11th October 2015 - Spooky Pros Story 11

[byslantedlight]

The Ghost and Raymond Doyle by Barbara Thomas.
This is one of my favourite Pros stories, I think, although oddly enough I don't often think of it. It's based, of course, on The Ghost and Mrs Muir, and although I wonder how much of our lads we see in there sometimes, actually I think we do see them - less so when Doyle's on his own at the beginnning, but then when he and Bodie are together, we can see that they're themselves, albeit very AU! Because this is set in the late 1800s, and Doyle has been married and has a daughter, and it's only when he defies his family and moves into the haunted house in Whitecliff-on-Sea (from which the estate agent firm of Macklin and Cowley tries to dissuade him *g*) that he meets Captain William Bodie... It's got the most gorgeous ending to it too, so very happy, after some heart-wrenching stuff in between... *sighs happily*

On another note, I'm rather curious about the author, Barbara Thomas - presumably this story isn't anywhere else because it's in Unprofessional Conduct 5, which is a real shame. Some of her other stories are on the ProsLib CD. The author is on A03, but only as posted by someone else (in one of those open door collections things, which seems to me alot like a way of doing what I was assured A03 would never do - posting stories without the explicit permission of the author) for a Sentinel series. I do have another name for BT in my notes, but I can't remember how or why, and carelessly I don't seem to have written down the connection... Any ideas, anyone? Does she have her own website, perhaps (or ever did have)? Are we ever likely to be able to rec this gorgeous story with a link, even if just to the ProsLib CD? (Feel free to email me rather than post here, for the sake of the author's online privacy)

Comments

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

Well, now I had to go and pull out the zine, because this sounds like something I'd really like to read. I've always loved the book/movie/series of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, so I can't imagine not loving this story. And I love that it seems to be quite a long read.

I was confused for a moment, as there's "The Ghost and Mr. Doyle" by Gena Fisher in the zine, You Must Remember This. I wonder if Barbara changed the title (and, in the process, making the title a little off,) because of the other story.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

The Ghost and Mr Doyle and The Ghost and Raymond Doyle are definitely different stories, and definitely by different authors too - I've read both (though I don't think I have the Gena Fisher one here - I think it's in a basement in Alaska...) I think Gena Fisher is a US-based writer? Iirc... at least not a Brit, I don't think.

Hope you like it as much as you feel like you should - I grew up with the tv series and loved it, and only watched the film a couple of years ago (or this time last year?!) I still like monkey puzzle trees... Oh! Now that's the photo I should have used for this one!

*g*

[jessebee.livejournal.com]

You fiend. You fiend, you. This is now going to bug me stupid for the rest of the day, because haven't I read this electronically somewhere??? Or am I conflating it with UnPro5? And I don't have time to chase it down now! *cries*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Heh-heh-evil-cackle-heh... *g*

If you have read it electronically somewhere I'd like to know (though I guess it might be that you did but shouldn't have... *g*) - unless you're thinking of the Gena Fisher story of nearly the same title? Hmmn - though I can't find that online either, come to look for it...

Gargh - work! I too should be working!

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

I think I've read the other one... and, like you, I watched the series as a kid.

I'm even kindly disposed towards the UCs because I picked up #2 at BistoCon and really liked it...

So why am I not tracking down a copy of this? (Besides the fact that my mother wanders through my stuff, LOL).

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I remember being quite confused when I came across the second one, cos I was expecting it to be a re-read of what I remembered I'd already read, and...?!

The Unprofessional Conducts are excellent zines - one of the few zine series where I feel safe spending so much money on the stories, because I know that I'm likely to like most of them, and that even stories I might not like will be thoroughly readable, so... yes, definitely recommended!

(Erk for people who go through your stuff though - that's a definite advantage of living alone...!)