Exploring the Paranormal

I love popping into the "Happily Ever After Blog." It's topical, fun, and I enjoy branching out and meeting new people. Since I have a new release out with Desert Breeze Publishing in May 2010 which deals with paranormal themes, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the paranormal.

One romantic sub-genre that's really popular right now is the paranormal. You can have all kinds of fun with the paranormal. You can play in the darkness with vampires, have fun in the sun with werewolves, and travel back through time.

What I love about the paranormal is that it's very versatile. You can set your story in the past, present, or future. You can also go to exotic locales. My favorite is Eastern Europe, deep in the heart of old world paranormal myths.

My latest story is about a werewolf. Set in 1901, the first half of the story takes place in England, the second half in Budapest, Hungary. Count Matthias Duma harbors a dark secret, but when he meets the beautiful Katherine Archibald, he risks everything for her love.

Of course, Matthias's secret is that he's a werewolf. How do you tell the woman you love you're…that? *yikes!*

While more paranormal literature is beginning to explore shape shifters and werewolves, I picked werewolves because unlike the vampire, they aren't "undead" – they're alive and so deliciously human. And telling a good story is all about taping into the human condition.

Most myths about werewolves include longevity in life, they're poisoned by silver, and they turn into wolves during the full moon. But how long does a full moon last? Two? Three days? If a lunar cycle is 28 days then the wolf is a man for 26 days – and it's the psyche of the man that is the wolf which appeals to me as a writer.

How does the man deal with being a wolf? Does he hide away from the world? Does he have a friend or two who understands his condition, willing to help him? Does he bear his curse with a certain nobility? Dare the man who is a wolf fall in love? Is he entitled to happy every after? I'd like to think so.

In my novel, "The Hungarian," my hero, Matthias, struggles with all these issues. That's what made writing "The Hungarian" so much fun.

Here's a small excerpt:

She caught his lips with hers. He responded in kind, wrapping his rugged arms around her, holding her tight. They kissed for the longest time, their lips deepening the kisses between them until their tongues began to mingle against each other, yearning with the sensual heat of desire. Katherine felt a deep physical agitation pooling inside her. His full lips tasted sweet, like a sinful treat she could easily become addicted to.

Then, with an abruptness she hadn't expected, he put his hands on her shoulders and broke the kiss with a jerk. "Katherine, do you realize what you're doing?"

"Tell me."
He cupped her cheek, looking at her with a deep intensity that burrowed into her soul. "It's too soon," he whispered.

"Too soon for what?"
"Don't I scare you? The way I look?"
"No."
"My scar? My eyes?"
"Not in the least."

"It doesn't bother you I'm a widower? That the Ashtons are openly seeking to prove me a poor parent so they can take my daughter away from me?"

"No." None of what he'd mentioned bothered her. From what she had observed he was honorable, exuding more nobility than the Ashtons ever would.

Matthias tore himself away from her and left the gazebo. He took long, quick wolverine-like strides toward the roses.

"What are you doing?"

He plucked a rose from a bush without any hesitation and held it up to her. "I love roses, Katherine. They're very soothing to me when I'm alone late at night, trapped by the moon. I want you to have this one. I am not an ordinary courtier, Katherine. I would not woo you with British practicality, but in ways that are foreign to you―"

"What are you saying?"

"If you think you are strong enough, if you think you can endure the summer's challenges, if you think you could find a life with me, then send this rose back in a week's time and I will ask Lord Archibald his permission to court you."

"The Hungarian" will be available 1 May through Desert Breeze Publishing and on Amazon for Kindle.

Here's a link to the book's trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZwaF8hAdow.

I'll be offering autographed postcards with "The Hungarian's" cover on it. To win, post a comment and I'll draw two winners name out of a hat which I'll announce at the end of the day.

Beware. The wolf is coming.
Smiles & Fangs
Stephanie Burkhart