When my Love for PNR Began & Where it is Now
What is Paranormal Romance? Paranormal Romance, also referred to as PNR, is a subgenre in Romance that includes supernatural elements such as vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches, demons, and more.
Paranormal Romance (PNR) first appealed to me when Buffy (BTVS) aired in the ‘90s. Sure, Buffy is more of a supernatural drama series, but Buffy and Angel’s romance kept me tuning in every week when I was only eight-years-old, wondering if their forbidden love would blossom. If you’ve watched the show, you know it did. You know they let themselves fall in love and get swept away… and then you watched it all shatter when Angel’s soul disappeared once he experienced a moment of true happiness (with Buffy, of course). He turned into a damn monster and terrorized her. He killed Jenny Calendar! Just when I thought Giles was gonna have an epic romance, Jenny was taken away from him. I thought Buffy could have an enemies-to-lovers romance with vampire Billy Idol wannabe Spike, but that was ultimately a bust. Plus, he was a walking red flag. Definitely wasn’t the picture of a good guy. I even liked her and Riley together, but that turned to crap, too. His character completely changed, and quite honestly, I think he was intentionally made out to be the bad guy just so he could be written off the show to make room for a Buffy/Spike romance (though I wouldn’t call it that - more like a train wreck). I loved Willow and Oz together, but the same thing happened with him that happened to Riley - he was made out to be a bad guy. Enter Tara. Tara ended up being an amazing character, and her fate was heartbreaking. Xander and Anya made sense at first, but they were too different and fell apart. Anya deserved better, both with Xander and in the end. BTVS just wasn’t meant to have epic romances, I guess.
By the time I entered High School, I started reading Paranormal Romance novels that could give me that romantic happiness I craved. J.R. Ward and Christine Freehan novels sat side-by-side on my bedroom shelves back in ‘06. I was later introduced to the Dark-Hunter novels by Sherrilyn Kenyon, which further explored all types of shapeshifters, even werebears! She also had a flair for Greek mythology, incorporating Gods and Goddesses in her stories with a twist. Then came Twilight. Ah, yes, we all know about Twilight. I truly enjoyed the series when I was eighteen (that’s when I happened upon a paperback in Kroger with a big round sticker on the front that read something like ‘soon to be a major motion picture’). As I got older, however, I started catching on that Edward was more controlling than protective. He broke into her home and sat before her bed watching her sleep for hours. There were a lot of red flags.
One thing you should know about me is I’m a writer (in case the website didn’t tip you off). So, while I was watching Buffy and getting disappointed by all the tragically failing relationships, I was writing all sorts of short stories. Not just paranormal stuff. As I got older (and much more aware of boys and romance, mind you), I started writing romance books. So, by the time I’d finished Twilight, I started writing my own werewolf novel, because instead of the girl choosing the vamp, what if she chose a wolf, one that wasn’t controlling or playing his love interest hot and cold? By the time I actually finished it, Teen Wolf came out on MTV, and I fell in love with the show. I soon realized, though, that the show had a lot in common with the book I’d just written. I began to worry that I wasn’t writing anything truly original. P.S. Did anyone’s relationship survive that show? I don’t think any did…
So where does Paranormal Romance fit into my life NOW? Teen Wolf is over (though not in my heart), Twilight has a huge fanbase. There have been tons of paranormal books published for decades now. Despite what many say, I don’t ever see PNR disappearing off the grid.
There’s something magical about these romantically dark worlds, something mesmerizing about being tugged away from a boring reality and pulled into something new and exciting. Something maybe even dangerous… just a little. That’s what drew me in when Buffy and Angel started giving each other goo goo eyes, after all.
Reading about it is one thing (as is watching it), but writing about it is truly rewarding and even more exciting (for me, anyway). I can control every single detail. Every thought, every action, every outcome. Who stays and who goes. Who falls in love. Who saves the day… and how. AND WHO ACTUALLY MAKES A RELATIONSHIP LAST, THANK YOU. Not everything romantic has to turn to crap, you know. Not everyone has to be cursed or doomed in these stories.
Now that I’ve ranted…
Since I’m naturally drawn to wolves, vamps, witches and shapeshifters, I write about those beings. I think of ways I can put a new spin on things, ways to improve characters or conflicts. I’ve always enjoyed writing, for myself and for others. Making people laugh brings me joy, as does giving them something to fall in love with. There’s the quirky moments, those funny one-liners and awkward scenes. Then there’s the darker moments, where something deeper comes to the surface. Unlike many of the shows I’ve fallen in love with, there’s always a happy ending (because I can’t handle more heartbreak, and I want to give YOU that happy ending you wanted, too). I’m a fan of HEAs (happily-ever-afters).
Long story short, Paranormal Romance will always have a special place in my heart, and I don’t see a future for myself where I ever stop writing it or reading it. And speaking of writing it, I published a Paranormal Romance series (the Undone series): Undead and Undone, Untamed and Undone, and Undertaken and Undone. The fourth novel, Unleashed and Undone, is expected to be released in spring 2023, followed by Undeniable and Undone in 2024. Click below to learn more.
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