GHOSTS IN THE MAIL - With Applause!

I am fascinated by Mary's account of ghost applause in Virginia. She was kind enough to send this along to me and allow me to post her original telling of the encounter. Thanks, Mary!

>>Randy,

When I met you at "City Lights" bookstore in Sylva, I promised to tell about my experiences when staying in a plantation house in Clarke County, Virginia. In brief,this is what occurred.

I spent 3 nights and parts of 4 days in one of the many plantation houses to be found in Clarke County. The first 2 nights, I awoke to a sensation of extreme cold (the infamous "cold spot".)

The 3rd night I was awakened by what sounded like applause, not in my room, but in the front of the house where the drawing room and dining room/ball room are located.

One afternoon, while standing in the entry hall, I heard what sounded like people talking. I knew I was alone in the house, but nevertheless I turned around. Of course there was nothing to be seen, but the sounds were real.

Perhaps the applause and the voices were connected in some way - a house party of some sort?! None of these caused me any alarm, but there was one further event that did.

I had been visiting friends, and returned after dark. I made my way towards my room, turning off lights as I went. I was in the entry hall, and looked up into the darkness of the stairwell above. It seemed as though there was something decidedly unpleasant/malevolent up there.

There was no way on earth I would have gone up those stairs, and fortunately I didn't have to!

If you have any further questions I would be happy to try to answer them for you. I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation, and your book "Ghost Cats of the South."
Sincerely, Mary T.>>

Dog Dance!

This wonderful pooch is Walker. But, you know, Walker would rather dance.

Alive and HAPPY... and Just a Little Wet

Recently I spent five minutes on the phone trying to breathe while simultaneously peeing my pants. My agent called to tell me a publisher has made an offer for my novel of mostly dead people.

The contract is being negotiated by people who know how to do that. I don't want to jinx anything, so I'm waiting a bit to say anything more.

Needless to say, I am as excited as all get out. :-)

This is the most positive turn of events imaginable for anyone who sits alone day after day and week after week and, yes, month after month, writing a book-length work of fiction on the mere hope that someone some day might read it.

Still Alive - But No One Else Is

My dogs think I am blind. This is because I get up early to write. Very early. The house is dark. I don't live alone. I step on the dogs.

In the dark, I knock over lamps. A bit of irony here, I think. Then I tumble across the floor in my underwear with an upholstered recliner in my arms. And somehow I manage to turn on the coffee.

I keep thinking, if I close one eye and leave the other one open, that I can see in the dark. I can't.

It might be 2:30 in the morning. It might be 3. Once I get the coffee on, I have had a successful day.

I took off a few months from most other activity to write a novel. Sadly, "most other activity" included doing this blog. The book is done now. And it is off to see the world (please, do not open books in the dark -- they don't like it when you do).

All the characters who matter in this novel are dead. What can I say? I do ghosts.

Speaking of having a successful day, the manuscript (is it really a manuscript when it circulates as a digital file?) of mostly dead people recently found a quick and lasting friendship with a wonderful agent, who has my ghosts now. I am very happy about that.