I've always been drawn to the paranormal. Not necessarily monsters, though those
occasional reports of the chuppacabra, Big Foot, and the Everglades' Skunk ape
are interesting. I like the weird stuff, like people for no apparent reason
going up in flames, weird nature, and all things psychic. The appeal for me is
that there's some truth in it. It could be real…maybe. Possibly.
I think we're all psychic. Most people have had feelings about things, that gut
instinct, hunches, call it what you will. Some people are more in tune to that
ability and have real psychic abilities, some have vague abilities, and others
are, of course, downright shams. That's true of all things, like those video
clips of the guy in the monkey suit trudging through the forest.
Many of my earlier Tina
Wainscott books had some kind of paranormal thing going on: someone dying
and coming back in another person's body, psychic connections between two people
who have never met; near death experiences; cellular memory. Eventually I felt
that the paranormal elements limited my audience and I left them out of my last
few books.
But now I'm with a new publisher, doing a new series, with a new name…and the
paranormal elements are back! I missed them, actually. I loved X-Files,
Highlander, Roswell, and I love Lost (though I often am!). I've been
calling my Offspring series paranormal romantic suspense. But a review on Amazon
made me wonder: are psychic elements considered paranormal? They are, after all,
in the realm of reality, though they transcend it.
My group of people has abilities such as pyrokinesis (the ability to set fires
psychically), telekinesis (the ability to move objects psychically), healing,
the ability to get into other peoples' dreams, and remote viewing. They
definitely transcend normal, and the definition of paranormal is, according to
www.thefreedictionary.com, "Beyond the range of normal
experience or scientific explanation: such paranormal phenomena as telepathy; a
medium's paranormal powers."
I posted the question on Romantic Times' reader boards and got a mixed response.
Some did consider psychic elements paranormal and some didn't. It's an
interesting question and has made me think about how I categorize my books. The
Romantic Times review for the first book, for example, was put in
Romantic Suspense with Paranormal as an identifier. So I'm now calling my series
psychic romantic suspense.
Here's what the first book, A PERFECT DARKNESS, (Avon
Books, February 2009) is about:
A sexy stranger wakes Amy Shane in the dead of night with an urgent warning: he
is among a group of people with extraordinary psychic abilities who are being
hunted…and she is one of them. Before he can tell her more, three men burst in
and haul him away. To find him, and the truth, she must use the psychic ability
she abhors, strike up dangerous alliances, and risk not only her heart, but her
very life.
Her ability, by the way, is seeing people's auras, and another ability she
discovers along the way.
Out of the realm of ordinary? Definitely. Paranormal? Maybe probably. I guess
I'll go with that old saw: call them paranormal or call them psychic, just call
them (or in this case, buy them!).
I do consider books on psychic abilities paranormal books - certainly isn't a normal attribute to have. I enjoy books about psychic abilities. This one sounds real interesting, would like to read it. (Donna Locklin 8:34am February 23, 2009)
I consider anything that has to do with psychic abilities paranormal. Your book sounds really good. (Donna Simmonds 2:30pm February 23, 2009)
I consider any books with psychic abilities, witches or anything like that to be paranorma. (Gail Hurt 4:03pm February 23, 2009)
I love paranormal stories, witches, magic, psychics, shifters, all are great. (Cathy MacDonald 4:52pm February 23, 2009)
I agree with you Tina, that we all have psychic abilities. I think we just often ignore them or discount them. I too love paranormal themed books and love all your books. Anything you write is on my "auto buy" list! (Kay Martinez 7:50pm February 23, 2009)
I couldn't agree more! Isn't that why we have second sense and that facinating dejavu...I love just about anything that is paranormal. Tina Wainscott I buy your books every time a new one comes out! (Dianne Westbrook 12:33pm February 24, 2009)
I think psychic abilities should be considered paranormal. I love to read about the paranormal. (Bridget Hopper 1:50pm February 24, 2009)
I think that they are paranormal myself.and I love all paranormal books.the sranger the better.I like people that are diffrent. from stacey smith (Stacey Smith 5:41pm February 24, 2009)
I think we all experience something out of the ordinary at some time in our lives, but call those experiences coincidences. But having and being able to control those abilities is something else altogether. Yes, I would call them paranormal, and I love to read those stories that include something out of the ordinary. (Ruby Davis 1:28am February 26, 2009)
Hi Jaimie, I agree that we're all psychic, some more so than others. It depends on how receptive you are to the possibility. When I say I like to read paranormal, psychic abilities would be more of what I'm talking about. Because there's a kernel of truth in the story, so it's more reality based, but still an escape. Julie (Julie Robinson 5:19pm February 26, 2009)
Hi Jamie! I agree we all get that gut feeling or bad vibe and should always pay attention to it. :) Anything psychic, shape shifter, vamp or witch is paranormal to me. The "label" of paranormal covers a very broad spectrum and is a most enjoyable escape. Sometimes they leave you saying...what if? and isn't that fun!
Great Topic! Have a Wnoderful Weekend. (Chris Jones 3:41am March 8, 2009)
First of all, I want to THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!! I am the "Very Lucky" person who won your book "A Perfect Darkness"!! WOOT! I can't believe I won but it arrived today. I am very anxious to begin to read it but I am afraid nothing else will get done until I finish it. Yes, I too think that we all have some psychic abilities and I, for one, would love to learn more about how to "tune into that ability", if possible. Your choice of calling the series "Psychic Romantic Suspense" is a fantastic idea. I think it will pull in a lot of new readers....me included! LOL Just from what I have read so far on your site, I know I am already a fan, even though this will be the first book I have read of yours (or any of this particular kind) and I can't wait! Thanks again for my book and THANKS for giving your fans a chance to win some of your books. I hope you and yours have a Wonderful Holiday Season!! From your NEW FAN - "Best Wishes" (Cheri Minott 9:23pm December 14, 2011)