My Story Ideas.

Yes, going on ghost hunts is a new way I've found inspiration for my stories. But my ideas come from all over the place. I am the first to admit that there is a lot going on in my head and not long ago, there was an incident that made me laugh so I thought I'd share.

We have a Half Price Books in our neighborhood, and being a history/research nerd, I love to browse. I love my kindle, but I use it for books that I want to read cover-to-cover. Half Price Books is my favorite place to find additions for my reference shelves. I'm all about finding a bargain.

My personal bookshelves are filled with ghost stories and nonfiction books about ghosts. The ghost books help if I need my ghost character to do something and I get stuck. I also have history books that relate to whatever I'm working on. For example, I have biographies on all of the major gangsters like Al Capone and John Dillinger. These help me solidify and add depth to certain characters in my stories. I also have books on true crime, because honestly, sometimes fact really is stranger than fiction.

So when I find myself in the vicinity of a used bookstore, with an extra $20 in my pocket AND a few minutes to spare (which isn't very often for either of the later -- I have three kids), I enjoy a browse. On this particular day, one of the first books that caught my attention was a small, yellowed paperback book that was waiting to be shelved. (Or probably, more likely, waiting to get cleared out because nobody bought it.) It was an extremely dated horror anthology entitled: Haunting Women: Chilling Stories of Horror by Women Writers (edited by Alan Ryan).  Excited to learn what women of decades past wrote within the horror genre, it went into my purchase pile.

I've been puzzling through a new series idea and I was specifically looking for some background on secret societies. So I wandered to my favorite corner next. It's the corner that has Paranormal, Secret Societies, Mystical Creatures and the Occult all in one place. Yes, there really are books about all of those things. And a lot of them eventually end up at Half Price Books in the same corner which works out well for me.

It was there that I found one of the best reference books I've ever found. Seriously, what mystery writer wouldn't want to add The Elemental Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols (by Adele Nozedar) to their personal stacks?

And finally, I always check out the Clearance Room in the basement. There I found yet another collection of ghost stories, aptly named, Paranormal Obsession: America's Obsession with Ghosts & Hauntings, Spooks & Spirits (by Deonna Kelli Sayed). For 99 cents, it seemed an appropriate addition to my library.

I was ready to leave and I handed my books to the clerk. In my head I was trying to figure out if I'd have enough change for a fancy coffee, and time to stop anywhere else before I had to pick up the kids from school. So when she stopped and stared at me, I don't think I even noticed at first. When I did, she said, "These are really scary." And after that, she wouldn't look me in the eye. I was instantly thankful I'd opted not to buy the history book I'd found on insane and sadistic European royalty. But I realized what I must look like to her: a housewife looking for a fun book to read in her free time, or maybe even something for the kids.

I just smiled at her and said, "I'm a writer." I've always enjoyed when I have the opportunity to take someone's expectations or judgments and shake them up a little for the better.

And in case you were wondering, I did go back and buy the book about insane royal family members the next time I was there. Because, really, all of us need a jumping off point for our bad guys. Especially those of us writers that look like normal housewives.

How I Accidentally Became a Ghost Hunter.

It has been a busy couple of months. And in the last few weeks, I've heard the question: "You're doing what?!" more than once, especially from family members.

Since my last post, I have some news that I am very excited about. I got to go on a ghost hunt! A good writer friend of mine, Jessica Freeburg, founded a group called Ghost Stories, Inc. It is a group of children's writers and illustrators that turn to the paranormal to find inspiration. (Translation, the group goes on ghost hunts.) When Jessica asked me to come along on a night of filming for their documentary, I was all in.

It doesn't take much for me to get wrapped up in history. But take an afternoon of historical research, combine that with an overactive imagination and then put me in the dark basement of the place I just researched and I'll probably be writing ghost stories about it for the next year.

And now that I've gone with them, I can attest: No matter what your beliefs about the afterlife, when you sit in a building that has history oozing from the walls, it's inspirational. With a good dose of adrenaline thrown in for good measure. I was hooked.

But wait, it gets even better.

They asked me to join the group! I get to go again...and again! I am one lucky paranormal writer. I guess that also means I get to add "Ghost Hunter" to my ever-growing eclectic resume. And I can't wait to see what happens next.