Guest Post: How I Came To Write Paranormal Novels

Guest post by Roberta L. Smith, author of The Secret of Lucianne Dove.

Aside from writing, my passion is the paranormal and I don’t have a psychic bone in my body. But then again, maybe we all do to some degree.

With my interest so keen, I took classes to try to develop a sixth-sense skill set. I had limited success. I bent a spoon once. In an effort to elicit an out-of-body experience, I lay on my bed stone-still for three hours. When I started to leave my body I jerked in surprise and stopped it from happening. All that effort wiped out in an instant. Grrrr.

Now I like all this stuff, but if I could pick a paranormal experience to happen to me, I’d like to see—or better yet—meet a ghost. So seventeen years ago my husband and I started visiting haunted hotels. That quest, combined with inspirational treks to historic Old West mining towns like Virginia City, Nevada and Bodie, California, resulted in my first novel, The Secret of Lucianne Dove.

In Lucianne I tried to create a story where readers would feel the interaction with my ghost was possible—where they could believe the experience could happen to them. The story’s intent is to intrigue and haunt, not scare. The tale takes place in Virginia City and most of the sites in the book are real. The ghost is a composite of two nineteenth century, real-life soiled doves (term for prostitutes). My lead character is an average Joe, er Mickey, whose life takes a turn for the paranormal, and by the end of the story he’s glad it did.

Mickey is very dear to my heart and after I finished my first book, I needed to spend more time with him. This resulted in two follow-up novels. Chapel Playhouse finds Mickey in a much more frightening situation, unraveling a mystery, saving a life, and battling a malicious, misguided ghost. It is available now. The Accordo, to be released next year, puts Mickey through the wringer. In fact, he may not be up for any more paranormal adventures after this one. That’s why my fourth novel is a romance that has nothing to do with ghosts. Well, not real ones anyway.

About the author:
Roberta is a native of Southern California and a graduate of the University of Redlands. She lives with her husband and writes full time. She is the happy member of two clubs: The High Desert Branch of the California Writers Club and Victor Valley Vettes Corvette Club. Now if she can just figure out a ghost story that involves Corvettes.

Review: The Secret of Lucianne Dove by Roberta L. Smith

The Secret of Lucianne Dove 
by Roberta L. Smith
Published: January 2008
(The Book Depository/Barnes & Noble)

Summary from Goodreads:
Lucianne Dove came to Virginia City during its heyday, a bride with a past that would eventually destroy her. A century and a quarter later, crusty newspaper reporter Mickey McCoy comes to town. Officially he's been sent by his boss to do a fluff piece. But Mickey has come for reasons of his own. Curious coincidences have convinced him that something important will take place; something that will free him from a painful past. So what happens when Lucianne's spirit makes contact? Mickey begins a quest to find out who she is and what she wants. And when he succeeds, there are far-reaching consequences. Two souls from two different eras seeking to transform their legacies makes for a paranormal tale with a heart, a soul, and a message of forgiveness. 

My thoughts:
The Secret of Lucianne Dove is a paranormal novel with a very nice blend of romance, mystery and history. I think this novel is probably the first one I have read in a very long time where one of the main characters is "past retirement age." I was sort of surprised because I didn't realize it before I started reading. It actually was a refreshing change from the typical leading man.

Roberta L. Smith does an excellent job of capturing your attention right from the first chapter and keeping it throughout the book. She unveils bits and pieces of the mystery at perfect intervals to keep you intrigued and wondering what is going to happen next. Definitely keeps you turning the pages to find out. The characters and setting come to life. You can almost feel their sorrows and their happiness right along with them. Unfortunately, I feel like I can't say much more without giving spoilers. If you like paranormal novels, this one should be on your to-be-read list.

You can also read a short teaser I posted recently.

You can find out more about Roberta L. Smith on her website. 

A copy of this book was provided by the author.

In My Mailbox 11/12

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren.

In My Mailbox this week for review:

Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

For Blog Tour

Jen's life of partying and sneaking out has grown stale. So on a whim, Jen makes a bet to turn Trevor, a goody-two-shoes geek, into a "bad boy." As she hangs out with Trevor, however, she finds it's actually kinda fun being a geek. But when Trevor finds out about the bet, Jen must fight for the things she's discovered matter most: friendship, family, and, above all, love.

Nate Rocks the World by Karen Pokras Toz (signed)

Ten-year-old Nathan Rockledge cannot catch a break. After all, life as a fourth-grader can be hazardous what with science projects to deal with and recess football games to avoid. Everyone, including his best friend Tommy, seems to have bad luck when hanging around Nathan. Throw in an older sister who is a royal pain, a dad who is stuck in the past, and a mom who keeps trying to poison him with her awful cooking, and poor Nathan’s life as a fourth grader appears to be completely doomed. Armed only with his sketchpad, his imagination, and his wits, Nathan Rockledge navigates the perils of the fourth grade in style, to emerge heroic, as Nate Rocks, proving that even a ten-year-old can accomplish great things. Follow the quirky and imaginative adventures of ten-year-old Nathan Rockledge as his cartoons come to life.

