My First #Paranormal Investigation! #ghosthunters #ghostadventures #haunted #Harwich #CapeCod

A few months ago--back when people were allowed to go places--I was fortunate enough to be invited to my very first paranormal investigation.  As an author of ghost mysteries, I've been to plenty of haunted locations and spooky sites--some of the creepiest adventures I've been on include the not-quite-legal exploration of an abandoned TB hospital in Glenn Dale, MD, a visit to the Old Jail (oldest wooden jail in the country and setting for a scene in Haunted Souls) in Barnstable Village, MA, and a tour of the skeleton-filled Catacombs beneath the streets of Paris, France.  But this was my first time out with active paranormal investigators, who spend hours in a location armed with a dizzying array of technical equipment designed to pick up any paranormal energy or communication.  The team I went with, Mass Paranormal, are often called out to document a haunting or verify claims.

Just one cluster of all the equipment!

I'll get to the claims, relayed to me in person by the current employees of the library, who were there at the investigation.  First, a little history of the building, which dates back to 1855.  

The Brooks Free Library was established in 1880 and was first free library in Harwich.  It was founded by Col. Henry C. Brooks, and his sister, Tamesin, served as first librarian.  She worked there as a volunteer from 1881 until her death in 1891.  As she never married, she lived in the building, in the attic rooms. 

In the beginning years, shop and apartment rentals throughout the large building helped fund the free library, which was originally on the second floor.  Over the centuries, the building has been the home of many residents, businesses, and government spaces, including law offices, dressmakers, milliners, barber shops, a court house, a bank.  

Two of the Rogers Group Statues still at the library

In 1976, burglars stole 56 Rogers Group Statues, some of which dated back to an 1881 donation of the period statues.  Despite the ensuing FBI investigation, the stolen statues were never recovered.
The two pictured above (which I took photos of because of the spooky aesthetic...I didn't know anything about the robbery at the time) are entitled Uncle Ned's School and Parting Promise.

Now, on to the really spooky stuff.  The librarians have reported many unsettling encounters over the years, especially when alone at night.  Footsteps echoing across the floor.  A presence lurking in the shadows.  The swishing of a full skirt through the aisles.  Scraping overhead, the sound of a chair being pulled across the floor...and a chair positioned differently when the sound was investigated.  Giggling from the children's room.  The soft slide of books being pushed back into place along the shelves.  The tumble of a stack of books falling, when no patrons were in the building.  

One of the cameras

Not being an expert on the technical piece, I can't speak to the exact results the equipment showed that particular night.  I do know the team used a K2 Meter to measure electromagnetic fields, and a full spectrum camera that includes UV light as well as infrared light.  There were microphones and video recorders everywhere, devices that we used to ask questions and hope for answers, and a thermal imaging camera.

Investigating paranormal activity is a long process, and my husband and I were not able to stay the whole night.  In the following days, the team has to review all the recordings, both visually and audibly.  I will say we seemed to have caught whispers on one recording, which I was able to hear on replay that night.  We also had "conversations" using the response device, and I received a wild surge of bright lights when I asked the spirit "Do you like to read?"  This certainly fits with the theory of who at least one of the ghosts is--Tamesin Brooks.

Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic has stalled the remainder of the investigation, as the team usually visits a site multiple times to make an assessment of "haunted".  But I certainly think a building with that type of history, and so many residents, has a good chance of earning the label.  

And, just to be safe, on the way out, I did as the team suggested and said aloud, "Thank you, goodbye, you need to stay here, you can't come with me."  A ghost following someone home is exactly what happens in my novel Haunted Souls.  And while I enjoy all things spooky, I don't want a restless spirit in my home...even if it did give me new inspiration for a book!

The Haunted Places I've Visited ~ Virtual #Ghost Tour #Halloween #Paranormal

This is the cover of my individual story
in the Love Under Fire Box Set - you can
get it exclusively in the set on 11/13!

My 6th novel, a spooky ghost mystery mixed with romance, releases in just two weeks!  You can read more about The Haunting of Hillwood Farm in this post; it's part of a fabulous Limited Edition Box Set available for just 99 cents on Pre-order!  This is my 4th novel involving ghosts, and as a fan of all things spooky, Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love checking out haunted locations, and many of the places I've visited have inspired story ideas.  So today's post is a virtual tour of some of the locations I've visited and written about.

I took this photo of the Old
Jail House - what's in the top
window?  Building was
closed and locked!

