The Ghost of Walhachin received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Ramona Nehring-Silver.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The Ghost of Walhachin was published January 2020.
What’s the book’s first line?
The first line of the book: “What on earth do you have there?” Kean yelled out his bedroom window to his six-year-old cousin.
What’s the book about?
The book is about a 12-year-old boy who spends a summer in the small town of Walhachin, British Columbia. THE GHOST OF WALHACHIN by Ramona Nehring-Silver has a wonderful twist: its ghost is not scary. Instead, Sam is a boy who died in 1912 and has been trapped in this world ever since, until discovered and befriended by Kean, who is willing to do what it takes to help Sam get unstuck…even if that means traveling back in time. Now, if only he can locate the satchel necessary for his new buddy to travel home while not getting stuck in the past himself. The funny thing is, back when Sam was alive in Walhachin, it wasn’t such a sleepy little town. People wealthy from flourishing apple orchards were patronizing hotels, livery stables, bakeries and butcher shops, real estate and newspaper offices. Upon his first trip back in time, Kean can hardly believe his eyes. This particular concept of time travel is unique and well thought out, especially the scenes where Kean tries to acclimate to being a ghost in Sam’s past–floating along on smoky limbs without being able to feel things like his feet on the ground.
What inspired you to write the book?
I was inspired to write The Ghost of Walhachin while teaching history in a Grade 3 class. The resources available, or at least the topics focused on in the curriculum, pertained to the history of only one location in British Columbia. I had lived in many places that also have fascinating origins, and Walhachin was one. I wanted to share that history with young readers in an engaging way, and the historical fiction genre provided the ideal means.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The main reason someone should read The Ghost of Walhachin is to enjoy the story, the twists and turns as Kean and the ghost try to find a way to locate the satchel that was left back 1912 through the unique concept of time travel. Learning about the history of the town, and the comparisons between the present day and 1912 Walhachin, are a bonus.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The most distinctive thing about the main character is that he is a typical 12 yr. old boy who all seem to have a way of making life interesting. He wants to make choices for himself and chooses to go to Walhachin to escape the change in family dynamics at home. He finds some things boring. He likes to learn and doesn’t mind dealing with snakes and skunks too much. He also makes some choices that, on the surface, may not be the wisest thing to do, like time traveling into history.
When did you first decide to become an author?
The idea of becoming an author has been with me since early elementary school. I spent much of my time in school staring out the window with my mind focused on stories unfolding in my mind. I still have early report cards confirming this. The best part about school was writing assignments. Then, during my Bachelor of Education studies that I began to take my writing more seriously. It started with short fiction and few non-fiction articles. After studying Children’s Literature one semester and working in the elementary classrooms, it was time to take my interest in writing seriously.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
B.C. Outdoors magazine published a few non-fiction articles in the past, but The Ghost of Walhachin is the first book I’ve written. There are several new books at various stages of development. Two are for older readers, and one is for children. There is a fair bit of work ahead of me.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I coordinate safety training for local industries and organizations. It involves a lot of attention to details and can often demand a lot of time. It’s not creative work, but I meet many interesting people who provide character development ideas for writing. I’m not always successful in balancing my time between work and writing, but now with the three new writing projects, there is a pressing need to better organize my writing time.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part of being an indie is the involvement in the publishing process and the end product. The author can be as involved with as many stages of the publishing and marketing process as they want to be, and there are many places to seek out support and guidance for areas an author may want help with. As this is my first book, I was diving into an unknown world when I started the process, but as with anything new, I gradually gained a sense of how the publishing process works. My goal is to complete the next few books while this is still fresh in my mind.
The worst part of being a first-time indie is pushing past personal doubt and inhibitions. There is a lot of work to it, but there were plenty of warnings about that. Also, as an indie author you cover much of the publishing cost upfront and take in more of the revenue from sales, so you need to think long term regarding the budget.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Budget for a good editor and marketing. Once your book is published, you become a salesperson. The good thing here is that you believe in the product. It’s hard to determine the exact costs you will face with marketing, and there are many helpful articles that I found through internet searches. Have a marketing plan but be prepared to roll with the unexpected as well. I had prepared to visit schools and a few ideal events throughout the province. Then the pandemic shut everything down a few weeks after the release of my book.
I continue preparing for the time when I can follow through on those plans by creating displays, practicing with my grandchildren over Zoom meetings, and building internet marketing skills.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Having gone through the indie process, I have some things in place for marketing now, so it would be easy to continue. Having a say in everything regarding publishing is something I particularly appreciated. However, it does require a commitment of time and financial resources upfront, so I may consider an offer mainly to allow myself more time for writing.
Is there something in particular that motivates you?
Completing a project. Once a creative idea begins to take form in my imagination and I start working on it, I am driven to make it happen. I find it very difficult to leave a project incomplete, or to cut corners. A bit of perfectionism surfaces during the process, which can sometimes slow things down and become frustrating. I get satisfaction out of the completion and immediately begin looking for the next one.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
One author I admire is Margaret Laurence. I admire her strength and independent nature, right up to and including the circumstances around her death. Perhaps it was the stage in my own life when I read her novels, but they had a powerful impact on me because Laurence could write such gripping stories about ordinary small-town people. I was fascinated and inspired by how she made such memorable characters out of ordinary Canadian people. Through her characters, Margaret Laurence clearly showed the underlying beliefs that governed so many small-town Canadians.
I am fascinated with language and enjoy observing the patterns of language a person uses to express ideas and responses to events in their lives. It often reveals unexamined beliefs about themselves and the world around them.