5 Reasons to Write About the Paranormal by Christine Rains

Please welcome the amazing Christine Rains to 

the 5 Reasons to Write Series

Thank so much for having me here today, Tyrean! More so, for inviting me to talk about two of my favorite things: writing and the paranormal.

Tyrean: Thanks for coming by, Christine!

The supernatural has fascinated me since I was a child. I was the kid who wished Halloween was every month, I picked up every scary book and film, and I was the always the first to investigate strange noises in the night. (I wouldn’t last long in a horror movie!) I had to share my love of the paranormal through my stories.

Here are five fantastic reason to write about the paranormal:

1) Escaping reality. Of course every story helps you escape from your every day life, but the paranormal can bring you into a whole new world. You can create a parallel dimension or craft a hidden society of wizards which exists within our mundane world. You aren’t limited by every day rules, but you must always keep in mind the rules of the world you do create.

2) In creating that world, you get to play with countless what-ifs. What if vampires were real and controlled all the major countries’ governments? What if powerful psychics banned together to control the world’s population through their cell phones? I always knew those things were going to land the human race in trouble! You can put forth a lot of food for thought with these what-ifs.

3) Supernatural characters are such fun to play with. Sure, they can shapeshift, have super speed, and can read your mind, but along with the strengths of being paranormal beings, they get the weaknesses. You can stick with the legends and have your vampires unable to go into the sunlight and your werewolves deathly allergic to silver. Or you can create new ways to torment your characters. And since your characters are supernaturally powerful, you can torture them in ways you couldn’t normal humans.

4) Most paranormal tales have elements of mystery and horror in them. It’s such an adrenaline rush to write the scary and suspenseful scenes. I love to get my heart pounding and bring goosebumps to my skin.

5) Wide-eyed wonder. Sometimes it’s difficult to put into words what you’re imagining in your head, especially when it isn’t real. Yet when you do find the right words, not only will you be happy, you will leave your readers in awe. The paranormal can be beautiful and horrifying, but it’s the otherness which attracts us. Every book which has made a lasting impression on me has hit me with this otherness, because I’m seeing something new and wonderful.

If you write paranormal stories, what’s your favorite thing about writing them?

And if you’re a reader, what’s your favorite thing about reading them?

Author Bio:

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood but make her a great Jeopardy player. She’s a proud member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. She has one novel and several novellas and short stories published. Her newest urban fantasy series, Totem, is her biggest project to date and weaves ancient Inuit myths with modern day society.

Website: http://christinerains.net/

Blog: http://christinerains-writer.blogspot.com/

Newsletter: eepurl.com/3pxgr

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CRainsWriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchristinerains

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christine-Rains/e/B00AZYIAT4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

A few notes from blog host, Tyrean:
1. "Rain Vigil" at A Story in 100 Words came out on Saturday. Plus, I have a vignette, "I am Patient," getting published in Vine Leaves Literary Journal tomorrow.

2. Children's author Stephanie Faris has a new book out in her Piper Morgan series!

Piper helps some four-legged friends find the perfect home in the third book of the brand-new Piper Morgan series.

Amazon Link

3. Remember, if you want to escape reality with some wide-eyed wonder, read Christine!
Her latest book just came out!

No one messes with Saskia Dorn’s family and gets away with it.

The same murderous shifters who had hunted her sister have attempted to steal a magical totem pole. Since the pieces are scattered across Alaska, Saskia, a polar bear shifter, takes her search to the tundra for any signs of the lost totems.

Cloak of Snow - at Amazon

IWSG: Many Thanks and a Fear Spiral

Many thanks to the fearless Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh and his co-hosts for IWSG!!! And for those who run the website and the facebook page, many thanks to you as well!

And many, super, huge thanks to DL and the Blitz Team! You rocked my blog yesterday, and I don't think there are enough words to express how thankful I am!!!!

THANK YOU!!!!

 

However I still have a fear this month: I'm a terrible marketer. My friends and family must be tired of the tweets, facebook posts, blog posts, and even, yes, e-mails, about my second novel, Champion in Flight.

And yet, I received a message last week from a distant friend.

"I'm so excited for you getting your first book published!"

Um, wait. She didn't know I published my first book last year? Even after I tweeted, posted, blogged, e-mailed, felt like an uber-obnoxious-salesperson?

So, I'm not a good book marketer. Some people have heard it to their eyeballs, and some haven't heard any of it.

