The Ghosts of Gannaway Return!

I love Stuart West's writing, and now Grinning Skull Press have released a new edition of The Ghosts of Gannaway, I had to invite him over to talk about it. The stage is all yours Stuart:

Ghosts of Gannaway, my attempt at sweeping historical horror fiction (is that a thing?) has been given a second life by the fine folks at Grinning Skull Press. Just like some of the characters in my book, it refuses to remain dead.

Part of my novel’s resurrection is due to the poorly matched cover it was initially saddled with. Take a gander:

Despite the appearance of this old cover, my book’s definitely not a Chippendale dancer romance saga. It’s a historical ghost tale full of curses, scares, Native-American rights, one of the first feminists, greed, suspense, hissable villains, noble heroes, hippies, union strikes, violence, animated statues, haunted museums, pollution, and love that transcends death. It’s based on true events that transpired in the town of Picher, Oklahoma during the Depression and the aftermath of those results that took place in the swingin’ sixties. Sure, I moved the events over the state line to Kansas, but the book’s true!

Except it’s a horror tale. You decide what’s real.

This edition contains a new foreword and photos taken on my flip-phone camera (a ghost in itself) of what remains of the ghost town of Picher. Come with me now on a little virtual tour and visit what inspired the spectral hauntings of my book. 

First stop is the actual Picher mining museum (which was torn down shortly after I nabbed this photo…no doubt due to poltergeist activity).

Next on our ghost town tour is one of the last remaining standing structures in Picher, the gorilla mascot of the high school football team. I changed it to a lion in the book, but just like the gorilla, it comes alive late at night.

 Check out some of the dilapidated buildings torn asunder by tornadoes, pollution, and…dare I say it?…haints*.

One of my favorite photos is the shuttered store with the bathrobe hung up over the door. There’s a story in there somewhere and I hope to have given it justice.

 And, of course, there’re the chat piles**, a remnant of what killed the town and long outlived the populace all in the name of good old-fashioned American greed.

So, travel with me to the lovely town of Gannaway, Kansas. It’s just a day-trip away and a night full of bad dreams to come.

 Amazon

About the author:

 

 Stuart R. West is a lifelong resident of Kansas, which he considers both a curse and a blessing. It's a curse because...well, it's Kansas. But it's great because…well, it’s Kansas. Lots of cool, strange and creepy things happen in the Midwest, and Stuart takes advantage of them in his work. Call it “Kansas Noir.” Stuart writes thrillers and mysteries usually tinged with humor, both for adult and young adult audiences. 

Stuart spent 25 years in the corporate sector and now writes full time. He’s married to a professor of pharmacy (who greatly appreciates the fact he cooks dinner for her every night) and has a daughter who’s dabbling in the nefarious world of banking. (Stuart also finds it uncomfortable writing about himself in the third person, but whatever).

Stuart R. West Blog: Twisted Tales from Tornado Alley

Stuart R. West Amazon author page

Stuart R. West Facebook

Stuart R. West Twitter: @StuartRWest

* ghosts
** contaminated mining waste