Hallo, Hallo dear hearts,
I found out about this blog tour nearly too late to become a part of it – as I hadn’t been reading my newsletters recently. I had a lot going on the first quarter of 2018, which I why I am still working on my self-directed Feminist reads even as half of March has already become erased off the clock! You’ll be seeing more posts arriving which feature strong women – either in narratives which held me to the page, in audiobooks which gave me a wicked good story to feel enveloped inside or Non-Fiction stories which celebrate #WomensHistory and/or memoirs of women who are trying to share their lives, faith and the ways in which they drew strength through living their authentic life.
Imagine, then – as I was looking forward to settling into these stories, I pulled open a newsletter for the lovely Audiobookworm tours and discovered there was a *ghost!* story coming up for March! I was overly excited – as I still remember the joy of settling into the Ghost Stories by Edith Wharton – a special inter-library loan – as it was the first time I had started to seek out the stories I wanted to read through my participation in The Classics Club.
I even spoke a bit about why I love organic ghost stories or those stories which are paranormally inclined on a recent post where I showcased my first vlog interview. I love seeking out Gothic Literature as well – as there is something special about the manners in which the stories are written. A well-told ghost story in my opinion is the one where there is a firm suspension of reality and the supernatural – where you could literally either see the story going in two different directions by it’s conclusion (ie. either it will be explained or remain unexplained) or you feel so fully removed from everything you thought you knew about what is known in the world to where you believe strongly in the elements of the story by how it’s been presented.
There is a lot about the paranormal to explore – not just in ghost stories, but in the lore & legends behind the stories themselves. I would have signed on to listen to this audiobook but I was a wee bit late in getting my request submitted – which is why I have the delightful pleasure of featuring a conversation with the author, Ms Ascroft about what inspired her to write a short story on behalf of such a well-known story of lore!
I know this is one short story on audiobook I’ll be seeking out to listen to as soon as I can – as after I listened to the sampler, there was *something!* quite lovely about how the narrator (Elizabeth Klett) approached this narration! You feel so immediately drawn into the story – not only due to her voice or her articulation of the story-line but because of how she delivers the lines and evokes such a strong presence within this world you want to step inside!
Be kind to yourself – brew yourself a cuppa & settle in for a wicked good convo!
A short story inspired by Northern Ireland’s famous Cooneen ghost.
A tale of family, friends, and fear….
And the unnatural force that threatens to ruin everything….
March 1913: Struggling to make ends meet, widow Bridget Murphy finds life in rural Ireland difficult, raising six children while farming her small acreage. With the help of neighbors and friends, Bridget is able to cope with the many arduous tasks and chores required of her.
When an unnatural and terrifying force invades their house, threatening their family, Bridget is surprised to see so many backs turning on her. Fearing for themselves, those she once counted on for help and support will not risk their safety for her. Father Smyth, their priest, is the only one who stands alongside their family in the battle against the uninvited and fearsome poltergeist. But, prayers alone won’t run the farm. Will Bridget find a way to save her home and her family before there’s nowhere left to turn?
How did you first come to know of the legend of the Cooneen Ghost and what set this particular legend apart from others which drew an interest to explore through a short story?
Ascroft responds: The story is inspired by events that occurred near where I live and that’s why I was particularly interested in it. Not long after my husband and I moved to rural county Fermanagh, more than a decade ago, I first heard the tale of the Cooneen ghost, a poltergeist that local lore says drove a widow, Bridget Murphy, and her six children from their farm cottage and across the sea to America at the beginning of the last century.
The events happened in a farm cottage only a couple miles from where I live and one Sunday when my husband and I were out for a walk we went to see the house. It was in the middle of a forestry plantation and could barely be glimpsed from the road. We jumped over a small ditch beside the road and picked our way through the trees until we came to a greying, run-down yet forbidding building in a small clearing. Although we saw nothing otherworldly that day, the house had an eerie atmosphere and I wouldn’t have volunteered to remain there after dark. After visiting the house, the story intrigued me even more and I did a bit of delving into the tale of the Cooneen ghost. An Unbidden Visitor was born from this research.
