I’d like to introduce myself by sharing an article I wrote last year about what psychic characters in books experience—at least in my books. I’ve always been drawn to fictional characters in books and films whose senses reach beyond the world we see. These people possess what is called a Sixth Sense.
Does Murder and Mayhem Follow Psychic Characters?
By: S.K. Andrews
The answer is: yes. Murder and mayhem almost always follow a psychic character in paranormal fiction. That’s why most authors who create a psychic protagonist balance out dramatic chaos with humor and love. Otherwise, the reader would not get a break from suspense. I have followed many paranormal writers who feature a psychic hero or heroine and found many subgenres. There are pet psychic detectives, mid-life hormonal psychic women, cozy mystery psychics, and even a woman with “Aroma-Mojo” who sniffs out killers, just to name a few.
But readers of paranormal fiction featuring an intuitive character do so for thrills and chills. Could you imagine one of them undergoing a psychic vision and turning to their partner, husband, or best friend to proclaim: “I just got a vision of my neighbor buying a bag of kale from the produce section.” Unless that bag of kale drops onto a sidewalk while the neighbor screams and falls victim to a serial killer, the image would be very boring!
My favorite humorous moment from my book Bay of Darkness arose from danger. One night my psychic heroine Vivien Kelly gets caught spying on a band of bad guys inside an old lighthouse. She is now in a very vulnerable position. They peer down at her on the staircase. Well, since said lighthouse conducts weekend tours, Vivien stares back at the malevolent men and asks, “Am I too late for the tour?”
I also surround Vivien with her own “Scooby” gang. Her paranormal cleansing team includes a wisecracking videographer whose goal is to get a ghost on film. Most of the team’s punch lines belong to him.
Some books also include the spirit of a loved one (an aunt, grandmother, and the like) who appear to the protagonist and help solve a murder. And I guarantee their family ghost will be cheeky and challenging for that protagonist!
But besides comedic comments, characters, and scenes, a strong narrative of deep soul mate love relationships accompanies the sixth sense of many protagonists.
For instance, take Dean Koontz series Odd Thomas about a young short order cook in a desert town. Not only does Odd use his psychic talent to stop criminals and terrorists, but he does so with soul mate Stormy by his side. Odd also sees evil creatures and the love he shares with Stormy warms the readers heart, helping to counter the wicked energies Odd must endure.
My character Vivien Kelly witnesses her fiancé’s death in chapter one. She must save the world from darkness, but another challenge is to allow herself new love with Neal Harrington. We follow the journey with Vivien and Neal, and their love carries us through many frightening moments.
So, will paranormal fiction books starring psychic characters ever stop being published? No. Because, let’s face it, we have a craving to know what plays in their minds and what supernatural frights lie ahead.
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Title Bay of Darkness
Author S.K. Andrews
Genre Paranormal
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
After witnessing her fiancé’s murder and almost dying herself, Vivien Kelly’s mission is to destroy Dagda—a Celtic God turned demon. When Vivien discovers she worshiped Dagda in an ancient life as Boudicca, the Celtic warrior queen, she’s compelled to the quaint Northern California town of Half Moon Bay.
There Vivien finds Dagda’s creatures tormenting the locals—from a Fear Dorcha, to the Headless Horseman. The Kelly Society is then born—her own paranormal cleansing team and the race is on when people around her begin to die.
While banishing a Banshee, Vivien meets Neal Harrington—a soul partner who can promise true happiness. But when Dagda’s black vapor creates a New World of darkness, her time is up. Can Vivien abandon everyone she loves and succumb to Boudicca’s barbaric force to defeat the demon? Her actions not only determine her future—but the future of the modern world.
Excerpt
Announcing her presence, Vivien slapped open palms against the bedroom door. Shrieking stopped as the banshee tried to stab into her intuitive power, not even making a dent.
Julie, I’m here to help. Don’t be afraid. After sending her telepathic message, she felt a definite shift. The young girl now had hope.
Sensing another female entity in the bedroom, Vivien tuned in sharper. A spirit connected to the house stood in front of Julie, also protecting her.
“That horrible noise stopped.” Neal eyed the door urgently. “Is that good or bad? I mean, is Julie safe?”
“Yes, she’s safe. I put a protective light around her.”
Heaving a sigh of exhaustion, he rubbed his temple. “Oh, right—the light thing. This is all so weird.” Neal’s head popped up. “No offense.”
“None taken.” She grinned like a debutant about to dance with the coolest boy in school.
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Author Biography
When S.K. Andrews wasn't swimming in the Pacific Ocean in her hometown of Laguna Beach, California, she busied herself by writing fantasy stories and acting on stage. Having grown up watching Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone and Night Gallery shows on TV, S.K. quickly fell in love with paranormal tales with a message of wisdom and love. Also, being a fan of romance novels and non-fiction ghost stories, she decided to marry the two and write paranormal novels of suspense, adventure, and intrigue with a strong romantic foundation. The sense of adventure inside her came from summers of camping with her family in Mexico (Baja California) and walking along beaches with no other footprints but hers, as her family members unpacked the camper and got ready to collect clams right off the shoreline for dinner. After attaining a B.A. degree in Theatre from University of California, Irvine, and a Professional Acting Certificate from LACC Acting Academy, an idea sparked for interviewing actors to help student actors entering the theatre arena. Her non-fiction book The Pursuit of Acting; Working Actors Share Their Experience and Advice was published by Praeger Publishers. In The Kelly Society book series, S.K.'s heroine, paranormal cleanser Vivien Kelly and her team are in a race to rid the modern world of deadly Celtic creatures. Bay of Darkness and A Kelly Society Christmas are the first two books in the series. Bay of Darkness won the Finalist prize in 2019 from N.N. Light's Book Heaven and also placed Finalist with Readers Favorite in 2020.
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Title A Kelly Society Christmas
Author S.K. Andrews
Genre Paranormal
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
After killing a demon and saving the modern world, paranormal cleanser Vivien Kelly only has three days till Christmas. She scrambles to buy gifts, grocery shop for holiday feasts, and get a Christmas tree. She’s on track when suddenly, her young friend Josh calls the wrath of Krampus, the Christmas demon.
Can Vivien buy gifts, cook Christmas dinner, decorate the tree, and also save Josh before Krampus drags him to an eternal hell? Vivien must call upon the most frightening goddess of all for help—Hel, goddess of the underworld.
Excerpt
Vivien picked up her petticoats with one hand, clung to her songbook with the other, and ran. “Josh, Brian, come with us! We have to stay together!” she called over her shoulder.
Neal held onto his top hat and ran alongside Vivien.
A group of four millennials whipped their heads around and started following Krampus, Vivien, and Neal.
“Wow! This show is dope!”
“Don’t you know who that is?” The red-haired woman in their group pointed her finger. “That’s Krampus! My cousin went to the Krampusnacht Festival in Austria last year. He’s the opposite of Santa Claus. He’s a Christmas demon who punishes naughty children!”
“Let’s go!”
“Yeah, let’s check it out!”
They crossed the street with hollers and laughter.
To her horror, Vivien glanced back to see a mass of individuals pacing behind them in the middle of the road. The caroling team, Christmas shoppers, and random folks holding coffee cups moved in to see what would happen.
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