My novel Haunted Souls was inspired by a ghost tour that ended with a stop at Barnstable Village's Old Jail House - the oldest wooden jail in the entire country, built circa 1690.  You can find more on the structure's haunted history here.

A book signing for that book led to an invitation to tour other very old and reportedly haunted buildings in Barnstable Village, and this post details that amazing private tour!



A trip to NYC last winter brought me to The Dakota, an apartment building near Central Park with a creepy history and a Gothic design so mysterious the building was used in the movie Rosemary's Baby.  More on that here.

The Dakota has quite a history, and this is
where John Lennon was killed

While in Paris, I took a tour of the Catacombs.  If you don't know that story, it's incredibly fascinating (although dark).  History and pics of the tunnels of remains inside the Catacombs here.

One small shot of all the skeletons below the city of Paris...

Tied with the Catacombs for creepiest place was my (not exactly legal) self-tour of the abandoned Glenn Dale TB Sanatorium.  I've gotten more emails about this excursion than any other blog post!  

The abandoned Glenn Dale Tuberculosis
Isolation Hospital and Santatorium in Maryland

What's the spookiest place you've ever visited?  Please comment below!

And if you like ghost stories that are eerie without being gory, with some steamy romance to counteract the chills up your spine, check out my books!  'Tis the season for haunted reading!

Haunted History of #theDakota ~ #NYC #NewYork #Travel #paranormal #ghosts

View of the Dakota from Central Park

Because I have a strong fascination with all things spooky, I tend to seek out haunted places to visit when we go on trips.  When we spent a day in Paris during a London trip, I insisted on exploring the Catacombs.  We also spent a day at the Tower of London, which is surely home to some restless spirits.  In Maryland, I've explored the abandoned Glenn Dale TB Hospital.  Closer to home, I've taken tours of the Old Jail (oldest wooden jail in the entire country), and haunted locations around Barnstable Village. 

More recently, between Christmas and New Year's this winter, we went to New York City to spend some time with our best friends again...with our family in MA, and theirs in VA, NYC is an excellent--albeit expensive--half-way point.  And there's so much to see packed into such a small area!

Looking up from the street...I can believe this building is haunted

When I looked up a list of haunted places in NYC to see what would come up, I was intrigued by The Dakota.  This is an exclusive apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side, built in 1884 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The list of celebrities who have lived--or currently live--here is very long, but one of the most well-known residents was John Lennon of the Beatles, who was murdered at the entrance of the building in 1980.  Some claim to see Lennon's ghost, but John Lennon himself apparently spoke of some supernatural encounters in the building before his assassination.  He mentioned an encounter with an apparition in the hallway, who he dubbed "the Crying Lady Ghost".

Site of John Lennon's assassination

Another frequently seen spirit is a little blonde girl dressed in early 1900s clothing, sometimes bouncing a ball.  There have been reports of other apparitions, including a figure resembling Edward Clark, head of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, who built the Dakota but died before the building's completion.

Residents and employees have reported seeing objects move on their own, including things too heavy for a person to lift.

The exterior of the building is a Gothic blend of gables and dormers, arches and balustrades, with ornate iron details.  It is imposing and intimidating enough to have been chosen to represent The Bramford in the horror movie Rosemary's Baby, in which a Satanic cult in the building try to impregnate a new resident with the Devil's baby.  Thankfully, that is a fictitious tale created by Ira Levin in his book of the same name.

This intricate & somewhat sinister ironwork goes all the way around the building

I would have loved to explore the interior of the building, but as I mentioned, it's the home of many famous and affluent residents, and there is security at the entrances.  But I took plenty of photos of from outside, and while I don't think I caught any ghosts on camera, it did give off a spooky vibe that sent a few shivers down my spine.

This was as close as I could get...at one time,
these arched entrances allowed carriages inside.
A Christmas tree was still on display in the courtyard.

#London Visit ~ The Tower #TowerofLondon #LondonTower

I’ve been so busy these last few weeks since we returned from our London trip, I never got around to posting about our fabulous visit to London Tower on our last day.  My excuses include gearing up for a new release (HAUNTED SOULS is out in 7 days!  Electronic formats are up forPreorder – do you have your copy ordered?) and participating in a multi-author book signing weekend (all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11 – 8!) at the Artist Shanties at Hyannis Harbor. 

View of The London Tower from the tube station

But I did want to share pictures and facts about London Tower, since I learned so much!  It was especially interesting to me since I was in the middle of reading a fantastic trilogy on The Wars of the Roses by Conn Iggulden, so seeing the actual places where some of the events happened was surreal.

