Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Magic in Paranormal Fiction Guest Blog with Jacqueline Paige


Magic in Paranormal Fiction
By Jacqueline Paige

Fiction stories with magic aren’t new, especially in the past few years with wizards everywhere. When I decided to write a fiction series with magic in it I didn’t want to do the typical good magic vs. bad magic nor did I want to do wizards with their wands and staffs, instead I took the idea of non-fictional beliefs and practices and weaved them into a paranormal fiction story. 

The magic my characters use come spiritual beliefs, the earth and elements, crystals, herbs and in some cases ancestors that are able to lend a little something extra from the afterlife.

Here are a few examples of what my characters can do:

An Excerpt from Book I in the Magic Seasons – From Beltane Magic:

The eight stood in a circle around the small fire pit. Outside the shelter, the rain poured so hard it was like a steady, deafening sound. Cora stepped closer to the fire and stared into it. She glanced up and nodded to Leena. Taking Dade’s hand, she whispered, “Let’s hope some ancestors are available tonight.”

      Dade lifted her hand and kissed it before he let go. “I’ll make sure they are.” He picked up the shaker sitting in front of him and gently began to shake it from side to side. His lips moved in a silent chant, and he closed his eyes.

      Owen watched as Leena and Steven both turned their backs to the circle and faced the pouring rain. Raising their hands, they lowered their heads in concentration. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he’d never have believed someone telling him.

As their heads came up, the wind seemed to continuously circle the shelter and block out the pouring rain. He could no longer see or hear the heavy downpour.

Not knowing what to expect next, he looked back at the others. Chris, Kasey, and Rachel were standing with their hands clasped and staring into the fire as the flames rose higher. The flames were almost white now, and he blinked to make sure it wasn’t just his eyes.

Dade’s motion with the rattle became faster and louder as he moved to stand beside Cora. Her head was thrown back and her eyes closed, and she seemed to be shaking with the rhythm of the rattle. Her eyes flew open, and she stopped shaking to look into the fire. He could see the sweat beading down her face, and her hands trembled. The look on her face told him she was afraid, but she said nothing. She reached empty hands toward the fire, and the flames flew higher. Not knowing what else to do, Owen went to stand behind her in case he was needed at some point.

      She stepped back and cried out in fear. He caught up her shoulders and held her tight as Dade instructed him to do. Glancing over her shoulder and into the fire he saw, he wasn’t sure what, images but they blurred together and he couldn’t understand them.

Cora cried out again and sagged back against him. He caught her tight against his waist and held her to his chest. His own chest began to burn. He didn’t know what was going on, but he felt compelled to stop it. “Stop now!” He said roughly.

They have more magic to use, here is an excerpt from book II – The Solstice Heat

                Chris came out of his library to see the three men sitting in his living room.  He paused and looked around.  “Did I forget about a meeting?”  Where were the women?  “Where is everyone else?” 

                Dade leaned forward and rested his elbows on his legs.  “We were instructed they were coming here after work and they have been locked in your little magic broom closet for the last hour.”
                Chris raised his eyebrows.  “Doing?”

                Owen lifted his hands.  “Won’t say.”

                Steven slumped down, wishing for a nap.  “They’re not too pleased being driven to and from work.”

                “I see.”  Chris turned and started down the hall.  “Let’s see what they’re up to.”

The men got up and followed him. 

He tried the doorknob to find it locked.  “Kase, unlock the door.”

                “Soon.” She called to him through the door.

                He stood there glaring at the door.  They’d locked him out of his own room in his own home!  We’ll see about this.  He stepped back and slapped and invisible command at the door. 

Sparks flew off it and the door remained closed.  “What the…”

                Dade grinned.  “Quite the little witch you have there Larkin.” 

                Steven whistled out a breath.  “Just how much trouble can they get into with all your stuff in there?”

                Chris still scowled at the door while he answered.  “A lot!”  He tapped the door with his hand.  “Kassandra unlock the door.” 

A gentle breeze blew over all four of them.

                “That would be a polite no.”  Dade said quietly.

                “Like hell, I’ll be locked out of my own temple room.” Chris hissed.  Stepping back he stared at the door, the handle shook.  When he thought it was going to open it started to pour rain on the four of them.  He waved a hand to stop it and looked at the men beside him.  Dade’s long hair was soaked and the expression on his face was similar to how he himself was feeling about the whole thing.

                “And that would be a mind your own business.” Owen said sticking his hands in his pockets.

                Chris looked at Steven.  “You have any ideas?”

                Steven shook his head trying to get the water to stop dripping in his face then took a step away from the door.  “Oh no. I’m plenty happy enough to wait until it opens on it’s own.  You might like lighting striking you but I’m not too open to trying that.”

                Chris shook his head.  “Are you all afraid of them?”

                Dade nodded.  “I’ve seen what each one can do alone – especially your little innocent there my friend; the four of them together scare the hell out of me.”

                Chris sighed and looked back at the door.  “Kasey?”

                “Yes Christopher?”  Her voice came through the door again.

                “You’re making me angry and I don’t want to do something I’ve promised you I wouldn’t.” 

A wind breeze ruffled his hair.  “I know you won’t Chris.  Now go away I’m trying to concentrate here.”

His jaw dropped.  Sighing he looked at the others. “Beer?”  They nodded and followed him down the hallway.

“Seems you’re a bit afraid of their wrath too councilor.” Dade mumbled behind him.

“Shut up.”  Chris growled and walked into the kitchen.

And sometimes they consider magic forces they shouldn’t. This is from Book III – Harvest Dreams

  What could she possibly be doing that held this kind of force?  He knew the answer as soon as he finished the thought; she was making some soul penance in exchange for Ricky’s health.  A gust of anguish shoved against him as he forced his legs to keep going towards the bedroom. 

