Silhouette Nocturne author Linda Thomas-Sundstrom rounds out our Paranormal Party Blog Bash with this post on something from paranormal romances that she thinks isn’t a fantasy at all. Read her blog post and you might win a book, too!

by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom, author of BLACKOUT and WOLF BAIT

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom — Nocturne author — faced with this thought-provoking question:

What elements of paranormal romance do you wish were real?

Honest answer: What? Paranormal romance isn’t real?

And: Since when?

And finally: Why didn’t somebody tell me?

Because: My life is full of paranormal romance elements. I mean, isn’t yours?

On the serious side: Most important, I think, and absolutely real . . . is the almost psychic connection between a man and a woman. SNAP. Who can explain that? We write about it all the time, but in fact, this happened to me. First eye-to-eye contact between myself and the man who was to be my husband, and — voila! Done deal. I consider it a supernatural spark. Fated mates meeting, against all the odds. When this happens, you are together for life. The spark animates you both, ties you together, binds you willingly. And my husband is quite the animal. He doesn’t just turn into one when the moon shines, it’s 24-7. (No, I won’t loan him out).

Since I can relate to this fated mates phenomena first-hand, and it was so incredibly rich for me, I include this element in all of the books I write. In my “Wolf Moons” series for Nocturne, which began in Jan 09 with Blackout, and will see three back-to-back releases in Jan, Feb, and March 2010, I call that magical instant when the eyes and souls of two people meant to be together meet, imprinting. It’s an unbreakable bond that happens on some sub-level of their beings that recognizes it. Since it was such a strong point for me, in my own life, it’s therefore a major deal for my characters. It drives them forward, creates passion, and sometimes angst. But there it is.
Done deal. I don’t think there’s anything more romantic than the knowledge that you’ve found “the one.”

On the lighter side, the paranormal world I’m involved in has brought me many friends. My days are seeped in the paranormal. Since my closest friends write about Weres, Vamps and Witches, our conversations frequently (okay, most of the time) turn toward the bizarre. We have to whisper in restaurants. One of us has a T-shirt bearing the legend: “We are what we write.” I’ll get phone messages saying: “Full moon tonight. Take care!” And what about a bracelets that say: “Team Jacob” or “Team Edward” — dangling on the wrists of many females well over the age of sixteen? Well over.

If people only fessed up the extent to which our love of the paranormal exists, it would indeed be a mad, mad world, eh? (And yes, I secretly write about the lighter side of paranormal romance also. Check out this year’s Barbie and the Beast from Dorchester)

I think writing about the paranormal is romantic and truly rich fare. I can’t write in any other genre. My favorite characters are werewolves. Sexy, warm-blooded alphas who get the job done – in a dashing good way. I’ve spent the last couple of years getting to know them, studying them, honing them on paper to suit the bill as the perfect supernatural heroes. They seem as real to me as any leading men, maybe more so, since the danger associated with being attracted to a werewolf is fragile, and at the same time vastly alluring. Love those guys! Hope to know them for a long, long, while.

In sum, life, for me, has always been a romantic supernatural romp, filled with spectacular and ongoing tidbits. Nothing normal about it. No sir-ee. Magic is everywhere — if you know where to look. And trust me, my eyes are wide open.

I’ve really picked one element of paranormal romance here, out of so very many. But I can’t help but wonder which thing you’d choose in regards to the question that was posed to me here. Which paranormal elements you’d like to see exist? Maybe one thing you couldn’t do without? In your own life, or vicariously through what you read?

Please do leave your mark here. Some thoughtful person will receive a free book, where you can take a walk with me on the dark side. Grrrr….

Love,
Linda

www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com

By Crystal Jordan, author of Wild (Spice Briefs)

There is so much about paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy romance that I wish were true. It’s tough to come up with just one thing. I mean, who doesn’t want a soul mate—a real, honest to goodness person crafted just for you? Also, who doesn’t want magical powers? Maybe you could clean the house with a snap of your fingers. Maybe you could have the ability to shift into a tiger, wolf, lion, or all of the above. The ideas are never ending. And endlessly nifty, I think, but I write in this genre, so I’m admittedly biased.

The one I’d pick is more cool than sexy. I want the magical ability to teleport.

