Gods Love the Bookstore

**OK, I missed last week. It was Friday before I realized with all the hub-ub of Christmas my writing and indeed the blog kind of went the way of the dodo. But looking back, we were supposed to write about conferences anyway, and since I've never been to one, I wouldn't have had anything to write about anyway**


I love my local book store. I really do. Not only is nearly every type and title of book available to browse and buy, but the gods blood (ie coffee) is made fresh for me. No more stumbeling downstairs 5 seconds after I wake up and try to make the stuf myself. But then comes the problem of where to find what I'm looking for.

Paranormal books are a bit peevish to find in the local mega store. I've found that if I want to find something with a paranormal bent, I have to look for the subgenre. Paranormal mystery. Paranormal true life. Paranormal romance (yes, I've found it, and can reccomend some gooooooooooood ones).

That's why I'm trying to create the Paranormal Bookstore. Come one, Come all, every Paranormal book that you can find! Would make my life a lot easier at least.

Heather

I'm sorry, Ma'am. Did you say Paranormal books?

Does that phrase sound familiar to you? No? Try going to your local bookstores and asking for the paranormal romance, mystery or suspense section and you're bound to hear it. All works paranormal are flying off the printers faster than you can say ghost. Unless you KNOW who you're looking for on the shelf, then you'll be out of luck. How can you discover new authors with a golden pen for ghouls if you can't find the genre?



Sure, publishers know a potential for big sales when they see it, but can't they petition the bookstores for a section all its own? So that the loyal readers and writers of the genre can find them?



Sci-Fi and Fantasy have their own sections, why not paranormal, huh? Where's the justice? What would it take? The cost of another shelf? The excuse I hear most often is "We just don't have enough customers with interest to specialize in that category." Oh, really? You would if we could find them.



With so many different sublabels under paranormal, you could probably fill two aisles. I write paranormal suspense and paranormal romance. How much easier would it be to publish and sell your book if the reader didn't have to sort through all the romance, fantasy and suspense novels in the store? Imagine going in and finding a whole aisle of paranormals full of new promising authors! Wow! You'd have to tear me away from the store and my purse. My fondest dream is to walk into Books-A-Million and find my novel on the paranormal shelf. It'd be great to see Barbs, Nichole's, Heather's and J.K.'s right beside mine too.



I'll start a petition ....Who's next to sign?



*waves*



Beth

Wandering the bookstore aisles

When I decided I wanted to write "mysteries with a paranormal twist," I did what most good writers do.  I headed to the bookstore.  That's when I found you can't just walk in and say "I want to read mysteries with ghosts."   Not only does the staff look at you like you've lost your marbles, but they don't have a place to direct you, either.

Mysteries are easy to find.  Usually, they're housed right under the big sign that says "Mysteries."  It's the paranormal stuff that's all over the store.  You can find it in mysteries (if you're lucky and know what to look for), romance, and -- almost always -- science-fiction.  

The fact I can't find exactly what I want to read is one of the reasons I choose to write.  Well, that and the fact I've read some really lousy books that I know I could have written better, but that's a topic for another day.

I do wish,  however, that I could find some more mysteries with a paranormal twist.  Maybe booksellers should create a great end-cap display to feature the paranormal mystery authors.  And when they do, I have every expectation of my books being featured.

Blessings,

Nichole

Getting the Most Out of Conferences

Attending a writer’s conference can literally change your life. You could walk away with a new friend, a new opportunity, even a new career.

I try to attend at least one conference per year. This year, it will be more. Here’s the schedule:

Love is Murder, Chicago Feb 2009
KillerCon, Las Vegas, Sept 2009
Bouchercon Indianapolis, Oct 2009

Love is Murder will be the first one for 2009 and it’s a great conference. It’s for writers and readers of mysteries and thrillers, but I also saw some horror and paranormal authors as well. Here's a few authors I had the pleasure of meeting and learning from at last year’s event:

Lee Child
Barry Eisler
Tess Gerritsen
Carolyn Haines
J.A. Konrath
Tom Shreck

I also attended pitch sessions where I met a publisher who enjoyed my work and invited me to participate in an anthology. That book is called MISSING and will be debuted at this year’s LIM. The proceeds will benefit missing person’s organizations and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. It can be purchased at Echelon Press.

Which brings me to the meat of the matter. How can you get the most bang for your buck when it comes to conferences?

Find one in your genre. This is a rule I stick to, although there are some great cross-genre conferences like the ones the RWA put on. For the most part, attending a mystery conference for a mystery writer means you’ll meet agents, editors and writers from that genre and you’ll learn from them.

Be prepared. Finish the book, perfect your pitch, print out some business cards, pack a notebook and pens, bring a recorder, wear comfortable shoes, and smile.

Attend the panels. Conferences are filled with fascinating people offering their time and knowledge. Take advantage of this! I met Tom Schreck on a panel about animals in writing and I have to say, it was so worth it. I personally have a dog in my books, so I found it interesting to see how other writer’s handle it. I also learned some martial arts moves from Barry Eisler, marketing tips from publisher Karen Syed, and the writing styles of Tess Gerritsen and Raymond Benson.

Mingle. This is easier said than done. You may feel intimidated. You may be shy. But really, you just have to get over it. Grab a glass of wine and chat up some fellow writers. You’ll be so glad you did. I’ve made a few friends at conferences and got several books signed in the hallways. Lee Child even took the time to explain how the TV show Murder by the Book is filmed. And I sat next to Carolyn Haines at dinner one evening. Fun stuff.

Make the pitch. Only do this if your book is complete, but if you think it’s ready, attend as many pitch sessions as you possibly can. Not only will it help you perfect the pitch, but you may also gain invaluable advice about your storyline, your pitch, and your platform.

Be yourself. Writers are a great group. They like helping other writers. They’re funny. They’re fun. Just be yourself, ask questions, wear comfortable clothes, relax and enjoy the experience.

Conferences...Contests

I've been told conferences are a great way for writers to meet other writers, editors and agents in the business. With a nine to five, three kids, and a husband who is legalled disabled, traveling just isn't something I can do, not to mention the expense. I've never been to a conference, so I'll share my ideas of networking instead of conforming to the group topic this week.

Contests are a great way to get your work out there and get feedback from readers, agents and editors. Working in the capacity of a reader and an unpublished writer, I often volunteer to judge writing contests. By reading those entries, seeing how they are judged, I learn what mistakes not to make. It's so much easier to pick out the pov switches in someone elses work that in your own. Looking at other's work with a critical, but honest eye always gives me a fresh perspective on my writing. Then there's the benefit of reading untried stories and hearing new voices emerge.

My son asked me what I was working on the other day and I replied, "a dream". Of course he thought I was nuts, so I explained that the words on the screen were a tiny grain of sand in the writer's imagination. One she had wrapped carefully with experiences, heart, love, sacrifice and hope that one day she'd see her creation in the form of a brilliant pearl for others to enjoy. For the few moments I hold those words in my virtual hands, I see these things. Each one is unique and it's my job to examine that pearl in the light, see where it's lacking, and hand it back to the author gently so she can polish it to a shine. Some of those dreams soar and its my pleasure to help them fly.

Have a Happy Holidays everyone, no matter which you celebrate. May peace, joy, and love be yours throughout the coming year.

Beth

Conferences: best way to get "re-blued"

I love conferences.  Conferences of any kind get me excited.  In my mind, I think of it as "re-blueing" -- a hold-over term from my years in the U.S. Air Force.  

I've been to my share of conferences.  I went to editors conferences each year I was active-duty as a "DINFOS-trained killer."  I'm not sure how much of those I remember (and I'll blame the passage of time, as opposed to the hours in the bars, on my faulty memory) but I kept the information passed out and refer to the handouts even now when I'm no longer associated with the newspaper business.  I've been to conferences for philanthropic organizations my family is active in.

Writing conferences, though, I've been to very few.  My local writer's club, the Black Hills Writers Group, has hosted a few that I've attended -- once with William Kent Krueger and one with Bonnie Ramthun.  I've also been fortunate enough to attend some on-line classes (one taught by Mary O'Gara and one by Emily Brightwell)

The only other real-life conference I've attended is Mayhem in the Midlands, a mystery conference held annually in Omaha, Nebraska.  I've only been to this one once, but LOVED it.  It's among the closest to the Black Hills -- less than 500 miles away -- and that is a big factor.  Plus, not only is it in my hometown, so I get to see my parents and sister and brother-in-law, but it's an amazing opportunity for me to meet other authors and get "re-blued" about my writing.  

