 Ghosts are Mammoth! Posted by Anna Campbell Jun 10 2012, 12:02 am
Hey, Banditas and Buddies! Today is kind of a mini launch for a mini Anna Campbell. Well, not that mini. It’s 13,000 words which translates to about 50 pages of a mass market paperback. Certainly enough to get your teeth into. My long short story “The Chinese Bed” appears in the anthology THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF GHOST ROMANCE which is out on 7th June in print and digital format in the U.K., and as an e-book in North America. American readers can buy the print version on 7th August. But I’m pretty sure American Banditas can order it from the Book Depository who will post books without charging posting and packing anywhere in the world. I KNOW non-North American Banditas can order this great collection of supernatural love stories right now. The Book Depository link is: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Mammoth-Ghost-Romance-Trisha-Telep/9781849014687 If you click on the cover at the top of this post, it will take you to Amazon. Here’s a short excerpt to whet your ghostly appetites: Marston Hall, Norfolk, 1818 Josiah heard the door open behind him. Odd how his senses remained so attuned to the world when he no longer existed as a physical entity. Then all thoughts but one fled his mind. Isabella stared at him from the doorway.
“My love…” he choked out, stepping forward and reaching for her.
During their courtship, he’d inundated her with extravagant endearments. It had been a laughing game, how wildly he could compliment this woman he loved more than his life. He’d called her his treasure of Trebizond, his glorious angel of heaven, his exquisite diamond of Ind, his shining pearl of the Orient.
But all his playful words had meant only one thing. She was his love and he’d lay down his life for her.
Joy exploded with painful force. Surely he could touch her. If he could lift a book or open a door, surely he could touch this woman who turned his world to sunlight.
 “Isabella…” Still she didn’t speak.
He stepped closer, wondering at her silence, at her lack of movement toward him. She’d so rarely been still. It was part of the quicksilver brilliance of her character. She’d been endlessly fascinating, flashing like a jewel, his darling Isabella.
His darling Isabella who stared at him as though she beheld a monster.
Her expression made him pause before he reached for her. “Isabella?”
She was trembling and pale as she’d never been in life. He couldn’t mistake the terror in her beautiful black eyes. “Stay…stay away from me.”
Of all the shocks of the day, this was the worst. What the hell had happened on his wedding day? What the hell had he done?
“I don’t understand,” he said dully, lowering his hands to his sides.
“Don’t come near me.”
She sounded so frightened, his lovely girl who had never been frightened of anything in her whole life. This was the woman who galloped hell for leather at the most dangerous fences. This was the woman who faced down her ambitious father and insisted she’d marry no man but the Earl of Stansfield.
The Earl of Stansfield whom apparently she now loathed.
Questions jammed in his throat. Very carefully he stepped back, giving her space. He had to find out what was going on, but first he had to banish the dread from her expression. Her quivering fear struck him with painful force. He abhorred seeing it.
“I won’t touch you.” The words cut at him like razors. “Trust me, Isabella.”
A disbelieving huff of laughter escaped her as she retreated, preparing to flee.
“No…” He surged toward her again before he remembered she didn’t want him to touch her. Quickly he lowered his arm but not before he caught another flash of terror in her eyes.
Whatever he’d done, it set his intrepid bride quaking with fear. Good God, what was going on here?
She lifted her chin, a poignant echo of the woman who had led him such a dance. She still wore the beautiful dress of blue French silk she’d had made for the wedding. Delicate pearls and summer flowers twined in her coils of shining black hair. “You can’t hurt me anymore.”
He frowned. “Hurt you? I don’t want to hurt you.”
 “Don’t lie to me, Josiah.” She backed off surreptitiously as if afraid he’d pounce on her if he guessed she tried to escape. “I’d never lie to you.”
Bitter cynicism tightened her expression, although at least she stopped edging away. “Of course you would.”
With every moment, he understood less. Foolishly he’d imagined he’d understand everything if he could just find Isabella. Well, he’d found her and the mysteries became more bewildering than ever. “Tell me what I did, Isabella.”
