The Paranormal Romance Genre Box

I haven’t posted on my blog in quite awhile. I’m sorry. I plan to start posting more frequently.

I hope. Life has a talent for getting in the way of fun things.

I thought I’d begin the new posting year with an observation. Paranormal Romance is extremely limited. In the genre I’ve seen books about Witches, Wizards, Warlocks, Vampires, Werewolves, Shapeshifters of practically every sort, and a smattering of Ghosts. Heroines are frequently Vampire Hunters, Haunted Damsels, some were creature’s True Mate, a Witch, and occasionally some sort of Psychic (who almost always turns out to actually be a Witch.) Heroes are virtually always a hunky Vampire, Werewolf pack leader, Shapeshifter, Wizard, some sort of Demon, or sometimes an Angel. And of course let’s not forget the Djinn, various Fairy Princes and Princesses, and Mythological characters. As you can tell the line between paranormal and fantasy is blurred.

“So? What’s the problem?” you say. “All of those are paranormal.”

Well, yes. And no. We could get into a religious debate on several of these beings but that would just get everyone upset and we’d never get around to the point I’m trying to make here. Which is the Paranormal Romance genre is severely limited. It has been packed into a tiny little box with very thick walls no one seems to want to break through.

I have a theory about this that is similar to my theory on why Science Fiction Romance is just as limited (separate rant best left for another post.) Now here’s a simple question. Where are the stories about Telepaths, heroes and heroines with Telekinetic powers, characters who can Teleport? When was the last time you read a story about Remote Viewers? Dimension Travelers? And I mean characters who don’t have to cast some spell, get bitten, or be stolen/exiled/hidden at birth and raised by humans to do these things. In short, where are the really unusual paranormal stories?

I can tell you why you won’t find many stories like those above. Very few have ever been written. Why? Because a lot of writers don’t want to be bothered to do truly in depth research into the paranormal. A lot don’t want to research at all. I’ve even seen posted on a writers group the statement, “Let’s write a paranormal, we don’t have to research that.” Made me shudder.

“But I don’t have to research the paranormal because: A. I’m a Wiccan/Psychic/Witch. B. I’ve watched every episode of Buffy, Angel, and X-Files and read every Laurel K Hamilton and Jim Butcher book out there. C. It’s paranormal and I can make up anything I want because it’s all fake anyway. Or, D. All of the above.”

Now, in the interest of clarity, I am not a Psychic, Wiccan or Witch. I have seen Buffy, Angel, and X-Files, and I have read Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files but not Laurel K Hamilton’s books. I’ve also been reading books on the paranormal for around 35 years and count as friends several paranormal researchers. I’ve attended lectures by Psychics and I used to be able to see and feel auras. I’m out of practice now.

So, what is my point? Readers love the kind of Paranormal Romance books I seem to be ripping up at. My point is simply this. Next time you sit down to write a Paranormal, try thinking outside the box. Read up on things like Telepathy and other mind powers, check out some accounts of people who have experienced phenomena of extreme strangeness. Do a search on Remote Viewing, you can even take classes in it. Expand your horizons, kick some holes in the genre box, there’s a lot of stuff out there that would make wonderful stories.

All it takes is a little research.