(Spoiler Alert. If you have only read books 1-13 in the Haunting Danielle Series you may want to skip this interview.)
Interviewer: Welcome back to Marlow House for our third interview in the Marlow House Interview Series. Today we will be talking to Lily Bartley. Welcome Lily. Thank you for sitting down with me today.
Lily: I’m glad to be here. And I really didn’t have far to walk—just across the street!
Interviewer: You used to live here, didn’t you?
Lily: Yes. It was supposed to be just for the summer. I came up with Dani when she moved up here. When the summer was over I went back home to California and back to work.
Interviewer: You’re a teacher, aren’t you?
Lily: Yes. Anyway, stuff happened—I’m sure you read about it in the newspaper. I don’t want to bore you with all the details. But I came back here, Dani asked me to move in, and I helped her run the B and B.
Interviewer: But you are married now, living across the street and back to teaching?
Lily: Yes. I took a long-term sub position. Not sure if I’ll be coming back next fall. That’s still up in the air.
Interviewer: That leads us to one of the questions our readers asked. Now that you are married, are you and Ian planning to have children?
Lily: Oh my, you sound like my mother! (laughs)
Interviewer: Would you rather not talk about it?
Lily: No. That’s okay. Yeah, Ian and I have talked about it. I’ve always wanted kids. Ian, well the idea scares him a little. To be honest I think Ian had decided to be a carefree bachelor for the rest of his life. You know, travel, write, travel some more.
Interviewer: But he met you?
Lily: (Laughs) Yeah.
Interviewer: So, does this mean you haven’t decided to have children yet?
Lily: No. We’ve talked about it. We both want kids someday. But, we haven’t really been married that long and we’d like some time alone first. Once kids come along, well they are going to be with us for at least the next eighteen years. And Ian, well, he’s still adjusting to the idea. (laughs)
Interviewer: You said you aren’t sure if you’re going back in the fall. Have you been considering giving up teaching? I know you took a hiatus after recuperating and for a while didn’t know if you wanted to go back to teaching.
Lily: One of the reasons it’s up in the air next fall—I don’t know if there will be any openings. Like I said, the position I took was a long-term sub, and I understand the teacher intends to return in the fall.
Interviewer: So, you would like to keep teaching?
Lily: Yes. But I’d rather have my own class. While long term subbing is not the same as being a substitute teacher—something I loathe—it’s not the same as having your own class.
Interviewer: If you didn’t go back to teaching, what would you do?
Lily: If I don’t go back to teaching, I’d have to do something constructive. I’m lucky in that I don’t have to work if I don’t want to. One thing I’ve considered is volunteer work.
Interviewer: One reason you can afford not to work, you received a settlement from the Gusarov estate, didn’t you?
Lily: Yes. But I can’t discuss the amount because of the nondisclosure statement.
Interviewer: One of the readers wanted to know if you ever get jealous, not being able to see spirits like some of your friends.
Lily: Not jealous exactly. But, sometimes it can be really annoying. For example, when I was living at Marlow House with Dani and Walt, I always felt left out of the conversation. Of course, it’s different now with Walt.
Interviewer: And if you could see spirits, you could visit with Eva and Marie.
Lily: It would be nice to officially meet Eva, and I do miss Marie. But there is that other thing that would freak me out.
Interviewer: Other thing?
Lily: When Dani first meets a spirit she doesn’t always know it’s a spirit. That would freak me out. I can see myself talking away to someone and then suddenly realize I’m the only one who can see it. That would just be too nerve wracking.
Interviewer: But you saw Darlene Gusarov’s ghost?
Lily: Yes, yes I did. But I’m not the only one—I mean among the non-mediums I know. And it was sort of creepy. No, I’d rather not have the gift.
Interviewer: I think that covers about all the questions the readers wanted answered. Thanks again for meeting with me today.
Lily: Thank you for having me!
Interviewer: Tomorrow I will be talking with Lily’s husband, Ian Bartley. Hope to see you all then!