Sue Ann Jaffarian is the author of three critically acclaimed mystery series: The Odelia Grey series, the Ghost of Granny Apples series, and the Madison Rose Vampire Mysteries. In addition to mysteries, Sue Ann recently launched a short story series for e-readers called Holidays From Hell. She is also a motivational speaker and full-time paralegal living and working in Los Angeles. Baited Blood, the 3rd book in her Madison Rose Vampire Mysteries was recently released.
SUE ANN JAFFARIAN:
YOU’RE BATHROOM’S A WHAT?
I’m not particularly fond of my apartment. I don’t care for the building or that it overlooks a very busy Los Angeles street and intersection, complete with traffic noise, sirens and even the occasional car crash. When I moved here, it was with the attitude that it was temporary. Just a year or two and I’d find myself nicer digs. That was over seven years ago.
Not that my apartment doesn’t have things going in its favor:
• It’s 10 minutes from my office;
• It’s spacious;
• It has tons of storage;
• It’s reasonable and under rent control;
• It allows pets.
Any of the above are major pluses, but there’s something else. Not something that would keep me from moving, but something I’ve discovered over the course of seven years that cannot be lightly dismissed.
I believe my bathroom is a portal.
Um, you read that right – a portal. More specifically, a doorway to unexplained things bordering on the bizarre, paranormal and even creative.
Several years ago I had a dream, or maybe it wasn’t a dream but a vision. And this was before I started writing about ghosts and vampires. Anyway, two women approached my bed. One was tall with short gray hair dressed in jeans and an oversized men’s shirt. The other was slim, wearing an old-fashion floral house dress with an apron, the type you’d see on a farm wife from the 50’s. For a moment, they stood together at the foot of my bed with friendly looks before turning and heading down the hall. In my dream, I followed them into my bathroom where they disappeared behind my shower curtain. When I pulled back the curtain, they were going through the tile wall. Just as she was halfway through, the taller one turned to me. I told her. “I’m not afraid.” She smiled and replied, “We know. But it’s not your time.”
Okay, fast forward a year or so. Different dream. Same bathroom. I’m in bed and hear music and see lights coming from the bathroom in the middle of the night. I push the door open and instead of my rather dull bath, I find a party in full swing, complete with a crowd seated at scattered, small round tables, like in a nightclub. There are people of all ages and types, including a group of young boys wearing school uniforms. No one is eating or drinking, but they are chatting with each other and having a good time. An elderly woman offers me a seat at her table and I take it. After a few minutes, I lean over to her, “You’re a ghost, aren’t you?” She smiles, “Everyone here is but you.”
Okay, before you all starting wondering about my alcohol and drug consumption, let me tell you, I’m nearly a teetotaler. Not quite, but close.
Now these two instances are bizarre enough on their own, but I gotta tell ya, I get most of my best writing inspiration and ideas when I’m in that particular shower. Coincidence? I’m not so sure.
When I started writing my Madison Rose Vampire Mysteries, I thought I had the idea down pat. I had listed my main characters and created their backstories. I’d even finished several chapters. One morning, after I’d written for a couple of hours, I took my morning shower. While I was shampooing, I heard the deep voice of a man say to me, “I am Samuel La Croix. I was a slave in Egypt two thousand years ago. I am blind and the head vampire.”
Really, I heard that. Finishing quickly with my shower, I went straight to the computer and pounded out Samuel’s character notes and backstory. His presence in the series changed everything for the better. He is also my personal favorite. After all, the man saw me naked.
I have no plans on moving soon. I’m worried my writing would suffer if I did.
And I’m still not afraid.
