Pages

Monday, April 21, 2025

Where Can Ghost Hunters Investigate – New York Edition- Guest Blog with P.W. Creighton


Where Can Ghost Hunters Investigate – New York Edition

As much interest as there is in the paranormal throughout the Halloween season, hauntings and ghosts are not confined to particular times of the day, nor seasons.

This has allowed many TV shows like Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters to flourish over the past eight years. In-fact it has not only led to the popularity of these shows but also the rapid growth of local ghost hunting teams and a new development in local tourism in most areas, affectionately dubbed 'Para-Tourism.' 'Para-Tourism' is the new term for locations that feature ghost walks, ghost tours and even full paranormal investigations-ghost hunts as part of their yearly events.

In many cases these locations are historic or regionally renowned sites that would be otherwise closed. Now, after being featured on the larger TV shows or being investigated by renowned paranormal researchers the sites are able to turn to 'Para-Tourism.' This allows the public and even amateur investigators the chance to investigate these renowned hauntings. Throughout Central New York there are a number of haunted sites that are available for ghost hunting and quite a few that have been investigated by renowned TV paranormal personalities.

Beardslee Castle

One of the most renowned historic locations in CNY, Beardslee Castle was built in the 1860’s by Augustus Beardslee in Little Falls. The manor was designed to imitate Irish castles and has long since been rumored to be haunted. It was recently investigated by Ghost Hunters with interesting results. 

Hulbert House

The Hulbert House was built in 1812 in Boonville, NY and ever since it was built, Hulbert House has been active as an inn. It was at one time one of the most well-known places to stay in the region with countless historic figures staying at the building. It was recently Investigated by Haunted Collector John Zaffis and has long been known for its 'Para-Tourism' status. 

Capitol Theatre

One of the most interesting and stylish hauntings in the Mohawk Valley is the depression era Capitol Theater in Rome, NY. The theater has accounts of a phantom projectionist that roams the halls and even a ghost cat that patrols the maintenance areas of the building. Recently investigated by Dustin Pari and John Zaffis, investigators and enthusiasts are encouraged to explore the very active hauntings. 

Shanley Hotel

The Shanley Hotel was constructed in the late 1800's as a vacation getaway for those looking to escape the city on weekends. After a series of events through the early 1900's and the prohibition era the hotel experienced a number tragedies that led to multiple accounts of hauntings. The hotel was investigated multiple times by the TAPS Ghost Hunters with interesting results.

Naples Hotel

In the late 1800's, Jeff R. Brown built what was regarded as the finest brick hotel in Ontario County, The Naples Hotel and Restaurant. Over the course of prohibition era and a tragic string of events, the hotel acquired it’s haunted reputation that led the TAPS Ghost Hunters to investigate recently.

Stone Meeting House

Capel Cerrig (Stone Church) was was built in 1831, and is located in downtown Remsen. The Stone Meeting House, as it is now named, has often been thought to be haunted with reports of strange lights, and feelings of being watched.

Farnam Mansion

The Farnam Mansion was built in the late 1860s by a respected Oneida businessman. Activity at the Farnam Mansion consists of lights turning on and off, voices, and strange shadows appearing in photographs with multiple guests have reporting odd occurrences. 

Rolling Hills Asylum
 
While not quite in our Central New York area, the Rolling Hills Asylum just east of Rochester has been featured on nearly every show for its hauntings. Every team from TAPS to Ghost Adventures has investigated the site with very interesting results.

These are just a few of the most renowned locations in our region, our own local sites that have been featured on national paranormal shows for their historic significance and their extensive ghostly activity. The most notable thing about shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures is that a good number of their iconic investigations, sites like Eastern State Penitentiary, the Shanley Hotel and more are actually open as 'Para-Tourism' sites


Trespassing Series
Trespassing 1 - 9
P.W. Creighton

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, Detectives, YA Romance
Date of Publication: 2013 - 2025
Cover Artist: For The Muse Design

Tagline: When the elite own everything and are immune to consequences, trespassing may be the only way to survive…

Series Description:

Cape Cod is a community divided between wealthy socialites who established the town and the working class responsible for running it. Every year it is getting harder for residents to even make a living.

Logan Harrison is an average student attending Nauset High School, he just wants his life to be something more, to mean something. As his sophomore year comes to a close, his world is shattered by a tragic suicide that fractures his friends. In an attempt to understand what happened and deal with the guilt, Logan uncovers a twisted secret that is subtly tearing the community apart with a deadly cost.

