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