It started raining on Saturday and it still hasn't stopped. At first, this wasn't a bad thing. With no sunshine to beckon me outside, I went out and rented all of the remaining available Lost DVD's and spent most of Sunday immersed in a Lost marathon. Yes, I had resolved to pace myself more slowly with these. But that resolve crumbled under two days of incessant rain.
So my Lost viewing was complete for now. But still the rain continued. I searched for another indoor activity. I could engage in intensive house-cleaning. I could clean out my closets and storage spaces. I could browse in a bookstore.
While at Chapters, a few books caught my attention. The graphic novelization of Agatha Christie's Halloween Party is one I've had my eye on for a while. But I've read every mystery that Agatha Christie wrote, and Halloween Party doesn't stand out as one of my favourites. Despite the victim and method of murder. An obnoxious pre-teen has her head held under water in an apple-bobbing bucket. Interesting to see in a graphic novel format, but not interesting enough to persuade me to part with almost $20. I came much closer to buying On A Raven's Wing. A collection of short mystery stories inspired by Poe or by some aspect of one of his stories.
And I likely would have gone home with it had I not spotted another book. Halifax Haunts. I hadn't realized it, but this is the book I've been waiting for.
I love historical "true" ghost stories. Especially those that take place in my own backyard. But detailed local ghost stories have been surprisingly difficult to find. I've been able to gather bits and pieces. A ghost walk here. A cemetery tour there. A Halloween event. A vague chapter or two within a broader collection of stories. But well-researched, detailed stories about the ghosts who inhabit my city? Not really. Until now. Steve Vernon has kindly collected, researched, written (and perhaps slightly embellished) 33 Halifax ghost stories. Some I've heard before. Some I haven't. The author ". . . decided to write the book as a Halifax ghost tour." And that's how I've decided to read it. He's even included maps if I need them.
So it appears I've got a good chunk of my summer activities "mapped out". Hilarious. I think the rain is getting to me.
So my Lost viewing was complete for now. But still the rain continued. I searched for another indoor activity. I could engage in intensive house-cleaning. I could clean out my closets and storage spaces. I could browse in a bookstore.
While at Chapters, a few books caught my attention. The graphic novelization of Agatha Christie's Halloween Party is one I've had my eye on for a while. But I've read every mystery that Agatha Christie wrote, and Halloween Party doesn't stand out as one of my favourites. Despite the victim and method of murder. An obnoxious pre-teen has her head held under water in an apple-bobbing bucket. Interesting to see in a graphic novel format, but not interesting enough to persuade me to part with almost $20. I came much closer to buying On A Raven's Wing. A collection of short mystery stories inspired by Poe or by some aspect of one of his stories.
And I likely would have gone home with it had I not spotted another book. Halifax Haunts. I hadn't realized it, but this is the book I've been waiting for.
I love historical "true" ghost stories. Especially those that take place in my own backyard. But detailed local ghost stories have been surprisingly difficult to find. I've been able to gather bits and pieces. A ghost walk here. A cemetery tour there. A Halloween event. A vague chapter or two within a broader collection of stories. But well-researched, detailed stories about the ghosts who inhabit my city? Not really. Until now. Steve Vernon has kindly collected, researched, written (and perhaps slightly embellished) 33 Halifax ghost stories. Some I've heard before. Some I haven't. The author ". . . decided to write the book as a Halifax ghost tour." And that's how I've decided to read it. He's even included maps if I need them.
So it appears I've got a good chunk of my summer activities "mapped out". Hilarious. I think the rain is getting to me.
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