Ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night—Tricia McGill.

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My mind is currently dwelling in the world of superstition, ghosts and all things supernatural. This of course is down to my latest release, Laurel’s Gift, being a tale of a haunted house and the ghostly child who dwells there. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to write a story containing a ghost, as I’m probably considered strange by more than a few because of my belief in ghosts and other unworldly things. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I have seen my share of ghostly figures. Some would try to explain it away as a vivid imagination. I can live with that, as part of being a writer is doubtless being able to imagine what some might think unimaginable.

I had my own fairy as a small child. Not a ghost for sure, but she was very real to me and would help me overcome my fear of the dark by visiting me at bedtime to keep me company. I loved holidaying in Cornwall and Devon, and perhaps part of that love was because of the Cornish folk’s strong belief in their legends, ghost stories and the many myths that abound there. I saw my first ghost while holidaying near Lynton in Devon. My husband slept soundly at my side when this sensation that someone else shared our room came over me. I think I was scared at that time, but since then have become used to it. It’s never bothered me when members of my family come to say their last goodbyes before moving on. In fact I was upset after my dear sister passed away in January as she was the only one who didn’t come visit straight away. But I’ve seen her twice since, where she was at peace, surrounded by all our loved ones who had gone before.

I’ve just been watching the latest season of Outlanders, Diana Gabaldon’s famous series adapted for TV, where Claire goes through standing stones to get back in time to meet up with her Scottish Jamie. Well Cornwall abounds with its own share of these standing stones, perhaps the most well-known (to me at least) being those on Bodmin Moor. The Hurlers derived their name from the group of men who were caught playing the Celtic sport of hurling on the Sabbath, and because of this sinful act were turned to stone where they stand petrified to this day.

Cornwall Myths and Legends: https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/myths-legends

Years ago I visited the ruins of Tintagel Castle where the legends of King Arthur abound: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/tintagel-castle/ and thus Tintagel features in my Time-Travel, A Call Through Time, where the travellers journey across ancient Britain to return to their home near Tintagel.

Another great Cornish story is about the ghost of a lady in white who is seen on Marazion Green jumping onto a horse behind the rider and then the pair gallop off, presumably into the sunset. 

https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/Marazion

I enjoyed telling the story of Laurel and her ghostly child so much. It was one of those tales that more or less told itself without a lot of help from me. I know little of psychics and their abilities, but can understand that some consider them charlatans. One of my nieces shares my affinity with ghosts and to my surprise at a recent family gathering my nephew, the last person I would have expected to do this, admitted that he’d been to see a psychic after my sister’s death and she told him a couple of things that made him sit up and take notice. Call it silly superstition and gobbledegook but we all have a right to our beliefs and fancies.

Another good site to visit if you share my interest in superstition and folklore:

https://sleeplessmusingsofawellgroomedmoustachedman.wordpress.com/2015/02/22/folklore-and-superstition-an-introduction-to-cornish-folklore/

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