Something in his tone must have convinced her to take his question seriously. A series of emotions crossed her face, fugitive as summer lightning. Puzzlement. Anger. Then a deep sadness that matched the stabbing grief he’d felt waking without her and realizing he and his beloved were both dead.
Grim premonition gripped him. “Isabella?”
Her black gaze settled upon him, somber and lightless as he’d never seen it. “You murdered me, Josiah.”
The Chinese bed is based on a real piece of furniture although I’m not sure if it was ever cursed. In 2007, I visited Calke Abbey, a National Trust property in Derbyshire, and saw this magnificent bed with its beautiful hand-embroidered Chinese silk hangings. When the Trust took over the house in 1984, they had no idea the bed was even there (the house was a junk fest – the family never threw anything out and would have probably appeared on HOARDERS if the TV show had been around at the time). It seems the bed was a gift in 1743 from the royal family to the Harpurs but they never even unpacked it. Which given how glorious it is rather blew my mind. Because the hangings have been safely locked away in their cedar presentation cases since they were made, they are as bright and fresh as if they’d been sewn yesterday. The image of this spectacular, unused bed with its gorgeous embroideries played on my imagination and eventually turned into the Chinese bed in this story.
It’s a sad place in many ways (the family dwindled away from one of the richest in the kingdom to the point where the last owner lived in two dingy rooms while the building fell down about his ears) but haunting and extremely interesting. Here’s the website if you’d like to find out more: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-calkeabbey.htm
Because I’m talking about ghosts, I couldn’t resist including a photo of my favorite ghost romance, THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR. Captain Gregg, you can come and haunt me anytime! So do you have a favorite ghost romance? Have you ever had a ghostly encounter? Let’s talk about things that go bump in the night (hmm, bumping with Rex is kinda appealing – yeah, I’ll stop now!).
Posted in Anna Campbell, anthologies, Bandita Booty, Caulke Abbey, Ghost stories, Launch, Mammoth Books, National Trust, novellas, Secondary romances, Short Stories, The Chinese Bed, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance Comments93 thoughts on “Ghosts are Mammoth!” |
   
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To celebrate the release of 
WOOHOOOO!!! Congrats, Anna–can’t wait to read your ghostly romance! I can’t say that I’ve ever had a ghostly encounter myself (thankfully! I’m sure I’d be scared senseless!)
Hey, Fedora, the chook whispered to me he’s dressing up in a sheet practising saying BOO just for you today!
I’ve definitely had spooky feelings about places I’ve been, not sure if that counts! I had great fun writing the ghost romance – a change is as good as a holiday, they say!
Fedora, congrats on the rooster! I have no desire for a ghotly encounter, either!
I love THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR. The movie is wonderful. I also used to watch the television show which was a lot of fun. Such a cheeky ghost. What a love story!!
Mary, the TV show and the movie had very different atmospheres, didn’t they? The movie is full of this melancholy romanticism and the setting on the English coast is beautiful. And of course, who could beat Rex? I really enjoyed the TV show too but it was a bit more of a romp. Having said that, I remember the ghost being fairly yummy in that too – and having a lovely English accent as well!
Love the cover Anna. Congrats!
Which encounter could I tell you with out sounding like I’ve got an over drawn writer’s imagination….Lol.
After my sister-in-law passed away, I kept dreaming of her and I had a few things happen like lights come on when no one was there. Freaky, trust me.
One night I had a dream that my sister-in-law was writing all over the walls in my house, everywhere, on paper on the walls everywhere. I woke up and thought “what are you trying to tell me?” I forgot about that dream then months later I enrolled to do what I always wanted, my MA in Writing. That dream came back to me and I thought, just to be a little cliche here, “son of a gun, that’s what you were saying.”
So ghosts, dreaming of the dead, divine intervention or overactive imagination, you decide.
I definitely believe that there are somethings we just can explain.