I'm going to Mayhem this year.  I've paid my registration fee, but still need to book the hotel room.  I'm looking forward to renewing friendships I made last time I went, as well as making some new ones.  I want to hear how other authors have struggled with getting characters out of certain situations -- like how Lori G. Armstrong had PI Julie Collins at a stop sign on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for days before realizing Julie wasn't supposed to be there at all!  I want to know that the frustrations I'm going through aren't some clue from the Universe that I shouldn't be writing.  

Conferences are also an opportunity to find my writer's voice.  Maybe that's just something I do, I don't know.  But in addition to reminding me that I can accomplish this goal of having a published novel, I'm more excited about writing after a conference.

The one and only downside to a conference is the cost.  And I'm not talking about the registration fee or the travel costs or even the hotel bill.  The cost that kicks me in the butt is in the vendor room.  Like most writers I know, I'm a reader.  A ferocious reader.  After the last Mayhem, my TBR pile doubled in size because I purchased books from almost every speaker I heard.  And, after two years, I've finished most of them.  I'm not sure where I'll PUT any new books I get at the next Mayhem in the Midlands, but I've already budgeted to bring another ton home.

If we've said it once, we've said it a thousand times.  Writing is a solitary profession.  The opportunity to mix and mingle with other writers is important.  Writers need to vent.  We need to understand that the struggles we face aren't unique to us alone.  We need to know that the obstacles blocking us are something we can overcome.  And those published authors give us some hope -- hope that we will succeed and prosper in a difficult career.

Blessings,

Nichole

From all of us to all of you.....

photo from http://www.normandinart.com

From Wee Folk to Wariness

When I was a child, I believed in fairies. Beyond the borders of our carefully maintained lawn, in the shoulder-high weeds that separated our New Jersey half acre from the neighbors, I thought shy wee folk cavorted in the Queen Anne's lace.

As I grew older, my level of belief declined. My love of the stories, the lore of the paranormal in all its forms, however, grew.

I don't think I've ever achieved that level of total belief in the unknown again. I'm not a complete skeptic, but I'm more cynical than I was back then, more questioning, less accepting at first glance. I'm probably not the only adult who feels this way.

Writing paranormal fiction hasn't changed how uncommitted I feel to either side of the "existence of paranormal" debate. If anything, resources such as The Skeptical Inquirer have not only given me inspiration when it comes to my fiction, but have made me question more.

I guess I'm more of a Skully than a Mulder, though I do believe there is more out there than we can see.

One thing writing has made me believe in is the power of the imagination. With our imaginations, we can be anything, do anything, go anywhere.

In ghostly spirits,

JK Mahal

Photo by .Catherine.

“There’s magic all around us…”

Stevie Nicks summed it up quite nicely with those words. I’m sure if you opened your mind to it you can pinpoint a mystical experience you couldn’t quite explain.

Maybe you had a dog that seemed to know what you were thinking just by looking at him.
Maybe you remembered an old friend and that moment the phone rang. On the other end of the line was the person you were just thinking about.
Maybe you had a terrible feeling about a trip, so you canceled it. Then the brakes on your car went out.
Or maybe you had a dream that came true.

Whatever your personal beliefs, everyone has had some strange experience they couldn’t quite put their finger on. Call it cosmic, call it paranormal, call it spiritual, but it happens all the time.

For me it all started with a penny.

I was on the phone with my mother one morning when she asked me what was new. “You know, it’s the strangest thing. I keep finding pennies everywhere, in the strangest places.” It was true. The garden, in my napkin drawer, on a bench I sat on. Just odd places you wouldn’t expect to find a penny. My uncle had recently passed and my mother said, “You know what those are. They’re pennies from Heaven. Check the dates, I bet you’ll find some correlation.”

I did. And she was right. The dates might have signified anything from the year I got married to the year I was born.

From then on if a penny approached me (and I had rules--it couldn’t just be in a parking lot or at the Piggly Wiggly) it went into the penny jar.

That little experience became a common thread throughout my first novel. My protagonist, Stacy Justice, gets hit in the head with a penny from her spirit guide, sparking the entire plot.

I’ve had many otherworldly experiences, but none quite so satisfying, or tangible, as that.

What’s your story?

“Show a little faith, there’s magic in the night…”
-Bruce Springsteen

Which came first, the ghost or the scream? (short even for me this week)

I've always known there was a world outside what is considered normal. Until I was well into my teens, I still made fairy forts (which I started making again recently) and begged my cop dad to carry silver bullets. I still see no reason that a vampire can't exist(we do after all live in a 24 hour society, so why the hell not?). I believe completely and totally 100% that my cat is a reincarnated gigolo.

So I guess I can't say for sure that my writing about the paranormal has had any effect on my world view. If anything, it's just solidified in my mind everything I knew to be true in the first place. The only thing that may have changed is that since I started writing my story, I've noticed animal mannerisms in a lot more people around me.

(busy getting ready for xmas)
Heather

In Plain Sight

Have you ever questioned the phrase "The best place to hide is in plain sight."? Think about it. How could you hide something or someone where everyone can easily see them? Ask any mom. Try finding one pink sock in a sea of unmatched ones. I think that's how the paranormal world exists within and around ours.

When I started writing Blood Shield books, other's past experiences, and articles on psychics seemed to fall in my lap. Everywhere I looked I noticed a news story or magazine article on some aspect of the subject. When you write paranormal, you have to force yourself to think outside the box. You must be williing to take reality of the known world and that of the paranormal realm then push your mind one step further.

How? "Ghosts don't exist." Well of course they do, or else half the world has gone crazy, just because everyone can't see them does not meant they aren't there. Are there werewolves? Vampires? Those are a little more iffy for me, but they do make great characters. Haven't seen a ghost or spirit lately? Have you had goosebumps in warm weather? Then you've brushed the curtain that separates this world and theirs.

Even in paranormal there are certain standards, if not rules, to the universe. You can't write about something or someone unless you believe or at least give the benefit of doubt that it exists. Even if only in the recesses of our imagination.

Til next week,

Beth

Seek and ye shall find

Have you ever noticed that you can buy the coolest car, the one that not too many others have, and then (all of a sudden) that same make and model is every other car on the road?   The cars were there the entire time, you just didn't notice it.  

Writing about the paranormal is kinda the same thing.  Once you're looking for something, you'll find it.

When I started Ghost Mountain, I didn't know anything about Spirit Guides or Totem Animals.  Once I decided that one of the major characters would be a Spirit Guide, I found the topic discussed on some of my favorite "woo-woo" podcasts.  The Ted Andrews book "Animal Speak" literally fell off the shelf in front of my at the local bookstore.  I took those as pretty good hints that I should take Spirit Guides more seriously.  The podcasts and book were always there, I just didn't notice the Spirit Guide conversations before.  To be perfectly honest, I still don't know much about them, but I'm learning more everyday.

The same type of thing happened when I wanted to learn the meaning of various herbs and flowers.  Not only did I find those plants around, but I kept having a need to have them around as well!  (You'd be surprised at how quickly some herbs will get rid of a cold or stomach ache!  Then again, maybe you wouldn't...)

Ghosts, well, they've always been around.  But they seem to be more active in the past year or so.  About as long as I've been working on Ghost Mountain, to be exact.

I've recently decided to incorporate a mandala in the story and now I seem to find them everywhere.  (Even a couple of great books at the local bookstore that I'm seriously considering purchasing!)

So my writing about the paranormal has only opened me up to more paranormal experiences.  I've been more open to the "woo woo" and the paranormal has made itself more available to me.  Isn't that the way it usually works?

Blessings,

Nichole

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

That's how I feel on most days, when writing is but a distant dream hidden behind clouds. Of course this column is a day late. Again. Whether it's also a dollar short is a judgment you'll have to make on your own.

John Lennon once famously said that life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. I had grand plans once, I still have grand plans. But then you put your mom into a nursing home, move houses twice, lose a father, have a mother-in-law spend a year in and out of hospitals and spend the first four months of your long awaited pregnancy attached day and night to a toilet and plans go out the window.

I'm still trying to learn how to put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) while rolling with life's punches, because the hits keep coming and I doubt they'll ever stop. Hopefully, they'll just become less dramatic.

Writing Through Roadblocks

Ernest Hemingway once said the scariest thing he ever encountered was a blank page.

Strong words from a guy who ran with the bulls, hunted big cats, and survived more than one place crash.

Writing is nerve-wracking, frustrating, and heart-breaking work. That's what makes it great. And whoever said it would be easy?

