As you can see by the titles of three of my novels: The Emissary, The Emissary’s Endgame and The Interloper, I have an interest in the supernatural or, perhaps in less dramatic terms, events that are unexplainable. My terrified characters are unwitting players in events not of their own making.
In my novels, there are episodes that defy human logic and experience. Characters are forced to acknowledge the challenge to their concept of reality. They are witnessing the impossible and the illogical but, yet, events are still unfolding before their eyes.
In The Emissary, Tony, an emissary of Satan, was displeased with one of the village women. She would learn the extent of his power. “Arlene found herself totally alone in a black void….She was terrified. For the moment all she could see was his extraordinary eyes. Tony raised his right hand and she felt her entire physical being torn from her chest. Tears of pain dripped onto her apron but she realized it was not tears but her own blood. She was bleeding through her eyes……then it was over. The room came back into focus.
Above greatly abridged and paraphrased but you get the idea.
In The Emissary’s Endgame, an elderly resident of Newcombe would, once again, experience Tony’s power. She was being unco-operative and ‘father’ was forced to make an appearance. I enjoyed writing this particular scene. It gave free rein to my imagination without descending into just pulp but instilled a sense of suspense and dread into the reader. Again greatly abridged and paraphrased, but you get the idea.
“The door opened and a strange man was standing in her kitchen. He was tall and slender, but odd-looking…… His face was partially hidden by bushy eyebrows, magnificent mustache, and a full, neatly trimmed beard….. A thick mop of grey hair was neatly braided into a pony tail at the nape of his neck” (see depiction on book cover)
‘Father’ carried a cane – “carved ivory decoration on the top of the walking stick moved, clearly assuming the facial appearance of its owner. The blind eyes opened and sparkled. The carved ivory face made gasping sounds as it drank in the air. It turned, glared, and sent a hideous smile. It floated in the air, waiting command from its owner.”
When writing these books, I realize they are completely outside of reality but…still… the next time you encounter an odd-looking individual, with a mop of hair, bushy eyebrows, magnificent mustache and neatly trimmed beard, will you look a second time?