The Ask an Author feature, published twice a month on Friday afternoons, is getting increased attention through social media, bringing extra love and shedding light on some great authors. If you are an author who wants to be added to this list or a reader with a question, it would be a pleasure to hear from you at saharsblog (at) gmail (dot) com!

This Feature’s Question is inspired by my love **coughsobsessioncoughs** of The X-Files and the news a couple of weeks ago that six episodes will start production this summer: do you believe in the paranormal and/or in the existence of aliens?  And have you ever encountered any paranormal activity or aliens?

Lee Murray

A scientist by training, yes, I believe in the possibility of life existing on other planets. If all the life forms on Earth have crawled out of a primordial soup, then why couldn’t that have happened somewhere else, and in some other form? Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s sharpest minds, is of the same opinion. In fact, Hawking has warned that trying to make contact with aliens could be inviting disaster, since if those aliens are dependent on the same resources as us, they might be looking to usurp those resources. A scary thought! Although, who is to say that those alien forms are not already here, occupying our world in some altered or supernatural state? There are plenty of unexplained phenomena, which could be attributed to this kind of otherness. But as authors, whatever our genre, be it hard science fiction or paranormal romance, it our responsibility to make our readers believe, through worlds and characters which suspend disbelief, which draw you in, captivating and engaging you. So, for us, whether or not you believe beforehand is irrelevant, because—if we’ve done our job well—you will believe by the time you close the book.

Angela Barry

Yes, I do.  And yes.  However, my stories about it aren’t something I share with everyone.  I have no great desire to have someone who has not had such experiences explain how my first-hand experiences are invalid.  It’s about as effective as trying to explain to me that water isn’t wet. I have no need of outside validation for things I’ve discovered for myself, nor do I have any need to convert anyone to my mindset.  Everyone has their own experiences in life and has to seek their own answers.  That journey is worthwhile.

Hunter Marshall

No. I don’t believe in the “paranormal”, but do believe that spirits from the other side are all around us. I believe God had others looking out for is and, at the same time believe that Satan uses people to spread evil. As far as encountering it, in the sense we are talking about here, no I have not.

Karo Oforofuo

I believe in paranormal activities as well as aliens. However, my believe in aliens is different from most other people. I believe these aliens are in beautifully made in human forms, just like we all are. I find it very hard to believe that God will purposely create ugly creatures to inhabit the planets he took time and care to make. As regards paranormal experiences, I have had two. Both of them happened a very long time ago. In the first experience, I had a very serious stomach pain. I rolled on the rug in the sitting room and cried because of the pain I was feeling. While rolling from left to right, I suddenly came in contact with something hard, like a person was standing there. When I looked up, I didn’t see anybody. Scared out of my wits, I managed to pick my self up and run to my bedroom. The second time was when I felt someone walk past me. This also happened in the sitting room. It so happened that the robe or gown or whatever the person wore, touched me. I could feel the stretch of the material dragging against my exposed legs. All of these happened in my late, grand father’s house. Whether they were witches, ghosts, aliens etc.. I really don’t know. I only knew it was not normal, and I prayed to be safe

J. C. Hart

This is a really interesting question, and I have to admit that I definitely believe there is more to the world than what we can see. I grew up with a very vivid imagination, and believed whole-heartedly that there were fey folk who were trying to lure me away from home, and shadow men in the forest near where I went to school. I felt presences, and things in my room had a habit of not being in the place I left them… As for aliens – without doubt. There has to be something else out there. Space is so massive that I can’t believe we’re the only intelligent life around.

Lorene Stunson Hill

Yes I believe because after experiencing homelessness, I once lived in #313, the most haunted room in The Putnam Hotel, an old relic of a place, in DeLand, Florida, often investigated by Ghost and Paranormal Hunters. It wasn’t unusual to step off the elevator and find camera crews and paranormal professionals inspecting some spot in the hotel, but after sleeping in my car, for me, the place was a paradise. The following is a piece of information you can find here: “The RIP HUNTERS MEETUP GROUP investigated the Putnum Hotel in July 2011…I took my team of 6 people to the first session in room 313 and I set up the equipment…right at that moment I saw a shadow figure come through the door right behind my team…I could feel this entity standing right next to me for a few minutes.” I remained in my own “Peace,” and wrote my first novel, “To Dance with Ugly People,” never seeing any ghosts or ever feeling threatened.