And three days into my newest book release, the crickets are chirping.

 Seriously, crickets and frogs have a concert outside my house every night . . . and in addition to that, the books aren't selling. By not selling, I mean hold up both your hands, and then hide one behind your back. You are holding up more fingers than books that have sold.

And that's where the fear starts spiraling into a horrible attitude like this:

Maybe it's just the wrong book. Maybe even the reviews for the first one were just "nice" and not real. Maybe no one likes openly Christian fantasy. Maybe I should have written about vampires at war with zombies with a star-crossed undead lovers twist? Maybe I'm just a terrible writer. I don't know.

Ugh. Shudder. Shake it off. Focus.

I am still going to keep writing, keep marketing (obnoxious or not), and keep celebrating the awesome encouragement I have received.

And yes, I'm going to plug my book for just a moment, along with a few others that I know about:

Reborn (The Fate Challenges #1)
by Cherie ReichTo save a kingdom, a prophetess must challenge Fate.

Seventeen-year-old Phoenix Prophetess Yssa is cursed instead of blessed, and her duties at the Temple of Apenth prove it. Yet her boring temple life screeches to a halt when visions of her parents’ murders consume her. Yssa races across an ocean to stop the future. If she can’t change Fate, she’ll refuse to be the Phoenix Prophetess any longer. Fate, however, has other plans for her and the kingdom. Yssa must either accept her destiny or fight against Fate.

Now Available in Print and Ebook!
Print: Amazon /Barnes and Noble / Book Depository / Createspace

Broken Branch Falls
Gabe is an average fifteen-year-old goblin. He’s in the marching band, breezes through calculus, and gets picked on daily by the other kids at school, especially the ogres. Gabe’s closest friends are goblins like him, but Gabe is tired of being a goblin – he’d like to try other things. And he has his eye on the new ogress at school. It’s against all beastly rules, but there’s just something about her.

Coming on June 24th by Tara Tyler!

As part of a global, cross-industry promotional project for audiomachine’s upcoming public release, PHENOMENA—by celebrated composer, Paul Dinletir—we’re introducing a groundbreaking campaign to encourage the next generation of authors, artists & musicians! With each download of the upcoming FREE PHENOMENA companion ebook, audiomachine will make a donation to the LA Youth Orchestra.

Available today or tomorrow!

Put together by Samantha Redstreak Geary and featuring many bloggers we know!

Rachel Schiefelbien's Don't Fall

In this contemporary retelling of Rapunzel, seventeen-year-old Anya leads a secluded life in a house on the edge of town with her adopted mother. She doesn't go to public school, doesn't even have a best friend. But Anya doesn't seem to mind. She has her books, her photography, and her daydreams and would do anything to please her mom.

Annalisa Crawford's Our Beautiful Child

People end up in this town almost by accident. Ella is running away from her nightmares, Sally is running away from the memories of previous boyfriends and Rona is running away from university. Each of them seek sanctuary in the 18th century pub, The Boathouse; but in fact, that’s where their troubles begin.

Jack Lewis Baillot's cover reveal for A Test of Loyalty!

Upon learning he is one of the sons of the now dead king, Prince Lachlan is forced to leave the only home he has ever known. Fleeing for his life, his step-brothers a step behind, Lachlan finds safety and friendship with a young seamstress named Magda, a hermit, an Elf, and two Dwarf brothers. Determined to keep the young prince alive, Magda and the others seek out help in the surrounding Nations.




In Short Stories:
Milo James Fowler has several awesome stories out, but the latest two that I know about and have read and loved are: "Drawn from a World of Hurt" at Fiction Vortex and "Captain Quasar and the Fastest Thumbs on Zeta Colony Four" at Comets and Criminals.

And, Christine Rains has an excellent story out at Luna Station Quarterly. Check out "Ladgarda" - it's a great read.

Champion in Flight

A year after she won the battle for Septily, Clara feels trapped in Skycliff by the Allied Council. As the last pieces of information about the Healing Caves fall into place, Clara is attacked by an assassin. Covert Drinaii mercenaries and the Council aren’t going to stop Clara from her quest to heal her broken blade. As Champion of Aramatir, she must act.

 

Meanwhile, in the joint kingdoms of Rrysorria and Wylandria, the youngest and still cursed swan prince despairs of ever being whole again. In a moment of anger and desperation, Liam discovers a blood link between him and a dark sorceress.