Smiles,
Effie
Wow, Effie, that’s a majorly cool ghostly intervention. You could get a story out of that one! I tend to be with Hamlet in that there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Very apt Anna and such a poignant play Hamlet is, death everywhere and the undercurrent – revenge. Very much a tragedy of monumental proportions.
I guess I never looked at it as a story but rather a sense of being told don’t waste your life. Do what you love.
It’s a wonderful message to get from the other side, isn’t it? I have to say I love Hamlet – it’s just so rich, isn’t it? There’s a whole world in there!
There is a plethora in there Anna. I believe Hamlet is the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays.
Now that’s interesting. I know I’ve seen it a few times which means there must have been productions quite often. Romeo and Juliet would be the other one I’ve seen nearly as many times.
Great excerpt!!
I have had a few different things happen. All of which make me believe there is something out there.
Hey, thanks, Donnas! Both these couple are in deep doo-doo thanks to that cursed bed! I actually think it’s arrogant for us to think we have the answer to everything. Thanks for swinging by!
Congrats, Anna! I absolutely adored The Chinese Bed. Your fans are going to love it too. It’ll give them chills–in a good way!
Isn’t it remarkable that the Harpurs didn’t even unpack their Chinese bed?
I had a few ghostly encounters in New York last year. Strange lights. Knocking on a wall that backed onto an alleyway. The weirdest thing was one night I dreamt of being pulled from the bed by my feet–the next morning I had a humungous bruise that went through the entire thickness of my foot. Spooky!
Ooh, Vanessa. That would make me feel like changing hotels.
Hey, thanks for saying you loved the Chinese Bed, V. It was such a departure for me in many ways, although I kept my historical setting! It was rather sad that the Harpurs never unpacked that gorgeous bed. It’s something to see in real life. Huge and so ornately embroidered.
Wow to the ghostly encounter in NY. I think you’re a bit of a magnet for that stuff. I still remember that spooky photo of your wedding at that haunted inn in Savannah where there was an inexplicable white image hovering above you. Woooooo-wooooooo!
Ohh, noooo, I’m a magnet for ghosts? I think you’re right, given all the other spooky stuff I’ve experienced. Not sure I’ll sleep tonight. Lol!
Hey, I’m sure there are nice ghosts that just wish you nighty-night and sweet dreams!
Anna, what a corker of an excerpt! As you know, I read and loved your long short story. Now I want to read it all over again.
Thanks for sharing your photos. I especially like the pic of the Chinese bed. How wonderful to have real places and items to inspire your story. I can imagine you browsing historic houses, staring at the furniture and imagining all sorts of fascinating stories.
Annie, I find those big old houses in the UK enormously inspiring for stories. After all, at the basis, they’re usually family stories and that’s what I’m telling – or at least how the couple get together to establish a family. If ever you’re in Derbyshire, I strongly recommend a visit to Caulke Abbey. Really interesting place with an unforgettable atmosphere. Thanks for saying you enjoyed the excerpt – feels like so long since I wrote this story!
Well I have had some strange things happen. Like I can sense when I think my grandmother is here. She died when I was 15. I like ghost love stories. They are fun reads! !
Ebony, I love ghost love stories too. I wish there were more of them. They work so well in movies, you’d think the publishers would be looking for lots of them. How lovely about your grandmother being a presence in your life.
Congratulations on the new book! I have never had a ghostly encounter but my son insists that there was a ghost in the basement of the house him and his roommates rented last year at college. He claims there was a tricycle in the basement and they had no idea why it was there so they threw it out. Shortly after that he claims they heard a girl crying in the house so this is why they could not go down into the basement and do their laundry.
Maureen, I’m wondering if he then brought his laundry home to mum! Could be a scheme behind this particular haunting. Mind you, the idea of the tricycle and the little girl could make a great ghost story! Thanks for the congrats!
So do you have a favorite ghost romance? Have you ever had a ghostly encounter? Let’s talk about things that go bump in the night (hmm, bumping with Rex is kinda appealing – yeah, I’ll stop now!).
Who can go past the movie ‘Ghost’? Of course, I’d love to have a hottie like Patrick Swayze protecting me in any way possible!
