Guest Blogger: Stephanie Julian
Stephanie's winner is: Carolyn Matkowski! Congrats to you. Send me your contact information and I'll pass it along to Stephanie. Thanks so much to everyone who participated!
Hi, I'm Stephanie Julian and I'd like to thank Lynda for having me here at Paranormality today.
I've always been interested the paranormal. I credit my mom for that. As a kid, she took me to every B-horror movie that opened in our local movie theater and never said no to any book I wanted. She put Stephen King's "Carrie" in my hands and I never looked back.
In my 20s, I read Maggie Shayne's Wings in the Night series and discovered a dark new world-paranormal romance.
I enjoy the "different" in paranormal romance, the unexpected. I like the edge of darkness a good paranormal rides on.
The heroes are harder and that much more mysterious. They can be angels, demons, wolves, vampires or elves. They can have horns or a tail or pointed ears but they'll almost always be ripped and buff and know exactly what to say to melt the heroine's heart.
Paranormal heroines also have that edge of mystery. They can be cursed or haunted, hunted or the hunter. They aren't afraid to swear and they can kick just as much ass as the hero.
What reader wouldn't want to put themselves in the heroine's place as she saves herself or the world?
But I think what's most attractive about paranormal romance is the possibility it presents. The possibility that there's magic in the world. Whether it's dark magic that singes your skin or light magic that infuses you with peace, magic is, well, magical.
And who hasn't wished for a love that transcends time and death? One that binds mate to mate with fierce passion?
As a romance author, creating a paranormal world gives me more tools to bring into play. Yes, it means more research to create a believable world but when it works, the rewards are incredible.
And how do you make it work? How do you draw the reader into a story that requires them to believe there are werewolves or witches or fairies in the world?
Character.
Sure, my heroine, Scarlata, has wings in "Seduced by Magic," but she's first and foremost a strong woman protecting her friends from a man she believes means them harm. It's what the reader will recognize as a human characteristic and that reader will then identify with the character.
In my latest release, "Seduced and Enchanted," Rosie is an average girl living an average life until she has sex with the most handsome man she's ever met and wakes up with superpowers she can't control.
So tell me, what makes you connect with a character? What draws you into a paranormal world? Let me know in the comments section and Lynda will pick on winner to receive a reader's goodie bag from me.
My Magical Seduction Series from Ellora's Cave has been great fun to write and I hope to continue it for quite a while. There are a lot of heroes and heroines yet to meet. Hope you'll want to meet them too. Check out the books at www.stephaniejulian.com.
I've always been interested the paranormal. I credit my mom for that. As a kid, she took me to every B-horror movie that opened in our local movie theater and never said no to any book I wanted. She put Stephen King's "Carrie" in my hands and I never looked back.
In my 20s, I read Maggie Shayne's Wings in the Night series and discovered a dark new world-paranormal romance.
I enjoy the "different" in paranormal romance, the unexpected. I like the edge of darkness a good paranormal rides on.
The heroes are harder and that much more mysterious. They can be angels, demons, wolves, vampires or elves. They can have horns or a tail or pointed ears but they'll almost always be ripped and buff and know exactly what to say to melt the heroine's heart.
Paranormal heroines also have that edge of mystery. They can be cursed or haunted, hunted or the hunter. They aren't afraid to swear and they can kick just as much ass as the hero.
What reader wouldn't want to put themselves in the heroine's place as she saves herself or the world?
But I think what's most attractive about paranormal romance is the possibility it presents. The possibility that there's magic in the world. Whether it's dark magic that singes your skin or light magic that infuses you with peace, magic is, well, magical.
And who hasn't wished for a love that transcends time and death? One that binds mate to mate with fierce passion?
As a romance author, creating a paranormal world gives me more tools to bring into play. Yes, it means more research to create a believable world but when it works, the rewards are incredible.
And how do you make it work? How do you draw the reader into a story that requires them to believe there are werewolves or witches or fairies in the world?
Character.
Sure, my heroine, Scarlata, has wings in "Seduced by Magic," but she's first and foremost a strong woman protecting her friends from a man she believes means them harm. It's what the reader will recognize as a human characteristic and that reader will then identify with the character.
In my latest release, "Seduced and Enchanted," Rosie is an average girl living an average life until she has sex with the most handsome man she's ever met and wakes up with superpowers she can't control.
