Check it Out!

Margie Church is the Winner of

her Choice of Cynthia’s Demon Hunter Series

Welcome with me, Cynthia Vespia, author of paranormal fiction. I’ve been hooked on this genre since my first Anne Rice book, and also loved the religious paranormal fiction for decades, such as Bill Myers novels.

It all started when I was four years old, hiding behind my parent’s bedroom door and peeking through the hinged door-crack every Saturday night to watch Gregory Graves’ featured horror movie.

Growing up my favorite TV shows were not The Mickey Mouse Club, nor Saturday morning cartoons, but Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Twilight Zone.  And after reading some Cynthia Vespia, I may take a crack at writing it!

And don’t forget, Cynthia is giving away the comment winner’s choice of either eBook from the Demon Hunter series to download for your e-Reader. All you have to do is leave a comment. You must be subscribed to Visual Arts Junction to be eligible.

Aggie Villanueva

Paranormal Fiction

by Cynthia Vespia

The word paranormal can bring to mind a great many things to people depending on your reference points: ghosts, night trolls, that thing under your bed that can only be sated with fresh pillow mints.

It’s only recently that the word has sprung up in literary circles as a genre on the move. Some famous names and world renowned books fall under the umbrella of paranormal including Unhallowed Ground by Heather Graham, Duma Key by Stephen King, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Nightseer by Laurell K. Hamilton, and Forever Odd by Dean Koontz.

These popular titles can also be found under a lot of cross-genres as well. More often than not Stephen King is referred to as a master in horror. Dean Koontz is known for suspense. But in an effort to be word-friendly, and to broaden audiences, the terminology of paranormal, supernatural, and dark fantasy is now being used to describe these same authors.

Paranormal lends itself well to every genre. It’s a development that is simply a progression of reader tastes and new writers coming on the horizon with new story lines. Why not blend genres? There are rules to every game, you learn them, use what is decidedly in your favor, then throw out the rest and make up new ones.

Some of the most creative novels didn’t adhere to any set form. You write what you know, yes, but you also write what you want to write. If there is a novel that you want to read that hasn’t been written then you must write it. There is no sense in following the trends because tomorrow something new will have come along.

Is paranormal fiction a trend? That remains to be seen, but if you write a paranormal romance because you want to become the next Stephanie Meyer I say put the brakes on and find out why you really want to write that story. Trends come and go like a thief in the night.

There are plenty of opportunities out there for all different types of quality writing. You just need to do your homework before submitting haphazardly. But if you truly dig the paranormal and you want to write that novel because it’s eating away at your cerebellum, keeping you in a perpetual haze, and you desperately need to sleep at night, then welcome friend, you’re in good company.

I believe the beauty of adding paranormal or the supernatural to your novels lends itself to the bending of the rules just enough to test the boundaries, but not enough to go off the deep end. Anything is possible as long as you declare the rules to the reader right out in front.

For example, when I started my Demon Hunter series I made it known that this was going to be an epic adventure ride where anything was possible. My world was a blank canvas set in an era distinguishable by the manner in which the characters speak and dress. And I established my tone within the first few pages, dark and unforgiving, letting the readers know up front that the macabre existed in this world.

One of the best things about writing is creating worlds, whether they be urban, rooted in history, or completely foreign and pulled from the far reaches of your imagination. Just remember, if you believe so shall we. Half the fun is bringing these places and these characters to life.

When you add a hint of the paranormal it’s like touching off a great dish with that extra bit of spice that “wows” the guest and enhances the experience. Think of your readers as your guest…wow them. I like to develop backdrops and characters so real to the touch of the mind that you believe these are situations you could find yourself in, but hope to God you never do.

With paranormal romance, for instance, people are fascinated with the prospect of the dark and sinister from a romantic perspective. What is it about a vampire that can be so chilling and yet so sexually thrilling at the same time? Where do shifters get their powers and how do they cope with them in day-to-day life? These are questions that beg answers. Questions are the forefront of the beginning of any good novel.

Writers of the paranormal, and readers as well, are infinitely in tune with a broader sense of exploration. There is a thirst for explaining the unexplained. So the next time you sit down to write a novel ask yourself one question to start: “What if….”

What’s Your Favorite Paranormal Genre?

Vampire. Shifter. Time Travel.

Bio: Cynthia Vespia is the author of the paranormal thriller series DEMON HUNTER available through AspenMountainPress.com . Her first novel, a medieval fiction entitled The Crescent (iUniverse)was published in August 2005. The novel was unanimously praised as “an engaging, descriptive read” which prompted a sell-out at Borders Bookstore in less than one hour during the first official signing.

Most recently Cynthia has written her darkest novel to date with the release of Demon Hunter(AspenMountainPress.com) and made it to the top ten list at Fictionwise.com. The story about a nobody who becomes a somebody in the bloodiest of ways. Following the tradition of dark fantasy and combining the concept of high-adventure, Demon Hunter examines both the light and dark side of human nature when a man learns he is fated to hunt demons before they corrupt mankind. Followed up by the sequel, Demon Hunter: Seek & Destroy which takes the characters and the reader on a journey that begins on the high seas and ends in Hell.

And don’t forget, Cynthia is giving away the comment winner’s choice of either eBook from the Demon Hunter series to download for your e-Reader. All you have to do is leave a comment. You must be subscribed to Visual Arts Junction to be eligible.

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