Rami Ungar The Writer

So the other day, I went and made the challenge to figure out whom Hannah from Hannah and Other Stories was inspired by (you can see that post here). I’d been telling people that if they were the first to figure it out, I would write them into a story. And better yet, unlike when that usually happens, it won’t be a punishment.

To my utter delight, quite a few people tried to figure it out. Some got close, some got so far away that I had never heard of their guesses.

And late last night, someone did get the answer right. Congratulations to longtime Follower of Fear and author of cozy Christian mysteries, Priscilla Bettis. Funny thing, she nearly gave up after a few far-off guesses, but after a bit of encouragement, she got it. Good for you, Priscilla. I think I’ve found a role for you in a story I plan to write in the near future. I’ll let you know first if it gets published anywhere.

Now, for the moment you’ve been waiting for. Who is Hannah from Hannah and Other Stories based on? I said she was based on an actual little girl, but which one?

Well, I said the inspiration was an actual little girl, but I never said she was real. You see, Hannah was inspired by Hanako-san, also known as Hanako of the Toilet. Hanako-san is a famous urban legend from Japan about a young girl who haunts the toilets of elementary schools. The legend varies from place to place, but the basic idea is that if you knock on the door of the third stall of the girl’s bathroom on the third floor of the elementary school and call out to Hanako-san, she’ll answer. Or something will answer. Like I said, the legend varies.

Anyway, Hanako-san is one of the most famous urban legends in Japan, and it was the inspiration for Hannah (you can see where I got her name). I had fun adapting the legend to an Ohio setting and exploring what happens when you take Hanako-san out of the bathroom. And now, people are reading the story and are enjoying it. Maybe now they’ll appreciate it more, knowing its origin.

If this has made you curious, you can learn more about Hannah by reading Hannah and Other Stories. I’ll include links below. If you do decide to read it, I hope you’ll leave a review. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps me and other readers in the long run.

And once you’ve done that, go look up Hanako-san. It’s a great story, and I’m not the only one finding new ways to tell her story. Hell, there’s a great manga about a male version of her called Hanako-kun that’s currently being serialized. I love it, and you should check it out.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night, happy reading, and pleasant nightmares.