Writing Fear – Jennifer C Wilson
The Role of Fear by Jennifer C Wilson
Fear plays a big part in the Kindred Spirits series, but I suppose that’s inevitable when you’re writing a story about ghosts (not a ghost story, you’ll see why). For many of the characters, the fear of the general public is entertainment for them, seeing who can generate the most blood-curdling scream, or most terrify the cocky, brave little boy who claims he isn’t afraid of anything. Or at least, that’s how things were in the Tower of London and the Royal Mile, the first two in the series. In Westminster Abbey, a full-on, chain-rattling and scream-inducing haunting just wouldn’t be appropriate, so our spirits need to go further afield, or be more creative, to get their fear fix.
This need to be a little more cunning in their desire to haunt the living leads some of our resident ghosts to look at a different option: haunting the dead. What better way to use your powers of controlled visibility and tangibility than to harass somebody who put you through hell in life (or in death). We have centuries’ old feuds within the walls of Westminster, the worst of which has to be that between the Tudor half-sisters, Mary I and Elizabeth I, who had plenty to disagree about in life, and thanks to the presence of their cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, there’s plenty to cause hassle in death as well. And even for ghosts, being surrounded by tombstones and graves can have an element of discomfort to it. You literally cannot move in Westminster Abbey without treading on somebody’s graves; think of the constant shivers our poor residents will have to be dealing with…
Some of our spirits have more deep-seated fears too; the biggest of which is the fear of being misunderstood, misinterpreted, or even forgotten entirely. In Kindred Spirits: Tower of London, we’re told that although he lost at Bosworth, Richard III is the ultimate winner of the Wars of the Roses, as he is the one we all remember, albeit in a mangled form thanks to Shakespeare and his ‘artistic licence’ with historical fact. And Anne Boleyn tells us how she won the battle of Henry’s brides, by giving the country Gloriana herself, Elizabeth I, who has gone down in history as one of our greatest monarchs.
As for my own fears, well, this is why I write stories about ghosts, NOT ghost stories. I am the biggest coward you are likely to meet, and the notion of all these ghosts hanging around the place terrifies me, even if I am nominally in control of them! It’s always been a strange fascination for me; despite knowing I’ll be terrified, I still read stories of castles and their ghosts, or watch documentaries on the same. Always nice and historic though; never any of these “my child is reincarnated” or “the worst night of my life” – I like a nice, safe distance between me and the dead… It’s an interesting way for me to start confronting my own fears though, and these days, whenever I visit any historical site, as well as wondering about who might have lived there, I’m thinking about whether they’re still around, and how they might be getting along with others who followed in their footsteps. It takes the fear away from moments when you find yourself entirely alone in part of a castle, that’s for sure, as well as keeping the ideas pot nicely full. And that is never something to fear!
About Kindred Spirits: Westminster Abbey – Click here to buy now
On hallowed ground…
With over three thousand burials and memorials, including seventeen monarchs, life for the ghostly community of Westminster Abbey was never going to be a quiet one. Add in some fiery Tudor tempers, and several centuries-old feuds, and things can only go one way: chaotic.
Against the backdrop of England’s most important church, though, it isn’t all tempers and tantrums. Poets’ Corner hosts poetry battles and writing workshops, and close friendships form across the ages.
With the arrival of Mary Queen of Scots, however, battle ensues. Will Queens Mary I and Elizabeth I ever find their common ground, and lasting peace?
The bestselling Kindred Spirits series continues within the ancient walls of Westminster Abbey.
About Jennifer C Wilson
Jennifer is a marine biologist by training, who developed an equal passion for history whilst stalking Mary, Queen of Scots of childhood holidays (she since moved on to Richard III). She completed her BSc and MSc at the University of Hull, and has worked as a marine environmental consultant since graduating.
Enrolling on an adult education workshop on her return to the north-east reignited Jennifer’s pastime of creative writing, and she has been filling notebooks ever since. In 2014, Jennifer won the Story Tyne short story competition, and also continues to work on developing her poetic voice, reading at a number of events, and with several pieces available online. Her Kindred Spirits novels are published by Crooked Cat Books and available via Amazon, along with her self-published time slip novella, The Last Plantagenet?
She can be found online at her blog, and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
