The Ghost Writer

by Damon Norko

Once a writer, always a writer . . . What would you do if you came back as a ghost? You could finally write that novel . . . Meet Arnold Showalter, ghost. At night, Arnold haunts the magnificent underground Mystic Caverns of Appalachia. But during the day, Arnold becomes The Ghost Writer, the first "literary voice from beyond the grave." Yet before Arnold can capitalize on his fame, he must first exorcise the "ghosts" of his own past. And it is easy to become bitter when one is dead . . . Fortunately, Arnold's world is rocked when he meets Clarisse, a 15-year-old fatality of a car accident. Her fresh outlook and spunky energy awaken Arnold to the real possibilities of post-life existence. Clarisse inspires a quest that takes Arnold to the farthest reaches of the universe, and deep within himself.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy

132 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Damon Norko is a writer, teacher and theater director. His distinctive brand of speculative fiction has been published in many places in the cyber-universe, and spans many genres.

Reviews

[Emily Wrayburn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review originally posted on A Keyboard and an Open Mind February 12, 2016:

This book ended up not being what I expected. I probably should have paid more attention to the fact that literary fiction was there alongside the SFF genre categorisation on NetGalley, but it wasn’t just that it wasn’t really my style of book. I found aspects of it confusing and inconsistent, plus the story was quite slow, all of which led to me enjoying it less than I might have.

After dying at age 64, Arnold Showalter becomes the world’s first “literary voice from beyond the grave”. He cannot feel emotions and has to rely on things like diving into volcanoes to get anything close to a thrill, but when he meets Clarisse, a ghost girl who died at age 15, and realises she can feel, he realises that the ghost-life he has been making do with isn’t how it has to be.

Arnold was the type of character you would expect to find in literary fiction, but as I mentioned, literary fiction is not really my thing, so I didn’t really care that much about his kind of crappy life. And even though age is probably not really an issue if you’re dead, I also felt a little bit weird about 64-year-old Arnold becoming as obsessed with 15-year-old Clarisse as he did.

The world-building was what confused me most in this book. Several ghosts seemed to have “jobs” that constituted haunting particular locations during business hours. They signed a contract, and were expected to punch in and out. But then there would be references to Arnold not really having set hours and being able to take off early if he wanted. It also seemed that as ghosts, the post-living could shoot off out of the Earth’s atmosphere, which made me wonder what kept them working. The punishment for breaking the Contract was disintegration, but they could clearly get far enough away that that wouldn’t be an issue. There was also some philosophical stuff at the end about Ghost Winds and this being the next stage of human evolution, but I felt like I missed something earlier in the book leading up to this, so it felt like it came out of nowhere and wasn’t very clear to me.

Overall, I feel like this was a definite case of “it’s not you, it’s me”, but I’m glad it was only short so that I could get all the way through it.

(Thanks to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review)

[Luna Lovebooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free e-copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time trying to figure out how exactly to do my review and what to rate this one. I think it is an interesting idea, but that it is confusing and could have been planned out better.

The Ghost Writer is written using stream of consciousness. It jumps from scene to scene, past to present, earth to space and back very rapidly. A lot happens in a short amount of pages, and it ends rather abruptly. I was left with unanswered questions and feel like there are loose ends that are not tied up.

As far as the characters go, I found myself wishing I could connect with them more. They are well thought out and I think—given the space of a full-sized novel—I would have come to love them. The world building could also use some work. Several ghosts seem to have jobs and are expected to sign a contract and clock in and out of work, but Arnold doesn’t seem to have set hours and often leaves his post early. The punishment for breaking a contract is disintegration by way of ghost cop, but these beings can clearly get far enough away by flying to the Moon that they can’t be caught. There is also some philosophical stuff at the end about Ghost Winds and how ghosts are the next stage of human evolution, but I feel like I missed something earlier in the book leading up to this. It just wasn’t very clear to me.

While the novella does need a bit of work, it is a truly unique idea. I enjoyed the quick read. I just wish it could be expanded upon. I give it 3 stars.

