Michelle Diener Has 2 Great Prizes for You! Back to Blog
Update: The winner of IN A TREACHEROUS COURT is…Yadira. The winner of ENTANGLED is…Ren. Congratulations!!
It’s a new hour, so that means it’s time to introduce another great author–and Michelle Diener is that fab author! Michelle is also in the ENTANGLED anthology with me (cause how could I have a release day party without some of my anthology mates dropping by to help celebrate), and she has a wonderful single title out, IN A TREACHEROUS COURT. Welcome, Michelle!
Thank you to Cynthia for inviting me back as a guest here today! I’m so thrilled to be a contributor to the ENTANGLED anthology. The problem was, when Edie Ramer first approached me to take part, I was scared. I hadn’t written a paranormal contemporary novel before, let alone written a short story. I write historical fiction, and my debut historical novel, IN A TREACHEROUS COURT, was just released last month with Simon & Schuster Gallery Books. This was way out of my comfort zone.
But I really, really wanted to do it.
So I thought about the type of paranormal stories I most enjoyed, and the paranormal things I most wonder about in real life, and came up with the story in ENTANGLED, Breaking Out. The historical author in me couldn’t get over how little research I had to do. It was like a holiday, and working for a good cause, all at once. How could it get any better?
Ever since I first read Rupert Sheldrake’s The Seven Experiments That Could Change the World, I’ve been even more fascinated with the concept of the extended mind than I was before. The extended mind is when you reach out beyond your brain, to touch someone else, either in the form of telepathy or just a psychic touch, which the person you are touching experiences as an almost physical touch. Like when you can ‘feel’ eyes on you, or know someone behind you is watching you. I went on to read more of Sheldrake’s work, which I found scientific and reasonable, and very, very interesting.
So my story has a telekinetic, a mind reader, and a man who can heal himself and others with the power of his mind. Plus a whole host of bad guys, with equally unusual talents. It was such fun imagining a world where all this was possible.
I’d love to hear what your favorite paranormal talent or gift is – what sounds the most interesting to you? I’ve got a copy of my historical thriller, set in the court of Henry VIII, IN A TREACHEROUS COURT, and a copy of ENTANGLED to give away. Winners’ choice of Kindle or papberback version of IN A TREACHEROUS COURT.
I’d have to say the most interesting paranormal to me is telekinesis. Definitely have ENTANGLED and IN A TREACHEROUS COURT on my wishlist!
Thanks for the giveaway!
yadkny@hotmail.com
Michelle, I am so glad that you went ahead and wrote your short story! You’re a great story-teller, no matter the length or genre.
Teleportation is the ability I’d like to have so I can visit my family without dealing with airports and airlines.
live a very long time. healthy!
Teleportation is the one for me.
Margaret, besides the convenience factor, it would more environmentally friendly, too! Thanks for stopping by.
Thank you, Yadira. Yep, moving things with the power of the mind has GOT to come in handy :).
Thank you, Cynthia 🙂 . You are the sweetest! And thanks for inviting me back.
Infinitieh, for years, my husband and I had to travel a lot, and our running joke was that he needed to work on a teleporation machine. Sadly, he never has . . . 🙂
Thank you, Blackroze.
My favorite paranormal talent or gift is the shape shifting ability or any kind of psychic ability 🙂
I’m glad you wrote your story Michelle!!
Ashley A
ash_app@hotmail.com
Thanks, Ashley. I’m glad, too! I am so proud to be part of something so wonderful. You’re braver than me. I would NOT like to be psychic.
Mind reading is great… especially when it’s in relationships…
May, the minder reader in my story is quite a hoot. I originally imagined the story with just the hero and heroine, but Giles arrived and wouldn’t leave. He’s just a great character, and I had a lot of fun writing him.
My favorite paranormal talent is teleportation. I’d love to be able to skip traffic and just get where I wanted to be instantly.
Oh, that’s a definite favorite, then. I’m working on another story that carries on from my BREAKING OUT short story, I think someone in that must definitely be able to teleport. We can live vicariously through him or her 🙂 .
My favorite paranormal ability would have to be shape shifting of any kind
J.A., thanks for stopping by. Any particular shape you’d like to shift to?
You’ve come up with a unique power! I can’t wait to read your story. I’d love to be able to bend time to my will.
DragonStar1974 )AT( aol.com
Thanks, Stephanie. I hope you enjoy BREAKING OUT.
Sorry! Hit Send too soon. I think bending time would be EXTREMELY useful. Dr. Who has proved that! 🙂
I am looking forward to reading your stories, I haven’t had the pleasure yet. I’m not sure what power/ability I would want. There are too many to choose from….lol
Michelle, that’s very true! So many options 🙂 I’ve always liked the idea of flying, so my heroine, Kelli, is powerful enough as a telekinetic to lift herself up, and ‘fly’.
