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Ghosted
A Short Story
Ghosts thrive on fear, but Maisie just isn't delivering. In fact, Lazarus isn't even sure she realizes she's being haunted.
When expert haunter, Lazarus Bently, receives a cry for help from a fellow ghost, he rushes to the chaotic cottage of eccentric artist Maisie. If Ghost HQ finds out Lazarus couldn't get a rise out of this little old lady, he'll never live it down.
With his professional pride on the line, can Lazarus get through to this unshakable woman? Or will this unbeaten scarer be the one quaking in his boots?
Ghosts thrive on fear, but Maisie just isn't delivering. In fact, Lazarus isn't even sure she realizes she's being haunted.
When expert haunter, Lazarus Bently, receives a cry for help from a fellow ghost, he rushes to the chaotic cottage of eccentric artist Maisie. If Ghost HQ finds out Lazarus couldn't get a rise out of this little old lady, he'll never live it down.
With his professional pride on the line, can Lazarus get through to this unshakable woman? Or will this unbeaten scarer be the one quaking in his boots?
ebook
Published October 15, 2020
4 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
H.L. Burke
94 books566 followersBorn in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.
An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.
Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
She is the author of a four part fantasy/romance series entitled "The Dragon and the Scholar," the Award Winning (2016 Realm Award for Young Adult Fiction) Nyssa Glass Steampunk series, and MG/Fantasy "Cora and the Nurse Dragon," among others .
Sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.hlburkeauthor.com
http://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Burke/e/B...
An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.
Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
She is the author of a four part fantasy/romance series entitled "The Dragon and the Scholar," the Award Winning (2016 Realm Award for Young Adult Fiction) Nyssa Glass Steampunk series, and MG/Fantasy "Cora and the Nurse Dragon," among others .
Sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.hlburkeauthor.com
http://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Burke/e/B...
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 1, 2022
A super cute short story about ghosties.
December 1, 2022
This was a cute, clever, and humorous short story. I liked the idea of a haunted house from the ghost's perspective, and the twist at the end was delightfully clever.
March 23, 2023
Entertaining ghost listening 🎶🔰
Another will written fantasy world 🌎 haunting horror ghost 👻 adventure thriller short story by H. L. Burke. Lazarus is a ghost 👻 who helps people with ghost 👻 issues. Harper has ghost 👻 issues and hires Lazarus. Lazarus comes up with a plan to help with the two ghost 👻. The plan works and Harper is happy. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of paranormal fantasy novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 👻😀😯🏡
Happy reading and have fun 🌙😀
Another will written fantasy world 🌎 haunting horror ghost 👻 adventure thriller short story by H. L. Burke. Lazarus is a ghost 👻 who helps people with ghost 👻 issues. Harper has ghost 👻 issues and hires Lazarus. Lazarus comes up with a plan to help with the two ghost 👻. The plan works and Harper is happy. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of paranormal fantasy novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 👻😀😯🏡
Happy reading and have fun 🌙😀
October 21, 2023
This was cute and funny, though I feel a bit miffed at that ghost for messing up the artist’s stuff. That wasn’t very nice!
‼️Content‼️
Language: what the
Other: ghosts
‼️Content‼️
Language: what the
Other: ghosts
Read
September 15, 2020I wrote this, but I also read it.
Humorous short story.
Humorous short story.
September 15, 2020
Ghosted is a very short story, but it is well worth the time it takes to read it.
I love Burke's way with characters. She never has a 2D character, even something as basic as a ghost who lives off fear energy, is engaging and relatable.
This is a fun, spooky little story, safe for reading to kids, but equally fun for adults, that is sure to liven up your Halloween season.
I love Burke's way with characters. She never has a 2D character, even something as basic as a ghost who lives off fear energy, is engaging and relatable.
This is a fun, spooky little story, safe for reading to kids, but equally fun for adults, that is sure to liven up your Halloween season.
March 21, 2024
You don’t have to be a big fan of being scared to enjoy this one!
Artists aren’t easy to scare…especially someone as independent and creative as Maisie. I adored the descriptions of how she worked on her paintings and drawings in her cluttered and messy but also warm and inviting home. She was the sort of antagonist that I can’t help but to root for because she genuinely didn’t realize she was annoying her resident ghost at all. After all, who has time to worry about the spirit world and what it wants from the living when there are countless ideas out there to try to commit to paper or canvas? Her self-absorption was understandable given how quirky she was in general, and it also matched the ghosts’ frantic attempts to frighten her beautifully.
The world building was amazing as well. The author only had about eighteen pages to work with here, so it was impressive to see just how many descriptions of paranormal society and how the dead were expected to interact with the living she managed to pack into such a small space. While I would have happily read another few hundred pages about the complexities of it all, I was also content with what I was given and finished the last scene with a chuckle.
Speaking of the ending, it couldn’t have been better. This piece played around a lot with everyone’s expectations, including the ghosts, Maisie, and even those of us who participated in it simply by reading. I don’t want to share too many details and accidentally give away spoilers, but what I can say is that Ms. Burke is clearly well-versed in both the fantasy and paranormal genres and knew exactly how to tweak her plot twists to bring out the funniest aspects of being a ghost, being haunted, and even of wanting to read about a haunting gone terribly wrong in a silly, not tragic, sense of that phrase.