[Ruth Mccurry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible

This book is so horrible I couldn't get past the first few pages. I usually read a book all the way through, even if I don't like it, but this one is so bad that there is no way I could finish it.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing, to say the least.

I could barely get through the book. I thought I'd die of boredom. Read at your own risk. Not recommended.

[Lindsey Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original Review Here

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a writer myself, I was drawn to this book because of the title. I learnt from the synopsis that it was about a man determined to write even though he was dead and thought it sounded right up my street. What I ended up with was a charming and heart-felt story about pursuing your dreams no matter what the cost and, at the end of the day, standing up for what is right.

The plot is straightforward, but considering the novel is only short, it needs to be. Arnold is satisfied with his lot in the after-life but finds the corporation he works for isn’t as clean as it seems. Joining forces with other ghosts, he seeks to get the word out to ghosts and humans alike.

The characters were charming. Arnold is your typical nice-guy, who was down on his luck while he was alive but has the chance to make something of himself once he has passed on. Arnold is determined to succeed and is driven for success. But he is also friendly, letting himself be befriended by both Clarisse and Manny. Unfortunately, it’s just hard to know which ghost you can trust these days.

Despite being a lovely story, there is still tension and a fast pace to the plot. When Arnold finds himself under investigation, his subsequent hide-outs (in a wall and in a deer) add to the chase and Arnold himself finds his bravery when the deer are confronted with danger. For a character who is dead for the whole novel, he progresses and grows and the reader wants Arnold to be able to make a difference just because he is trying so hard to understand.

The Ghost Writer was an engaging and enjoyable story that leaves the reader with a feel-good vibe and a smile on their face. It is a story full of messages, mainly about never giving up and pursuing your dreams even if you are, in fact, dead. It is also a tale of friendship and loyalty and doing the right thing regardless of the risk to yourself. For a short story, this one packed a powerful punch.

The Ghost Writer is great whether you are a writer or not. The perfect book for a rainy day, a definite recommendation from here.

[Boundless Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first word that comes to my mind to describe this book is DIFFERENT! It's a book that is written from the ghosts point of view. Many books about ghosts do not do this. So this was a breath of fresh air. This book was a good kind of different.

Arnold is dead. He does his haunts daily and he continues to write since he was a writer before death. He has little drive as a ghost until he meets a young ghost named Clarisse. Her appearance in his afterlife opens his eyes to a different view. She is what he needed to help him enjoy his life as a ghost. As he battles daily with the bitterness that comes from his life before death, Clarisse helps him find himself again, even if he is a little different.

This book was a bit strange to me at first, but I was quick to get sucked in and I fell in love. Arnold is a great character even in his episodes of bitterness and when Clarisse comes along she just adds so much "life" to this story. I really enjoyed this book. It was written well. It had humor and action. It had ghosts and small scary bits. It was really a great book all around. I absolutely loved the ending!...Stormi

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[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

The Ghost Writer by Damon Norko has a novel concept. The main character is a ghost. OK. I know that is not new idea but a ghost that becomes a popular writer after he has died is an interesting twist. He become the first "literary voice from beyond the grave."

Most of us are obsessed with death and the afterlife. What is it? What happens when we die? Is there a heaven? The questions we have could take an eternity to ask all of them. Arnold Showalter is a ghost who can answer some, if not all, of our questions.

Arnold is also bitter and can not feel anything until he meets Clarisse, a fellow but much younger ghost. Clarisse can feel and makes Arnold realize the afterlife does not have to be boring.

This story shows how much we need people and is written using stream of consciousness. It tended to jump around but I felt, because the main character is a ghost, it was appropriate.

SPOILER ALERT The story does not end with everything tied up nicely with a bow. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered as if it was written to be part of a series.

