Happy Holidays Dear Readers! Celia here. I’m pleased to welcome my writer pal Georgia Lyn Hunter to the Paranormal Unbound blog today. She pays us a visit to share her thoughts on our genre, of course! Take it away, Georgia Lyn!
Hey all, it’s a little bit of a jumble in my world today.
Why Paranormal?
Let me go back a while—okay a looong while ago and reveal what shaped my fascination towards said genre. When I was a little girl, I saw some unexplained things. Here’s one…
My grandfather lived on a sugarcane planation steeped with strange happenings. At night, we’d all sit on his wraparound porch and he would tell us ghost stories. While I loved his tales, the supernatural phenomena that happened there intrigued me more. We’d watch balls of orange flames roll across the tops of the sugarcane. It didn’t happen often, but the rare times it did were scary as hell and mind-boggling. My grandfather said it was the ‘fire devil’. Maybe he was teasing, but I never forgot that sight.
My experiences led me to wonder how much of the supernatural element in any paranormal story is based on even a thread of fact. Not much I’d guess. But kudos to us, because writers in our genre have amazingly creative minds, as evidenced by the many great stories out there.
My log line is my creed: Step into dreams, fade from reality…
And that is why I write in the paranormal genre. I want to be swept into a different world, where the impossible becomes possible. If I wanted reality, I’d read the newspaper. Not that I have anything against certain genres, but reading for me is pleasure, a time to escape.
Why A Paranormal Series?
As a reader, I love spending time with characters we’ve read before — I’m invested in their HEA and want to see how their lives progress. J. R. Ward captures this beautifully with some of her characters in her BDB series. I for one cannot wait for The King to be released in April, 2014 and get more of the powerful dynamics between Wrath and Beth.
My first-ever paranormal romance was Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Night Play, with wisecracking vamp heroes. I practically salivated as I read it. What’s not to love about the Dark Hunters? And the fact it was a series, I was instantly hooked and wanted to continue living in that world.
That said, other series failed to keep my interest over time. As a reader and a writer of the genre, I say: when the magic cannot be captured again, series that have run the gamut should be laid to rest. Peacefully.
Join the Discussion
Thanks for hanging with us today, Georgia Lyn! Now, Dear Readers, how about you? Why do you read paranormal stories? Do you prefer a series or a stand-alone/single title? Any recommendations? You know how we *love* book recommendations around here! ☺
About Georgia Lyn Hunter
Georgia Lyn writes paranormal romance with one published work Absolute Surrender, and two more completed and with her agent.
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Absolute Surrender. A Fallen Guardian Novel.
She’s his salvation, he’s her demise. And he waited three thousand years for her. A love story that transcends realms…
Born in the flames of Heaven’s wrath, he’s all things sinful…and too dangerous to love.
An immortal guardian, Aethan’s walked eternity alone, trapped in a hell of his own, until a feisty mortal crosses his path—a female he shouldn’t even look at, one who shakes the precarious foundations of all that he is—and who’s determined to walk the edge of danger.
All her life, Echo Carter wanted “normal,” an impossible feat given that she can see demons. Back in the alley’s of New York, she’s determined to hunt down the demonii responsible for the death of her friend—and no man, no matter how sexy, will stop her…
I’m with Georgia Lyn on this one – I read to escape from the world, and adding in some paranormal only makes the story that much more fantastical and fun. I love books that are loosely tied together, not necessarily a series, especially when characters I adore from previous books make an appearance in the next book.
Hi CJ,
Adding to the chorus of reading as an escape — paranormal has always been my preferred genre from childhood to now.
Hey Coleen,
I agree, even better when books are loosely tied together but belong in the same world 🙂
Anne, thanks for having me.
I completely agree with you Georgia, reading is an escape from reality and paranormal romance / urban fantasy is my favourite genre. I will recommend you some lesser known authors, although I do love the ones you mentioned, as they are also the first ones I read in this genre.
Susan Sizemore, Alexis Morgan, Lynn Viehl, C.T. Adams/Cathy Clamp, Yasmine Galenorn (very hot too and poly), Karen Chance, Jacqelyn Frank. I could go on, but if you really want to try some, I hope you will like those authors.
Hi Xaurianx,
Thanks for the reading recommendations! Long live PNR and UF! 🙂
Hi Xaurianx,
I’ve read Lynn Viehl and Jacquelyn Frank, enjoyed them, and have some of the others my TBR pile. Now, if only I can add more hours to the day 🙂
Thank for the suggestion.
Those fireballs would have freaked me out. I loved Absolute Surrender. You created a world that I definitely didn’t want to step out of. In fact – where the heck is the sequel? I want to go back soon.
Hi Nana,
I’m with you on those freaky fireballs!
Hey Nana,
Thank you. Glad you loved AS. I’m on home run with Blaéz’s book, the end is nigh, dear girl 🙂
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