What's really Beyond the Veil?

It has been an incredible journey thus far as I write my novel, Beyond the Veil. I am both sad and excited to say that journey has almost reached its end. Or perhaps it is not over, perhaps it is only that this journey has reached a new peak.
My book is nearly finished. In fact, I am sending it off to an editor at the end of this month!! Needless to say, I am extremely excited about this; just one step closer to you guys being able to read it.

Over the past few weeks, I have spoken with several fellow authors via social media. It's great to feel inspired and motivated by people who are interested in the same things. I was also given some insight about my own writing: who is my target audience? Who am I writing for? What is the genre of my book? What is the purpose of my book, and what is my book really about?

1. Who is my target audience?
These questions may seem pretty basic, but I had hardly thought about them.
To answer the first question, who is my target audience? I believe the audience of a book is very subjective. I am no longer in my teens, but I enjoy a wide variety of YA novels, written for teenagers. I also enjoy fairy tales written for children. However, if I had to compare my novel to just one book, I would compare it to Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. I was about 12 or 13 when I read it, though I believe it can be enjoyed by any age. That's what good literature is; it's timeless and very subjective.
Of course, if I had to put a label on Beyond the Veil, I'd guess the age group is roughly ages 10+?? While a younger audience may enjoy the story, I do not think someone younger would understand much of the dropped hints into the history of medieval England or the fairy lore mentioned throughout. That being said, the protagonist in the story is 12 years old - and a girl.
Parents, if you're reading this, keep in mind it was called the Dark Ages for a reason, though my story takes place at the very start of the Renaissance era. If you're considering reading my book once it's published, I'd love to know so I have an idea of who's interested. Please hit me up through the contact form!! :)

2. What is the genre of my book?
The genre of Beyond the Veil is fantasy. However, I recently learned that fantasy opens up a huge category of subgenres, including high fantasy, low fantasy, epic, myths and legends, etc. Based on what little knowledge I have on each of these, I would label my own novel Low Fantasy. It is about magical beings in a magical forest, but takes place in the real world with real people who do not believe in magic.

3. What is the purpose of my book?
The purpose of my book is simple. I do not wish to teach you something which you do not already know, nor do I wish to tell you something you have heard a thousand times. I do not write because I have a story I think you need to hear. I write because I have a story burning within me, desperately trying to escape. I had to write it. The purpose of my book is to entertain.

4. What is my book really about?
No book is about just one thing, is it? One might be tempted to say that a romance story is about love. But what about the characters? Who were they? What were their goals? What did they learn about themselves and what did they overcome?
My book is about a fairy named Hollyhocks who lives in the fairy realm near a village in England in the 15th century. Holly begins to explore the human world beyond the veil and is quickly fascinated with everything she sees. Perhaps by chance, she meets and befriends the young Edward V who is imprisoned in the Tower of London. Hollyhocks and her fairy friends, JuJuBee and Shaylee, explore the world and meet new friends along the way, experiencing both joy and sadness beyond any of their expectations.
Beyond the Veil is about so much more than a mere fairy and her magical adventures though. It's about the beauty of childhood innocence, but also the darkness that comes with it. That's the curse of childhood - the darkness is always there, they are just usually unaware of it.
It's also about friendship and doing anything for those you care about, even if it doesn't always make sense. It's about being hurt and broken down in a cruel world. And sometimes, when one is down, they need a hand getting back up again. They are not weak. They just need to be shown that they have the strength to overcome the darkness. They need to be shown that they don't have to go through it alone. That's what friends are for.

5. More about my book.
I do wish to point out a few themes from Beyond the Veil. The story has some dark tones, in the sense that the Forest is filled with magical creatures and not all of them are pleasant. Second, true to the time that the story takes place, there is a witch, though her part is small. Third, several characters die including a child, though only one death is written about graphically. The story also features some hints of the Christian faith (mentions of God, Heaven, angels, demons, and going to a chapel to pray).
Thank you so much for reading and please let me know your thoughts on Beyond the Veil. ;)

Yours truly,
Me.