On Ghosts & Graveyards

I've never really understood my fascination with scary things...and with scaring people. Ergo, the title of my blog. In any event, ghosts, graveyards and those things that go bump in the night intrigue me, thrill me, scare me, and inspire me. King, Koontz and I could be brothers.

Having recently completed the final edit of my novel, Poopchuck's Ghost, I am now onto the second in the series entitled, Popchuck's Revenge. Same characters, different circumstances and a continued plot that reveals more about the ghost in the first story. When done, I will finish the third in the series whose working title is: The Business of Trolls (Or Popchuck's End), which has been roughed out but needs refining.

I have had the advantage of working with Frank B. Edwards - www.bungalobooks.com - for the past several years. His experience and guidance has been so wonderful and so much appreciated, and I have learned a great deal in my time with him. If you have kids, pick up his books. Most of them are published under his earlier company, www.pokeweedpress.com. They are excellent. And if you're a teacher, follow him as he has a lot to offer in terms of support in the classroom. And if you're a Principal or Superintendent, invite him in to your schools, as he has a wonderful program that works with children of all ages.

I'm never happier than when writing, and I am most happy in the writing when I am tripping over the keys fashioning a deliciously wicked scene with witches and warlocks, or ghosts and monsters. In fact, Poopchuck's Ghost is a compilation of the ghost stories from Camp Bickell in the Timmins area. As the summer camp director there in the 80's, these stories fascinated me, and I loved watching the kids running around at night screaming out his name and trying to frighten one another. That's when I thought I would try my hand at putting it all together, and indeed, after three months - of handwriting using foolscap - I carved out the first version of the novel. When I went back the next summer to direct the camp again, the kids sat around the bonfire while I read several chapters each evening - and there was dead silence. The story got rave reviews, and I was inspired to keep up the writing, which I have done. I am hoping that the launch of the first in the series will bring a joy of reading to kids...and that it scares the hell out of them!!

As for my blog, On Ghosts & Graveyards will be my meanderings on everything from writing to relationships, novels to poetry, movies to real life, and I invite you in, my friend, to comment if you will.

My real hope will be that I find myself, and we find each other, in here, somewhere.

Boo!