Title: Stevie-girl and the Phantom Pilot The Phantom Series
Author: Ann Swann
Genre:  Coming of Age, Paranormal, ages 11-13
Pages: 90
Published by: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2nd edition
Published Date: March 24, 2013
ISBN-10: 1483954951
ISBN-13: 978-1483954950

Narrated by: Janet Borrus
Length: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Released Date: November 6, 2013
Published by: Ann Swann

The Phantom Series: (ecopy purchase link)
Stevie-girl and the Phantom Pilot
Stevie-girl and the Phantom Student
Stevie-girl and the Phantom of Crybaby Bridge

About the Story: What would you do if a phantom needed your help?

When a small planes crashes behind Jase’s rural home, strange things begin to happen. But no one believes him. After all, there’s no such thing as a ghost, right?  Then he sees his pretty, quiet schoolmate, Stevie-girl, about to enter the legendary haunted house, and he knows if anyone can help him solve the mystery, she’s the one.

©2011 Ann Swann (P)2013 Ann Swann

My Thoughts:  Not only was this story entertaining, but it had the paranormal edge to it, which I just love.  Meant to be for the young, nevertheless, it kept me entranced.  The night after I finished this read, I dreamt of the dead! Narrator Janet Borrus had me believing I was there, in rural Texas  facing a ghost!  She had a hand in making this read/listen even more entertaining.

Stevie-girl was a spirited, kind 12-year-old girl growing up during the 60’s, having had her best friend recently move away.  That’s a hard time for most people, but even more so for her for she had no siblings, no mother or father.  Her grandmother had recently passed.  All she had was her grandfather, though they had a wonderful relationship.

A fellow school mate, Chase, also without much of a family, likes what he sees in Stevie-girl, and so seeks her out when she appears fearless when she entered a old reck of a place considered haunted.  He needed a fearless friend.

Lots of wisdom comes from both the young and the elderly in this quick read/listen.  Even though most of the characters were young, they nevertheless had character, bravery and honor, lessons we all can learn.  I thoroughly enjoyed going back to the 60’s since I, too, grew up during that time.  Life in a rural area was simple, but not so when faced with a ghost who wouldn’t leave you alone!  These young’uns reminded me a bit of the Nancy Drew series.  The rest of this series is composed of book 2 and 3.  Will I be listening to them?  You bet!

About the Author: Ann Swann was born in the small West Texas town of Lamesa. She grew up much like Stevie-girl in The Phantom Pilot, though she never got up the nerve to enter the haunted house. Ann has done everything from answering 911 Emergency calls to teaching elementary school. She still lives in West Texas with her husband, Dude, one rescue dog, two rescue cats, and a part-time box turtle named Piggy. Stevie-girl and The Phantom Pilot was her first published book (Cool Well Press) (Amazon Bestseller/ghost stories/scary stories) Book Two was Stevie-girl and the Phantom Student Book Three was Stevie-girl and the Phantom of Crybaby Bridge (Amazon Bestseller/ghost stories/scary stories) Ann also wrote: All For Love – contemporary romance/women’s fiction – 5 Prince Publishing (Amazon Bestseller/Literary Fiction) Stutter Creek – romantic suspense – 5 Prince Publishing (Amazon Bestseller/Romantic Suspense) Lilac Lane – romantic suspense – 5 Prince Publishing Coming soon: Takers: Apocalypse in Eden (Book One) due out by Halloween and Copper Lake (Book Three in Stutter Creek trilogy) early 2016

Words from Ann Swann regarding Ms. Borrus’s narration:

“Janet Borrus somehow managed to become the voice of my twelve year old main character, Stevie-girl. Her inflections and speech patterns were so good, it was almost as if Janet had written the book herself! ” ~ Ann Swann, author ~

About the Narrator: Janet Borrus is an award-winning actor, voice artist and writer.

A graduate of Oberlin College and The London Drama Studio, she began acting professionally in New York, working Off-Broadway with stage veterans such as Frances Conroy and Larry Pine before moving to Los Angeles.

On television and film she has had the pleasure of portraying a variety of evil moms and not-so-evil lawyers, most rececntly on PRETTY LITTLE LIARS. In the theater, among other roles, Janet transformed herself into an entire classroom of teenage girls in her solo play THE RAMONA ROSES. Julio Martinez, VARIETY theatre critic, called her performance “exuberant and hilarious.”

The show has been produced in Los Angeles, New York, and at theaters across the country.

Janet is now bringing her skill as an actor and storyteller to the recording booth, working regularly as a voiceover artist and audiobook narrator. She is currently narrating the Phantom young adult mystery series Stevie-girl, and was recently interviewed for the ACX blog.

Janet co-wrote the feature film BELLYFRUIT (Showtime) and has collaborated on two other prize-