Beneath the Lighthouse by Julieanne Lynch
Julieanne Lynch is the author of Beneath the Lighthouse, an eerie story on ghosts and family tragedy. Today we have the pleasure of learning about her creative process and the inspiration behind her chilling story. But first, here is a taste of her story:
Sixteen-year-old Jamie McGuiness’s sister is dead. Sinking into a deep depression, he frequents the lighthouse where her body was discovered, unaware of the sinister forces surrounding him. When an angry spirit latches onto Jamie, he’s led down a dark and twisted path, one that uncovers old family secrets, destroying everything Jamie ever believed in.
Caught between the world of the living and the vengeful dead, Jamie fights the pull of the other side. It’s up to Jamie to settle old scores or no one will rest in peace. But first, he has to survive.
When I first came up with the idea of Beneath the Lighthouse (Vesuvian Books), I had no expectations of what the book would become. I didn’t work from a plot or storyboard, like I do with most of my other novels.
I went into the writing process very raw and used a simple point of reference—a lighthouse I’d seen during one rainy Sunday drive. The lighthouse not only inspired me, but it triggered many restless nights and dreams. So many lucid thoughts invaded my every waking moment that it became almost impossible to ignore the desire to write.
When inspiration hits you like that, it becomes an obsession. You see more than a story; you become the story. A continuous internal cog that keeps on turning, until you envision the completed book, sitting on a shelf, and you know it must be written. (Not to mention that I was able to showcase my completed little darkling at Titanic Belfast in March 2018.)
The whole symbolism surrounding the lighthouse became a focal point for me. The many perilous journeys it had seen, the isolation from civilization, the beacon of light that guided the way for ships, not to mention the keeper, who at times lived a remote existence and put their own lives at risk. All this inspired Jamie McGuiness’s journey in Beneath the Lighthouse—the theme of isolation prevalent on every page. Using the many themes and motifs of the lighthouse, I was able to draw on Jamie, Iliana, and Jack’s intertwining stories, the lighthouse always being the center of their pain and grief.
Jamie’s obsession with the lighthouse after the death of his sister becomes a source of comfort. It’s a reminder of her last moments on earth, but also a place where his vulnerability is seen. Jamie is drawn to the sadness that surrounds the lighthouse, and it is here that his mind is unlocked to the dark and sinister forces that surround the tower. In Iliana, we see the many dynamics, the changing faces, the tide forever unsettled—all linked to the lighthouse and her own brutal ending.
Which brings me to the structural comparison of the tower and the family unit. Like the lighthouse itself, the family unit is an institution. It is seen as strong and unchanging, withstanding perilous conditions. However, we see Jamie’s once-solid family unit break after tragedy; its once beacon of light, gone. And in a sense, the dormant beacon of the lighthouse is a representation of the grief and pain that Jamie is going through.
Writing Beneath the Lighthouse was a bit of my own journey. I had to dig deep, pull everything that ever hurt me or made me think, to the surface. I powered through some dark moments when writing some particularly tough scenes. And in a sense, it was cleansing.
Not only did the vision of the lighthouse on that rainy day inspire me, it made me consider my own walls that I have built to protect myself and think about my own beacon of light—a metaphor if ever there was one, but true. And of course, basing my novel in my homeland was something I felt that needed to be done. It’s close to home, it could happen to anyone, and none of us truly understands what is beyond the veil of our own existence.
All this inspired by a lonely gray tower on the Antrim coast.
Beneath the Lighthouse is nominated for a Dragon Award in Horror (to be announced at Dragon Con on Sept. 2). The only female finalist in Horror, Julianne is up against five other authors—including Stephen King. Information on the book can be seen here:
This is a fan-based award, and voting ends August 31—though it can take a few days to receive a ballot after registering.
Here’s the link to sign up:
http://application.dragoncon.org/dc_fan_awards_signup.php
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