True Fiction Project — S7 Ep10: The Last Spirits of Manhattan

Host: Reenita Hora
Guest: John McDermott (author, professor)
Date: March 31, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode explores the intersection of personal history and fictional storytelling through John McDermott’s debut novel, The Last Spirits of Manhattan. The work, rooted in a real family anecdote involving Alfred Hitchcock, morphs into a supernatural historical fiction centered on a haunted Manhattan mansion. Reenita and John dive deep into the creative process, challenges of writing historical fiction, personal stakes, and the blend of research and imagination. The episode culminates in John reading from his book's evocative prologue, which introduces listeners to the ghostly character "Snug."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origin of the Story

• Real-Life Inspiration
  • John’s mother told him a story about her great aunt's Manhattan house, which was rented by Alfred Hitchcock for a spooky party in 1956.
  • “Her great aunt's house in Manhattan was rented by Alfred Hitchcock for a party… Of course, she was dead by that time... So Hitchcock rented it for an evening and invited all his friends.” — John McDermott [00:30]
• The house was abandoned, no family wanted it, and it was known for its eerie ambiance.

2. Blending Fact and Fiction

• Research & Poetic License
  • John dove into historical research, reading biographies of Hitchcock and other notable guests (e.g., Henry Fonda, Charles Addams).
  • “I love research. I love reading. So I threw myself into it. I tried to get the spirit of Hitchcock correct. But I certainly invented a lot of the plot.” — John [06:34]
  • He openly acknowledges inventing significant plot elements, especially the supernatural aspects.
• Navigating Permissions and Accuracy
  • Issues arose with using an actual ad Hitchcock placed—untangling permissions proved so complex he instead wrote a fictitious ad:
    • “We were going to run the ad, and then at the very last minute, some lawyers stepped in and said, you know what? Maybe we don't want to mess with these permissions. So the ad that you actually see in the published book I invented...” — John [07:14-08:27]
• Moral Responsibility When Portraying Real People
  • He strove to treat historical figures with humanity, even when showing their flaws, and recognizes both the necessity and challenge of "poetic license."
    • “The not nice things are what give us plot... trying to capture the spirit of what I thought the person was really like, treating them with some humanity...” — John [08:59]

3. Book Summary & Supernatural Elements

• At the party, ghosts—drawn from John’s own family history—appear, becoming “party crashers.”
  • “The guest list expands to the afterlife... The ghosts I use are primarily ghosts from my actual family history.” — John [10:15]
• Main characters Carolyn Banks (based on John's mother) and Pete d’Onofrio (a fictional ad copywriter) must keep these ghosts at bay, unbeknownst to the living celebrity guests.

4. Personal & Creative Motivations

• Why Supernatural?
  • John hadn’t previously written supernatural fiction, but the haunted party concept and his love for Manhattan inspired him to explore the genre.
    • “The ghosts just popped up. Honestly, it was research. And I said, hey, it's a spooky party. Let's really make it the real deal.” — John [12:32]
• The Writer’s Journey
  • Although a poet and short story writer, John describes the long, winding road to finishing a novel successfully—The Last Spirits of Manhattan is his fourth novel manuscript, but his first sold and published novel.
  • “I was laboring away in the mines of long form fiction... I would say about a 20 year attempt. This book... took me about four years to write.” — John [13:17]
• Advice on Publishing
  • Success came from persistence, preparation, and serendipity.
    • “The only thing you can control is the writing... Everything else is sort of the roulette wheel.” — John [14:07]

5. Book Publication & Where to Find John

• Book published October 2025, available through independent stores (bookshop.org), major retailers, John’s website (johnamcdermot.net), Simon & Schuster, Instagram, and more. [14:35-14:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It goes back, what, to the 18th century? The marriage plot. Right? Dear reader, I married him. I guess we have to thank people like Jane Austen.” — John McDermott [05:48]
• “The guest list expands to the afterlife and the ghosts I use are primarily ghosts from my actual family history...” — John [10:15]
• “The not nice things are what give us plot. Right. So I wanted to be mindful of trying to capture the spirit of what I thought the person was really like, treating them with some humanity, that they may have made mistakes, but we've all made mistakes...” — John [08:59]
• “I always tell my students that the only thing you can control is the writing and that everything else is sort of the roulette wheel.” — John [14:07]
• “The ghosts just popped up... And I said, hey, it's a spooky party. Let's really make it the real deal.” — John [12:32]

Important Timestamps

• 00:30: John introduces the real-life Hitchcock connection
• 04:00: Discussing the process of adapting real events and people into fiction
• 06:34: Navigating permissions and inventing the party’s advertising ad
• 08:59: Addressing moral and creative responsibility in portraying real figures with flaws
• 10:15: Explanation of the book’s supernatural and family ghost elements
• 13:17: John details his long journey to publication and writing process
• 14:07: Advice for writers (“control the writing, the rest is chance”)
• 15:30: John reads the prologue from The Last Spirits of Manhattan — introduction to the ghost “Snug” [16:42-18:56]

Fiction Segment: Reading from The Last Spirits of Manhattan

16:42 – 18:56:
John reads the prologue, "The Blue Girl," introducing listeners to the ghost "Snug" who haunts the Manhattan house:

"The Blue Girl was dead. Her name was Isabella, but everyone she remembered called her Snug... The history of the house clung to the plaster in dirty shadows..."
(See transcript [16:42–18:56] for full excerpt)

Conclusion

Through an engaging blend of family lore, meticulous research, supernatural inventiveness, and candid reflection on the writer’s craft, John McDermott and Reenita Hora provide a fascinating look at how everyday stories inspire compelling fiction. The account of how a Hitchcock party in a deserted Manhattan mansion became a multi-layered ghost story offers both aspiring writers and lovers of fiction insight, amusement, and inspiration.

For more information, to submit stories, or get involved, listeners are invited to visit reenita.com/podcasts/true-fiction-project and johnamcdermot.net.