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How much is Walt like Walt?

Walt Marlow is one of the main characters in my Haunting Danielle series. Some of my readers, along with my friends who are familiar with the series, know I named the character after my father. What they might not know, the character also shares Dad’s middle name, Clint, and both the character and my father’s real name is Walter, but both went by Walt.

When readers first meet Walt Marlow in The Ghost of Marlow House (Book 1 of the Haunting Danielle series), Walt is the ghost mentioned in the title. Our main character, Danielle, discovers Walt Marlow—the house’s previous resident—still residing in the house after she inherits it. Danielle assumed the house had been vacant for decades before she moved in. But surprise, it comes with a ghost.

Did Dad inspire the character? Yes…and no.  In the beginning, when naming the character I wanted an old fashioned name. My character, Walt Marlow, was born in 1899 and died three years before Dad was born. While they weren’t of the same generation, I felt the name Walt would also work for someone born in my grandparents’ generation.

I didn’t start out to pattern the character after Dad. But when looking back, I realize that in many ways I unconsciously did just that. 

First, let’s start with how Dad isn’t like Walt Marlow. Marlow loves to read and owns an impressive library. Dad wasn’t one to sit around and read a book. Although, he did enjoy listening to Mom read aloud when they would take their long car trips across the state from Havasu to visit family.

Dad excelled in math, not reading. He preferred to be doing something outdoors, as opposed to indoor activities. He was a general contractor working primarily in commercial construction before we moved to Havasu Palms.  He was fully capable of performing the jobs of his subs—such as framing, plumbing, and electrical. He learned cabinet making as a young man from skilled craftsmen and designed our homes—along with the restaurant, new marina, and mobile home expansion at Havasu Palms. He fixed the antiquated heavy equipment at Havasu Palms, graded the dirt road into the park, and learned to fly a plane. If he couldn’t figure out how to fix something on his own, he often relied on instruction manuals, long before the days of how-to YouTube videos.

The similarities between Dad and Walt Marlow are more of a personal nature. Like Dad, Marlow deeply loves his family and close friends. He’s fiercely loyal, protective, and is prepared to help those he cares about at a moment’s notice. While Marlow, like Dad, are products of their generations and tend to hold old fashioned views about women—neither is a misogynist nor intimidated by a strong woman. 

In many ways, each of them is a feminist, but I doubt either would describe themselves that way. Both have a reverence and respect for motherhood and childbirth which they display by showing respect toward women and by being fiercely protective. 

Both are animal lovers. I remember how Dad cried for months after Fritzy, our family’s schnauzer, died. About a year later we finally convinced them it was time to get another dog. With Marlow, he’ll be able to communicate with the dogs and cats he loves—in this world or the next.

Walt Marlow often charms people, and when I think of Dad, he also had a way of charming people who met him. Dad, like my character, had a way of garnering respect. 

Yet, sometimes Walt Marlow acts a bit impulsively—which can get Danielle in trouble. Like the time he took it upon himself to pack for Danielle’s cousin, Cheryl. If you read the book, you will know what I am talking about.

Looking back, I witnessed my father behaving in a similar impulsive way. One incident stands out to me. Some teenager was racing around the mobile home park at Havasu Palms on his motorcycle. Dad, tired of telling the guy to stop racing around the park impulsively snatched the teenager’s bike keys and tossed them in the lake.

Yeah, I could see Walt Marlow doing that.

Photo: Walt Johnson

The Original Walter Clint

It was 26 years ago last night that Mom and I sat next to my father’s hospital bed and said goodbye to him. I told him he had been a wonderful father, that I loved him, and that is was okay to move on. I’m not sure I said follow the light exactly, but I kept talking to him, even after his heart monitor went flat. I always wondered what the nurses in ICU thought. For the next week I could feel my father’s love engulf me. And even now, decades later, he is never far from my thoughts or heart.

When I started the Haunting Danielle series, I wanted a name for my resident ghost appropriate for his generation. While my father was young enough to be Walt Marlow’s son, his name Walt was a common one for the twenties. It seemed fitting to give my ghost Dad’s first name.

But, I didn’t just give him Dad’s first name, I gave him his middle name too. Like Walt Marlow, my father’s name is Walter Clint—and like Walt Marlow, he always went by Walt, instead of Walter.

I can’t say Walt Marlow’s personality was patterned after my father—he wasn’t. However, they do share one trait. Readers seem to like Walt—many even claiming they have fallen a little in love with him.

People also liked my father—they wanted to spend time with him. Even today, over a quarter of a century after his death, I often hear people who knew him share their “Walt” stories.

I like to think Dad would get a kick out of Walt Marlow being named after him. Miss you Dad, and Merry Christmas.

(Photo: Dad, sisters, Lynn & Bobbi)

The Other Walt, Happy Birthday!

Walt JohnsonI named a central character in my Haunting Danielle series after my father, Walt. Technically speaking, Dad’s name was Walter, but he went by Walt. Coincidentally my father-in-law, my husband’s step-father, was also named Walter. He went by Walter instead of Walt, which made it less confusing at family gatherings.

We have one grandson, Evan, who my daughter and her husband named Evan Walter–after Elizabeth’s grandfathers.

When researching names for the Haunting Danielle series, I discovered Walt was a common name used during Walt Marlow’s time–he was born in 1898.

Why am I posting about this today? Because today is Walt’s birthday–my father Walt Johnson. Had dad lived, he would have been 88 today.

Sadly, Dad passed away 23 years ago—far too young. He is missed, yet I rather like the idea one of my favorite characters has Dad’s name.

Happy Birthday, Daddy.