I want to start this blog post off with a bit of good news. As I continue to write my Laila of Midgard series and query agents, I am also starting another project on the side. I began a new series that follows some of the characters that appear in my Laila of Midgard series. That’s all I’m going to say for now, but don’t worry, there will be more news to come.
Summer is nearing its end, or at least that is what the back to school shopping ads tell us. The warmest months on the central coast are yet to come, but I am so ready for Fall! I seriously can’t wait. My summer days are spent hiding from the sun, and biding my time until the days grow shorter, and pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks. In order to pass the time, I inevitably find myself flipping through television channels, excited when I stumble across an episode Ghost Adventures!
Now, in my opinion, there is no better way to chase away the summer blues like a good ghost story. That is why shows like these have been my go-to guilty pleasure of the summer seasons. I find ghosts to be an interesting topic. I would say that I am skeptical, but I tend to be open minded because of my own encounters and the experiences my friends have had. I have a few strange experiences to share, but I’ll save those for October! 😉
Back to the television shows.
Growing up I always liked to watch animal documentaries, but there are not many of these on television anymore. I was originally introduced to paranormal investigation television shows in high school when I stumbled across Josh Gates’ show Destination Truth. I loved (and still love) this show because of the variety of legends and creatures they are searching for. Unfortunately the series ended and I have struggled to find it on cable or online. Josh Gates does have another show that is currently airing called Expedition Unknown but this show deals with a broader range of mysteries and urban legends, and fewer mythical creatures.
I was fourteen or fifteen when I started watching Ghost Adventures with Zak Bagans. I remember it vividly because I had injured myself and was unable to go with my family on a two week long camping trip. Since it was summer break and I was stuck with my leg propped up on a stack of pillows, I watched a lot of television, including Ghost Adventures.
I quickly realized that there was a problem watching this particular show though as I was at home, alone, in a dark house in the countryside at night. It’s safe to say that I had a little trouble sleeping.
Feeling slightly ridiculous, I decided that I would go stay with my grandparents down the street. Everything was fine until we all went to sleep. I was in the guest room which has an old black and white portrait of a woman smiling. She is one of my ancestors. Well, as I lay there attempting to fall asleep, all I can think about is the ghostly picture smiling down at me…
Two nights later decided to take my chances and return to the big empty house instead.
After years of reading horror stories, ghost stories, performing in haunted houses, and dealing with my own paranormal experiences, I’m no longer phased by any of these paranormal investigation shows. I’ve been watching a lot of them lately. But while I may have gotten over my fear of ghosts, that portrait in my grandmother’s guest room still creeps me out to this day.
