If you love true ghost stories, then Timber Ghost Press’ Out of Time: True Paranormal Encounters is the anthology you want to unwrap every night along with your favorite full-sized Halloween treat! (And if you DO purchase this book, drop me a line through my Contact page or other means. I have a special goody for you!)

My piece, “Floor Song Tango,” opens the collection, and is about the house I grew up in. Outsiders didn’t know what was going on—mostly because our parents had completely brainwashed us into thinking our experiences were products of our imagination (for the record, I think it was brilliant that they did that. I, for one, never would’ve slept. I’m forever grateful). I’m sure they’d even convinced themselves. That said, when it came time to dump the place after Dad’s passing, things ramped up.

My sister Missie and I were giggle balls going through tubs of mildewed, broken crap left behind in the house in 2008–until we had a terrifying encounter just about an hour after this photo was taken.

After the house was unoccupied for a while, this type of mold started showing up in true abandoned-building style fashion. I would’ve thought it was cool if it weren’t going to cost us so much to clean up.

This was one of my childhood toys. I literally remember my eyes lighting up when I saw it (even though I was REALLY teeny. Probably a toddler). But aside from being broken, that day in 2008, it was also creepy. The music didn’t play right from decades of exposure in a damp environment.

While finally coming clean in “Floor Song Tango” relieved me Read the rest of this entry →