Ally Shields's Blog, page 94

Historical Author Tracy Ward Talks About Ghosts

I'm pleased to welcome Tracy Ward to my blog today to talk about Victorian funeral practices and beliefs that she incorporated in her romantic novel, Chorus of the Dead. So, Tracy, take it away.

Ghost stories have a long standing tradition in human history. It seems from the dawn of time we have been eager to hear a tale or two of restless souls and vengeful spirits. As a child I remember my father relaying stories of his youth on Newfoundland's Bell Island, one of Canada's most eastern points in the Atlantic, where banshees screeched their unmistakable call and women in white roam the wind swept cliffs. His stories lit a spark in me that would lead me to explore historic places and search out unsolved mysteries. I am a glutton for a good ghost story but even as a writer it did not occur to me to write one, at least not until recently.

I started writing my book, CHORUS OF THE DEAD, innocently enough with a simple premise; a young, doctor must solve a case of poisoning to save the life of a beautiful young woman. Set in rural Victorian England I knew I had a lot of research to do. The more I read the more my story began to take shape. Suddenly everything took a dark, mysterious turn. Something as simple as a funeral became a ritual in eluding and tricking the spirits of the recently departed. The Victorians did nothing by accident, everything centred around spectres, the dead and the belief that spirits held greater power than we realized.

For the Victorians death was inevitable. The infant mortality rates were sky high. The chances of making it past your 50th birthday was a miracle. During a time of great industrial change, gas lights and steam engines, the streets of even the largest cities were still dark and foreboding. The Victorian age is one of transition, where school children were taught about newly discovered bacteria and cells by their governesses and teachers while cautioned against superstition and folklore by their elders.

The fear of being buried alive was the cultural norm. A funeral wake is a tradition rooted in this fear. Prior to this families would want to prepare and bury the bodies of loved ones within the day to prevent witnessing the ugly reality of decay but the Victorians did away with this and established a three day or longer period of time when a deceased body would remain on display for loved ones to watch over should they come back to life. This resulted in the creation of detailed preparations for the body. Formaldehyde, essential oils and even elaborate floral arrangements were all conceived during this time period to make it easier for the families to cope with smells and warm weather.

Black fabric was draped on mirrors and family portraits were overturned and laid face down on table tops and mantels. Victorians believed a recently departed spirit still lingered in the house until burial and seeing these things would remind them of the life they once had and they would never rest at peace. A coffin would always be taken from the house feet first, otherwise the body would have a chance to look back and beckon another member of the family to join them in the afterlife. During a wake, the main door of the house was to be adorned with a wreath of laurel or holly, and it would always be left ajar. Any knocks or bells signifying a visitor was believed to disturb the spirit and prevent their everlasting sleep. The result was a very somber, very quiet house without music, exuberant voice or disturbance of any kind.

Funeral processions were another matter entirely. As with the modern wedding, the Victorian funeral procession was an opportunity to display a family's wealth and status. Ornate black carriages with gold leaf inlays and large teams of eight or more horses dressed in ostrich feathers and shiny brass and silver tack were hired to transport the coffin and the family to the burial site, after a long, drawn out parade through the streets of town so everyone could see. It was not unheard of for family, even a well off family, to take on a large amount of debt in an effort to provide a showy funeral. Never to be out done, funeral processions were often compared and made even more elaborate and more costly with each subsequent death. Undertakers must have made a killing.

Despite the newly established delay in burial Victorians still struggled with the idea of being buried underground, trapped and unable to find freedom so bells were rigged to headstones and a string was fastened to the deceased persons hand. Certain cemeteries would hire night watchmen to patrol the graveyards to listen for the bells and to prevent the common occurrence of body snatching.

Cadavers were a scarce commodity and medical schools paid a goodly amount for fresh bodies, never asking from where they came. It was in 1832 when this practice was finally outlawed, leaving schools to gain permission from families before they used a body for instruction. This, however, did not deter the black market exchange and many would be doctors and surgeons dug into fresh graves at night to unearth cadavers, selling them to their school and thus paying their way. Considering willing donations were in such short supply, medical school professors often choose to look the other way.

Dr. Peter Ainsley is a fictitious morgue surgeon, born of my imagination, but his story and those of his colleagues are rooted in real history. Despite providing invaluable understanding of the human body, Ainsley's profession was shrouded in contradiction. Often revered as if god-like and yet dismissed in polite society. Victorians were fascinated by the dark constructs of the surgeon's work but they bloody well weren't going to sit at the same table as them.

