101_0452As many of you who follow my blog know, I have been fascinated with the paranormal since living in a house I am convinced, beyond doubt, was haunted. I’ve since learned a lot and encountered a lot concerning the spirit world…as have many millions of others over the years! I’ve also been fascinated with books since I learned to read. As soon as I mastered writing…as much as an eight year old can master it!…I’ve been writing stories. Mostly, though, in the early years, I made up stories in my head…constantly! Many people in my life often accused me of being absent minded or claimed I had my “head in the clouds” or was “off in la la land” when the truth of it was quite simple…I was often lost in a story. I still tell myself stories when trying to fall asleep at night or when I’ve some idle time! I often rewrite a movie scene to my own satisfaction or I’ll rewrite scenes from a book I’m currently reading. It’s in my DNA. I swear it is. How does one NOT do something they feel so compelled to do? When something takes hold of you like that…I believe it’s your calling…what you were born to do. What you were meant to share with the world!

Although I read a LOT of romances, mostly regency and historical (but not limited to), I also LOVE stories involving ghosts!! They fascinate me to no end. This fascination has led me to try many things…crystal ball gazing, scrying (which is similar but doesn’t need a crystal ball, just any sort of shiny, clear surface), automatic writing, channeling, table tipping, séances, the Ouija or Spirit Boards. Yeah, I’ve dabbled quite a bit and the more I dabble, the more fascinated I become! Life truly does go on after physical death. For some of us, though, it’s easier for us to keep the two existences separated and beyond our conscious awareness. It can be quite scary, the spirit world…the UNSEEN. But for those who approach it with a pure heart…GOOD intentions and no malice whatsoever…well, I just don’t believe there is anything to fear. NOT to say there aren’t bad things going on. Obviously evil exists. Those who turn from LOVE (or, as I think of it…GOD) and who have negative feelings involved, they are the ones who fall to evil deeds or experiences.

Many people believe that anything to do with the paranormal is evil. Hogwash. GOD is part of the paranormal world and there is nothing evil about God. Not in MY BOOK! (smile). What makes something BAD is the use/thoughts/actions behind it. Even the Christian Cross has been used for evil deeds! But, does everyone think of it as an evil thing? No! Even the controversial gun has been used for good…keeping evil at bay even as some are using it to do atrocious, vile things!

I was completely shocked, disgusted and grief stricken at what took place in that poor school a short time back. How could anyone point a gun at a child…an innocent little child…and kill them? That is evil at it’s worst. Many people question how God could let something like that happen. But that’s the thing with this world we live in…we have this agreement with God that if we come here, we are free to act out our will. It’s what the rest of us do that determines the extent of the evil committed. Often in tragedy, people come together and something positive emerges out of it. Laws change, people look at things differently, appreciate what they have, give love to the grieving. LOVE often spikes after a tragedy. THAT is God at work…always working within us in the wake of a tragic deed.

Many of us utter the “meant to comfort” words, “They are now at peace with God, an angel in heaven” and I’m sure those of us who utter those words, mean it. We do. And that’s great. It really is. Of COURSE we hare happy that our loved one is at PEACE and now lives with GOD and is an ANGEL in HEAVEN but that doesn’t ease our pain, our sense of loss…the hole left in our heart, our soul and our life! I’m a mother of three, step-mother of four and grandmother to nine and the thought of losing any one of them makes my heart cringe in dread. It’s something I don’t EVER want to experience. But the grief would be worse if I didn’t believe their soul lived on in joy with God. Those of us who believe in the afterlife cling to that belief and try, somehow, to come to grips with tragic loss.

