Mum, what's a blow queen? : Tracking the emergence of the steamies genre

The fast-changing sub genres within contemporary Young Adult (YA) fiction are leading to a wide range of emerging themes and concepts that are, moreover being read by an increasingly younger market. Investigation of the emerging 'Steamies' sub-genre (part of the established New Adult age category) will elucidate evidence of parallel indicators that have the potential to impact upon the YA field. The implications of this discussion are relevant to a wide range of stakeholders in YA popular fiction: authors, publishers and thier marketing departments: readers and their families: teachers, lecturers, librarians and curriculum designers: scholars of YA fiction and others including researchers in the tertiary sector.