We arrived at Tower of London via the Tower Hill tube station right in time for a tour by one of the Beefeaters (the nickname of The Yeoman Warders of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London), which was very informative and entertaining.  After that, we did some exploring on our own, even leaving for a while to have lunch at Borough Market and returning for more.  I’ve included photos of some of the highlights, although there is too much to see to record it all!

The paved area with the circular glass
monument marks the spot where Anne
Boleyn and other royals were executed.

A monument sits on the paved area on the green where Anne Boleyn was executed. Executions inside the Tower walls, away from the public spectators, were reserved for royalty and nobility found guilty of crimes. Another of Henry VIII's wives and Lady Jane Grey were also executed here by decapitation.

Nearby, the White Tower still stands, originally built by William the Conqueror in the late 11th century.  Inside, there are four floors to explore...the Royal Armouries collection includes incredible displays of arms and armor.  On the top floor you'll find a block and axe believed to be the one used in 1747 for the last public beheading, up on Tower Hill outside the fortress. 

The White Tower, built 11th century

The Tower ravens are kept here as well, in the area known as the Mews, although some were wandering the grounds.  Legends say six ravens must be on the grounds at all times or the Tower and the entire Kingdom will fall. They keep two extra just to be safe. We were also able to view the Crown Jewels, but no pictures are allowed of that display.  Needless to say, it’s a truly amazing sight.

We saw the actual room where the young princes (and heirs to the crown) were held captive by Richard III. They disappeared, and their fate is a mystery, but Richard III was then crowned King.  Also recreated was a replica of the medieval chamber of Edward I. Wakefield Tower, 13th century.  We also saw the spot where Henry VI was killed.  He was imprisoned in the Tower during the Wars of the Roses.

Replica of the chamber of Edward I in Wakefield Tower

It was another long but incredible day!  Our others adventures are chronicled in my posts Stonehenge and Soccer, The Churchill War Rooms and London Eye, and The Catacombs of Paris and Eiffel Tower.  There’s so much to see and of course we didn’t manage it all, but I think we made the most of our five days there!  

#Paris Visit ~ the #Catacombs and #EiffelTower #thecatacombs #Eiffel #France

On our fourth day in London, we took an early train to Paris.  Although we would only have one day there, it was definitely a memorable one!  We tried to make sure we had something for everyone in the family on this trip, and the one thing I insisted on, as an author of ghost stories and a fan of haunted places, was to visit the Catacombs of Paris.  I first learned of these ossuary tunnels when I did a blog post on graveyards for a Halloween blog hop, and I found the story of the Catacombs both eerie and fascinating.  Apparently I’m not the only one, as the line to get in was very, very long.  But I had booked a guided tour in advance, so after lunch we met our guide outside the entrance.

One of the incredibly detailed limestone carvings done by
Decur from 1777 - 1782 - A Palace in Minorca

The way down is via a very narrow spiral staircase that leads 64 feet below the ground.  We were treated to some of the initial history of the network of 187 miles of tunnels beneath the city: how they were created initially to excavate lime, how the city was built from what was mined, and how eventually, in the 1700s, Paris was in danger of sinking into the earth due to the collapsing tunnels.  Workers were sent down to reinforce the mines.  During this time, a quarry inspector named Decur carved this Palace in Minorca from his memory of being held captive in a fort across from it. He did this (and other carvings) from 1777-1782 and eventually died down there in a cave-in.

"Stop!  This is the land of the dead."
The sign above the entrance to the
ossuary areas in the Catacombs.

Around this time, Paris was experiencing another crisis—the overcrowding of cemeteries was endangering public health. Bodies were literally overflowing, disease was spreading, and there was no room for new burials.  Moving the bones became a priority, and there was plenty of room in the newly repaired tunnels.  Over six million bodies were moved, the product of 1,000 years of burials (often in mass graves) in Paris.  This effort took two years.

It’s difficult to describe the sheer volume of bones down there…it goes on and on and on through the tunnels, and while some walls are displayed artistically, the bones stretch back from there in deep piles.  Obviously it was impossible to keep bodies together or add much in the way of identification, but sometimes headstones were brought down to add to the designs, and there are a few signs indicating which cemetery the remains are from. 

A monument added to the design.

After two hours down there (and one medical emergency involving a member of our group—especially scary down in the dark, surrounded by bones, with no emergency exits or even normal staircases…it took medics a long time to get to us), we climbed another spiral staircase and emerged above ground.  Even since, my mind has been spinning with ideas for a new story!  I came up with the idea for my upcoming release HAUNTED SOULS after a ghost tour in historic Barnstable Village, so we’ll see if the Catacombs can inspire a new plotline!