If you want to be a writer you have to apply butt to chair, because the only difference between a published writer and an unpublished one is perseverance. That means let the laundry pile up, the dishes sit, and feed the kids PBJs. They’ll all still be there in an hour.

I don’t write every day, I admit. But I do work on something writing-related daily. My website, my blog, research. Even when I'm in a restaurant, a coffee shop, the grocery store, my writing hat is on, because you never know when something will spark an idea.

But I also don't let the written work sit too long. If it sits too long, it gets cold and stale and like a moldy loaf of bread, you just won’t want to touch it.

But if you are at that stage, here’s a few quotes to inspire you to get cracking:


The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn't behave that way you would never do anything.
John Irving

Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time... The wait is simply too long.
Leonard Bernstein

In twenty years I've never had a day when I didn't have to think about someone else's needs. And this means the writing has to be fitted around it.
Alice Munro

Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else.
Gloria Steinem

In a mood of faith and hope my work goes on. A ream of fresh paper lies on my desk waiting for the next book. I am a writer and I take up my pen to write.
Pearl S. Buck

If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster.
Isaac Asimov

I'm much faster now. When you only have a certain amount of time to write, after a while you learn to use your time well or you stop writing.
Alice Hoffman

If I waited till I felt like writing, I'd never write at all.
Anne Tyler

Scott took LITERATURE so solemnly. He never understood that it was just writing as well as you can and finishing what you start.
Ernest Hemingway

Life, The Ultimate Monkey Wrench

Looks like this week does have a topic, Life and how it gets in the way of writing. Since I finished nano, Life has kept me from my other wip's. I say I'll write in the morning before the kids get up, or while dinner simmers, and I usually do. Here lately my muse is on vacation.

Stress is a writing killer. Run here to work, to school, back home to cook some dinner that might be edible. Laundry, grocery shopping, homework to be done, all this tires out my muse and me. When I do finally stop running, I can't write, so I edit. This gives me the chance to look critically at my work without my muse poking her nose in and saying "But I really love that scene!".

I apologize for the late post, all. Enjoy your families and the time you have together. Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season. Til next week.

Beth

Life is a River, and I'm Still Wearing Water Wings

Life is for lack of a better word, organic. It is ever changing and mutating, always different and full of surprises. I wake up every morning not knowing what to expect other than the unexpected.

So I don't get wonkey when my best laid plans to get some writing done get thrown out the window. My writing happens when it happens. The same can be said of my painting, my sewing, and my home improvement projects. If I'm not in the mood to write something, I'm not going to sit there at the computer and force myself to write something just to get my word count up.

Of course there are times when the words do come pouring out and I'm nowhere near my computer. I'll be at dinner, at work, or playing mommy. For that reason I carry a notebook with me wherever I go. I can honestly say that there is more of my story written in my notebook than there is on the computer I'm currently writing on.

I long ago learned that it's far far easier to float along with the fluid movement of my life than to try to swim upstream.

Heather

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans

This week's blog won't have a theme.  Unless you count being late and stressed and running around like a chicken with it's head cut off a theme.  I don't.  I call that life.

I'll be honest.  I'm a planner and a list maker.  I have MANY calendars and a palm pilot to keep track of where I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to be doing.  I have a grocery list on the fridge and a to-do-list next to my computer.  My husband claims that I just like to be able to cross items OFF the list.  He may be right.

But, in the end, it doesn't matter.  It all gets thrown out the window somewhere between getting out of bed and pouring my first cup of coffee.

Sometimes my writing is like that, too.   There are times I need a good kick in the butt to get back on track.  That can be hard to find in Western South Dakota.  It's not like I can hit a Mystery Writers of America meeting for inspiration.  (Not that the Black Hills Writers Group isn't cool, they just don't have the same number of published writers!)

I've found that it helps when friends ask "how's the book coming?"  I feel guilty if I have to give the same answer to someone twice.  There's a great feeling of accomplishment to know I'm further ahead today then I was last time they asked — even if it's only a thousand words!

And so, after a week that included more meetings then I care to count, a trip to the ER to learn about an infection that looks JUST LIKE appendicitis, not as much house work as should have been done, and putting up a Christmas tree, there's no theme to this week's blog.  Nor is there much progress done on Ghost Mountain.  

As we enter the holiday season, my wish for all writers is that they remember one thing.  It's awfully hard to write about life, when you don't take the time to actually live it!

Blessings,

Nichole

A Vampire Walks into a Bar....

I'm not a very funny writer. Scary? Sometimes. Evocative? I'd say yes. But I don't write the kind of laugh out loud moments -- or even quiet chuckle moments -- that would classify me as a humorist.

Which doesn't mean I don't think humor and the paranormal should mix, just that I don't write it. The closest I come is a touch of wit -- like having the Mayor doing a particularly benign crossword puzzle in the spec episode of Buffy I wrote, or pointing out the coroner's love of Grateful Dead teddy bears in my spec X-files.

My favorite kinds of paranormal have moments of levity in them. The snappy one-off comebacks of Buffy. The tomato as villain fruit in the Kim Harrison Witch series.

We laugh when we're amused, but we also laugh when we're afraid. The two are connected on a primal level. But as any comedian will tell you, "dying is easy, comedy is hard." It takes a special type of writer to make people laugh. I think it's as much a natural talent as singing on key. Sure you can learn to warble like a canary, but it's never quite the same as for someone for whom it just flows.

I'm hard-pressed to point out the funny moment in my manuscript. It's not all gloom and doom, mind you, but it's just not funny -- at least not to me. Unless my writing comes across as unintentionally funny, which is possible.

I admire those who can lighten up the darkness. It's not my scene.

Tactical Humor

My creative writing career began as a humor columnist for Illinois Magazine. I didn’t realize I could write humor until I did it for money. Then I couldn’t stop. I love cracking myself up as I write and I hope the reader gets a laugh out of it too, which isn’t always the case, no matter who you are or what you write, because humor is subjective. You might find someone slipping on a banana peel hilarious. The next guy might think it’s stupid.

But most stories have some humor in them at some point, in one form or another. Even horror novels like JAWS have a laugh or too in them (we’re gonna need a bigger boat) and those laughs can be gleaned from many different techniques. Let me break it down.

ACTION: Humor can come from simple action. Let’s go with the JAWS theme here. Remember the scene in the movie when Chief Brody and company answer the screams of a girl yelling “SHARK!” The tension is building, the hunt is on, and all guns are pointing in the water at… wait for it…a kid wearing a fin. Then he points to his brother and says, “He made me do it.” That’s funny.

SETTING: The atmosphere of a scene can provide humor as well. Right down to the paint on the walls or the car someone is driving. A creative use of setting can provide comic relief in any story. Here’s a scene from UNCOVERING AMETHYST where my protag is being introduced to the cottage she’ll be staying in, decorated by her amorous aunt:
Fiona grabbed a remote control.
"Okay, honey, now here's the switch for the fireplace."
Poof! The fireplace turned on.
"And this is for the stereo."
"Ohhhhhh, my love, my darrrrlin, I hunger for your touch…" sang a Righteous Brother.
"And this works the Jacuzzi."
I almost expected Barry White to pop out from beneath the bubbles.
"Can't you just see a young couple falling in love here?" Fiona clapped her hands together.
Actually, I could see a young couple plowing through a box of condoms here, but who was I to judge?

DIALOGUE: Much of the humor in a novel will happen in dialogue. Both internal and external. A conversation between a wise-cracking detective vs. an upper-class socialite is bound to have some funny in it. The side-kick in my book is a bartender with an attitude. One of her favorite things to do is to put people in their place and teach rude customers manners. Here’s an example of that:
"Hey, bartender," shouted a man a few feet down. "I've been waiting here for ten minutes trying to get a drink."
"Oh yeah?" Cin turned to face him. "Why don't you make a complaint on my website? It's kissmyass.com."


DESCRIPTION: Similes and metaphors are a perfect tool for injecting humor into a story. Here’s one I used to describe a local publisher in my book:
Shea continued the paper but when it came to reporting, he was like a blind man driving a car. He could fire up the engine, but it was only a matter of time before he would run it off the road.

Or in describing a house, a personality, or a person’s looks, get creative.
Here’s another example:
Her hair was platinum even-I-don't-pretend-it's-real blonde, her nose small and her eyebrows tweezed within an inch of their lives. Judging from the look of her face, I'd bet the local Avon stock was seriously depleted.

