Clarissa Johal's Blog, page 66

Musa Publishing: Welcome to the Family!

Musa Publishing: Welcome to the Family!: We're excited to have our newest author with us today to discuss her life and soon to be released debut novel with Musa Publishing. Please g...

Shadow Figures

I thought I'd write today about shadow figures. I've been putting it off at the risk of sounding like a loon, but I figure I've talked about so many other paranormal things in my blog--I'd give this topic a go.

I discovered there was such a thing called shadow figures about six months ago. I was watching a program on television and the subject of shadow figures came up. The description gave me the chills. Further reading on the topic left me speechless because it related to several experiences I've had in the past. Experiences I've shrugged off as "weird stuff" because "weird stuff" just happens and there's not a thing you can do about it.

For those of you that haven't heard of shadow figures, here's a quick definition.

Shadow figures are supernatural shadow-like humanoidfigures that, according to believers, are seen in the viewer's peripheral vision. They are often reported moving with quick, jerky movements, and can move through walls or mirrors. They are believed to be evil and aggressive in nature, although a few people consider them to be a form of guardian angel.

Common characteristics reported by those that have seen shadow figures are:
MaleUsually seen in a trench coat/cloakUsually have a hat, fedora or top hat Usually very tall No facial featuresThey have a sinister aura Extremely fast SilentSeem to have massThey can move through walls There seem to be two classifications of shadow figures. They are:
Bedroom Invaders or Sentinels: They stand in corners of rooms and watch you.
Omens: They are associated with bad luck, or death. They are attached to people or families. Omens may show up in your bedroom.
About fifteen years ago, my husband and I were renting a duplex while we attended university. I would wake in the middle of the night and see a man walking through our closed bedroom door and around the foot of the bed. He would walk up to my side and stand there, looking down at me. He would continue to stand there while I screamed. I thought somebody had broken into the house. When my husband would turn on the lights in a panic, the man would disappear. This happened several times. I'm a very light sleeper, so I have serious doubts that I was dreaming. A neighbor told us that our duplex was built using old timber from a barn that had been dismantled in the 1920's. My thoughts were that we had a ghost in our house. A very persistent and sinister one.
In retrospect, the characteristics of this figure give me pause for thought. Male, moving quite swift, no facial features, a sinister aura, wearing an overcoat and fedora. Now, I am unsure whether it was a ghost, or a shadow figure.
A year ago, I had another experience. I was lying in bed, trying to sleep (insomniac) and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a very tall male figure rush across my bedroom and disappear into the wall. Again, no facial characteristics, a very sinister feeling to him, tall and moving very fast. And the one detail that stood out? He was wearing an overcoat and fedora. The following week, I received a letter that my father had died of a stroke the very night I had seen this shadow figure. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I slept with a light on for quite some time, and I don't scare easily.

What are your thoughts on this phenomena? Crazy talk? Ghosts? Or something else? 

Winner of the Coffin Hop

Thank you everyone for stopping by and participating in the Coffin Hop!



 Winner of my Prize drawing, a $5 gift certificate to my publisher, Musa Publishing, and an ecopy of my novel BETWEEN, to be released on December 14, 2012 is.....(bone-rattle please)

Gina!!I will contact you via email

Welcome to the Coffin Hop

Prize drawing just for stopping by and following my blog OR Liking my Author Facebook Page: A $5 gift certificate to my publisher, Musa Publishing, and an ecopy of my novel BETWEEN, to be released on December 14, 2012.
Be sure and leave your contact info in the comments section! 
Prize winner will be announced on November 1st *Please visit other Coffin Hoppers for more chances to win cool prizes.
*Coffin Hop Art by RL Treadway
Journey into the Paranormal
by Clarissa Johal

People often ask me how I began writing in the genre of paranormal. I’m not brooding or scary or running off to join the latest séance, which I think is what they expect. And my silly sense of humor oftentimes gets me into trouble, especially with my two daughters. The topic of paranormal has always interested me. As a kid, we moved almost yearly. It seemed we were always living in older places and with those older places, came a ghost or two. Now, before you chuckle and roll your eyes (or not) let me tell you, I walk the line between skeptic and 100% believer. On the surface, I may be rolling my eyes with you, but inside, I believe in a plethora of things I won’t even begin to discuss until I’ve known someone a very long time. I know what I’ve experienced, and I know what my rational mind tells me. Believe me, there’s a lot of arguing in my head over those two things. But we are a collection of what we’ve experienced in our lifetime.

When I was 10-years-old, we moved to an island and lived for several months in an old house. I’m an insomniac and have been since I was a kid. Consequently, being awake while the rest of my family slept was nothing new. One evening, and after hours of tossing and turning, I decided to get up. While I sat on the couch trying to figure out what to do with myself, I heard singing in my ear. It was as if a woman was sitting right next to me singing Time in a Bottle. The song was popular at the time (and yes, that dates me) but I didn’t know the words. At that point, I did what any kid would do if they weren’t compelled to run away screaming--I politely sat and listened until she finished. Afterwards, I went back to bed and proceeded to have the worst nightmare. I dreamt that I walked into our bathroom and found a naked, young woman wrapped up in a shower curtain in our bathtub. She was blonde, had a bullet hole in her head, and was quite dead. It was graphic for a 10-year-old, I never watched television and rarely had nightmares. I had it for weeks until we finally moved. Each time, it became more intense--it had gotten to the point where she was clawing her way out of the tub and trying to speak to me through the shower curtain. Needless to say, I was a bit of a wreck by the time we moved. Years later, I found out from my parents that there was indeed, a murder at that house. They didn’t elaborate, but I always wondered of the details.
Parents, tell your kids these things ahead of time, because if they ever experience anything, they will always wonder.

