When Judd Vowell dove into the research for his new book Powder House, he got more than he bargained for, including a visit from the long-dead grandfather he never met. Through it all – from befriending a real-life medium to following the breadcrumbs fate dropped for him along the way – Judd discovered that writing can offer many gifts. Even ghost stories. Judd’s writing journey started five years ago, when he wrote and published the first book in the Overthrown trilogy. The experience began as a challenge for the former musician, to see if he could produce a full-length novel. Having accomplished that personal goal, he sought to hone his craft, writing and editing the next two Overthrown novels, and then delving into something different. In developing his next book, he studied the art of storytelling, with the guidance of a dedicated book coach who led a weekly writing group. Ideas, support, criticism – it was all part of the process, and Powder House is the result. Judd lives with his son Charlie in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama, a city rich in haunted history, complete with regular ghost walks and cemetery strolls. He counts himself lucky in one regard – he doesn’t scare easy. Otherwise, those bumps in the night in a house where more than one person has died might have him seeing ghosts.