Friday, October 28, 2011

Happy Halloween! Trick Or Treat Blog Hop



Welcome to my blog! This is my Trick Or Treat Blog Hop post. Comment and get a chance to win your choice of either An Unexpected Guest or The Haunting Of The Sandpiper Inn, two of my spooky novels for Halloween. For more information on these two books, check my links at the top of this page.

It's almost Halloween so that means it's time for  scary stuff! I'm a sucker for a good ghost story. Of all the paranormal creatures, ghosts are my favorite. One of my favorite books of ghost legends is "The Screaming Skulls And Other Ghosts" by Elliott O'Donnell. I also like all the ghost legend books written by Hans Holzer. If you've never read any books by these two gentlemen, I highly recommend them.

My two novels The Haunting Of The Sandpiper Inn and An Unexpected Guest are ghost stories. I based both books on a haunted bed and breakfast on Maryland's Eastern Shore. This B&B dates back to the Revolutionary War, and it sits on a river. I had heard about it several years earlier, and after much planning finally stayed there when I was in town for a theater stage crew convention. The story behind the haunting is as follows: British soldiers came up the river and proceeded to set the small town on fire, destroying most of it. Soldiers threw torches on the porch of this B&B, which was originally a brothel. The proprietress swept the torches off the porch with her broom. She made a deal with the soldiers. She would house them, feed them, and allow them to use her services as long as they didn't burn the place down. They agreed, and this B&B was allowed to stand whilst homes around it burned to the ground.  The haunting involves the ghost of the proprietress wandering the halls in the dead of night, checking on her clientele and the women to make sure everyone was comfortable. There have been other sightings as well. The B&B itself is absolutely beautiful, decorated in Victorian splendor. It includes a lovely bar and discounted dinners every Friday night. The rooms are beautiful, spacious, and very homey in that Victorian style I liked very much.

The first time I stayed it was off-season in mid-winter. I was in a room overlooking the river. What a view! I enjoyed a delicious meal and the company of a man I met in the bar. He came to the B&B several times per month to enjoy dinner when in town on business. No, I did not take him to bed, although he was very handsome. We ate dinner together. That night I slept well until about 3 am when I heard a party going on in the room next to me. There was a lot of noise. I managed to go back to sleep. At about 4:30 am I heard heavy footsteps walking up and down the hallway. I immediately thought of the ghost of the proprietress stalking the halls checking on everyone and went back to sleep. I wondered whys she wore combat boots, since her footsteps were very loud and heavy. I felt very safe, secure, and comfortable. Not the least bit scared.

The next day, when I went down for breakfast, I told the clerk about the party and the footsteps. She told me I couldn't have heard anything because I had been alone in the building all night. Yeeeahhh!!!!! The party! The footsteps! None of it could have happened!!!

Of course, I had to return. J

The second time I stayed I was with my husband. While we slept, someone turned on the overhead light in the middle of the night. I was a very light sleeper and I snapped awake the moment the light turned on. He snored away next to me. I was far too tired to get up and turn off the light, so I went back to sleep. When I woke up shortly before dawn, the light was out. I asked my husband later about the light and he said he had turned it off before going to bed. He didn't get up during the night at all.

So who turned on the light? And who later turned it off?

I heard those footsteps in the hallway again, and felt as safe as I did the first time.  No party this time, though. At least this time there were other guests in the place. I wasn't alone in the building again.

So there you have it. I had my own ghostly experiences. Granted, I think there were perfectly natural explanations for what I heard. The kitchen was downstairs right off my room and noise from clean-up could have carried up the stairs. I could have mistaken those noises for a party. It's also likely my husband simply forgot he didn't turn off the overhead light. But I like to think I had ghostly experiences both times I stayed.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Don't forget to comment. You have a chance to win a paranormal erotic romance novel. And visit Drea Becraft's site to learn what other authors are participating in the Trick Or Treat Blog Hop. Increase your chances to win a prize!



31 comments:

  1. Oh very creepy! I don't know if I would stayed there again :)

    Thanks for participating in the Blog Hop, having fun so far!

    Eva
    evitap67(at)gmail(dot)com

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  2. You're a stronger person then me lol. I wouldn't go back either. Sorry. When I was younger I would have but no more. Thanks for participating in the Hop and for the opportunity.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  3. I love a bit of spookiness myself! Reading it *and* writing it :)

    I'd love to win either of these... I don't need to read the blurbs, you wrote 'em so they're bound to be awesome :)

    lucy at lucyfelthouse dot co dot uk

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  4. Eerie to say the least...I think we've all had unusual moments or events that make us think about the paranormal- great post Lizzie

    Dawne

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  5. You should be a guest on http://trueauthorghoststories.blogspot.com

    Would love to read these stories.
    howell(dot)kiki(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Thanks for the giveaway.

