I’ve described my new book as a ghost story.
There are mystical, magical moments drawn from my imagination and a few from my childhood…the crossover aspect I’ve mentioned…connecting threads between “Surviving Sue” and “Slivers”.
Some of the connective tissue is wrapped up in shiver-worthy moments with my mom related to an attic.
Yes…there’s an attic in “Slivers” and yes…when I wrote scenes involving that spooky space, I found myself time traveling for inspiration, retreating to the early 70’s when we lived in an unusual two-story house in Columbus, Ohio.
The exterior of the house looked pretty darn ordinary.
Humdrum, even.
But the attic was Sue’s domain, her secret lair. Tucked beneath the eaves with a half-sized door requiring a tuck and smush of the shoulders to enter, it should’ve been inviting as a kid-sized hideout. Should’ve been. But for reasons ten-year old moi never understood, the tiny windowless and westerly facing alcove was anything but enticing. Perpetual frigidity is a potent deterrent. Situated across from my bedroom, the cool air outside the attic tickled my toes; the hardwood was always a few degrees cooler than the same floorboards two feet away, at the threshold of my room.
Writing about a curious attic in “Slivers” was fun. At first. Inspired by an odd space in a childhood home, I remembered the improbable draft and then, like a jab from the great beyond, my mom’s voice roared in my ear:
“Stay out of the attic…Uncle Charlie will get you if you bother him!“
How the heck did I sideline that memory for decades?
My best friend, and next-door neighbor, Colleen (whom I still adore…maid of honor and a bestie for life) might remember Sue’s warnings. Whether it was our imagination run amok or seed-planting thanks to Sue, we were spooked—afraid to glance at the attic door after the “Uncle Charlie” threat.
Instead, we’d huddle in my room and wonder:
Who the heck is Uncle Charlie?
Is Sue just trying to scare us – or is she scared, too?
Should we go in anyhow?
Not long after, Sue, Sonny, Lisa and I we were on the move, saying goodbye to the odd two-story with the peculiar attic and my best friend, Colleen. But Sue remembered the Uncle Charlie threat, reminding me when we moved into our new house that if I didn’t behave, he’d follow us. Attic or not. Matter of fact, without a hint of malice.
On my list of genealogical spelunking is a poke-around to see if there’s an actual “Uncle Charlie” in our family tree. He doesn’t make an appearance in “Slivers”, but I think that’s only because I needed to make room for someone else…
Speaking of which…pre-orders ship next week! Thank you for your patience, friends. Coming soon? More info about where and how you can share reader feedback. I can’t wait for you to read!
Vicki 💝
P.S. Did you miss last week’s post about my podcast chat with Wynne Leon…all about “Slivers”? Check it out here.
Hi – I’m Victoria, Vicki, Dr. Vicki. I hold a doctorate in Adult Education and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and author of Surviving Sue and Slivers.
Check out this link to learn more about my book “Surviving Sue” – all about resilience and love. Check out this link to pre-order “Slivers”…a ghost story with surprising twists.
Victoria Ponders 
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