Author Emerald Barnes talks about writing Paranormal

Thanks, Stacy, for having me on the blog! It’s always a pleasure to be here. 

Last month, I released my newest novel, The Marked. Well, sticking true to who I am, I wrote yet another book in the paranormal genre, but it isn’t like my usual books. If you know me, you know that I usually write Christian fiction, but I write in the paranormal genre of Christian fiction. That’s what I’m known for, and that’s great! I love my Entertaining Angels series.  But what most people don’t realize is that I wrote The Marked before I wrote Entertaining Angels. I was writing paranormal fiction, non-Christian fiction, way before I started my Christian fiction series, even back in high school. Back then, I was even writing about ghosts! 

I never thought that I would want to write anything in the paranormal genre, but I loved reading it. I know that contradicts what I said about writing a book with ghosts in it in high school, but nothing came of that story, and I never finished it. (I regret that to this day because it’s gone. I lost it.)

I was a HUGE Dean Koontz fan in Jr. high/high school. My dad introduced me to his books, and Odd Thomas was one of my favorite series, up until it went really weird. (I stopped reading them after Brother Odd.) Anyway, I digress. I loved almost all of his books, and I wanted to write suspense/thrillers like him. So, I tried my hand at it with Read Me Dead. That’s my only full-length novel to date that doesn’t have anything to do with the paranormal genre. 

Soon after, I wrote a book I haven’t published yet—or quite finished—and it dealt with the paranormal too. Well, sort of. It’s complicated, but then, I had the idea for The Marked. It came from a dream I had about a vampire who saved me. That vampire later became a hybrid, and that hybrid’s name is Milo. You’ll meet him in The Marked. So, I took this dream and I rearranged it a bit—quite a lot actually—to become what it is now. And oh my gosh! Writing about paranormal creatures is so much more fun than reading about them! I threw myself completely into this world and invested so much time in their backstory and research. I never knew how fun it was to write about mythical creatures that didn’t exist!

I think I chose this genre because to me, reading is all about an escape. That’s what I always used it for. It would be my happy place at the end of the day. It would be a way for my mind to transpose me to somewhere different, and I wanted so desperately to be a part of that for someone else. I wanted to create these worlds that others could get lost in like I got lost in like in Odd Thomas, Twilight, The Vampire Academy, etc.

And I don’t think people will ever stop loving paranormal books because it is so different than our reality. When you know that creatures like vampires don’t really exist, it’s fun to get lost in a world where they are real. 

What’s your favorite thing about the paranormal genre? Do you read it much?

 

About The Marked: Knight’s Academy Book 1:

Myka Williams has never fit in with her peers, and although her adoptive parents are loving and supportive, she feels most at home alone in the woods.

When she's offered a full scholarship to Knight's Academy in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, she takes the opportunity for a fresh start. She soon learns that Knight’s Academy is more than just a school. Within the stone walls of the institution, humans and vampires are mixing, and their offspring are going unnoticed.

As Myka falls prey to the evil plan of the school, she makes a chilling discovery about her own heritage and realizes that she’s at the Academy for more than just an education. Myka must yield to her birthright at the risk of losing everyone she loves or succumb to the fate that Knight’s Academy has in store for her—a fate worse than death.

Check out the Book Trailer! 

Check out the Official Knight's Academy Playlist!

Where to Buy The Marked:

Amazon

Amazon UK

Nook

iTunes

Kobo

 

Add The Marked to Goodreads

About The Author:

Emerald Barnes resides in a small town in Mississippi and has the accent to prove it. She’s an auntie, a youth leader, a Whovian, a little bit of a nerd, a reader, a writer, and a family-oriented person. God is number One in her life, and she thanks Him continuously for His love and favor. She’s addicted to tv and binge-watching shows, and she has a thing for superheroes.

Connect with Emerald:

Website: www.emeraldbarnes.us

Blog: ebarnes23.wordpress.com

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/emeraldbarnes

Facebook: www.facebook.com/fanpageforemeraldbarnes

Twitter: www.twitter.com/emeraldbarnes

Street Team: www.facebook.com/groups/emeraldbarnesstreetteam

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/emeraldbarnes

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/emerald_barnes

 

Emerald Barnes: "I want you to know how beautiful you are."

A special look at Author Emerald Barnes and her inspirational stories

 

Three Woman - Three Incredible Stories

Kandi, a young adult who is haunted by a past she doesn’t even remember – a memory that she has repressed – goes to college, expecting the best times of her life, yet finds herself being tormented by her Biology teacher.  She doesn’t understand why, so she finds solace in her best friend, Jimmy.

She loves Jimmy, more than anything.  They have been best friends for years.  He’s a cop, and she finds him extremely attractive in his uniform.  But, he’s overprotective.  Way too overprotective.  He won’t let her go anywhere without accompanying her, and she’s surprised that he allowed her to move to college without following her.  She doesn’t understand why he’s the way he is until the memory resurfaces.

Then, her entire world comes crashing down, knowing why her Biology teacher hates her.  She cannot bear the memory, and she wants nothing more but to repress it again.  She now must pierce her way out of the darkness.

 

Amazon

 

 

Jennifer Cruz Jones isn't exactly a criminal. She just made a few bad choices--lying to the police, withholding evidence, oh, and making sure her boss didn't recognize her as the girl who destroyed his life--even after a hot bit of tongue wrestling.

Believing herself unworthy of love, she hides behind her computer wizardry, incessant exercise and a new identity. A killer is after her and she can no longer hide. When she runs out of excuses and diversions, Jennifer risks her life and heart by exposing her darkest, most devastating secret.

She discovers that love is not true unless it knows the truth.

 

Amazon:

Amanda so young, innocent and naive , finds herself moving from one emotional and abuse relationship to another as she enters into adulthood. When she meets Josh, she finally believes she has found true love, a man who will love her for who she is and protect her. Little does she know after only a few shorts years her world with spin out of control into an another emotionally draining abusive relationship.

Amanda denies what stares her in the face, like any victim she believes she deserves the abuse she receives.  Will someone finally be able to reach her and make her understand the direness of her situation before it is to late we find out whether she'll live or die? 

Amazon: