The Story Behind “Anna’s Wish”

The seed for “Anna’s Wish” was planted nearly 40 years ago. The telling of the story of young Anna’s fate always struck a chord with Paul Daniel. In 2002 he decided to write a book around the true tale he had first heard from his grandfather at the age of 12.

“It was such a dramatic, emotional story,” Paul remembered. “Even a hundred years after it took place, the feelings were still strong among my family over what had happened.”

He planned to build a fictional story around what took place, but keep the details of the actual incident as accurate as possible. The idea to use fictional letters and journal entries to tell the story came at this time. Paul felt it would give the book a more authentic tone and a feel of immediacy. “I knew I would have a very difficult time writing for Anna,” Paul recalls. “So I asked my friend, Ann Thompson Carter, if she would like to write for Anna and she accepted. I have always been extremely impressed with Ann’s letters, for she could convey exactly what she felt and do so with great sincerity. I knew this was exactly what the character of Anna required and Ann has created her magnificently. I also felt that having two people writing on this book would give it a more diverse, thorough feel as far as the different characters were concerned.”

For the next six months, the book was planned and outlined, and in June 2003 writing commenced. A few days later, Paul emailed Ann a photograph of Annaís headstone. What happened next was nothing short of astounding.

“I had just emailed the photo to Ann,” Paul said, “then I looked at the headstone on my computer screen and began to see something. Almost immediately the phone rang and it was Ann, excitedly asking me if I was seeing what she was seeing.” What they beheld were vivid images of a young woman, Anna, they surmised, from the age and looks of the woman, in various scenes. Each image was made from moss and lichens on the headstone. The details were hauntingly clear. As they continued to look at the photo on their respective computer screens, more and more scenes became visible. It was a chilling, but fascinating moment, they both recall. “We then felt that this project was meant to happen,” Paul said. “There seemed to be a guiding force behind it. It was a very unique situation.”

What would also make this experience very unique was the fact that the two authors had never met face-to-face.

“We were pen pals,” Paul said. “Ann lives in New Hampshire and I live in Missouri, 1100 miles apart.” They communicated through email and telephone as they planned the story and exchanged what they wrote. It turned out to be easier to do than they originally thought. As time went on the book expanded in plot and some new roles were created that added to the fullness of other characters. Finally, as the book neared completion the two authors decided it would be best if they met and finished the book together. So Paul flew to New Hampshire and met his co-author for the first time. The first draft of the book was completed in New Hampshire.

The headstone of Anna with its incredible images really exists and is pictured above. It was a guiding force in the writing of this book along with, the authors’ feel, the loving spirit of Anna herself. The names of certain locations were changed in the book to protect the sanctity and privacy of those at rest.