If you'd like to read more about Dr. Peter Ainsley and the dark mysteries he solves, I invite you to read my book, CHORUS OF THE DEAD, now available on Kindle, Kobo and other e-formats.

Book Blurb :

1867 - Morgue surgeon at one of London's most prestigious hospitals, Dr. Peter Ainsley is familiar with the smells of the dead and the dying but when the brilliant, young doctor is summoned to a small English town in the north his ability to keep his patients at a cold, comfortable distance is put to the test.

Convinced the untimely death of a twelve year old girl, Josephine Lloyd, was an act of poison, Ainsley and the local physician Dr. Bennett must battle the wealthy and stubborn Lloyd family to gain access to the body of the girl, knowing an autopsy is their only chance to detect what ended the young girl's life. Even as her older sister, Lillian, languishes in bed fearing the poison will take her as well, the family remains obstinate. When Dr. Bennett is found dead in his own house, the rebellious Ainsley has no choice but to take matters into his own hands if he is to save the life of the beautiful Lillian Lloyd.

The love-struck surgeon soon finds himself tangled in a web of deceit and betrayal ultimately leading him to the murderer he never suspected.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Chorus-Peter-Ainsley-Mystery-ebook/dp/B008KUKVS8
Kobo: http://bit.ly/W3rq3c
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204392 Author Bio:

A former journalist and graduate from Humber College's School for Writers, Tracy L. Ward has been hard at work developing her favourite protagonist, Peter Ainsley, and chronicling his adventures as a morgue surgeon in Victorian England. Her first book, CHORUS OF THE DEAD, was released in 2012. A second book in the series, DEAD SILENT is due out in spring 2013. You can visit her blog: www.gothicmysterywriter.blogspot.com
or 'like' her author page: www.facebook.com/TracyWard.Author.
 
Writing, swimming and dog walking daily, Tracy lives near Toronto, Ontario with her husband and two kids.

Twilight Poll for November

The Twilight Saga


Now that fans are counting down to that bitter-sweet moment when the last of the Twilight movies, Breaking Dawn, Part 2, opens in regular theaters, it seems fitting to make this month's polls about the phenomenal series.
Twilight: the movies
Which movie was the best, or will it be Breaking Dawn, Part 2? * Twilight New Moon Eclipse Breaking Dawn #1 Breaking Dawn #2 Edward or Jacob? * Edward Jacob Love, love, love them both! Who cares? How many times are you likely to see Breaking Dawn, Part 2? * Once Twice 5-10 Submit Check back on Friday for the results. You have until Thursday at midnight EST to vote!

A Veterans' Day Salute to All Who Serve & Protect

God Bless the USA!

A Visit from Author Terri Herman-Ponce

Click to purchase. The Paranormal – Is It Coincidence or Not?


Vampires. Werewolves. Faeries.

When you think paranormal, these are probably the first things that come to mind, right? But think about it. There are a lot more aspects to the paranormal than you may realize. Things that may hit a little more closely to home – and reality – than a sexy man (or woman!) who spends their nights searching for blood and their days avoiding the sun.

Thousands and thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife. They were all about living in the now, and enjoying the now, but their focus truly remained on what came after. And today, there are many people who also believe in an afterlife, and a pre-life too. In fact, there are many who believe in reincarnation – that your soul keeps coming back until you’ve learned whatever you need to learn before you can move on.

We’re obviously not talking math or history here. But I love the idea that there could very well be something deeper inside us that makes us who we are. And I know you’ve felt it yourself, too. You’re sitting in a café, sipping coffee, and make eye contact with a guy. Then, in a fraction of a second, the room sways and a sensation overwhelms you that’s so powerful you have to grip the table to steady yourself. He says hello, you talk a little, and after only minutes it feels as if you’ve known him a lifetime.

Only you’ve never met him before.

Or have you?

From what I’ve heard, over 60 percent of the world’s population believes in some form of reincarnation. That’s a lot of people! Some say they remember places and events from times long past, and can do so vividly and with great description. Naysayers will tell you that this is part of the “collective consciousness”; that people, by nature, share common things that have been passed down generation by generation, resulting in memories that are merged through people as time passes.

By now you’re probably thinking, yeah, I can see that. It seems like a fairly rational way to explain away the theory of reincarnation. But now I’m going to make you think a little more outside your comfort zone. Ready?

