Writing the paranormal can truly be an adventure—mostly from the interesting reactions you get when you tell people what you do. Research is research, the skill of putting prose on the page is pretty standard from genre to genre…but there’s something about writing the paranormal that often makes people wonder what’s really going on with you. It’s part of what I love about what I do.
The funniest response I get whenever I do a book-signing or an event is, invariably someone will look at what I write and then look at me, then a confused expression will overtake their face. Then they’ll say, “You don’t look like someone who writes this kinda stuff. Wow. Who knew? Like…you look normal, Ms. Banks.”
Somewhere, embedded inside this awkward exchange, I know there’s a sincere compliment. My response is always a big hug and laughter—not at the person, but at how impressions dictate a narrative we all conjure up in our minds. When I ask them what they thought I would look like, they usually tell me, “Scary. Moody. Kinda like your characters.” Again, another compliment, because that means I’ve been able to get the reader to walk down the dark corridors of my mind with me, holding a flashlight with their heart racing. Very cool.
But in this line of work, writing dark fantasy, I cannot even begin to tell you some of the wild things that have truly happened. You can’t make this stuff up.
