Building Paranormal Ideas from Legends
Skye Callahan
Paranormal stories rely on the author's ability to create a world
that encourages the reader's suspension of belief.
I don’t do a lot of plotting, but making sure your
characters paranormal abilities (and inabilities) are clear and consistent
requires some planning. You don't want to get halfway through the book and have
to explain how/why a character suddenly gains a new ability or inability
(unless of course you have a good reason to do so). That's like knowing that
the character has a cell phone in his/her pocket, but when they are locked in a
room, they can't figure out how to call out for help. Likewise, a vampire who
can suddenly "glamour" a victim two-thirds of the way through the
book when he's never had/used/mentioned that ability is equally problematic.
When I need inspiration for paranormal or supernatural
characters, I look for old myths and legends to see where the creatures
originated. Creating a basis for supernatural occurrences within historical
beliefs creates credibility with the reader. There is a reason certain stories
survive, and a reason why certain supernatural elements - ghosts, vampires,
werewolves - are so widespread. And understanding when and why legends
originated may give you hints into how you can adapt the legend for your own
purposes.
The paranormal entities in Fractured Legacy aren’t derived from one particular legend. But
there were some old myths that influenced the decisions I made while writing. For
example, there are a number of legends that reference the vengeful spirit of a
mother who lost her child. In Japanese folklore, the Mu-onna has been known to
protect children, but she may also try to merge with them—to do so she must put
the child’s soul to sleep. You’ll have to read Fractured Legacy to see what aspects of the legend made it into the
story.
Don't just set out to be original or do something
different—give your mind a few pieces of kindling and let it do the rest as it
tries to make sense of the legends and stories. The originality will follow as
your imagination fills in the gaps.
Fractured Legacy by Skye Callahan
(Darkness Bound #1)
Publication date: October 22nd, 2013
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Publication date: October 22nd, 2013
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Synopsis:
Kaylyn Anderson's fascination with abandoned places and dark creatures kindled her work as a paranormal investigator. But when dreams begin to distort reality, she questions what is real and pulls away from everyone she trusts. The opportunity to investigate the Teague Hotel--a long-abandoned landmark that has always piqued her curiosity--provides a chance to redeem herself. Unraveling the hotel's secrets won't be easy, but Kaylyn soon finds herself the target of a dark entity that has been trapped in the building for decades.
If Kaylyn stands any hope of defeating the spirit, she'll have to accept that her fears are real and convince fellow investigators that she hasn't lost her mind.
"Why don't you tell us about the box?" Cole said, her
voice calm and steady despite the marionette-like stare of Mr. Edwards.
"It's my box." He repeated.
"Fine. Alright. It's your box. I just want to know more about
it, like the carvings. Do you know what they are?"
Mr. Edwards cocked his head and squinted at the younger sister.
"Carvings are something made by cutting wood. An object or design formed
by cutting and shaping a material such as wood or stone—"
Kaylyn had heard enough, but as soon as she took a step
forward, Cole glared at her.
"The guy has gone dark. His power ring has faded."
She kept her jaw clenched, wondering how much—if any—of the conversation the
man actually understood by now. "Let's just grab the jewels and get out
before his head explodes."
"There are no explosive devices in my head, Kaylyn."
She bit her lip, she certainly hadn't offered her name.
"Okay, Mr. Edwards—"
"Gib."
"Sure….”
She choked on her words as the man's lips turned up into what she assumed was
supposed to be a smile. “Gib, what's going on here?"
"You’re
trying to take my box."
"Yeah," Kaylyn nodded. This conversation was getting
redundant fast. "We got that part. We're quick like that, you know."
"I do know. You thought you could find my box and take it
away. But, I won."
"So you did, Gib." Cole took a step forward, but
marionette-man hunkered over the box like it was his heir.
Cole took another step. "Where's Mr. Edwards?"
"He took a vacation. He's probably sipping Mai Tais on the
shores of Maui right now."
"That's a quick trip."
"Yes, anything is possible when you use your imagination.
You two are particularly familiar with that, aren't you? Losing yourselves in a
slightly altered unreality."
Kaylyn shook her head and stumbled backward. For a dimwit, he
had down the creepy intuition and dictionary memorization.
Q&A
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Right after I learned to write my name. I've always loved
creating stories and fantasy lands—they were usually complete with ghosts and
vampires and heroes on motorcycles. My family was lucky to drag me out of the
library most of the time, and I always had a pile of paranormal stories waiting
to be read--I remember R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, and Bruce Coville the
most. It wasn't long before I started writing similar stories.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of
family members.
Outside of my family, the biggest support has come from my
beta readers. I never imagined meeting such wonderful (and often crazy) people.
They've all been helpful in getting the finished product together and
motivating me to write and edit when I need to.
What is your writing process?
I just write. I've never done a lot of planning or outlining
in the technical sense, I leave it up to the characters to lay out the details.
First drafts are normally handwritten with a fountain pen in my journal, then,
I begin typing it up, putting things in the right order, adding details, etc.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your
writing?
Description. I nearly fall out of my chair every time
someone compliments my "knack for description." If asked, I can
layout every detail of the locations, characters, etc, down to the color of the
carpet in the trunk of Kaylyn's car. But when I'm writing (and reading) those
details never seem as important as what the characters are saying and doing.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I work in a non-profit business consulting office doing
everything from research and writing, to marketing and event coordination.
What project are you working on now?
The next book in the Darkness Bound Series. Kaylyn's sister,
Cole, finally gets to take center stage for a while in this one, so we'll get
to see more into the relationship between the sisters. And Jonah... well, he's
not doing so well.
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
You can either write or aspire to write. If you want to be a
writer sit down, get rid of unnecessary distractions (like the word aspiring),
and write. My next bit of advice would be to find a good support group--online
or in person--having other writers around to critique, offer suggestions, and
sometimes just chat about life in general is the most valuable resource you can
find.
Skye Callahan was born and raised in Ohio and has seen enough unbelievable stuff to feed a lifetime of paranormal stories. When not writing or working at the dayjob she hangs out with her ethnomusicologist husband and pet ferrets, reads, and takes long walks through the cemetery.
Thanks for hosting my book, Jessica.
ReplyDelete~Skye