Other than that, I do enjoy watching – and reading – ‘What Dreams May Come’ by Richard Matheson. It’s a great story of twin souls who just can’t live without each other when one dies in a car crash; after their children die the same way… sad really, but wonderful after they all end up on the other side looking for each other.
As for ghostly encounters? Plenty. My unit was haunted when I first arrived. And my ghost used to hide things on me… like my house keys. She did this just when I arrived home, dropped them in the plate by the door and then put them back when I ordered her to.
Oh well. It happens to a good friend of mine too. So, I’m not alone.
Then, for about a week or two, she kept showing up at the end of my bed at 2am. Talk about freaking me out! At first, it was horrible. But when I figured out who she was, I ended up asking her if she knew she had passed away and if she was the previous tenant (and she was) and if she needed to show me something. She ended up leaving the house on her own and hasn’t bothered me since (I’m thankful, believe me!).
But I’ve been bothered by ghosts in a bookstore in Brisbane called ‘Archives’. The front of the building isn’t haunted; it’s the back building that is; all due to an unsolved murder, five spirits can’t find peace. How dreadful. So, they run around the back building and bother us mortals by nudging us, scaring us and pretty much giving us the willies. And at night, the store owners reckon they throw books around and leave them all over the place… hmmm… not very nice ghosts in that store. With me, they just seem to follow me around and run into me on purpose like they’re bullying me. Not fun.
Mozette, I know the Archives bookshop. I had no idea it was haunted. Although I can imagine it! Creepy story about the previous tenant!
I loved both the movie & tv series “The Ghost & Mrs Muir’. Such a wonderfully touching love story; that’s my type of ghost story
Now Anna, have trouble picturing you celebrating in a “mini” manner so not surprised your launch is going mammoth 
Snort, Gamistress! Of course I’m not doing mini celebrations! You know me so well. Yeah, the Ghost and Mrs. Muir was special, wasn’t it?
Ahhh – one of my favourite films! Love The Ghost and Mrs Muir! *happy sigh*
As you know, I’m not a huge fan of paranormals, but I do like light woo-woo and friendly ghosts definitely fit into that category! I can’t remember any off the top of my head, but there are some great matchmaking ghosts in various category romances I’ve read over the years.
Oh and I love Kate Angell’s Crazy for You – such a fun read. Daisy is a brilliant ghost!
Anna, I like light woo woo too. Goodness, I’m a poet! Actually if you’re looking for a really enjoyable ghost romance, I’d recommend The House on Sunset by Anne Stuart. She writes wonderfuly secondary romances but this one actually has THREE romances and the third one is the ghosts of some old-time Hollywood film stars who live in the house our heroine is trying to save from development in Los Angeles. Great story and I think you’d like it.
Thanks! Must check that out as I love Anne Stuart’s RS.
fabulous post. I used to watch The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and enjoyed it so much. Ghost stories are so unique and add a new perspective. best wishes.
Thanks so much, Ellie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. I feel like I’ve been holding my breath on this one. It was supposed to come out last September but there was some sort of hiccup with the publication so I’ve had to wait till now. Nice to have something new out!
I love The Canterville Ghost, Patrick Stewart is wonderful in that. He may be dead but he still got his HEA
I have had spooky sensations in some places, a chill over the skin, hairs on my neck and arms standing up, that is enough for me. Some family members have had much more definite occurences that gives me the chills to even talk about.
Dianna, sounds like you, like Vanessa, might be a bit of a magnet for this stuff. I love Patrick Stewart – wow, that beautiful voice. I must check out his Canterville Ghost. I first came across that story in a radio adaptation which they did one Christmas afternoon when I was in high school. I remember listening to it with complete joy. Lovely thing for Christmas! Never heard it again. It was a BBC thing.
I love Anna Campbell and her books. I do believe in ghosts. I do believe in ghosts. I do believe in ghosts.
Hey, thanks so much, Ruth. I believe that you believe in ghosts!
