HALLOWEEN STORIES! Bring Them On!

It's always a good time for a story, but never so much as when the weather chills, and people become inclined to gather 'round the fire - singly or in groups - and enjoy ghostly tales of spookiness.
 
Another of my short stories has been translated into video form.  This one is, conveniently, a ghost story based on an actual legendary haunt from Luxembourger lore – the Stierches-geescht.
 
Ghost of the Bridge will release this afternoon, and will be available for viewing either at https://vimeo.com/297398536 or at SLArtist-Designing Worlds, Episode DW382. It’s my third year writing for their Halloween Special.  Last year was an adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow that turned out to be very popular, and the previous year one of the stories from my Irish canon, In the Mist.

Oh, AND if you haven't yet seen Arrivals & Departures, it's another of my stories that you can enjoy in video form. Not spook-a-licious, though.
 
Submitted here for your Halloween week enjoyment. They are not It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, but they are something that I am proud to share.

Okay, so nothing published this year.  Yet it has been a very fertile year for writing, so publications can't be that far away!

GHOST STORIES: "Her Own Words" - Part 2

Her Own Words

By Judith Cullen

(c) 2013

Part Two

If Elaine had been correct, and it had been a practical joke, that should have been the end of it.  Middle aged woman annoyed – mission accomplished.  End of story.  But that was not the end of it. 

Two days later she walked into her workroom, put her bag down next to her desk, and dropped the mail on top of it.  She had avoided the room since the night of the storm, but there was work she needed to do from home tonight.  She had totally forgotten about the note.  She glanced across the desk as she began sorting the mail, separating the important things from those that would go straight to the recycling bin at her feet. 

Except it wasn’t there, the note from the other night.  There was a note there, but it was not the same note.  Or was it?  It was the same envelope, same old-fashioned looking paper, and the same familiar curvy handwriting “Elaine Harrison.”  This envelope, however, was sealed.  As it sat there on the desk, it was almost shouting at her already.  Elaine didn’t want to know what it said.  She pushed it to one side and went back to her mail.

 

Wait a minute!  If it was sealed and a new note, how the hell did it get there?  Could it have simply been the same note as before, and she just didn’t remember putting the note back in the envelope? It looked awfully neat and untouched teetering there on the edge of the desk.  There was only one way to find out if it was the same note.  She reached for it, tore open the flap, and ripped the note from inside.

HER OWN WORDS ~ Encore Live Online, Wednesday 10.23 @ 3pm Pacific

I'll be presenting an encore reading this story Wednesday, October 23rd live in Second Life (c) at 3pm Pacific Time at the Burn 2 Literary Camp AND also live, streaming on the web . . . CLICK HERE to be connected to the Shoutcast stream, which will go live 10 minutes before the posted start time.

Ever been haunted by your own words?  What if you were haunted by them literally?  A woman is pursued by words she wrote over 30 years ago, and struggles with how to end being haunted by HER OWN WORDS.  

IMPORTANT NOTE . . . In order to be able to listen on your computer or device, you may need to use an enabling application. Don't wait till story time!: CLICK HERE for links to helpful sites to make certain you are able to listen to streaming audio on your computer


This story is entered along with 11 others as part of author Lissa Bryan's Online Ghost Story Competition.  You can visit the "Ghostwriter" Ghost Story Contest Blog and vote for HER OWN WORDS, or any of the other submissions.  The winning story will be announced on Halloween!

Stories streamed on the internet are free.  Tips/donations for making these sessions possible are gratefully accepted.(see the donation button in the right hand margin)

HER OWN WORDS - In This Year's "Ghostwriter"Ghost Story Contest - VOTING OPEN!

Author Lissa Bryan's "Ghostwriter" Ghost Story Contest is officially open for reader voting, and my newest original short story HER OWN WORDS is entered.  Check out my story, along with nearly a dozen others, and place your vote for your favorite. Voting is open now till the end of the month.  Check it out,

STAY TUNED for more streamed stories and new releases, especially come HALLOWEEN NIGHT!

TUESDAY at 7PM Pacific Time - A New Ghost Story: HER OWN WORDS

I wanted to try and write a different kind of ghost story.  One without rattling chains or glowing spectral figures.  Just words.  Words can have tremendous power all by themselves.  Words can change lives.

Ever been haunted by your own words?  What if you were haunted by them literally?  A woman is pursued by words she wrote over 30 years ago, and struggles with how to end being haunted by HER OWN WORDS. 

I'll be reading this story Tuesday Night  live in Second Life (c) at the Seanchai Library at 7pm Pacific Time http://slurl.com/secondlife/Imagination%20Island/46/211/28 

And also live, streaming on the web . . . CLICK HERE to be connected to the Shoutcast stream, which will go live 10 minutes before start time.

IMPORTANT NOTE . . . In order to be able to listen on your computer or device, you may need to use an enabling application. Don't wait till story time!: CLICK HERE for links to helpful sites to make certain you are able to listen to streaming audio on your computer


 Readings in Second Life (c) are offered free to all residents with the invitation show their appreciation, if they desire it, by joining the Seanchai Library Staff in supporting their featured charity.  Stories streamed on the internet are likewise free, and tips to the Seanchai Library charity, or to the Storyteller (donation button in the right hand margin) are gratefully accepted.

Starting October 16th, this story will be part of author Lissa Bryan's Online Ghost Story Competition.  You can visit the "Ghostwriter" Ghost Story Contest Blog and vote for HER OWN WORDS if you like, or any of the other submissions.  The winning story will be announced on Halloween!