Phantom Love

By Sophie Duncan

When Ben promises to show his cousin, Ellen, a ghost, the pair set in motion a series of events that lead them into a terrifying encounter. Yet, within her fear, Ellen finds a purpose, and it is to find out what Millicent Van Curren, shot by her lover, wants from them.

Phantom Love is book 1 in the Inspired By... Series, where each story is prompted by a memory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wittegen Press
• Release date: Feb 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781908333933

Sophie Duncan

Half my time I am a project manager developing IT solutions. The other half, you'll find me scribbling away at many a story that just won't leave me alone. I've been writing since I was a wee thing, and publishing since I discovered the internet in 1994 or so.So what do I write? Contemporary and urban fantasy have mainly been my playground, but I have done some real world settings as well. I do like mystery and have been reading (and watching) Agatha Christie since I was a child. I've also been known to do a bit of poetry.Style: I have been told I do angst well, so if you want your heartstrings twanged, or your tummy to tie in knots until the end, then I'm your gal. I am, however, a happy ending junkie, although I do throw a hint of realism in there sometimes as well. I like a few twists and turns on the way in some of my plots, although I have written my share of PWPs as well. I have to admit a small obsession with eyes: I believe they are the seat of beauty in a person, so I play with them in creature fic and use them for expression in others - personal hang up, sorry. Also, I have never met a cliché I didn't like and I am a firm believer that cliché is fine if you do it right.Writing is a passion and there's nothing better than writing for an audience. Any writer who says they don't care about feedback must have had an ego amputation :) If you life my scribbles, I'd be very glad to hear from you.

Book preview

Phantom Love

Inspired By… 01

by

Sophie Duncan

Published by Wittegen Press

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Wittegen Press

http://www.wittegenpress.com/

Copyright © 2018 by Sophie Duncan

http://www.wittegenpress.com/sophieduncan

Artwork by Sophie Duncan

Based on Original Photo by Martijn Meijerink

https://skitterphoto.com/photographers/13/martijn-meijerink

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

ISBN: 978-1-908333-93-3

Dedication

Thanks to my editor and beta-readers. Especially my twin, Tash – I couldn't do this without you.

Table Of Contents

Author's Note

Phantom Love

Afterword

Also by Sophie Duncan: The Burning Web

Also by Sophie Duncan: Night Blood

Also from Wittegen Press

Author's Note

The 'Inspired By...' series is a collection of stories where the nugget of an idea came from an inspiration in real life.

For Phantom Love, my inspiration is a church yard in a little village in the Kent countryside called Wittersham. When I was a girl, my father was the rector of Wittersham and the primary school I went to was right next to the church yard. There was only an open railing between us and what was a largely wild area. And, in the long grass, there were lots of rather dramatic tombs. One I remember vividly was made up of a large sarcophagus, broken in places and surrounded by brambles and rusty fence. There was one time when a bunch of us were daring each other to stick our hands in the dark holes made by the breaks in the stonework.

I was never brave enough, but that dare is where the start of this story came from, so I hope you enjoy Ellen and Ben's tale.

~*~

Phantom Love

I can show you a ghost if you’d like.

Ellen rested her book on her knee and did her best disdainful expression as she looked up at her cousin. Ben was leaning against the door to the sitting room, hands in his pockets and grin like the Cheshire Cat across his face. He’d been trying to impress her in his own childish way since she’d arrived two days ago. This one had a good start, but she was damned if the annoying county oik was going to know that yet.

Oh yes, Benji?

He winced at the nickname she had quickly found embarrassed him, his grin slipping, but he did not correct her, so she deigned to provide him with her own smile.

Yeah, he clearly took hope in her slight interest, sidling into the room, shoulders hunched up to his ears.

Ellen had to admit she was quite keen on ghost stories. Still, she slid the book of them that she had been reading down the side of the big leather chair that Aunt Diana usually used in the evening, and cooled her gaze to expectancy.