Congratulations on the book which sounds wonderful. Ghost stories have that pull for me and glad that you mentioned The Ghost and Mrs. Muir since it is a classic.
Pearl, it was very much that Ghost and Mr. M atmosphere that I was trying to recreate when I wrote the Chinese Bed although I think there’s a few more slightly scary bits in TCB than there are in TGAMM. Well, at least the writer was scared, LOL!
I like The Ghost and Mrs Muir too
Sandy, so glad you’re another fan! I did a piece for the Favorite Things part of my website about The Ghost and Mrs. Muir that explains why I love it so much – http://annacampbell.info/favethings11.html#Sept11
Anna, congratulationd on your new release! What a wonderful story about your inspiration. I clicked the link to Calke Abbey (what an unusual name, Calke). Very interesting that the National Trust didn’t do much restoration but rather left the place in an illustrative state of decline. Are there courtyards behind the facade you showed us? Or is the house just a big rectangle?
Ghost romances were very big at one time. I lovedLynn Kurland’s Stardust of Yesterday, which kicked off the subgenre. That’s probably still my favorite. I also liked, and still have several of, Christina Skye’s Draycott Abbey series.
Anna, congratulations on your new release! I love the inspiration for it. I clicked on the link to Calke Abbey (what an unusual name, Calke) and was interested to see that the National Trust has done little restoration, leaving it in an illustrative state of decline.
So far as I know, I’ve never had a ghostly encounter. I hope I never do.
My favorite ghost romance is probably Lynn Kurland’s Stardust of Yesterday, which kicked off the subgenre. I also enjoyed Christina Skye’s Draycott Abbey series.
Apologies if this post turns out to be a duplicate. I wrote a comment, told it to post, and it seems to have disappeared. :-/
Nancy, I haven’t read either of those. Thanks for the recommendations. I’ll definitely check them out. I think most of my ghost romance has been in the realm of film – everyone loves TGAMM. But there’s A Portrait of Jennie and Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (one of the most romantic movies I’ve ever seen with a wonderfully sexy Flying Dutchman played by James Mason and Ava Gardner looking luminous as Pandora) or something modern like Ghost.
Anna – Loved the excerpt. You could really feel the love and desire of Josiah for his Isabella. Nice cliffhanger ending as well.
I haven’t had any ghostly experiences though I would like to (grin). I’ve stayed in haunted hotels, eaten in haunted restaurants, visited haunted (real) houses…nothing…nada…spiff. I guess the only way I’m going to experience the haunted is to haunt someone myself! (I think I’ll start a list
).
Mammonth congrats on the Mammonth release!
Hey, Donna, you can haunt me. I never see enough of you and missing two RWAs in a row means I won’t have seen you for three years before we get together again! Too long! So glad you loved the excerpt – poor Josiah is in a pickle, isn’t he?
Love ghostly stories and can’t wait to read yours, Anna! Btw, I checked bookdepsitory and, according to their site, we can’t order the print version here in the US until September.
THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR is such a lovely film, isn’t it? One of my favorites! Cindy Miles writes some wonderful ghostly highlanders.
I’ve never had a ghostly encounter but definitely some moments where I felt the presence of spirits and events that I truly believe were messages from the other side.
The second time I visited the Coliseum in Rome was a quiet day with few tourists milling about. I stood at the top looking down at all those seats and the pit where Gladiators fought for their lives. Closing my eyes, it was as if I’d been transported back to 100 AD. I swear I could hear the cheers, smell the sweaty bodies and feel the determination and desperation of all those condemned souls. It was quite a spooky experience.
PJ, what an amazing story about the Colisseum. If you think about all the emotion and pain and desperation that took place in that arena, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was haunted. I think you’re right about it needing to be quiet for the ghosts to make themselves felt. Hey, thanks for saying you’re looking forward to reading the story. What a pain about the Book Depository. Wondered if that might be the case. Australia is officially counted as Britain in terms of publishing (yeah, I know, it’s silly) so we’re allowed to order it. And I got my copies from the publisher a couple of weeks ago. It’s a very nice production and that cover is even nicer in real life.
