Ghost stories have haunted Richardson's roads, farmhouses, and imagination for generations. But what happens when you follow the evidence? In this hands-on hybrid workshop, participants explore how local ghost lore gets built, spread, and solidified into "fact" - and then learn exactly how to dismantle it using the research tools hiding in plain sight at their public library.
Register for Zoom if attending virtually.
Using a single Richardson-area ghost story as a shared case study, attendees will walk through the research process step by step: locating primary sources, cross-checking newspaper archives, tracing oral histories, and identifying the real-world events that seed supernatural legends. In-person attendees will work directly with Richardson Public Library's local history collection and Portal to Texas History resources; virtual attendees will be guided through the same materials available online. Whether you write mystery, crime, or thriller fiction - or simply love the truth behind a good story - this session gives you a toolkit that travels.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Explain how local ghost lore originates and spreads through a community
Identify the research tools available through their public library to investigate legends
Apply a step-by-step research process to trace a ghost story back to its real-world origins
Connect evidence-based research methods to the craft of writing authentic crime and mystery fiction
Marj Atkinson, MLS, is a researcher, academic research librarian, community educator, and webmaster for the Writers Guild of Texas who believes the scariest thing about a ghost story is usually the history it's hiding. A veteran of the Denton Public Library's Denton Halloween event, Marj brings a researcher's eye and a crime writer's instinct to the art of debunking local lore.
The Writers Guild of Texas presents Guest Speaker / Program meetings on the 3rd Monday of each month in person at the Richardson Public Library and via Zoom. Visitors are welcome to attend.