Think about it…I could go from one place to another in the blink of an eye. I’d never have to sit in traffic ever again. I’d never have to shuffle through airport security or be cramped in a winged metal tube hurtling through the air. Can you tell I don’t like airports?

I’d also be able to visit anyone I’d like. I have relatives in England I’d love to see, and I could just pop in for lunch. Literally.

And! AND! I could travel more. See the world. Do a whirlwind tour of the Seven Wonders of the World in seven days or less. Take a wee jaunt up to the North Pole. Party hop from dance clubs in Berlin, Syndey, London, Beijing, New York, and Las Vegas all in the same evening.

Plus, there’s the added benefit of never having to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I could teleport out of the place the moment it seemed wrong time-ish. I’d never have to be or stay anywhere I didn’t want to. I could sleep in my own bed every night if I wanted to, and therefore never get homesick. The possibilities for cool and awesome are simply endless with this one. What if you could also teleport through time? See? Endless amounts of cool!

After teleportation? I’d have to say I’ll take something straight out of Star Trek and wish for a food replicator. I’d never have to pretend I could cook again!

Author Nancy Holder calls Halloween the fifth season of the year. Find out why in her post for Harlequin’s Paranormal Party Blog Bash!

By Nancy Holder, author of The Gifted Series

As far as I’m concerned, Halloween is the fifth season of the year! I love everything about it—the costumes, the scary movies, the chance to turn my house into a haunted house—and the birth of my daughter, just three nights shy of Zero Hour! Of course, living in San Diego, we don’t get much frost on the pumpkins, and we’re more likely to worry about overheating while dressed as mummies and vampires while overeating any chocolate in our treat bags (because it’s going to melt in the heat! You know it is! That’s why we have to eat it first!)

But what I love best about Halloween (aside from the arrival of my own little sugar plum) are the stories—freaky, scary, otherworldly tales that intrigue me, terrify me, and take me away…to the misty bayous of New Orleans; the centuries-old castles of France; to the fog-enshrouded docks of London, and the lairs of vampires, werewolves; magic men; and shape changers.

That’s why my Harlequin home is Silhouette Nocturne, with stories from my Gifted series—Daughter of the Flames; Daughter of the Blood; Sons of the Shadows; and my Nocturne Bite, Son of the Sea. I love writing about magic and the supernatural, and I love reading about it—and Nocturne is perfect for me on both levels. I have discovered fantastic authors who inspire me to dream of sexy alpha werewolves and devastatingly charming, immortal vampires…while sleeping with the lights on!

When I’m not writing paranormal romance, I write young adult (YA) fantasy, dark fantasy, and good old horror. I am the coauthor with Debbie Viguie of the New York Times bestselling series, Wicked (Wicked 1, Wicked 2, and Wicked: Resurrection) and I have a new series called Possessions about a haunted boarding school…where the mean girls are not just imperious queen bees…they are evil. I’ve also written Pretty Little Devils, a murder mystery I wrote about a crazy blogger who uses old horror movies as her (or is it his?) inspiration for doing in enemies…real or imagined.

I’m also writing a lot of paranormal romance short fiction these nights, with stories in: The Eternal Kiss; Immortal; The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (with another Gifted story) and The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2. I am in the proud company of many Harlequin and Silhouette authors in all these anthologies.

When it’s October, you’ll find me at bookstore signings, blogging about the supernatural like a maniac (wahaha!) and trick-or-treating with my beloved kiddo and our Corgi, Panda. Panda owns four Halloween costumes and he carries his own treat bag in his mouth. He goes to all the houses with us and gets lots of dog biscuits (but no chocolate! It’s toxic to dogs.) So pour me some apple cider (on ice), hand me a great Nocturne to read, and please pass me the chocolate—yes, all of it—before it melts!

Please come visit me at www.nancyholder.com.

eBook retailer Omnilit and Sony are co-sponsoring an online Halloween Costume Contest with Harlequin — with a grand prize of a silver Sony Pocket Edition Reader (one of their new eBook reader designs, worth $199!). Other prizes include Omnilit $50 gift certificates for the Prettiest, Scariest, and Sexiest costumes!

To enter, take a photo of yourself in your Halloween best; then, become a fan of Omnilit’s Facebook page to post the picture on their “wall.” Your friends on Facebook can “vote” for you by clicking on your picture and posting a comment. No purchase necessary to win!

