bear your testimony in the comments, and we'll pick one or two for a really awesome secret prize. Can I get a "Hallelujah!!"?

From Sister Erin:

Oh, praise Cabot, I am saved! Saved from an all-adult lit future, that is. I was saved in the way many people are saved: a televangelist with shiny hair took my money. That televangelist was Meg Cabot and, okay, she didn't, like, physically take my money, but I offered up tithings to hear the good word. And that word was that even when you are a nobody with triangle shaped hair and a flat chest, inside you are a kickass princess, devoted to spreading justice and drawing magical skills from your Queen Amidala panties. Even though my hair is more rhombus-shaped and my chest is demonstrably not flat (my contract with FYA prevents me from discussing my panties at length), I learned that I, too, could recapture that time when the world was at my feet. The power of YA compels me!

From Sister Posh D:

Before I became saved by YA, my life was a dreary haze of depressing heroines, un-swoonworthy boys and hopeless story lines. When I hung out with my friends, we didn't have exciting plot twists and strong characters to analyze, so instead, we were forced to talk about our boring lives. And the worst part is that we didn't even realize there was a better, more fulfilling way to live! It wasn't until I picked up my first Sarah Dessen that I discovered the hope and excitement and tingling romance that now completes my literary life. I have been born again, and I urge you to accept the gospel of YA into your heart so that you, too, can experience this supreme joy!

From Sister Jenny:

Before I met YA as my personal savior, I was lost in a sea of 'adult' literature, where characters were full of regrets, bitterness and misery. I was despondent, and without realizing it, had almost given up hope in reading. Then was encouraged to give Suzanne Collins and Sara Zarr a try, and now YA lives in my heart! My faith in reading is restored, and now I look forward to new books with a zealous fervor! Hallelujah!

From our h-less sister Megan:

It was my senior year of college and I was having a bad case of the thesis blues. To perk myself up, I took a walk over to the local public library and checked myself out a stack of middle-grade. I was so happy to be reminded that reading was fun, that it was something I loved it to. Once I graduated, it was all books, all the time (because who wants to look for a job?) Eventually I started learning more and more about YA. It had all the heart of the middle-grade I was reading, with the meat of my adult lit. Once I read Hunger Games (which was like a baptism, first communion and confirmation all rolled into one) my YA conversion was complete and I haven't looked back since, only forward. My friends, do you have a personal relationship with Suzanne Collins?

From Sister Meghan:

I remember the dark days of hiding my interest in books about princesses and cute boys behind my job. I had to read them -- I'm a librarian! I'd insist I read other, more erudite tomes in my spare time. But I came to realize the high price of trying to look cool, and I realized nothing is as cool as loving YA and being proud of it. So now, instead of being low on elliptical, stream-of-consciousness zeitgeists about depressing adult problems, I'm high on first crushes, and I have dedicated my life to helping others come to accept the true faith.

Amen, sisters! Come on down and share your stories of trial and tribulation, leading to the peace we all find in YA.