Collecting Highlight (47) - Dancing With The Dark

[Becky]

This book, Dancing With the Dark, is edited by Stephen Jones was published in 1997 in Great Britain by Vista in paperback format. ISBN is 0 575 60166 3

The cover of the book says "TRUE encounters with the paranormal by masters of the macabre". I don't consider Anne a writer of the macabre, but her story certainly fits this publication. The contents of this book are real-life experiences with the supernatural that reveal how these unique experiences have affected people like Anne, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint, Edgar Allan Poe, actor Vincent Price and director John Landis.

Anne's part is entitled "Unto the Third Generation" and begins on page 235 and ends on 238. Her Grandmother had the gift of 'the sight' and passed it on to Anne's mother who passed it on to Anne. She describes an event that happened in her youth while at school away from her mother. Both had the same experience though so many miles apart, having to do with Mr. McCaffrey (the Colonel) while he was overseas. It turned out well, but it took several months for them to find out exactly what happened when a large batch of letters came from the Colonel.
She also says that she can FIND things now and then. One example she sites is a lost cuff-link of her ex-husband's that he couldn't find.
She has also experienced telepathy, one major instance being at an Irish banker's desk and hearing "A woman shouldn't have this much money" as he was reading the letter that Bantam had bought the paperback rights to the Harper Hall books which would allow her to put a down-payment on a house in Ireland.
Lastly she recounts how her grandmother called up the spirit of her sister, Annie, who had passed away before she could see her one last time. She was worried about how Heaven was treating Annie. "Well, it's not bad," was the reply.
It really gives you some insight into the Talent Series. With personal experiences to give believability to the stories.
I've seen the story about her father in another interview or two and also have read about the telepathy with the banker in a couple of other interviews, so not really a lot of new information, but it's nice to have them all together in one spot.

[Hans]

A very nice collectors highlight, Becky. Something different. It is amazing, if you look at it closely, how virtually every book Anne has ever written is based on things or hold sequences that have basically have happened to her in real life; in one book more obvious than in the other but if you look and read closely you can see Anne's life and its happenings in her stories!

One technical question. I was intrigied by the number line, going nicely from 1 to 10 with it has 97 98 99 added on the left, does anybody know why?

[Cheryl]

RE: the number line. I see that more and more in books these days. The secondary numbers are years (or rather the latter two digits of the full year). They'll let you know the year a printing run was made in the same way the other set lets you know which printing run it was -- so the lowest year is the year of printing. Any easy way to give us extra info!

[Becky]

I stumbled on this book while photographing all my collection. (Which I'm still in process of doing!)
I too have seen number lines like this in newer books. I like the idea, as Cheryl said, it gives us more information.
In reading Anne's books I've seen a lot of her life written in them. Not knowing originally that they were based on experiences from her life. It was much later, when I started collecting her interviews on tape and in magazines, etc that I found this out. Once I found these bits of info in a few articles I was craving more so had to have anything she wrote to get those bits of 'inside' information. Even books where she does intros can be informative.
I think it's the life experiences that Anne puts in her books that make reading them a joy and makes me love her characters and feel I know them. They are 'human', just like me, not visions of perfection.

[Hans]

Thanks Cheryl, come to think of it I seem to remember that you told this once before... And yes, it is indeed a nice and informative custom

Exactly Becky, I think with this we disclosed one of the secrets of Anne's writing and succes

[Lady Maelin]

Wonderful Highlight Becky, I have never seen this book before this...but now will have to go and find a copy for my own collection. Thank You for sharing!!!

I think that the way Anne has used so many of her own life experiences in her characters and her stories is why she is so loved by her fans. I think also that is why so many of her fans will go far out of their way to try and see her or for the lucky few... even meet her!!!

[Becky]

I think it's interesting to read all the experiences by so many different people. Even tho Anne's contribution is only a few pages it's well worth the purchase price. But then I've paid for research books that list only a couple of lines about Anne. (I don't know why, it was in Hargreaves and at one point thought to get a copy of all first appearances of works by Anne and all the 'oddball' items he had listed that even mention Anne. Sad, I know.)

