#AtoZChallenge - Shapeshifters are Sexy!

OK, I admit, that is a slightly daft title. But it fits my mood, and I like to lighten things up a little when it comes to discussing the Redcliffe novels. After all, my novels can be pretty serious, even if they are designed for a commercial market. But they also have their comedy elements, a bit of fun, and a reflection of British life in an isolated town, albeit with lots of paranormal activity thrown in. I have a confession to make. I do think that Shapeshifters are sexy. And I say shapeshifters, because I don’t just mean werewolves, who seem to dominate the Redcliffe novels at the moment.

Ah yes, my beloved wolves. Perhaps I feel an affinity for them because I love domestic dogs so much. A lot of the behaviour of the Redcliffe wolves is inspired by my own pet, Baxter. He is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier X, and we nicknamed him Wolfie, because sometimes he does resemble his wild kin, especially when he bares his teeth and puffs his fur out. Wolves are incredibly protective, powerful, and noble creatures, I think. But as I said, they are not the only shapeshifters in Redcliffe. Not all shapeshifters are wereanimals. Some are witches with powerful animal familiars, who use the human bodies of their host to offer protection and magical assistance when necessary. Have you met Jessica Stone’s snow tiger, Suri? She is a fascinating creature, and the cause of much conflict and confusion for Jessica.

There are other wereanimals that make an appearance in the Redcliffe novels. We certainly have not met them all yet, and I know there are a few new characters waiting to introduce themselves. We have briefly met a couple of tigers, a husband and wife who run a popular café in the nearby city, where the local supernatural community meet up. Jessica met them when a friend took her there, and she was quite literally stunned. They are vibrant, attractive, powerful, and sexy. And they will become more mainstream in future Redcliffe novels. They have made that very clear to me! Finally, I believe that vampires exhibit shapeshifting qualities. My vampires do not dissolve into mist or turn into bats. They are more subtle than that. They can cloud a human mind, effectively making themselves invisible, using their magical powers of persuasion. Their physical features contort when they feed, and they snap from human to monster in the blink of an eye…

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

*Call of the Hunt image courtesy of Deviant Art

#AtoZChallenge - Ritual and Relationships in Redcliffe

Ooh, what a tantalizing title of alliteration! Ha ha, I couldn't resist that one. Today for my #AtoZChallenge, I will explain a little about the importance of Ritual in my paranormal world. And I had to throw in relationships and Redcliffe at the last moment, because, well, they are the essence of the Redcliffe novels. My paranormal romance series is all about the relationships between our witch protagonist, Jessica Stone, and her vampires and werewolves. Oh yes, there are more than one! Not all are romantic interests, you understand, but the threat is always there, simmering below the surface…

Most people associate ritual with witchcraft or shamanism, some form of spiritual, magical practice that evokes unknown entities to cause chaos or heal the sick. This is an element of spiritual work. A ritual is simply a special routine, something used for a specific purpose. For example, witches who use candle magic, will set out their candles in specific shapes, such as the pentagram, to symbolise the elements of earth, air, fire, water and spirit with which they work. They may wear special robes, and eat food that relates specifically to the ritual they are performing. It is all designed to call out those hidden forces of magic and mystery that we simply refuse to see in our daily lives. It is our way of creating sacred space in which to work, separating the magical from the mundane.

Photo Credit Deviant Art

Jessica Stone learns the importance of ritual during her explorations in witchcraft. She observes the Redcliffe wolf pack, and she watches how the vampires behave, learning about their individual and group ritual practices. Jessica only discovered she was a witch when she fell in love with a vampire, and so she is wary of magic and spells. She soon embraces her heritage, however, because it all comes so naturally to her. The ritual side of it is something that she must learn about. She will study her craft, listen to her mentor, and acknowledge her own daily rituals as she moves through her adventures in Redcliffe, and beyond.

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

#AtoZChallenge - There’s Nowt so Queer as… Werewolves!

I couldn’t resist this play on words! I often find myself muttering, in my version of what I think should be a Yorkshire accent, “There’s nowt so Queer as folk!” I don’t know where I picked it up from, but it stuck with me as I grew up, and every day it seems more and more appropriate to our modern world. And now it is the perfect #AtoZChallenge reference for my Redcliffe novels.

You see, here I apply the word queer in two forms. Queer means something strange or unusual. Well, that definitely explains the Redcliffe novels series. A human woman falls in love with a police detective, meets his identical twin brother, is kidnapped by their enemy, and subsequently discovers a world of vampires, werewolves and witches. All set in the peaceful seaside resort town of Redcliffe in Cornwall. Yep. Just another ‘normal’ British setting!

Photo credit Pinterest 

But then I also apply the word queer in its less politically correct definition. In previous decades we referred to homosexuals as queer. I don’t know why. Maybe because they were treated like social pariahs, feared and shunned simply because they saw the world differently to their heterosexual peers. Well, somehow I found gay werewolves in Redcliffe. Yes, you heard that correctly. Werewolves can be gay too! And my favourite man of the moment is Redcliffe pack lieutenant, Simon Bunce. He is a surfer, he is manager of The Ship Inn (that conceals the wolf lair), and he is in love with his alpha, Danny Mason. Has that got your attention? Excellent!

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

#AtoZChallenge - The Power Animal

When I first began to write Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), I had no idea of the twists and turns that were ahead of me for the Redcliffe novels. There was never even meant  to be a trilogy, much less a series. It just sort of happened. And now we are in a crazy world populated by powerful witches, possessive vampires, and proud werewolves. And a very intriguing Power animal familiar.