I love that bed makes you wish you could spend the night in it for the history and to see if something did go bump in the night. Congrats and thanks for wonderful stories so we all get to take a mini vacation while reading.
Thanks so much, Debbie. I’ve got a couple of these Mammoth Anthologies and I think they’re wonderful for when you want a nice hit of romance but don’t have time to settle down to a whole book. And 50 pages is long enough to sink your teeth into so you really get to know the characters and enjoy their happy ending. Yeah, isn’t that bed something else? Imagine owning it and NEVER unpacking it? Blows my mind!
Fedora is doomed to be haunted by the GR! At least for today!
LOVED that excerpt, La Divina Campbell ! I can’t wait to read the rest of the story.
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is one of my very favorite films. The ending makes me sigh every time. I recently watched and enjoyed The Woman in Black and there is a romantic twist to the end of the story which completely surprised me.
My second book is a Gothic Regency ghost story so I definitely love that sort of tale.
I’ve regaled the Lair with the story of my youngest brother’s imaginary friend who ended up being the ghost of our landlord’s brother.
This same brother was saved as an adult from a house fire by what my sister-in-law swears was a visit from our late father. A chimney fire started in their den. My sister-in-law woke up at 3AM because she said she heard my father’s voice. She opened her eyes and saw him standing at the foot of the bed. He told her to get up and go to the children. The children’s room were behind the den. The entire family got out of the house safely. To this day she swears “Pop Pop” was the one who woke her up.
I have visited Dachau and Auschwitz and I truly believe death and the souls of all of those innocent victims lives there as surely as the grass and trees.
And there is a particular castle in Transylvania I do not think I ever want to visit again. There was something there. I felt it and I saw it from the corner of my eye.
Wow, Louisa, the Transylvania thing gave me goosebumps! Eeek! Mind you, just the word ‘Transylvania’ is enough to give a person the shivers, isn’t it? Yes, I hope the rooster hasn’t been tormenting Fedora from the other side – of the hen house! And what amazing stories about your family. Wow – looking forward to reading your gothic ghost story. I haven’t seen the Woman in Black – looks good.
Haha, love it….you played outside of your usual sand pit. You crack me up, Anna! I loved the excerpt.
Hmmm, I read a book about ghosts in a modern-day castle that were knights/brothers from a few centuries ago. Somehow, as in the world of love and romance magic, the hero and his brothers transformed into real beings. It was good, but do you think I can remember the book or author? Dang.
I’ve watched TGAMM movie and remember the comedy show on t.v. when I was a kid with Hope Lange. Who was the ghost? I can’t remember.
Deb, the ghost in TGAMM is a sea captain who is supposed to have committed suicide which is why he haunts – of course he hasn’t! Love the sound of the book with the knights – if you remember what it is, please DM me. I’d love to read it. And thanks for saying you loved the excerpt!
I’ve never had a ghost encounter, but my favorite ghost romance is Lynn Kurland’s Stardust of Yesterday. Congrats on the new release, I love ghost stories so I can’t wait to read it.
Thanks so much, Barbara. Another recommendation for the Lynn Kurland? I’ll definitely have to try and grab it.
I loved the movie “Ghost” as my favorite ghost romance movie.
Gail, I was playing Unchained Melody on the piano the other day and thinking of the movie. Hmm, no Patrick Swayze came up behind me, though!
Congrats on the release, Anna! That is a fabulous excerpt and definitely makes me want to read the rest. Boo if I have to wait until September as someone above said (sorry, can’t find the post now!)
I come from a long line of “sensitive” people and have had more encounters than I care to remember. As an interesting coincidence I went to a talk just yesterday by a local paranormal expert (he does the TV show “Hometown Haunts”) and bought his book on the ghosts in my town. I worked in two of the supposedly haunted buildings; one of them is haunted by a little girl whose family owned the store and lived above the shop. We never had any trouble with her but I guess she is a foodie because now that the place is a restaurant she apparently shows up all the time. In the other building I used to hear people talking all the time in the office. I thought it was someone in the upstairs offices or the adjoining shop talking on the phone at first, then I realized all the other spaces were vacant except ours! One of my coworkers said she used to hear someone counting money back there; we all told her she should have asked him where he hid the money!