One way to move on is to make contact with a loved one who has crossed over. I recently started watching Long Island Medium and the show makes me cry just about every time! It’s so touching to see the relief on the faces of the grieving when Theresa (the medium) shares messages from “the other side”. It wasn’t until I experienced a similar experience that I truly understood the value of that kind of communication! When my grandparents died I was totally devastated. I truly wondered how I was going to go on through my life without them. I LOVED them with my whole heart and their deaths punched serious holes in that heart! Then one day, many years later, I experienced a spiritual reunion with my Nana. It was THE MOST AMAZING experience of my life!! I FELT her in my soul. I truly did. I don’t miss them so much anymore for they visit me in dreams, and when I am thinking about them…they will often give me a sign that they hear me! For example, my grandfather’s name is Lafayette. If I am thinking about him pretty hard, I’ll suddenly see his name…either on a license plate or a street sign…or from wherever! It’s not a common name and to see it right when I’m thinking about him is just too coincidental and let me tell you…coincidences are God (the afterlife) at work!!

For a while I was doing quite a bit of automatic writing and I managed to communicate with my grandfather this way. He gave me a few messages that made no sense to me but were made clear by my mother when talking to her about it. There was no WAY I could have known the things he told me. The messages could not have come from anyone else! Both my grandparents and my dearest uncle Paul (who died when I was 14 and he was 29) have come through a medium at the Spiritualist Church that I attend! The messages and descriptions made by the medium were too specific to claim coincidence! It was THEM. I KNOW it! I can’t even tell you how comforting that is to me!!

So, this fascination with the spirit world has influenced my writing considerably. All three of my books: “Be Still, My Love“, “Hidden Voices” and “No Matter What” are paranormal stories based on living persons dealing with the afterlife. As excited as I am to share those stories with anyone interested in those type of books, it’s the messages and emails I am getting from readers that truly warms my heart! People are telling me that they are finding comfort in my stories. How wonderful is that? I LOVE that someone feels BETTER after reading my books! We writers write for many reasons…to entertain, to amuse, to scare, to teach…the list goes on. I have been thinking hard about WHY I write. First, I write because the story in my head WANTS to be told but in the back of my mind, I am hoping that the readers come away from the story with something worthwhile. I want readers to think about other options and ideas and concepts. AND, I want them to be entertained! I want to share stories because I LOVE stories myself!!

It’s a tough world and I truly find the books I read to give me some relief from it all. The romances give me romance, the mysteries give me intrigue, the humor makes me laugh and the ghost stories give me thoughts to ponder. The thing is…creativity comes from where? I believe it comes from Universal Forces (GOD!). I am moved to create what I do for a reason. There has to be a REASON why I wrote those three books and when readers write to tell me that they feel better after reading them, well, it just all becomes worthwhile and meaningful. I will admit…in all fairness and honesty…that not everyone likes my stories! Oh no! I’ve been ripped into pretty good by those who don’t like stories that mention God or spiritual views (religious matter they call it…though I try to stay away from “religion” in any specific sense). My reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are varied: from very bad to very good. Obviously I’ve moved people in positive and negative ways! (sadly!) But then, we all get something different out of the books we read (or the movies we watch!), don’t we? Sorry as I am for those people who dislike my stories, I focus on those who feel better and have gotten something positive from the experience. I do this not because the dissatisfied readers aren’t important (besides, you CAN’T please everyone no matter how much you wish that you could!). No, I focus on the positive because it is NOT my intention to upset anyone! Heavens no! So if someone dislikes my story, I’m sorry for that and wish them well in finding stories that they do like but I’m not going to stop writing! The truth is, some people are going to be negative no matter what you do and that can’t be helped. We are in a “free will” world after all!!

So anyway. I write what I do because it fascinates me. It gives me comfort. I totally enjoy it and I really love it when readers get something useful and comforting from it! With all my heart, I wish you all many blessings! Until next time, PEACE OUT!!!

May the NEW YEAR be filled with blessings! Lots and lots of them!!!

PS: All three of my books are on sale for just 99 cents until January 1st if you are curious and want to check them out! But be warned…God is very much a part of the stories, but not too much so!! I’ve no wish to “preach” anything to anyone though they do offer some different spiritual views shared by the characters!

Related articles