A quick snack and then we went in the other direction, up above the city, the entire 921 feet to the top of the Eiffel Tower.  We had a gorgeous day and beautiful views. 

It wasn’t long before we had to make our way back to the train station and head back to London, but we had more adventures to look forward to.  London Tower is coming up in the next post, and if you want to see Days 1 and 2 (Soccer and Stonehenge) or Day 3 (London Eye, London Dungeon, and Churchill War Rooms), I’ve linked those posts in this paragraph as well (colored titles).  Thanks for stopping by, and check out my books for some spooky ghost stories mixed with steamy romance!  HAUNTED SOULS releases June 1, 2016, but it’s available for Pre-Order on Kindle and Nook, and both SILVER LAKE and GULL HARBOR are currently available in the meantime.  And if you want to see some more pictures of the Catacombs, visit my Pinterest board!

Obligatory Eiffel Tower selfie with
the Seine River below!

$100 #Giveway Halloween Blog Hop + Win a Ghost Story #Romance

Welcome to my stop on the Snarkology Halloween Blog Hop!  It's the season for all things spooky, and graveyards offer the perfect spot for all kinds of paranormal activity.  Picturing a visit to a cemetery on a crisp autumn night easily conjures up images of wispy shadows darting amongst the tombstones.  Those are the types of scenes I love to describe in my books, but then I have a bit of an obsession with ghosts.  I've done multiple posts on both my experience with ghosts and actual hauntings, so I thought this October, I'd delve a little deeper into graveyards, the final earthly destination for many restless spirits.

A graveyard refers to a burial ground within church property; this location within the church's yard indicates a burial area associated with a single place of worship, consecrated for use by a specific denomination.  The graveyards were initially for people who could not afford to be buried within or beneath the church.  Spots close to the church and to the east were reserved for those of higher status, while the north corner was the least favorable location.


Eventually, graveyards became overcrowded hotbeds for disease, as more and more bodies were packed into limited space.  Concern over infectious outbreaks near graveyards located in populated areas led to an alternative solution.  Cemeteries were created away from town centers, and these new burial places were not necessarily connected to a particular church.  While we often use the words "graveyard" and "cemetery" interchangeably now, "graveyard" is a much older term.

Catacombs of Paris - Wall of Skulls

In 18th century Paris, the overcrowding became such a problem that the Holy Innocents' Cemetery was closed and condemned.  Bodies buried there were exhumed and transported to the Catacombs beneath the city.  This turned the remains of old stone mines into a massive underground ossuary: a site, or thing, such as a box, which is made to hold skeletal remains.  The bones of approximately six million people were moved into the Catacombs during a two-year period, and as it was impossible to match the remains with identities, display walls were created by stacking femurs and skulls.

A Potter's Field refers to a mass graveyard for the poor or unknown dead.  The term "Potter's Field" actually comes from the Bible.  Before hanging himself, Judas cast away the silver he'd received for betraying Jesus.  The priests did not want the tainted money to go into the charity box, so they used it to buy land for the burial of strangers.  The field they purchased was considered land of poor quality--consisting of clay used by potters as opposed to rich soil useful in agriculture--hence the name.  Interestingly enough, Judas plays a part in many morbid superstitions--see my posts on The Number 13 and The Origin of Superstitions.    

A dangerous ghost & an
ex-boyfriend await Claire
Linden in Gull Harbor...

If you enjoy a suspenseful spooky story mixed with some steamy romance, leave a comment below to enter the giveaway for a FREE e-copy of my ghost story/romance GULL HARBOR.  This book was a 19-week Kindle bestseller, and it's a perfect Halloween read!  Please don't forget to leave an email or twitter handle where I can reach you should you win. Facebook and twitter follows/likes will gain extra entries into the GULL HARBOR giveaway - please note in your comment.

If you like $100 gift cards to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (ha ha, who doesn't?), here's the Blog Hop Rafflecopter! Extra entries to win $100 can be gained by the +1 options. Plus, there are two second prize winner who'll receive $15 cards.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


There are a whole bunch more stops on this blog hop, filled with fun Halloween/Fall posts...and more swag to win along the way.  Below are the links to guide you through the hop!  Happy haunted hopping :) P.S. The hop begins on 10/27 and ends with the drawing on 10/31 - enjoy the trick-or-treating!