Quizzing “Horrified Teenage Boys”

Having started to think out a novel from a male teenager's point of view, author Garret Freymann-Weyr realized she had to do more research. So, as she described on Publishers Weekly, she talked to some male contemporaries and to some "brave, horrified teenage boys whose mothers pushed them my way."

Freymann-Weyr was surprised to learn that teen-aged boys:

• think about sex. Even when they've just had sex.
• think about cars. Even when they were just in cars.
• really like cars and sex.

I can't believe that Freymann-Weyr hadn't heard those mentioned as traits of the male teenager. Perhaps what surprised her is that they hold true even for thoughtful teenaged boys of the type she planned to write about. Perhaps she hoped that we thoughtful boys were different.

The novel is After the Moment. And, judging by that jacket design, it's not going to be promoted to teen-aged boys. Maybe if there was a car on it.