The Fugitive's Doctor by Deirdre-Elizabeth Parker (signed)

At age 51, Dr. Doretha Vaughn decides to advertise for a husband through Love on AOL. “Be careful,” her daughter warns. “Don’t worry,” Doretha responds, “I’m a pretty good judge of people.” Soon she finds the love of her life. For eight years, Sam Cawley, a warm and kind man, treats her like a queen - filling her days and nights with laughter and affection while providing a caring refuge from the daily suffering and death she battles as an emergency physician. But on May 14, 2007, at Boston’s Logan Airport, a phone call from the Broward County Sheriff in Florida pulls the plug on Doretha’s life of happiness and security. She learns that Sam Cawley is really William Wallace, an escaped felon who has been on the lam for seventeen years and is now wanted in Florida on charges of identity theft and credit card fraud. “You may not want me in your life after this,” Sam/William tells her. “I certainly wouldn’t blame you.” What should an intelligent, accomplished, self-respecting woman do?

 

Please read the rest of the summary on Goodreads.

In My Dreams by Cameo Renae (signed)

It was happening again. The dreams. The nightmares. It was something seventeen year-old Elizabeth "Lizzy" Hayes thought she'd outgrown; dreams that would come true; detailed premonitions of how people would die. This time she dreams about her boyfriend, Michael Young, and soon discovers that he's been found... dead. 

Michael hasn't crossed over because he was murdered, and now his murderer is coming for Lizzy. His spirit won't rest until she is safe, and as a newbie spirit, the easiest way for him to make contact is through Lizzy's dreams. When she dreams, it's as if he hasn't died. 

Lizzy must learn to pull on her inner strength to survive horrifying events. Meanwhile, in the spirit world, Michael learns everything he can about his supernatural gifts to help. But will it be enough to save her?

Deed So by Katharine Russell

For Blog Tour

It is 1962, and Agnes Hayden Bashford, Haddie, a brainy Southern teen from a tradition-bound family, dreams of breaking free from suffocating expectations placed on girls and from Wicomico Corners. She vows to escape to the exhilarating world beyond its narrow borders, like her handsome, older friend Gideon Albright who is going to Vietnam. A series of shocking incidents brings the outside world crashing down on her peaceful village, exposing long-buried family secrets and setting Haddie on a collision course with an unstable firebrand who will have to silence her to protect his identity. Haddie witnesses the fatal shooting of a black teen by a white down-on-his-luck farmer trying to protect his retarded son. The resulting murder trial attracts outside agitators and political aspirants, and pits townspeople against each other. Excited about being a witness in the trial, Haddie sees her moment of notoriety dissolve into frustration and discomfort and tragedy claim the people around her. The racially-charged case exposes civic fault lines and secrets within Haddie's own family, shattering her comfortable home life, and unleashes an arsonist who terrorizes the community by night. In Deed So, a young girl and an entire town lose their innocence in the last year of innocence, the year before the Kennedy assassination, the civil rights struggle, feminist activism and the Vietnam War changed America forever.

Please leave comments about what you think about these books and what you received this week.

Winner of The Greek Maiden and the English Lord Giveaway

Congratulations to the winner of The Greek Maiden and the English Lord:

Michele L.

65 people entered this giveaway. Many people chose to do the optional entries, so there were 140 entries! Thank you to everyone who entered!

This giveaway was sponsored by the author Patty Apostolides. 

Giveaway: Romance at Random - Veteran's Day Salute

A Salute to Veteran’s – Blog Hop
In honor of Veteran’s Day & their awesome service for our country, Random House is celebrating with Jessica Scott, active duty army captain, full time mom & author & her husband, first sergeant deployed with the army on his final tour; with promoting Jessica’s new book, BECAUSE OF YOU, the first in her Coming Home Series.

About Because of You:
From the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.

Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.

Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire.

*I have not read this book.

About Jessica Scott:
Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

The Soldier:
I'm a career soldier, with 16 years in the Army and I love everything about Army life. I joined right out of high school and was promptly shipped off to Germany where I met my husband. I went from Sergeant First Class (E7) to Second Lieutenant (01E) in 2007. Now, I'm a company commander in charge of 130 soldiers, a mom with two young kids who never sit still, and an Army wife, whose husband is back in Iraq.

The Author:
Until a few years ago, I had no idea hard writing really was. I'd always written and started several projects over the years, burning out after a few dozen pages. After the War was the first novel I ever finished and it will always hold a special place in my heart because of that, even if it now remains under my bed. Blogging from Iraq landed me a spot on PBS Point of View, tackling tough issues involving women and war. Its an experience I'll never forget.

After the War was followed by multiple novels, all pulled from my experiences as an soldier who has lived through both being deployed and being the spouse left at home with the kids. Most of those books will never see daylight.

Giveaway Details
1 Ebook copy of Because of You
Open Internationally
Ends 11/13/11

Each participating blog found in the linky below will be giving away a FREE ebook of BECAUSE OF YOU, on sale, 11/14/2011. Be one of the first to read this powerful love story – enter here as well as on any of the participating sites to be included in this random drawing – 25 winners total as each site will choose a winner — increase your chances to win by visiting all of these sites.

*This giveaway is now closed*