Publisher: Sunstone Press (October, 2013)
Category: New Age Fiction/Metaphysical Thriller, Paranormal Thriller
Tour Date: April & May 2015
Available in: Print & ebook, 203 Pages
Winner of the 2014 International Book Award and the Pinnacle Achievement Award!
A young curandera, a medicine woman, intent on uncovering the secrets of her past is forced into a life-and-death battle against an evil Archbishop. Set in the mystic land of Aztlan, "The Unholy" is a novel of destiny as healer and slayer.
Native lore of dreams and visions, shape changing, and natural magic work to spin a neo-gothic web in which sadness and mystery lure the unsuspecting into a twilight realm of discovery and decision.
EXCERPT:
Claire took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and quieted her mind so she
could focus on the day’s work ahead. She noticed the unease that came with
anticipating Elizabeth’s grating voice and demanding presence, knowing it was
a signal that the work with Elizabeth would be demanding. Soon, a mild sense
of heat went up her spine to the center of her forehead, the place of the mystic
third eye, and into her hands and fingertips. Claire meditated on this feeling,
which gradually became stronger, softer, and kindled empathy, an ability to
feel what her patients felt, to understand their pain, to help them to heal. She
had learned about the mystic third eye as a young child when her mother had
taught her to respect the world of invisible realities. After her mother’s death,
Claire had continued to learn from the medicine women who had been friends
of her mother, one in particular who had assumed responsibility for her care
and instructed her well in the art of healing and natural magic.
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR:
Background of the book: The story comes out of over thirty years of treating patients in psychotherapy who are survivors of the dark side of religion…have been used and abused and cast to the side. I’ve seen that when this happens people, those around the victim, to include family and friends, often turn a blind eye and deny what has happened. Rather than writing a self help book I decided to approach this realm of human suffering in fiction.
To tell a story moves the reader into a deep and unconscious dimension that bypasses conscious defenses, leaving us open to truths that otherwise would be blocked. So, dramatizing the dark side of religion, pulling what can be the most vile and evil, and pivoting it against an innocent and sincerely searching soul leaves the reader on edge, hopeful, but unsure as to what will happen and who in the end will survive…a truth conveyed symbolically and dramatically. To have written out a list of what to do or not to do in the midst of religious abuse might have helped some individuals, but would have left many people stone cold because there is no emotion is such guidance.
In The Unholy, the story is pure emotion, fear and rage and hope and challenge, that inspires and frightens and causes us to stay up late at night in order to finish the story. Dream and chronic nightmares plagues people who’ve gone through the horror of being abused within a religious system. It could be emotional, spiritual, physical, or sexual torment---or all of the above---a true encounter with the unholy---that people undergo during childhood or adolescence or adulthood. They become anxious, depressed, or suffer a terrible emotional breakdown. I’ve treated them, helped them, and they helped to inspire the story of The Unholy!
Where do ideas come from? Ideas come from the deep repository of the collective unconscious mind that inspires images and symbols during the fantasies of waking life and during dreams and nightmares. Mainly, it’s the nightmare stuff that bodes best for writing psychological thrillers and dark fantasy such as is in The Unholy.
When I wake up in a cold sweat with the characters of the novels threatening me (I remember when Archbishop William Anarch, sinister prelate in The Unholy tormented me for nights on end, demanding that I not write the story) that’s when I know that real inspiration is flowing and that to listen to it and follow the images and symbols that emerge from my deep, unconscious mind during sleep and during the reverie of writing the story will end up in the development of spine tingling realities that jettison both me as the writer and the reader into phantasmagoric realms that have a way of shaking up conscious mindsets and get our heads blown out in a very, very unsettling but ultimately useful way.
My writing, in other words, comes from an inner place of torment that needs to be let out so it can be set right. When mind stuff is set right inside me I can feel it by sensing a quality of being at peace, that I’ve written to the best of my ability and been true to the deep, archetypal energies swirling through my mind during the narrative. It really is a trip to listen to ideas, let them become images, and suddenly have them take over a page. It’s like the pages catch fire and everyone has come to life and things become disorderly, fraught with conflict, and danger looms.
