Christa Planko’s ‘The Easterville Glass Ghost’ in WordCrafter Press’ Midnight Roost Anthology

I asked fellow Midnight Roost anthology contributors to share some things about themselves prior to publication and those generous enough to do so will be appearing here for the next week or so.

Each entry gives a taste of their contribution, a little about them, how to contact them, how their story came about, and definitely a link to Midnight Roost (which you should purchase because it would make each and every one of us happy.
you do want to make us happy, don’t you?
i mean, considering what we wrote, you want us to know you’re a good person, right?).

Let’s start with a Hallowe’en-themed introduction to the anthology as a whole:

Christa’s contribution is The Easterville Glass Ghost. Here’s the opening:

As Taryn approached the glassworks ruins, an eerie feeling overcame her. She clutched her goose-fleshed arms. Dilapidated walls rose above the rubble, a testament to the existence of the factory that once stood. Its brick-faced front featured large, arched entryways.
Despite the “No Trespassing” sign, she stepped over the rope. She climbed onto a pile of fallen bricks to take in the view. People usually roamed the park grounds. But not on this chilly spring day. It allowed her to get close and personal with the ruins she found so haunting.”

How the story came about:
History often serves as a window to the past. Social and political times, livelihoods, ways of living may change, but the human soul remains constant. Accounts of past lives enable the re-imagining of experiences and associated emotions we can relate to today. Such stories provide transparency, like a glass window into yesteryear. They build a bridge that connects past and present, reminding us of how brief and fragile our lives are—but also how remarkable acts, such as heroism, can live.
The story of the “Easterville Glass Ghost” is a historical fiction account of a 19th-century hero who met his untimely death at a glass factory. It examines how the spirit of human kindness transcends time and dimension, inspiring others across centuries.

About Christa Planko:
Christa Planko, MA, is a professional writer with a passion for creative expression. She has had her poetry and short stories featured in several publications, including Tanka and Haiku Journal, Poetry Quarterly, New Jersey Bards, and Every Day Fiction. Her story, “The Olde-Tyme Village,” won the 2021 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest. Christa resides in South Jersey with her feline muses.
Christa graduated from Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ) with a BA in English Literature and from Drew University (Madison, NJ) with an MA in English Literature.
For her bio and list of published works, visit christascorner.godaddysites.com.