I personally enjoy laughing out loud when I read a story, so that’s the kind of work I produce. So there you are, have fun with your writing and for more examples, here’s some of my favorite funny authors:

Janet Evanovich
Lisa Lutz
JA Konrath
Ellen Shanman
Toni McGee Causey
Marian Keyes
Carl Hiassen

Barb

I'm Only Laughing Because I'm So Scared

You have to make them laugh their ass off after you've terrified them out of thier skin. I consider it a coping mechanism. You can't have absolutly nothing but tension, terror, and taute nerves throuout your whole story. It's just too much for people to handle. Even Shakespeare put at least one sceen of absolute comedy in every tragedy he wrote, he found the sublime in the ridiculous. Think the drunken guard at the gate of Hamlet. If you don't break up the tension, you loose your readers.

I can find the sublime in the ridiculous all around me. Trip a friend while running away from a zombie? Hilarious. Serve garlic bread to a vampire just to watch her squirm? I'm in stitches. Buy a designer flea collar for your ware wolf buddy? Comedy gold.

That's just a glimpse into my deeply scarred emotional disorders. How does this work with what I write? Since I tend to write as myself, all of the weird things that I find funny have a way of working into my story. And as those who know me would attest, I would do each and every one of those above things if given half the chance.

Take Wanda for example in the story I'm writing. She's your average thirty something woman with a bullet hole in her head and complete and total amnesia. And if that wasn't enough, she also happens to be a Ware-creature. Now, I know what you're thinking.. Ware-Wolf. Nope, not our girl. She's a Ware-Cat. To be specific, she's a Calico-Maine Coon mix, which makes her you're average house cat. To me, that's damn funny. Because who would want to be a CAT for gods sake? Everybody wants to be a wolf, or at least something halfway impressive.



Like I said, the sublime in the ridiculous.

Humor in Writing...O..Kay?

If you have ghosts, werewolves, vampires etc. in a story, you're bound to have terror and tension. How do you add humor to balance the scales without making your characters sound like cheesy excuses for slasher flick victims?

You obviously can't have pie-throwing vampires or werewolves juggling flaming swords, but the everyday life deal can be pretty funny so you work with that. Case in point, BLOOD SHIELD my paranormal suspense for nano, has this scene. Liv Corrigan, fem. main character and psychic, has been sleeping in the hero's bed (not like that lol) after waiting all night for him to return from some dangerous mission. She wakes, goes to look for him, and almost knocks him down as he opens the bedroom door. Both scream and the pink rose in its vase along with the scrambled eggs on the breakfast tray go flying. Tough guy with eggs in his windblown dark hair, rose petals on his shirt, and a scowl makes a hilarious picture to me. A pyschic who can't see whose on the other side of the door? LOL! A moment later the tension is back, danger looms, but Liv and Jack are better for the laughter. Throw in the ridiculous and smile.

Okay this bit is a little off topic, but I wanted to share. My grandma passed away on October the 13th. Her home was ransacked and all her valubles stolen the night she died. We've gotten them all back but for her antique dresser she prized. My mom asked me about it and I got this picture of where it was. (No previous seeing or knowledge I swear!) I'm still creeped out that I 'SAW' where my grandma's stolen dresser was, and the cops found it that exact place yesterday. I'm sure she'd be happy her dresser is back. Guess where the missing will was? Yep, taped to the back of one of the drawers. Wierd stuff happens. Watch out for it and believe.)

Beth

Humor and sex just happen — well, humor does anyway.

Humor is hard to write.  That's why I don't try.

I'm not saying my stuff is funny.  I'm not saying it's not.  I just don't TRY to make it funny.

When I write, I try to be "real."  I try to make my characters like you and me.  Ok, so there might be a little more of me in my main character and a little more of the guy who annoyed the crap out of me at the grocery store in either the bad guy or the victim.   Sometimes what I write comes out sarcastic, at least to my inner voice.  But my inner voice has been known to have a sarcastic streak, so that shouldn't surprise me.  

It shouldn't come as a surprise to those who know me that I don't try to be funny.  The "3 Stooges" were never my favorites and I just don't get slapstick.  I mean, why is physical abuse funny?  I'm much better with the one-liners or the deadpan answers from off-the-wall.

I guess I inherited my dad's sense of humor.  He's the guy who, when a waitress says "my name is Jane, and I'll be your server" replies immediately with "my name's Jim and I'll be your customer."  Or will explain to the checkout lady at Wally-world that he just returned from a vacation and only has Hawaiian currency.  Will they take that?  (Honestly, you'd be amazed how many don't realize that Hawaii is part of the United States and, therefore, has the same currency!)

So, for me, humor happens.  Sex doesn't.  Well, not in my fictional life anyway.  I can't get my married couple to kiss without it sounding stupid. 

In my real life?  Well, that's for me to know and you to NOT find out...  at least not in my writing!

Blessings,

Nichole

Searching Along the Road of Faith

I plead a turkey day-induced coma as to why my column managed to be 23 hours late! - JKM

My religious background contains a hodgepodge of theology. My mother grew up Roman Catholic with a Lutheran father. My father grew up Sikh in a Hindu country. I grew up Quaker, which is the religion both of my parents had found/converted to before I was born. I still believe in the faith and practice of the Religious Society of Friends and identify myself as such to this day.

In fifth grade, I went to an Episcopal school where all the classes attended services every morning. I loved the hymns; "Morning has Broken" was a favorite. For college, I attended a Jesuit university and went to mass weekly (a choice, not a requirement). I came thisclose to getting a minor in theology, but decided on writing instead. After college, I attended the Metropolitan Community Church and the Episcopal Church equally in the Florida Keys. My mother now lives at a Jewish nursing home, where she visits with the rabbi and is learning about the Torah. I go to Shabbat dinner when I visit her.

So where does my interest and belief in religion intersect with my interest in paranormal writing and the paranormal? In some ways, the story I've been working on, Walking in the Dark, has always been about faith -- believing in something even when there's no empirical evidence. The first versions even had a pastor as a main character and love interest, until the story decided it didn't need him.

I have read the Bible, the Book of Common Prayers, the Dalai Lama and books by various Christian and Buddhist mystics and saints, though I wouldn't characterize myself as a particularly religious person. One thing I've found in my readings is how much of the mystical appears in religious writings. Psychics, soothsayers and mediums can be found in the Old Testament, as can demons and angels.

I can't say that my research in the paranormal or theology has made me a true believer. I can say that my religion has led me to be unafraid of asking questions and of searching for where the answers take me -- both in life and in fiction.

I come to religion, the possibilities of the paranormal and writing with an open mind, ready to go wherever the road takes me.

In ghostly spirits,

J.K. Mahal

Photo of Haverford Monthly meeting courtesy of Martin Kelley.

Religion as a Character Trait

Apologies for the delayed post. Thanksgiving day got away from me!

When I came up with the idea for UNCOVERING AMETHYST, I knew my main character was shaped by her upbringing. In fact, her strengths and her flaws can all be traced to being raised by witches.

Her motivation, her fears, even her family's tragedies are tied into the beliefs and customs of their theology, which is Celtic pagan. She, however, isn't sure what she believes.

Not only does weaving religion into a story allow for interesting plot points, but it provides conflict and offers insight into the characters.

Do they agree on their beliefs? If not, what conflicts arise because of that?

My protagonist, Stacy Justice, vehemently protests that she is a witch, yet she subconsciously gravitates toward that path because it's what she's been taught. This internal struggle lends the character another dimension, and because spirituality is something we all wrestle with from time to time, it's very relatable to the reader.

Outwardly, this tug-of-war also causes conflict between the characters. Stacy's grandmother, Birdie, wants her granddaughter to accept her path and her gifts, yet Stacy refuses. This prompts Birdie to make a series of choices that force Stacy into situations she wouldn't necessarily choose.

And a plot is born.

Religion can also be used as a setting or backdrop, as in THE DaVINCI CODE. The entire story is wrapped around a specific theory regarding Jesus and the conspiracy to cover it up. Powerful stuff.

My stories each revolve around a specific holiday. Samhain, for UNCOVERING AMETHYST, Imbolc, for OPAL FIRE, and Beltane for BLOODSTONE.

Whatever your studies and beliefs, theology can play an important role in your writing. Use all that you have.

Barb

The Mother, the Daughter, and the Holy Ghost

As you may have guessed already, religiously my family is a little weird. Every year for lent my mother gives up organized religion. My father has been ordained by the internet. My sister is both a minister and a high priestess. And for the life of me, I can't reconcile myself with the idea that god is a dude. As far as I'm concerned, the dual aspect of the devine, both male and female, should be worshiped together. Neither should be given prefrence.

Now, this idea puts me in the outs with both the christian masses and the wiccans. To one there higer power is a male, above all others. To the other the female is the only devine. But I just can't see that. They are both devine and should be treated as such.