So tell me, what makes you connect with a character? What draws you into a paranormal world? Let me know in the comments section and Lynda will pick on winner to receive a reader's goodie bag from me.
My Magical Seduction Series from Ellora's Cave has been great fun to write and I hope to continue it for quite a while. There are a lot of heroes and heroines yet to meet. Hope you'll want to meet them too. Check out the books at www.stephaniejulian.com.
****************
Stephanie's winner will be selected Tuesday evening and posted here.
posted by Lynda Hilburn at 7:32 PM
16 Comments:
So tell me, what makes you connect with a character? What draws you into a paranormal world?
Paranormal to me is something that isn't real in reality, but once you put the elements of 21st century technology and background, I get sucked in. Its like wow, imagine a vamp roaming around 5th avenue looking for his mate? Cool huh?
I'd love to be entered into the contest.
I think that the hero and heroines flaws are what really draw me to them. It makes them more believable. Sure, they have this mystical, supernatural-ness about them, but they still have their own common problems too.
Contests are always fun, please enter me as well.
Hi, Stephanie, great blog. I love to read and write paranormals because I like the parallel universes created in paranormals. Also, the heroines and heroes may have super powers, or fighting their demon tendencies, but under it all, they have the same wants and needs as all humans. I used to watch the TV show, "Charmed." What I loved was that the three sisters lived a normal life to the outside world, but were always battling demons and other monsters that inhabit our world. Same as the movie, "Men in Black." Ordinary on the outside, but demons, witches, monsters, etc, all around us.
Good morning. your books sound fabulous and I have just started digging into Ellora Cave's many books and hope to grab yours soon. I read to escape everyday life, so I am a big fan of reading books about things that could not possible happen in the real world right now. I love paranormal and historicals for that reason. I love the alpha male and their strong female counter parts. I love reading about how the male falls to his knees when he discovers his soul mate. Corny I know but hey thats my thing, I love the protective, strong man doing absolutely everything for his woman (very cavemanish dont ya think)
I love to read and write paranormal romances. I agree it's fun to imagine there's magic in the world.
Enjoyed your post! Good luck with your series.
Best--Adele Dubois
I'd have to say that if a charcter whether it's hero or heroine has the flaws such as those that we have in real life is what draws me to them. It brings them to life.
Also in regards to loving the paranormal, I have always 'believed' in this stuff. So it's what propells me to read and write about it.
I love the heroines in Paranoramals. I admire the way they never give up, even when the odds are stacked against them. Also, I connect with their protective nature of their friends and family.
By the Way,
Your new cover is Great!
Andi
Stephanie,
Great blog. I've only recently become a reader of paranormal. It's not something I write but I find myself enjoying the approach to a different universe and the creatures and souls that make it up. Good luck with your next book. Great cover, Ruth
www.ruthzonline.com
What makes me enjoy a character is strength AND vulnerability. If the heroine is just tough tough tough, and shows no other feelings, it's hard for me to enjoy.
I think what draws me into a paranormal author is primarily, as you said, character. There are some books that just begin with all these DETAILS about the world the author has created, and I'm like "yawn." I love it when an author feeds in the oddities gradually and focuses on creating compelling people with a great conflict. Great post, Steph!
One of the best compliments I've ever received was that I made the world so real that a talking fish and a merman were utterly believable. One guy even compared the shark (great white, with teeth) to his ex-wife's divorce attorney - I'd portrayed him so humanly. :)
I love reading that in paranormal romances - and, having read yours, can fully attest to the fact that your world is so real that I'm going to check out all the bars in Reading for the one your characters visit!
I also loved the Wing In the Night Books. Roland and Rhiannon was my favorite. I still re-read it every once and a while. :-)
Karin Shah
STARJACKED 2.10.09
Samhain Publishing
I love the worlds that the author can create in paranormals. Both of these books sound great!
i love that paranormal stories have strong heroines and that it is a strong story with many different worlds,beings, and battles
Thanks to everyone for stopping by. Reading the comments has been educational. I love to see all the different ideas.
When a friend introduced me to the Paranormal genre by giving me the first book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's dark-Hunter series, I became addicted! My favorites are reading about vampires and I enjoy the different takes on authors reads!
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