I say teleportation or shape shifting. I definitely would not want to be a mind reader – that would drive me crazy.
Jennifer, another one in the teleportation camp. That seals it. I’m definitely writing this into the next story 🙂 . And believe me, the mind reader in my story has some issues with mind reading, but he’d managed to deal with them. It’s everyone else who is driven crazy by his ability. 🙂
I keep going back and forth between teleprotation and time-travel. I really want to be able to time-travel..but to where and when I want. Which makes it kind of a teleportation thing, too. The thought of being able to go back and see all the ancient sights that fascinate me is so awesome. But without control over my landing, I don’t want to end up as the only human during the days of dinosaurs and no way to get out LOL
Just wanted to also say that your cover for In a Treacherous Court is absolutely beautiful!
Betty, thanks for the compliment on IN A TREACHEROUS COURT’s cover. I love it, and the cover for KEEPER OF THE KING’S SECRETS, which is the next book in the series, due in Feb. I can’t show it to anyone yet, but it is really beautiful.
Time travel would be wonderful, but yes, without being able to choose exactly when and where to arrive, and having an easy way to get back, it would be a little dangerous.
I would love to be able to manipulate time. How handy would that be?
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Mary, it would be VERY handy. I certainly wouldn’t turn that power down!
Teleportation or the ability to manipulate time either/or I’m not greedy. Both would give me similar advantages.
LOL, Hilleary, I think these answers show we all need more time or to waste less of it travelling. 🙂
I haven’t come across this paranormal ability in books yet, but for me personally I would love the ability to conjure up my favourite fictional characters into real life. Just think of all the people I would meet 😉
In a Treacherous Court sounds like a wonderful historical read.
Thanks, Na. And what a cool power! I think most readers would be happy to have that one!
I like them all. They’re part of why I love paranormal so much. If I have to pick one – mind/physical control. Thank you.
Viki, it is wonderful we can jump into fictional worlds were this is all as real as we’d like it to be, isn’t it?
Teleportation, skip the lines and get right to where you want to be. In A Treacherous Court sounds like a fabulous story.
Thanks, Jean. Yep, teleportation is the clear winner here today. I live in Australia but most of my family live in the United Kingdom. I’d love to be able to teleport to them whenever I wanted to visit! And thanks for the compliment on IN A TREACHEROUS COURT.
I think mind reading or mind control is a pretty cool paranormal gift/power. Great giveaway, thanks for the opportunity to enter!! =) I prefer paperback versions of books to the e-books, technology is great but nothing beats having that hard copy in your hands. =)
Thank you, Valerie. Unfortunately, in order to maximise the amount of money going to the BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION, Entangled is only an ebook, but IN A TREACHEROUS COURT is a trade paperback. I have a Kindle, but love the texture of the cover and everything about holding a physical copy of my book in my hands. 🙂
Oh I totally understand that, and ebooks are great when free LOL! I think it’s awesome you guys are giving to such a great cause too. =) My aunt died of breast cancer but she was already in stage 4 when they found it so she just told the doctors to just let it take it’s course, she’d lived a fairly happy life.
Michelle, your story is amazing. I’m so glad you don’t shrink from a challenge. You can write well in any genre!
SMOOCH to you, Edie. And thank you for everything when it comes to ENTANGLED. You are the best!
Telekinesis has always peaked my interest.
Marlene, me too! That’s why my heroine in BREAKING OUT is a powerful telekinetic. Loved writing all the cool stuff she could do. 🙂
I think shape shifting into any other form is pretty nifty. Although sometimes I have trouble truely trusting those that can do this…it is such a powerful talent.
Thanks!
mmafsmith at gmail dot com
Thanks for commenting, Maria. Yes, the idea of completely changing your physical appearance is huge, but such an enduring myth and legend through so many cultures.
The power to heal would be very cool, although you would have to be very careful with such power.
Patty, my hero in BREAKING OUT is a healer. It comes in very handy . . . 🙂
I love a good psychic. I also love historicals for my escape reads so if I don’t win A Treacherous Court I’ll have to look it up.
Thank you, Marley! Either way, I hope you enjoy!
I think I would like to be invisible. How many times have you wanted to be a fly on the wall. I do like psychic ability also. Can’t wait to read your books.
—–Rachel
Thank you, Rachel. Invisibility would be very handy!
Teleportation would be my choice but being able to heal people sounds pretty cool.
