Building A Paranormal World - Series Recap and Discussion

While I'm in the "soon to say goodbye to writing my third book" throes of bitter-sweet heartache, I really wanted to take the opportunity to chat with readers and writers alike about the process and miracle of building this world and learning about its characters.
I've made it no secret that t I'm not a hardcore planner, although lots of my fellow author friends are. I can and do build a loose outline, but it rarely stays the same. It's never been something I could really get myself to do--to plot out the every character and interaction and event ahead of time. Mainly this is because, if it weren't for the element of sudden inspiration and surprise for me, the journey would turn stale. I'd be terribly bored and therefore unmotivated. I want to live my books too, after all, and micromanagement isn't my style.

Here's the way things have turned out for the Light Series Trilogy thus far. In fact, let's just start at the beginning, shall we?

I'd been finishing up my beloved Harry Potter books, which were just at their end, all the while reading lots of ghost and near-death accounts, just because they fascinated me so much. I remember being out to dinner one night with my best friend just sitting in a dim little booth and saying, "I want to write my own book now. I'm ready. I've put it off long enough."

And that was the start of Seers of Light. People with special abilities doing spooky things. Exciting huh? *smirk*

I had written one scene on its own at an earlier date. In it, I tried to conjure the scariest imagery possible--something that would disturb me, personally. I wanted something similar to a "shadow person"--preferably reminiscent of the kind I'd read about in real life haunting accounts. I looked at this seemingly free floating scene and realized that it belonged in Seers. It fit perfectly into the newly born Lily Hunt's world, and thus began her adventures. But she wasn't alone...


I've talked about Christian before. Those who read my blog will know that I had planned (that is, when he introduced himself to me early on) certain things for him.

However, Christian Wright knew secrets I didn't--secrets that book two (Whisper of Light) would stand to reveal to me, and secrets that would help define the whole concept of the complete circle of all the characters' lives.

I thought I wanted everything one way. They wanted them another. Because they knew better.

Case in point, another (if not THE) prime example of someone who knew better? William Maddox. If you've read the books, you know he kind of takes us by surprise. Then he takes the whole series by surprise. I've been hopelessly thankful to him ever since, because he ended up being kind of my catalyst for the whole deal, all three books, in his own quiet, sexy, smart-assed, unassuming way.

The series begins Lily and company in Atlanta, Georgia, but in book two, we follow Christian to California (because, apparently, there was a story there that required telling, damn it.) People are still hesitant about poor Christian until after they've read Whisper of Light, which is why I'm nudging those certain readers to make sure they read the second book. After all, it's a third of the trinity. You could read the other two novels only--but for heaven's sake, that would be a mistake. It's crucial to know the events of book two, the minds and hearts of its main characters, so that you can appreciate Circle of Light. Don't skip it. I beg of thee. It's part of the heart of a series that turned into something more than I'd ever planned or imagined it would be, something that changed me completely--something that made me realize my own calling as a person was to inspire people, to give them hope and to make them passionate again, in every way that counts.

And that brings us to mild teaser-age when I say that Circle of Light starts out in Philadelphia, but it sure doesn't end there. The book contains more lore, love and action than either of the first two, but that's only because it's the culmination--the worst of the storms you have to go through in life when you're fighting for a silver-lining.

NOTE: I plan to start a Sentient Street Team that includes all who are enthusiastic and willing, and I'll be putting out the official invite soon. It will involve swag, cool, unique prizes and love from me, fun contests and some Sentient-love spreading from you. After all, I can write till I'm blue in the face, but if there aren't people out there to say, "HEY, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!!!!", people who are every bit as passionate about seeing and experiencing the Seers world all over the place as I am, what's the point, eh? ;)

I'll be in touch with more deets soon. Leave me some comments, though. I don't ask for those enough. But I still love them!

xoxo

Jen