Ginger Nuts of Horror is a fabulous website for those whose tastes in fiction run a little bit... bloody!! Last Halloween they published an article about the lack of male lead characters in YA horror books, and to balance the books, they listed lots of horror books for older kids and teens which feature a boy in the leading role. Two of my lead characters, from two different series, got a shout out -- to find out which, click here: https://gingernutsofhorror.com/young-blood/the-boys-are-back-in-town-a-ya-horror-halloween-special

While I wasn't aware specifically of the disappearing male lead character in YA horror books, I've long been aware that many publishers shortchange teenage boys, on the absurd basis that "teenage boys don't read books." This was a problem I faced back in 1997, which I was trying to find a publisher for Cirque Du Freak. One editor even told me, "We don't publish books for teenage boys, because teenage boys don't read." That attitude astonished and saddened me back then, and it's such a shame that this still seems to be the case more than two decades later. Sure, we all know that teenage boys are going through a time of great change in their lives, and books do have a lot to compete with if they're going to capture their attention -- but GOOD books, written with teenage boys in mind, CAN and DO succeed, IF publishers give them a chance, and actively and imaginatively promote them.