Stopping momentarily to try and take a deep breath as the air crushed against his lungs and threatened to overtake him.  Nothing was stopping him from reaching Rachel.  Nothing!

He clenched his jaw and raised his hands against the swirling power.  Picturing her inside; needing him gave him more than enough strength to shove it back from him.  A picture on the wall rocked with the force and crashed to the floor.  He stepped over it and glared at the door that held her from his vision.  “Rachel!” 

He knew she probably couldn’t hear him, knew because years before when the emotions of losing patients threatened to ruin him, he had tried to make a bargain to keep someone from passing.  The price was too high in the end and he’d stopped.  Part of him knew she wouldn’t stop, she would succeed and he couldn’t live with that.

Shoving his power towards the door, he managed to rock it.  He didn’t know if he had enough strength to get through it.  Fear swamped him and it held him there, unmoving for moments more than he should have let it.  As he raised his head again and felt a rush of steady power flow over him and without turning knew that Chris had arrived.  Objects flew past him and the noise of the rushing wind howled around him.  Chris was not only here, but he was pissing off the force that Rachel had brought there.

“You have to do it!” 

Over the noise, he was barely able to hear Chris yelling only a few feet behind him.  Steven hesitantly turned his head away from the door and looked over at Chris kneeling on the floor with his hand held out towards him. His hair was blowing as he held onto the railing with his other hand straining to hold his position at the top of the stairs.

“It won’t let me any closer, Steven!  You can get through it.” Each word Chris said sounded as if he were in pain.

It took a few seconds for him to understand but he finally realized what Chris was saying.  Because it was Rachel doing it, Steven was somehow protected, but it would eat Chris alive if he pushed any further.  He nodded and looked back at the door.  A resolve passed over him; he was not giving up Rachel! 

Raising both hands towards the door, he placed one foot behind to brace himself against the incredible force the energies had.  Clenching his jaw, he allowed the fear and anger run through him, gathering strength he was going to need.  He felt his own hands shake with an energy that should have frightened him; ignoring it, he focused on the doorknob and watched as it began to shake. 

Another rush of power hit him as he felt Chris trying to help him again.  The doorknob snapped and dropped to the floor.  Taking a deep breath he rushed forward and smashed his side against the door.  It opened, pushing against him so he had to fight to move past it and enter the room.  The forces from the spell being cast were suffocating him; he took shallow breaths trying to find enough oxygen. 

Moving from the door, it slammed shut, sending him flying against the wall.  In the center of the room Rachel knelt, her eyes closed in concentration, her lips moving in a silent chant.  She held her hands over a black dish on the floor; he paused on her for a few more seconds and then looked at the items in front of her.  He had been right, the symbols on the floor, the incense, and the other tools lying in there all pointed towards what he’d feared. 

She knelt there, oblivious to the danger around her as objects in the room swirled around her, closer than he was comfortable with. 

Gasping, he caught his breath once more and fought to think of a way to break what she had begun.  A dark smoke swirled around her and he wasn’t going to stand there and see if it was getting closer as he suspected it was.

“Rach . . .” A blast of wind hit him and knocked his breath out of him.  Wind.  He straightened slowly and scowled at the dark mist circling the woman he loved.  He was not going to stand there and watch her bind her life force with something like that for anyone, himself included. Fighting to move closer he raised both hands away from his body and focused on the air in the room.  He controlled air and wasn’t going to allow some lurking spirit tell him otherwise.  Sweat soaked his brow as he stared at the objects moving around the room.  It had slowed, but wasn’t going to stop completely.

“Rachel!  This is not the answer!”  He shouted over the racket. 

I’d love to share more, but it’s more fun to find out yourself.

Step into a world of magic and passions…the Magic Seasons.






Harvest Dreams
Book III in the Magic Seasons series
By Jacqueline Paige
Armed with magic and a plan ...
Buy link:  Class Act Books  
Jacqueline Paige link  



Step into a world of magic and passions....

Take a dash of spice, heat it

Add a flash of magic and watch the sparks fly

Toss in a killer that's targeting women

Add a handful of witches from all paths to stir it all together...

Armed with magic and a plan for the Lammas festival as a group they are determined to stop the killer from harming anyone again.

With a plan of his own, Steven decides to persuade Rachel that they’re meant to be together.

Rachel is a woman that lives carefree with a buoyant recklessness. She loves being a flirt and has spent many years indulging that side of her personality. Her energy draws others; her character is to protect all those that cannot protect themselves.  When she’s not riding on life, she is helping children less fortunate then herself.  

Steven is man that gives more than his energy usually allows.  He is a highly respected pediatrician that always goes that extra step to ensure all in his care are receiving his utmost attention.  He often sacrifices sleep to spend time with his friends, and he can’t seem to help affably chasing the skirt of the one woman that breaks his easy going charm and makes him forget he’s supposed to be the jovial.  

He hides his strength in body and magic, never letting others know that he is more than the carefree man with everything he needs.    

Armed with magic and a plan for the Lammas festival as a group they are determined to stop the killer from harming anyone again.  With a plan of his own, Steven decides he’s done waiting for Rachel to see that they’re meant to be together and takes things into his own hands.


2 comments:

Jacqueline Paige said...

Thanks for having me here today!

I just found out the link posted has been changed with the new website my publisher has.
Here's the new one http://www.classactbooks.com/covers.asp?Category=Author&txtSearch=Jacqueline%20Paige

Anonymous said...

Great excerpts!
I will be checking these out.

 
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