When the elite own everything and are immune to consequences, trespassing may be the only way to survive…



Bad Reputation

Trespassing

Book One

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication: 12-6-2013

ISBN: 978-1492727859

ASIN: B00F0SM1YK

 

Book Description:

 

It's the last day of sophomore year for Logan, just one more day until summer vacation, and the whole school is buzzing. Someone called into the local radio show with an alarming confession, and at Nauset High School it’s all anyone can talk about.

 

Logan is more focused on just making it through the day. He has developed a reputation, and it comes back to haunt him at the worst times, even for those who supposedly know him. He just wants to make it to the end of the year party to kick off summer and ensure his girlfriend, Hailey, doesn't break-up with him. Or his car doesn't breakdown.

 

As the night progresses, Logan learns that secrets will always be exposed, and the cost of those secrets can have a deadly price. Who was responsible for the confession, and will they make it through the night?

 

 

Amazon


 

 

Sunglasses At Night

Trespassing

Book Two

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication: 2-28-2014

ISBN: 978-1495408649

ASIN: B00IQFF9NO

 

Book Description:

 

A Senator's daughter is dead, Nauset High School and the Sheriff's Department are under fire. They knew something was going to happen and failed to prevent it.

 

Logan is struggling with his loss, and the guilt that he now has to hide from his friends, along with the new secrets that turned the night into horror. As the funeral approaches, more questions are raised that put him in the Senator’s crosshairs. Kayla, the dream girl he met by chance, believes that there is something more going on, and pulls Logan into her world where privilege and entitlement are the norm.

 

Can Logan trust her? Is she who she seems to be? Logan is starting to learn that he isn't the only person who has secrets that he doesn't want revealed.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Cruel Summer

Trespassing

Book Three

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication: 12-17-2015

ISBN: 978-1519207333

ASIN: B019I12EJ6

 

Book Description:

 

A scandalous party at the County Club has left Logan isolated and alone. His friends, old and new, have fallen victim to the gossip that is now swirling about him.

 

A chance encounter at the beach helps him to realize that he's not quite as alone as he thought, and his new accomplice, Devin, shows him that not everyone wealthy is untrustworthy. She has her own secrets and is willing to confide in Logan in exchange for his help. But trust does not come easy when former friends are involved.

 

When another shocking confession hits the airwaves, Logan begins to suspect that the spiral of death and tragedy is only just beginning. And Logan and Devin may have their own role to play.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

 

View from a Bridge

Trespassing

Book Four

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication: 8-2-2024

ISBN: 979-8334551107

ASIN: B0CWMW5592

 

Book Description:

 

Summer is over, it's the start of Junior year but Logan and Devin can't easily move on. Someone else is dead, and they were involved.

 

Logan is trying to protect his new accomplice, Devin, unfortunately, she is also being blackmailed. Not only did someone assault her - they took pictures, and are distributing them through the school. And she isn't the only one. What first seemed like an isolated incident that caused their friend to commit suicide, is now turning into a disturbing trend.

 

A search for answers leads Logan and his friends only to more questions and yet another death. One that they may have caused. Summer may be over, but Logan's problems are just starting.

 

 

Amazon



Everything You Want

Trespassing

Book Five

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication:  8-24-2024

ISBN: 979-8334900066

ASIN: B0DCSS7HT2

 

Book Description:

 

Logan and Devin have confronted the classmate who drugged, assaulted, and humiliated her. Unfortunately, he was murdered in front of them before Devin could get any answers or satisfaction.

 

Now, the Sheriff's Department is investigating the death of a Nauset High School star athlete, and Devin is their only suspect. This puts Logan in a race to prove Devin's innocence, before she is locked up and he becomes an accomplice to murder.

 

When a suspicious video surfaces that misrepresents the night of the murder, Logan and Devin realize that they are up against something more sinister than they ever suspected. Logan is determined to clear Devin's name, but his quest for answers may put his own family at risk.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Here’s to the Night

Trespassing

Book Six

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication: 9-7-2024

ISBN: 979-8335536738

ASIN: B0DFTQRZ2R

 

Book Description:

 

Someone has confessed to the murder of Nausett High School's star athlete, but a seemingly random accident has left the shooter critically injured, leaving Logan and Devin cleared of suspicion, but without answers.

 

When they start to realize that other individuals involved with the murder and assaults have started to go missing, Logan and Devin feel compelled to dig deeper, pulling their new friends and allies along with them. As they discover more connections, they start to learn that there is a mysterious figure coordinating things behind the scenes.

