Someone asked me today what paranormal romance meant. I said, “Well the best romance stories in the world!” We both laughed, but it really got me to thinking.
You can go with Mr. Webster’s definition: “not scientifically explainable: supernatural. You could also go with Wikipedia which does combine the two terms unlike the dictionary.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Paranormal romance is a subgenre of both romantic fiction and speculative fiction. Paranormal romance focuses on romantic love and includes elements beyond the range of scientific explanation, from the speculative fiction genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Paranormal romance range from traditional romances with a paranormal setting to stories with a science fiction or fantasy-based plot with a romantic subplot included. Romantic relationships between humans and vampires, shapeshifters, ghosts, and other entities of a fantastic or otherworldly nature are common.
Beyond the more prevalent themes involving vampires, shapeshifters, ghosts, or time travel, paranormal romances can also include books featuring characters with psychic abilities, such as telekinesis or telepathy. Paranormal romance’s most recent revival has been spurred by turn of the 21st century technology; for example, the internet and electronic publishing.[citation needed] Paranormal romances are one of the fastest-growing trends in the romance genre.
But none of these really answered my question. What is the absolute, breathtaking, thrilling obsession that those of us who love these stories, actually built upon? Is it just the romance, the love, the lust maybe, or is it something more? I looked hard at my cache of all time favorite stories and each of them contained some element of the mystical.
Is it possible that we see things in the stories that are perhaps already stored deep into our sub-consciousness? Is is at least possible that these beings really exist in our collective conscious? Do we thrill at possibilities versus stories? Is there something in our deepest spirits that tell us maybe it is not all made up words?
Could it be a familiarity with the divine that leads so many of us down the road of the supernatural? Are we indeed beings with divine sparks residing within us? Then would it make sense that we “know” much more than the world tells us that we do? This could explain why so many believe in supernatural abilities, beings, and other strange and wonderful things.
Or is it simply the product of over imaginative individuals, who just simply love the thrill of something new and strange?
Whichever it is, for you, you must decide. But for my heart, it is well and truly captured by this genre and I will be a fan for all of my life.
Tell us what you think in the comments section!