Now, let me set a couple of tings strait... I still call it christmas, I hide eggs for my daughter at easter, I talk to the dead on Samhain, and each new year I have every one in the house write down thier wishes and burn them as a way to ask the gods for their assistance. I think that Jesus was a kind of cool guy; but just that... a guy.

I kind of mush everything together. And it works for me.

The full moons are (usually) spent in ritual as are most of the sabbats. (I say "usually" and "most" because I have a tendancy to space things off till the last moment) I havn't set foot in a church in, lets see, 4 years? And only then because my brother in law was getting married. I don't go to church because I don't like the male god shoved in my face. I don't go to coven meetings for the same reason, just the female side of it.

As far as I'm concerened, religion is a personal thing. And personally I'm very happy with what I believe.

Religion and Paranormal Writing, Is there a happy medium?

Religion and paranormal writing,
Is there a happy medium? (No pun intended)


Religion is a dangerous topic as is the paranormal. I’ll start by saying I hope y’all will indulge me as I climb on my soapbox here. Almost anything I say will make at least one other person angry. Those who believe in a higher power, whichever they choose, fight for their faith with an unwavering loyalty you must applaud whether you agree with their choice or not.

I was raised in the deep South, Alabama mostly, and grew up with the Church of God teachings my mother believes. I come from Irish, Scottish and Cherokee blood with a little English thrown in. My great grandfather read the cards, and my great grandmother had visions, yet both were very devout in their belief in Christ. I’m Christian, by choice rather than raisin’. I am not ashamed of my faith, nor do I try and force it on others. I have friends who are Wiccan, Christian, Jewish and so on. That being said, you might ask where this fits in with a the path of a paranormal writer. Good question.

Everything I have ever written has had a main character with some sort of magical ability. Witches, werewolves, vampires and what have you are integral parts of my imagination. I’ve tried forcing them out, but was never truly happy with what I created. Yet, my church frowns on magic, and therefore I can’t share this part of me with my church family. Write for Harlequin? That’s acceptable. We all need romance. Write erotic romance? Frowned on, but ignored. It is still a love story, right? Write magic and you are automatically condemned to the devil, but we aren’t supposed to judge others are we? Seems like I’m balanced on the tip of a double-edged sword.

My characters casts spells, but that act may have saved someone they loved. Is she wrong to call on magic? Would I be wrong? Maybe, I do not know, but if my children or husband were in danger, sick or in need, I’d do everything within my power to help them. One action is damned the other rewarded, but aren’t they essentially the same?

My childhood was rough. There was always someone yelling or fighting and the only place I felt safe was inside the books I treasured. The enchantment of them helped me escape the reality of my life. They shaped what I am today. I have always wanted to be able to give that sanctuary to others. We need the unknown, the supernatural, the magic to balance the everyday things.

Where do all these puzzle pieces fit? How do you find a happy medium between your faith and your work? I try to incorporate my beliefs and morals into my characters, and I try to teach them a lesson along the way. My current work in progress has twisted and turned into a story of a vampire fighting against his own kind because of his love for a witch. Both Kail and Kayleigh have magic at their disposal and aren’t shy about using it. Still, a price always has to be paid. I hope to share more of the storyline with you soon and maybe the first page.

There are Christians that believe in gifts of the spirit and that everyone has an innate ability given them by God. It’s up to you to learn what they are and use them wisely. I’ve found my calling, though there are those who would judge me because of I what I do. God made me. Life shaped me and I will share what I have learned with those who wish to listen. Magic exists, in the beauty of the trees, the twinkling of water and all the wonderful things around us. The paranormal is how we define that which has no explanation but simply is. I’ll climb down from my preaching post now, and I hope I haven’t bored any one to tears, or sent you running for your pitchforks and torches.

Thanksgiving is just around to corner. However, you celebrate don’t forget to be thankful of all the wonderful things in your life. Tell those closest to you how much you love them. No matter how bad things are, you are still so blessed. I’m thankful for all of you and the time you take to read my thoughts each week. Have a wonderful holiday everyone. That goes for you too, Nichole, Barb, Heather and JK.

Beth (Anxiously awaiting Turkey-day and the Auburn/Alabama game. WAR EAGLE!)

So much for polite society

I'm sure you've all heard that there are two things which shouldn't be discussed in polite society: religion and politics.  Well, this is not the place for polite society.

When we decided to cover religion this week, I didn't know what I'd say.  Like many other things in my life, my religious views are, well, eclectic.  I call myself a Christian.  But also a Witch.  I believe there is one God.  But also one Goddess.  And they both go by many different names.  

I'm an ordained Minister.  I'm also ordained as a High Priestess.

I believe Jesus was God's son.  Just not the ONLY child sent to Earth.  

I believe that we can cure with plants, control the elements, and say spells to ask things to happen.  (Pardon me, but what's the difference between a "spell" and a "prayer" anyway?)   

Above all, I believe that we are here on Earth to learn some lessons, teach some lessons, and not cause more damage -- to the planet or each other.

So how does all that affect my writing?  If nothing else, it affects my main character, Cerri.  Cerri (who was named after Ceridwen, the Celtic Goddess) is half-Irish.  Her mother brought many of the traditions of "the old country" with her.  Cerri's mom thinks nothing of leaving treats for the fairies or worshiping the ancient Goddesses.  Cerri, though, struggles to find a place in the old world and the new...  a compromise between tradition and "norma

lcy."

Much like I do.

I celebrate Christmas, but also Yule.  I enjoy the fun of Halloween, and appreciate that the veil between this world and the spirit world is thinnest on Samhain.  I make it to church with some degree of regularity and celebrate the sabbats eight times a year.  

I'm comfortable enough in my beliefs to not have to shout them from rooftops.  I've been known to wear a cross and a pentacle -- sometimes at t

he same time!  I have LOTS of triquetta jewelry and wear it often.  I'm really drawn to the Celtic version of religion.  They did a good job of "melding" new beliefs with the old ones.  Don't think so?  How different is the Goddess Brigid from St. Brigit?  See what I mean?

Dad always said something like "Don't knock another guy's religion. He might be right and you won't know it until you're dead." Maybe the best way to describe my religious beliefs is to say I'm not really.  I think of myself as more spiritual, then religious.  

And we all know that spirits are everywhere....

Blessings,

Nichole

Authors Who Chilled and Thrilled Me

For me, being asked to name a favorite paranormal author is like a mother being asked to name which child she loves best. I love so many for different reasons. What I can name are the authors who have influenced me, chilled me, made me cry and made me laugh.

In junior high school, between the school-mandated chills of Edgar Allen Poe and Shakespeare, I discovered a library filled with the works of Victoria Holt. The India Fan and The Curse of the Kings brought high Gothic romance and suspense, complete with curses, into my reading repertoire. She chilled and thrilled many hours of my life with her atmospheric writings.

Anne Rice came next. By high school, The Vampire Lestat was the rage among my friends. I fell for the rock star vampire with mixed morals. Rice's voice was persuasive, hypnotic and far too charming. All other first person vampire narrators (and vampire hunter narrators) owe her. I doubt Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake could exist in a world without Lestat.

Then there's the incomparable Stephen King. My favorite of his works is The Dead Zone. Sure Carrie or The Shining are better known. But The Dead Zone marries great story with unforgettable writing. It's creepy while still being believable and morally complex.

In college, I discovered Nora Roberts. Her Donovan Legacy series, tracing three witches who find love when least expected, married my favorite elements of romance with magic. Her descriptions in these short form Silhoutte books show what can be done with specific detail at the right moment. Each book has scenes that remained on my mind long after I finished reading.

I have other favorites. Lafcadio Hearn seems to haunt me. His Japanese ghost stories keep popping up everywhere. Last year, a friend introduced me to The Dresden Files. I became an instant addict. I love Laurell K. Hamilton's early Anita Blake novels and Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan books. I pre-ordered the last Harry Potter book, wended my way through the paths of Narnia and even read all of the Tolkien Ring series. Just yesterday, I finished Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. A good read.

Which reminds me, I should stop at the library and get my new card....

In ghostly spirits,

J.K. Mahal

Photo courtesy of Your Guide.

The Many Faces of Paranormal

Paranormal means different things to different readers. The term casts a wide net over psychics, werewolves, dragons, vampires, demons, fairies, ghosts, and more.

Because of that, I’m going to break from the pack on this week’s theme and list my favorite stories/books that contain paranormal elements.



