Why the "mature" rating?

First of all, I absolutely did not want anyone who has read anything I have written before to expect G rated material.  I want people to know that up front and I tried to make that clear with an “R” rating and the blurb on the back of the book.  I especially do not want moms allowing their teens to read the book without their consent.  My teens, both seventeen, are not allowed to read it yet and this mainly has to do with the first chapter of the book.  It deals with Joe’s very dark state of mind, his struggle and, in part, his consent to the temptation to get drunk and have sex.

From the beginning, I knew this character was in a dark place mentally and he needed to be there so that hope would be a bright contrast to despair.

Also, there are at times the usage of strong language and flashbacks to show abuse Joe suffered in his childhood.

But this is not a bodice ripper, nor is the plot driven by sexual tension as romances tend to be these days.  Sharon Cummings of CMOMC.org said that the book is clean and refreshing.

What I have is a man in a very dark place who needs to come to the light and for that, I rated it “R”. 

Besides, in my perfect world, authors would have the courtesy of rating their own books before you read them (especially if they deserved a “mature” rating) so you’d be prepared up front and know what you were going to put into your mind ahead of time.  I took a chance with the rating, and may lose some readers, but hopefully gain their respect and the respect of my audience.  That’s important to me.

Inheritance by Lisa Barker - Best price: $11.89 when you buy it at Lulu.com.