    If it is open worldwide, I would liketo be entered.

    Thank you.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  7. Happy Halloween, thanks for having this contest
    Julie

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  8. I would have been out of there the minute the lights cut off lol.

    My name is Drea and i am a frady-cat.

    ~~*Drea*~~

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  9. I'm with Drea. I would have high tailed it out of there. Fraidy cat here ��

    Lisa

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  10. Very spooky! I blogged about my own "could have been paranormal, but I have no idea" encounter today, as well! It's a good time of year for it. :)

    Happy Halloween!

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  11. Very nice. Happy Halloween!
    Thanks Trinity
    trinityblacio12@gmail.com

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  12. That was spooky, I don't think I would have been as comfortable as you were with your encounters, the light coming on would have had me up all night for sure.
    Happy Halloween
    Jean
    skpetal AT hotmail DOT com

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  13. Your books both sounds so good. I love to read spooky books and have been in several haunted houses and at one time lived in one. I hope to be entered in your contest and thanks for being a part of this fun time. susan Leech garysue@dejazzd.com

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  14. The place looks gorgeous but you're definitely a stronger woman than I!!!

    Would love a chance to win one of your books!

    nancy777ca@yahoo.ca

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  15. I would not have stayed a minute after the lights went out! I always wondered why someone would stay in a place that was spooky or where weird stuff was happening. I remember watching "The Amitiville Horror and yelling at the characters to "get the H--L out of there you idiots"
    I'm having a blast hopping.

    Thank you for being part of the hop AND for the chance to win!

    Reneebennett35 at yahoo dot com

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  16. Thanks for the giveaway.

    ainfinger@comcast.net

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  17. Elizabeth, I'm so impressed that you felt safe. I'd be running out of the motel, screaming! LOL!

    Happy Halloween!

    books4me67 at ymail.com

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  18. Wow, you went back a second time. I don't know if I would have done that. You are really brave.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

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  19. Great comments, folks! Keep them coming. I'll announce the winner Nov. 1.

    It's odd, I wasn't scared at all in that B&B. I felt as if the Lady Of The House was keeping an eye on me making sure I was safe and comfortable. Very cozy place to stay. I'd go a third time if I ever return to Maryland's Eastern Shore. Now, if there were demons hell bent on destroying me in that place, I'd have gotten the hell out of there!

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  20. I remember one night, I was a teenager still living at home with my parents. Something yanked the covers completely off me and the bed while i was sleeping. I woke up as soon as they yanked off and there wasn't anyone in my room with me, my door was still shut and no where anyone could have really hidden (if it were one of my brothers messing with me). I slept with the bedside lamp on the rest of the night LOL

    Thanks for the chance to win
    JenniferSmith.ga (at) gmail.com

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  21. Love blog hops, thanks for the giveaway! tWarner419@aol.com

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  22. These both sound like great books!

    kaylalovesandrew09@yahoo.com

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  23. They look like wonderful books! Happy Halloween!!

    tdlsfm(at)gmail(dot)com

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  24. I have to say my FAVORITE books are ghost romances, and they're IMPOSSIBLE to find.. I'm really interesting in these books

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  25. I personally don't like being scared. It's probably because my brother did so all the time. thanks for the giveaway! gloria

    geschumann at live dot com

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  26. Ummm the clerk telling me I was alone in the building after hearing a party would have had me not coming back..to spooky

    Soneni
    Nyccl1982@yahoo.com

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  27. Very creepy! Happy Halloween! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    shadowluvs2read(at)aol(dot)com

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  28. I can't believe you didn't wake your husband when the light came on. I would have just to make sure I wasn't imagining it. And how could you fall back asleep not only with the light on, but knowing it came on by otherworldy means?

    Thanks for being part of the hop.

    drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com

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  29. Brrr... I think I would have run as my legs would have carried me, Elizabeth! Eeeek!

    f dot chen at comcast dot net

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  30. I've always been a little skeptical of ghosts and their existence but now am more of a believer. I had the opportunity to join a group of paranormal investigators on an investigation. I really wanted something to happen that proved their presence. We were at an old book store, which is known for having lots of paranormal activity. However, nothing was happening on this particular night. Then a flashlight that was laid out, was turned on upon request as a sign of their presence. It was really cool. I'd seen it on tv, but to actually experience it in person doesn't compare.

    mike.woody@rocketmail.com

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  31. Happy Halloween!!!...Thank you for the giveaway

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