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghost Writer by Damon Norko is a paranormal urban fantasy. Imagine being a ghost, who is a bestseller from the beyond. However, being a ghost even a talented writer doesn't suffice especially for Arnold. He needs something more to keep him busy. A ghost that is easily bored, is one that will get into a whole leap of trouble. Arnold needs a friend to quake his thirst in his afterlife. Fate is funny, because he ends up getting not one but many friends. Friends who will also get into major trouble along with Arnold. Arnold is a ghost that is not like any others i have read about...he days the norm. Damon Norko has created an unusual yet highly entertaining fantasy that readers everywhere will enjoy. The ghost's journey and growth as a character are brilliant. Arnold is also, very easy to connect with...his feelings are believable and portray him as realistic. I enjoyed this short easy-to-read novella. The Ghost Writer is one that baits, lures, and hooks. Overall, I recommend it to all.

[J.L. Rallios · Rating 3 out of 5]

Damon Norko has great writing skills, evokes vivid scenes and creates likable characters. In "The Ghost Writer" he displays these skills well. Unfortunately, the vehicle (aka, story) is somewhat weak, not a lot happens and it ends abruptly, leaving a lot of loose ends and unanswered questions. The antagonist, in this case a ghost-monitoring organization, is underdeveloped and could've been used to more suspenseful effect. It was at times very confusing with disjointed passages that jumped around. All of this I could overlook, because it was very original and thought-provoking, but for me substance trumps style -- and the "substance" (philosophy, theme, life-perspective, etc.) of the story is at antipodes to my personal beliefs. I wish that I could like it more, but because I don't agree with what it's saying, I couldn't, but I know that there are a lot of people out there who do agree with his philosophy and I think that they'll like it even better.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was certainly different to what i usually read but good different. It was a really quick book interesting view as the main character is dead.
I hope to read more by this author

Once a writer, always a writer . . ."

What would you do if you came back as a ghost? You could finally write that novel . . .

Meet Arnold Showalter, ghost.

At night, Arnold haunts the magnificent underground Mystic Caverns of Appalachia. But during the day, Arnold becomes The Ghost Writer, the first "literary voice from beyond the grave." Yet before Arnold can capitalize on his fame, he must first exorcise the "ghosts" of his own past. And it is easy to become bitter when one is dead . . .

Fortunately, Arnold's world is rocked when he meets Clarisse, a 15-year-old fatality of a car accident. Her fresh outlook and spunky energy awaken Arnold to the real possibilities of post-life existence. Clarisse inspires a quest that takes Arnold to the farthest reaches of the universe, and deep within himself.

[Chris Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very imaginative! Ghosts are a technological invention of a corporation that captures the essence of a person in a sort of persistent energy body. These continue on in existence and interact marginally with the living. Many of them seem to have jobs haunting places. One of them, our intrepid protagonist, Arnold Showalter, has a quite unusual job for a ghost. He is a writer. Although, the story is not really about what he writes, so much as it is about his adventures in the afterlife. Most ghosts are content to go about their hauntings, return back somewhere to sleep, and do the same day in and night out, but not Arnold. Perhaps it is writing stories that has made his afterlife more complex?

[Bookmafia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Analytical, thought provoking with a taste of regret, the Ghost Writer will challenge those who read it to live their lives to the fullest. Then again, using your after-life to fulfill all those things you took for granted while still alive, Damon Norko presents his readers with a unique spin on what exactly is waiting for you when your time finally runs out.

It wasn't really my style but I think it would appeal to others.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting look from beyond the grave. A true Ghost Writer has been put to work by an emotionless corporation to make money. But it’s the Writer, Arnold, that has all the ideas or at least is open to new ones. It’s a quick read with many thought provoking ideas with a dash of hope to get us through this thing called life.
An advanced reader’s copy of this book was provided for an honest review.

[Monache · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunate premise, and plot although it is clear that the writer can write. Keep aiming for the stars, but do not replicate. Too many transparencies from former stories told in the author's life. Philosophy takes fewer words with more strife.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghost Writer

Not my thing really, but a bit of interesting fluffiness and so I was able to keep reading to the end.

[Susan Gazaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confusing

I thought that this was an interesting idea for a book but it was confusing. There was no real ending either. It may have just gone over my head.