Spooky Fun At Work

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Happy Halloween Readers and Visitors!  Thought I’d share another “coincidence” and a bit of spooky fun.

In a recent post I mentioned that many times I’ve finished a novel only to see plot devices or the actual plot appear in headlines.

Well after I’ve published the story.

Yesterday I came across another in a string of “Oh look – what a coincidence!” headlines.

Great horned owl caught in barbed wire.

A 2 for 1 deal!

Two books, same series.

Dragon Core.

This series – one of my favorites – centers around the lives loves and adventures of shape-shifters in our midst.

The Headline Connection?

Not only do I use a bird caught in barbed wire as a plot device in Redemption, I have a bird of prey as a significant part of the plot for my favorite in the series Shadow of the Gods.

Though I use a cooper’s hawk, I was inspired to introduce this predator after a barn owl landed on my balcony one night.

It apparently enjoyed  watching us play Scrabble as it stuck around for quite some time, watching unblinkingly.

Experience

A source of inspiration.

There’s a bit of dialogue between Mica and Cayden in the presence of the hawk that was inspired by witnessing how one was showcased at a hotel in Arizona.

I really felt for the bird being stuck with such a grumpy handler.

These are just a few examples of adventures that guide my writing.

The Psi Side

Another example of art imitating life.

The Psi Adventure Series follows the lives loves and adventures of a team of paranormal investigators and while they live and work in San Francisco, I thought this Washington article timely and worth sharing.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

A Halloween Haunting: Her Sanctuary

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Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? This maxim became front and center when I recently ran across an article.

As my book was published years ago it begs the question nicely I think.

Thought I’d share the spooky fun.

Tis the season after all.

Passion for the Paranormal

The curious investigate.

As someone who’s visited numerous locations purported to be haunted I can appreciate the myriad of emotions guests of this haunted winery may experience.

  • Those seeking an experience are hopeful if not hopeful and apprehensive about the prospect of actually seeing a ghost.

Will they scream?  Run?  Freak out?

  • Those seeking to prove to all and sundry there’s no such thing as ghosts.

Everything has a logical explanation.

  • Those possessing an abundance of compassion if not outright pity who are determined to take action.

They’ve seen it on TV.  All they have to do is shout for the spirits to go to the light and they’ll set them free.

This last is particularly amusing because it suggests the spirits – if they are present – are somehow being held captive for the financial gain of those owning and/or managing the property/location.

I think there’s even been a movie made with that as a premise.

My take?  

There’s a reason some spirits are referred to as tricker spirits.

Life Immitates Art

What I truly enjoyed about the article is the irony. 

I used a haunted winery as a setting in my Psi Series book Her Sanctuary, drawing purely from imagination after touring various California wineries.

Years before hearing of this Kansas winery.

I wish everyone a a Happy Halloween and an entertaining spooky season.

Haunting Notes: Readers who have a passion for the paranormal will enjoy stories in the Psi Side.

Where truth and fiction entangle.

LET WALKING DO THE IMAGINATION

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I’m thoroughly enjoying the Metatron’s Army reboot project.  It not only gives me insight into how my writing style has evolved, it gives me a chance to check whether the plans I have for future books in this series make sense.

I’m happy to say they do!

I’ll admit it was frustrating to discover errors I’d corrected previously had somehow wound up in the versions that were published.  

I even lost an entire section I’d added.

I’m still in the process of investigating how the sync’ing error happened.

Rereading has provided insight into my creative process, albeit primarily with respect to this series.  Many scenes bring back memories of where I was and what I was doing while coming up with them.  

Good memories.

Several have one thing in common:  I was walking while creating.

A number of the scenes were created while I was on a treadmill, going as far back as 1998 living in Michigan. Others were done while I walked outside.

Especially at the Cranbrook Institute which inspired more than one scene in the MA series.

As I thought over the various places I’ve lived and walked I realized that a number of my non-Metatron’s Army projects came about while I was walking.

After moving to the west, most of that walking was done outdoors.

  • The Kerry’s Game/Psi Adventure Series was conceived while I was living downtown San Francisco

Though much of the secondary location – AZ – was inspired from when I lived in Scottsdale and would drive to Tucson for research and pleasure.

  • Soothsayer was conceived while I walked in triple digit temps during a Scottsdale summer.

Though I published Port in a Storm first, that book was conceived years later,  while people watching at KEXP in Seattle.

  • Mirror was conceived on a walk along the Embarcadero in San Diego.

Though the idea for the Ghost Games series – of which Mirror was originally the first – was planted as I was walking down the stairwell of the building I was living in Downtown San Diego.

It’s been a long time since I’ve used walking as a way to stimulate creativity.

I’d swapped to playing Free Cell as it put me in a meditative state ideal for incubating projects.  Having uninstalled it several weeks ago, however, I see the need to reconsider walking.

It isn’t as critical to this current reboot project but it will certainly help as I move forward with the next.

Especially as I’ve resolved the question of Prologue V. Chapter One!

But first things first, an enjoyable memory walk through the process of creating.

Have a great weekend!