Books to get you into the Halloween spirit

If you’re not afraid of no ghosts — at least reading about them — here are some spooky books I discovered from Schiffer Publishing.

In “Haunted Historic Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia with Breakthrough Ghost Photography,” author Tim Scullion travels through the historic village capturing fascinating images on digital photographs. The book is filled with captivating stories on Williamsburg buildings and why they may be haunted, but the photos will blow you away.

“For some reason, the digital camera can pick up these previously undetected light apparitions that are not visible to the naked eye,” Scullion writes in the book’s foreword. “In Colonial Williamsburg and the surrounding area, you will see these light formations over or around historical buildings that all have rumors of ghost stories that envelop their past.”

How Scullion zooms in as much as he does without distorting images, while managing to pick up human faces in the process, is a mystery. Is it for real? You decide.

 

And if you want more, Scullion just came back with “Breakthrough Ghost Photography of Haunted Historic Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, Part II.”

Another Schiffer book to consider is “Under Spiritual Siege: How Ghosts and Demons Affect Us and How to Combat Them” by William Stillman sets the stage with Stillman describing his experiences as a psychic. In addition to his ghostly tales through the people he contacts, Stillman provides an excellent explanation of ghosts, how they differ individually and from those in the spirit world.

Another book I enjoyed is “Cincinnati Cemeteries: Hauntings and Other Legends” by Roy Heizer with photographs by Nancy Heizer. I’m a huge fan of cemeteries, especially historic ones with long and colorful histories and the Heizers spotlight several with detailed stories.

If you love New Orleans and South Louisiana…

Michael Murphy tells paranormal tales in “Fear Dat New Orleans: A Guide to the Voodoo, Vampires, Graveyards and Ghosts of the Crescent City.” Murphy, a native of Ohio who has lived in New Orleans since 2009, explains the city’s aboveground cemeteries, its love affair with vampires, its over-achieving status as haunted city and its voodoo heritage. There’s also a handy listing of mediums, tarot readers and haunted hotels and bars, plus personality profiles of the some of the city’s paranormal experts and a foreword by Anne Rice.

Deborah Burst of Covington delves into the spiritual side of South Louisiana with “Louisiana’s Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo.” Readers will discover the spiritual significance of historic churches and cemeteries, the city’s voodoo practices and the state’s unique death–related customs. Burst doesn’t stray far from New Orleans so it’s not a statewide examination but lovers of New Orleans area sacred spots will find the book an interesting read. Burst will be speaking at a Save Our Cemeteries luncheon Saturday at Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans. She follows up that book with "Spirits of the Bayou: Santuaries, Cemeteries and Hauntings."

And then, of course, there are my books. I've written a guide to all things haunted in Lafayette, Louisiana, appropriately titled "Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana," published by The History Press. It's a ghost guide to Cajun Country with many of the places mentioned open to the public so grab a copy and go ghost hunting. 

I've also published the Viola Valentine paranormal mysteries under my pen name Cherie Claire. The first three books are "A Ghost of a Chance," which is FREE to download at all online bookstores, followed by "Ghost Town," which is only 99 cents to download through Nov. 1, 2018, and "Trace of a Ghost."