Category

Ghosts

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BLOG TOUR: Dead Voices by Katherine Arden

The only thing better than a spooky book, is a spooky ghost book! Anyone who knows me, knows I live for ghost stories of any variety, which is why I'm thrilled to participate in the Dead Voices blog tour from Penguin Random House. Since I am a huge fan of good middle grade horror, it should be no surprise that I was a huge fan of Small Spaces, Katherine Arden's first book in this series. You know Small Spaces. The one that horror dreamboat RL Stine called "Terrifying and fun." True story. I love how this book starts off. It's the middle of a snow storm and anyo[...]

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Book Alert: Holding Smoke by Elle Cosimano (from Disney Hyperion)

Sometimes you hear a book name and it catches your attention. When I was flipping through a book listing for Disney Hyperion, I saw Holding Smoke. It's listed as a young adult mystery / thriller, which of course, when I saw that I knew I had to dive deeper. After I read the blurb, I immediately ordered a copy. Have you heard of Holding Smoke by Elle Cosimano? School Library Connection calls it "Part ghost story, part redemption story, part mystery, and very engaging." I call it HURRY UP AMAZON I NEED THIS NOW.   HOLDING SMOKE by Elle Cosimano John "Smoke[...]

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New Year, New You

She ate the water hemlock because she knew it was poisonous. The white blossoms were tasteless, but the leaves tasted green, like a stalk of celery. The first cramp was brutal, and that was it. She died there on the trail, just where it got muddy as it skirted around the marsh. Her spirit drifted right up from the spot where she fell. Her body had landed in an awkward position, partway into the tall grass. So much for a graceful departure. Her body looked wretched. She didn’t remember any of the thrashing and pain that showed on her gaping mouth and twisted l[...]

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Ghostly Protection & Superstitions

Superstitions are like candy to me. They are sometimes strange, often odd and really get my story writing gears turning. I was perusing one of my superstition books the other day looking for story ideas (yes, I peruse) and came upon the entry for ghosts. It talked about the usual - how ghosts manifest themselves as apparitions; how spirits return to earth for a variety of reasons, including vengeance, warning others of danger and other unfinished business. But it also talked about an old Scottish tradition of wearing a cross of Rowan wood fastened with red thre[...]

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Ghosts & EVP: Can The Dead Talk To The Living?

Even though I didn't love the ending of White Noise, I admit that I got caught up in the plot about ghosts and possibly making contact. We all miss those who pass on to the other side. And I'd venture to say that we all harbor that tiny seed of hope that we could, one day, speak to those beloved friends and family members who have passed on. But does electric voice phenomena really occur? EVP - IS IT REAL? I'm sure we've all watched those ghost hunting shows at least once in our lives. Electronic recordings are one of the staples of those shows. But amidst the[...]

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Ghosts & The Others

This is a reprint of an article I wrote in 2010. Hope you enjoy it! Post Mortem Photography: Sentimental Keepsake or Creepy Reminder? How many of us have rifled through shoeboxes and envelopes of dusty old family photos? Imagine coming across a lavish scene of your ancestors decked out in their Sunday best, only to realize upon scrutiny that in the photo they are, in fact, deceased. Such a discovery is made in Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others, and it becomes a major plot point that carries the story through to its electrifying ending. About The Others[...]

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Faith’s Favorite Frights #3

It's time to find some creepy things from around the web! I'm your undead host, Faith McKay. Today we have...   This iron on patch from BrightonBabe on etsy is just the cutest. It comes in two colors!   I don't know what it is about this crop top that I love so much, but I do. I think it's just the right amount of creepy. I don't know. I freakin' love bats, guys.   YES. I'm sure I've told you to pick up Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper before, but I'm going to go ahead and tell you again. This book is an excellent ghost story. Smart wom[...]

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My Book Stack Brings All The Ghosts To The Yard

You  may recall I grew up across from a graveyard. So, now that I think about it, it's no surprise that 66.6% of the books in my personal library are situated in, around, near, or under a graveyard. Here, in no particular order (cover art on a scale of wtf to gtfo) are my personal favorites:                 Any graveyard books in your book stack?[...]

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Pound of Flesh: A Fifth Grade Ghost and her Demon

Based on the true story behind how I started writing ghost stories [with headings brought to you by Florence + the Machine as performed by the Capital Children's Choir].   Regrets Collect Like Old Friends Picture it: Williamsville, NY, 1991. I was in fifth grade at a small Catholic school with the same dozen-and-a-half classmates I'd been with since kindergarten. We were more like indifferent siblings than anything but we were a decent group. Quiet. Silly at times. Competitive to a fault. And then, there was our teacher. Let's call her: S[...]

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Ghost Month: The Tale of Resurrection Mary

The tale of Resurrection Mary began a long time ago, in the 1930's. But first...a little bit about the setting. Resurrection Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in North America. It was consecrated in 1904. Resurrection Cemetery is located at 7201 Archer Ave., Justice, IL 60458 and is said to encompass over 540 acres with over 152,000 graves (which don't include the crypts, which number over 5,000). Here's a screenshot from Google maps for reference. I've heard the residents in the area have a nickname for it... They call it "The Resurrection Triang[...]