 The magical Sídhe have been expelled from their home and forced into the Grey Land - a place under the earth; a place of darkness and death. But now they've returned to take back what they lost. All teenagers will be called, and when your time comes, you have to be ready to run or fight to the death. The vengeful Sídhe will grab you by surprise - you could be studying or hanging out with friends when suddenly you're pulled into their terrifying world, alone and hunted. Only one in ten will return alive - the rest subjected to a tortuous and painful death. No one believes Nessa can survive The Call, but after years of torment and, worse, pity - she's determined to prove them wrong . . REVIEW
Nessa and the other teens of Ireland are being hunted by the Fae. Taken during puberty to the Grey Lands, they are chased through the night, while only being missing in the real world for three minutes. This book really pulled me in. The Idea was intriguing and I would have loved this as a teen. It is quite dark, so a warning is needed for younger teens. Nessa is an interesting character. Having a character with a disability that puts her at a severe disadvantage does add more tension to the story. The author's writing style is a little unusual in that on occasion it feels the same scenes are being skipped over where readers would like to know more, but there is enough of a hint to keep you wondering. It was a creepy, entertaining read. I would give it 4 out of 5 stars
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 Zélie remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled – Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoning forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has a chance to bring back magic to her people and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must learn to harness her powers and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. Danger lurks in Orïsha, where strange creatures prowl, and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of her magic – and her growing feelings for an enemy . . . Review
Zélie lost her mother when magic was taken away, now that she has a chance to restore it, she wants revenge. When she meets Princess Amari, they clash over the situation, as they try to figure out what to do next. I enjoyed the story and how the two main characters interacted. They come from two different worlds, but they are both good people at heart. Zélie has struggled with loss, poverty and trying to help her family. When she learns magic can be restored, she feels like things can finally change. Meanwhile, Amari lived a life of privilege, but when she sees someone she cares about die, it turns her world upside down. The story examines how oppression can impact people and what happens when the oppressed fight back. It shows that it is important to choose a side and stand up for others and that no one should be stripped of a part of themselves. It was a very good book and I will be reading the next in the series. 4.5 out of 5 stars.  Now we have set the scene, created our monster and thoroughly spooked the main character, we need to get to the pay off. The confrontation, the big battle between the main character and the monster. Of course it doesn't have to be an actual battle, it could be psychological in nature, or the main character may just try to outwit them.
If you have been building up the bad guy, they need to be suitably scary. Of course that doesn't mean they need to have fangs or claws, sometimes the scariest reveals are finding out that someone you thought was the good guy, is actually the bad guy. When the bad guy finally shows themselves, it is often when the main character is at their lowest. They have been terrified, driven half mad and they are trapped - literally or figuratively. When confronted, the main character is going to have to fight to survive. Your fight scene needs to be satisfying too. Readers want a longer scene, something they can sink their teeth into. Even if the fight itself would play out reasonably quickly, on the page we need to feel like we are there. What is the main character experiencing? How are they feeling? We want to be on the edge of our seats at this moment! If executed well, the reader will be punching the air when the bad guy is taken down. That isn't always easy to pull off and may require a few drafts to get right. Do get some feedback from others too, make sure that it is a satisfying ending. Satisfying doesn't have to mean happy, but it does have to make sense to the story. Good luck! Happy writing!  Now that you have your supernatural bad guy and the setting, when do you spring them on the main character? Many times writers will bring them out too early and that isn't great for supernatural stories. We want to build suspense first. Make the main character think they are losing their minds, or that someone is messing with them. We want the main character to feel uneasy and scared, along with the reader.
The best way to do this is to start your story in the 'real' world. Somewhere safe, familiar and ordinary. This will be a good juxtaposition for the horror that is to come. Once the main character enters this place where the monster starts to mess with them, you need to build up slowly. This could be a creepy house, a town, the woods etc. The setting is up to you and we examined that last week. Usually your main character will start with a feeling of unease. They won't be able to pinpoint why, but this will slowly build over time. We can move onto seeing things from the corner of their eye, hearing noises or even strange smells. Use those senses to really tell the story! By the time the supernatural being appears, we want to be suitably spooked and it has to be memorable. The MC will be concerned that they are imaging stuff at this point, so we want them to finally see what has been causing all the issues. Of course while they have been freaking out, you are adding detail and backstory to hint at us as to what is coming. They may investigate, find information or learn the chilling history of the place. This is why it is important to choose the right setting for your story. One that fits in with the monster. Next week, we will look at the pay off.  The setting for your supernatural story is key. It becomes like a character itself. The setting must also work for the monster in that it has to fit the legend or backstory you have created. For example, a ghost in a creepy house, a monster in the woods. Of course, the place does not have to be creepy to begin with. It can turn that way over time. Or when the sun sets.
You want to build tension over time. Let the MC have some moments of relief where they think they have solved the problem - rattling pipes, birds in the attic etc. Give them other locations to work with - safe, brightly lit locations that will contrast well with the main location. If you are setting your story in an unfamiliar location or country, do your research. Nothing will break a reader out of a story faster than having something be off with the setting - for example having a specific type of animal that doesn't live in that area or geography issues. Online street views can really help to paint a picture. Build it up in your mind, draw out rough sketches if it helps. This way you will know it inside out and it will help when it comes to moving your character around the location. More next week!  When you write about the supernatural, there are so many different elements to choose from. Ghosts, monsters, magic, demons - there is so much to choose from. So where do you start?
The best way to decide is to read up on myths and ghost stories for inspiration. Take notes on the characteristics, where these being appear, how the stories are told. If for example you decide to write about ghosts, what are the rules for your ghosts? Can they be seen by everyone or just some people? Do they have the ability to move things? Are they good or bad? Within supernatural stories, generally the supernatural element used is bad, while the main character is the force of good that goes up against it. However, that doesn't mean you can't have fun with it. They could appear to be an ally to begin with for example before the truth is revealed. Often the main character knows nothing about the supernatural before they are dragged into the chaos. This allows the audience to learn with them. If they are aware, then it is always a good idea to pit them against something they are unfamiliar with. Or they think they know the rules, but then everything is turned on its head. Your main character needs a good reason for being there too. They could be a self proclaimed demon hunter, or a psychic for example. Or perhaps they stumbled across a creepy house in the woods and made the foolish decision to go inside. Take time to create your supernatural being first, come up with a list of rules and some backstory to set the scene. Next week, we will look at when to spring your monster on the MC.  If you are struggling to create conflict for your characters, at least beyond the forbidden romance angle, then consider the following -
 Paranormal Romance has two key characters - your main character and their love interest. But how do you write compelling characters when it comes to PNR?
First, you need to decide what type of supernatural your characters are and build up their backstory. What is their life like? What challenges do they face? Remember that before they get together, your characters have lives and issues of their own. They are not just sitting around waiting for the other to show up! While your characters will face obstacles in getting together, they will also face issues in their own separate lives that could impact their life together. For example, one character might be dealing with a hunter trying to kill them. The love interest could (and should) get caught up in that. Or perhaps one of them has been cursed and it will eventually kill them. How will that affect their love interest? The way to answer these questions is to decide what kind of person they are. They need to have their own unique personalities and also be likeable and/or relatable. If not, the reader isn't going to root for them. Before you start writing, create a brief profile for both characters in their individual lives - family, background, conflict etc. Then consider how they will work together. This is how we get our tropes such as grumpy/sunshine or enemies to lovers. Once you know your characters inside out, you can figure out exactly how they would react in any situation. Happy Writing! |
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About the Author:S. K. Gregory is an author, editor and blogger. She currently resides in Northern Ireland. “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.” 
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