Today it gives the Speculative Fiction Showcase great pleasure to interview Chantal Bellehumeur, author of Paranormal Investigation
What was the inspiration behind Paranormal Investigation, your ghost story published on January 4th, 2024?
There is a historical jail in the city of Cornwall Ontario with a
reputation for being haunted. Granted, a
lot of them are, but this one is at the top of Canada’s most haunted
places.
I went on a guided tour of the old building during the day and came back
in the fall to conduct a paranormal investigation with my husband and son. The special activity was organised by a
company called Phantoms of York, who specialises in this kind of thing. They conducted
their own investigation there and have been giving tourists the opportunity to
do the same in October. They provided us
with ghost hunting equipment and gave tips on how to potentially communicate
with spirits.
Our two-and-a-half hours session was recorded with a night vision camera
and the footage was uploaded on YouTube for us to watch and analyse. As I was having
fun replaying certain parts and taking notes, it gave me the idea for the
story.
I must admit nothing much happens during these kinds of investigations. There was no guarantee we would experience anything, and it’s all a matter of interpretation too. But, we did capture a few things so I used my own experience, those of others, as well as historical facts to create a fictional story. I made the ghosts a lot more active than during a real investigation to make it more interesting and added humour.
How much is the story fact, and how much fiction?
It depends on your beliefs.
Before conducting our own paranormal investigation, we watched a short
video about the jail’s history as well as testimonials and clips from other
people’s investigations. My prologue
which introduces the Cornwall jail and its past inmates is real. That being said, some of the ghosts and
supernatural activities were based on real people and claimed sightings.
For example, there was a doll in one of the cell blocks. When I asked the
dolls name, a voice on the radio transmitter we had on said ‘’Raggedy’’ and
then ‘’Ann’’. At least, that’s what I
heard. My family didn’t hear those
specific words until we watched the footage at home.
I included the most exciting parts of our investigation in my story and embellished. Everything that happens after the Roy family leave the jail, including the epilogue, is pure fiction.
What prompted you and your family to do a real-life investigation at Cornwall’s old jail?
I personally believe in the paranormal.
A lot of people died inside the walls of the Cornwall
jail and I was curious to see if I could actually communicate with their
spirits.
Part of me was a bit scared of messing with
the supernatural. Violent criminals such
as convicted murdered were hung there. Men
and woman deemed insane also died there because the jail doubled up as an
asylum. It also held homeless people, including
children. I wanted to learn their
stories and thought a paranormal investigation would be an interesting activity
to do around Halloween.
It felt like a safe environment; one in which I could leave any time and not have to return if I didn’t want to. I don’t think I would be comfortable doing something like this in my home.
Have you written other stories about ghosts and the paranormal?
Yes.
My novel “Past lives’’ is about reincarnation. The main character goes
under hypnosis to remember all her past lives, including times she roamed as a
ghost.
I’ve also written a few short stories involving ghosts. The first one that comes to mind is “Imaginary Friend” which was published in an issue of Mom’s Favourite Reads eMagazine.
As a writer, have you got a favourite genre?
No. It really depends on my mood.
I write a lot of slice-of-life type stories, but enjoyed writing romance, horror, historical, fantasy, memoires, and even poetry equally. I don’t like writing typical poetry though. Mine read more like stories.
How important is the humour in Paranormal Investigation?
The humour in Paranormal investigation is light and helps keeps things more realistic. The main character is like me in the sense that she believes in the supernatural, but her husband Dave is more sceptical so keeps cracking jokes. Its also a coping mechanism. He’s a bit spooked but won’t admit it. A lot of people react that way.
What prompted you to become a writer?
I always liked telling stories.
When I was a young child, I asked my mother to note down my made-up
stories for me, and once I learned how to write I started making little books
with stapled papers. I continued writing
as a teen and wrote a novel in my early twenties. It was a fictional diary I
never intended to publish but somebody encouraged me to do so. I find it quite
therapeutic to write and got a lot of positive feedback from my first book so
continued publishing my work.
Now I have 20 published books, and a lot of my short stories, poems, memoirs, and even recipes have been featured in anthologies and digital magazines. I also wrote a few articles for a local newspaper to create awareness about Ulcerative Colitis, a chronic digestive illness I was diagnosed with in 2009.
Do you have a daily writing routine?
No. I write when inspiration strikes. I do prefer a quiet environment so I can concentrate.
How do you balance the demands of family, work and creativity?
When I am struck by inspiration, it’s usually at an inconvenient
time. It can be while I am in the
shower, trying to sleep, or enjoying an activity with somebody.
I do my best to focus on my work while I am at the office but might quickly
jot down a thing or two on a post-it so I don’t forget general ideas. If I am elsewhere, I use my phone to write
little notes. At home, I will sit down
at my computer to write as soon as I can.
My family knows when not to disturb me.
I’ve written a lot while on sick leave too and it has given me time to focus and do research.
What writers have inspired you?
I love a lot of different authors for various reasons, but none of them specifically inspired me to write. I try to avoid reading a book when I am in full writing mode because I don’t want another author’s writing style to subconsciously influence my own.
You have struggled with serious health issues, mentioned on your website. How has that changed the way you write and the subjects you choose?
Indeed. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis around the same time I
started publishing so it became my escape.
The first few years of dealing with my chronic illness was tough,
especially while trying to raise a child on my own. I wrote to distract myself and feel somewhat
productive when I was too sick to work.
I mention the illness in a couple of my novels. The first one was ‘‘Hope’’. I was so desperate to make people understand what I was going through after being hospitalised. Little did I know, I hadn’t even experienced the worst of it yet. I hate to say it, but it was the worst book I’ve ever written. I’ve since then written personal articles about my illness which were published in a local newspaper and their website. I was later approached by Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, a foundation I volunteered for, to share my story to potential doners.
As a writer of ghost stories, do you believe in ghosts?
Yes, I do.
Call me crazy, but sometimes I feel another presence in my home. My sister said she feels the same when she
comes over. It’s a weird sensation; like
I am being watched.
I felt it from time to time inside the Cornwall jail and other
historical sites; in London, England especially! The London Tower felt haunted and
going on a Jack the Ripper Walk was creepy, and not just because of the murders
that happened over a century ago. Those
weird vibes I got in Whitechapel pushed me to write my novel ‘’Just.Another.Common.Killer’’
as well as a bonus story called ‘’Mary Kelly’s Diary’’ which I included in the
second edition of the horror book.
Years ago, when I was visiting an old jail in Ottawa, I had this similar
sensation. I felt something brush me while our group was standing in front of
the original hanging spot, staring at a hanging noose. I thought it was my friend, but he swore it
wasn’t him and there wasn’t anyone else behind us.
I could go on…
Are you planning to carry out more investigations in historic buildings?
The same people who organised the paranormal investigation at the
Cornwall jail do the same thing at other historic sites. I am definitely interested in trying the
experience at other locations.
What are you working on now?
My dad told me a crazy thing that happened in the early 80’s while we were moving from Timmins to Burlington. I have no recollection of it because I was only three at the time, but it inspired a short story.
How do you imagine the audience for Paranormal Investigation?
I believe my book is ideal for people who enjoy reading light ghost stories. It’s spooky, but not to the point of giving you nightmares.
Amazon
About Chantal Bellehumeur:
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