What is the
difference between light and dark paranormal stories?
In my opinion,
it’s mainly the tone. Lighter stories tend to include much less graphic violence,
and more humor than darker stories.
I’m going to
share a few tips on ways to add lighter touches to a story.
Surprise
your readers
In Diana
McCollum’s book, The Witch with the Trident Tattoo, her sea witch
protagonist has a Familiar who is an octopus with a shoe fetish. Taking a well-known
character type (witch’s familiar, usually a black cat or a raven) and turning
it on its head (octopus with a shoe fetish) is funny because it’s unexpected
and ironic (he has no feet.) The fetish also predictably gets him in trouble,
which the reader looks forward to, expecting a funny scene or two—which the
author delivers.
Relatable
characters with a Paranormal twist
In Diana’s
current work-in-progress, The Twilight Witch, she uses a familiar character
in a less-familiar setting, namely the Overbearing Mother. Opal is a witch and
a wildlife biologist working in the wilds of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Her
mother has dropped in unannounced.
Opal filled
the tea kettle and set it on the wood stove to heat. “I apologize for snapping
at you. Okay? Now it’s your turn Mother, out with it, why come now?”
“I told you
dear, I spoke with Abe and he …”
“How did Abe
see you when you witch-walked? He has no magick in him, does he?” Now she was
beginning to doubt what she did or didn’t know. She placed two cups on the
table. “Tell me Mother, how?”
“Oh, Opal,
why do you ignore your magick? As far as your friend Abe goes, I might have had
a hand in him moving to these woods, and him befriending you. After all, this
was your first job out of college. I wanted to be sure someone was watching
over my only daughter. Goddess only knows why you chose to isolate yourself in
these woods.” She stood, pushed the curtain aside and looked out the window.
“I’ve told
you about my research on the coywolves, or have you forgotten?”
Opal picked
up the whistling tea kettle and poured hot water into their cups, plopping a tea
bag in each one.
Hespera
nonchalantly picked up a spoon, adding a spoonful of sugar to her cup, and with
a flick of her hand, set the spoon to stirring on its own.
Opal grabbed
the spoon. “Really, Mother, you know I don’t like magick for everyday things.
It only takes a few seconds to stir your own tea.”
“I was sure
you would tire of that, it is so mundane, so…human.” Hespera brushed a few wolf
hairs off her black cape. “Where is Bowie? I thought he was with you?”
Readers will
roll their eyes along with Opal. They know this woman. She can be used for
comic relief.
Kids say and
do the funniest things
In my story, “Enchanted
Protector”, from the anthology, Love and Magick, not-quite-eight-year-old
Star has Second Sight. Prince Rolf, who has been changed into a wolf by an evil
gnome, learns she can read his thoughts. She’s the only human who recognizes his
true nature. Her older sister and guardian, Ruby, doesn’t know what to make of
him after he saves her from an attacker and nearly dies. In this scene, the
sisters are nursing him back to health.
Against all
odds, Ruby cared about him. She believed him a hero. He held the knowledge of
Ruby’s affection for him safe in his heart as he lapped up the bitter brew.
When he had
finished, Star set the bowl aside. “I thought you would like to be Ruby’s hero,”
she said. “You’re sweet on my sister, are you not?”
His tail
thumped the floor like a drumstick. He could not seem to control the unruly
appendage.
“Well then,”
Star said in a stern tone, “you must finish your quest and return to your human
form. Otherwise, how will you marry?” She began to stroke his side with her
gentle little hand.
It touched
him that Star trusted his intentions toward Ruby to be honorable. However, when
he closed his eyes, he found himself speculating about the possibility of a
wolf-human mating. He forced his heavy lids to open. He could not risk the
innocent child reading those thoughts.
To distract
himself, he concentrated on the Riddle of the Hoard.
A pet that
is more than a pet
In my Paranormal
Psychic Agents book, BLINDSIGHT, blind wedding singer Meli’s canine Guide,
Freddy, is an exceptionally good communicator and problem solver. By laying
the groundwork early in the story, I was able to make his character believably special
throughout.
“Saying ‘that’s only a dog’ is like saying
‘Ben Franklin was just an old bald guy’,” she said. “We’re partners.
Together, we can do virtually anything. Freddy’s a dog genius.”
Later, a little
boy who is an Animal Telepath relays some of Freddy’s thoughts to the other
characters, another opportunity for humor.
Watch your
word choice
My final piece
of advice is to choose specific verbs and descriptors to finesse the tone of your
story.
I hope I’ve
given you food for thought. Do you have any more tips to share? ~Sarah
