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| Our family's cabin. Photo taken by my Tween. |
Do you believe
in the supernatural? Ghostly visitors from another realm? What scares you? It’s
amazing the small occurrences that build up into a full-blown encounter.
A cuckoo clock.
A light that turns on automatically. A door that slams shut. All minor
incidents alone. Combined, the effect can be frightening.
My husband’s
family owns a cabin in the mountains of Big Bear, which also partially served
as inspiration for the story mentioned below. First, let me mention I’m not a
nature lover. I tend to be allergic to the great outdoors. Oh, I love the idea
of being away, in a cabin, but it doesn’t actually work out as ideally for me.
Add to that a
haunted cabin and the experience grows even more uncomfortable. (Oh, I know you
want to visit now.) The cabin isn’t exactly isolated, but empty lots surround
all sides, so we’re not right up against others.
Over the last
six years, we’ve lost both of my in-laws, and while we’ve inherited the family
cabin, we’ve also inherited visitors. Upstairs, above my father-in-law’s
favorite chair, is a light that changes intensity with a touch to the
lampshade. It will be turned completely off, and when we get back home, it’s on.
Since my
mother-in-law passed away, the cuckoo clock, which was one of her favorites, is
always off. My husband says that it “needs
attention.” Sometimes it runs slow, and sometimes it’s fast. And as I’m writing
this post, the one in our house passed down just chimed in an off moment.
(Spooky!)
Finally, there’s
the upstairs bedroom door that likes to slam shut by itself. We now sleep in
the master bedroom. Well, that is when I am brave enough. Above my side of the
bed is a hanging train mobile my daughter made with my mother-in-law and I
swear that thing moves in the dark. In the mountains, with the windows open,
one would think no big deal for the door to slam, right? Well, this one is held
open with an old iron. Somehow, the iron gets moved aside, and the door shuts.
Every fricking
time the BAM makes me jump! It’s
especially lovely when I’m in residence alone.
Gentle reminders
of loved ones gone? Fodder for a writer’s overactive imagination? Oh yes. What
are your thoughts?
Haunted Hotties, Vol. 2
Edited by Jaymi
Lynn
With stories
by McKay, Rob Rosen, Dakota Caudill, Elizabeth Coldwell, Jessica Payseur,
Jessica Chase, Louisa Bacio, Charles Payseur, Helena Maeve, Avery Dawes.
This Halloween
collection has a little something for everybody. With demons, ghosts, psychics,
reapers, shifters, and witches... a rainbow of paranormal/supernatural is
included.
In Everything
a Big Bad Wolf Could Want by McKay, Whimsy has to decide if he's in love
with his straight, next-door neighbor by Halloween or risk losing him forever.
In Casper the Horny Ghost by Rob Rosen, Chris not only inherited a
long-abandoned house, he also inherited the ghost that came with it. In Necromantic by
Dakota Caudill, Kaitlyn's always felt like she was waiting for something, but
she never expected her new girlfriend to be able to raise the dead.
In The Man
in Green by Elizabeth Coldwell, Richard intends to cut down all the trees
surrounding his new property, but the man in the woods has other ideas.
In Haunts Old and New by Jessica Payseur, Rosalie doesn't like the
new ghost that's in her house and yet, she can't seem to stay away from her.
In The Fisher Lot by Jessica Chase, it turns out being dared to spend
the night in the local "haunted house" might be the best thing that's
ever happened to Barney.
In Open by Louisa
Bacio, Martina keeps trying to pretend that everything is fine, but the ghosts
in her new B&B are just as determined to get her attention. In A Friendly Ghostbusting by
Charles Payseur, an old rival who once humiliated him is not what Cas needs as
he sets out to explore an old psychiatric prison. In Darkling by
Helena Maeve, Eugene tried to warn Caleb and his friends away from Ledwich
University and soon enough they'll learn... they really should have listened.
In The Devil's in the Details by Avery Dawes, since they died during the
Civil War, Oliver and Francis get one night a year together; but they have to
be careful or they'll never get another one.
Available now
via Torquere Press, AllRomance and Amazon.
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| Halloween Goody Bag (blanket beneath not included). |
Contest:
Halloween Goody Bag – including a Jack & Sally magnet, which I’d rather not
part with, and Hello Kitty mints. Winner will be chosen from comments at
random, on the evening of Nov. 1.
Tell me:
Something you enjoy about Halloween or this season? A ghost story … your
favorite candy? Leave a comment, and a valid email address, to be entered.
Mailing is for U.S. only.
Make sure to check
out Bobbi Romans stop from yesterday, https://bobbiromans.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/13-days-of-halloween-my-day-squee/
and tomorrow, visit Monica Corwin http://www.monicacorwin.com/?zx=6f0ffa2c253c1a32
Happy hauntings!
Louisa Bacio
Halloween is my favorite holiday! I once wrote a ghost story in elementary school. I also have one of those touch lamps that also does that. It's super creepy when it happens and Miranda is using her computer. My mom died in this house, too!! Super spooky!!! Please enter me! Maryannmorris68@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI wonder about those touch lamps! They seem to have a mind of their own, but only at a certain time!
DeleteTesting out the anonymous feature! This is Louisa ...
ReplyDeleteTest post from Merryn x
ReplyDeleteTaking my daughter to the pumpkin patch.
ReplyDeleteI love taking my kids out!! evening_star1986@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHalloween is my favorite holiday of the year! Growing up in the deep south, ghost stories are a staple and I loved sitting out on the porch as a kid with other kids on my street, listening to one of my parents or one of the other parents tell us a story so scary every windblown blade of grass made all the baby fine blonde hairs on the back of my neck raise.
