When Magical Realism becomes Too Real

I don't know about other writers who dabble in the magical realism genre, but when real world events are more bizarre than magical realism,things get a bit scary.
As  magical realism authors we create  alternative realities, even though they happen in real time and in real place.  But now, with all the global shaking going on, egged on by human failure to keep up or manage our own technology, the planet and its inhabitants are plunged into a world stage even a magical realism author could not imagine.
Warning us all  - there are some things too big to ignore.
So I have scuttled my final plot line for my second novel in the Shaman series, Shaman in Exile and am rewriting the final chapters after a long hiatus.  So much has happened in real life which impacts the characters of Shaman Circus.  Afterall, for a Haitian voudou practitioner, a Haitian hermaphrodite (who features more in the second Shaman Book) and a host of characters who are  residents of New Orleans, and remain after Katrina, I can't ignore the actual real world events, even though Shaman in Exile takes place in New England and France and not in New Orleans like in Shaman Circus.
But now with the oil spill in the Gulf, following close on the heels of the earthquakes, my main character Jacob LaGuerre, will not allow me to ignore these major catastrophes which affect his family and friends.  So I'm having to rework the final concept and have decided not to have Shaman in Exile the final book in the series.  My original concept would be trite and unbelievable in the light of these recent disasters.
Besides Jacob won't stand for me pretending they didn't happen. He has too much to do and say in regards to both Haiti and Louisiana to let me escape with a simple closure.  To him it's turning a blind eye.  And that he will not allow.
So I've been writing, and I have to say, it's a painful process even as it's great to be back in the Shaman landscape - but I had hopes of happier times for my characters after all I've put them through.
But alas, as it often happens in life, those hopes are sidestepped by unexpected events.  I had also previously planned to avoid my favorite approach to endings as a cliff hanger or ambiguous ending.  I've received both praise and critiques for my preferred modus operendi.  And this time,  I was going to cut my characters some slack and let them have a a nice tidy closure after all the chaos they've endured. 
But world events proved more powerful than my good intentions.  So now it's back to the intricate work of trying to tidy things up while also paying heed to the "realism" aspect of the genre and facing the unfortunate facts.

author tour Quantum Earth by Julie Achterhoff

Quantum Earth  

by Julie Achterhoff

A team of metaphysical scientists is dedicated to finding out why the Earth is in crisis. The rate, size, and destructive power of hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions is out of control. All of these acts of nature have become more devastating to human life than ever before in history, but why? Is the Earth cleansing itself of humanity? Or could it be that human thought is the true cause? This is what the team is asking; the hardest question of all: Do we create our own reality?

Review by Danni Milliken:

It's not an easy thing to offer to review the work of an author you don't know very well. If it's a good friend that's one thing, because you can say something honestly if you find that you don't like it. But, if it is someone who you don't know very well, it is a scary thing to offer to do, because the thought screams loudly in your mind, "What if I don't like it?" But, one day I know that it will be me out there pimping my work. So, with that knowledge in mind I found I had to put my hand up. Because, one day I hope someone will put their hand up for me.
Still, it was with trepidation that I opened the ebook and began reading the prologue. By the end of the first two paragraphs I made a very happy discovery. This is a good book. From two paragraphs I could tell that Julie Achterhoff is a quality author. Her writing style is extremely easy to read and the scenes are painted so that you can envision their detail easily without the over the top page wasting some lesser quality authors are prone to spend setting the scene. I could have written a review based only on the first few chapters, but this book was so good that I wanted to finish all of it for the sake of my own enjoyment. An exceptional achievement on the part of Julie Achterhoff there, as I rarely read novels to the end anymore.
Quantum Earth is a unique story where a group of scientists use new age beliefs to examine whether or not humanity creates its own tragedies. As natural disasters escalate, this team of researchers use a number of methods to collate data including trance, hypnosis, and dreams prior to the event.
This is a fantastically unique story and it is incredibly well written. At the current price of $15.99, you are getting a real bargain. I have no doubt at all that Julie is a future bestseller, and you won't regret the short time it takes to enjoy either Quantum Earth, or her new book "Deadly Lucidity" which has just recently been released to amazon.com


amazon: http://tinyurl.com/y87mahs

All Things That Matter Press https://www.createspace.com/3376306

Deadly Lucidity

Caught in a tangled web of dreams and nightmares, Marie Reilly is being hunted by a psychopath in the
dream world she can't escape. Her single ally, a Ranger named Murphy, may be her only hope. He
must help her reach the great Fortress, where they've been told there is a way back to her reality.
Together, they fight their way through the twists and turns of Marie's mind so she can have her life
back. But what of their burgeoning passion for each other? How can she leave the man she has come to
love behind in this nightmarish world he has called home as far back as he can remember?

Review:

Official Apex Reviews Rating:

Caught in a dream world from which she can’t escape, Marie finds herself hunted by a dangerous psychopath. Her situation is far from hopeless, though, as a handsome Ranger named Murphy vows both to protect her and help her find a way back to the real world. Over the course of their shared adventures, Marie looks very much forward to getting her life back to normal – but her growing passion for Murphy makes the prospect of leaving him behind an increasingly difficult choice to make...
Skillfully crafted by author Julie Achterhoff, Deadly Lucidity is an engaging suspense thriller. In it, Achterhoff has crafted a compelling alternate nether world straight out of the darkest regions of any imagination. In addition, as Marie wends her way through a series of increasingly perilous events, you find yourself rooting
not-so-silently on her behalf, turning each fresh page in rapt anticipation of precisely what fate awaits her as the story progresses. Furthermore, the genuine affection that she and Murphy feel for one another adds a layer of palpable tension to the overall tale, drawing the reader in even more as this modern twist
on the age-old tale of good vs. evil plays itself out in fantastical fashion.
A dynamic, riveting thriller with a host of intriguing twists, Deadly Lucidity is a recommended read for lovers of well crafted fantasy suspense tales.

Trailer: http://tinyurl.com/2esq54p

Available from:

All Things That Matter Press: https://www.createspace.com/3431365

Trudging and Travails

Two steampunk submissions are now in circulation and as it turns out, I may turn The Foxglove Broadsides into a novella or perhaps a series of steampunk short stories set in the same part of Kensington, UK involving the same characters.  I'm enjoying the opportunity to play with science, botany, and the printing industry of the 1800's, incorporating a clamshell press I saw in an antique store in Columbia, SC, during a,memorable visit to a friend who provided a tour of arcane bookstores and antique shops.  We even discussed, in a somewhat offhand manner,how to transport the two ton piece of glorious machinery to my house.  The press was a work of art in and of itself with its art noveau styling.  It also appeared quite serviceable.  But alas, it's weight deterred me. So now it lives in my reality through it's place in two of  my stories. This way, I am able to own and operate it with ease through my characters, Cecile Bainbridge and Nathanial Cooper. Talk about ways to shift dimensions, time and space.  Writers get to do it at all time.
On a less Victorian note,  I've been offline for a while for a series of reasons which include, lack of time due to setting up and initiating  the new Arts Activity program at the head injury program, some health issues and a vicious virus which has rendered my regular computer out of service.  Due to the latter, and other forms of thuggery and protection rackets perpetrated by the banks, cable companies, cell phone companies, utilities and Internet is it any wonder I prefer to wander about in an alternate time?