Originally published Oct. 19, 2008
By Susan Lampert Smith
Who knew Wisconsin was so in tune with the spirits of the dead?
Spring Green author Sara Rath dug into Wisconsin’s long history with spiritualists for her latest novel, “Night Sisters.’’
The book opens and closes at fictional Wocanaga Spiritualist Camp, which Rath says is modeled on a real Western Wisconsin camp. The camp, known to locals as “Spook Hill,’’ is on a steep bluff high above Wonewoc in Juneau County and has been a gathering place for mediums and those who hope to communicate with the dead for more than a century.
Its aging cabins and dance hall evoke the 19th century, when spiritualists ran the Morris Pratt Institute in Whitewater and the Ceresco utopian community at Ripon. Rath also did research for the book by taking a class in mediumship at the Lily Dale Assembly, a New York spiritualist camp that traces its history to 1879.
“There’s an aura about these places,’’ Rath says, “maybe because they’re a relic of that era, and so unpretentious.”
“There’s an aura about these places,’’ Rath says, “maybe because they’re a relic of that era, and so unpretentious.”
“Night Sisters,’’ is Rath’s second novel, after many years as a poet and a writer of non-fiction books. It weaves a story beginning in a central Wisconsin town in the 1960s, to events that occur in a fictional Madison of today.
The book has touches of Wisconsin only a native would notice: the neighbor’s bowling ball rosary, the Packers ticket raffle and the old boyfriend who turns into a Harley rider as part of his mid-life passage.
The book’s protagonist, Nell, sounds a lot like Rath: She’s a Wisconsin writer assigned to do a story about spiritualism, and got hooked. Rath says that was her first thought when she visited Lily Dale, but the spiritualists encouraged her to participate, rather than sit back and watch.
In fact, much of the book has a basis in Rath’s real life. She grew up in Manawa, which sounds a lot like the fictional Little Wolf, lived for a time in Madison’s University Heights neighborhood, and even has a ring engraved with The Lord’s Prayer, an object important to the plot.
Rath says fiction writing evolves weaving the true with the false, a skill she teaches in her writing seminars.
“I teach them how to lie effectively, how to make up beautiful lies,’’ she says.
But although Rath didn’t reach the point of channeling dead spirits while at Lily Dale, she isn’t as skeptical about spiritualism as she was when she started out.
In fact, much of the book has a basis in Rath’s real life. She grew up in Manawa, which sounds a lot like the fictional Little Wolf, lived for a time in Madison’s University Heights neighborhood, and even has a ring engraved with The Lord’s Prayer, an object important to the plot.
Rath says fiction writing evolves weaving the true with the false, a skill she teaches in her writing seminars.
“I teach them how to lie effectively, how to make up beautiful lies,’’ she says.
But although Rath didn’t reach the point of channeling dead spirits while at Lily Dale, she isn’t as skeptical about spiritualism as she was when she started out.
“I have great respect,’’ she says. “I do think there are mediums who have great skills.”
As she’s been traveling around the state promoting her book, Rath says she’s surprised at the number of people who confide they’ve been to Spook Hill, to hear their futures, and messages from spirits of the past.
“Wisconsin is a very practical place; we don’t get emotional about much besides the Packers,” Rath says. “Maybe places like Wonewoc tap into the dreamer in all of us.’’
IF YOU GO
The Wonewoc Spiritualist Camp, just off Hwy. 33 in Juneau County, will celebrate its 108th season in 2009, officially running from June 1 to Aug. 29. For details, see the web site – http://www.campwonewoc.com/.
IF YOU GO
The Wonewoc Spiritualist Camp, just off Hwy. 33 in Juneau County, will celebrate its 108th season in 2009, officially running from June 1 to Aug. 29. For details, see the web site – http://www.campwonewoc.com/.
PHOTO INFORMATION: The Wonewoc Spiritualist Camp traces its history to 1874 and annually attracts people seeking answers, serenity and peace. This photo shows a church gathering in 1963./PHOTO courtesy of Western Wisconsin Camp Association
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