Why I Love Writing Paranormal

When I first started thinking about which genre my debut, COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE, should be categorized in, I knew right away that it didn’t fit neatly into one particular category, but that it was a full blend of both romantic suspense and paranormal. Hence, I call it a paranormal romantic suspense.

When someone asked me ‘why paranormal?’ I thought it’d be easy to articulate. The truth is, the kernel for Zack and Sloane’s story grabbed me by the neck, shoved me up against the wall, and didn’t let up on the full body press until I’d bled the guts of the story out. And though it made me uncomfortable at times, I liked it.

Is that sick? LOL

I’ve always been fascinated with the paranormal. From my perspective, it just seems a little arrogant to think we know and understand everything about human perception. About life beyond our corporeal bodies. About what else might exist.

And yes, I’m a Christian.  🙂

I call this my woo-woo factor. I believe there is so much out there that we could see if we just opened ourselves to it. So much power within ourselves if we set aside our fear. I love the possibilities of more. More awareness. More senses. More life – in whatever form that takes.

Why are we so afraid of that which we don’t understand? Looking back, it has been what’s caused so much of the oppression in history – fear of otherness. Fear of someone or something having more power. Fear of not being on top.

Okay, I’m getting waaay off topic, but my point is that if we take the time to push through our fear and explore that which makes us afraid, most of the time we learn that there’s really nothing to be afraid of. How does that old, wonderful expression go, “there’s nothing to fear but fear itself.” I love that.

And I love woo-woo stuff. Even when it scares me. And so I write it. Because I have to – those are the stories that either whisper in my ear or rough house me. And because I hope that while I’m entertaining and whisking a reader to another place, I can also open their minds – even just a little – to possibilities. It’s a wonderful thing!

So what about you guys? Do you dig the paranormal? If not, what’s your favorite genre?