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What Happens to the Soul?
The Ghost of the Sundance Kid and Other Stories is a unique blend of frontier history, spiritual inquiry, and personal narrative, each infused with moral lessons and philosophical questions about the soul, justice, and the afterlife. Where did the idea for this book come from, and how did it develop over time?
The idea came from an unexpected event. While visiting a tourist site, I stayed behind after the group moved on, and took photographs of the living quarters of the Hole in the Wall outlaw gang. To my surprise, a phantom face appeared in one of the photographs. I had already invented “Biblical Parapsychology,” so decided to provide an explanation for this latest phenomenon. I’m not a ghost hunter, I’m a Judeo-Christian minister, and that is why I weave explanations from the Bible into my work. These apparitions just appear on their own in my camera.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The main theme is to provide at least a partial answer to what happens to the soul when we die? Apparently heaven is not automatic, and some like this man remain earthbound. I would like people to ponder where it is they wish their soul to go when their physical body expires, as Shakespeare says, “come to dust.”
Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
I was surprised when pouring into extensive research into the life of Harry A. Longabaugh, the Sundance Kid. The more you look at his so called death in Bolivia, the more you realize it was a staged event. When evidence comes forward from several angles and sources, one can see the real picture forming.
What is the next book you’re working on, and when can readers expect it to be available?
The next book is forming, but I need knee surgery, am looking to improve my physical conditions first. Next book likely available in a year.
Author Links: Goodreads | Amazon
The Ghost of the Sundance Kid
June Raleigh’s The Ghost of the Sundance Kid and Other Stories is a unique blend of frontier history, spiritual inquiry, and personal narrative. The book opens with the titular tale of the Sundance Kid’s ghost, sparked by a photograph the author says shows his apparition. What follows is a deep, often reverent dive into the life and legend of Harry Longabaugh, aka the Sundance Kid, as well as other real-life characters from the Wild West. Interspersed are thought-provoking spiritual reflections and biblical allusions. The latter half of the book includes additional paranormal-themed short stories that focus on modern settings, each infused with moral lessons and philosophical questions about the soul, justice, and the afterlife.
Reading this book was like taking a walk through an old ghost town with a guide who truly believes the past is still very much alive. I found Raleigh’s voice warm and intimate, and at times, disarmingly personal. She doesn’t hide behind scholarly distance; instead, she brings her own beliefs and experiences front and center. She made me feel like the Sundance Kid was more than a name in an old Pinkerton file—like he was someone still trying to be understood. The integration of biblical commentary alongside the outlaw lore gave the book an unusual but compelling heartbeat. It’s clear Raleigh sees history not just as facts, but as a spiritual echo.
The writing sways between storytelling, autobiography, and theology. There were moments when I wanted to dwell longer in the gritty details of the Old West, but the narrative would pivot sharply into spiritual reflection or social commentary. And while the ghost stories are touching and emotionally charged, they often read more like personal testimony than fiction or journalistic accounts. I admire the courage it takes to lay out one’s beliefs so plainly and connect the dots between past lives and present lessons.
This book left me reflective and oddly comforted. It’s for anyone who finds themselves wondering about the things we don’t see, the stories we forget, or the people history left behind. If you’re drawn to true crime, western history, ghost stories, or Christian spiritual writing, you’ll probably find something in here to chew on. It’s an honest and heartfelt work.
Pages: 80 | ASIN : B0BD9DTG9S
LITERARY TITAN 