Interview: “That Lake House Summer” by Deb Logan
A bored teenager, a forgotten lake house, and a ghost girl hiding in a cupboard—sometimes the most unexpected summers leave the deepest marks.
In “That Lake House Summer,” Deb Logan crafts a gentle coming-of-age ghost story filled with warmth, curiosity, and a hint of wistfulness. When Amanda’s summer trip to a remote, signal-free lake house turns eerie, she discovers a connection that bridges life and loss in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Blending soft haunting with youthful resilience, this story invites readers into a world where even the smallest encounters can change a life forever.
Interview Questions
Is the haunting in your story something to fear, understand, embrace—or maybe all of those?
All of the above. Amanda is uneasy from her first glimpse of the lake house, but
she comes to an understanding with the entity and eventually embraces it.
Amanda’s voice balances sarcasm and vulnerability so well. How did you tap into that perspective?
My YA voice is a combination of remembering myself at that age and memories of the way my three children behaved.
For myself, I was the proverbial “good girl”…but not by choice! My place in my
nuclear family ensured it. I’m the youngest (by quite a few years) of six children, and the other five were all guys. Whenever I did anything that was remotely tomboyish, one of my brothers was sure to remind me to “act like a girl, we have enough boys around here already.” Consequently, the girls in my stories are more like the girl I wanted to be than the one I was.
Was the lake house inspired by a real place, or was it entirely imagined?
I grew up in Oklahoma (Tulsa, in fact), but my husband is from upstate NY. His
family owns a house on one of the Finger Lakes which we visited a few times
during the early years of our marriage. The lake house was inspired by memories of that house, though the real one certainly wasn’t haunted!
The lake house feels like more than just a setting—it almost has a personality of its own. What role does it play in Amanda and Becca’s story?
Yes, I wanted the house itself to be a character in this tale. It isn’t the only ghost
in the story, but it’s the one Amanda recognizes most easily. The house
recognizes family members, which both Becca and Amanda are, and seeks to
protect them in its own way.
What are you working on now—and what’s fun or exciting about it?
I’m currently writing a trio of stories set in Anthea Sharp’s Feyland universe. I
was invited to play in her world for a few anthologies and have really enjoyed
writing these YA portal fantasy / gamelit tales. My first Feyland story was “On
Guard,” the story of an aging cat protecting his boy.
Next came “Emma: A Feyland Dryad,” the first story in my trilogy. Emma is a
severely handicapped teen who finds freedom in the game. Her second story,
“Emma: A Dryad’s Dilemma,” is currently available in Anthea Sharp’s “Feyland
Tales Omnibus” and will be released as a single in mid-June.
Emma’s third and final story is still in the planning stages, but she’s a delightful
character and I’m thoroughly enjoying getting to know her.
About the Author
Deb Logan specializes in tales for the young—and the young at heart! Author of the popular Dani Erickson series, Deb loves the unknown, whether it’s the lure of space or earthbound mythology. She writes about demon hunters, thunderbirds, and everyday life on a space station for children, teens, and anyone who enjoys young adult fiction.
Find Deb at: deblogan.wordpress.com
Read the Story
“That Lake House Summer” appears in Haunted Places, available now from Blackbird Publishing.
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