We chat with award-winning author Anne Ursu about her latest middle grade release Not Quite A Ghost, which is an unforgettable and deeply personal story of the ghosts that surround us—and the ones we carry inside.
Hi, Anne! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello, thank you so much for having me! I am a fellow nerd who loves thinking about how stories work, and I love all kinds of narratives—books, TV shows, movies, video games, board games, weird dreams—anything. I live in Minneapolis with my husband, son, and neurotic cats.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
When I was in early elementary school, I wrote a story that was so overwrought the teacher called my mom to ask if everything was okay at home. So I imagine it was while writing this story.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The best one of all: There’s a Monster At the End of this Book (the Grover version)
- The one that made you want to become an author: I actually remember reading a Paula Danzinger book (probably The Pistachio Prescription) and going downstairs to tell my mom that I wanted to write books like that someday. This was probably sixth or seventh grade.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I don’t know that I’ll ever get over the brilliance of Eliot Schrefer’s The Darkness Outside Us.
Your latest novel, Not Quite a Ghost, is out January 16th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Girl is haunted metaphorically, literally
What can readers expect?
The book is, at its heart, a haunted house story. A family moves into a new house, and the main character, Violet, gets stuck with the creepy attic bedroom and its gross yellow wallpaper. Meanwhile, she is dealing with a flu-like illness that she can’t seem to recover from—leaving her isolated in her new bedroom, where she begins to suspect that she’s not alone.
Where did the inspiration for Not Quite a Ghost come from?
I was diagnosed with the disease known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) when I just out of college and have been dealing with it and related illnesses ever since. I’ve always wanted to write about having a misunderstood chronic illness but couldn’t figure out how; but after so many kids started coming down with Long COVID (which can present like CFS) it felt really important to find a way in. The answer was in horror, a genre defined by bad things happening that you do not expect and can’t control.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I’ve never written a ghost story before and it was so much fun. First you get to decorate the story with creepiness and slowly, slowly, turn up the volume. I loved playing with atmosphere, and then getting to be scary!
What’s next for you?
I don’t know! I tend to take a lot of time between books; I need a long transition period because the previous book lingers in my head for a long time. I’m really enjoying doing manuscript critiques for other writers, and I hope to find my way into a new story soon.
With it being the new year, are you setting any goals or resolutions for 2024?
As I may have previously mentioned, I would love to start a new book. Which means being inquisitive, and noticing, and thinking, and holding onto all those phrases and concepts that makes a spark go off in your brain. So I’m hoping to try to give my brain more quiet, more space.
Lastly, are there any 2024 book releases that you’re looking forward to?
I am so excited for Alicia D. Williams’ Mid Air, a novel-in-verse about a gentle-souled boy grieving the loss of a friend who sets out to break skateboarding records. Alicia is an explosive talent whose stories just thrum with heart.