The expert said that ghosts dislike change and construction and this is true; the only time we had any problems and “bad feelings” in that store was when our bathroom had to be rebuilt in the middle of the Christmas rush because of a pipe collapse. The ghosts next door did not like us using their shop for storage and using their bathroom and used to knock over boxes and turn lights off to make us leave. Recently one of the historic storefronts had to be torn down because of a dangerous structural defect and this has really upset the downtown ghosts. The expert said they are running riot all up and down the street and many of the people that work there have had to close their offices and work elsewhere because of all the disturbances.
Wow, EC, that’s amazing! What great ghost stories. Love the one about the voices in the empty rooms – spooky! Goodness me, I”m never going to an old building with you and Vanessa and Dianna and Mozette. Or maybe I do – it would be very interesting.
It’s only the print version that you can’t get till September. The e-book is available right now. Here’s the Amazon link if people in North America don’t want to wait until August. http://www.amazon.com/Mammoth-Ghost-Romance-Books-ebook/dp/B005RYLUP8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1338579951&sr=1-1
I used to watch the television show, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. As far as a ghost story, I enjoyed The Bride Finder by Susan Carroll. The book has a ghost that constantly interferes in the hero’s life.
Kim, thanks for the recommendation for the Bride Finder. Again, a book I hadn’t heard of. I’m going to have lots of lovely ghost romances to read after today!
I haven’t seen The Ghost & Mrs Muir, but I really like Ghost and Wonder Man with Danny Kaye playing both the ghost and his living twin brother, whose body the ghost occasionally takes over.
Minna, I haven’t seen that film but I love Danny Kaye. Must check it out!
My favorite ghost romance is actually the movie Ghost with Patrick Swayze. And, yes, I’ve had a few ghostly encounters over the years.
Margay, everyone remembers the pottery scene in that film – and with good reason!
Oh, my, yes! Maybe that’s why I had the song that was playing – Unchained Melody – as my wedding song. Too bad the marriage cracked like poorly constructed pottery.
Margay, at least your taste in music was impeccable, LOL!
oooh, Shiver me timbers! Or bed-hangings. Grins.
I ADORE that story about the bed, Anna. How totally fascinating. Just think, the old dude who let it fall down ’round his ears could have sold that and made a mint. :>
I remember you talking about Calke Abbey and it’s on my (long) list of places to visit when I cross the pond.
I love Ghost and Mrs. Muir, btw, and agree with you about the Capt. I also loved all the ghosts in Harry Potter. Grins.
Jeanne, the weird thing about Calke is that they NEVER threw anything out. It’s an absolute rats’ nest of stuff from the absolutely gorgeous to real junk. Broke kids’ toys and pricelss Chinese porcelain. And a couple of really creepy rooms full of taxidermy that somehow really fit the atmosphere of the house. One of the owners was a mad keen explorer/naturalist and he spent most of the family fortune on dead stuffed animals. Doesn’t that blow your mind too? I mean, losing the family fortune on gambling or women, OK. But taxidermy??!!! It’s just such an eccentric house which is one of the reasons it’s so memorable, I guess. Hey, great you loved the excerpt. Thank you!
I’m with you on the The Ghost and Mrs. Muir,
it is my absolute ghostly favorite! A close
second are the Caspar the Ghost cartoons!
As for ghostly visitations, we live in a sub-
division that is believed to have been built
over an old German community’s burial
ground. Several of the original homeown-
ers reported actually seeing “visitors” in
old-style clothing/military uniforms. We’ve
heard doors opening and closing when we
are the only ones at home. For some years
after my sister passed away, we had visita-
tions which we believe to have been her.
She announced her arrival with a cloud of
her favorite Nina Ricci fragrance!! I finally
had to ask her to dial back on the amount
of fragrance……and she did!!