Maelin - I hope you find a copy and enjoy it.

[ghyle]

I have this volume, but for a reason other than Anne. Good to see it covered, though.

[Gwina]

This is really great. Very interesting, especially when considering the talent series. Nifty!

[mawra]

I will have to keep an out for it. I think my mother would like more than me, she is more into the paranormal than I am.

[ghyle]

Originally Posted by Gwina

This is really great. Very interesting, especially when considering the talent series. Nifty!

I'd respell that last word to be more Anne-apt. Niffy!

[Becky]

LOL, Ghyle!!! Very good!

[Lady Maelin]

I have been thinking about this book and recounted to my husband that when a normal person tells of supernatural happenings they have had to another person... most likely they are looked at like they are crazy. When you put the same story out there, only told by someone famous then they get the OOOO's and AWE's about it.

Once when I was living in Chicago, I had a recurring dream. I kept seeing a close childhood friend standing in a hallway surrounded by flames... with her arms outstretched, calling to me to help her. I had this same dream for four nights in a row...each night waking up more fretfull than the last. The morning after the last dream I decided to called home and ask my Mother if she had heard anything about my friend lately(she was friends with the girls Mother)she said that she would give them a call and ask as she too had be a little worried lately about them for some reason. She called that day and found out that my friend had been in a bad house fire...her mother had flown to be at her side...she had saved her life by standing in a protected hallway of her house...and that she had been calling for me while in the hospital unconscious. I have told this story to only a few...after the frist few tellings of it left people looking at me in a totaly different and uncomfortable way. I have had a few other odd occurances...but only one other like this one...when my father past away...the next morning after he died I saw him standing in the doorway to my bedroom when I awoke...he told me that everything was alright...and he would always be with me, and I have always felt him close to me...as my husband also has...we know he is in this house with us...he passed away in this house while making me and my husband fudge for a present on Valentines Day.
I don't like having these kinds of things happen to me...but like many others that this kind of thing happens too...you don't really have a choice in the matter...they just show up when you least expect them.

[Becky]

Lady M - I am certainly not looking at you any differently than I did before reading your post.
I'm not going to categorize anyone's experiences as crazy since we don't know much about how our minds work. We all know we use very little of our brains, so who's to say that what you describe, or anyone else says happens, isn't happening and you're just using a different part of the brain? I think it's awesome that you've had such strong visuals.

I know that every now and then I hear my parents saying my name and it's like they're in the room with me. There are times when I'll be working on something and actually turn around looking for whichever of them spoke my name. It's like they're in the room with me. I've thought they must have surprised me with a visit several times. But, sadly, when I turn around they're not there.
And I know my cat, Minnie who was 16 when she passed away about 3 years ago, is still with me. I'll see that expressive tail of hers out of the corner of my eye now and then. Tho not so much now that I've moved from the condo where she passed, but even here I do see her now and then.

So see, Maelin, you're not alone. (and I bet there will be others who have had similar experiences post)

[Lady Maelin]

Becky lets hope that other MoMer's will also post their own strange stories...I would enjoy hearing about their odd and strange supernatural type happenings and stories... there has to be more of us here on MoM that are like Anne, you and me???

[Becky]

I am sure there has to be. Hopefully they'll share their experiences with us.

[Lady Maelin]

Finally found a all but new copy of this book...thank you Becky for the link that led me to find it. I can't wait to read this book and see what other kinds of weird supernatural but true stories are out there. Anne's story will naturally be the first one I read...LOL

[Becky]

I do hope you like it Maelin. And the other accounts.

[Lady Maelin]

I don't know about reading the one for Stephen King, he scares me silly when he's just being the regular guy next door...but hopefully the rest will make good reading.

[Becky]

LOL! I know what you mean!

[Gwina]

Originally Posted by ghyle

I'd respell that last word to be more Anne-apt. Niffy!

aha! yes. lol.

[Lady Maelin]

I finally recieved my copy of this book...now for a little quiet time in the afternoon...don't want to read this one at night before bed.... .............

[Becky]

Too funny!