 

Logan, Devin, and their closest friends are starting to learn that the deeper you go, the higher the extremes someone will take to protect themselves. The deaths at Nauset High haven't stopped just yet and the worst is yet to come.

 

 

Amazon

 

 


Never Let You Go

Trespassing

Book Seven

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication: 11-26-2024

ISBN: 979-8337933115

ASIN: B0DP5G6F2F

 

Book Description:

 

Logan is now starting to realize what he is up against. He is facing some very powerful and wealthy opponents, and even the Sheriff's Department is complicit. When you can't rely on the people hired to keep you safe, who can you rely on?

 

After the drive-by shooting deaths of his friends Logan and his allies have decided to take matters into their own hands. They don't want justice for their lost friends, they want payback. The Sheriff's Department refuses to investigate, but consumed by guilt and anger, Logan will not stop looking for answers.

 

As Logan continues to uncover the secrets of the Cape's elite, he begins to realize the depth of corruption in the community. Exposing secrets to the light can bring answers, but it can also lead to more deaths.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

If You’re Gone

Trespassing

Book Eight

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication: 12-11-2024

ISBN: 979-8342060714

ASIN: B0DQ6MHCHL

 

Book Description:

 

Logan and Devin finally are starting to feel like they have answers to some of their questions, but corruption in the Sheriff's Department continues to block them from truly understanding what is happening.

 

Finally, fully recovered from their injuries, Logan and Devin decide to dedicate time to their growing relationship but find themselves in the right place and the right time to prevent a deadly car accident. When they learn the identities of the victims, they realize that they are closer than ever to uncovering some of the secrets that led to Scarlett's death and started them on this path of tragedy and murder.

 

Scarlett's secrets take them to the elite and foreboding Nausett Academy - former school to Scarlett, Devin, and Hailey - and the home of their elusive opponent. What Logan finds will give their opponent a name - but will show who can be trusted, who has ulterior motives and what that cost will be.

 

 

Amazon

 

 


Good Girls Go Bad

Trespassing

Book Nine

P.W. Creighton

 

Genre: YA, YA Mystery, YA Romance

Date of Publication: 2-13-2025

ISBN: 979-8307541609

ASIN: B0DX55J69L

 

Book Description:

 

After the traumatic events at Nausett Academy and discovering that evidence went missing after it reached the Sheriff's Department, Logan and Devin have decided to go on an extended Spring Break. What's the point in having your own boat if you can't just take off? They are done with dealing with murder, lies, and corruption. They are ready to start a new life, one where no one knows who they are, or their history.

 

When they discover that their friends are being investigated for murdering the no-longer elusive mastermind behind the drugging and blackmail of their peers, they realize that you can't outrun your problems. Logan and Devin are confident that their friends are being framed for murder and are determined to catch the true killer.

 

Logan and Devin may have a name and a face for their opponent, but they are learning that they are always steps ahead of them, and not even death can stop their devious plans.

 

Amazon


Excerpt Good Girls Go Bad – Trespassing 9

The thirty-minute drive from Ocean View down to the gallery had taken less than half the time. It was surprising that no one had complained to send the Sheriff’s Department our way. We had jumped curbs, cut across lawns, and even taken an insane drive through the park to shave off as much time as possible but it still felt like an eternity. Orange streetlights flickered past us as I was able to put my foot down on the straightaway.

Every minute Hailey was flipping between calling and texting without a single response. Even Liz wasn’t responding to her. I completely understood her paranoia. I had felt the same thing when Hailey texted me out of nowhere to apologize. I would’ve ignored it entirely if Scar hadn’t changed my thinking. If things were large enough for us to notice, then there was infinitely more that was hidden.

Last year Jen was just a princess, pretty and bitchy with too much attitude. Everything was beneath her. No matter who she was hanging out with, the attitude never changed. She was miserable and I just kept out of the way. After Scarlett, she had changed, like all of us. She actually was nice and funny. The world was different. I actually cared about her. She wasn’t the closest of friends, but she was a friend now.

The headlights swept over a large gray clapboard building on the corner. The black shingle roof and white trim kept with the Cape-aesthetic, but it was a strange design split between a Cape home and a large boathouse. Serenity Sea Gallery was Jennifer’s burden. Her mom’s gallery was dedicated to local artists and seascape style art, she had opened it ages ago, but it never really was her priority. Much like Jen, it was just an after-thought for her mother.

I took my foot off the gas.