Character creation; The stronger the character in terms of capacity for both love and rage the more compelling they are and it is in this that the true character is birthed. Love and rage are in essence the nests in which the characters are cared for and nourished and then allowed to fly free. I find that I must dip into my own capacity for primal feelings of love and rage in order to discover that aspect of myself that is like the character, has been like or felt like the character feels in the situation. It’s critical to always allow this to move the story forward and not get stuck by over thinking the character, to just hit and go into the emotional life of the character and let the character then tell me what he or she wants to express.
The rage in particular can be horrifying because of our human capacity to inflict injury on others or society. To then express this on the page leaves me feeling vulnerable yet also true to myself within this dimension of storytelling. It’s mind boggling for me to experience the rage of the character and what the character like Archbishop William Anarch in The Unholy wants to do and does to innocent human beings. Claire Sanchez, the medicine woman, on the other hand needs to find rage, a healthy aggression, that has gone awry in Anarch, and only by doing this, if she can, will she potentially be able to discover the strength to fight the powerful archbishop.
Balancing life and writing; It’s a matter of listening to the energy coming from self, family, and friends so that nothing tips more one way than the other and the creative juices stay flowing rather than being depleted by excessive writing and are therefore constantly in a state of being replenished. I had a music teacher who once told me to practice or play up to the point that I feel bored, that the energy for it has been spent, and then to stop for the day. That’s what I do with writing. I stay with it, hit the page running each day, and go for as long and with as much intensity as I have for the scene that I’m writing. Then, I stop. And, if I don’t stop I’ll have nightmare that night that I’m being seduced and used by the muse and that such a thing could lead to utter ruination.
There are horror stories about this. Writers in the stories feel the tug to write, the muse senses that someone is taking the bait and then the writer is hooked and reeled in. So, if I let myself be hooked and reeled in then I lose my balance. There is something to being hooked and reeled of course, but the true and balanced thing of it happens when it comes from a hook and a reeling that is my own and not one that causes me to be possessed by something other than my own common sense. After all, what matters is the living of life, and living a good one to the best of one’s ability, writing only a part of that.
Praise for 'The Unholy' by Paul DeBlassie III:
"The imagery throughout is amazing and I love the writing style. The plot kept me engaged throughout and the backstory is intricate and makes you think. This is a relatively quick read but I would suggest starting when you’ve got time to invest. Because you won’t want to put it down once you pick it up!"-Shana, The Bookie Monster
"The mystical novel, ‘The Unholy’ by Paul DeBlassie III is jam packed with native folklore, dreams and magic coming from all directions, which lead to the sadness and mystery that lures Claire, the heroine of the story, into a realm of discovery. The narrative of this book is fast paced and easy to read. Claire is a strong female character, who has to not only fight against others, but also herself. There are so many components that made this novel unique, such as the setting of Aztlan, the Native American beliefs, religion, magic, and the overwhelming dark forces present. Paul DeBlassie III succeeds at telling a riveting story with an inventive narrative that carefully intertwines cultural and romantic elements into the good vs. evil fight, which pulsates throughout all the pages of the book."-Red City Review
"The theme of the novel is pretty basic, good vs. evil. But the author takes that theme, twists it around, comes up with intriguing characters who often walk the balance between right and wrong, and takes things to a whole new level. There’s action, suspense, a hint of romance, and definitely enough darkness to share around in this book.
The writing style is very descriptive, almost poetic. Intruiging."- Majanka, I Heart Reading"A new take on the classic good versus evil, The Unholy is well written and will leave you wanting more. I was intrigued by the native lore that was used to develop the story, and also on how strong of a hold the Archbishop has on the people of the town – his fear and power is overwhelming. I really enjoyed the story and how the characters prepared for what was to come."-Tracee, Review From Here
"This is really a very good read but I have to warn you it’s really dark. It reminded me of watching a movie where it is overcast, gloomy, a bit foggy and there are crows and ravens around. Well this had all that plus a psychiatric hospital, ancient and mystical powers, a cult, and unknown forces at work. There is a sinister feeling that hangs over you as you read through this captivating story. It is really well written and so vivid, I had such a clear sense of where this all took place. The characters were very well done. The evil person is really dark and warped and creepy. As I said this is quite a dark story but it is well told and a really good read. The very first chapter draws you into this story and will keep you reading to see whether good or evil wins. I definitely recommend it."-Maggie Thom, Author of 'The Caspian Wine Series'
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Thank you for hosting The Unholy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking part in the tour and hosting Paul!
ReplyDeleteThe background to the story is very fascinating.
ReplyDelete