23 September, 2020

An #Interview with Ramona Nehring-Silver, #Author of The Ghost of Walhachin #ChildrensBook



About the Author:


Ramona Nehring-Silver’s memories of living in and around Walhachin as a child and exploring the surroundings with seven siblings provided the initial inspirations for The Ghost of Walhachin.  Ongoing motivation, and sometimes interruptions, came from her four children and thirteen grandchildren. She now lives in the far northeast corner of British Columbia, where her teaching career has ranged from adult art and writing classes to elementary school. Exploring B.C. and beyond by motorcycle is her favorite thing to do, as well as spending time with her grandchildren.



Ramona on the Web:
Website * Facebook 



An Interview with Ramona Nehring-Silver


When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

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. I enjoyed school writing assignments but was during my Bachelor of Education studies that I began to take this interest seriously.  I started writing short fiction and some non-fiction articles.

What inspires you to write?

Situations, people, or events that seem particularly interesting or unique will spark a story idea.  It’s like the story finds me and won’t leave me in peace until I write.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

The initial idea for the “Ghost of Walhachin” came to me while teaching history in a Grade 3 class.  The resources available, or at least focused on in the curriculum, pertained to the history of one location in British Columbia. 
I had lived in many places that also have fascinating histories, and Walhachin was one.  I wanted a way to share that history with young readers in an engaging way. The historical fiction genre allows for engaging tales and sharing of historical facts.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?

Yes, there are a few short stories in various stages of completion.  Some may be worth polishing for publication.

Tell us about your writing process.

I don’t manage my writing process; it seems to manages me. It starts with an idea or a vivid dream that keeps returning to me.  Over time the details, events, characters, problems, and solutions gradually form a loose outline in my mind.  
At this point, I am compelled to begin writing, and from there, the story itself leads the way to the results.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

I would have to say the scene near the end where the characters come to realize how they are connected.  I think because it exemplifies the importance of our connections to others now and in the past.  Also, how we influence the lives of others, sometimes with out paying much attention to it. 

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?

The characters in “The Ghost of Walhachin” are about the same ages myself and my siblings were when we lived there, so the characters certainly have some of my sibling’s quirks, and many of the events were taken from our childhood experiences.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

My writing process is more frustrating than interesting sometimes.  When a story idea has grown to the point of an informal outline, and I feel compelled to start writing, I go through a stage of waggling around until I find the perspective and the voice that the story needs to be told. 
It consists of writing a few lines, getting side-tracked by chores, returning the writing, getting side-tracked again.  This back-and-forth behavior goes on for some time.
There is a fine line between letting a story idea meld in your mind and procrastination. I stumble between the two for a while.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

Just write the story. Trust yourself.  Plenty of editing will have to happen later, so don’t worry about syntax,  semantics, details etc. 

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Just write the story. Trust yourself.  Plenty of editing will have to happen later, so don’t worry about syntax,  semantics, details etc. 

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

Living in a remote northern area of British Columbia, I am surrounded by wilderness, and I find the best way to unwind is getting outdoors, even in our cold winters. Taking my mind away from the humanmade world and social constructs, even for short breaks, has a way of quietening life’s pressures and responsibilities.  It allows the subconscious to be heard.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?

I’m always up for a new adventure, and often things are added to my bucket list after I’ve done something new. I don’t know if that’s allowed when developing a bucket list, but it happens.
On the list and yet to materialize are two novels I would like to write. Both are for adults, one a serious topic and the other more lighthearted.
With both stories, I am at the stage of struggling between the ideas melding in my mind and procrastination.

Tell us three fun facts about yourself.

I gave this away already in the previous question, but I do like new adventures.  I try things even if I’m scared, like sailing.   I’m not very comfortable around water, but I would not turn down the opportunity when it came my way.   Fear fades as experience accumulates.
Sharing my interest and experiences in visual arts with my grandchildren through weekly lessons brings me energy and joy and a messy kitchen table.
I have covered thousands of miles on many highways with my motorcycle, from Alaska to Nebraska to the west coast. Now the east side of the continent is inviting me.  Perhaps that is a bucket list item.


About the Book:
A ghost, time travel, and unusual friendships await Kean in Walhachin. Kean feels displaced at his home in Seattle since his mother recently re-married and has chosen to spend the summer in the small desert town with his aunt and younger cousin. Not long after arriving, he regrets his decision. There is no one his age. The town is too small for public amenities. Then everything changes when he uncorks an old soda bottle that was made in Walhachin eighty years prior. He becomes embroiled in an adventure to try and help a ghost retrieve a much-needed item from the past. In his quest to help the ghost he discovers the town's spirited history and develops unusual friendships with an old man in the present and a young boy in the past.


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