ReplyDeleteLove costumes and love walking with the kids
ReplyDeleteMcorrado1980@Gmail.com
I had an expierence at a house that I rented where the 3 season room door would just shake off the wall! The coffee pot would make coffe on its own also. Later I found out that there was a man that died in my dinning room and his nephew used to take care of him. He would sit outside in the 3 season room and drink coffee all day! That is the very short version!
ReplyDeleteI had an expierence at a house that I rented where the 3 season room door would just shake off the wall! The coffee pot would make coffe on its own also. Later I found out that there was a man that died in my dinning room and his nephew used to take care of him. He would sit outside in the 3 season room and drink coffee all day! That is the very short version!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely ADORE Halloween, my fav time of year, but my main rule, or condition, is that costumes and decor MUST be scary. Be a princess or a bride, by all means, but you must be a Zombie princess, axe wielding, or chainsaw wielding, bride, no arguments, lol. We have a massive party every year weekend before Halloween for my Niece's birthday, even though she just turned 13, she still loves it. We have a running story going on for about 8 years now, about Murder Bob. The family live in a house built on an abandoned farm, and are surrounded by fields, no street lights, a few neighbours lights show through the trees. So we have a ghost walk too, and we hide in pits and in bushes, dressed up as scary peeps or beasties, to pop out or grab a few ankles. All whilst telling continuing story started all those years ago, that Bob used to live in the farm, and he murdered all his family, and numerous people since, and all bodies were buried/hidden on farm, never found by the authorities. Now Bob has been dead 80odd years, but every Halloween he comes back to claim more victims, but he is never seen. The ghost walk last year ended inside house, lights off of course, and all of a sudden lightning strikes hit the patio windows and there was banging on the windows, some of the kids braved heading to open curtains, but we had it rigged up and someone suddenly whipped them open to see a 8foot tall hooded figure holding uo the party girl with her throat slit. Its fab, the kids love it, obv they terrified, and had reports of a few nightmares, but the parents tell us that every year for the month before it all the kids are desperate to get costumes organised and beg to be invited. We have also had a few mums and dads say that if the youngsters didnt want to come as too scared, they would leave them with family members and come without them, lol. There are reports of nightmares for a few weeks after, but they still desperate to come and talk about it all year. Local news has got wind as well and its a nightmare trying to keep every years upcoming tricks a secret, in fact I darent mention them here until after the party (running a wee bit late this year as other commitments). The story grows every year also, we try not to repeat but just build onto last years. Always looking for new ideas,lol. I realise Im in UK and not eligible for postage, but I would nominate a charity or someone if I was lucky enough to have my name picked out of hat. Hope this ok. My email is ann280871@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all the kids in their costumes
ReplyDeleteemmasmom69 AT gmail DOT com
i love seeing all the children dressed up and having fun with their family's. Also the leaves on the trees turning so many colors!! crissysimpson05@aol.com
ReplyDeletethis year is trunk or treat and then i do bleve in ghost i have has them in my home and they were helpfull to me
ReplyDeleteYou had me at Cabin In The Woods! I have too many supernatural stories to tell in one comment so I'll try to be brief, the day my Mom died I pulled my phone out of my pocket to make some calls, now I had just recently got another phone so I had the card removed and my old phone was completely empty, I was only keeping it because all my relatives had that number so there was NOTHING in my phone at all. When I looked at the phone my wallpaper was changed to a swirling galaxy, something I never saw before and remember, no SD card, nothing. Mom and I had a deal, whoever went first would let the other know we made it safely to the other side. It was my Mom. Also, she always found dimes and said they were from her sister who had passed, I told Mom to leave me quarters so I'd know it was her , I now find quarters everywhere . One more thing, in Cape May I saw 2 children in the corner of our hotel room beckoning me to follow them, I don't remember much more than my Mom pulling me into the room because they were calling me for help and I was about to follow them over the 3rd floor balcony railing. I've seen several loved ones who've passed and had a lot of dream visitations in times of need. So much more I may have to write a Halloween post :D My Dad passed a month ago and called me on the phone in a dream telling me how to straighten out the estate my brothers have been fighting about and my Mom hugged me in a dream when I was really sad. I believe anything is possible.
ReplyDeleteI've been told I'm fey but I'm just an Irish girl sensitive to the paranormal. I think :D
Halloween is actually my favorite holiday. I know a lot of people, my daughter especially, think Christmas is the best holiday, and it is a glorious time of year, but I'm partial to Halloween.
ReplyDeleteI love it, because I LOVE dressing up. Costumes and not candy is why I love Halloween.
If I could dress up in costume every day I would...holiday not necessary :)
Love your blog! It's beautiful!
Have a happy evening :)
Tamara
Halloween is fun! I love to see all the different costumes :) My favorite candy is white chocolate kitkats and the pumpkin reeses.
ReplyDeleteJessica
jessangil at gmail dot com
Halloween has always been my favorite Holiday. I've trick or treated the same neighborhood as my children. The streets in my grandmother's neighborhood are amazing since I was a kid neighbors do haunted houses in their yards...one street has hot apple cider, biscuit doughnuts, cotton candy and popcorn at each house. This year like last will be bitter sweet for the second year in a row there will be not taking the kids by grandma's house to show her the kids costumes.
ReplyDeleteAmber was the official winner here!
DeleteMy favorite parts of Halloween are the adorable little kids dressed up, and the occasional very clever costume for adults or other ages. And, of course, CANDY! LOL! Guess one's never too old for a sweet tooth? LOL!
ReplyDelete--flchen1
The things I enjoy about Halloween are the cute little kids in their princess or pirate costumes. Their little faces are all smiles when they get a treat. Love it
ReplyDeletejwisley(at)aol(dot)com