My name is Lexi George, and I am a bona fide chicken. The flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz scared the crap out of me as a kid, I don’t do slasher movies, and, to this day, I have never seen The Exorcist. Like the Cowardly Lion in Oz, I do believe in spooks. I do, I do, I do!
If I ever saw a haint I’d break a land speed record getting the hell out of Dodge, and you would never, never catch me going in a dark basement or down a dark alley without a rocket launcher in my sweaty grasp, and an army at my heels.
So, given my craven tendencies, how did I wind up writing paranormal? It started with an on-line writing prompt: Write the first chapter of a paranormal romance and get constructive feedback. I thought, Why not? I love romance and fantasy. This will be fun and it will give me something to think about besides my writing woes.
I’d amassed over 100 no-thank-yous on the fantasy romance I’d written, and needed something to take my mind off the rejection.
Reenergized, I sat down and sketched out an idea about hunky immortal demon hunters coming to Alabama in pursuit of rogue demons and falling in love for the first time. A year later, Demon Hunting in Dixie was sold to Kensington, and that, my friends, is how a major league weenie came to write scary stuff.
To my surprise and delight, paranormal romance has been a good fit for me. It incorporates elements of the two genres I love: fantasy and romance. And, because it’s a romance, there’s a HEA, which I also adore. Have I mentioned that I HATE sad stuff? You couldn’t make me watch Terms of Endearment or Beaches at gunpoint. And don’t even get me started on Old Yeller.
Okay, maybe at gunpoint. I am a weenie.
I love the fact that anything can and does happen in Hannah, Alabama, the small town that is the setting of my books. There are shifters, ghosts, ghouls, zombies, demons, fairies, demigods, demon hunters and demonoids, to name a few. I love the freedom it gives me as a writer. I love that I get to write about the redemptive, life-changing power of love. I love that I get to write alpha males and strong women. I love that I get to write funny. I love that the town is a character. I love that the poor norms think nothing ever happens in Hannah, and everything does.
And it’s just plain old fun to set it all in the humid bucket-o-crazy that is the Deep South.
What’s your favorite paranormal critter, and why?
Paranormal Unbound 
Lexi, I feel you. I am SUCH a chicken. After I saw a midnight showing of the Blair Witch Project, I had to spend the wee hours in a well-lit big box store, open 24 hours. I don’t like scary movies either, and there are certain types of violence I can stand and others I can’t. It IS funny that people like us end up writing dark, scary, violent stuff. I think there is something about a book versus a movie, that takes place in the safety of our own imaginations, and we can skim or put aside when we need to, that makes reading better for a scaredy cat like me! Thanks for a fun post!
What an excellent point, Amber! I think it IS the safety net that makes it okay to write. 🙂
LOL, great post! I hate to admit it, but I too am a weenie yet love everything paranormal.
It’s definitely my crazy over active imaginations that makes me a weenie. For example: A long while back when I ‘accidentally’ saw a scene from that scary movie with the demon doll with the red hair (I don’t even want to type the name…) where he starts to crawl up some dude’s bed under the covers to kill him… well ever since then I cannot sleep in a bed that does not have the covers tucked underneath the mattress at the end of the bed! Not like that’ll stop a freaky, still-makes-me-cringe-just-thinking-about-it doll but hey… it’s something. ;0)
And I totally agree with you. HEA’s are a must! Life is already too sad most of the time.
Your books and world sound intriguing! I’m definitely putting them on my TBR pile.
Thanks, Marlene! Glad you enjoyed the post. I remember YEARS AGO reading Salem’s Lot by Stephen King, and being convinced that a vampire was going to come through my dorm window . . . on the 11th floor! And there was this really awful grade D movie I watched as a kid about these critters on this island that sucked the bones out of people, leaving behind nothing but the skin and some jelly. Gave me the willies!
my scariest incident was when I was a kid (loved scary stores Godzilla etc) Well I watched one there the ground opened up and swallowed people and put a microchip thinging in their neck – and changed everybody. This was back in the 50’s before microchips were invented. lol anyway for years I was scared to step on the ground. As an adult – I watched Werewolf in London – Now I do not cross the moors at night. lol I love lexi’s Books I have read them all and looking forward to the next one.
Great post! High five from another big weenie who loves paranormal. I used to love reading mystery and horror until I finally admitted I was too grossed out and freaked out by some of it to really have the cojones. To this day, I can’t think too hard about The Ring. But for some reason vampires and their soulless, murdering enemies grabbed me. Maybe it’s like driving, yanno? You only get car sick if you’re the passenger. 😉
Absolutely, Elisabeth! It’s about being in control.
Oh, the Ring… yeah, ditto on the not thinking too hard about that.
I think those flying monkeys scared most kids the first time they saw The Wizard of Oz, including myself. The only paranormal creatures I really don’t like are the zombies. Just not my thing. I love your books. They were a lot of fun to read!
Thanks, Liz! I’m not big on zombies myself. Watched two episodes of The Walking Dead and caved, because it was just too gooey for me. Ugh!
LOL, I don’t really like watching scary movies either! I’ve never seen The Exorcist or Jaws. I remember I couldn’t even watch the trailer for The Shining when it came on TV when I was little. And I’m so with you on Beaches and Terms of Endearment, never watched those but it might be for different reasons–I don’t like overly sappy stuff where I feel like they are purposely manipulating me to have a sobfest–nuh-uh, not going there.
I’ve seen all three of those movies, and I wish I could un-see The Exorcist. Having been brought up Catholic, that one *really* did a number on my head when I was a kid. The Legend of Hell House was another one that haunted my dreams as a kid. Waaaay too young to be watching those. heh.
I hate sobfests talso. I was cornered into watching Steel magnolias. it is a major sob fest. There wasn’t a dry eye in the theatre. And we were all soldiers.
Angela, I read sad/bad stuff all day at work (criminal transcripts) so I don’t need that on my off time. Part of the reason I hate sad movies is that, once my faucet gets turned on, it’s hard to turn it off. And I am NOT a pretty crier.
Lol, you are certainly not alone Lexi. I hate everything scary, and watching or reading something with a bad ending? No way. Sad stuff is for everyday life, not for my reading or viewing pleasures.
My favourite paranormal creature? I love all of them, except zombies and other scary evil things. I do enjoy books that have some original “new” creatures in them, or a mix that the author has thought up herself.
Me, too! I love it when writers take something familiar and add a twist to it. Love Lynn Viehl’s vampires, because they smell yummy to attract prey–roses, lavender, and even pound cake. Brilliant!
“humid bucket-o-crazy that is the Deep South”
Ha–I couldn’t agree more!
I’m a horror movie weenie, too–maybe that’s why I write things that scare me. I only have to guts to face them if I’m controlling them (or pretending to, anyway.) 🙂
Exactly, AJ! And I think that’s why I write the way I do. My humor valve kicks in when things get too sad or scary. Self defense, I think!