Regan Black

At the annual RWA conference in Washington, D.C. this year, speaker Eloisa James told how certain events in her life showed up in her novels. Sort of.

She explained how a recent health scare with her husband gave similar scenes in her novel, This Duchess of Mine, more authenticity and spark when she drew from the well of her own emotions during the personal crisis.

Of course the hero and heroine of her book were going through something a bit different. As historical characters they obviously lacked the knowledge of medical discovery. As an historical romance author, she punched up the drama accordingly.

In this case, the author and her heroine shared the concern and worry for their husbands through the search for the right resolution to the health problem.

According to the speech it made for challenges – mostly the positive kind – in the writing. As a fan of the book, I’ll tell you it made for some very satisfying reading.

The point is, this book reflected a piece of the author’s life, if not exactly in medical terms, most definitely in emotional impact.

Thank you, Eloisa.

It’s important for writers (of any genre) to have the courage to tap into the personal emotional well. Events past and present in our own lives can give us the fuel to feed the reactions of our own characters.

As authors of paranormal romance, remembering emotions (good and bad), and reactions (big or small) can lend an authenticity to the story. Making the reader ‘feel it’, no matter the species, world, or situation, keeps the reader engaged with the story and keeps the pages turning.

Keeping a journal is one way to keep tabs of events and the emotions that go with them. Photos can spark memories too, as can the sense of smell. Whatever works for you – don’t be afraid to use it for the benefit of the story you want to tell.

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Alpha females aren’t just for raiding tombs anymore. This dynamic character shows up time and again in paranormal romance. Actually, the alpha female is showing up regularly in all genres of fiction, and thankfully in more and more areas of the real world too.

This isn’t just a statement of women’s rights or liberation. Although, dynamic women in the real world certainly affect how female characters behave on the page.

For paranormal romance writers like me, I think it boils down to giving the reader what they can relate to, or giving the reader a believable escape.

Very few readers want to spend those few hours of spare time with a heroine who can’t make up her mind or move proactively to solve her problem. Alpha heroines deliver for the savvy reader.

Paranormal romance writers consistently apply alpha heroines, in my opinion, because it enriches the escape factor for the reader. Female characters faced with daring challenges need to find an internal strength – and in most paranormal romance novels they need to find it fast.

They may not make the right decision every time, but alpha heroines have the determination and drive to try to resolve the problem – however mysterious or bizarre. Alpha heroines aren’t afraid of making the move. Alpha heroine take responsibility for their own happiness.

Female readers today, whether housewives or corporate executives, relate to the alpha heroine facing long odds and tough choices. Seeing that heroine strive and succeed inspires readers inside and outside the story.

An empowered woman willing to apply her skills, test her strength, and risk her heart for a goal that matters is the very definition of an alpha female heroine.

And therein lies the appeal.

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Two of my favorite authors, Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krentz, have mastered storytelling. I know that’s an understatement if ever there was one. Specifically however, they’ve mastered the art of telling a classic, romantic story with the bonus element of a paranormal novel.

If you read any or all of the zillions of books by the prolific Nora, you’ll find elements of the paranormal in several novels that certainly weren’t marketed as paranormal. The Irish Trilogy is just one example, but it happens to be at the top of my favorite books by Nora list.

In this contemporary series set on the coast of Ireland, three talented and lovely siblings (two brothers and a sister) manage to find their life’s work as well as their life partners.

Classic romance, right? Of course. But when you throw in Nora’s original fairy tale, complete with a clever fey prince and the ghost he loves, you find the element that proves you’re reading a paranormal novel.

Just as prolific as Nora, under the pen name of Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz launched a series that blends her historical voice with her contemporary voice.

Let me just say: Brilliant!

The Arcane Society books are full of varying elements that make them paranormal novels. The series features protagonists and antagonists with varying degrees of ‘psychical ability’. Telepaths, hunters, strategists, this is a series where anything the mind can perceive, the talent can be achieved.

And don’t forget the romance!

Krentz has made spanning historical and contemporary settings, issues, and mysteries solved and not-yet-solved look easy. At least they read easy. Romance, mystery, and the element of the paranormal, this series has everything a reader could wish for.

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