Friday, August 12, 2011

Guest Post: Heather Frost


Title: Paranormal Fascination
           
Seers is my first published work, and it is also my first exploration into the very popular genre of paranormal. I've always loved a good story that contained magical qualities, which is why I've always been partial to the fantasy genre as both a writer and a reader. But there is something very unique about the paranormal field that makes for an exceptional read. For me, I think it's the balance between reality and the supernatural. These two elements combine in such a way that the reader is left to enjoy a story that keeps the playground of the ordinary, with an edge of the unearthly. A good paranormal read is one that creates a believable setting with phenomenal circumstances thrown into the mix. In short, the paranormal genre serves to create a world much like our own, but infinitely more captivating.
           
Before Seers was fully conceived I knew I wanted to write a paranormal story. It was a new genre to me, but I was confident that I could produce something befitting the category. On a practical level, I knew that paranormal books are easier to sell than the brand of fantasy I usually dabbled in. But what really guided my decision to plunge into the paranormal was my fascination with stories that ring true despite the fantastical qualities that adorn them.
           
A great example of this idea is the wonderful Harry Potter Series, by gifted author J.K. Rowling. I still remember how disappointed I was when my letter to Hogwarts failed to arrive on my eleventh birthday. It was such a real world to me that I started packing my bags a week before my birthday, despite the magical qualities that abound in Harry's world. To me, Hogwarts was as real as London. Magic was made real, because the setting was so believable to me. As a result, I saw evidence of Harry's world everywhere.
           
The paranormal genre does the same thing. The reader is presented with a very real setting, where the characters come to face the supernatural; which may include vampires, werewolves, physics, angels, demons, ghosts, or even Seers. This allows the reader to fantasize about their own, often mundane, life, and believe that there is more out there—whether it be good or evil. And when a story becomes more comparable to the life of the reader, the book can become a more powerful force to the reader. The supernatural isn't tangible, but reality is. Because of this, readers are able to more completely become absorbed in the story they love, because the basic elements are real.
           
I firmly believe that there is something you can gain from every book you read. But I also believe that the best books are the ones grounded in truth. They are the ones you can't put down. They are the ones you keep on dreaming about, long after the last page was turned. They are the ones that become a part of you, because they take on a life of their own. The paranormal genre seems like the perfect recipe for an irresistible read.

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