Paranormal Fiction

I can't say when I started reading paranormal fiction, but I can honestly say that it is my favorite genre of books to read right now. In the last 8-10 years this genre has generated a huge following. Now there are tons of books to choose from and new combinations to try.

So, what is paranormal? Well, it is something that is beyond normal, scientific explanation. Usually this can involve psychic abilities, ghosts, UFOs, vampires, telekinetics, werewolves, fairy, time travel, and any other things that aren't "normal." To make things stand out as abnormal, books tend to have normal settings as a contrast. Paranormal books need that balance of the normal in order to make the book believable.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge best described the use of the supernatural to its best effect in his Biographia Literaria: "...my endeavours should be directed to persons and characters supernatural or at least romantic yet so as to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth sufficient to procure for these shadows of imagination that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment which constitutes poetic faith." (English Prose (1137-1890) By John Matthews Manly)

"The willing suspension of disbelief" is the key. People need to find the unbelievable close enough to human nature that they can identify with it and willingly go along with it. Yet that supernatural aspect can add a level of interest, humor, suspense, danger, intrigue, and/or passion to the story. This is why I find supernatural stories so appealing.

So what kind of supernatural stories can be found out there?

Urban fantasy: this is a fantasy book set in a modern, urban setting. The world stays normal with paranormal characters. Sometimes the paranormal characters are in hiding; sometimes they are not. Books such as Storm Front by Jim Butcher, Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton, and Moon Called by Patricia Briggs are good examples of urban fantasy.

Paranormal romance: this is a romance book with paranormal aspects. You can either have a paranormal character or characters in the normal world or you can have a normal character put in a paranormal situation. Either way, there is a romance subplot to a paranormal story. A few of my favorite paranormal romances are Eternity by Maggie Shayne, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, and Stealing Shadows by Kay Hooper.

There are a few rare romance authors who have successfully combined both paranormal characters and situations without losing enough of the human element to lose that "suspension of disbelief." In those cases, sometimes the romance itself becomes the human element. Nalini Singh's Slave to Sensation is the best example of this rare skill.

Paranormal mystery: These are mystery books with paranormal characters in a normal setting. Good examples are: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, The Trouble with Magic by Madelyn Alt, and Bloodlist by P.N. Elrod.

Paranormal chick lit: If you haven't guessed, these are chick lit books with paranormal characteristics to the story. Think Sex in the City with vampires, magic, etc. Good examples are: The Girl's Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky, Charmed and Dangerous by Candace Havens, and Undead and Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson.

There are probably more sub-genre to paranormal fiction, but I will end my list here. As a side note, every book I gave as an example is the first in a series. I'm a big fan of series, so I couldn't resist!