Paranormal world building—for a writer it can be extremely exciting or unfathomably daunting. The possibilities are truly endless. Everything from an alternate history World War II to a completely new planet inhabited by six foot fairies is possible. When I approach the creating of a new verse, I go in a sound proof room and scream a primal scream of the truly deranged. Then I sit back at my computer and wonder what I want to happen.
What kind of story do I want to tell? What kind of verse do I need for it? Does it have any specific needs? And then I pace. No, I don’t record my rantings, but I really should. I’d have less hair pulling incidents if I did.
Sometimes I make a master list of what I want; sometimes I just pick random things that catch my fancy. One of the most important things in creating a paranormal verse, aside from making sure your reader understands that verse without tedious backstory, is to pick something where your readers can suspend disbelief. If you can write about six-foot fairies, do so with conviction.
A complicated paranormal verse might require a prologue, but I’m not a big fan of that. However, most times, it’s fun for the reader to discover the subtle differences in your verse as opposed to reality. Or history for that matter.
For instance, in my Druids series, my verse is Victorian England. But that verse has very specific differences from t he actual historical happenings of 1882-83 England. I don’t set anything up in a prologue, I want my reader to keep up with this new world. Want them to discover what the differences and similarities are for themselves.
Murder and Magick begins with a Witch Hunter spewing hatred. But of course, Witch Hunters weren’t common in 1882 England. Or any time in English history for that matter, not in the Hunter sense.
In Temptations and Treachery, the fourth of the series, my magickers use artifacts or items which can help them expand their powers. To them, his is the equivalent of a watch or cell phone to us: it’s just something that’s there. Course, to them, magickal artifacts are very dangerous and they’re trying to round them up so they don’t fall into the wrong hands.
It’s all about what you want to work. Even more so, it’s all about how you present it. If you make it a part of your world, present it as such from the onset, it is and readers will accept that. If you hem and haw, adding things in when you need a plot device or to make something more convenient for your characters, no one’s going to believe it.
Excerpt: Dark Desires of the Druids: Temptations and Treachery-
“Is there a way to control it?” he asked.
“Yes, you can control the depth of the shadows, but you’ll never get it as dark as,” she shrugged, “as well, a master.”
“I’ve seen Morgana use something similar, but she doesn’t need a spell. It’s somehow,” he shook his head, “a part of her. She always just knew how to do it.”
He broke the connection, and she allowed the candles to lighten the room again. She still wanted him, surprised at how much she did.
“How do you feel?” she asked.
“Energized,” he laughed. His eyes darkened, changed. Isadore didn’t think he meant from the spell. Her heart raced, and it was suddenly difficult to breathe.
She wanted to kiss him, but his words, his apology, echoed in her mind. Instead she said, “Good. I’ll teach you more later.”
He leaned down, eyes dark from magick and more. It was a bare brush the kiss, his lips moving over hers. Soft, probing, nothing more. Isadore opened her mouth just slightly, just enough. Leaned into him. Wanted more.
Deepening the kiss, Isadore pressed her body to his, felt his heat even through their layers. Wanted to strip him and taste every inch of him, feel his mouth and hands on her. Winding her hands around his neck, through his hair, she took. Devoured even as she felt devoured. Couldn’t get enough of him.
Abruptly, he broke the kiss. Gasping for breath, she looked up at him and tried to think. Embarrassed, his words again echoing through her, she stepped back. James grabbed her close, crushing her lips to hers. Dispelling her doubts with his own fierce need.
“Oh,” she breathed when he let her go again.
“I must go,” he said, and left her in the basement, need coiling through her.
Leave a comment or ask a question today and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a free PDF of Temptations and Treachery.
Thanks for having me today! I always enjoy my time here at Fang-tastic. ~Isabel
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