Deadline for photos and votes is midnight Pacific Time, October 31st, 2009. For full official rules, visit Omnilit’s Contest Page.

Good luck and Happy Halloween!
~Amy, Harlequin Digital

by Michele Hauf

What elements of paranormal romance do I wish were real?

Well, I’m going to take a step away from the vampires and werewolves (though, don’t get me wrong, I can dig meeting one in real life, but no biting!) and go for something I think about a lot. Time Travel!

Have you ever wished you could travel to a different time period? I do. I think it’s a big reason why I write. I do write mostly contemporary stories for Nocturne, but I try to fit in some flashbacks to the times when my heroes and heroines were younger. And if you’ve read anything by me, you’ll guess that 18th century is one of my favs. Make it Paris, and I am so there.

Actually, I’ve published five historicals set in both 17th and 18th century Paris (those were out in late 90s, early 00s). It was all a part of living the time travel fantasy. To have lived in a different time period fascinates me. To be without technology. A simpler time. A sweeter time. Likely a darker time (no electrical lighting!). I know, the whole lacking toilet paper thing would not be fun. And modern medicine is not to be overlooked. But what really sets my heart aflutter about the past times, is the clothing. Women in those huge, ruffled dresses who couldn’t navigate a room without turning to the side and ducking (big wigs, don’t you know). And men in frockcoats with big cuffs and miles and miles of lace at their necks and wrists. Sigh…

So I’d pick mid-18th century France for my first time travel trip. I want to go visit Denis Diderot, the father of the modern encyclopedia. He was a rogue, a genius, a philosopher, a husband and lover. And he did it all in a damask frockcoat and lace.

If time travel were real and we could pick up a ticket to ride as simply as a bus pass, where would you go and who would you want to meet?

Michele latest releases include Moon Kissed (Silhouette Nocturne), After the Kiss (Silhouette Nocturne Bites), and “Racing the Moon” in the Midnight Cravings anthology on-sale this month. And look for Michele’s first HQN Book Her Vampire Husband in 2010!

eHarlequin.com and the eHarlequin eBook Store are getting into the Paranormal Party spirit, too, with a great sale! From now until October 31st, you can save 35% on paranormal romance and fantasy novels in our Moonlight Madness sale. Snap up books by favorite authors like Gena Showalter, Rachel Vincent, Jennifer Armintrout, Heather Graham, P.C. Cast, and more… or you could try something new like a paranormal Blaze or Spice book.

And pssst…come back to eHarlequin.com on Halloween for a one day sale!

by Stephanie Draven, author of Midnight Medusa and Wild, Tethered, Bound

What elements of paranormal romance do you wish were real?

Alright, I’m just going to come out and admit it–I’m not altogether turned on by the undead. Oh, vampires have a sophistication that pull me under their fictional sway, but in real life, I prefer a lover with a heartbeat. I guess that also rules out ghosts and zombies. And I don’t mind being nibbled on, but if werewolves were real, I’d be a little nervous about those fangs. And the whole peeing on things to mark territory could really spoil the mood.

I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want an Angel or a Demon as a lover because I like to be the center of attention, and those creatures are likely to have much higher (or lower) cosmic priorities than spoiling me rotten. Witches, wizards and magic users might put me at a serious disadvantage. How would I know if I was really turned on or just under a powerful spell?

My stories for Silhouette Nocturne have all featured ancient gods and monsters of Greek mythology, and I suppose in some sense I do believe that they’re real. Our oldest stories are a manifestation of archetypes. It’s not that Ares actually walks the earth–but as a representation of mankind’s most brutal and warlike nature, his influence seems ever present in today’s world. And while I’ve never met an actual gorgon like my heroine in Midnight Medusa, I’ve certainly seen the power of righteous feminine rage. For example, my modern day gorgon, Renata, was able to turn war criminals into statues by virtue of her sculpting, but more recently I had an odd little gorgon-like experience of my own.

One of the villains in my first full-length novel for Silhouette Nocturne was inspired by Congolese General Laurent Nkunda. I had no sooner finished typing out a (now deleted) scene in my book where this villain was arrested than I got a Google Alert telling me that the rebel leader had just been arrested in real life! Coincidence? I think not!

I think I need a nice snake wig for Halloween…what’s your costume going to be?