I love how you not only found inspiration from the lore of the Cooneen ghost itself but you had personally taken a visit to the setting in which the legend was bourne. I think this helps anchour you to a particular piece of lore as your more directly in-tune with the atmosphere of the place in which it is set or has occurred. I have toured many historic homes and buildings – some which are perfectly restored, others which could use a bit of help and others still – between restoration and the state in which they were found – you are quite right about how foreboding certain places can feel when we’re visiting their grounds. What an interesting back-story of how you were inspired to draw out this story and give it a new bit of life!
How did you find your narrator Elizabeth Klett whose voice pulls you into the setting and the atmospheric vibe of the story? What were you hoping to find in the person who would voice the story?
Ascroft responds: I chose the narrator, Elizabeth Klett, from a selection of audio demos that Findaway Voices provided for me based on the voice quality and accent I’d told them I was looking for. An Irish female character is the first person narrator of my story so I knew I wanted a female narrator. After providing Findaway Voices with as much detail as possible about what I wanted regarding the accent and the quality of the voice, I received audition tracks of several narrators’ readings. I listened to them then requested a sample narration of an excerpt from my story from a couple of the narrators I liked.
These narrators had voices I enjoyed listening to and could produce convincing British or Irish accents. Later, when I listened to the narrators I’d chosen read an excerpt from my story, I considered whether the story sounded the way I envisioned it. Were they able to create an air of tension and suspense without being melodramatic and could they produce the accent I wanted for the character? Elizabeth Klett stood out from the others. She did an excellent job with every aspect of the narration so I chose her and we began working on the project together.
What was the hardest part about giving leverage of suspense to having the poltergeist terrify the family and draw tension of horror in Bridget who might have felt she couldn’t overcome the ‘unbidden enemy’ of her home?
Ascroft responds: I think the most difficult thing is to create suspense using simple occurrences in the plot. I wrote a story based on a well-known legend and I didn’t want to embellish it but I wanted to conjure the feelings the family would have experienced as the events occurred. Achieving that comes down to skillfully using description to capture the reader’s attention and emotions.
There is a delicate balance in achieving this kind of suspension of narrative – where you are relying on the reader to not only find your vision but to feel attached to the instincts you had in telling it. I used to listen to a story about a family who lived on a farm and they had an unexplained event happen in their barn – there was a simplicity to the telling of the story but within it’s simplicity also lied the greatest thrill because you truly did not know how it was going to end if it even could end on good footing. I have found most stories of this nature instantly find a way to grab your heart and leave you on the edge of your seat – as you wait to see how everything is finally revealled or concluded.
As you love to write Historical Fiction – what do you love most about crafting Historical Suspense with Paranormal attributes such as this short? Is this something you will continue to explore?
Ascroft responds: I enjoy melding the two genres together. I am always keen to get the historical aspects of the story accurate. Then the challenge is to slip in the paranormal element and make it believable within the story. My imagination can run wild – as long as I stay true to the era I’m writing about.
Yes, I will continue to explore bringing these genres together. I’ve written a full length novel, set during the Second World War in Northern Ireland, that revisits the Cooneen ghost and explores its link with an American soldier. The novel will be ready to release later this year.
I look forward to listening to this short in full – as the best allure you can give a Historical Fiction reader is by bending genre into a beloved niche of literature! I love finding how writers are re-creating their own niche of interest or developing a pathway into different modes of narrative revelations to keep us glued to the stories themselves. Though as I previously stated, the fact this was a ghost story & a Historical already had me at ‘hallo’!
Ooh my! I look forward to hearing more about this novel which sounds partially like a war drama and partially an extension of what we will find in this short story! How lovely you’ve expanded the focus of the ghost and have expanded our joy in the process!
Who are your favourite writers of Suspense and were they partially inspiring towards crafting your own suspenseful tale?
Ascroft responds: Susan Hill (The Woman in Black, The Mist in the Mirror) is one of my favourite suspense and horror writers but her writing didn’t consciously inspire my writing of this story. I likely drew on all the ghost stories I’ve read and heard throughout my life and then concentrated on making this story as true to the original tale as possible.
