Guest Post:
I’ve always loved the supernatural elements of literature. There is something so exciting about opening a book and being catapulted into a world full of fantastical creatures. That was one of the driving forces behind my creating the shadow creatures and the classical and inheritor vampires in my book
When a topic is deepened by a mystery, it automatically grasps the attention of the reader, as our minds always need closure. Yet, when you add to that deeper mysteries that involve life, death, fate, the nature of things, and other general questions we consistently pose to ourselves as parts of our existence, the supernatural elements comes to life.
Supernatural elements satisfy that paradigm: They instil wonder, respect, fear, suspicion, and they are impossible to prove and to explain. Whether you are a sceptic or not, the influence of the supernatural is worth the argument because there is no proof of whether it exists or not. That is the magic of it: It is one of those very few things that we cannot explain and allows our imagination to run wild.
With the creation of Giselle’s new existence, I researched the different kinds of supernatural elements that would help her transition from average human to a psi vampire. I knew that for her to wholly accept her new found fate, that she would have to be thrown in at the deep end and embrace the very thing she didn’t want to be; thus the shadow creatures came along.
“Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.”
I wanted my shadows to tap in on the growing darkness surrounding Giselle, and I wanted them to have a different motive to her existence than that of the Baranski’s. It almost becomes a bitter sweet love triangle - minus the love.
Throughout the story, I used images of rain, wind and cold, often appearing in association with barren landscapes or seascapes (The Kerguelen Islands), symbolize emotional desolation, loneliness, or even death.
The cell where Giselle is trapped by the shadow creatures can be viewed as a symbol of what she must overcome in her struggles to find freedom, happiness, and a sense of belonging - however slim that reality is. Her destitute condition upon her departure from the shadow world threatens her emotional and intellectual imprisonment. And on her return to The Utmish Ato-tem, she again finds the same oppression as before.
I don’t know about you, but symbolism is an important part of the writing process and honing in on these elements helps to create a world that is not only remarkable, but spine tingling - or something to that effect.
Fiery Librian Julieanne Lynch is an author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Northern Ireland, Julieanne now lives in Ireland, where she works on her Shadows Trilogy and other series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths, a rock star being one of them. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University, and considered journalism as a career path. However, she decided writing was the way for her and believes all of her education and reading prepared her for it.
An avid reader, Julieanne has always had an encompassing fascination with folklore. When not writing, she enjoys crime series such as Criminal Minds, CSI, NCIS and Cold Case, and loves anything with Vampires, listening to metal, meeting new people, drinking lots of green tea, and sharing her dreams with her children. She is a self-professed goth wanna-be,and is happy when left to write into the early hours of the morning.
Find Julieanne online:
http://www.julieannelynch.co.uk/
http://www.julieannelynch.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Julieanne-Lynch/147566121974789
2 comments:
I am presently reading IN THE SHADOWS by Julieanne Lynch. While the Young Adult is not a genre I usually find myself in the author makes it easy.
Author
MJ Preston
Great Post! I loved this book.
Post a Comment