I have visited a few real places that were haunted and, strangely enough, they didn't make me run screaming the other way as much as the make believe haunted house did. I grew up listening to ghost stories--ones that are told as real paranormal experiences. I find the supernatural world fascinating. For a long time, I watched every episode of Most Haunted, Ghost Adventures, and similar TV shows.
All of these stories, whether from real life or from TV, inspired me when I created the paranormal world in Blade of the Wolf, my erotic paranormal romance. Readers have told me the villain is truly scary. He is an incubus who can cross over from the Other Side and shift into many forms. Six- hundred years ago he was human, but he used sorcery to transform himself into an incubus so he could survive in limbo after death, waiting for an energy source to come along that he could tap into and resurrect himself. Syrena Ellis, a psychic medium and the heroine of my book, is that power source.
Imagine being stalked by an entity you can't see. He can go anywhere you can, whether you're tucked "safely" in your bed or shopping at the mall.
Luckily, Syrena has Ronan, an immortal Sgian Dubh Guardian, to protect her physically. But mentally and psychically, she must learn to protect herself. How can she, an untrained psychic, compete against an ancient evil?
In my erotic romance novella, Laird of Darkness, the hero is the paranormal entity everyone fears. Duncan is a half-Fae who can vanish at will and fly through the air. He may be a frightening legend in his own time, but the heroine sees past his facade to the man he is inside.What are you afraid of? Haunted houses, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, Fae, bears, people, spiders?
Thanks!
Nicole
www.nicolenorth.com
I am terrified of spiders. Becoming a mom has forced me to deal with that fear (to a certain level) and I no longer go into full-on panic mode with the little ones. Hell the REALLY little ones I'm even brave enough to squish with my finger! But anything of size? Oh yeah, heart thudding like mad, fight or flight (mainly flight) instincts take over. It's bad. Give me snakes any day.
ReplyDeleteAs a man, I'm obliged to answer that I am not afraid of anything, except maybe losing my mojo. It's already too late for the hair.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed BOTW. I guess I will have to see about getting LOD onto my Kindle. Perfect time of year to sell those paranormals. Good luck Nicole.
Both books sound exciting. Great and good fortune with both, Nicole.
ReplyDeleteI'm claustrophobic. So much so, that I've made my husband SWEAR that he'll have me cremated when I die. The thought of being buried in a box scares the bejeebers outta ne!
ReplyDeleteI'm a mountain woman, Nicole. Not afraid of anything...ha ha ha. Seriously, I'm afraid of losing my other child. It's something I can't help and I try not to be overprotective, but it just happens.
ReplyDeleteAs far as ghosts to, I suppose I've grown immune to them over the years of living in this area where they are everywhere. I used to scare the kids in my Camp Fire Group every Halloween, but they actually loved it once they recovered. I still smile remembering their screams. :)
We live in an isolated area so don't get to see the darlings in their costumes. Can you believe it is almost that time of year already?
Hugs!
Thanks for the comments everyone!
ReplyDeleteSeleste, I know what you mean. Those big spiders give me the creeps. But so do snakes! LOL
Derek, LOL! All men have to pretend to be afraid of nothing, but we know the truth. :) Thanks so much for reading Blade of the Wolf! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks also for your interest in Laird of Darkness! If you read it, I hope you enjoy. It is a fun story, I think.
Confucius Cat, thanks! I appreciate it so much!
ReplyDeleteMaeve, Ack! Yes, that is scary to think about. I hope he listens and carries out your wish... or you'll haunt him, right? :)
Paisley, that is heartbreaking and certainly understandable. You must be like many of those in my family. They loved scaring all of us with those stories of ghosts and monsters when we were kids.
I can't believe no one's said it! I'm terrified each time I submit a story to an editor.
ReplyDeleteand I'm scared of spiders...but I think that's totally reasonable given how poisonous those critters are, and when they scuttle towards me...eek! *splat* I'm death to spiders. I fear them too much to let them live (except the skinny daddy-long-legs. They're cute).
Oh, I'm still chuckling over "scared the candy corn outa me." I can just see that, you walking along, leaving little piles of yellow and orange triangles everywhere...
ReplyDeleteI don't like to be scared. I'm a big wuss. Ever since I saw The Exorcist. No more scary for me.
I too loved the candy corn comment and can't get it out of my head. You're books sound fabulous. Did you have to do a lot of research?
ReplyDeleteI loved the haunted house I went to as a kid. Ghosts, critters and other don't scare me but I am extremely claustrophobic--I can't even wear jewelry because of it.
Jenny, I agree, submitting stories to editors really is scary! And so are spiders!
ReplyDeleteBarbara, LOL! I'm glad you liked that line. I loved candy corn when I was a kid. I don't like to watch horror movies. I like suspenseful stories however.
Linda, thanks! Yes, I did a lot of research on the supernatural, astral travel, psychic mediums, incubi, and various other paranormal things. I find it fascinating that we're all afraid of different things.
I'm with Jenny about sending a new story out into the world. *shivers* Other than that the usual things creep me out...dolls, clowns, pet monkeys. I've never actually watched The Exorcist, just the clips scare me.
ReplyDeleteI love a truly terrifying antagonist! I enjoy the balance of love and HEA with real and present horror.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I spent the last three months terrified of scorpions. I lived in the desert, and my few neighbors warned me that they'll get into anything, and everything, and sting you when you least suspect it. So I wouldn't even sit on the sofa for fear they'd crawl up between the cushions, or walk barefoot on the carpet because they were the same color. (I even refused to do laundry and made my partner do it, because three sting stories all dealt with being tagged through a laundry basket!) The only time I ever DID see a scorpion was when I was sitting at the dining table in the kitchen, watching episode after episode of Big Love. After about two hours, I got up. When I went to sit back down, a HUGE sucker was sitting under the table... not six inches from where my foot had been!
Oh, and wasps. I'm afraid of wasps. I can weed a garden for hours with bees buzzing around and occasionally landing on my arm, but put a wasp ten feet away from me and I'm running and screaming.
Like you, the one haunted house I visited as a child was way more frightening than contending with real haunted places. Your book sounds intriguing and I've added it to my TBB list.
ReplyDeleteYou do an amazing job weaving the supernatural into your stories, Nicole. I'm happy with fabricated haunted houses and campfire-type ghost stories. It's fun to be scared when you know it's make believe. I do not love demon stories that might be real. The Exorcist and Poltergeist movies scared me half to death, and I haven't seen a horror movie since. And I haven't gone swimming in the ocean since I read Jaws!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how late to the party I am, Nicole. Days go by with good intentions and I simply put off showing up to one of my favorite author's blogs. I have several fears--snakes {{{Shudder}}} & ditto with spiders. I agree with Maeve--I'm claustrophobic. I can't even conceive of being a submariner. YIKES. The only other fear (fears?) I have are heights and depths. Pathetically, I wouldn't let my dh take orders to Guam because it meant I'd have to fly at 37,000 feet over the deepest fissure in the earth--the Marianas Trench to get there. I don't love flying in the first place. My skin still crawls at the thought of it!
ReplyDelete