All About the Paranormal

October! I get really excited when I flip the calendar from September to October. There’s just so much to love about this autumn month.

First, well, it’s autumn. Who doesn’t love autumn? I’ve heard people say they hate winter or summer, but I’ve never heard anyone say they hate autumn.

I love all thing Halloween-y: ghosts, witches, vampires, pumpkins, leaves…

And I guess it’s no surprise—especially if you follow my writing at all—that paranormal is my favorite genre. And so I was saddened to be told by more than one publisher that paranormal doesn’t sell. It really mystifies me because there’s so much of it out there—from movies to TV shows to books. Yet, in lesfic, paranormal is toward the bottom of the chain.

Paranormal is the genre that calls to me. It’s what asks to be written by my heart and soul. Vampires, witches, ghosts, shape shifters…I love them all. But, apparently, not everyone does. I’ve been wondering whether to stop writing paranormal and focus on other genres that I know are good sellers. But the thought of not writing paranormal stories breaks my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with other genres. They can be fun to write, too. But the real fun for me is creating worlds of darkness and horror that innocents must overcome, giving birth to creatures of the night who might be maligned and misunderstood, and peeking into mysterious worlds of ancient secrets and long-forgotten powers and faiths.

 

 

As I write this, I have the original Nosferatu from 1922 on TV. It’s the start of TCM’s Friday night horror fest, and AMC will be running a Fearfest as well. That, and the astronomical success of shows like The Walking Dead and movies like the Twilight series, and the many other shows being aired, such as Van Helsing, Wynonna Earp, Z Nation, and others—tell me that somewhere on this planet are others like me—sick, depraved individuals who like to watch vampires get staked, monsters get burned, demons get banished to the netherworld, and innocent villagers get the bejeeziz scared out of them. Even mock horror is a blast—the live remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show airs on October 20!

So, for now, I will keep writing my precious paranormal. I hope that others will come along for the ride with me. Sharpen your stakes, light your torches, prepare your vials of holy water, fill your guns with silver bullets. I’m ready for a trip through the dark forests.

Are you?

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