These are in no particular order:

THE HARROWING, Alexandra Sokoloff
Baird College’s Mendenhall echoes with the footsteps of students heading home for Thanksgiving break, and Robin Stone, who won’t be going home, swears she can feel the creepy, hundred-year-old residence hall breathe a sigh of relief for its long-awaited solitude. As a massive storm approaches, four other lonely students reveal themselves to Robin: Patrick, a handsome jock; Lisa, a manipulative tease; Cain, a brooding musician; and Martin, a scholarly eccentric. Each has forsaken a long weekend at home for their own secret reasons. The five unlikely companions establish a tentative rapport, but they soon become aware of another presence disturbing the building’s ominous silence. Are they the victims of an elaborate prank, or is the energy evidence of something genuine—something intent on using them for its own terrifying ends? Together, they’ll face three long days and dark nights before the world returns to find out what’s become of five students nobody wants and no one will miss…

THE PRICE, Alexandra Sokoloff:
Boston District Attorney Will Sullivan dreams of becoming the next governor of Massachusetts. With his beautiful wife, Joanna, and adorable daughter, Sydney, Will seems destined for greatness…until Sydney becomes seriously ill. Now both parents resolve to doanything to save their daughter’s life.But in the twilight world of the Briarwood Medical Center, nothing is as it seems. Patients on the brink of death are not only surviving but thriving, while others wither away…and the recoveries all revolve around the ministerings of a mysterious counselor, who takes an unsettling interest in Joanna. When Sydney’s health miraculously improves, Will suspects that Joanna made a terrible bargain to save their child. Now Will must face a powerful, unknown evil before he loses…everything.

HELL’S BELLE’S, Jackie Kessler:
Once upon a time, Jezebel was a powerful succubus, capable of seducing men and sucking out their souls. But that was before Hell put a bounty on her head. Now her only chance to escape a fate far worse than death is to live as a mortal, losing herself in a sea of unfamiliar humanity, in a place where sinners walk hand-in-hand with saints - a place like Belle's strip club in New York City. Working as an exotic dancer is a piece of cake for a former demon who once specialized in sex.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Shakespeare:
To trick Titania into handing over an Indian boy she is raising, Oberon orders Puck to find a plant that causes love at first sight, and through Oberon's meddling and Puck's trickery, the characters fall into and out of love with the wrong people.

THE LOVELY BONES, Alice Sebold:
The story of a teenage girl who, after being brutally raped and murdered, watches from heaven as her family and friends go on with their lives, while she herself comes to terms with her own death.

PROMISE NOT TO TELL, Jennifer McMahon
Interweaving past and present, Promise Not To Tell is a story of friendship, secrets, murder, and redemption. At its center is Kate Cypher, a reserved 41-year-old school nurse who returns to the small town of New Canaan, VT, to care for her Alzheimer’s-afflicted mother. The night she arrives, a young girl is murdered. Slowly Kate is drawn into the investigation—and deep into the childhood she’s tried to escape—for the killing eerily echoes the death of another young girl: her childhood friend, Del. Poor, misunderstood, Del suffered the taunts of classmates who shunned her and called her “Potato Girl.” But in Del, 10-year-old Kate found a kindred spirit, until a painful falling out shattered their relationship shortly before Del’s death.

THE TELL TALE HEART, Edgar Allen Poe:
An unnamed narrator who insists on his sanity after murdering an old man with a "vulture eye". The murder is carefully calculated, and the murderer hides the body by cutting it into pieces and hiding it under the floorboards. Ultimately the narrator's guilt manifests itself in the hallucination that the man's heart is still beating under the floorboards.

CHRISTINE, Stephen King:
The story revolves around teenage nerd Arnie Cunningham and his 1958 red and white Plymouth Fury, dubbed "Christine" by the previous owner. The car takes Arnie from nerddom to stardom, but Arnie’s friends are certain the car is possesed.

WITCH WAY TO MURDER, Shirley Damsgaard:
Thirty something Ophelia Jensen wants to live a quiet life as a small town librarian. She’s created a comfortable existence with her kooky, colorful grandmother Abby, and if it were up to her, they could live out their days—along with Ophelia’s dog Lady and cat Queenie—in peace and quiet. But, to Ophelia’s dismay, she and Abby aren’t a typical grandmother/granddaughter duo. She possesses psychic powers, and Abby is a kindly witch. And while Ophelia would do anything to dismiss her gift—harboring terrible guilt after her best friend was killed and she was unable to stop it—threatening events keep popping up, forcing her to tap into her powers of intuition. To make matters worse, a strange—yet devastatingly attractive—man is hanging around Ophelia’s library, and no matter how many times she tells him she’s sworn off men forever, he persists. Soon this handsome newcomer reveals he’s following a lead on a local drug ring, and then a dead body shows up right in Abby’s backyard. And much as Ophelia would like to put away her spells forever, she and Abby must use their special powers to keep themselves, and others, out of harm’s way.

ABBIE COOPER, PSYCHIC EYE, Victoria Laurie:
Abby Cooper is a P.I., psychic intuitive. But her insight failed her when she didn't foresee the death of one of her clients-or that the lead investigator for the case is the gorgeous blind date she just met. Now, with the police suspicious of her abilities and a killer on the loose, Abby's future looks more uncertain than ever.

PRACTICAL MAGIC, Alice Hoffman:
For more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally endured that fate: As children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their darkened house and their love concoctions and their crowd of black cats. All Gillian and Sally wanted to do was escape. One would do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they shared brought them back to each other, and to the magic they couldn’t escape. A delicious novel about witches and real love, family life and everyday spells. A literary incantation.

MIDNIGHT BAYOU, Nora Roberts:
There was something about the house that called out to Declan Fitzgerald. The dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of New Orleans, rumored to be haunted, and long taken over by spiders and dust, would require countless hours of labor to restore to its former splendor. Perhaps that was part of the appeal. Having finally purchased Manet Hall after dreaming about it for years, Declan left his Boston law practice, traded in his briefcase for a tool belt, in hopes of rediscovering the deep soul satisfaction of real hard work. But as he begins the renovation, spending long days in total isolation within the crumbling house, Declan wonders whether the talk of ghosts is more than just local legend. He has had visions, seen strange things from a century past. More so, he feels inexplicable, unpredictable sensations of terror and nearly unbearable grief.
For a time, a beautiful neighbor named Angelina Simone provides an alluring distraction from the disquieting events--and as Declan focuses on rebuilding Manet Hall, the passion between them grows stronger as well. This dusky, earthy woman has an odd connection to the mansion too, however. Before Declan and Angelina can hope for a future together, they must uncover a secret from the past as deep and dark as the bayou.

WAKE, Lisa McMann:
For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime. She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control. Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

CLAIRE VOYANT, Saralee Rosenburg:
Of course the future is a mystery. But the past? This is nuts!
Talk about ruin-your-day flights. I'm headed to Florida, when the elderly man seated next to me collapses on my tray table. I swear, if I'd known this was his final boarding call, I would have offered him my pretzels or my New York Times. But no, I was too busy feeling bloated, anxious, depressed, unloved, a failure, and did I mention bloated? You'd be bummed too if you were almost thirty, living back home in Plainview, Long Island, with your at-war parents and loser siblings. If your acting career was such a bust your last film was an X-ray. If your boyfriend and your agent dumped you the same week, but great news! -- They're in love with each other. Could things possibly get any worse? Do you even need to ask? That man on the flight? We were related. And my life story? Nothing like I thought. Oh, and then this fall in the shower? Opened up my psychic senses. Bottom line? I knew nothing about my real past, but suddenly my future was coming in loud and clear!

Happy Reading,
Barb

For my favorite 'para-authors' I have to go with the old standbys of Steven King, Charlaine Harris, and Jim Butcher.

King was a poineer, and while I don't think his new stuff comes anywhere close to where he was (especially the Bachman books), classic King still gives me chills. "Carrie" is probably the best representation of his work I think. You can tell from the first time reading it that the characters are well thought out, the super-natural abilibies of the main character are well researched, and the dialoge seems effortless. Classic King will always rock my world.

The world that Harris has created is a beautiful one. Each character is interesting, and beautiful, and flawed, and... perfect. Now, admitedly, I like the Lilly Bard books better than the Sookie Stackhouse ones (and if were going into total honesty, I have to admit, I'm kind of digging on the changes that the TV show has made), but the Stackhouse world is amazing. The sheer number of supernatural creatures that she's not only represented, but created 'quirks' for. I think I most love Claudette and Claude.

Butcher I have to say I love just because of Bob. I love Bob. The TV show ruined the books for me. I think I like that Butcher shows through his books, that just because someone is paranormal, dosn't mean that their life is easier. Dresdin has just as much crap as the rest of us and then some. Most people just have to worry about making the mortgage payment. He also has to worry about a demon attacking him while he walks across the street.