Ghosted – A Short Story was cozy, sweet, and hilarious. If you need a palate cleanser between checking out more serious works, I highly recommend starting here.
Artists aren’t easy to scare…especially someone as independent and creative as Maisie. I adored the descriptions of how she worked on her paintings and drawings in her cluttered and messy but also warm and inviting home. She was the sort of antagonist that I can’t help but to root for because she genuinely didn’t realize she was annoying her resident ghost at all. After all, who has time to worry about the spirit world and what it wants from the living when there are countless ideas out there to try to commit to paper or canvas? Her self-absorption was understandable given how quirky she was in general, and it also matched the ghosts’ frantic attempts to frighten her beautifully.
The world building was amazing as well. The author only had about eighteen pages to work with here, so it was impressive to see just how many descriptions of paranormal society and how the dead were expected to interact with the living she managed to pack into such a small space. While I would have happily read another few hundred pages about the complexities of it all, I was also content with what I was given and finished the last scene with a chuckle.
Speaking of the ending, it couldn’t have been better. This piece played around a lot with everyone’s expectations, including the ghosts, Maisie, and even those of us who participated in it simply by reading. I don’t want to share too many details and accidentally give away spoilers, but what I can say is that Ms. Burke is clearly well-versed in both the fantasy and paranormal genres and knew exactly how to tweak her plot twists to bring out the funniest aspects of being a ghost, being haunted, and even of wanting to read about a haunting gone terribly wrong in a silly, not tragic, sense of that phrase.
Ghosted – A Short Story was cozy, sweet, and hilarious. If you need a palate cleanser between checking out more serious works, I highly recommend starting here.
September 16, 2020
A fun short story perfect to enjoy with the kids at Halloween...or anytime you’d like to remind them how scary a messy room can be. HA!
July 29, 2024
This is more humorous than scary. The ghost is more Marie Kondo than Bloody Mary. Easily read in 10-15 minutes.
June 9, 2023
interesting short read
Good imagery. Enjoyed it. Look forward to reading more of HL Burke’s work. Love the cover. Ghost stories are fun to read.
Good imagery. Enjoyed it. Look forward to reading more of HL Burke’s work. Love the cover. Ghost stories are fun to read.
February 2, 2021
Lazarus visits Harper because he isn't doing well with his assignment. Harper admits that he is struggling,but insists that it is not due to his not trying. Lazarus takes pity on him and sends him away while he takes on the assignment himself.
But Lazarus gets a surprise and learns why Harper was having such a difficult time.
This is a short story and to say any more would be to spoil it. In short, go get it and read it for yourself and take some pleasure in doing so,as it it a really good story.
Although there's only a handful of characters, it has more than enough body to satisfy readers.
I received a free copy of this novel from the author and I'm happy to offer my fair and honest review.
But Lazarus gets a surprise and learns why Harper was having such a difficult time.
This is a short story and to say any more would be to spoil it. In short, go get it and read it for yourself and take some pleasure in doing so,as it it a really good story.
Although there's only a handful of characters, it has more than enough body to satisfy readers.
"headquarters isn’t happy with your performance. Like I said, they gave you an easy assignment."
I received a free copy of this novel from the author and I'm happy to offer my fair and honest review.
December 18, 2020
Super clever premise. An expert ghost is coming in to help out a struggling haunt scare his mark. But disorganized artist types are not easy to rattle. Very charming and funny. It would make an adorable Halloween short film.
October 30, 2020
A funny little story about ghosts and a hard-to-scare woman. Perfect Halloween read.
November 10, 2020
Very quick read. Cute and hilarious
March 25, 2024
The ghosts are bested by a human who defies norms.
October 30, 2020
Ghosted is a funny short story about a haunting gone wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. There's even a black cat! Harper is a ghost who is failing at frightening the owner of a home. Headquarters send Lazarus, a ghost who has made a name for himself, to investigate. The ending had me grinning from ear to ear!
Here's a quote from the story:
"Easy?" Harper bristled. "Easy? Lazarus, this woman is impossible. Nothing frightens her!"
"What? Is she a skeptic?" Lazarus frowned.
"Worse!" Harper threw up his hands. "She's an artist."
Here's a quote from the story:
"Easy?" Harper bristled. "Easy? Lazarus, this woman is impossible. Nothing frightens her!"
"What? Is she a skeptic?" Lazarus frowned.
"Worse!" Harper threw up his hands. "She's an artist."
November 3, 2020
Short and hilarious
Lazarus, the expert haunter, has to figure out how to scare the absent minded artist who knows her house is haunted.
Lazarus, the expert haunter, has to figure out how to scare the absent minded artist who knows her house is haunted.
October 22, 2020
Quirky and Adorable
What a cute, funny story!! I loved the quirky Lazarus, and Maisie. This was hilarious to read. The tongue in cheek references to the nightly news were inspired... As was the fear inspired by neatness!
What a cute, funny story!! I loved the quirky Lazarus, and Maisie. This was hilarious to read. The tongue in cheek references to the nightly news were inspired... As was the fear inspired by neatness!
October 15, 2020
An amazingly fun, cute, creative little story about a senior ghost with a reputation for being able to perform and a junior ghost in a seemingly impossible situation with hilarious results.
December 25, 2022
...cute and fun ghost story.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews