WESTVILLE FAQ:
Is your book appropriate for my kid?
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I’ve heard it said that fiction is an 'empathy machine'.
Sure, you might not walk away with a list of principles, business strategies, or productivity hacks like in nonfiction.
But what you do gain is something deeper—an invitation to walk in someone else’s shoes. To see through their eyes. And in fiction, perhaps more than any other art form, that experience becomes tangible.
When you read a story, you're hovering inside the mind of a character—through the good, the bad, and the ugly. The stuff most of us curate for others, and even for ourselves. And the human mind, when given that window, can render a more emotionally vivid and visceral experience than any screen ever could.
Since releasing Welcome to Westville two months ago, I’ve recently gone through and made a light revision pass for the second print run—tightening up small errors, clarifying a few beats, and most notably, toning down the language to make it more accessible for younger readers.
I wrote this book as a YA/Adult crossover, with teens in mind—and I always knew some mature middle grade readers might pick it up too.
I made these revisions with some trepidation. I never want to neuter a story’s emotional honesty—but I do want this one to be experienced by as wide a range of readers as possible. I want it to read like you're engaging in the real world and the real headspace of the people you're following.
Through it all, it retains character voice and real-world verisimilitude. (small town rural Michigan in the 90s)
Here’s the reality: even the first print run of Welcome To Westville was cleaner in language and content than 80% of what’s out there in YA fiction or mainstream teen streaming shows.
With the update, it’s now closer to 95%.
There’s no sexual content of any kind. Profanity is used with restraint sparingly, only to reflect intense moments and character dialogue authenticity—never for shock value. (No f-bombs, no slurs, no casual cruelty.)
Yes, there are scary sequences—it’s a supernatural thriller, after all—but nothing graphic or gratuitous.
The story explores missing persons, death, and grief, but does so with care.
Character is at the heart of every scene. And if there’s a pulse behind Westville, it’s empathy, courage, and finding hope in the dark.
If you’re a teacher, librarian, or parent looking for a compelling, age-appropriate read that blends suspense, small-town mystery, and emotional depth—I’d love for Welcome to Westville to find a place on your shelf.
I'm happy to send over a content brief or a sample chapter if you'd like to preview it. Just reach out.
Thanks for supporting stories that take all readers seriously—without talking down to them—and that carry us through the shadows and, just maybe, leave us changed on the other side.
—Ryder
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