How do you define "paranormal"?

[A.C.]

Hello forum friends!

I'm curious, how do you all define "paranormal"? I tend to think exclusively of ghosts, demons and angels, but I suspect I'm bringing some personal bias to the question.

[[deleted user]]

No aliens!!!! God, no aliens!!! They are sci fi! Now that I have gotten that out of the way,
I think that vampires, werewolves, and several more exclusive types of the angels, demons, and ghosts go in there.

[A.C.]

Haha SKN, you seem to feel strongly about aliens! I tend to agree with you, although one could make the argument that unless an alien story is futuristic (and includes futuristic science), it's not quite sci-fi.

I'm not sure where I stand on the matter, but I love a good debate!

[Viv]

Well I think, ghost, angels, demons, werewolves, mothman, boogeyman, all type of poular culture/folkore go in there.

[A.C.]

What are your thoughts on the inclusion of mermen? I have a vested interest in your answers!

[Viv]

Mermen, it could count as paranormal because it's a myth like vampires and werewolves.

[Emma]

mermen, Selkie etc certainly paranormal as they are part of worldwide folklore.
Unless you explain them as having an alien origin...........
Happy to muddy the water further.

[Francis]

I would say Science Fiction covers things that are scientifically explainable, although usually beyond our own ability to do so.

Paranormal covers things that are beyond scientific explanation.

Science Fiction therefore can look like Paranormal ('Huh - turns out our god is really just a computer!'), and it can also coexist with Paranormal ('Your advanced laser weaponry is no match for my psi-skills, fools!').

[F.F.]

paranormal makes me think x-files. I wonder why we don't use the term supernatural? Does anyone know? But paranormal is alien heavy in my mind. Anything unexplained. For example. If your book fleshes out the entire inner workings of who and how and why a person can turn into a werewolf, does that not explain it and therefore take it out of the realm of paranormal?

X-files seemed to end a lot of their episodes by bringing the viewer back into a realm of uncertainty. "All signs point to werewolf activity... but there are three clues that make us think it could have been just a serial killer..." The question remains unanswered.

Also, did paranormal romance really kick off when Twilight came out? That's how I remember it...

[Mark]

E. wrote: "mermen, Selkie etc certainly paranormal as they are part of worldwide folklore.
Unless you explain them as having an alien origin...........
Happy to muddy the water further."

excellent question, why not creatures of folklore with alien origins? If you think about it, many ancient cultures had similar creatures/monsters, albeit they went by different names. There was no way these cultures mingled with other cultures to share their legends. So how did they have the same creatures?

[Mark]

F.F. wrote: "paranormal makes me think x-files. I wonder why we don't use the term supernatural? Does anyone know? But paranormal is alien heavy in my mind. Anything unexplained. For example. If your book flesh..."

paranormal romance seemed to really take off due to the twilight series, yet I think it has been around with us for centuries, many tales of folklore have had a monster/human love affair, Beauty and the Beast is one example although I am talking more of the older version than Disney's.

[Vanessa Eden]

I have thought some about this and I would have to say it involves anything supernatural...as in not natural to humanity...I.e. aliens, ghosts, vampires, androids, things of that nature.

[A.C.]

I agree with most of your list, Vanessa... except androids. In my mind, they fit squarely in the sci-fi category.

[Vanessa Eden]

yea A.C. you're right, androids doesn't really fit lol.

[Mark]

what defines paranormal? Anything that was ever in an X-file episode.

[Rosanna]

E. wrote: "mermen, Selkie etc certainly paranormal as they are part of worldwide folklore.
Unless you explain them as having an alien origin...........
Happy to muddy the water further."

I write a selkie series, E., and my publisher has definitely classified it in their paranormal romance category. I think, as you say, it depends on how the origin is explained. I keep my selkie origins murky. :)

[Rosanna]

I think, as long as it goes bump in the night, there's a good chance it's paranormal. Right? Unless that's an alien bumping in your closet. :)