IWSG – Oct 2024 – A Ghost Story Classic
Ninja Captain Alex J Cavanaugh created IWSG — because Alex understands we need a place to congregate, insecurity is part of our creative nature, and together we’re stronger.
On the first Wednesday of each month, you can write on any subject related to your writing journey or adopt the option of answering the month’s question. Either way, you’re in safe territory.
If this sounds good to you, sign up here.
IWSG’s Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and the hashtag is #IWSG.
Every month, a specific question is offered, which may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you struggle with something to say.
Remember, the question is optional!
October 2 question – Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What’s your favourite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.The awesome co-hosts for the October 2 posting of the IWSG are Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jacqui Murray, and Natalie Aguirre!
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I still get chills remembering “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James. I read it for a class at SFU years ago, but it left me so unnerved that I slept with the lights on for two nights. It’s not for the faint-hearted, and my limited experience with older literature made it challenging initially.
Henry James’s writing style is notoriously intricate, with long sentences and rich descriptions that demand careful reading. The story’s ambiguity—leaving you questioning what’s real—adds another layer of complexity.
Once I adjusted to the language, the chilling narrative drew me in. It’s especially rewarding for those who enjoy psychological twists in their ghost stories. I wish someone had advised me to take my time and reflect on the events as they unfolded.
“The Turn of the Screw” follows a young governess who takes a job caring for two children at an eerie estate. Immediately, she senses something amiss. Strange noises echo through the hallways, and shadows seem to move just out of sight. She starts seeing ghostly figures—two former employees–who appear when no one else is around. Their cold presence fills the air with dread, making her question the children’s safety.
What’s truly unsettling is how the seemingly innocent children begin to act weirdly. Do the ghosts influence them, or do they know something? The tension builds as the governess becomes obsessed with protecting them, leading to terrifying encounters that blur the line between reality and imagination.
Every whisper in the dark and flicker of candlelight heightens the suspense. By the end, you’re left with a lingering unease, as if the shadows themselves are watching you. The story doesn’t just haunt the governess—it leaves you pondering what dark secrets might be hiding in the corners of your own mind.
Will I read it again? I’m not sure. While it was a deep dive into the human psyche and the darkness we all carry, the lingering unease it provoked was intense. I may watch the film adaptation, but it’ll be in broad daylight.
* * *
Bubba and Squirt embark on their most dangerous quest yet. Whisked away through the vortex to Japan, they must find two fabled pearls that hold the key to saving their father.
To top it off, they must go back and change the events of the past. As they race against time, the fate of their father, and their own lives, hang in the balance.
Will they outwit the cunning creatures that stand in their way or face their own demise trying to save their father?
Print ISBN 9798988625124 $8.95
eBook ISBN 9798988625131 $3.99
Juvenile Fiction – Action Adventure / Fantasy & Magic / Legends, Myths, Fables – Asian
Sherry Ellis’ Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China won the Reader’s Favorites Silver Medal for the Children’s Grades 4-6 category.
Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTWN8PSS
iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id6477321103
Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940167677777
Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9798988625131 Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206994546-bubba-and-squirt-s-legend-of-the-lost-pearls
The post IWSG – Oct 2024 – A Ghost Story Classic first appeared on Joylene Nowell Butler.
The post IWSG – Oct 2024 – A Ghost Story Classic appeared first on Joylene Nowell Butler.