Pat C.
Wow, Pat, love the Nina Ricci story. Was it l’air du temps? Love that perfume. It’s an absolute classic. And how creepy about the German burial ground – that’s got echoes of Stephen King, hasn’t it? Although I gather the Germans were fairly benign in their hauntings.
Yes, it was l’air du temps! She absolutely
adored that fragrance!
Pat C.
I have a very dear friend who loves that fragrance, Pat.
What a fascinating post, Anna! I loved the excerpt, so chilling and fascinating! I’m glad you’ve got two sets of protagonists, however, because being dead and ghosts would be no fun!
Isn’t it amazing how our imaginations take off when we see something as interesting as the Chinese Bed? And we’re able to spin these wonderful stories. What a gift you have!
My favorite ghost story is the Demi Moore/Patrick Swazye movie GHOST. I especially love the relatively “new” version of “Unchained Melody” that’s the theme song.
Hey, Jo, thanks so much for saying you liked the excerpt. I decided when I said I’d do this that I’d have to have one couple who were entirely living. TGAMM is a beautiful story but she spends most of her time here on the earth on her own and they can never touch. I like my hero and heroine to touch in an Anna Campbell! Snort! And what a lovely compliment about coming up with the story. Honestly, it’s hard NOT to come up with story ideas when you visit some of those houses. I’m well overdue for another visit to the UK and some more story finding.
I play Unchained Melody on the piano. It’s such a beautiful song. So simple and yet so perfect.
And here I didn’t even know you played piano!
Actually, Jo, I became a writer because I’m a completely failed musician!
Hey, guys, late night and rainy morning and I’ve only just woken up. Something to do for an hour or so now that I can’t put off but I’ll be back then to answer everyone. Thanks so much to you all for swinging by and helping me celebrate the launch of The Chinese Bed!
Congratulations on the book! Fascinating inspiration for the story. I like A Christmas Carol.
BN, what a great point! I hadn’t thought of A Christmas Carol but of course it’s a ghost story. It’s not a romance, but there’s a wonderful Dickens ghost story called something like the Railway Signal Man too that’s beautifully done. See if you can find it if you haven’t read it. Thanks for swinging by!
Oh Wow everyone!
I think Anna you’ve got some fantastic Ghost stories here.
Scary! I’d pee my pants with some of them. That’s it I’m taking teddy to bed from now on.
Smiles
Effie
Effie, just don’t pee on Teddy!
Ha ha ha!
Loving all the stories – yours and the commenters. I have goosebumps!! I love ghost stories. I don’t have any stories of my own though. My mom tells of her mother insisting that she lost something and that night her father who had passed came to her bed and told her where it was and sure enough it was where he said.
Wow, Catslady, that’s some great story. I’m loving all these tales of ghostly encounters. It’s been a really fascinating lot of responses today. Thank you so much to everyone!
Anna, I think Stardust of Yesterday won double RITAs, for Paranormal and First Book.
Nancy, how fascinating. As I said, I’ve never even heard of it before today. I’ll have to check it out.
WOWEE, what a hook!!! This story sounds absolutely delicious, Anna. I can’t wait to read it. There’s something so romantic and tragic about ghosts, isn’t there? Love The Ghost and Mrs. Muir!
I’ve never had a ghostly encounter but I know a very sensible accountant who has, so I am willing to believe there are such things. Oh, and thank you for sharing the Chinese bed with us, how gorgeous! Isn’t it sad the way some of these families decline?
Christina, I think because the story of the family was so powerful, Calke Abbey is a place that’s stayed with me really powerfully. Thanks for saying you love excerpt! xxx
Hey, guys, great day in the lair. Thanks to everyone who swung by.
Don’t forget to check back tomorrow to see who won the signed copy of THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF GHOST ROMANCE!
Oooh, I loved the Ghost and Mrs Muir! (Makes me feel old thinking about it. LOL)
Congrats on the story and book Anna. Sounds wonderful!