“No!” Hailey snapped at me. “Around back. She uses the backdoor.”

“Right.” I put my foot down again making the engine growl.

The tires screeched as I cranked the wheel to turn us around the corner of the gallery. We swerved through the narrow space between the building and a privacy fence. Standing on the brakes, I cranked the wheel again to spin the Bronco around and face the back cinder-block wall of the gallery. We slid to a stop with a pair of black steel fire-doors directly in the headlights.

Hailey didn’t even wait for us to come to a full stop. She had the door open and was out and moving by the time I took my foot off the parking brake. I didn’t bother shutting it off, instead I copied her and jumping out to sprint for the door.

“Jen?” She called out as she reached the doors trying one side without luck. “Jen?” Hailey called out again as she pulled the second door open. She ducked inside and I was a half-step behind.

“Jennifer?” I called for her.

We entered a darkened area of the gallery filled with metal shelving and wooden crates. Once the door closed to shut out the headlights it took a moment for our eyes to adjust to the room. Somewhere off to one side, the darkness wasn’t nearly as bad.

“Jen?” Hailey tried to hurry through the space but kept bumping into things as she made her way down the aisle. “Jen? Ow. Jen?” I jabbed my hand out in front of her to keep her from banging her head on a crate that was sticking out.

“Jennifer?”

“Jen?” Hailey let out a shriek when she reached the end of the shelves. “Jen!” She darted forward and I kept pace with her. We had reached a prep area with a couple of long counters, tools, and a small office just beyond. There was just enough light from the office to reveal a long shape near the center of the space. “NO!” Jennifer was hanging from the exposed metal rafters. Her bare feet lightly brushed against a work stool that had been knocked over.

I couldn’t manage a sound as the world slowed. Hailey screamed. I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around Jennifer’s legs. Lifting with all my strength had her roughly sitting on my shoulder.

“Get something to cut her down!” I commanded, but Hailey wasn’t moving. “Hailey! Get something! NOW!”

Hailey darted around and came up with some form of wire-cutters. She frantically circled around us before she scrambled up onto the closer workbench. Teetering overhead, she stretched out to cut at the cord above Jen’s head. There were a few seconds of her trying to cut it before Jen fell into my arms.

Jennifer Maack was a Pack girl, pristine, flawless, and small. Not quite as small as Devin but as soon as she fell into my arms, she felt heavier than any of the girls. She was a ragdoll, limp, and hard to balance. I shifted her around until I could carry her in my arms to a clear spot away from anything. As gently as I could, I set her on the cold concrete floor.

“Call 9-1-1,” I said and leaned in to check her. Glancing up, I saw Hailey was a complete wreck crying but still not moving. “HAILEY!” I shouted to get her attention. She finally looked at me. “CALL 9-1-1!”  She gave a quick nod and pulled out her phone.

Leaning in close, I couldn’t see Jennifer’s chest moving and I couldn’t hear her breathing. I untangled the noose to give her more space before I placed my hand on her neck. She was still warm. I fumbled around and thought I felt a pulse, but it was hard to tell.

 



About the Author:

Born in California, P.W. has spent most of his life traveling throughout the US. P.W. draws inspiration from many adventures, turning his strange reality into fiction.

Over the years, P.W. has found himself in many unusual situations, ranging from hanging off an 80 foot cliff-face in New York, to sailing off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts. P.W. has hosted archaeological excavations, and have even reported from the middle of a police stand-off.

When a teacher asked in the second grade what he wanted to be when he grew up, he didn't have an answer. He lets the characters make that decision for him.








Friday, April 18, 2025

Release Day Blitz Dark Shadow of Guilt by TM Smith #Romantasy #PNR #Fantasy


Dark Shadow of Guilt
Winged Assassin Series
Book One
TM Smith

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: April 18, 2025
ISBN: 978-0-3695-1163-8
ASIN: B0F2XZZ55K
Number of pages: 377
Word Count: 96,146
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Book Description:  

Dominion, a guilt-ridden Immortal who is the black-winged assassin of the OneCreator, rescues Madeline, a mortal who has been thrust into a world she never existed knew. Kidnapped, she was brought to Angor in OneWorld and tortured. As her path intertwines with Dom’s, she grapples with her evolution and newfound gifts. 

Theirs is a tale of doubt and forgiveness, forbidden love, sacrifice, and conflict that threatens the existence of OneWorld. 

