Haunted Florida Love Stories

Wide eyes, sweaty palms and a racing heart. Are these the tell-tale marks of a love story or a haunted tale? If the story is set in Florida, there's a good chance it's both. From the infamous Bellamy Bridge to a haunted lighthouse in Key West, love is in the air--but it isn't always a good thing. Author and folklorist Christopher Balzano follows lingering campus whispers and trails that vanish into the swamp to track down the urban legends and ghostly lore of Sunshine State love affairs that live on even after death.

Romance is undeniably otherworldly. Heart racing, breath quickening, senses ablaze—it's all part of what makes love so frighteningly grand. As Francois de La Rouchefoucauld said four centuries ago, “It is with true love as it is with ghosts; everyone talks about it, but few have seen it.” And yet, there are those who have seen both. Welcome to Haunted Love. With settings ranging from southern Florida to South Korea, Haunted Love delivers a rich and varied collection of tales that touch the heart and tingle the spine. The book features lush historical narratives that capture all of the tenderness, heartbreak, and raw emotion of the love affairs along with the chillingly detailed encounters with the ghosts these ill-fated romances left behind.

Stories of ghosts and spirits and tall tales of strange happenings fill this volume. If they don't give you goose bumps and make your hair stand on end, at least they will offer you food for thought. There are two stories of Indian legends from Silver Springs, stories of hauntings in the little town of Micanopy, an encounter with a specter at Fort Clinch near Fernandina, the tale of a ghost in the Castillo in St. Augustine, the legend of the choir boy who sings from beneath a church swimming pool in Jacksonville, and many more. Enough to keep you up at night reading—if you dare!

Supernatural tales from Florida, a state rife with eerie occurrences and ghostly denizens.

Gear up for a frightful journey into the mysterious Ocala National Forest. Central Florida is known as the happiest place on Earth. But an hour's drive from the amusement parks lies a forest swirling with mystery. For generations, locals have whispered about a dark energy coming from the Ocala National Forest and drifting into nearby towns. Supernatural beasts and apparitions. Ghost lights galore. From cults to monsters to the spirts of those who ventured in yet never reemerged, the woods have long been a source of rumor and tragedy. The vengeful Coyote Woman who dispatches those with evil natures. The soldier of Fort King who vanishes when addressed. The spectral monk of Astor, on the hunt for his killer. Author and folklorist Christopher Balzano takes readers among the trees and beyond to offer a glimpse into the true stories, urban legends and haunted folklore whispered among the residents of these deep woods..

Manatee County's history is filled with tales of Native American battles, shipwrecks and the expeditions of Hernando de Soto. It's no surprise that spirits still linger on these sunny shores. Anna Maria Island's first permanent resident still returns to the island more than one hundred years later to flirt with the female tourists. A convict hanged in the county courthouse in 1907 is sometimes heard singing on the courthouse grounds. In the 1970s, the specter of a blond woman was seen hitchhiking along the old Skyway Bridge, only to vanish once she'd been picked up. Join author and paranormal investigator Liz Reed on a tour of Manatee County's most haunted locales.

Suitably, hauntings and paranormal happenings in the Lone Star state are larger than life. Included in this must-read collection are tales of the ghost lights of Marfa, the werewolf of Elroy, and the Devil's brand in the eternal roundup of El Paso. Your hair will stand on end as you read about the mysteries and lore in Spooky Texas.

Journey around Florida, exploring its historic and haunted past. Tour 18 of the state's most haunted inns and nearby locations. Read eyewitness accounts from shaken innkeepers, employees, and guests. Learn about scientific evidence captured by top paranormal investigation groups, great ghost tours, and contact information to plan your own visits. Author Michelle Davidson offers psychic intuition about the spirit energy lingering at these haunted locations. Let her introduce you to Sally, a jovial spirit that likes to play pranks, sing, and tickle your feet while you sleep at the Williams House; a hospitable spirit at the Grady House that might tuck you in and straighten your belongings while you sleep; and the weeping widow in the closet at the Stanford Inn. Immerse yourself in Florida's haunted hospitality by staying at an inn, visiting local haunts, or taking one of the many ghost tours and paranormal investigations that the Sunshine State has to offer.