While paranormal and supernatural are often used interchangeably, there’s a subtle but powerful difference between the two. Paranormal stories typically focus on phenomena that exist alongside our reality, like ghosts, psychic abilities, shapeshifters, vampires, and other entities that challenge the limits of science and logic. Supernatural fiction, on the other hand, dives deeper into the spiritual and divine, exploring forces that transcend human understanding—angels, demons, gods, curses, and realms beyond the physical world.
For Black writers, these genres offer more than thrills; they’re a means of reclaiming and reimagining power. The paranormal and supernatural allow Black authors to blend ancestral wisdom, folklore, spirituality, and cultural identity into stories that defy erasure. Within these pages, they create new mythologies, honor traditions rooted in the African diaspora, and explore how unseen forces mirror real struggles—generational trauma, faith, resilience, and liberation.