Packed with puzzling occurrences and twists and turns, this is a story that will mesmerize readers from start to finish. Amidst chaos in OneWorld, their love is put to the ultimate test against looming threats that threaten the fabric of existence.

Amazon       Apple      Smashwords      BN      Goodreads      Books2Read

Excerpt:

 

Madeline dragged a fork through her potatoes, eventually shoving a bite into her mouth. When she finished chewing, she broke off a piece of crisp bacon and popped it in, licking her lips. “I was thinking about going home, but when you came into the kitchen, I realized how much help you need around here. You probably don’t pay enough attention to yourself. Like eating regularly. Your laundry. Cleaning house. I could organize stuff. Take care of your place.” She winked again. “And you.”

She tilted her chin, a strand of hair feathering across her cheek as she slipped him an irresistible smile. He followed the sweep of her tongue across her lower lip again.

Damn. Things were taking a definite turn toward strange.

Finished, Dom pushed his plate away. He gripped the handle of his coffee mug, taking a sip. Good. Brewed just right. He cleared his throat, searching for something to say. Conversation wasn’t part of his skill set.

Madeline scooted closer, thigh to thigh, a hand caressing his shoulder, floating down to clasp his bicep. “Don’t you like having me here? I could be very convenient to have around.”

When her breast brushed his arm, his heart pounded against his ribs. She was coming on to him.

Dom escaped her grip and moved out of boob range. “Be careful, little female.”

As she leaned close, her whispery breath puffed across his ear. “I’m not so little.”

“Uh-huh.” He swallowed hard. What the hell was she doing? She’d gone from scared to distrusting to cautious acceptance. Now this? Was this typical human behavior?

She inched nearer again, heat radiating off her body. He never turned down an offer from a female, and this one was cooking more than breakfast. But Dom was cautious. He didn’t like not knowing the game.

Madeline tilted into his chest and crushed her lips to his.

To hell with caution.

Not about to allow her to control the situation, Dom yanked her onto his lap, her legs straddling him. He took over, forcing her mouth open and caressing her tongue with his. As she melted against him, his cock got with the game.

 

About the Author:

T. M. Smith is the award-winning author of the Blood Coven Series paranormal romance novels and the spin-off Blood Coven World novellas. Her current release is a new romantasy, in the Winged Assassins Series, Dark Shadow of Guilt. She draws upon her imagination to craft stories about strong women and powerful but flawed men in a richly detailed magical world. After retiring from a career as an educator, Smith settled in to write something more creative than lesson plans on split infinitives and inner-school memos on noise in the hallway. She is now living in the Pacific Northwest with vampires, demons, ylves, mages, and winged beings who keep her awake at night with their tales of love and adventure.






Newsletter sign up— http://eepurl.com/h8rQVL 








Author Interview- Haunting Joy by A.L. Hawke #SupernaturalRomance



- What would the title be if you wrote a book about your life?

Seeker

- What is the hardest thing about being an author?

Writing stuff and not knowing if it’ll ever be read. I think that fear spurred me early on to learn how to market my books. An artist wants their stuff seen. And writing books takes a lot of work. If you don’t think your book will ever be read, it’s much harder to justify all that time. Reviews and social proof can sometimes be hard too, but I feel like invisibility is the worse.

- What is the best thing about being an author?

Breathing life into characters. I love meeting new characters by their dialog and joining them in new places/settings. 

Have you ever been star-struck by meeting one of your favorite authors? If so, who was it?  

No. Never did.

What book changed your life?

No specific book has ever changed my life. Some have influenced me. Religious books, in particular, like the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita have influenced my life.

- What were some of your favorite books growing up?

I loved the epic fantasies in Mary Stewart King Arthur series and JRR Tolkien Lord of the Rings when I was a teenager. I enjoyed Alice in Wonderland. The epic fantasies definitely influenced my world building as a writer later. I also loved Catcher in the Rye and Stranger in a Strange Land.

- What books are currently in your to be read pile?

Sunrise in the Reaping

- Which do you prefer ebooks, print, or audiobooks?

Ebooks. Don’t have room for print books. And I don’t have much time to listen to audio. I tend to skim all the books I read.

- If you could live inside the world of a book or series which world would it be and why?

