I’m so excited to welcome author Chrissie Parker to my blog for the first time. She’s just penned her debut book. It’s a novella titled Integrate and it sounds intriguing. As you can see the cover is quite striking (no pun intended) and here’s a little bit about the book, too:
A battered and broken body lies in the road. A discovery that leaves the local community gripped with fear. Suspicion as to who killed the woman is rife. Corinne’s peaceful life is shattered by the tragic death, forcing her to struggle daily with overwhelming grief and loss. A chance meeting with a stranger helps Corinne through the hurt and pain, but can she really trust Jack?
Because Chrissie incorporated the metaphysical world into her book’s plot (which fascinates me) I’ve asked her to share with us what inspired that aspect of the book. Here’s what she had to say…
I have always been fascinated by the unexplained. Why do people choose to read their horoscope each day and live their lives according to what they learn? Why are some people convinced they have seen ghosts or claim to have them living in their houses? Why is there a continued tradition of psychic ability and practice amongst certain groups of people?
These are all interesting questions. I never really used to believe in that side of life, the ‘unexplained’ that some people insist is there and is real. ‘The unexplained’ is generally something that most people cannot see and so don’t believe in it, dismissing it as hokum or madness. I have quite an open mind, and even though there are some things I still don’t believe in, there are some things that I have encountered in the past, such as dealings with a ghost at the theatre I used to work at and other phenomena, which made me wonder if some of it could possibly be true.
When I started working on Integrate I wanted to write something that had some dark elements or elements of the unexplained. I thought about how to do this, and the idea came to me via someone I worked with in the theatre (the one with the ghost). I used to get my Tarot cards read by one of my colleagues, they weren’t always right but occasionally the odd thing did ring scarily true. It intrigued me, so one day I bought a deck of my own and began to study them. With the knowledge I gained, I decided that using tarot would be a great idea, both visually and descriptively. So my female protagonist Corinne became a tarot reader.
I felt it wasn’t enough though, so I gave Corinne a sister, an identical twin called Helena. I liked the idea of Corinne and Helena being close and having ‘that twin thing’ that people talk about, a close connection that no-one else seems to have unless they were born as twins. But I wanted to make it more than that. So I gave Corinne the gift of premonition. Premonitions are usually thought of as future visions or foresight. They can be fleetingly subtle or sometimes strong, overwhelming and confusing. I have never had visions myself, but I have researched them and will admit to having encountered the strange phenomena of déjà vu. It is a strange experience, one minute you are sitting having coffee with a friend, and the next you suddenly get the feeling you have been there before and know exactly what is going to happen next, like you have seen or experienced the entire scene before. I get them often, and it can be more than a little unnerving.
I decided to expand on the idea of visions (premonition) by turning it on its head and throwing in the idea of déjà vu. Rather than seeing the future, the visions became a tool for Corinne to subconsciously reach into the past to see and learn what happened to her sister Helena. These elements push Corinne to the limit; at one point she even thinks that receiving the visions means she is going to be able to save her sister, but that would never happen. Fate always had a plan, and whatever happened, there was no way it could be changed.
I like the idea that there are elements of the unexplained out there, that some people believe they can see ghosts, or that they can predict the future from the way the cards fall or from how the tea leaves settle. But just because you think you can see the future, it shouldn’t automatically mean you get to do something about it. Sometimes it should just be about how you deal with it, the actions you choose to take from that moment on, and how you learn from what happens next. After all, if we were all meant to see the future and be able to change it, we would have been born with super powers. Wouldn’t we?
I am a sucker for ghost stories, near death experiences, psychic phenomena, and the mysteries of the Other Side, so I love when authors explore such things in their books. Thanks so much for dropping by, Chrissie, and best of luck with your book!
Thank you, Bonnie, for allowing me to guest post on your fantastic blog today!
Chrissie lives in London with her husband and is a freelance Production Coordinator working in the TV, documentary and film industry. She is also an Author. “Integrate” a suspense Novella, is her first release. She is currently working on two suspense books due for release in 2014. One is set in Egypt and the other on the Greek Island of Zakynthos.
To find out more about Chrissie visit her website www.chrissieparker.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ChrissieParkerAuthor
Twitter – @Chrissie_author
Blog – http://chrissieparker.blogspot.co.uk
Buy Integrate at Amazon US
Buy Integrate at Amazon UK
January 28th, 2014 at 10:22 am
great blog chrissie,really enjoyed reading it.
February 18th, 2015 at 6:03 pm
Great interview. Loved it!
Sylvia
February 18th, 2015 at 6:04 pm
Lovely interview Bonnie and Chrissie! Congrats on your Integrate!
Sylvia
February 18th, 2015 at 6:04 pm
Loved the interview. Great work ladies.