 

Clara won the battle for Septily, but her battle isn’t over.

Smashwords
Amazon
Goodreads


What do you think is the best way to market your writing? Have you ever been blitzed? Isn't it awesome?
And . . . if you could choose a favorite way to fly, what would be your choice and why? Griffin? Dragon? Millennium Falcon? Enterprise? Cessna?

And do you have news to share? I'm planning on starting a monthly (I can't keep up otherwise) feature on my blog for blog/author news so I can showcase everyone's accomplishments. If you have news to share, please e-mail me at tyreantigger@gmail.com

And if you are a blitzer - THANK YOU!!!

An Excerpt From The Harbringer by Christine Rains

Christine Rains' 13th Floor Series has been rocking the book world, and today she's sharing an excerpt from her latest, The Harbringer, right here.

Title: 1304 – The Harbinger (The 13th Floor series, #4)

Author: Christine Rains

Genre: paranormal romance

Release date: March 13th, 2013

Blurb:

Meira Harper loves both her jobs: talking about beautiful shoes and fetching souls for Zeus. But the Thunder God threatens the harpy's loyalty to her job when she receives the call to bring the soul of gorgeous Sam Wright. Meira pleads with her boss to let him live. Zeus agrees, but Sam must fight for his life. If Sam can win three challenges, he can keep his soul.

The gods never play fairly, though, so Meira needs to find ways to help Sam with the challenges. She cannot outwardly cross her master, but she refuses to let the man she loves lose his soul. They haven't even had a chance to start a life together.

Sam's soul is on the line. Meira's will be too if she's caught, but that's a risk she's willing to take.

 

1304 – The Harbinger excerpt

By Christine Rains

            It was Sam who wiped the smug smile off Hera's face. “I'm here because I risked my life to save some people. I made the choice, and I would do it again in the same situation. The only role Meira played is in actually transporting me here. I don't blame her for that as she was obviously following orders. Orders, as anyone with eyes can see, she's not happy with.”

            A ripple of gasps went through the crowd. No one talked to Hera in that manner. Meira had to bite her bottom lip so she wouldn't laugh out loud.

            Power swirled in Hera's hand, and when she raised it, Zeus grabbed her by the wrist. He glared at her and whispered a word. Though Meira couldn't hear what it was, she knew exactly what he said.

            “Mine.”

            Hera yanked her arm free and turned up her nose. With a dramatic swirl of her skirt, she returned to her throne.

            “Brave as you are, young hero, it matters nothing whether my servant is happy with her orders or not. But that's not your concern. Meira,” Zeus beckoned to her. “Come sit here at my feet.”

            Though the Thunder God's claim on her was already clear, it seemed he was going to make certain that everyone knew her place. Rising, Meira walked forward with her head bowed. Meekness didn't suit her, but making sure Sam stayed safe did.

            There were some shouts and laughter from the stands. The gods and their creatures weren't known for their sweet tongues. Being called a dog was the least of the insults.

            As she passed Sam, his fingers grazed her wing. “You still look like an angel to me.”

            Meira wanted to throw her wings around him and kiss those wonderfully sweet lips. A million insults were nothing compared to what Sam said.

            Her heart was still thumping hard when she climbed onto the dais and sat at Zeus' feet. Only then did she raise her head enough to look at Sam. Naked and glorious. She wanted to do a lot more than just kiss him.

            “Shall I tell Hebe to get you a bowl of water, dog?” Hera's snark chipped at Meira's temporary elation.

            Meira didn't look back. Her gaze stayed fixed on Sam.

            “Let's not wait any longer!” Zeus shouted and the cheers burst forth. “First, a test of strength.”

            The ground shook as a bump of earth rose at the far end of the stadium. The stands split and separated, opening like arms. The bump grew to become a hill. A very tall and fat hill with a flat top.

            With a second lesser tremble, the bottom of the hill spit out a boulder. A rock taller than Sam. It wobbled on its spot and then went still.

            “A simple task, hero. Push the boulder to the top of the hill.”

Author Bio:

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has five novellas and eighteen short stories published.

Website Blog  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads

 

Purchase Links for The Harbringer:

 

Amazon B&N Smashwords Kobo
Goodreads

 

Also, Christine's first 13th floor book, The Marquis is currently free at Smashwords and Kobo.

 

Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!!!