Do you cheat on your writing and/or reading for children? How do you feel about that?

For example, I have an adult text to read to prepare for a new job, a saint’s musings to pray through, and a Jasper Forde gift from a friend in my pile. Yet what did I curl up with this past weekend? Harry Potter. My relationship with children’s fiction is just one I don’t want to leave. I do feel guilty about my infidelity –  why indulge in mature fare when I have several stacks of novels that can help me get the feel for the voice and market of the audience I want to write for?

Editorial Anonymous says not to write for children if you don’t have anything to say to them or about the experience. That’s how I feel about writing for adults. Now, I have several things I’d like to say to adults, but nothing that merits as literary fiction, a crime novel, sci-fi, or romance (ha!).

Yet what about the fact that most high school students (especially the older teens) read primarily adult fiction (the classics)? Is it difficult to get a 17-year-old to read about a 17-year-old? The common rule is to say that it’s more likely the 14-year-old younger sister is reading that book. Then there’s the Alex Award, given by the ALA to the best books in adult fiction that appeal to teenagers.

Is switching to an adult POV worth contemplating? How does one go about it? Or is it like any other love affair, and you just fall into it?