A surprising element in a mystery... paranormal
By Paty Jager
One might think a mystery would have enough red herrings and twists and turns for a reader to try to figure out who is the real criminal.
I like to add a little more of a twist to my Shandra Higheagle stories. Not only do I set up a suspect chart and give them motives and opportunities to have done the deed whether it is stealing, killing, stalking, whatever the crime, I also have to come up with dreams for my main character, Native American potter, Shandra Higheagle.
And these dreams can’t just show her who did the crime. No, her deceased grandmother comes to her at first in night time dreams, showing her scenes or scenarios that might be what has transpired or what is going to happen. But there is never a clear picture of who or what is going on. The dreams are puzzles within themselves that if the reader figures them out, can also figure out who they are looking for. Even if at the end I see where I can do a twist and make the reader go, “No! I didn’t see that coming!” The dreams will have shown that twist.
The fun part about the dreams and adding this little paranormal nod to my books, is the fact it allows me to show not only my character’s growing relationship with her Native American roots, but it also shows that dreams can be part of your subconscious and can help you find the truth behind things.
When I came up with the idea of Shandra Higheagle being a potter, it was so I could incorporate something my artist brother had told me about bronze statues. But as I started fleshing her out and discovering more about her background, I wanted her to take a different route to learning about her heritage. And I love dream catchers! 😉 I put all of this in a shaker of sorts- my brain- and I came up with the recently deceased grandmother that Shandra had only seen a few times in her life who starts coming to her in dreams.
I believe adding this bit of paranormal not only fits with her heritage, but it works for her spiritual and intellectual thoughts. And it gives the reader one more way, if they are willing to try, to discover “who did it” by the end of the book.
I don’t use the paranormal part as a means to pull a rabbit out of hat or a killer out of nowhere. I use it to move the story forward with clues and Shandra not only trying to discover the dreams meaning but how it works with the clues they already have.
Do you like paranormal mysteries? What are some of your favorite series/books or paranormal element?
A surprising element in a mystery... paranormal
By Paty Jager
One might think a mystery would have enough red herrings and twists and turns for a reader to try to figure out who is the real criminal.
I like to add a little more of a twist to my Shandra Higheagle stories. Not only do I set up a suspect chart and give them motives and opportunities to have done the deed whether it is stealing, killing, stalking, whatever the crime, I also have to come up with dreams for my main character, Native American potter, Shandra Higheagle.
And these dreams can’t just show her who did the crime. No, her deceased grandmother comes to her at first in night time dreams, showing her scenes or scenarios that might be what has transpired or what is going to happen. But there is never a clear picture of who or what is going on. The dreams are puzzles within themselves that if the reader figures them out, can also figure out who they are looking for. Even if at the end I see where I can do a twist and make the reader go, “No! I didn’t see that coming!” The dreams will have shown that twist.
The fun part about the dreams and adding this little paranormal nod to my books, is the fact it allows me to show not only my character’s growing relationship with her Native American roots, but it also shows that dreams can be part of your subconscious and can help you find the truth behind things.
When I came up with the idea of Shandra Higheagle being a potter, it was so I could incorporate something my artist brother had told me about bronze statues. But as I started fleshing her out and discovering more about her background, I wanted her to take a different route to learning about her heritage. And I love dream catchers! 😉 I put all of this in a shaker of sorts- my brain- and I came up with the recently deceased grandmother that Shandra had only seen a few times in her life who starts coming to her in dreams.
I believe adding this bit of paranormal not only fits with her heritage, but it works for her spiritual and intellectual thoughts. And it gives the reader one more way, if they are willing to try, to discover “who did it” by the end of the book.
I don’t use the paranormal part as a means to pull a rabbit out of hat or a killer out of nowhere. I use it to move the story forward with clues and Shandra not only trying to discover the dreams meaning but how it works with the clues they already have.
Do you like paranormal mysteries? What are some of your favorite series/books or paranormal element?
About the Author:
Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 34 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Her Shandra Higheagle mystery series has been a runner-up in the RONE Award Mystery category, and a finalist in the Daphne du Maurier. This is what Mysteries Etc says about her Shandra Higheagle mystery series: “Mystery, romance, small town, and Native American heritage combine to make a compelling read.”
blog / website / Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest / Bookbub
Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 34 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Her Shandra Higheagle mystery series has been a runner-up in the RONE Award Mystery category, and a finalist in the Daphne du Maurier. This is what Mysteries Etc says about her Shandra Higheagle mystery series: “Mystery, romance, small town, and Native American heritage combine to make a compelling read.”
blog / website / Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest / Bookbub
Her next release...coming October 10!
Dangerous Dance
Shandra Higheagle Mystery Series #11
Genre: Mystery
Jealousy… Drugs… Murder…
At the reservation to make final arrangements for her upcoming wedding, potter Shandra Higheagle gets caught up in the murder of a young woman about to turn her life around.
Having no jurisdiction on the reservation, Detective Ryan Greer pulls in favors from friends in the FBI to make sure there is no delay in their wedding.
However, the death occurs in a sacred place and could place the nuptials on hold. And following the clues may not only stop the wedding...
But separate Shandra and Ryan for life.
Preorder/Buy (October 10 release):
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Dance-Shandra-Higheagle-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07HPCDTW9
Universal Link to other sellers: https://www.books2read.com/u/mKKB7d
RSS Feed
