Ellen Smith - Author

Many thanks to Tidebound Press for this author spotlight! I am so excited to share this short story with you. Can’t wait for this anthology to come out!!

Welcome back to another Author Spotlight! Today, we have Ellen Smith, whose short story “Flicker” takes us back in time to a small town, where even a little light can become a bad sign.

Tidebound: What was the inspiration behind this short story?

Ellen: “I loved the setting of my first novel, Reluctant Cassandra, and wasn’t ready to leave! I wrote ghost stories from different time periods in the history of fictional Eagle Valley, Virginia. “Flicker” takes place in the 1940s.”

Tidebound: Can you share with us the most unsettling image or moment in your story?

Ellen: “When the main character can see a flicker of light that her companion doesn’t. Little “am I the only one who saw that?” moments are the most unsettling to me!”

Tidebound: I would agree with you on that. Tell us one random fact about yourself.

Ellen: “I can say and sing the alphabet backward. This skill has come in handy exactly twice in my lifetime (so far!).”

Tidebound: I’m sure I’m not the only one with more questions about those two occasions; perhaps one day we’ll find out. So, do you have a favorite memory from the Scary Stories live event at Cult Classic?

Ellen: “I loved hanging out with the other writers in the green room and listening from the hallway to the author on stage!”

Tidebound: That tends to be one of the best shared memories. Now, on to our rapid-fire round:

Forgotten Ritual or Broken Promise? “Forgotten ritual.”
Haunted by the ghost you know or the ghost you don’t? “The ghost I know.”
Late-night visitor or early-morning call? “Late-night visitor!”

Well, that's a wrap for today's Author Spotlight! We learned that ghostly flickers are suspicious, green-room writer energy is unmatched, and Ellen has a hidden backward-alphabet talent ready for just the right moment. Keep an eye out for “Flicker” in the upcoming Scary Stories at Cult Classic anthology... and if you see something out of the corner of your eye later today, maybe take a second look. Or don’t. But whatever you do, please stay tuned for more Author Spotlights!

10 DAYS until Balticon !

I'll be attending Saturday and Sunday. I'm super excited to be a panelist for four awesome panels on writing sci-fi and fantasy! Can't wait to see everyone there!

Saturday, May 23, 2026
2:30 PM Using and Abusing the Miscommunication Trope

Sunday, May 24, 2026
1:00 PM Epistolary Forms

2:30 PM Writing Disabilities Without Ableism

5:30 PM Standalone or Series?