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| Illustration by Corona Zschusschen |
So today I've invited my main character, Indigo Eady, from Givin' Up The Ghost, to discuss the gifts she uses.
Please feel free to chime in with any questions you may have.
Indigo, I understand that you don't like people to know about your special abilities. Why is that?
When I was young, I thought everybody could see and speak to ghosts. When I started school, I found out differently. When I'd pass a message from a spirit on to someone, they'd say I was lying. Then I'd get teased and the kids called me a freak and a witch and all sorts of unkind things. Needless to say I didn't have very many friends. That's why I don't like people to know. It makes them uncomfortable.
Can you share a little about these abilities with us?
Yes. I can see and speak to ghosts, and I also do Psychometry.
Psycho-what?
Psychometry. It's the ability to read the energy or history from a person or object. I'm not very good at it though. Or I should say that I'm not good at controlling it. It, uh, often backfires.
Backfires? What do you mean? Can you give us an example?
Without giving anything away about the book, I can tell you that sometimes when I shake hands with someone, I get a vision of something from their lives, something momentous or important. It runs through my head like a film clip. If that person is violent or has known violence, it can manifest negatively. I have to be very careful about what I touch.
Manifests negatively? I'm not sure I understand.
*Indigo holds her hands out, palms up. Scars of all shapes and sizes criss-cross them* What most often happens is they blister. And I have to be very careful about picking up someone's pint glass, because, *she shrugs*, if they are a big drinker, then chances are I feel the results of that.
What? Do you mean - you get drunk? Just from touching the glass?
*She nods and looks uncomfortable.* I'd rather not talk about that. Badger didn't fare well the last time I...never mind.
Oh. Yeah. I do seem to recall...but never mind. Okay, then. How is it working with your new friends? They don't seem to mind about your being psychic.
No, they're great. They don't mind. Simon is my cousin, of course, and my best friend. But when Badger found out about me, he didn't believe me at first. I had to prove myself. The others, Badger's sister Riley and my friend Cappy - they didn't have trouble believing.
I have to ask this. You have an awful lot of mishaps. What's up with that?
*A big sigh* First, let me set the record straight. I am not clumsy. I'm really not. I'm...a coordinated person who uncoordinated things happen to. It's the ghosts and the Psychometry that keep me off kilter. I don't trip over my own feet or anything like that. I'm usually running from a dark spirit or chasing another one, or...*she pins me with her vivid blue gaze* you could help me with that, you know. You're the writer - you could fix that particular idiosyncracy.
*I shake my head.* I just write it as I see it. Besides, I think it's a very endearing trait, that you are, um...challenged in that way.
Please, Gwen. Or at least let someone else be the target for a change. No - wait. That didn't come out right. *clamps hand over her mouth.* I am so going to hell for that. It's just that Badger, you know...
Yes? Badger what?
Well, he's my friend...
Just a friend?
Yes, of course. *her cheeks turn crimson* And I'm always running him over and...well, other stuff. I don't want. I. We. Nothing. *sigh* It's complicated.