~Stephanie

I’m pleased to announce some winners of draws by authors Bonnie Vanak and Anna Hackett who won copies of their newest releases!

First, Bonnie Vanak announces the winners of MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS from her post, “Attack of the Killer Potato“.

She’s decided to select three winners, not two! They are Loretta, Molly and Chey.

Please contact Bonnie with your snail mail address at bonnievanak[at]aol[dot]com this week so she can ship your books out before she leaves for Haiti next week. Thank you everyone for commenting!

Next, Anna Hackett’s randomly drawn winner for a copy of her Nocturne Bite TAKEN BY THE SOUTH WIND from her post “To Tame the Dangerous Male” was RK Charron. Please click here to contact Anna about collecting your prize!

Last week, author Mindy Klasky blogged about her new book from MIRA How Not to Make a Wish. Now you can get a taste of Mindy’s writing — and meet the genie from the As You Wish series — in her new FREE online read “Wishful Thinking” at eHarlequin.com!

Here is a blurb about “Wishful Thinking”:

Aspiring actress Kelly Reilly’s world is sent into a tailspin when her longtime boyfriend and fellow thespian Rob Cornell gets the opportunity of a lifetime—an opportunity that doesn’t include her. Kelly’s sympathetic father doesn’t have any sage advice to offer, just a tarnished old…lamp? To Kelly’s surprise, she’s soon got a genie at her beck and call—a gender-bending, wisecracking and very real genie! The perfect solution to her problem, right?

But with each wish Kelly makes, the situation gets more and more complicated, and she quickly realizes that even a charmed life has its imperfections….

Chapters 1 and 2 are up now, with a new chapter being added every day. Hope you enjoy!

Plus, read Chapter One of How Not to Make a Wish with the Browse the Book widget below:

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Silhouette Nocturne author Linda O. Johnston joins the Paranormal Party to blog about what elements of paranormal romance she wishes were real: amazing abilities! Learn about what powers show up in her books, including her contribution to the new Nocturne Bites anthology Awakening the Beast, in her guest post…

by Linda O. Johnston

I’ve been asked to answer the question: “What elements of paranormal romance do you wish were real?”

I am currently writing the Alpha Force mini-series for Silhouette Nocturne.  It’s about a super-secret military force of shapeshifters.  So far, the stories have been ALPHA WOLF and the Nocturne Bites “Claws of the Lynx,” which is included in the AWAKENING THE BEAST anthology–a brand new release this month!

I’ve also written the Silhouette Nocturne BACK TO LIFE, which features a woman with Valkyrie powers that allow her to bring people back from the brink of death.

In the past, I’ve additionally written time travel romances.

Which of those elements do I wish were real?  All of them!

Can you imagine the fun of choosing a time in the past that sounds particularly appealing and going back for a real visit, not just reading about it?

Or being able to save the life of someone you care about, simply by willing them to survive?  Well… I love the idea, but since the heroine of BACK TO LIFE sometimes had to ease the people she found dying over to the other side, I’m not so sure I’d want that potentially sad and scary power after all.

But shapeshifting?  Yes!  I’m an animal aficionado.  Have been all my life.  In addition to my paranormal Nocturnes, I also write a mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime about Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter, and will soon also write a spin-off series about a pet rescuer.  It’s a delight to me to have animals in my life.  I’ve been owned by Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for many years.  But what if I could become one–especially if I had some control over when I shifted, as my Alpha Force characters do?  I’d love it!

Of course the Alpha Force members shift into wolves or lynxes or hawks so far.  Wild animals, not domestic dogs.  And that sounds utterly exciting to me, too.  If I could shift and run through the forests, or fly through the sky… wow!

I guess the shorter answer to the question is that I tend to write about paranormal characteristics that I wouldn’t mind having myself.  If I didn’t find them appealing, I wouldn’t write about them.

I’d love to head to my laboratory–well, kitchen–to start working on a shapeshifting formulation like my Alpha Force members use to enhance their abilities.  Only, they had shapeshifting abilities to begin with.  Am I out of luck?  Not really.  Instead, I’ll use my imagination and go work on one of their stories!  After all, there are three more Alpha Force stories currently in the works.  The next, ALASKAN WOLF, will be a January 2011 release.

What other paranormal abilities enchant you?