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Paranormal / Supernatural

How True Blood Became a Paranormal Allegory for Gay Rights

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In 2000, Alan Ball, a TV writer who’d worked on Grace Under Fire and Cybill, hit the jackpot. American Beauty–a satirical melodrama he’d written about the suffering, brutalizing, twisted soul of the suburbs–won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Sam Mendes), and Best Actor (Kevin Spacey), which is not too shabby for a movie that was originally turned down by Chevy Chase. Ball, whose script had already earned him a Golden Globe, took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The 43-year-old Ball found himself turned overnight into a very hot property. In an earlier era, this would … Read more

Religious Iconography in Fantasy and Paranormal Stories

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Since today is Sunday, it seems fitting to tackle a new topic here at QSF – the use of religious iconography, including angels, demons and devils, in Fantasy and Paranormal stories. This practice has a long and studied tradition, going back to some of the very roots of Fantasy (see CS Lewis and the Narnia Chronicles) and Paranormal (often drawing on themes of heaven and hell). But it seems to me that there’s a particular opportunity here for storytelling from an LGBt point of view – our community was long persecuted by the Church, and even now, most opposition to … Read more

Ghosts, Spooks, Hauntings, and Other Mayhem From Beyond the Grave

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Okay, it’s time for another foray into the paranormal. Today, I’m taking about an area that gets little press these days, what with all the shifters, vampires, and zombies that seem to be roaming the Earth these days. Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned ghost story? You know, your Amityville Horrors, your Paranormal Activities, your Poltergeists? The kind of story that, without ever showing the creepy antagonist, could raise the hairs on your arms? I still remember watching Poltergeist, and getting the thrill of my spine when the little girl put her hands on the TV screen, filled with static, … Read more

Suparanorror

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OK, it’s paranormal day at the QSF blog. Today, I’m thinking about supernatural, paranormal, and horror. They have a lot of overlap, but are not exactly the same thing. For instance, Twilight is probably paranormal, with its shifter themes, and maybe a little supernatural. The Amityville Horror was clearly horror, with a little supernatural, but was it paranormal? Maybe? The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – horror only. What I’m wondering this morning is – where do you draw the line between supernatural, paranormal, and horror? And what are some examples you’ve read and enjoyed in each subset of the Suparanorror genre?

Q&A With Anna Frost, Author of The Fox’s Mask

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Anna Frost, a fantasy writer with a great YA series – The Fox’s Mask, The Fox’s Quest, and The Fox’s God – stopped by the QSF blog for a Q&A. QSF: How did you get into writing? Frost: I was a voracious reader as a child/teen and at some point it occurred to me I could write my own stories too. There was no stopping me from then on. QSF: Is this your first book? Frost: Most writers have old manuscripts hidden away, stories that didn’t work out or weren’t good enough, but yes I would call this my first … Read more

What is Paranormal, Really?

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OK, so we all know that “paranormal”, over the last few years, has in large part consisted of vampires and shifters, at least in the popular culture – see True Blood and Twilight. But there’s so much more to it – including witches, ghosts, zombies, hauntings, mummies, and more. We’re always looking for the next big thing… in paranormal circles in the last few years, that seems to have been stories that mix the various characters in the paranormal playbook. But what’s next? What under-explored paranormal sub genres and characters are ripe for exploration? And are you writing any of … Read more

LGBT Paranormal Is Really Weird (And Hot)

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OK, in honor of Me Me Monday over at our Facebook Discussion Group (a weekly event where authors in the group post their promos about upcoming work, new releases, etc), I’m inaugurating another first – the Cover Cavalcade. Let’s post our favorite LGBT paranormal covers on the FB page – covers that get you hot under the collar, or that are just so fricking weird that you can’t help but stare in awe. What are your favorite LGBT paranormal / supernatural covers – the good, the bad, and the beautiful-ugly? And let’s keep it in good fun – no insults, … Read more

The Shifter Revolution

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The Twilight series, love it or hate it, served to help bring shifter romance into the mainstream – it’s been fun to watch former “monsters” become romantic bad boys, from the likes of “True Blood” and “Twilight” to the lately emerging subgenre of Zombie romance, epitomized by last year’s film “Warm Bodies”. There was even an attempt to turn Frankenstein into an action hero, with Aaron Eckhart cast in the lead in “I, Frankenstein.” A quick run through the shifter romance page at Goodreads turns up horse shifters, lion shifters, bear shifters, dragon shifters and many more. If you had … Read more

Which Genre Is Best Suited to the LGBT Experience?

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I’ve been doing some promo work for the anthology The Bear at the Bar (shameless plug there) about bear romance, and it’s gotten me thinking about all the shades of the LGBT rainbow – gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people, questioning, intersex, bears, otters, drag queens, leather daddies, gym bunnies, and so many more. I’m wondering if, of the three genres of sci fi, fantasy, and paranormal, is any one more suited than the the others for exploring the issues around the LGBT community? I’m not talking about having or exploring LGBT characters in these genres. I’m trying to get at … Read more

Writing Wolves

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I’m in the midst of a new/old story – spacemen come back to a depopulated earth only to find out there are werewolves there. I’m writing the wolf POV in present tense to give a sense of immediacy, but got called on my lack of pack dynamics in the story (thanks, Beth!), and I realize I’m basing them on nature specials I saw as a kid and on some half-remembered episodes of True Blood. LOL… With wolves in particular, I know there’s a pack hierarchy, usually with an alpha male, but that female wolves also have high status in the … Read more