Join me in welcoming our guest blogger, Beverley Bateman.
I
am finishing my latest WIP and once again I’m dabbling with the paranormal. In
my series the Hawkins Ranch series I referred to the paranormal with the Native
American spirits. And I’ve dabbled in it in another book I’m writing with a
spirit coming back as a dog, but in The Foundation I have four women who are
all part of a team that has different paranormal abilities. I thought I’d share a little of my research
on what I learned about the paranormal writing these characters.
The
first team member is a sensitive. She feels, sees, or senses things from
touching a person, a photo or a letter. This ability is called psychometry. The
dictionary defines it as ‘token-object reading or psychoscopy and is a form of
extrasensory perception characterized by the claimed ability to make relevant
associations from an object of unknown history by making physical contact with
that object.’ She receives a letter and
can sense the person who sent it, is in danger. It can also be difficult if you
touch a friend and see something they don’t want you to.
The
second member moves objects by concentrating on them. The ability is called
telekinesis. The dictionary defines it as ‘an alleged psychic ability allowing
a person to influence a physical system without physical interaction’. Hmm, not sure they really explained it very
well and it’s alleged.
The
third member talks to ghosts and sometimes sees them. She is also a sensitive,
or a psychic medium. She doesn’t do séances. The ghosts approach her and
sometimes she pretends she doesn’t see them. She may feel a sudden cold, a
breeze or maybe a scent, or see an apparition. Some say the ghosts have
unfinished business, want to protect a loved one or may stay because of a
traumatic event—say a murder or suicide. She talks to three women who were
murdered by the same man and want to prevent him from killing again.
My
fourth member of the team is a witch. She descends from a long line of witches.
She gets glimpses of the things about to happen, like knowing she’s going to
get fired or a woman is about to fall and hurt her ankle. She can also cast
spells to help herself and to keep all the team safe. She’s developing her
talent to read minds
That’s
a few things I’ve learned and put in my WIP. So what about you? Do you have a
‘special talent’ or do you believe in the supernatural and the paranormal?
Blurb
for Targeted:
After an eleven
year absence Janna Kincaid inherits a ranch and is forced to return to a town
she only remembers with unhappiness, a man to whom she was briefly married and
never wants to see again, and someone is trying to kill her.
Kye Hawkins has
loved Janna since he first met her. They were married but a few weeks later she
ran away, without an explanation. He still hasn’t figured out why. Now she’s
coming back. Does she still love him? Can he rekindle the romance and also
prevent her from being killed.
Janna doesn’t want
Kye’s help in anyway, yet he always seems to be there when she’s in trouble.
Can they work together to find a killer, save the Native burial ground and home
of the spirits, and find romance again?
Excerpt
from Targeted
Someone had shot her back tire.
Janna gripped the wheel to keep the vehicle on the road. She debated whether to
try and outrun the shooter, wherever he was, or find cover. The windshield
shattered as a third bullet entered the passenger side.
So
much for outrunning the shooter.
She scanned the area and spotted an
outcropping of rocks a few feet ahead on her right. She aimed the vehicle in
that direction.
Two more shots, and both the back
tires went down.
Definitely
find cover.
Janna ducked low behind the
steering wheel until the vehicle reached the rocks. When the car stopped, she
grabbed the keys from the ignition and her purse and dove out the door. Bullets
bounced off the rocks behind her as she scrambled for cover. Whoever was doing
the shooting was serous. Anyone of the shots could have hit her.
She reached the rocks, keeping low
until she got to the middle where she curled up as tightly as possible, her
back against a rock. Her heart pounded in her ears, her breathing came in
gasps. This was getting to be a habit. First someone tried to kill her in
Seattle, and now, out in this god-forsaken country.
What
the hell is going on? Why are they shooting at me? Was it the same person who
shot at me in Seattle? That doesn’t seem likely, but who even knew I was coming
here? Maybe it’s someone just trying to rob a stranger.
Yeah
right, be honest, Janna, does this road look like many strangers came this way?
And if they did, would they have a lot to steal? You really think this person
selected a spot in the rocks where he would have a good shot at my vehicle.
Coincidence? Not damn likely.
At least she’d worn boots and
jeans—even if they were designer jeans. Now they were filthy, and so was her
red sweater and jean jacket.
Another shot hit the rock behind
her. She rolled over onto her stomach, shaded her eyes, and squinted into the
sun. He must be up on the cliffs straight ahead. She wasn’t sure, but she
thought she might have glimpsed a light, maybe a reflection off his scope.
Terrific!
Now what? My gun is in my purse. I could fire back, but that would be a waste
of bullets at this distance.
She yanked out her cell and punched
in 9-1-1.
Damn—no reception.
A pounding pulsed through the ground
and came closer. Janna could feel the vibrations. It felt like horses. She
glanced around, without raising her head, to see what was coming.
Suddenly there was a hand in front
of her face.
“Grab it and jump on.”
The deep, rumbling voice was not
asking. It was an order.
Janna grabbed the strong hand. In
one smooth motion, she swung up behind a man on his horse. Seconds later, she
had her hands wrapped around his well-developed, muscular chest, as the big
chestnut thundered across the ground, out of the bullets’ range.
The man wore a leather jacket over
a sweater. Her hands slid under the jacket for better grip. Even through the
sweater she could feel sinewy muscles. She laid her head against his back and
his braid. She took a breath in, inhaling the rich scent of leather, trying to
calm her racing heart rate.
She glanced behind her. The cliffs
were fading into the distance. The muscles of his well-developed shoulders
bunched and relaxed as he led the horse at a gallop across the field. She felt
safe for some unfathomable reason.
He had a familiar woodsy scent that
made her think of sex under pine trees, not that she’d ever made love there. In
fact, her sex life was pretty negligible these days.
They’d been riding for several
minutes when Janna leaned forward. “You can put me down any place. I can manage
now.”
“Really? And just what are you
going to do out here, miles from town, by yourself, with someone shooting at
you?”
The voice was deep, but soft, and
rolled over her like warmed brandy. It triggered something in the back of her
memory. The earthy scent, the sinewy body, the braid, the voice… She knew this
person who had ridden up out of nowhere to save her.
“I have my cell. I’ve already
called 9-1-1,” she snapped.
“And did you get an answer?”
Janna yanked her cell phone up
where she could see the screen again and re-tapped in 9-1-1. And then there was
that famous phrase—No Service.
There was a deep chuckle. “That’s
what I thought. There’s no service in this area. The mountains block it.”
Buy
Links for Book title:
Google
Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Beverley_Bateman_Targeted?id=pnfgCgAAQBAJ&hl=en
8 comments:
Welcome, Beverley! That's a fantastic concept for a book and series. I have no paranormal abilities (and am just fine with it!), but I know people who have experienced paranormal phenomena. I guess I just accept that we can't explain everything we see or experience. :-) Loved the excerpt! Wishing you much success!
Hi, Beverley. Welcome. I love reading about paranormal abilities, even if I don't have any myself. Wishing you much success!
Looks like you've done your research! I written a lot of paranormal aspects in my books. One novella with a ghost. Oh, and a historical where the heroine catches glimpses of the future. Sounds like an interesting series. Best of luck!
Welcome to ROP, Beverly, where the buds here are all above average. Paranormal abilities? Of the base kind. For instance, I have the extraordinary capability of carefully gauging a smaller amount of food to eat, but I never lose a pound. Out of this world weird, huh and maddening :-)
Your series sounds powerful...what a team! Thanks for the excerpt and blurb and many happy sales to you!
Nice to have you at ROP today, Beverly. Like the others, I find your concept(s) intriguing. There are so many things in this world that can't be explained any other way, but through paranormal happenings. I'm a believer.
Thanks everyone, it's great being here and I appreciate the comments.
And Rolynn, I have that same paranormal ability. It's definitely weird - and frustrating. :)
Beverley
Fascinating! I'm so interested in the Paranormal. Sounds like a great book!
Thanks Alicia. I'm hoping to publish it by August and hopefully people will enjoy it.
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