Mary Cunningham, author of the delightful, middle-grade Cynthia's Attic Fantasy Adventure series, has just written a short story for young readers ages 10 and up: "Ghost Light".
Eleven-year old Jake McMillen is a bit annoyed when his mother forces him to visit his grandmother, who is very sick. Sure, his grandmother is a sweet old lady and he loves her dearly, but he would rather be practicing basketball and preparing himself for the upcoming game.
After all, basketball is his passion and he must make up in practice for his lack of height. Jake wished he could be tall like his grandfather used to be. But we don't always get what we want, right?
The day he visits his grandmother, she gives him some wise yet unusual advice. Impatient and distracted, he listens. Later, on the day of the game, things don't turn out as good as Jake had hoped. Depressed by his lack of 'good genes' he goes to bed almost in tears... but something startles him, a light in the window. He alos hears a familiar voice. The supernatural experience fills him with hope and the strength to follow his dreams.
I read the story (20 pages) with great interest from beginning to end. Having read all of Mary Cunningham's books, I was intrigued by her short fiction writing skills and I was not disappointed. The prose and suspense will appeal to young readers. The author makes every word count, making the story come to life without too much narration and description. Dialogue and action move the story along. This is a well-written short story that will be particularly enjoyed by boys who like basketball.
You can purchase your copy of "Ghost Light" from the publisher's website. For a limited time, if you buy the ebook you get a free copy of The Missing Locket, book I in the Cynthia's Attic Fantasy Adventure series.
Article comments
1 - sylpsociety
Thank you for the review of Ghost Light by Mary Cunningham.
I'm happy to see that this young-reader fantasy author builds a strong bond between an 11 year-old boy and his grandparents.