Behind the Story: The Ghost in God's Acre

Pumpkin mugs are useful for setting a fall mood while writing on a summer day.

On October 29, 2021, my short story “The Ghost in God's Acre” was published in a horror anthology called The Horrors We Hide. I have been writing for most of my life, simply for the joy of it, but I had never been published. This was a significant milestone for me and I thought I'd share the behind the scenes journey from inspiration to ebook. 

I received an email from Tamara Rokicki, founder of The Otherworld, announcing her writing community's next anthology. It was to be a collection of horror stories and she was looking for authors interested in submitting short stories for consideration for the book. I had never written a horror story before but I was energized by the challenge. 

Horror turned out to be a tough mindset to get into. I had to work on setting the mood, especially because I was writing the story over the summer to prepare for a Halloween release. I started listening to the Real Ghost Stories Online podcast and borrowed books from the public library about local ghost lore. It was during a trip to the Bethlehem Area Public Library that I got my most valuable inspiration. Similar to love, it tends to happen when you aren't looking. 

As I was getting into my car, I noticed a house with an auction sign across the street. There is an alleyway next to the house which leads to an old Moravian cemetery. From there, the ideas for my short story sprung to life and I began my research. The characters, their lives and how to do justice to my hometown of Bethlehem were all thoughts that ran through my mind.

God's Acre in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

It might sound trivial, however, character names are one of the most important aspects to me when writing a story. I like the names to have meaning and purpose. The main character, Sienna, is named after the red and orange color of leaves in the fall. The name for Sienna's best friend Evie was inspired by my friend Erin. She was my editor on this story and I will be forever grateful for the recommendations she made after reading my first draft. 

All characters, major and minor, receive special names in my fictional worlds. Jason's name was influenced by the Slovak word ‘jesen’, which means autumn. Also inspired by the fall season, the name Jora means autumn rain. Rosina and George were common names in a Moravian church registry I located online. 

I wrote whenever and wherever I could, which is no easy feat for a working mama. When I was finished, I was 1,500 words over the word count limit. From there, the editing journey began. One of the toughest parts of writing is knowing you will have to make peace with deleting sentences, paragraphs and scenes you worked so hard to create, all in the name of storytelling. 

Once I submitted my story, I nervously checked my email every few hours. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long. I received the news that my story was accepted within a few days of submitting it. For a writer, I am finding it hard to come up with the right words to describe the feeling, the rush, I felt in that moment. I told my loved ones and tried to stop my hands from shaking so I could share the good news on social media. 

I am elated to have my story out in the world and am honored to have it included with a list of incredible, accomplished authors. Many thanks to everyone who has supported me through this journey. This short story is only the beginning. I have made significant strides in writing my own full length novel and The Otherworld writer community is already planning an anthology for 2022. I look forward to sharing more writing with all of my amazing friends, family and readers. 

If you haven't read The Ghost in God's Acre yet, please check it out in ebook here. 

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