Charred Remains

I have long since banished the idea of coincidence.

If life has taught me anything thus far, it's that everything IS connected.

Which leads me to a very interesting story.

And one that I hope you'll enjoy.

I have been working on a manuscript involving some childhood memories and future happenings.

It is a story about my sister, Kim.  

She passed away a couple of years ago and I have felt compelled to share her with the world.  

I want people to know her; to know what she was like; to be impressed by her as much as I am.

So, I created this tale of two sisters that lands us in the afterlife.  

In true Night Lights fashion, 

it involves some darkness and shadows; 

a battle between good and evil.

Since I've been working on this, I have had - in the back of my head - a gnawing need for a book title.

It wasn't long after I began writing it that I picked up a copy of Little Women.

I thought reading a story about sisters would be good inspiration for me.  

And it was indeed. 

It gave me the title for which I was looking...

Sunshine and Shadow

This title resonated with me because it encompasses 

all the good and and all the evil of the characters found in my manuscript.

The words came from a passage in Alcott's book that says:

"Some people seemed to get all sunshine and some all shadow..."

So, thank you Louisa May Alcott.  

I got my title.

And it fits perfectly.

Now, there's a little more to the story.

About a month ago, I am visiting a library in another town and I see a book titled

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott.

(*mind blown)

It is one of the sequels to Alcott's classic.

I didn't even know that this existed.

Of course, I pick it up and check it out with my super-awesome library card that I carry around with me because I think I'm cooler with it than without it.

(#SupportLibraries)

I get it home and read it up, knowing I'm better for it.

Now, I am always on the lookout for a scary read for my Book Club 

- and this is definitely not it - 

but there is a section in this book that made me sit up and reread.  

It deals with some darkness that I thought parallels a very horrific tale that has taken hold of mainstream Hollywood in the name of Annabelle.

Now, the history of the real Annabelle tells us that a student nurse was given the doll in 1968.

My question is, where was she before that time?

And I think we may have our answer...

If or when you read this book, 

check out a game the children play in Chapter Eight called Pranks and Plays.

It explains a childhood game involving a sacrificial fire and offerings of their most precious toys.  

(and even though the name ends in an A instead of an E, it's suspicious to say the least.)

"...he planted poor dear Annabella on the funeral pyre.  Of course she did not like it, and expressed her anguish and resentment in a way that terrified her infant destroyer...She did not blaze, but did what was worse, she squirmed.  First one leg curled up, then the other, in a very awful and lifelike manner; next she flung her arms over her head as if in great agony; her head itself turned on her shoulders, her glass eyes fell out, and with one final writhe of her whole body, she sank down a blackened mass on the ruins of the town.  This unexpected demonstration startled everyone and frightened Teddy half out of his little wits.  He looked, then screamed and fled toward the house."

~ Louisa M. Alcott ~

 excerpt from Little Men

Coincidence?

Like I said, I don't believe in them.

But I do believe in ghosts.
How about you?

#CreepOn