I still haven’t read ‘The Woman in Black’ as it was my intentions during one of the #HorrorOctober events I was trying to participate on a few years ago. I had decided to explore stories of ‘Cosy Horror’ and the elements of what make psychological suspense such an engaging reading experience for me. I hadn’t heard of the latter – I shall add it to the queue once I start re-engaging with reading Classical Lit. I think this is an honest truthful insight into how we write – I don’t know if we can always lay a pin on what directly influences or inspires our writings – as all of our lives we’re gaining new knowledge, prospective and inspiration simply by drawing together everything we drink in during the day. Even our observations in ordinary hours can be used lateron without consciously perhaps being aware of it. Very keenly true, indeed!
What was the most challenging aspect of crafting this short story – the length, the ambiance of the parapsychological suspense or the truer elements behind the legend which you re-envisioned through the story itself?
The most challenging aspect of crafting this story was to create a tale that was as true as possible to the original. At the time the haunting occurred in 1913, there were various explanations for it: from a clever hoax to a real haunting. I wanted to recreate the real events as I imagined them so I had to decide what I believed about the tale and write from there.
I agree! Definitely a lot of going on the ledge so to speak to find the legs of entry into sorting out how to create your own story-line within the premise of the original haunting! From the sounds of the sampler I’ve heard, you’ve done a wicked good job at executing your vision!
What do you think is the most attractive about ghost stories and stories of the paranormal?
Ascroft responds: Ghost stories appeal to our yearning for proof of life after death and our desire to reconnect with those who have gone before us. I think this is fundamental to our fascination with them. I think we also enjoy stretching our imaginations and being allowed to enter into a world with possibilities not available in our own. Deep down, we never lose the wonder and belief in magic we have in our childhoods, and enjoy indulging it when we can.
It is interesting – part of your answer matches Ms Chris who I recently interviewed as well. In how the paranormal aspects are alluring – I also think your response in regards to the ghost stories themselves has relevance because there is a lot of things we can’t conceptionalise nor fully understand whilst we’re alive. It does stand to reason we seek out these kinds of stories for the very reasons you’ve described. Yes, your quite right – once we have captured the magic of our imaginations – it is quite difficult to fully let go of it. Some need reminding of spending time in imagined worlds and allowing themselves the grace of being captured by it – the rest of us thankfully enjoy embracing it every chance we can!
This blog tour is courtesy of Audiobookworm Promotions:
Whilst participating on:
Question to you dear hearts – what do you *love!* most about Ghost Stories & the Paranormal? Do you love listening to audiobooks about this genre of interest or do you prefer reading the books in print? What draws your eye into this wonderfully Gothic niche of Lit?!
As an aside which author are your favourites for these kinds of stories & which titles would you recommend to me to seek out next!? I’d love to know what you’ve loved reading yourself!
{SOURCES: Cover art of “An Unbidden Visitor”, book synopsis, author biography, photograph of Dianne Ascroft, photograph of Elizabeth Klett, as well as the Audiobookworm Promotions badge and the audiobook tour badge were all provided by Audiobookworm Promotions and used with permission. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded by codes provided by Twitter. Audio excerpt from “An Unbidden Visitor” was embedded due to codes provided by SoundCloud. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: Conversations with the Bookish Banner and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2018.
Thanks for hosting me on your blog, Jorie. Your responses to my comments were very thoughtful. The topic of the paranormal and how we enjoy stories about it is a huge one.
Hallo, Hallo Ms Ascroft,
I regret the late response to your lovely comment. The past few years were adverse with health afflictions and an increased frequency in my chronic migraines; regrettably I lost track of my comments as they were coming into my blog. This New Year 2020 I’ve been finally able to address the comments and maintain an active response time to new ones coming in whilst resuming visiting with others in the book blogosphere.
I was grateful at the time you swung back to my blog to read my responses to the conversation – I like to carry the convo forward with authors and this was a convo I truly enjoyed having with you. I definitely liked how we discussed the paranormal and how we each appreciate chasing after stories which interest us as well.
The good news is I’ve found your audiobook is available to be heard via Scribd. I’m looking forward to resuming my membership with the service this Spring 2020 and I can’t wait to finally listen to your lovely audiobook! I never had the chance to get a copy of it via Audible and am glad Scribd has it! I look forward to sharing my thoughts about the story with you after I’ve heard it as well.