Interview: Paul DeBlassie III, Author of ‘The Unholy’

Paul DeBlassie III, depth psychologist and writer, delves into streams of unconscious mind with paranormal thrillers set in the mystic land of Aztlan, a realm of phantasmorgic mystery and dark and light struggling within the human heart. He is a member of the Depth Psychology Alliance, the International Association of Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and the Author’s Guild. Depth psychotherapy and writing paranormal thrillers fuel the flames of his professional passion.

Congratulations on the release of your latest book, The Unholy. When did you start writing and what got you into thrillers?

As a young boy watching The Twilight Zone and Thriller set me on the course of spinning stories that explode into supernatural realms. Paranormal thrillers set the mind buzzing with wondering about matters of good and evil, reality and illusions. Eventually a story such as The Unholy seeps into not only waking life but into dreams and affects readers in deep places of mind.

Did you have a mentor who encouraged you?

My wife, Kate, is my muse and creative writing mentor. I’ve written non-fiction books in psychology and spirituality. Kate spurred me on to consider novels, putting into a story thrilling psychic adventures that are fantastic interpretations of the emotional and spiritual dramas I’ve witnessed in the lives of the patients I’ve treated in adult psychotherapy over the course of thirty-two years. 

What was your inspiration for The Unholy?

For over thirty-two years I’ve treated survivors of the dark side of religion. The Unholy is a fantastical rendition of the stories of countless souls I’ve treated who’ve been caught in the grip of toxic religion and discovered that destiny is both healer and slayer. The symbols and images in The Unholy have arisen out of the dreams of myself and patients who have fought through the battle facing Claire Sanchez, the novel’s protagonist. 

What do you hope readers will get from your book?

I hope that readers of The Unholy will feel the top of their heads pop off. Perhaps, consciousness will be raised a little about matters of religion and spirituality. Reading takes into symbols and images that bypass conscious blocks. I hope readers will be open to reading, thinking, pondering the dark side of religion. 

What do you do when your muse refuses to collaborate?

My psychic muse, the one within, never refused to cooperate. She tried to possess my every waking moment. The story threatens to overtake the life of the writer. The incessant flow of images and words can be overwhelming. So, you might say, the muse and I had to come to terms with one another. We decided to cooperate and then came the birthing of The Unholy! 

How do you keep your narrative exciting?

The narrative of The Unholy twists and turns and sets the top of the head on fire. Vivid imagery of landscape and dark places of soul usher the reader into hair-raising predicaments. Excitement pulses as Claire Sanchez finally discovers the reality of evil cloaked in religion. The reader keeps reading to find out how and if she’s going to make it. 

Many writers experience a vague anxiety before they sit down to right. Can you relate to this?

Creative energy sparks through me first thing in the morning. I sit down to write, hit the page running. Words stream then gush. There’s no anxiety. It’s pure fire, blue, red, white hot. 

How do you define success?

Success for me as a writer of paranormal thrillers is defined by telling the story like it is. The thrill, violence, supernatural fright, must not be diluted. They purposefully carry the story forward. Then, engaging in consistent public relations via blogs, interviews, reviews, readings conjure the energy that sets the story sailing on its virtual and cosmic trajectory! As I’ve done and am doing this, I feel successful, complete. 

Anything else you’d like to tell my readers?

Thank you for hosting The Unholy. May you have a mind dazzling trip through the plight of Claire Sanchez, medicine woman. May the symbols and images generate provocative thoughts and move deeply stored emotions. May your emotional and spiritual psyche be forever touched, informed, and transformed!

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