Meet #RRBC Spotlight Author Kim Cox

You guys have read my posts about the Rave Reviews Book Club before. This club is all about helping and promoting authors to new readers. This week the club’s Spotlight Author is Kim Cox. She’s here to tell us all about writing a Paranormal Mystery. Take it away, Kim.

Writing the Paranormal Mystery

What enticed me to write a paranormal mystery series? Why did I want to write a series about a psychic female private investigator who could communicate with ghosts? What contributed to my interest? I get ideas for writing from everywhere and everyone, but I never use specifics from the instances and persons around me. However, all things spark ideas for totally unrelated subjects.

Ideas

A while back my husband and I were talking about cloning. Not sure where the conversation started, but we were wondering about how a soul comes into play in the overall scheme of this process. Does the cloned person even have a soul? Well, the what-ifs started and I have a futuristic, science fiction book on the back burner, meaning that I have an idea about one that I want to write. So, I added some thoughts about cloning to a file, and I’ve downloaded some books about cloning for research. Anyway, this is insight into how my mind works and where ideas can come from because of a simple conversation.

My reading passion has always included all types of mysteries, and since I started writing, I’ve wanted to write a series about a female sleuth, private investigator. As far as psychics and mediums, they fascinate me along with the ghosts they communicate with. I’ve heard numerous stories about ghosts from family and friends. I’ve come to believe that the state of Ohio is full of them. By the way, I would love to hear from others who live or have lived in Ohio about this.

I grew up watching “Shock Theater” for goodness sake. For those who don’t know, “Shock Theater” came on late nights on Friday in the 1960s and 1970s. These shows featured zombies, vampires, werewolves, Frankenstein, swamp monters, and probably other things I can’t remember right now.

I remember during one episode about zombies, my brother, David, had a large glass of milk and two or three banana sandwiches. I think he was around sixteen or seventeen at the time. We were watching this show where a man was running from the zombies saying, “Feet don’t fail me now,” and David laughed so hard that he spat milk and banana sandwich all over the floor. Tears were streaming from his eyes and he was rolling all over the furniture.

As a teenager, I had a friend who swore they had a ghost named Oscar (not sure if this was the name he gave them or a name they gave him, although, I believe it was the latter) living in their house. He would do odd things—move objects around or write on a steam-covered mirror in the bathroom but he was never mean or scary. Once, I remember hearing them say that Oscar may not be a man after all, because one night the entity climbed into bed my friend’s brother.

This friend lived in a small town in eastern North Carolina, but Oscar had followed or hopped a ride with them back from a place in Ohio where they’d lived during the summer. I don’t remember the name of the town or anything else about it.

Then there was my husband’s aunt who told me numerous ghost stories about houses she’d lived in near Dayton. She’d seen many apparitions over the years and for the life of me, I can’t remember any specific stories except one about her seeing this filmy, translucence spirit which seemed to be more of a residual haunting where the ghost went about their normal routine as if they were still alive.

All of these stories have fascinated me over the years and that fascination manifested itself into the stories in the Lana Malloy Paranormal Mystery series. Not any stories I’ve heard specifically but portions of things in them sparked ideas. I can only think of one specific thing I may have used and that’s the writing on the mirror in Get Out or Die. These stories have contributed in part to me wanting to write about ghosts, psychics, mediums, etc.

After my first book, “Haunted Hearts” was written, television shows such as “Ghost Whisperer” and “Medium” began to air and my interest only grew. I loved those shows and hated it when they stopped showing them.

The Lana Malloy Paranormal Mystery Series

 

In the LANA MALLOY PARANORMAL MYSTERY SERIES, Lana Malloy is a psychic, private investigator who is on a mission to help the dearly departed even when they don’t realize they need help. With each book, Lana’s psychic abilities grow. As she’s pushed to new limits, she learns she’s capable of much more than she knew.

In book one, HAUNTED HEARTS, Lana sets out to solve her first case—the twenty-year old cold-case and double murder of her great aunt and her great aunt’s fiancé. If she succeeds, they’ll spend eternity together; if she can’t, they’ll be stuck as Haunted Hearts. With the help of the ghosts and a new love interest, she is able to find the murderer.

In book two, GET OUT OR DIE, the success of Lana’s first case has spread throughout the local Charleston area and her business is booming. At one pro-bono job, Lana helps a widow communicate with her late husband where she learns of a frightening new ability—an ability that could give the next spirit, an angry ghost, the upper hand if she’s not careful.

In book three, THE WEDDING CRASHER, Lana is on her honeymoon in Gatlinburg, Tennessee when she learns that a reoccurring vision about an abducted woman took place in nearby Knoxville. This case takes her hiking up mountainsides and trekking through rough terrain to find a madman before he can harm this young woman.

In the fourth book, CHRISTMAS CRUISE, Lana boards a cruise ship haunted by dead women who were brutally murdered. While aboard the ship Lana has an experience that mentally injures her. Once she recovers, she’s more determined than ever to find the murderer.

Coming up next, book five, HAUNTED BY HER PAST: Lana is faced with the task of helping, Jena, a domestic abuse victim to escape the ghost of her dead, abusive, ex-boyfriend.

Other Books Coming In This Series

In book six, DEMI’S SERIAL CASE, the town of Charlestonhas a serial killer and Demi requires Lana’s assistance. Demi is Lana’s best friend and a police detective. Lana helps Demi profile the killer who is believed to be a copy-cat killer (copying another serial killer’s modus operandi) of the man who has been in jail for about five years.

In book seven, DEATH COMES CALLING, Derek, Tony’s brother has moved back to Charleston after living in the middle east and Africa, treating serious injuries while associated with the organization, Doctors Without Borders. A ghost that died in his care begins to haunt him.

Book eight is of yet untitled, but the idea is that shortly after Demi is promoted to Police Captain, she will be involved in a shootout that leads to her being charged with murder. Lana will need to find the truth in order to save her friend. The problem, the dead spirit isn’t talking and he’s the only one that knows what truly happened.

About Kim

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Kim Cox is an author of Paranormal, Mystery, Suspense and Romance. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with her chain saw artist husband, their West Highland White Terriers–Scooter and Harley, and a Yorkie mix, Candi. Kim is published in novels, short stories and articles.

Sign up for Kim’s Readers List for exclusive information, new releases, contests, giveaways, and free books.

Visit her at the following sites:

Author’s Website: http://www.kimcoxauthor.com

Blogs: Kim’s Musings, Kim’s Author Support Page

Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/kimcox

Social Media locations:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimcoxauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimCoxAuthor

Google: https://plus.google.com/+KimCoxAuthor/posts

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kimcox

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kimwrtr/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimwrtr

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Suspicious Minds

Betrayal, Revenge, and Hidden Identity

In the city of Boston lies a story of betrayal, revenge and hidden identity. Ryan Donatelli, posing as Thomas Randolph, sets out to avenge his sister’s death, even if it means using Sam Southard’s daughter to do it. After all, Ryan is sure Sam’s responsible.

Natalie Southard is determined to keep her family business out of the hands of known crime boss, Nick DeMarco. After her father is killed, Natalie and Ryan are forced to run for their lives. But, will they live long enough for their hearts to heal once everything is revealed?