Do you in believe in psychic ability?
Nah, I’m not talking about the…
Call me…I’m your psychic friend
Most of us have heard the sarcastic comeback, If you’re my psychic friend, then YOU call ME.
Not talking that kind of psychic. More along the lines of Ghost Whisperer. Medium, probably, although I’ve never watched the show. Somebody with a heightened sense or a sensitivity to the world around them, and a world beyond them.
Do you believe in that kind of psychic ability?
I don’t disbelieve in it. *G* How’s that for ambiguity? I don’t necessarily believe in it…but I don’t disbelieve. I think it could exist. Reading up about men like Edgar Cayce or Nostradameus certainly had my eyes widening and goosebumps crawling. Shows like The Dead Zone are written in a way that feels so real, and the ‘science’ behind the character’s abilities come off as valid.
The idea of psychic ability fascinates me. There’s a well-known saying that goes… we only use 10% of our brain. Now modern medicine disputes this. I certainly think most people use more than 10%. Brain scans of people show that there’s definitely activity going on through the entire brain, not just a certain part, and it’s a lot more than 10%.
But I can also believe that there are depths of the human mind that we can’t quite yet fathom. I don’t know if those depths could involve psychic abilities, but I do know that I wouldn’t completely rule it out, either.
I guess whether or not I’d believe in somebody’s claim to psychic ability would depend on the ability in question, whether it’s telekenesis, telepathy, psychometry, clairovoyance, pyrokenisis…just depends on the skill—and what you expect me to believe about it.
I love reading books that feature characters with psychic abilities, but reading them, again…I have to believe what it is the author is trying to sell me. When I read them, and when I write them, I want the gift, whatever it may be, approach in a grounded manner.
If psychic ability does exist, chances are it’s like other gifts..the gift of gab *G*, amazing athletic ability, writing, singing, dancing, etc.
Whatever the gift is, I’d think it would have an impact on the character-a deep impact. It shouldn’t just be a way for the hero & heroine to meet, or some trite, easy fix that’s used to save the day at the end of the book.
I expect to see consequences. Like an amazing athlete’s life is probably driven by the need to remain physically fit and constant competition. The athlete is going to have to sacrifice something…or a lot of things. Going out to gorge on pizza once or twice a month, popcorn with extra butter at the movies, staying up late, having a few drinks with friends, these are things that would affect performance, and thus, affect his gift.
The same for a dancer, a singer. There are sacrifices and consequences.
Writers, while we may not need to be physically active, the brain is always churning. Everything I look at, everything I see, is inspiration. You wouldn’t believe how often I zone out in the middle of a conversation because some shiny, sweet idea just hopped through my brain and now it’s eating away at me. How many nights I haven’t slept because that shiny, sweet idea is taunting me until 2, 3, 4 a.m.
Having special gifts, whether it’s athleticism, singing, writing…or bending a spoon with your mind *G*, is something that has to be developed, trained, worked with. It’s going to come with consequences and/or sacrifices. Even though in my case, it’s usually just a lack of sleep or the occasional time when I have to choose between some new clothes or filling the gas tank for a booksigning trip. But it’s something that impacts my life regularly.
Because of this, I have a hard time getting into books where the character’s psychic ability is treated in the same manner as a pair of contacts or a new pair of shoes. Something that can be used when it’s handy and then pushed aside when it’s not.
I tried to keep the believability, the viability of psychic skills in mind when I wrote THE MISSING (now how is that for a subtle segue?), my newest release. It’s a paranormal romantic suspense, featuring a psychic heroine. THE MISSING is out on shelves now.
From a bestselling author whose stories are “exhilarating [and] action-packed”* comes a sinfully sexy novel of romantic suspense about a woman whose psychic gift drives away the man she loves—and years later draws him back to her…
LOVE LOST
As a teenager, Taige Branch was able to do things with her psychic gift that others couldn’t understand—except for Cullen Morgan, the boy her stole her heart. He did his best to accept her abilities, until his mother was brutally murdered—and he couldn’t forgive Taige for not preventing her death.
PASSION FOUND
Now a widowed father, Cullen Morgan has never forgotten Taige. But what brings her back into his life is another tragic event. His beloved little girl has been kidnapped, and Taige is his only hope of finding her.
A LOVE THAT NEVER DIED
Working together against the clock, Cullen and Taige can’t help but wonder whether—if they find his daughter in time—it isn’t too late for the overpowering love that still burns between them…
I’m running a couple of contests to help spread the word/generate interest, which you can read about here and here. You can read an excerpt from THE MISSING at my website and I’ll also be adding some reader review links to my blog as they come in. I’m also running a contest for members of my newsletter and at the end of the month, I’m giving away a Sony Reader. If you’d like to read the details and sign up, you can do so here.
I’m also going to give away a signed copy of THROUGH THE VEIL, my summer release to one commenter today. So comment away!
Thanks to Michelle & Mandy for having me!
Author: Shiloh Walker
http://shilohwalker.com
http://shilohwalker.wordpress.com
Disclaimer, cause we have to: The opinions of guest bloggers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Mandy M Roth and Michelle M Pillow. (Want to be a guest blogger?)
