Book Club Cookbook’s Guest Author Blog

Do I believe in magic? More to the point, do I believe in spirits? That would include ghosts, vampires, and the kind of sprites I mention in While My Sister Sleeps. Haven’t read the book yet? Well, my protagonist’s grandmother believes that mystical little sprites know your destiny in life and sit on your shoulder steering you where you’re supposed to go. At a time in her life when Molly Snow is on an unfamiliar path, they point her in the right direction. She certainly believes.

So, do I believe? It must seem like it to my readers, since I love writing magical elements into my books, whether in the form of prescient cats or Tinkerbell-type things flitting around. Three Wishes is one of my favorites for that reason. And ghosts? Do I believe in ‘em? Well, I do believe that a person’s spirit lives on after death, and we do conjure up images of deceased loved ones. Put those two things together, and you have a ghost, right? As for vampires, werewolves, and the like, I don’t think these are real, though I am totally into it when I’m watching “True Blood.”

Sprites like the ones in While My Sister Sleeps are benevolent little things. They give us guidance, often keep us from making big mistakes. For this reason alone, I want to believe they exist. When the burden of responsibility falls heavily on our shoulders, it’s nice to think we have a personal assistant. Ah yes, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that this is the role of religion, and you’re right – but I’m not touching that topic with a ten-foot pole. Politics and religion are the two topics I, uh, religiously avoid in my work.

It does bring us back to While My Sister Sleeps, though. Here’s a situation in which all of my characters could use a little help. I know I sure could at times, and when those times come, it’s fun to imagine the presence of sprites. If you believe in magic, you believe that anything can happen. This brings a starry-eyed optimism that is rare nowadays but totally awesome.