Hi everyone! I’m Kris T. Bethke, and my newest release, Ghost of a Chance, is out now. It’s a contemporary paranormal for the Dreamspun Beyond line. And the first of a series. I hope you’ll get a chance to check it out.
World building is pretty much imperative when crafting a story. Even more so when it’s not a straight-up contemporary. As a reader, I’m pretty invested in world building. When I read a sci fi, fantasy, or paranormal, I want to know how things work. I need to know. And more than that, I want all the rules inflicted on the the inhabitants of the world to make sense and to be upheld throughout the entire story.
World building is hard, but when it’s right, it’s so worth it. And I’ll be honest. That’s one of the reasons that I’ve shied away from writing anything but contemporary romance up until now. Getting all the details down, making sure they make sense and work, and don’t fall apart as the story progresses is a difficult thing to do.
I cheated a little in that regard. My story is contemporary. But it’s an alternate universe, one in which some people have a genetic marker that allow them to die and come back to life. And where others have a gene that makes them predisposed to see to the care of others. This was where I had to put all my skills into play, because I needed to figure out how that all worked.
To be honest, this was easier than I expected. The whole thing sort of fell into place for me. As soon as I figured out that it was genetic, and I could half base things on science, I had an easier time. And opened up a whole other avenue for me to explore, considering the ability was hereditary. And it gave me a lot more to play with when writing the story (and its subsequent sequels.)
And since it was semi-science based, I knew other things as well. Ghostwalkers’ genes regenerate at much faster rate than regular humans. It’s why they can heal fast enough to live again after a mortal wound. They don’t get sick. They live a lot longer than other humans. But there comes a point when the cells wear out, and long about a hundred and twenty or so, they die a natural death. Decapitation or a total destruction of a ghostwalkers body will kill them earlier than that.
Of course, there’s also the anchor gene as well. Those who carry this gene have an innate need to care for others. They have the ability to bond with a ghostwalker if the two connect deeply on an emotional, physical, and mental level. These bonds are incredibly rare. Guardians are anchors who have developed one step farther. A Guardian also develops telepathic abilities they can use to read other people’s thoughts and emotions.
Once I had all those details, the rest fell into place. From there, I could write Blake and Derek’s love story as they navigated their new relationship and tried to balance it with their job. And a whole host of secondary characters to help them on their way.
I’m not one for scary ghost stories, but this book isn’t that. It’s a different kind of paranormal romance, and I hope you’ll get a chance to check it out.
Check out Ghost of a Chance today!
Blurb:
Only love makes life worth living—over and over again.
Ghostwalker Blake Jones dies every day. It’s his job and how he helps trapped souls cross over. But to return to life, he needs an anchor. His new partner, Derek Scott, is a surprise. Not only is he male, but his appearance belies a caring and gentle heart underneath. Despite attraction and a strengthening relationship, they know they shouldn’t take things further.
But there’s a big difference between knowing and doing.
Their growing love presents a problem, though not the one they expect. Blake and Derek have to decide if they should take their relationship to the most permanent level—an unbreakable metaphysical bond. Doing so offers both risk and unimaginable reward. Can Blake let go of his fears and put his complete trust in Derek in order to have the happily ever after he’s always craved?
Author Bio:
Kris T. Bethke has been a voracious reader for pretty much her entire life and has been writing stories for nearly as long. An avid and prolific daydreamer, she always has a story in her head. She spends most of her free time reading, writing, or knitting/crocheting her latest project. Her biggest desire is to find a way to accomplish all three tasks at one time. A classic muscle car will always turn her head, and naps on the weekend are one of her greatest guilty pleasures. She lives in a converted attic with a way too fluffy cat and the voices in her head. She’ll tell you she thinks that’s a pretty good deal. Kris believes that love is love, no matter the gender of people involved, and that all love deserves to be celebrated.
Find her on her site https://kristbethke.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Kris-T-Bethke/100014524539852 or on Twitter https://twitter.com/kristbethke
where dreams come true... 