A Ghost of a Chance Paperback - 2003

Wilmington, NC, March, 2003--When celebrated children's author Joan Carris began writing her book about Blackbeard, A Ghost of a Chance, she made regular visits to his former home, the Hammock House, in Beaufort, NC. I spent long hours at Blackbeard's former house, in an attempt to commune with his spirit, or at the least, recreate him and his times in my novel, Ms. Carris said. Originally published in 1992 by Little, Brown, A Ghost of a Chance has been out of print for several years. When Ms. Carris relocated to Beaufort and discovered regional publisher Coastal Carolina Press (CCP), she decided the time had come to bring Ghost back to life. CCP recently announced the book's release in a new paperback edition. A Ghost of a Chance follows the adventures of Punch Wagner and his best friend, Tom, as they spend their summer vacation in Beaufort. On the drive from New Jersey to North Carolina, Punch hatches a scheme to search for Blackbeard's famous buried treasure. When the Wagners arrive in the historic waterfront town, Punch and Tom's secret plan almost falls apart. Enter Skeeter Grace: 11 years old, a Beaufort native, and a know-it-all with a serious distrust of Yankee tourists. Punch's father has recruited Skeeter to act as a guide for the boys and fails to understand Punch's reluctance about the situation. Conflicts flourish, and it's not until Punch discovers Skeeter's special relationship with the local dolphins that the boys finally decide to join forces in the search for pirate loot. Skeeter's boat and his knowledge of Beaufort and the surrounding islands lead the way, and the boys spend their time digging everywhere they think they might find their prize. Along the way theyare plagued by fears of Blackbeard's revengeful spirit. Joan Carris has published 13 popular novels for children and has sold nearly one million books throughout her career. She has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, and Larry King Live. For Carris, A Ghost of a Chance was an opportunity to create a story that would bring to life one of her favorite spots in the world. As I grew more familiar with Beaufort in the late 1980s, I decided that it was a place young people would love learning about, she said. It had everything. According to Kirkus Reviews, so does A Ghost of a Chance.