I was 13-years-old when my parents took a house by the ocean. It had a garden, a tree-house, a large yard to do cartwheels in; everything a kid could want. It also had ghosts. I would lay awake for hours and watch a white cat walk through my bedroom wall. Over and over again. No explanation for that, it just was. I remember constantly seeing an old lady out of the corner of my eye. She would follow me down the stairs to the basement and back up again. She would follow me down the hallway to my bedroom. Sometimes, I would see her sitting in my mom’s rocking chair in the living room. I wasn’t afraid; she was just a presence I came to accept. It wasn’t until we moved that I overheard my parents discussing the house and the fact they had both seen the shadow of an old lady there. They thought it might have been the lady that died in the house before we bought it.
Well, that was news to me (and unfortunately, taught me the joys of eavesdropping).

So, back to the genre of paranormal. I began writing fantasy fiction when my kiddos were younger. It's what we were reading at the time so it made sense that I would choose that genre. While working on the second installment to my Pradee series, I was interrupted by two characters that truly didn’t fit into fantasy fiction. I kept setting them aside, but they would return, stronger than ever. Finally, I gave up and began working on BETWEEN, a story of the paranormal. While Pradee took me ten years to complete, I had the rough draft of BETWEEN finished in several months and a year after that, the full novel was complete. Six weeks after I submitted, Musa Publishing offered me a contract.

The novel I’m working on now is paranormal/horror. I have to say, I’m hooked. I love presenting this genre in new and interesting ways. Now, I know what you’re probably going to ask me: Do I write of my experiences or make stuff up? I’m a writer and I write fiction. I know the difference between fiction and real life. However, some of the best fiction is when a writer “writes what they know” and a little of what I know creeps into my novels from time to time. I hope you will enjoy reading them.

BETWEEN 
by Clarissa Johal

Blurb: Since Lucinda was a young girl, she's been able to see spirits, a gift that didn't come without its problems. Now, a dedicated, young veterinarian, she is committed to the idea that everything can be saved. When Lucinda is involved in a car accident that kills her fiancé, she is devastated and moves to a small town to live a life of self-imposed exile. There, she meets a newcomer and feels an immediate connection with him. However, there is another mysterious stranger to the small town, one that stirs within her a mixture of unease and desire. The spiritual activity around her intensifies as Lucinda is increasingly haunted by memories of the accident. As she is drawn into a bitter tug-a-war from the forces around her, she is likewise pulled into a dangerous twist of past and present events. Forced to make difficult choices, she surprisingly finds that the two men are locked in not only a battle for her life...but a battle for their salvation.  

BETWEEN will release under the Thalia imprint of Musa Publishing on December 14, 2012.


Clarissa Johal has done everything from working as a veterinary assistant and vegetarian chef to volunteering as a zoo-keeper aide and swimming with six foot sturgeons. Writing has always been her passion. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters and every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day she fully expects a wayward troll to wander into her yard, but that hasn't happened yet. Author website 
Amazon Author Page
Facebook 
Twitter

My Guest Spot with Musa Publishing

Musa Publishing: Writing the Paranormal: by Clarissa Johal
People often ask me how I began writing in the genre of paranormal. I’m not brooding or scary or running off to join th...

Coffin Hop October 24-31st

COFFIN HOP is the annual horror author blog event, geared towards gaining exposure for indie horror and genre authors, and increasing interaction with fans and readers.

This years COFFIN HOP takes place from October 24th to the 31st. Come join us for the fun!

I will be joining the blog hop and offering a Halloween Prize Giveaway which includes a gift certificate from Musa Publishing

Look for my novel BETWEEN, a story of the paranormal.
Coming from Musa Publishing December 14, 2012

Clarissa Johal has done everything from working as a veterinary assistant and vegetarian chef to volunteering as a zoo-keeper aide and swimming with six foot sturgeons. Writing has always been her passion. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters and every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day she fully expects a wayward troll to wander into her yard, but that hasn't happened yet.

Author website
Join me on my Facebook Page

Musa Publishing: Our Winners have been announced :)

Musa Publishing: Our Winners have been announced :): Thank you for all those that commented and have supported us all year. Here are the winners chosen by using Random Line Picker. 1. C...

Musa Blog Hop Contest--My Blog Giveaway Winner

Some of my fellow authors used random number generators to choose winners of their personal contests. Since I shudder at the thought of learning one more techno-babble thingy, I did the next best thing--I placed the names of all the visitors that stopped by, left a comment and followed my blog into a hat.