The power animal can take many forms. It can be a domestic pet, such as your beloved cat or dog. It can be a creature that visits your dreams, recurring, offering support, guidance or advice. It can be an ethereal creature that lives in a parallel world accessed through your human mind… really? Apparently so! That is how I met the power animal familiar of our new witch Jessica Stone. Suri, the snow tiger, made her dramatic appearance in my second novel, Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel). She is a force to be reckoned with, not least because she has set her sights on the alpha werewolf, Danny Mason, and she detests the vampire, his identical twin brother, Jack.

Power animals are confusing creatures. Witches and shamans traditionally revere them for their wisdom and knowledge of the universe. Totems are created in their honour, and rituals are performed at different times of the year, and to represent different needs or situations. A power animal can offer deep spiritual fulfilment. They can also offer a strange version of reality that sits awkwardly with ‘real’ humans and their daily drama. When Jessica Stone meets her power animal in the Redcliffe novels, she embarks on a wild adventure, all within the peaceful confines of a picturesque, English seaside resort town.

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

*Power animal image found on Pinterest

#AtoZChallenge - Out of Body Experience

Have you ever had an Out of Body Experience? They are intense adventures, let me tell you! And the Redcliffe novels are jammed full of out of body experiences. Our protagonist, Jessica Stone, has vivid dreams that often see her running from some crazed beast, or speaking to a mysterious woman who likes to hold their meetings on Redcliffe beach at sunset…

I have been fascinated by the concept of the out of body experience for as long as I can remember. For me it goes hand-in-hand with ghost sightings, being psychic, and basically being an open-minded, spiritual adventurer. The events in the Redcliffe novels are largely inspired by my personal experiences over the years, although some are exaggerated for literary entertainment. It is not only Jessica Stone who has out of body experiences. As a witch, they are a natural occurrence for her. It is a method for her animal familiar to communicate across their parallel, paranormal world. Once Jessica makes an intimate connection with the vampire Jack Mason, and with his alpha werewolf brother Danny, her experiences become more bizarre and intense.

You could say that being a vampire or werewolf, or any other shape shifting creature, will lead to an out of body experience. The werewolves transform from human to animal, and that surely is an event that sends their spirit flying high or outwards as the physical body does its thing. Vampires are ethereal creatures. They are not human. They feel emotions and sensations very deeply. They can sense the thoughts of humans around them, and they can project their energy onto others. In that sense, they too experience being ‘out of body.’ The possibilities are endless, which is why such a concept is brilliant for my paranormal romance novels.

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

*Out of body experience image found on Pinterest

#AtoZChallenge - Natural Instinct

All creatures are ruled by Natural instinct. Humans are driven by ego and emotion. We have created a world that is dominated by the desire for money, and the notion that this brings power and respect. We continually fight among ourselves, we love with passion and pride, we hate and struggle and survive. All of these emotions come naturally to us. They cannot be seen as physical entities. They simply manifest in our behaviour and our attitude. The same is true for supernatural creatures. Only their natural instinct can sometimes be far more deadly and dangerous.

Think about it. The werewolves are both human and animal. They exhibit all of the characteristics from two species. They have strong urges to hunt, to fight, to kill, to procreate. They feel deep emotion, they love and hate fiercely and in equal measure. The whole mix of natural instinct is a potent and powerful combination. And then there are the vampires. More than anything, they are driven by a natural instinct to hunt for blood. It controls them. It consumes them. Theirs is an eternal battle to appear human, to suppress these dangerous desires, and to avoid killing anything that moves, so that they may feed and satiate their never-ending thirst. Their senses are powerfully sharp and sensitive. They feel everything far more deeply than humans. Is it any wonder they get grumpy?

And how about other creatures? Witches, for example. Witches are essentially human. Their bodies are prone to illness and can be damaged by intent or accident. They have the same intellect, the same emotions, the same natural instinct. But they also have magic on their side. They have power animals, mystical creatures that guide them, support them, and sometimes fight against them. Witches learn to tread the line between human and animal. In the Redcliffe novels, Jessica Stone has a lot to learn once she discovers her hidden magic and power. She battles with her desires and urges, believing them to be wrong, when all she wants to do is follow her instincts and act on what feels natural. She was raised in a human world, with human morals and ideals. Maybe they are not right for her. It is for Jessica to decide.

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

*Lover's kiss image found on Pinterest

#AtoZChallenge - Magic and Mystery

As we progress through the Redcliffe novels, and follow our heroine Jessica Stone, we begin to learn that she is not everything she seems to be at first meeting. Jessica does not even know herself when we begin reading Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel). When she falls in love with a vampire, her world is literally turned upside down, and she embarks on a new journey of self discovery. Central to this journey is Jessica’s natural condition as a witch. She learns about her own secret power, her Magic, her mystery.

Magic is very often confused with different aspects. Traditional magic can be one of two things. It could be magical illusion, as seen by a magician when he or she is entertaining a group of people. You know the sort: card tricks and disappearing acts. In the Redcliffe novels, we discover the power of ancient magic, that which belongs to witches and other supernatural creatures. I prefer to apply the old-fashioned spelling, Magick, but often my computer word processor will insist on correcting it by removing the k. When I read Magick in a text, it automatically sends shivers down my spine, and offers up images of ancient power and ritual, goddesses and gods, and everything that has now been consigned to the history books under the title of mythology.

Jessica Stone learns about her ability to use magic, and how she can work with her spirit animal, Suri the snow tiger, to protect herself against the werewolves and vampires that would play games with her. Jessica begins to realise that actually, she is the most powerful creature in this circle of beasts. She is, as yet, inexperienced and has only just begun to study her craft. It will take time, patience, and lots of mistakes, before she can truly become a great magician. The same applies for any of us in real life. We create our own magic, we are the magicians of our own lives.

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

*Witch and werewolf image found on Pinterest