The Ghostwriter – Julie Clark
Season 11 Episode 5 | 2m 30sVideo has Closed Captions
Julie Clark talks with J.T. Ellison about her novel THE GHOSTWRITER.
In June 1975, two of three siblings are found dead in their home. Vincent, the lone survivor, lives under whispers that he killed them. Decades later, at the end of his career as a horror writer, his estranged daughter Olivia, is hired to write his final book, the memoir of what really happened that night. After 50 years, Vincent is ready to tell the truth.
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A Word on Words is a local public television program presented by WNPT
The Ghostwriter – Julie Clark
Season 11 Episode 5 | 2m 30sVideo has Closed Captions
In June 1975, two of three siblings are found dead in their home. Vincent, the lone survivor, lives under whispers that he killed them. Decades later, at the end of his career as a horror writer, his estranged daughter Olivia, is hired to write his final book, the memoir of what really happened that night. After 50 years, Vincent is ready to tell the truth.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(contemplative music) (typewriter clicks, dings) - [Julie] Hi, I am Julie Clark and this is "The Ghostwriter."
"The Ghostwriter" is a book about a woman who is a ghostwriter, her name is Olivia Dumont, and her agent calls her with a request for her to ghostwrite Vincent Taylor's last book.
Now, Vincent Taylor is like the Stephen King of horror.
He's also maybe even more known for the fact that in 1975, he was the primary suspect in the brutal murder of his brother and sister; and Vincent Taylor has called her because it's not a novel that he needs her to ghostwrite, it is the memoir of what really happened in 1975.
- The betrayal of a parent is so incredibly difficult.
- [Julie] It's so deep, yeah.
- How do you forgive that?
- I don't know that you forgive it.
I think you have to accept it, which is different than forgiveness, right?
And so when you hit that acceptance I think then you're able to offer forgiveness, but I think acceptance has to come first.
- Vincent is, he is a very complicated character as well.
How did you make him sympathetic?
- I don't really believe any one person is a villain.
I don't think that exists in our world.
I think there are people who are really, really horrible, but I also feel like even the most horrible people are doing what they truly believe needs to be done; whether it's good or bad.
A person like Vincent Taylor who had these horrible things happen to him- and yes, it made him a horrible parent and possibly a horrible man, he's still a human being and my job as the author is to make sure that every character, good or bad, are multifaceted.
They have many different sides to them.
You may think what they do is awful but if you can understand why they're doing it, then they can be sympathetic and still do horrible things.
- This has been fantastic.
Thank you so much - [Julie] Thank you.
- For being here today.
- Oh my God, it was so much fun.
Thank you.
- And thank you for watching "A Word on Words."
I'm J.T.
Ellison, Keep reading.
(type writer pings) (contemplative music) - [Julie] Poppy is probably my favorite character that I've ever written.
- [JT] I'm so sorry she's no longer with us.
- [Julie] Yes, that's not a spoiler.
She's dead at the beginning of the book.
- [JT] Yeah.
- [Julie] But yes.
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A Word on Words is a local public television program presented by WNPT