I interviewed Lewis
Carroll’s ghost at midnight under a full moon in a graveyard deep in the heart
of London.
James: We’re so
glad you could join us, Lewis.
We’ve never had a ghost on Project Mayhem.
Lewis: I’m honored
to be here.
James: So what’s it
like to be a writer in the afterlife?
Lewis: It’s really not much different. I write five to six hours a day. I’m in a writing group.
James: A writing
group for ghosts?
Lewis: Yes. The other members of the group are Dr. Seuss, Roald Dahl,
Beatrix Potter, Madeline L’Engle and Ernest Hemingway.
James: I didn’t know Ernest Hemingway was a
children’s author.
Lewis: Ernest
began writing for children soon after he passed away. He has written six picture books. Picasso illustrated them. They’re gorgeous.
James: Has the
afterlife changed your writing style at all?
Lewis: My rhyming has improved.
James: You rhyming
was pretty good to begin with.
Lewis: Tell Edgar Allan Poe that. He thinks it’s mediocre.
James: How many
books have you written as a ghost?
Lewis: 27
James: 27 new
children’s books by Lewis Carroll!
What stupendous news!
How can we the living gain access to them?
Lewis:
Unfortunately you can’t. There are
stringent copyright laws in the afterlife. We are only allowed to publish in our dimension. C.S. Lewis tried to sell a novel to
Macmillan last year and got in big trouble.
James: Considering
all the literary geniuses floating around, there must be many bookstores in the
afterlife.
Lewis: When a
bookstore closes in the land of the living, its ghost opens in our realm. A bookstore’s ghost is an enchanted
creature.
James: What do you
think of the movie versions of ‘Alice’?
Lewis: The Tim Burton movie wasn’t bad.
James: What advice
would you give to aspiring writers?
Lewis: Take your
time writing your novel. Don’t be
in a rush. Trust me. You’re in it for the long haul.
James: Thank you so much for your time.
Lewis: My pleasure.
Creative brilliance, James. I got shivers reading it.
ReplyDeleteI'm here to create mayhem!
DeleteI had a lot of fun reading this. Right now I have a huge smile on my face.
ReplyDeleteFun interview. That C. S. Lewis, who would have thought he'd try to publish outside his dimension!
ReplyDeleteFun interview. That C. S. Lewis, who would have thought he'd try to publish outside his dimension!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see this group as a dinner party! What a hoot!
ReplyDeleteThe phone rang while I was reading this and I couldn't break away to answer. The interview was much better than voice mail urging me to attend a city council meeting. Thanks for the fun interview.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I love this. I hope for success in this life first, but glad to know that the dream never dies...
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant! I love the idea of ghost bookstores. Lovely!
ReplyDelete