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.

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

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!

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..

Key West's past comes alive with thirteen incredible stories of the southernmost ghosts. From Victorian era spirits returning to claim what is rightfully theirs, to haunted dolls that continue to send chills down their visitors' spines, Ghosts of Key West beautifully captures the true spirit of Florida's second oldest city. Ghosts of cigar makers, pirates, wreckers and voodoo practitioners all await you. While their ghostly journeys continue through time, yours is just about to begin.Ghosts of Key West author David L. Sloan founded Key West's original ghost tour and is the leading authority on the island's hauntings.

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.

This ONE-book compilation contains ALL 3 chilling Haunted Florida novels by author Gaby Triana. Read the 3 full-length novels of ghostly tales, family drama, and haunted old homes that people are calling "Florida Gothic" and "Goosebumps for Adults."1 - ISLAND OF BONES (Key West)A haunted Key West resort. Ghosts off the Cuban coast. A deadly hurricane.When Ellie Whitaker leaves her dead-end job and ex behind to spread her grandmother's ashes in tropical paradise, the last thing she expected was to face more ghosts. Darkness lurks inside her grandmother's former home turned resort, and Ellie's presence stirs up its energies. As a hurricane creeps closer to the island, she must hurry to discover long-buried truths or risk becoming a ghostly resident of haunted Key West forever.2 - RIVER OF GHOSTS (Everglades)A ghostly pirate ship. A haunted cabin rotting in the swamp. Gladesmen from the Everglades' checkered past. Avila Cypress gives airboat tours of the Everglades with a little something extra--tales of the supernatural. When a ghost adventures production crew offers her money in exchange for her guiding them to the abandoned Villegas House, a haunted depot with a murderous past in the middle of nowhere, Avila must decide if the opportunities are worth upsetting her traditional Miccosukee Indian family. The deeper they delve into the cabin's past, the more they stir up the evil energies. Guests begin turning on each other, and Avila wonders if she made a mistake in coming. Can she develop her untapped gifts in time to save the crew from self-destruction? Or will she become another spirit to wander the River of Grass forever?3 - CITY OF SPELLS (Miami)A haunted Old Florida home. A ghostly woman in white. Witchcraft from Miami's darker side.When a mysterious old gentleman enters Queylin's trendy new age shop, she hopes he'll buy incense, sage, maybe a nice rose quartz pendulum for his wife. Instead, the man enlists her help getting rid of La Dama de Blanco, a ghostly woman in bloody white dress who's been haunting his 100-year-old Palmetto Bay estate.But Queylin's rituals and spells uncover terrifying secrets hidden in the walls of the estate when she realizes La Dama de Blanco is only the beginning of the haunted home's evil legacy.Praise for the Haunted Florida series:"Gaby Triana's ISLAND OF BONES is a devious mystery with plenty of dark secrets, unexpected twists and a very satisfying payoff. Highly recommended!" -Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of GLIMPSE and V-WARS"Very well written, highly engaging...enjoyable and fun, defying several genre expectations." - Christine Morgan, The Horror Fiction Review"On the surface, ISLAND OF BONES provides a drama-packed battle with the evils of human jealousy and greed against the backdrop of a swirling assault of ghosts and nature. But scratch away the veneer and you will uncover a reminder that supressing your true potential can be detrimental to your mental wellbeing. So be you, face your ghosts and pursue your passions just as Gaby Triana has done with this novel." - Vicki Camps, Nightmarish Conjurings"With Island of Bones, Gaby Triana's nuanced story-telling enthralled and terrified me. I couldn't put down this pulse-pounding horror story until I'd devoured it in one sitting." - Virna DePaul, New York Times bestselling author"I've read about one hundred books over the last year, from giants like Stephen King, strange novels by Clive Barker, and indie novels from across the genre spectrum, but few have been as evocatively human as Island of Bones." - D.S. Black, horror author and reviewer