Saturday, October 20, 2012

Paranormals, like 'em or hate 'em?



Salad Bowl Saturdays welcomes Kaye George today for a guest blog. I have only met Kaye through virtual space, but I feel as though I know her reasonably well for never having met her. As a new member of the Guppy Chapter of the Sisters in Crime I joined an established critique group that included Kaye (and had the fun of reading an early draft of the first Imogene Duckworthy mystery). Now Kaye is president of the Guppy Chapter and I get to see her in action participating with the Steering Committee. ~ Jim


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There was a time when I detested any hint of woo-woo in my mysteries. At the first hint of a spectre, werewolf, even ESP, I closed the book (or the file) and was done with it.

Then I had a child who could read my mind. He peaked when he was about three or four. Here are two instances.

(1) He had a nursery school buddy, Jeremy, whom he called Germy, since he was three. One day we were driving past the main street that ran about two blocks from Germy's house.

"Germy's mommy is trying to call you," he said, from the back seat.

This was before the days of answering machines (waaay before cell phones). I thought nothing of it until I talked to her a couple days later. Just for the heck of it, I asked her if she had called me on that date at that time. Yes, she had. Cue Twilight Zone theme: Do-do-doo-do.

(2) This kid could also enter my dreams. This happened more than once, but the one I remember vividly is the morning after I had been having dreams of frustration, trying to get a tennis ball over the net and failing. I hadn't played tennis since this kid was born. But at breakfast, he said, "Mommy, you shouldn't get so mad when you play tennis." More Twilight Zone music.

So I loosened up a little. In fact, in a still unpublished Neanderthal mystery, telepathy plays a major role. (Hope it's published soon!)

Also, when my Texas sleuth, Imogene Duckworthy, decided to move out of her mother's single-wide, who would possibly rent to a young woman with a four-year-old and a potbelly pig? I conjured up a dump and, at the last minute, a ghost moved in.

I think the Sookie Stackhouse books influenced me, also, since they're just so darn fun.

Has your thinking changed on paranormal elements in mysteries? What do you think that's due to?
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Kaye George is short story writer and novelist who has been nominated for Agatha awards twice. She is the author of three mystery series, the Imogene Duckworthy humorous Texas series, the Cressa Carraway musical mystery series, and the FAT CAT cozy series with Berkley Prime Crime. The last two will debut in 2013. She reviews for "Suspense Magazine", writes for several newsletters and blogs, and gives workshops on short story writing and promotion. Kaye is agented by Kim Lionetti at BookEnds Literary and lives in Texas, near Waco.

Here are links to BROKE: paperback or ebook at Amazon. Learn more about her other books at her homepage.

12 comments:

  1. I've always liked ghost stories and things that go bump in the night. One of my WIPs, TOASTING FEAR, features ghosts and demons. When I searched for a place to categorize my novel, I was told that mine would fit into the "supernatural" category because werewolves, vampires and such were considered "paranormal." As far as the shelf, I doubt that the books are separated into that extra subcategory. But for querying purposes, I was to make that distinction.

    I have a lesser interest in paranormal, but then it depends. The Sookie Stackhouse books, I found violent. Sue Jaffarian has a supernatural and a paranormal series out. I love the supernatural series and like the paranormal one, but it too contains violence--so far not as much as Charlaine Harris's books.

    Do I believe? Yes, but I also believe that good will triumph evil, which is why I'm drawn to these books. My ghosts usually are really angels who fight evil. Entertainment with the balance in question, but with the assurance that good packs the heavier punch.

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  2. I like the paranormal or supernatural books with ghosts, but not with vampires and zombies that I can't believe in. I've had some experiences that make me a believer in supernatural events that have no scientific explanation other than there is life after death.

    I especially love Casey Daniels Pepper Martin series. I've read all but the latest and that is on my shelf waiting to be read. Pepper Martin works at Garden View Cemetery, based on Cleveland's Lakeview Cemetery and ghosts who want some mystery solved nag her until she solves who murdered them or other problem.

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  3. Like the first two commenters, I enjoy supernatural stories but not paranormal with vampires and zombies and such.

    I definitely believe in ESP and other forms of energy. Three of my stories feature characters with some version "extra" gifts.

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  4. I met a woman who studied people in the rural south as part of her job in sociology. She was advised by them that she had "Second Sight." When I met her she knew things about me that she should not have known.
    Paranormal can be fun if the writing is good.

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  5. While I know there are things that can't be explained, and I've even had a few experiences myself, I much prefer a book with humor in it when touching on the supernatural. Humor seems to add an element of fun to it.

    Marja McGraw

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  6. Kaye, it's interesting what you've experienced with your child and how you have used it in your writing. I agree with Warren that the paranormal can be fun if the writing is good. I also think it helps the writing to be better if you have a personal experience upon which to draw. Best wishes that you'll soon hear your Neanderthal mystery is set for publication!

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  7. The first short story I sold had a paranormal person grown up from a dead child/ (Don't know what inspired me to be so spooky.) My latest book has a ghost. I have a couple of woo woo memories - my mother was the one who came up with things she couldn't know - just twice that I know of.

    Personally, I like ghosts much better than things like vampires. Maybe it's just more fun to write than to read?

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  8. Kaye,

    My grandparents told the story about the night my grandfather was at a Mason's meeting several towns away and got the feeling he needed to be home. He hitched the sleigh to the horse and drove home as fast as he could. (This was early 1920s and during the winter the only transportation in the country was by sleigh when there was snow on the ground.)

    He arrived to find my grandmother unconscious from a gas leak in the house.

    Without his reacting to that woo-woo feeling, my father would never have been born, nor, of course, would I or my sisters.

    I'm a firm believer that we do not understand all the ways we humans communicate.

    ~ Jim

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  9. In my mystery, GIVING UP THE GHOST, one of my favorite characters is the ghost--Cameron Leeds--who implores my sleuth to find out who murdered him.

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  10. I love the stories you guys have posted! Isn't life strange? I agree that the supernatural presented with humor is more fun than the grim kind! (Although sometimes a person is just in the mood for gritty.)

    I never thought I'd put a ghost in a book, but I should know to never say never.

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  11. I love paranormal mysteries, my favorites are vampires and ghosts, and I sincerely believe goblins do not get written about enough.
    My own woo woo moments were with my home land line when I had one. I always seemed to know who was calling--if I knew the person--if it was a complete blank, I knew it was a business call or telemarketer.
    One of my current WIPs is a ghost story set in a NYC brownstone.
    Patg

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  12. I'm fascinated by ESP and technology. You wouldn't think they would go together, but they seem to. Thanks for stopping by, Pat.

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