4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ : INTERVIEW ~ REYNA HAWK ~ paranormal experiences .

Maria Ridge was born having gifts that allowed her to see and speak into the spirit world. As she aged these gifts came to be more of a curse than a blessing. At 17 she escaped the tauntings from not only the town but also from her family to embark on a journey that leads her to discover others like herself, secrets to her past, and the reality of her gifts. With the help of her new friend, Allie, Maria feels she finally found her place in this world. The destined meeting of Ash awakens the two girls to the fine veil between this world and the next. Can Maria survive the haunting evil that threatens her? This book is based on true paranormal events. The names of people and places have been changed in order to enhance the story line. However, all paranormal events are due to personal experiences or eyewitness accounts. THIS BOOK WAS REVISED IN JUNE OF 2013 TO INCLUDE NEW EXPERIENCES AND THE NARRATIVE WAS CHANGED TO FIRST PERSON.

1) What inspired the book Angels & Arrows?

The book is based on true events that occurred either personally to me or to family members or friends. I changed locations, time frames, and names of people strictly to enhance the story. There is very little that is fabricated in the book. The only part that has not occurred is the ending scene.

2) Why did you choose to fabricate that scene?

Well, to be honest I was going to end it in a different manner. However, so many people that read the ARC said they didn’t like it because it kind of left the reader hanging. I wanted to give a happy ending to the main character, she (I) have been through a lot. I guess you could say it is how I would like for the situation to end.

3) So the main character is based on you and your life?

Yes, 95% of the paranormal activity that happens to Maria in the book, has happened to me.

4) Do you by chance have any abilities along those lines?

Yes I do. I can “read” people and tell certain things about them. The best way I can explain it is that I just know these things. It is as if I’ve known this person for a long time and know their habits and personality. The best way I describe it is like this… a person knows things about their spouse, best friend, relative etc. No one tells them, they just know that habit or personality trait; this is how it happens to me. I can also communicate with spirits. I would not say that I am another Long Island Medium or anything like that, it just happens; I don’t know why or how, it just does.

5) How old were you when you first realized you had these abilities?

From the time I was about three or four years old I knew I could talk to spirits. I could see them and talk to them. I had an experience when I was about 6 years old where an old woman came and visited me in the middle of the night. I saw this woman two other times in the coming years. It wasn’t until about 5 or so years ago that I realized I could actually read people. I always thought it was just my intuition telling me things about the person. However, when I began asking people certain things that were revealed to me, they were astounded because there was no way I could have known those things; things they had told no one.

6) Have you met many people with similar abilities?

Yes I have met quite a few people, thanks to social media. My best friend also has the same abilities as me. It is comforting to know that I am not as weird and a freak as I once thought I was because of this ability. It can be very difficult at times, judged and criticized that I call on something evil or dark to get this information. I am just like every other person that believes in God and Jesus. I pray regularly and no, it does not come from something evil.

7) Did it ever feel like you were too different a burden?

When I was younger it was more difficult and there were only a select few that I told about my abilities. Now that I am older and wiser, I don’t really care what people think about me. I don’t go around advertising that I can do these things, and I surely don’t approach people on the street.

8) What made you decide to talk about it now?

With the release of Angels & Arrows I wasn’t going to deny or hide this any longer. I also hope that perhaps this will help someone that is going through a similar situation that is having a hard time getting people to believe them. It is hard to change someone’s mind when they do not believe or do not want to believe that things can and do happen. I am sure there are those individuals that make things up and lie about the paranormal activity that goes on around them. Those people give the rest of us that it is actually happening to a bad name and instilling that stigma that was placed on us a long time ago. For those that have similar abilities that they hide or that are afraid of the laughter and mockery they will get for the belief of the paranormal activities that are happening around you… you are not alone, there is someone out there that does understand.