The Story Behind One of the First Stories I Wrote on Vocal

While it is not technically the first story I ever wrote, one of the first several stories I published on Vocal was a story titled “WOOOOOOO!!!” It is the story of a fisherman who goes out one night to fish at his favorite spot on the lake. However, he doesn’t catch any fish, but instead encounters something terrifying and unknown that ultimately makes him scared of the lake.

Even though it wasn’t my first ever story, this one has special significance to me and holds a special place in my heart. The reason for this stems from the fact that while I am the one who put the story to writing, I was not the one who originally came up with the plot for the story. Rather, the story is based off of my memory of a bedtime story that my father often told me when I was a small child. I am not entirely sure how, or even if, he came up with it, but I know he told it to me often.

From what I can remember, every time he told it to me the story was largely the same, with only some minor details changed. Most notably, and most memorable to me, he would, likely on purpose, change the specific lures used by the fisherman (whom I don’t think he ever named, but I did when I wrote the story down).

Likely due to the good memories I associate with the story, as well as the fact that it was told to me often, I never forgot this story, even as I grew up and many years passed since the last time I heard it. Years later, I decided that I wanted to reduce it to writing, both for my own benefit and so that hopefully others can also enjoy the story.

Upon further reflection, I also recently realized that it is possible, and perhaps likely, that this and other ghost stories my father told me in my formative years created my lifelong interest in mysteries and scary stories. This is just one more reason that I appreciate this story so much.

However, it doesn’t end there. As I write this story behind the story, a certain event is happening in my life that made me appreciate this story, and the story behind it, even more and is causing me to view it in a new way. My wife and I are currently expecting our first child. I will likely tell this story, and many other stories, to him or her. (Maybe my father will even tell them the story himself!). And I also hope to create my own stories that they will remember forever and will retell. Afterall, bedtime stories, and reading and stories in general, are a great way to bond with your children and to help them learn and develop. Certainly that is why my father told me this and other stories in the first place.