Oh, and I have to say I like Nichole Bennett too. **ahem** "Every word she writes is art. I love it. It's better than Cats, I'd read it again and again." Ok, just kidding. But honestly, from what I've read of "Ghost Mountian" it's amazing. I can't wait till she finishes it!


Heather

Favorite Paranormal Authors?

This week’s topic totally threw me for a loop. I’ve thought about it for most of the weekend. You’re probably wondering how it could be so hard for a paranormal writer to talk about her favorite authors. “A favorite?” I said to myself. How do you decide? The paranormal genre crosses over into so many others that sometimes its hard to distinguish what really defines a paranormal author. At least it is for me.

As a kid, I loved the ‘Narnia’ series by C.S. Lewis, but was surprised to learn, via our librarian, he’d also written Bible companions. The creator of the mighty Aslan? Really?


Sherrilyn Kenyon is a definite favorite. Her dark hunters, while otherworldly, are still very human with all our flaws. They are obviously paranormal, but then so are Nora Roberts Sisters, Circle, Key, and Sign of Seven trilogies even though I’d classify her in the romance and suspense categories. All of which I loved by they way and have read so many times I have actually worn out the books and had to replace them. Duct tape can only work so many wonders.

Christine Feehan is another great author that comes to mind as well as Laurell K. Hamilton. See what I mean? It’s like trying to choose between ice cream and pizza.

My oldest daughter loves to read, yes, even more than playing video games. I’m finding new favorites through her choice in books. We both love Dead is the New Black and Dead is a State of Mind, which will be released in January by Marlene Perez. I have yet to read Twilight but maybe Stephanie Meyers will be added to my list of favorites.

Just like its characters and twisting plots, the paranormal genre pops up where you least expect it, barely there like a ghost. Every book is a portal to an unknown world. Escape and enjoy the ride.

Beth

Nichole's Favorite Paranormal Authors. (Well, some of them, anyway!)

Growing up, I almost always had a book in my hand.  Or next to my bed.  Or in my backpack.  Always at least one within easy reach.

I remember the first paranormal book I read.  My mom recommended it.  It was The Haunting of Suzanna Blackwell by Richard Setlow.  It was mostly a love story, which has never really appealed to me — I like mysteries and historicals better — but I loved the idea of the ghost falling in love with Suzanna.  I loved the idea that a ghost could interact with a living person.

This wasn't the first "ghost story" I'd read.  I think I had some Scholastic anthology type books.  I know I'd read the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  Yes, all seven of them.  But those were more fantasy then paranormal.  I mean, how could a big closet transport anyone to another land?  Even if there was an evil witch and a talking lion involved.

And don't forget Poe.  He could tell a spooky story!  The Tell-Tale Heart is still one of my favorites to read at Halloween.  (Ok, it's one of my favorites to read just about anytime.)

Then there were the Witch Mountain movies.  I watched them all.  Many times.  I wanted to be Tia.  I wanted to have those really cool powers.   I'm pretty sure my parents still have the entire collection of those movies on ancient VHS tapes somewhere.

I eventually graduated to Stephen King and Dean Koontz.    I read a whole bunch of those.  And let's not forget J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series!  What a wonderful world of magic she created!

Now there are more paranormal-type books then I could ever fit in my library.  That doesn't stop me from trying.  My TBR (To-Be-Read) pile seems to grow with every trip to the bookstore and every refresh of Amazon's "Recommended for you."  That being said, I do have a few favorites.

Here's my list, in no particular order: (No, this isn't an all-inclusive list, and  I do read a lot of non-paranormal stuff, too!  I'm just trying to limit it to paranormal authors.)

• Susan Wittig Albert: I really like the "China Bayles" series.  China runs an herb shop and manages to get into some trouble that way.
• Madelyn Alt: Her "Bewitching" series features a woman who is trying to find her place amidst the magic she's seeing.  Maggie is an empath (something I'm not), so I find her descriptions of other people's feelings fascinating.
• Kelly Armstrong: I really like her "Women of the Otherworld" series.  Gotta love witches and sorcerers and werewolves banning together to fight evil, don't ya?
• Jim Butcher: The "Dresden Files" are great.  The idea that Harry can combine the two worlds — that of magic and of "reality" — helped me create a major character in my work.
  
• Shirley Damsgaard: She writes the "Ophelia and Abby" mysteries.  I have to thank Heather for introducing me to her.  My main character, Cerri, is a lot like Ophelia and I enjoy how Ms. Damsgaard has tackled some of the problems I've started to encounter with my characters.
  
• Honora Finkelstein and Susan Smiley: These ladies write the "Ariel Quigley Mystery" series.  And they're just great ladies!  Ariel uses Tarot cards — a lot!  
  
• Charlaine Harris: I especially enjoy the Harper Collins series, although the Sookie series is pretty good... so is the Lilly Bard one... and the Aurora Teagarden one.... Dang it, I like her writing!  Both Harper Collins and Sookie are paranormal, where the Lilly Bard and Aurora Teagarden one are more traditional.
  
• Stephenie Meyer: Ok, I'll admit it.  I finally read Twilight.  I haven't read the rest of the series because the books are being passed around between my daughters.  But I plan to.  With this first book, Ms. Meyer has created a vampire world within our own that is completely plausible.

As you can imagine, I still have at least one book near me at all times.  I read like a crazy woman.  I'm always on the lookout for new authors, new stories, new books.  I'm convinced our local bookstore has hired at least one employee strictly based on my purchases alone.

Who do you like?  Who should be added to my TBR list?  I'd love to hear from you.

Blessings,

Nichole

Life is a Banquet of Research....

I love research. Asking questions and looking for answers thrills me. I'm always filing things away in my brain and my filing cabinet. I can't tell you exactly why I own a book on how to exterminate insects, but I know someday that sucker will come in handy!

I even research things I think I know. For instance, my book Walking in the Dark takes place in Key West, a town I lived and worked in for three years as a journalist. Now, you'd think someone who beat the streets for stories wouldn't need to find out more about the place she's using as a modern setting. After all, I already know the legend of St. Mary Star of the Sea, what Goombay is and where you can get a good drink away from the crowds of Duval Street. I know Hemingway was as likely to visit Capt. Tony's as he was to go to Sloppy Joe's on Duval. I've flirted with Tony, a local character who passed away two weeks ago.

But memories fade and having a good street map and even, gasp, a tourist guidebook is invaluable for poking at the unsteady memory.

I use life as research, but I also research what's in my life. No matter how good my memory is for things like the feel of peanut shells underfoot at the Chart Room Bar at the Pier House, I know I'll forget whether Frances Street runs past the cemetery or not (it does).

This doesn't mean I'm held hostage by facts however. It is called imagination for a reason. Sometimes in fiction, when the facts don't fit, I massage them. Not so much that they become unbelievable, but enough so that they exist in that suspension of disbelief mode we enter when we read fiction.

The paranormal part of my book is researched as well. Of course, then the rules or lack thereof are broken and reformed into rules that work better for my character. Consistency may be the hobgoblin of little minds, but it also keeps readers from saying "wait a second, they can't do that."

Details count.

In ghostly spirits,

J.K. Mahal

Photo by LinksmanJD.

Authenticity Matters

Writers read. Ask any one of us.

Newspapers, books, travelogues, blogs, magazines, periodicals, even cereal boxes are part of the daily diet of a good writer. Why? Because research never ends.

Weather you’re just starting out and you need to know the basic structure of a novel, or you’ve been at this gig for a while now and you decided the next book is going to include a taxidermist, every serious writer researches continuously.

That’s one of my favorite aspects of writing, because I love to learn and that’s part of the process. For accuracy and reader credibility, we look up even the tiniest detail if there’s any doubt.

Or you ask someone who knows.

Because research is more than just reading. In my first book, I have a minor character who is an auto mechanic. My husband is a huge car buff and knows everything about muscle cars (or any other four-wheel vehicle, for that matter). So I went to him to decide what make and model this character, who doesn’t have an enormous income, should drive. He came up with the perfect solution and is my go-to guy for any car related question.

This may seem like a minor detail. Just put the guy behind the wheel, right? Who cares what he drives?

Readers care. They care because they drive. Some might care because they’re car aficionados. They won’t be fooled by a mechanic driving an SUV. Wouldn’t make sense. But I wanted more than the obvious answer. I wanted the only answer. Remember My Cousin Vinnie? The climax of that movie depended solely on the make/model/year of a vehicle- and the woman who was the expert in that area.

