Here
is our reviewer's interview with the multi-talented Pamela K. Kinney,
author of Haunted
Richmond and also many works of
horror, fiction and fantasy. She also writes romance, erotica as
Sapphire Phelan.
Thank you for the interview, Terry and
Pamela!
First of all I
would like to thank Pamela K. Kinney for taking the time for this
interview and congratulate her on her book, "Haunted Richmond".
Pamela, could
you tell us what made you consider doing a non fiction historic ghost
book?
My editor is also with the Mid-Atlantic Horror Professionals as I am
and posted on the forum there, looking for authors who'd like to write
real ghost stories not fiction. I had grew up reading ghost books by
Hans Holzer and other ghost books, and later L. B. Taylor and others
who wrote nonfiction ghost books, and I decided to take a chance and
submit a proposal. It was accepted and the rest is history.
Why Richmond
and not some other town with lots of history?
First, I live in Richmond. Two, the place has a lot of history behind
it and loads of ghostly tales and even legends too. I learned not only
stories I never heard since living here, but history of places that
have the history behind them that was never in the history books.
Did you
personally experience any ghostly happenings while doing your research
for this book?
Yes, something did happen to me while writing this book. One of them
was a photo I took of a mirror in a room on the second floor of Centre
Hill Mansion that I took. Something on one side of the mirror, but I
didn't think anything of it at the time. But when I was reading through
all the copies of the articles from the local newspaper the docent from
Centre Hill mansion gave me, one of them about a lady in an
old-fashioned dress seen in the mirror, seemed familiar so I went
through those I took at the place and sure enough, I saw a faint
outline of a lady on one side of the mirror. The other one that ended
up in the book, in the Haunted Shockoe Bottom chapter concerned the
warehouse that was a former Civil War prison. The place was empty at
the time. The two lit up windows you can see in the picture were not
lit up at the time when I snapped the picture. I do tell in the book
what happened that day. My husband was with me and had the same
experience as I did. .
Which haunted
place you visited would you say was your favorite and why?
Wrexham Hall. it's about five minutes walk for me and the owner is
gracious and the place lovely. I have been back there twice, once for a
charity party, the other on a ghost hunt with two paranormal
investigators and a paranormal radio show in town. I also like
Hollywood Cemetery--because it is a beautiful place to visit. Another
fave is Cold Bluff as I have been back there as part of a paranormal
investigation and things happened that night that would make a
nonbeliever believe. I wish done that before the book--it would make
for some great stuff.
Did at any
point something truly scare you and make you question yourself, "Why Am
I Doing This" or are you someone who really loves things that go bump
in the night?
I love things that go bump in the night and yes, I believe in spirits.
I even investigate with Virginia Society of Paranormal Education and
Research. And yes, three times in my life I been truly frightened by
'bad' spirits.
Since this book
is completed and quite good might I add, are you considering doing
another book similar to it in the future?
I am contracted to write a book of the legends, myths and folklore of
Virginia, due back to Schiffer by October. I am having a good time
learning not only of witches, witch bottles and monsters and legendary
ghosts, but myths of famous Virginians and oddball ones like dogs and
sailors not allowed on the grass in Norfolk.
What books
would you consider to be some of your favorites and do you think these
helped in making the decision to write "Haunted Richmond"?
Best True Ghost Stories by Hans Holzer
All the Ghost of Virginia books by L. B. Taylor. His Ghosts of Richmond
book. Many other ghost books I've read over the years.
Fiction:
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Hell House by Richard Matheson
Books by Anne McCaffrey, Jackson's other books, Madeleine L'Engle, Nora
Roberts, Victoria Holt, so many books over the years.
Do you have an
official website that people can visit to read more about you and leave
you feedback on your book?
Yes.
httP://FantasticDreams.50megs.com Also there is my MySpace, http://www.myspace.com/PamelaKKinney
If you could
give your book to one person to read, who would it be and why?
To someone who likes to read it, but can't afford it. Or to a homeless
shelter as they could use books and have a budget. Or to a prison, for
same reason. To send to our troops so when they are able to wind down,
can have something to read. Also to a child or a teen, to get them
reading and into history. A teacher told me bought it for her class and
her seventh graders got excited about history now and want to learn
more.
What is your
writing process?
I like to write during the daytime, during the week. But if I have to
get something done, I will write on weekends and in the evening. Like
been doing to finish this novel I pitched to couple editors who want to
see it.
What advice
would you give new authors?
Keep writing. Write everyday. Submit. Everyone gets rejections and
don't let those get you down. Just keep writing and submitting. Join a
local writer's critique group. Join a writer's organization. I am
member of Romance Writers of America, Virginia Writers Club and James
River Writers, and all are great.
I would like to
say Thank You again for taking the time to do this interview and I hope
to see more of your work in the future!