Introducing The Ghost, The Rat, and Me

Robyn's Middle School Mystery Fantasy

Eighth-grade sleuth, Campbell Olson, wanted to be class president. What she got was a dead rat, a clue, and a ghost from the past. 

Many of you know me as a teacher. But I am also a writer. When my husband's job relocated us to England for a few years, I joined an eclectic group of writers who taught me the craft of story telling. They were tough task masters but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world! I've been putting pen to paper ever since. The original idea behind the The Ghost, The Rat, and Me was actually born during that time.  

When I started writing the The Ghost,The Rat and Me, it was my husband who brought me to task. I had created a ghost world as the protagonist's side-kick. I was looking at the mystery and he wanted to know more about the ghost, Temple Black. 

Since Bell Olson is a sleuth, I was concentrating on her emotional state at having lost a best friend and the ensuing mystery. But I wanted the story to be something different. When the idea came to me to make Temple a ghost, I didn't realize the doors it would open. Temple demanded to be front and center.  And he wanted Bell to know how things work in his new world and how it relates to her world. Much to my delight, I discovered the ghost world is totally fun to write and Temple teaches me something new about it everyday.  


The protagonist Bell is a very independent young lady, who is not afraid to challenge herself.  And Temple is not afraid to voice his opinions.  They are a conglomeration of the girl/boy relationships that I’ve watched over the years as both a teacher and a mother.


The core personality behind Bell is my own daughter, who did not differentiate when it came to friends. She was the champion of the underdog, and friend to all. And age did not matter to her. My girlfriends were also her girlfriends. I once referred to a close friend of mine as my girlfriend, only to be corrected by a six year old who informed me that my friend was also her girlfriend, too. And she was right!


The mystery is ultimately a tale of two best friends. The relationship between Bell and Temple and the next clue is what drives the story. I want the reader to feel like they are in the middle of the room watching these two friends react to each other. I want them to see that Bell is brave but full of angst inside. I want them to see the know-it-all, super brainy side of Temple but also the caring, silly side. I want them to feel the characters’ emotions, laugh at their jokes, and worry about what takes place next. If that happens, then maybe, I’ve come close to doing my job.  


http://www.robyngioia.com 

Summary: 

Things aren’t the same when your best friend dies in a car accident. But when your best friend comes back as a ghost to help you solve a case, life becomes definitely better. You’ll love Temple. He’s a funny, opinionated, cool nerd who doesn’t quite have the hang of being a ghost. When I, Campbell (Bell) Olson, decided to run for eighth-grade president, I didn’t expect my opponent to be Will Tuffy, the most obnoxious boy at school, and I didn’t expect the race to start with a dead rat on my doorstep. That was the easy part. From there, things got worse and my case went from being a mystery, to being dangerous. This is my tale of the ghost, the rat, and me. Bell Olson

Japan

The Hilton and Skydome where the Skyhawks play

Flying from the States to Japan was a comfortable flight but a long one. I flew on Japan Airlines from New York to Tokyo. When it was time to eat, they showed pictures of the meals so you can choose. They served tea from large pitchers and the green tea was something I didn't expect. It was a light, translucent green, like murky sea water. One of the sides was a piece of raw fish on a bed of lettuce. I opted for something I knew, a chicken dish with rice. Dessert was an individual tub of Haagen Dazs ice cream.

Tokyo immigration was efficient and friendly. I had to collect my luggage and recheck it for Fukuoka but fortunately for me, the flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka was empty. Since my row was empty, I leaned over for just a second to rest my eyes and I was out. Being in transit for 34 hours does that to you. I woke to find a pillow sitting next to my head, but my head never found it.

The head of the school picked me up at the airport and took me to the hotel. My 11th floor view gave a good panoramic of the neighborhood. We were on the outskirts of the city. Notice the mountains in the background. 

These are women's public toilets. Not all are like this, but many.

The bathrooms are interesting. The console attached to the toilets can set the seat to be heated, and to wash you. The water going into the toilet goes through a pipe at the top. It makes a basin where you can wash your hands. 

Ordering in the food court was easy with the vending ticket. 

Lunch

At some of the places, you put money in and purchase a ticket. You give the ticket to the person at the counter.  That helps if you don't speak Japanese. Of course, you aren't totally sure what you are buying form the machine, but it has worked out so far.

Many restaurants show wax replicas of the dishes they serve.

The wax replicas are made by a factory in Fukuoka. My class and I are going to see the factory for a field trip.

Most of the city looks like any other city unless you look closely. This is a Japanese style house in my neighborhood.

My neighborhood

View of the road running in front of the school and the ocean inlet from the roof. 

Another view from the school roof. I live on the peninsula straight ahead.

Part of my neighborhood shopping area.

The Japanese are seafood people. The kids eat seaweed snacks and rice balls filled with fish at school. These are the typical things you will see in the grocery stores.

   

Creme filled pastries

       

Next Door in Muscat, Oman

My teacher friend, Charles, and I flew into Muscat from Abu Dhabi. Because the weekend is Thursday and Friday in Oman, and Friday and Saturday in the UAE, it only gave us one day to visit with Sue, our teacher friend from the Yas last August. Our day together turned out to be fun and surprisingly relaxing. 


Some of these pictures were taken by one of Sue's student. It's a good thing because I saw most of the buildings as we sped by on the freeway.

The Oman people are friendly and polite. Their Sultan has been in 
power for over 40 years and the stability of the country shows. The city is being turned into a tourist destination but in a slow steady progression. It does one major project at a time instead of grand schemes all going up at one time.

The local fort has a long history. There are watchtowers (17th century) positioned in the  mountains all around Muscat. Some of them can be seen through city streets, others are high up on the mountains. 

Taken from the back courtyard of the Gold Souq in the city center. 

There is a nice ocean breeze blowing into the city. Having a croissant and coffee by the beach was enjoyable and relaxing. 

Charles wearing the traditional Omani hat that he purchased at the 500 year old souq

The ocean behind me. 

They have built a section of attractive government complexes showcasing a modern Middle Eastern style; a contrast to Abu Dhabi's and Dubai's futuristic skyscrapers. The buildings are grand and beautiful, the landscaping lush. There are no towering skyscrapers on the horizon. The city is flat, with villas and buildings lining the coast and mountains.

I can see the British influence in the city. The landscaping is lush and peaceful. 97 % of the water used is desalinated. They water constantly. 

The famous Opera House 

Like many round-abouts in the region, the centers feature a theme. You may receive instructions to go to the clock round-about, or told the place you are looking for is by the horse round-about...

That is not barb wire. It's a decorative fence. 

Seems like every city has a clock round-about. (The one in Al Ain looks like a sundial.) 

The teapot round-about. 

The Dome that sits on the horizon. 

Muscat is on the sea. The docks are inland at the town center where you can visit the souqs and coffee shops. Most of the time the Sultan's yacht can be seen among the fishing dhows. 

Taken from the coffee shop where we were sipping on freshly squeezed juice, something common to the UAE. Fresh juice is served before meals and as a refreshment. Charles is drinking a lemon mint juice that was spicy. We suspect the secret ingredient was chili. 

The fishing dhows sail into the town center for business. 

Muscat is surrounded by jebels (mountains). I felt like I was standing at the center of a volcano with mountains encircling me.

 The mountains are naked. It's too hot and dry for greenery. They say you can see goats standing in the mountains.