Sammi's Ghost

Sammi and Aunt Belle

I missed last week. I'll tell you why in the second part, where I report on my writing.

It hasn't changed since last week. I think my ghosts are laying low, resting for when the Veil starts thinning next month. That's when they can communicate more easily. Even cause mischief, but they're well aware of where the line is between teasing and irritation in my house; what will draw a laugh and what will get them disciplined if they cross it. 

Well, to be honest, Howard never seems to be inactive. Yesterday I was working in my office and he walked across the porch, in front of my window, several times. Once my little dog barked, which usually means there's someone at the front door and I haven't heard the doorbell. Since I'd just seen someone pass my window, I got up to check. Nope. I heard Howard chuckling. He loves to make me get up and look for him, especially since it verifies I've actually seen him.

If my activity slows down, though, I can usually count on Aunt Belle for a subject for the blog. When we talked a few days ago, she told me another tale about her daughter Sammi's ghost. That guy is the one I told y'all about a few blogs ago, who "lives" with Aunt Belle's daughter in the mobile home next door. It was also after Aunt Belle had told Sammi about Harold, the ghost she encountered when she went over to feed Sammi's animals.

"Sammi's ghost scared her the other day," Aunt Belle said to me in our phone conversation.

"Tell! Tell!" I said. "What did he do?"

Now, we aren't unsympathetic when a ghost scares someone. In fact, we march in and discipline the ghost, which Aunt Belle will do if Sammi can't handle things herself. We just like scary stories, so that's why I was excited to hear about this.

"When I told her about Harold, Sammi nodded and said, 'That's who it is, then.' She had thought that tall ghost she saw at the foot of her bed was her husband, Joey's, dad. This tall guy, Harold, also loves to play with the cats. They played back with him, and they ran through the house."

Since Sammi is quite the animal lover, she always has dogs or cats around. Recently, she brought a litter of kitten inside, since she was worried something would happen to them. The kittens are old enough to run around now, so Harold has lots of playmates.

"Sammi was in her bedroom and one of her cats came in and dove under the bed," Aunt Belle said. "Then something kept bumping against her bedroom door, really hard, making a loud noise. It kept  up so long, it really scared Sammi, because there was absolutely no one standing at that door to make that noise."

"Cool," I said with a laugh. "But not for Sammi, huh?"

"No, not for her. She said she tried to get the cat out from under the bed, and it wouldn't come at all. So even though she was scared, she got mad. She stood up and told Harold: 'Look, you can stay here if you behave yourself. But what you're doing is scaring me! So knock it off and don't do it again! Otherwise, you're out of here.'"

"Did it work?" I asked.

"Far as I know," Aunt Belle said. "Harold's behaved himself. I'm sure he knows we can banish him if he doesn't."

"What about Arthur?" I asked.

"I haven't seen him for a while. But that happens with him. He disappears for so long, I forget about him. Then he shows up again. He'll be back."

And he will. Even when we cross ghosts we encounter into the Light, they come back and visit us.

~~~~

As to the writing, here's a sneak peak at a draft of the Silent Prey cover. Angela's got a really cool start on it, but she's looking for some sort of tree. Don't ask me. She knows what she wants and she won't finish the cover until she has it exactly right in her own mind. I'm a fumble-thinker (just made up that word, since I can do that as a writer) when it comes to designing something like that. I can write all day about it, but not envision things like she can.

Silent Prey Draft Cover

But I've begun calling this my Book from Hell. The thing is, I started it a couple years ago, got about a third of the way through, then set it aside for a while. There was a new Dead Man Mystery (Dead Man Ohio)

intruding on writing Silent Prey. So I wrote it and another set of diaries, plus my annual Halloween story. Then I got back to Silent Prey. I don't know how many of you are also writers, but we are a weird bunch. I had a horrible time returning to this book, but I love the story. However, the edits are a drain. I'm finding things that are inconsistent and places the writing could be lots stronger. So instead of glossing it over and publishing it, I kept it here in my hot little fingers.

Thus far, Angela has read it and offered some really constructive advice. I've done my edit on her critique and am getting the book ready for two more readers before I put it up for sale. I'm picky, picky. I want my books to be a fantastic read for y'all, and I won't publish them until I'm satisfied I've met that goal. Soon, though, soon.

And that's my excuse for missing last week, the edits on the Book from Hell. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Aunt Belle and I are sneaking away to an undisclosed site in November. Once or twice a year, I drag her off so we can do like we did in the "old days," just her and me and the ghosts. I'll need a rest after the Spirit Fest! See y'all there!

Are you getting excited about Halloween yet? I am! Hopefully, my ghosts will pull some antics for me to write about in here. They love prowling during the thin Veil!

Boo!

T. M.