Put a Ghost in It: How to Haunt Just About Anything: A Guest Post by Clay McLeod Chapman
The author of Ghost Eaters and Open Your Eyes returns with a terrifying collection of stories, ranging from the wild and weird to the thrilling and chilling. Read on for an exclusive essay from Clay McLeod Chapman on writing Acquired Taste.
Hardcover $28.99
Acquired Taste
Acquired Taste
In Stock Online
Hardcover $28.99
A startling, witty and downright terrifying collection of 25 short stories from the “21st century’s Richard Matheson” (Richard Chizmar, Chasing the Boogeyman.) Perfect for fans of Paul Tremblay, Rachel Harrison and Eric LaRocca.
A startling, witty and downright terrifying collection of 25 short stories from the “21st century’s Richard Matheson” (Richard Chizmar, Chasing the Boogeyman.) Perfect for fans of Paul Tremblay, Rachel Harrison and Eric LaRocca.
Folks have been asking me about how I come up with my stories. The twenty five tales that populate my brand new collection Acquired Taste range from bad batches of baby carrots to a convent of axolotl-licking nuns to highly fertile off-brand Labubus…
But there’s also a particular thematic thread that persistently weaves its way throughout the book: Ghosts. I loooove me some ghosts. Lots and lots of haunted stuff. Haunted hammers. Haunted telephone booths. Haunted department store Santas.
You name it, there’s a ghost in it.
So… Where in the heck did these stories come from?
I’m glad you asked. An offshoot question that quickly follows is… What the hell’s wrong with you? But for the sake of today’s discussion, let’s stick with the first query.
How can we write our own special brand of ghost stories?
Easy-peasy, dear reader.
Today, I’ve got a special opportunity in store for you. Barnes & Nobles is letting me bring you backstage in my brain to show you where my particular brand of gonzo ghosts come from. Let’s peer behind the curtain and see how these sordid stories are made…
In any formal writers conference situation, what I am about to share would be considered a highly sought after trade secret. Other authors might charge top dollar to share their writing process—but for you, dear reader, I am more than happy to hand it over for free. Free!
Shall we? Here we go…
Step 1: Watch this clip from Portlandia: https://bit.ly/4pGSnyx
Step 2: Switch the word ‘bird’ with ‘ghost.’
Step 3: Put a ghost in it!
It’s that simple!
Now… it’s your turn. I want you to look around your own house and see what you might be able to haunt. Trust me, there’s never a shortage of inspiration hiding around your home. You can put a ghost in just about anything, turning dull everyday objects into possessed treasures.
I’ll try it myself, right now, just to show you how much haunted fodder you can find. I’m in my office as I write this… and I’m glancing around the room to see what I can find…
Oh! There! Look… A stapler. But it’s not just any ol’ stapler, now, is it?
Nope. Know why?
Put a ghost in it!
Now it’s a haunted stapler! This particular office supply once belonged to a serial killer. His spirit resides within this seemingly innocuous tool. Whenever someone tries to staple a few sheets together, lining the paper along the crimp area—SNAP!—the stapler staples them instead! Instant ghost story!
See? Generating ghost stories has never been so easy! What else can we find around the house to haunt?
See that toothbrush? It’s just a boring ol’ toothbrush, isn’t it? Nothing special about that, is there?
Put a ghost in it!
Now you’ve got a haunted toothbrush!
A haunted coffee pot!
A haunted Bedazzler!
There’s so much stuff to haunt, trust me! Now go get ghosting, folks!