That’s research.

It involves interviews, travel, and hands-on experience. You may be hesitant to “bother” people, or maybe you’re just shy. Get over it. There’s nothing people love more than talking about themselves and if they think there’s a slim chance their name might be mentioned in a book, they’ll be singing like a cell phone.

Need to learn about the restaurant industry? Take a job as a waitress. Police procedure? Ask an officer for a ride-along. Medical question? Visit a hospital for a list of doctors in that field. As long as you are polite and are willing to work around their schedule, most people are happy to lend a few minutes of their time. Always be gracious, really listen to the person, don’t interrupt, jot down questions as they come, and always send a note of thanks.

Then, of course, there is the internet. What did we ever do without it? I’ve researched arson accelerants, the effects of poisons, drug interactions, and song lyrics online. Even if I think I know something, like the spelling of a certain god’s name or the pagan rites practiced on Samhain, I force myself to double-check.

Because even in the paranormal world, authenticity matters.

Now go read something.

Barb

More on research

I research my characters in a kind of weird way. I take the lazy way out and just write people I already know. In my story, my main character is obviously me. The love interest I'm going to write as my husband, the bad guy will most likely be a combo of a few different people I know (No Nichole, not you... yet). This is actually kind of freeing, in that I don't have to come up with a whole new person from scratch, someone with her own views and ideas. All I have to think about is what I would do in a situation, and the writing is half way done. Like I said, it's the lazy way out.

Sorry that this is so short this week, but I'm fluish, and trying desperately to not yark up my socks. Most of this was written between trips to the porcelain altar.

Heather

The When, Why and Where of Research

Every book starts as a tiny thought in the author's mind inspired by any number of things. It could be a song, another book, something a co-worker said or did. It might be one thing start to finish or evolve into something entirely different. After that initial beginning comes the research. Some writers research a topic for years and then decide to write about it, or they may be like me and seek out knowledge on the fly.

When I research a wip, I always start by reading other books of the same type I plan on writing. I want to know what sells, how they read, and then decide if I want to be the one to go completely out of the box. I'm almost always waving from outside that box.

That's the fiction side of things for the facts, I hit the library and the internet loops. It is amazingly easy to find doctors, agents, psychics and the like willing to help a writer be accurate in their chosen field.

Once I have my "world" created, I fill it with the characters that drive my story. They can come from any number of places, but usually are either dreamt while I'm sleeping or are instantly born when my computer screen is open. It's my job to make them breathe.


Beth

(Happy Veteran's Day!)

When to suspend truth and when to make it real

I do a lot of research.  I have books that cover just about everything from missing persons to autopsies, from dream interpretation to Lakota Sioux traditions.  My father is a retired police officer and is usually willing to answer the "procedural" questions I have.  And, face it, the internet is a wealth of research information.  

Even mysteries need an 

element of truth.  As readers, we are willing to suspend reality only so far.  Don't believe me?  Watch an episode of Law & Order.  Then go to your local courthouse.  Trust me.  We are willing to suspend reality for a good story.

The things that make me frustrated are when someone tells me my carefully researched item won't work.  In Ghost Mountain, the killer uses a wide-mouth soda bottle as a silencer.  One critiquer doesn't like that.  One former cop assures me it will work.  Where does that leave me?  Do I suspend reality for the reader, or rest assured that my scenario will work?  (Honestly, I haven't totally decided, but I'm leaning toward the cop's opinion!)

How do I research the "un-research-able?"  Sometimes I don't.  

Who's going to tell me that my Lakota Spirit Guide wouldn't look that way?  Or smell that way?  Or even speak that way?  (For the record, I have an English-to-Lakota Dictionary on my desk and my Lakota guide mixes some of his traditional words into his speech.)  Who's going to tell me the Celtic Goddess who shows up in Ghost Mountain shouldn't act that way?  

Sometimes I let the tarot cards answer the question.  Or I get the opinion of someone I trust, often a psychic I know or someone who enjoys the paranormal aspect of what I write.  But ask a group of 10 psychics how information comes through, and I guarantee you'll get 10 different answers!

Heck, find a book on vampires.  Bram Stoker didn't think they could survive in the sun. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series seems to say they can.   Or werewolves.  Kelly Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series has a new and interesting take on them.  Who's to say she's wrong?

I let my creativity out with the paranormal aspects and keep the other parts of the story as realistic as possible.  As writers, we do the best we can.  Then we remember that we're only human.

Blessings,

Nichole

Dreaming of NaNoWriMo.

I love National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo as those who participate like to call it. I love the idea of committing to crazy, freethinking writing, where all that matters is that you spew forth letters on the page. As a methodical plotter, it goes against all my instincts to write this way, yet I find it exhilarating.

Last year, NaNoWriMo changed my novel around. Letting myself go with the flow led to major discoveries about what was and wasn't working. It helped me move past a major stumbling block and go on to new and better pages.

I've been hoping that this year will be the same. But so far, I have been unable to put pen to paper. Blame the recent move, which leaves me with an office and house in boxes. Blame the weeks of illness and of unexpected work that put me two weeks behind my unpacking schedule. Blame the upcoming week and a half trip to Florida, my last visit to my mom in the nursing home before I am forced not to fly because of my third trimester. Or just blame my lack of will.

But for the moment, I find myself dreaming of NaNoWriMo. My commitment to it will start on November 20th and go through the holidays, instead of finishing with the end of November. Though I won't be on the same schedule as everyone else, I'm hoping the spirit of NaNoWriMo will carry me through until the words "the end" appear.

In ghostly spirits,

J.K. Mahal

NaNo and Goal Setting

This is the first time I've joined NaNo and I am embarrassed to say I'm just starting. But with the election over and my article submitted that was due this week, I'm back on track. My goal is to finish my WIP, OPAL FIRE, book two in the gemstone series by month's end.

I vowed to pen 50k words this month. Will I make it? Who knows, but I set a goal and I'm sure going to try.

Procrastination is a problem with many writers. I myself prefer to check email 50 times, do the dishes, feed the cat, plan dinner, hunt for dust bunnies and any number of other mundane tasks before hitting the keyboard. Something about staring at the blank screen scares the crap out of me. But once I begin, I'm in the zone.

That's where goal setting comes in.

Writers need goals to stay on track, especially if they ever want to sell anything. The editor doesn't care that you had the flu the week your revisions were due. The readers don't care that your kids got sick. They expect the work to be done and on time.

For my first book, I set a goal of 1000 words a day. For some that may be too much, for others, too little. Hemingway wrote 500 words a day and still had time for big game hunting and world travel. It can be done.

How? By organizing your priorities. Put dinner in the crockpot, teach your fifth grader to do the laundry, train your husband to help with homework, but set your goals for the day, week, month, and even the year.

Start with a calendar. Take the first blank space and write down a realistic goal for the year (or more if you're feeling ambitious).

For example: I will have written a book by this time next year.

Then break it down: I will write one page per day.
That's 365 days, 365 pages, or 1 book.
Simple, right?
Anyone can squeeze in a page per day.

Or maybe you prefer to keep a targeted word count. Or write at a certain time every day.

My goal is 1000-1500 words/day (longer this month). That averages to a chapter/week with 15-20 pages/chapter. That works for me.

Maybe you write faster than I do. Joe Konrath, author of the Jack Daniels thriller series, writes 4000 words per day. He researches and promotes most of the year and pumps out his books in February.

Now that sounds like a nightmare to me, but it works for him.

However big your dreams are, however unattainable they may seem, they'll only come true if you set goals. Then make every effort to meet them.

And if you fall short one day, you can make it up the next. The point is to try, because the only difference between a published author and an unpublished one is perseverance.

Barb

Research and Forcing Myself to Write

***How do you research your topic? How does your research influence your writing and when do you decide to make something up on your own (deviate from the "norm" )?***

I'm not really sure how to go about researching my current story. I work at my local 911 center, so getting information on the police aspects of it aren't hard. I just have to walk across the hall. Easy-peasy. Getting them to understand WHY I'm asking what the police procedure is when dealing with an amnesiac is a little more difficult.

Also working where I work, it's no big deal to call up a local hospital and ask the head nurse a couple of more 'delicate' questions. She thinks I'm neat.

It's the deviation from the norm that's the kicker. My story involves a ware-animal, one that I havn't quited decided on (who says that wolves are the only thing we can turn into?) A lot of this involves the old stand by "making up crap". Especially where the ware-whatever and the vampire are concerened.

Oh, and Coffee. I drink a lot of coffee. Because coffee makes everything better.