X-Files and Ghosts and Such

I believe I’ve mentioned before how much I love X-Files. And I’ve liked my share of vampires—Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood. But it’s surprised me a little that both in press interviews and in Q&A sessions on tour, the issue of my own belief in the paranormal has come up several times. Do I believe in ghosts? Have I seen a ghost? What are my own personal experiences with the paranormal?

On a somewhat related note, one of my favorite negative reviews of the book gripes that a real archaeologist with a solid academic background would never rely on ghosts to guide her fieldwork. Um, no. Probably not. I do not recommend this book as a textbook.

I like magical realism. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Toni Morrison. I love the idea that there is a magic in the everyday, and I like it when fiction blends two worlds—the real and the fantastic.

 That said, I have not seen a ghost. I believe we all have our own ghosts, that we all carry some people with us, but I don’t tend to think those ghosts appear as shadowy entities. I haven’t really had experiences with the paranormal, and I think that probably disappoints potential readers who like Ghost Hunters and other shows where you try to catch a ghost. (Catching a ghost would be cool—no question.)

Ren’s world is not quite our world, and in some ways I’m glad of that. I’d prefer not to have dead artists sitting cross-legged on my kitchen floor. For one thing, any ghost would constantly be tripping over all the dog bones and baby toys strewn around.