JoAnna, teleportation is the overwhelming favorite. Let’s hope my husband gets to work on the teleportation machine he been promising me for years soon. He’ll make a fortune! 🙂
I think teleportation is really interesting.
mythic021@gmail.com
Vanessa, you, me and almost everyone else who’s commented here today. We need to form a club 🙂 .
[…] talking a little about the story I contributed to the ENTANGLED anthology today at Cynthia Eden’s blog, and giving away a copy of ENTANGLED and a copy of IN A TREACHEROUS COURT to two commentors. Hop on […]
I would like to shape shift unless the ability to clean my house telepathically is an option
meandi09@yahoo.com
Anything that allows me to clean my house without my having to actually clean my house would be something I would seriously get behind, Jennifer. Good one!
I would have to agree with many others who have already posted and say teleportation. Thanks for the giveaways, the books look interesting.
rachaelmccully@yahoo.com
Rachel, there is no getting around how useful teleportation would be. But if I had to choose between it, and having my house magically cleaned for me, I’d be in a serious quandry 🙂 .
I like the gift where the h/h has the ability to touch a person and know their feelings. Personally speaking, I would not want the gift, however, I find it fascinating when the character has this particular ability.
SN: I love stories written in Tudor time and to have suspense added to the story-well- wow! Definitely adding this one to my must read list. Thanks!
kamwh1207(at)att(dot)net
Tina, thank you. I loved setting a thriller in the time of Henry VIII. There was certainly enough going on at that time for it to work! 🙂
Count me in on the fascinated but no thanks, I don’t want that to the power of knowing someone’s feelings by touching them club.
I think the gift of “Biokinesis” would be a fabulous ability to have. The ability to change and control your own and other people’s bodies and emotions. “In a Treacherous Court” sounds like a really interesting book, I love good historicals. Thanks for the giveaway!
Maria, that IS an interesting one. I hadn’t heard the term biokinesis before.
Thanks for the compliment about IN A TREACHEROUS COURT.
Fav paranormal talent… hmmm… shapeshifting would be interesting… but so would magical powers… or maybe some sort of mental ability… not sure… I am undecided! 😀
Colleen, maybe asking everyone to choose just one was cruel? 🙂 I would certainly like more than one.
knowing the future
Dina, you’re a braver woman than I!
I think the ability to time travel is super cool. I’d love to travel back in time and see what life was like.
Christie, me too. But I think I’ll stick with good historicals to do that for me. None of the nasty war, plagues and cleanliness issues to deal with. 🙂
I think the most interesting paranormal to me is shape shifting
Thanks for commenting, Marjana! I think shapeshifting is running either second or third favorite here, after teleportation.
Reading a person’s mind would be cool! Or seeing into the future.
Sherie, I don’t know if I would like to see into the future, but I’d definitely like to read minds when I felt like it 🙂 .
my favorite paranormal thing is shifters. i cant get enough of those stories! 🙂 thanks for the awesome giveaway!
shadowluvs2read(at)aol(dot)com
Shadow, isn’t it great how many excellent shifter stories are out there? Cynthia Eden’s being my faves!!! 🙂
My favorite ability would be either healing or shape-shifting. I would enjoy the ability to do either of those. Or even both!
LadyVampire, you’re welcome to have both! 🙂 Why restrict ourselves to just one?
Great job,Michelle. I’d like be able to transport and to be invisible.
Mary,thank you, and lovely to see you here.
Your entry in Entangled sounds great, as does the thought of healing through the mind. How wonderful that would be. Your historical sounds wonderful also. I love the Tudor era.
Thank you, Cathy. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could heal with our minds? Then there wouldn’t be a need for research into cures. Ah, if only . . .
There so many psychic power I want, but one thing I’m sure, I don’t want to hear people mind. Their mind is their private part, its rude if I can read them =D. I want have power to time travel, back to some times when I make a wrong choice and fix it =)
Ren, have you heard the conspiracy theory about how the reason the Large Hadron Collider keeps breaking, and running into difficulties, is that scientists from the future keep coming back to sabotage it, because it will unleash too much pain and suffering on the world if it succeeds?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/6318034/Could-the-Large-Hadron-Collider-be-held-back-by-its-own-future.html
I just LOVE that kind of story 🙂
I think telepathy is the coolest gift.
smccar1 at hotmail dot com
Stephanie, I sometimes think my daughter and I are very much in tune. She’ll say out loud something I’m thinking more often than can be explained by random chance. Very fun!
I love everything King Henry VIII. 🙂
I think I would love to shape shift. 🙂
Larena, Henry VIII is definitely one of those great, larger than life characters. Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him!
I find telekinesis and the possibility of manipulating objects with our mind fascinating.
Jane, so do I! I had great fun thinking about how things would be if it were possible while writing BREAKING OUT for the ENTANGLED anthology.