Or as my writer’s group might say, how many book ideas on it could I come up with and not follow up? And they’re a forgiving crowd, no matter how opinionated I got about their own stories that might be much better than mine. But our leader (Ace Antonio, of Confessions of a Teenage Zombie Slasher fame) just kept pushing us each to set a personal schedule. Five months later I had Shadowed.
I’ve always loved paranormal stories, magic, thrills, and trying different combinations of them. At the same time, I wanted to go beyond lining up the whole tale as the struggle against a single enemy. Paranormal life shouldn’t always be that way; “normal” life certainly isn’t. But at the same time, how much could a character really have to handle?
As Shadowed’s cover says, “he can hear a whisper a block away, and can’t remember why.” And so Paul Schuman has been driven into hiding, trying to control his enhanced senses and determined not to let anyone suspect a power like his exists for them to try to exploit. He’s also searching the city for clues to what happened to him, and coming to realize he may never really know.
—That, and the roller-coaster ride the book turned into. I was working so hard to develop the different questions about the family Paul tries to leave behind, the people he helps, and what kind of life he can still have… it was a pleasant surprise when people started commenting on the chases and action as much as the mysteries. One thing you’ll find is that Paul Schuman doesn’t have all the movie-hero skills that would let him keep a step ahead of his enemies; he has only his one gift and what tricks an ordinary man has been able to piece together on his own. Fair fights would have been way too easy.
Of course, it would also have been easier for Paul if parts of his memory weren’t fighting against him, and twisting his powers when he needs them most. Or if the shaken and beautiful woman who might be his first real clue weren’t his sister-in-law.
Intrigued? You can read the opening chapter on my website, www.kenhughesauthor.com, and I hope you’ll also check out my blog there (the Unified Writing Field Theory) and keep an eye out for word about my next novel, The High Road, due out early next year.
And if you want to read more, Windward Road Press is giving away ten paperback and a hundred digital review copies of Shadowed. To enter the raffle, leave a comment with your email on my kenhughesauthor site; the giveaway ends July 21, and the winners will be announced soon after. You can also buy Shadowed at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, or order it from any local bookstore.
Good luck to you all, and thanks again to Jenai for giving me this chance to share something that’s meant a lot to me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I just left one character lying in the hospital and another floating above the city skyline…
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