There are documented cases of children, some even toddlers, who spontaneously remember a former life. They ask to go back home. Cry for a spouse or parent who doesn’t exist. Provide specific details about times past that they couldn’t possibly know. And when the parent takes them to the very location of the life the child recollects, they discover the person actually did exist. Sometimes a very long time ago.

Yeah, that makes the hair stand up on my arms, too. Is it real? I’m not exactly sure. But it makes for great storytelling, don’t you think?

So the next time you have a sensation that something about the place you’re visiting seems familiar, or you feel like the person you’ve just met is someone you’ve known forever, or you have a memory of a time that doesn’t fit who you are now, stop and think about it.

Is it coincidence?

Or is it something else entirely?

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About the book (cover above):

IN THIS LIFE is the story about psychologist Lottie Morgan, who knows something is wrong when she starts reliving memories of a lover she's never had. At first, she attributes them to fever-induced dreams. But when the fever disappears and the visions don't, Lottie thinks she may need therapy of her own.

Then she meets Galen. Their first encounter is as intense as it is eye-opening, and Lottie is unprepared for the fire Galen arouses in her. His revelation that they shared a passionate relationship thousands of years ago explains the memories and entices Lottie into wanting to learn more about her past. Her decision, however, comes at a price. Galen may hold the answers but he's a growing temptation as well. One that could destroy the devoted, lifelong relationship Lottie has with her current lover, David. One that could also cost her life. Someone else knows of Lottie's past and is determined to stop her from uncovering secrets they want kept hidden.

As parallels between both of her lives emerge and the memories escalate, Lottie becomes caught between two lifetimes, two men and long-buried deceptions that present an opportunity to right previous wrongs. Unless Lottie repeats her past mistakes.

IN THIS LIFE can be found on Amazon: http://bit.ly/IN_THIS_LIFE


Terri Herman-Poncé is a communications manager by day and a storyteller by night. Born on Long Island, New York, she absolutely adores red wine, the beach, Ancient Egypt, sunrises and the New York Yankees—though not necessarily in that order.

In her next life, if she hasn’t moved on to somewhere else, Terri wants to be an astronomer. She’s fascinated with the night skies almost as much as she’s fascinated with Ancient Egypt.

You can read more on her website, or follow her on twitter @terriponce, or "like" her on facebook.

NaNoWriMo Update

Better known as confession time. I'm behind. I should at least be at 12,000 words but I'm lagging at 10,000. That might not sound like much, but making up 2k plus the new 2K required for each day is--well, it's a lot. :-)

Maybe I can give up sleeping . . .

Things I Can Count on One Hand Blog Swap

Things I Can Count on One Hand Blog Swap


Hello. I’m Brinda Berry, author of the Whispering Woods series. I know you’re expecting Ally, but we’ve swapped places for the day. We’ve agreed on answering the same list of questions.




Five:  Items you would buy with a million dollars.
  1.    A small cottage on the beach. Do I still have money left after that one?
  2.    An ergonomic desk chair
  3.    A Keurig for my office at work
  4.    I’d like all the DVDs from the series Lost because once you miss a show…you are lost.
  5.    One more cairn terrier (Please? My husband says we have enough.)

Four:  Things you love about your favorite book. (I have too many favorites. I’ll give you my young adult pick for the year—The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
  1.    It made me cry. I mean cry HARD. My husband thought something was wrong with me.
  2.    It made me laugh because the characters are so real and the dialogue so funny.
  3.    It made me think about what is important in life.
  4.    It made me care deeply about touching readers with my writing.

Three: Necessities you’d bring with you to a deserted island.
  1.    Toothbrush
  2.    Pocketknife
  3.    Matches (Hey, I’ve watched Survivor.)

Two: Food items you cannot possibly live without.
1.    Diet coke
2.    bananas

One: person who makes your life better.
1.    My sister makes me laugh daily.

What are your answers? Do you also require Diet Coke to survive the day? After you leave a comment, be sure to hop over and see how Ally responded to these questions at www.brindaberry.com/blog.html. About the Author:

BIO: Brinda Berry lives in the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She’s terribly fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality.

WEB     BLOG     FACEBOOK    TWITTER   GOODREADS    YOUTUBE

Brinda’s book links on AMAZON and on BARNES & NOBLE

Whisper of Memory Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/PbZ_cjGsjA8

_

Paranormal Pie

Instead of working on my word count for NaNo, I'm procrastinating this morning. It's cool, gray and damp outside, making me think of the winter days ahead. And that, of course, brought to mind comfort food. So, I thought I'd share a hearty recipe. I'll call it Paranormal Pie to stay with my blog theme (but you might know it better as Aussie Pie!).



