My New Year’s Eve-set ghost story, “Wrecking Malcolm,” is now available to read–for free–in the literary magazine Halfway Down the Stairs. The December 2019 issue is themed “The Calling.”

The issue is stunning, but I have to say — I cried when I saw the artwork they chose. Honestly, it’s what I saw in my head when I was writing this, just over a year ago. It’s almost like they were reading my mind.

You can read it here:

https://halfwaydownthestairs.net/2019/12/01/wrecking-malcolm-by-kristi-petersen-schoonover/

“Wrecking Malcolm” was inspired by a shipwreck graveyard that was discovered at Green Jacket Shoal in East Providence, RI. I learned about it last year at an archaeology lecture at my local community college, and was lucky enough to be able to visit, as it’s not far from where one of my friends lives.

Here are a few photographs of the actual graveyard.

The December sun casts its light on the wreckage of a scow barge at the shipwreck graveyard at Green Jacket Shoal, East Providence, RI.

The little that remains of a drydock stands guard at the shipwreck graveyard at Green Jacket Shoal, East Providence, RI.

All that’s left of the sidewheeler Mount Hope, which was pivotal in Rhode Island’s history, at the Green Jacket Shoal shipwreck graveyard in East Providence, RI.

The remains of a schooner barge at Green Jacket Shoal in East Providence, RI. 1-95 is in the distance.