Twenty-Four Years Is a Long Time To Wait

By Paisley Kirkpatrick

When you have to wait longer than you think you should, a dream finally coming true can have a much more dramatic impact. This past week brought a conclusion to my wait. I held my first print book in my hands. Was it worth the wait? Yes, absolutely yes. I had to work a little bit to get the box of books because we had snow on the ground and the delivery truck wouldn't come down our driveway. I was hearbroken the box didn't arrive on the day it was scheduled because the truck driver didn't want to get stuck even though our road was dry with no snow. The next day we happen to see the truck parked alongside the road. My husband dropped me off at the post office and continued up the road to check on my box. Much to my delight, by the time I got to where they were parked, he was signing for my box. To add even more excitement to the day, he'd parked on some black ice and the pickup started rolling backwards. It only went a foot or so by the time he jumped inside and got it stopped.

When I opened the box of 30 gorgeous books, I was in awe. I didn't jump up and down, but I did smile a lot. They are beautiful books with wide margins and a good-sized print. So many friends wanted signed copies. I didn't expect to be nervous about writing something inside the books. Maybe it was a life-long practice of not writing inside books that made me nervous. I don't know, but I am starting to get used to it now.

Now that I finally have accomplished this dream, I wonder what I should work toward now? Decisions, decisions.

Ghosts of Placerville

By Paisley Kirkpatrick

The end of October brings out the goblins and ghosts. Lots of tales of ghostly deeds and the unexplained are everywhere. I live close to the California Gold Rush community now named Placerville. I've personally encountered several of the ghostly remains of people who still hang around, sometimes making life a bit complicated when disturbed.

I worked in an art gallery that was a corner saloon during 1849. The two story building stands over a creek and ghost hunters have said it is a perfect way for those spirits to enter the building. Really, I am not stretching the truth here. The gallery filled the bottom floor. Several business offices were upstairs. One problem we had occurred every Christmastime. The people upstairs closed their offices for the holiday week, yet I could hear heavy footsteps overhead and an occasional door slamming. I would notify my boss and she'd go upstairs and check for an intruder. She never found anyone.

One morning I entered the gallery and found paintings turned askew on the walls and the tags that I'd taped under the paintings were all over the floor. We had four wastebaskets -- until one morning we found the pink one missing. The three gray ones were in the middle of the room. I missed the one time the ghost became violent. My boss and another employee were behind the counter when the large vase (about four foot tall) slammed against the wall on the other side of the room. It hit so hard it shattered into many pieces and the leg on the mahogany table was scratched.

The Cary House Hotel, standing across the street from the gallery, has two ghosts that we know of. One is Stan who worked as the check-in clerk. He'd been drinking heavily one evening and made a pass at one of the female guests. Her man friend was jealous and shot Stan. He died on the lobby floor. To this day he rides the elevators up and down at night and checks each door by jiggling the door handle to each room. When I toured the hotel to take photos for my newly released story Night Angel, Stan wouldn't let me open the door to the old elevator. I walked up several flights of stairs during the tour. When it was time to leave, I had no problem opening the door and riding down to the lobby. The other ghost is George. He mistook a poker player as the one who'd cheated him the night before and shot and killed him before he realized it was the wrong man. There is a dummy named George hanging on the front of the Hangman's Tree Saloon across the street from the hotel.

The television show that went around the country taping haunted houses and hotels presented a twenty minute portion of their show from the Cary House Hotel. There are a lot more stories in our community, but not enough time to share them all.

Sweet Revenge

By Paisley Kirkpatrick

Many years ago while I was at the dentist office, I was talking to the hygienist. I was telling her about my writing career when I heard my dentist shout out from down the hall that it was only a hobby. I tamped down a retort, but knew the day would come when I could put him in his place - politely, of course.

This past week my husband had some simple dental surgery. When the dentist called to see how Ken's mouth felt, I couldn't resist. While I had him on the phone I asked him if he'd heard about my five book publishing contract. He said my hubby had told him and he was so pleased to hear my good news. I then asked him if he remembered his comment about my writing only being a hobby. He giggled and said he did, but then added he was glad I had taken the time to hone my skills and sold my books.

WOOHOO it was a long time coming. Don't you love it when a plan comes together?

I got the cover for my very first book which is scheduled to be released August 21st. After 22 years of writing and dreaming, it cannot happen soon enough. I am thrilled and honored to share it with you all right now. It's a historical west romance set toward the end of the California gold rush in 1853.