Ingredients:

1. 1 lb ground beef
2.  1 medium chopped onion
3.  3/4 C beef broth
4.  3 T flour, wheat or plain
5.  1/4 C water
6.  1/4 C ketchup
7.  2 tsp. Worcestershire
8. 1/2 tsp. oregano
9.  pinch of pepper and salt
10. 2 full pastry sheets (I use Pepperidge Farms)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F)Brown meat and onion in large skilletAdd beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, oregano, salt & pepperBring to boil and cover for 15 minutesMake a paste with flour and water; add to skilletCool mixture before proceedingGrease a pie plate or other small pan and line with puff pastryAdd the cool mixture; brush edges with beaten egg and top with pastry, crimping edgesBrush top with more beaten eggBake at 425 for 15 minutes; reduce to 350 for another 25 minutes.When pie is lightly browned, serve with salad and fruit.

                                              ENJOY!

Do you have additional ingredients or other recipes you use to chase the cold away?

NaNoWriMo Begins

The National Novel Writing Month, a world-wide challenge conducted every November for each writer participant to complete 50,000 words on their current work in progress. This will be my fourth year, and it's always a busy time. With edits still to be finished on book two of my urban fantasy, November will leave little spare time. Posts may be less frequent and will certainly be shorter, but I will try to keep you updated on my progress. I have met my 50K goal the prior three years, and I would hate to break a winning streak. :-)

Please check back for updates. If you are interested in participating or would just like to know more about NaNo, you can follow this link: http://www.nanowrimo.org/.

Wish me luck! If you decide to join the challenge, give a shout out to Iowagal.

Ghostly Encounters

While I've never actually met a ghost, except those that appear at my door on Beggars' Night, I have had a few weird, ghostly experiences, and Halloween is the perfect holiday to share them.

The first time I was only ten. Three of my friends and I were exploring a local "haunted house." It had been abandoned for many years--at least that's what we thought. We entered through a window and crept through the house. It still contained remnants of its former owners: a few pieces of dilapidated furniture, open boxes of discarded clothing. We were giggling and having a great time until we entered the living room and saw HER sitting in the rocking chair. All four of us saw an old woman dressed in 1800s clothing with a bonnet. We tore out of there and never told a soul. We didn't even talk about it with each other, and I can't explain it to this day. Two elderly sisters had lived and died in the house. Perhaps one of them refused to leave.

Several years ago, I went on a ghost hunt with a friend of a friend. This person claimed to be a medium of sorts and had been asked to convince a ghost to leave the house a woman had just bought. I begged to go along, and he finally allowed me to join his group of four. We walked throughout the house with our medium feeling cold spots here and there. He finally identified an Indian spirit, although the rest of us didn't see or feel anything. As we were leaving, another "guest" on this mission whispered to me, "I don't think anything is here, do you?" As soon as she said that, we heard a loud crash from the kitchen behind us. When we looked, a pan that had been on the stove was on the floor. Was someone sending the other skeptic a message?
My third experience probably wasn't real, but it was the creepiest. I was visiting London and decided to take a "Ghost Walk." It was London, so of course it was raining, not heavy, just drizzle and fog. They have great spooky atmosphere! Our guide was dressed in a black cape as we walked down the dark alleys and Victorian streets of London's past. We visited the Jack the Ripper sites, stopped at a cemetery haunted by a she-wolf and walked through a deserted building where our footsteps echoed on the worn, wooden floors. Throughout the tour, the back of my neck prickled, as if someone was watching, but I didn't see any actual evidence of ghostly activity. Not until we left Ye Olde Pub (I don't remember the actual name). When we cut down an alley, with nothing around us except the heavy fog and the only light was from our guide's flashlight ahead of us, a small child beside me suddenly screamed. I know I jumped. A white apparition briefly flashed from a nearby doorway, and then vanished. After we hurriedly exited, er, stampeded from, the alley, our guide explained a shopkeeper had been murdered there. It was believed he sometimes came there with a butcher knife looking for his killer. I didn't see a knife, and I don't know if I believe the story, but I don't know how the tour could have created that eerie glow either.

So, now I've confessed my unexplained experiences. Anyone have their own creepy or ghostly stories they're willing to share?

                                             BOO! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Samhain: Is it only for Witches?

Hop on over to the Halloween Blogfest to read my post on Samhain. Leave a comment there to enter a Nov. 3 drawing!