Fox Tale Guest Post #GoddessFish

 

FOX TALE

by Karen Hulene Bartell

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GENRE: Paranormal Romance

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BLURB:

Heights terrify Ava. When a stranger saves her from plunging down a mountain, he diverts her fears with tales of Japanese kitsune—shapeshifting foxes—and she begins a journey into the supernatural.

She’s attracted to Chase, both physically and metaphysically, yet primal instincts urge caution when shadows suggest more than meets the eye.

She’s torn between Chase and Rafe, her ex, when a chance reunion reignites their passion, but she struggles to overcome two years of bitter resentment. Did Rafe jilt her, or were they pawns of a larger conspiracy? Are the ancient legends true of kitsunes twisting time and events?

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Excerpt

I applied my makeup with an artist’s hand, blending three shades of eyeshadow and going heavy on the mascara. Then I slipped into the black cocktail dress I’d bought for the occasion--a fusion of chic and slutty.

Wish I knew what Rafe planned for my birthday. Dinner at an upscale restaurant? Pub food at a sports bar?

“A surprise,” was all he’d said.

What’s the fine line between dressed to kill and overdressed? Glancing at the mirror, I glimpsed the exposed décolletage, then examined my naked left hand. More importantly, is tonight the night? After dating for three years, the conversation had finally turned to rings and weddings, and with graduation a month away, I was eager to take the next step.

At six o’clock sharp, I sat by the door, butterflies fluttering in my belly.

Ten minutes passed, fifteen. I texted him. An hour later, I called. When he didn’t pick up, I left a voicemail.

At eight o’clock, I checked my email. No messages, no texts--radio silence.

At nine o’clock, I removed my makeup, the black, smoky taupe, mauve, and greige streaks on the cotton pad mirroring my mood. After showering, I picked at soggy leftovers as I studied my bare left hand. Leftovers…

When the phone dinged, I flinched. Rafe?

Mia--Guess who’s at Tootsie’s? And Rafe’s not alone. What’s going on?--

I sat back, stunned. He wouldn’t break up with me on my birthday--without even the courtesy of telling me--would he?

Guest Post

The “Es” of Writing Paranormal Romance

Ease into writing Paranormal Romance with these ten Es: Establish, Elude, Evoke, Evince, Encounter, Engage, Entertain, Evaluate, Elicit, and Ease.

Establish rapport for the protagonist early on. Let the reader relate.

Elude with scents, sounds, or senses. Let the protagonist walk into a room and get a whiff of her mother’s perfume or a puff of his uncle’s cigar. Are those stairs or floorboards creaking? That chill down the protagonist’s spine feels like someone is walking over their grave.

Evoke memories. Remembering deceased relatives or friends or reading the diaries of ancestors that have passed may help the lingering spirit to be recognized, forgiven, or to find closure.

Forgotten memories or lost journals can help, not only the spirit, but the protagonist, as well, when they learn the truth or understand the role they play in the family story.

Evince the paranormal through evidence. Scents, sounds, or senses set the atmosphere, but eventually, more than hints of a paranormal being are necessary to make the story believable.

For instance, in Kissing Kin, a rocking chair apparently moved of its own volition. But then, they discovered that forced air through vents had “pushed” it. Still later, they learned the history of the rocker, and the protagonist relived the past in a dream. Finally, the protagonist saw the entity’s ghostly figure rocking in the chair.

Or in Fox Tale, I gradually interspersed a mirror’s natural warps with supernatural distortions.

As we left the restaurant, we walked past a convex antique mirror. Still buzzed, I giggled at our distorted, disproportional reflections. His ears looked pointed, like an elf’s. No, like a fox’s. Startled, I gulped.

“What?”

“I…I thought I saw…” Fingers shaking, I pointed at the mirror.

“What?” He glimpsed the mirror.

His reflection was normal.

“Nothing.” Relieved, I giggled and shook my head. “Just that convex mirror playing tricks on my eyes.” Or too much wine…

Encounter the entity. Tease the reader with occurrences that seem paranormal but can be explained through physics or logic. Then, after “disproving” anything supernatural, have the entity manifest itself in a way that’s plausible yet proves it’s unearthly.

Engage the entity. Interact with it. Communicate with it to learn their purpose for the visitation.

Entertain the entity’s request, as well as entertain the reader. Have your protagonist consider how they can—or if they should—help the entity reach its goal or right its wrong.

Keep in mind, your writing’s primary purpose is to entertain the reader throughout the story’s exposition, climax, and denouement.

Evaluate the entity’s motive. Why did the ghost / cryptid contact your protagonist? This is where the entity and / or protagonist deepens their rapport with the reader.

Elicit their help. The entity entreats the protagonist for help. Possibly the entity offers to help the protagonist (because they’re related / had been coworkers or friends).

Ease their plight. After much consideration, have the protagonist agree to assist the entity—but show why. Is it mutually beneficial? Does the protagonist feel an obligation of some sort? Is the protagonist sympathetic? Why?

Hopefully, you’ll ease into writing Paranormal Romance with the ten Es: Establish, Elude, Evoke, Evince, Encounter, Engage, Entertain, Evaluate, Elicit, and Ease.

Happy drafting!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Author of the Trans-Pecos and Sacred Emblem series, Karen is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life, who writes multicultural, offbeat love stories. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved often, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her “mews”—three rescued cats and a rescued *Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.

Connect with Karen:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenHuleneBartell

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/karenbartell

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuleneKaren

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/karenhulenebartell/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/611950.Karen_Hulene_Bartell

Website: http://www.KarenHuleneBartell.com/

Email: info@KarenHuleneBartell.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/karenhulenebartell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenhulenebartell/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-hulene-bartell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhulenebartell/

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