We chat with author Tracy Badua about Ghoul Summer, which follows twelve-year-old Barnaby who is forced to spend his summer helping his grandpa move, only to be confronted by Maxwell—a moody ghost boy with some unfinished business.
Hi, Tracy! Welcome back! It’s been two years since we last spoke, how have you been and what have you been up to?
I’ve been busy! It’s been a whirlwind two years, and somehow I’ve put out another five books. I have been cutting back on the caffeine, but I’m not sure whether that’s a good or bad thing yet.
Your latest novel, Ghoul Summer, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Zany, cozy spooky, vacation vibes
What can readers expect?
More than just a haunted house story, Ghoul Summer features grumpy main Barnaby reluctantly teaming up with his sunshine little brother to help the pesky 1980s ghost haunting their summer vacation rental. Their mission to solve the ghost’s unfinished business takes them through the history of the once-vibrant beach town, including its local labor movement, and its modern-day challenges as new, corporate businesses move in and displace the old.
Like with all of my middle grade books, I try to keep it funny and hopeful even as my characters tackle darker forces here and beyond.
Where did the inspiration for Ghoul Summer come from?
A couple of years ago, the week before the publication of my first book, Freddie vs. the Family Curse, I went on a mini writing retreat with a few fellow authors (they’re in the acknowledgements of Ghoul Summer!). We began to notice the oddest phenomenon: every time the toilet flushed, one of us had some sort of writing breakthrough. Writer’s block was banished, long-avoided emails were drafted, manuscript formatting was magically fixed.
There was only one explanation this group of highly caffeinated authors could come up with: clearly, we had a ghost on our hands.
We laughed about how maybe not all supernatural presences are sinister and out to terrify everyone, and that planted the seed for Ghoul Summer.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The ghost, Maxwell, is determined to strong-arm Barnaby into helping solve his unfinished business, and this includes getting him blamed for kitchen fires and hot tub hijinx. It was fun thinking of ways to get my poor main character in trouble!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The author of a ghost story shouldn’t be as easily frightened as I am. I can’t even watch horror movie commercials on television without reaching for the remote so I can click away quickly. So when it came to researching ghosts and ways to get rid of them, I was very cautious about which search terms and resources I used, to make sure I didn’t scare myself into a sleepless night. For some of the “nope, not Googling this!” details, I ended up relying on the expertise of a former roommate who loves paranormal television shows.
What’s the best and worst writing advice you’ve received?
I love Jodi Picoult’s saying “You can’t edit a blank page.” It’s a great thing to tell my tired, self-doubting brain as I’m slogging through a first draft of a story: focus on getting the words down, no matter how awful or scattered. Then you can fix it.
Now, this isn’t exactly bad advice but rather in the camp of “what works for others might not work for you,” but I’m wary of any advice that suggests I need a whole setup and slew of rituals in order to write. Yes, I like to write at my desk with my ergonomic keyboard and have a nice-smelling candle going, but sometimes, I just need to get the words down, whenever, wherever. That means being flexible and making do with what’s available, even if it’s just a note-taking app on my phone.
What’s next for you?
I’m diving into full-time writer life, and that means exploring some new ideas, reviving some shelved ones, and just trying to figure out which fictional writing world I want to live in (mentally) for a few months. It also means trying to connect directly with more readers, which was trickier to do when I had to be in an office while they were all at school, so I’m looking forward to these fun school and library visits I have lined up.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I loved An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic by Sarah J. Mendonca! I was fortunate to see early drafts of this book during Pitch Wars a few years ago, and holding the hardcover in my hands is wonderful. I’m looking forward to reading Ravenguard, the fourth book in Kalyn Josephson’s Ravenfall series, which is out this month!