The winner of a free download of my paranormal novel, Between is....Laurie Higgins!
Laurie--I will contact you as soon as Between is released on December 14th and make sure you get a copy--just in time for Christmas!

Thank you so much for stopping by everyone! I appreciate the time you took to peruse through mine and my fellow authors blogs. It meant a lot to us!
I hope you'll stick around and look for my paranormal novel, Between.
Between will be available through Musa Publishing and on Amazon.com December 14, 2012

You are welcome to join me on Facebook.
I can't seem to stay away from Facebook, even when I should be writing.

-Clarissa Johal

Writing the Paranormal by Clarissa Johal

 Musa Publishing AnniversaryBlog Hop CONTEST TIME! October 1-7th.
Follow my blog, leave a comment/contact info (way at the end of this post above all the little share buttons) and be entered into a drawing to win a free downloadable copy of BETWEEN, coming from Musa Publishing December 14, 2012.
My Christmas gift to you. 

Your comment on this blog will also enter you to win some of the cool prizes Musa Publishing has up for grabs, including a Kindle Fire.


 Writing the Paranormal 
 by Clarissa Johal

People seem surprised at the fact that I write paranormal. I’m often asked where my ideas come from. Have I experienced ghostly encounters and consort with spirits or do my ideas come magically from the netherworld? My sense of humor gets me into trouble so I try and keep a straight face when I answer these questions. I’m not sure what they expect, perhaps somebody darker and scarier. Or perhaps somebody that drives a hearse. I drive a Toyota. With polka-dots. 
I started out writing young adult fantasy fiction. I love reading YA fantasy, so it just made sense that I would choose that genre. It took me ten years to write my first YA novel, Pradee, but I’m quite proud of it as it was a labor of love. I was working on my second installment to the series, when I was hit by two characters that didn’t belong in my novel or any young adult fiction. I kept setting them aside, but they would return, stronger than ever. At that point, I began to write BETWEEN, a paranormal novel for adults. BETWEEN took me two months to complete the first draft and a year later, it was ready to submit. Musa Publishing accepted it soon after. I can safely say, the paranormal genre has laid its claim because the ideas come faster than I can write them.

The writing process has varied from novel to novel, however. My YA fantasy started out as a short story written in a mythology class. BETWEEN, my paranormal coming through Musa Publishing on December 14, 2012 (little plug there) came to me fast and furious. And Struck, the paranormal horror novel I’m working on now, grew from a single scene that kept playing over and over again in my head.
But the characters tell me what to write, not vice versa. That sounds schizophrenic but therein lies the wonderful world of creating a story. And perhaps, the mysterious otherworld of writing paranormal (cue in spooky music). There are times I’m forced to sit my characters in the corner for mouthing off at me, but they usually get their way and I write what they tell me to.

BETWEEN, a story of the paranormal.
Synopsis:
Since Lucinda was a young girl, she's been able to see spirits, a gift that didn't come without its problems. Now, a dedicated, young veterinarian, she is committed to the idea that everything can be saved. When Lucinda is involved in a car accident that kills her fiancé, she is devastated and moves to a small town to live a life of self-imposed exile. There, she meets a newcomer and feels an immediate connection with him. However, there is another mysterious stranger to the small town, one that stirs within her a mixture of unease and desire. The spiritual activity around her intensifies as Lucinda is increasingly haunted by memories of the accident. As she is drawn into a bitter tug-a-war from the forces around her, she is likewise pulled into a dangerous twist of past and present events. Forced to make difficult choices, she surprisingly finds that the two men are locked in not only a battle for her life...but a battle for their salvation.
Bio: 
Clarissa Johal has done everything from working as a veterinary assistant and vegetarian chef to volunteering as a zoo-keeper aide and swimming with six foot sturgeons. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters and every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day she fully expects a wayward troll to wander into her yard, but that hasn't happened yet. 
BETWEEN, a story of the paranormal. Coming December 14, 2012 from Musa Publishing
PRADEE, a fantasy for young adults.*Second round finalist in Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award Contest 2012 Available through Amazon.com and most on-line retailers.
AuthorWebsiteAmazon Author Page
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MUSA BLOGHOP RULES
1) HAVE FUN!!!2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!3) This tour starts: October 1, at Midnight (PST)    This tour ends: Monday, October 7, at Midnight (PST)    Winners will be drawn and posted October 9th! ***    Come Join the Party on October 7th at The Romance Review Forum to enter to win more prizes.    4) Participation at all blogs is recommended, but not required. Remember, the more blog hops you hop and comment on, the better your chances of winning prizes. Every author & book page is waiting to meet and interact with you, so please be sure to show them some love!5) Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire is for U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. International winners will receive a $50.00 Musa Gift Card. Winner will be announced on October 7th 2012 at 11 EST at The Romance Review Forum.6) DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? ***Authors & Book Pages have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules***

October 1st-7th, Musa Publishing Blog Hops: MUSA Turns 1... and we are celebrating.

Musa Publishing Blog Hops: MUSA Turns 1... and we are celebrating.: Musa Publishing launched a year ago October 1st with a simple mission-- offer good books at a fair price and be completely open with our aut...