Q & A With Ann Hite discussion

So I'll ask myself a question? Hm, Ann, Do you believe in ghosts?

My logical mind says no, but I have had experiences that can’t be explained away. In June of 2010, while on a writing retreat, I went to take photos of the church that inspired the First Episcopalian Church Of Black Mountain. I had to hike a good half a mile off the road into the woods. I was alone. As I found the perfect shot, a black child size shadow scurried across the path in front of me. I searched around the area for the source and never found one. I couldn’t help but think of Nellie and how she saw Merlin on the way to the pastor’s house near the church. But to answer your question, I mostly enjoy a good ghost story without worry about the real sprits. How about you guys. Do you believe in ghosts?

My logical mind also says no. But...

Several years ago we purchased a 3 year old house in Indiana. Sometimes when I went by the basement door I thought someone was standing there. When I'd turn to look no one was. Then my neighbor came in one day and jumped when she walked by the door, laughed and said, "I thought someone was standing there." Alas, we sold the house. But, my daughter went to a party where the new owners attended and they told her they thought the house has a ghost. Strange things have happened. So... my logical mind is wondering.

I love it!

I believe. :) When we lived in RI my daughter one morning was freaking out because the boys outside we're being to noisy and yelling. There were no boys out there. We lived a mile off the road surrounded by woods. She could still here them while I was standing there and couldn't. Also the morning after my mom passed away, my daughter (she was 4) said "mom, grandma is ok. She came to my room last night and talked to me. She told me to be a good girl".

Laura I love this. You should write it up and send it to me. I am going to feature ghost stories both true and made up beginning next week through October. I'd love to post it.

I would love to have yours too, Alice. Theses are great stories and had they happened to me, I would have freaked out. ;)

Ann, isn't this similar to your own story about your grandma passing away?

//the morning after my mom passed away, my daughter (she was 4) said "mom, grandma is ok. She came to my room last night and talked to me..."//

Ooh, I love stories like these! I tend to believe death is the end, and no part of us remains, even in spirit, or any form of consciousness, BUT, oh, I want to believe we do go on!!!

Well I just have to share the story of my grandmother, but I still don't see this as a ghostly experience. I see it as her way of saying goodbye like Josie Clay's mother in Ghost On Black Mountain.


When I was thirty-five, Granny went to live with my mother. It had been a tough couple of years for me. I divorced my husband of eighteen years, made the big move back to my hometown, and began a life as a single mother. And for the first time I began to take my writing seriously. A wonderful new man had walked into my life, and I was taking things nice and slow. The same month my divorce was final Granny became blind. This had been an ongoing battle resulting in two failed retina transplants. Finally, rather than enter assisted living, she chose to go to my mother's house.

Unknown to me over the next few weeks, she began a campaign to die. It started quite simply. She went to bed and stayed there, stopped taking her heart medication by hiding the pills under the rug close to her bed, and refused food. When I discovered the situation, I insisted Mother take her to the hospital, where Granny was promptly checked into a room.

On my first visit I was greeted by a large lettered sign above her bed: Patient is blind. Talk about reality. Our visit went fine until it was time for me to leave.

"Take me home with you," she whispered.

For a minute I was stunned. Then waves of guilt began to hit me. I couldn't take her home. I worked ten hour days. No one could care for her.

"Take me home!" She begged. "Annie, don't let me down! Take me home!"

The nurse came into the room, took one look at me, and shook her head. "You can't take her home. The doctor will not release her in this condition."

When I left the room, the nurse kindly suggested I not let my presence be know in Granny's room again.

Two weeks later I received a call that she was in a coma. It took me a few days to get the nerve to go see her. I found her in the bed with a tube in her stomach. In that moment, I knew her life was over.

Her hand felt like soft tissue paper as I squeezed it. "Granny."

A nurse came into the room. "Talk to her. She may be in a coma but she can hear you."

"Why is she in a coma?"

"The doctors can't find a real reason. I wonder if she just wants to give up. She refused to eat, so they inserted a tube for feeding."

I looked at the soft face that always seemed to be there for me. "Granny."

The nurse left the room.

Granny moved.

"Granny, if you need to leave, I'll be okay. I understand. You've taught me everything you could teach me. I'll be okay. I'm strong."

My grandmother made a deep groaning sound as if she were trying to speak to me.

I patted her hand. "Don't try to speak. I know what you want to say. I'll be okay."

She groaned again.

"I love you and I thank you for all you did for me. I understand why you want to leave."

Granny became still and her breath evened out.

I'm not sure how long I stood beside her bed, but when I left, I kissed her cheek.

That night I couldn't sleep. When I finally dropped off it was around 5:30 in the morning. I dreamed I went to the hospital room but my oldest daughter blocked the door. "Mom, you don't need to come in here. Granny's gone now."

When I woke it was six-thirty. I took my youngest daughter to school and realized I had left some documents for work at the house. The phone was ringing. On the other end of the receiver, Mother told me Granny had died between 5:30 and 6:20 in the morning.

You would think that was the end of this experience, but it wasn't. After the funeral, I went to take a nap. I couldn't sleep but closed my eyes. A creak of a board caused me to open my eyes. Granny stood at the foot of my bed. I was sure I was dreaming until she walked toward me, bent over, and blocked out the overhead light. Then she disappeared.

Granny came to say goodbye. I know this now and never once have doubted it. I never saw her spirit again but when I began to write Ghost On Black Mountain, I dreamed of her often. She talked to me about her stories.

To this day, I'm not surprised by this experience. Out of all the people in my childhood, she would have been the one to reach out beyond death.

Thank-you for sharing your story. I know exactly what you mean about it not feeling ghostly, but them coming to say goodbye.