Guest Post:
The idea behind Beyond Evidence and how I developed Patrick McLaughlin’s character.
I have been writing since 2010 and my idea of Beyond Evidence started off with a simple DNA test. I love the psychic world and the afterlife and the idea that our souls do not die with us, that some of us stay behind to carry on with something we haven’t yet finished. And this is how I came up with the idea behind Beyond Evidence.
Patrick McLaughlin is the main character in the book. He is a psychic medium who runs the west end spiritualist church in Glasgow, where he conducts demonstrations of his ability to contact the dead in front of an eager audience.
I based Patrick’s ability on a woman whom I visited a number of times in my local town hall when I began writing the book. Her name is Anne and she is a medium and my word, was she accurate. Of course, not everyone believes in what she does. But that’s the beauty of it, it means we can have interesting discussions regarding science or a higher order.
I was part of an audience who went to see her one evening and she told an interesting story about when she was a child, playing in the back garden at her house. I remember she said that she was having a discussion with someone, as she did most days. But her parent told her there was no one there. Up until that point, Anne believed everyone could do what she did, that everyone was just like her.
Anne’s demonstrations fascinated me, she would talk about her spirit guide standing by her, helping her with contact. She would mention miniscule details when giving a reading and I could never work out how she would know these things. I know there will be sceptic out there who will have an explanation for these things but it doesn’t make me believe any less.
Patrick’s characteristics as a medium are based around this lady, who really helped me in writing spiritual contact scenes without even realising it.
Patrick’s mannerisms, in a way, are a little like my own. He is calm at the most important of times but he lets things get on top of him before he’s realised it. Patrick is big on loyalty and this is apparent with the way he is towards his fiancée, Jodie. I did not base him on myself, but there are little traits of me in him.
I did not plan Patrick’s character in terms of noting down his appearance and characteristics. I really did just sit down, open up a word document and start writing. I don’t have much of a plan when it comes to plotting and planning. I love the freedom of a blank page. Going over plots is for the editing process.
I am currently writing more for the Patrick McLaughlin series.
Author Bio:
Emma studied childcare and gained qualifications to work with the early years in 2002, later going on to work in the Montessori sector of early years. In 2017 she gained a qualification to work as a Forest School early years leader and can often be found teaching three and four year olds how to cook on an open fire.
She is the writer of a supernatural crime series based in Glasgow, which she writes under the pen name of Emma L Clapperton.
She currently resides in a little town outside of the city of Glasgow with her husband and ginger cat and is working on future projects.
You can contact Emma via:
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