The Ghost

Why did I choose to write from the ghost’s perspective? – One might ask!

In answer to this question that may come from a reporter or reader:

This question presumes that this was my choice. As previously stated in my bio, I felt very connected to the 1800’s (time period) as I researched and wrote “The Belle of Collingwood”. And that the book seemed to ‘write itself”. Perhaps I had a co-creator working with me!

As for my part (both consciously and subconsciously) I likely took this path when I saw the direction the story was taking. I definitely wanted to write something (somewhat) magical and mystical. And I say ‘somewhat’ because I would always strive to write something plausible – something that well could be truth. A smattering of the supernatural but not too way out there; within the realm of believability for even some skeptical people.

From the book: the Ghost states that the following story is ‘vexacious to his soul’ and so he has to tell it (to get it out). This adds to the purpose of the telling of the story.

The Ghost had the ability to see all of the lives of the people in the book in retrospect. They say that once we die, right away we understand our own lives along with the good and the bad that we do while we are on Earth. It is thus, so that we can learn and grow as souls.

This ghost was able to see how the lives in the book were affected by his behaviour in life. And he was able to compare the behaviours of others with his own.

He could also see other things, such as in one case, a previous life of one of the girls (Annie) where she had known the same man (soul) that she loved in this lifetime. Also, the Ghost of Collingwood was able to comment on the present day and the folly of taking up the railway tracks. Too, he commented on the pristine state of nature that existed in nineteenth century Simcoe County and contrasted it with the nature of today. The ghost was also, as a spirit, now aware of not only cause and effect of his own mistakes, but the reasons that people (the other characters in the book) behaved the way they did. He could now understand the way that Life weaves the destinies of people, affected by their thoughts and actions and according to the bounty and mercy of life.

I cannot discuss the ghost any further without divulging essential information about his identity which is a mystery for the reader to solve at the very end of the book. I can say, however, that I myself did not know who the ghost was until I was writing the last chapter! I have given you one clue, however, throughout this blog by using certain pronouns. You have undoubtably noticed. The ghost in life was male!

This is a fiction book. However the presence, the essence, that I felt when writing it was somehow inspiring me to write a story that had a point – a moral? a teaching? – some wisdom. Strangely, the stories of the three women were mysteriously connected in a subtle way. And like in the old days of novels and movies, there was a ‘moral to the story’.