Oz. Because the world in Frank Braum’s Oz seems to be a limitless fantasy world without boundaries. That goes the same for other fantasy worlds like Alice’s Wonderland. It wouldn’t be too hard for me to live in my witch world either, because I already have. I based my witch college in my Hawthorne University Series on past real-life settings in schools in California and Missouri


Haunting Joy
A.L. Hawke

Genre: supernatural romance
Publisher: Phantom Heart, LLC
Date of Publication: March 19, 2025
ISBN ebook: 978-1-953919-77-9
ISBN paperback: 978-1-953919-80-9
ISBN hardcover: 978-1-953919-78-6
ISBN audiobook: 978-1-953919-81-6
ASIN: B0DZMNPQHL
Number of pages: 204
Word Count: 53,000
Cover Artist: Mirella Santana

Tagline: Peace ends in the spirit of joy.

Book Description:

Alec was seeking a respite from city life. He thinks he has discovered it on Plymouth Crest, a manor overlooking the forest and a beautiful lake, golden in the sun. But Alec was warned the house is haunted by a murdered pop singer and Hollywood star.

Footsteps and howling winds soon disturb his sleep. One night, he finds an intruder, Joy, standing barefoot among broken glass in the kitchen. He chases her out. But she returns, enchanting him with laughter and boundless energy. It’s not long before Alec falls in love.

Joy ends when a belligerent character shows up and claims ownership of the house. Alec and Joy have a plan to evict him and bring some resolution to past horrors. If they fail, Alec’s dreams will crumble, and Joy might be subjected to a fate worse than death. But if they succeed, Alec and Joy might be separated forever—and so may end joy. To save Joy—and also have hope of being together—they need a bold plan, bringing them face to face with evils buried in the past, and finding a path to a shared future.

Amazon     BookFunnel


Excerpt:

With the sun’s rays shining between the green leaves of the trees surrounding the windows of his glass house, Plymouth Crest was enchanting. Gilded light shone through the leaves and branches creating yellow prism-like effects. And with all the green moss and thrush, it was enchanting—as if Alec lived in an English fae forest or Camelot, which he loved as a writer.

That was what happened during the day. But upon nightfall, all those large windows turned black. And then those same leaves and branches that covered the sunrays blocked moonlight. Then his house became very dark.

But not so quiet…

By the second week, he started hearing noises. At first, it was just stray creaks and cracks from the wood, and Alec figured it was simply the sound of an old foundation. But as time passed, he heard unexplainable things. Stray shouts and screams that sounded as if they were coming from the terrace outside. Doors opening and slamming shut downstairs. Kitchen cabinets left open. Plates and glasses being rearranged on the kitchen table. Doors left open all night. One morning, he even found the couch in the living room had been moved a couple feet. That was the creepiest. On yet another night, he awoke shivering. The glass balcony door of his bedroom was wide open. He was certain he had locked it.

As days passed, the noises only grew louder. One night a wooden chair tipped over downstairs in the dining room. Then another night, a plant was thrown from one of his tall cabinets in the foyer into the living room.

He began to not sleep. He didn’t believe in ghosts, but he couldn’t deny the noises.

Tonight, for hours, he had just stared at the white ceiling over his bed in silence. He had stared long enough for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. And after a while, the darkness made the faint moonlight that shone through openings in his dark mahogany velvet curtains seem bright.

His body jumped. His muscles reacted mechanically before he recognized the noise. It was glass shattering. Something had broken into pieces downstairs. It was so loud that he leapt out of bed and his hands scrambled along the walls to switch on the light. But the light wouldn’t switch on. That was weird because his old clock on the nightstand still read one-thirty-two in red digital letters, and the clock didn’t have back-up power. Electricity was another quirky thing about his house.

He opened the drawer in his nightstand by the bed. In his old house, he had always left a small flashlight by the bed. But the flashlight wasn’t there. It was probably still in one of the boxes in the garage. And he had left his cellphone downstairs.

There was more opening and closing of cabinets and drawers. This time, it wasn’t just stray noises, it seemed to be every few seconds. This didn’t sound like the usual cracks and creaks of some phantom haunting his place. He was worried there was an actual intruder.

He rushed along the inner balcony. Most of his downstairs could be seen from here, but his furniture—his couch, end table, and chairs—were cast in shadows by moonlight.

“Who’s down there?” Alec cried. “Show yourself.”

He was answered by another crash. That made him move faster, darting across his dark, empty living room and running straight to the source of the noise—in the kitchen.

He was wearing only underwear and felt a breeze before seeing the open kitchen door. After doors being left open frequently over the past week, he was sure he had checked the lock on this door before going to bed. He rushed over to shut it.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was home.”

Alec whirled around. That made the intruder on the other side of the kitchen island cover her mouth and snicker.

They stared at one another. Then she drew the apple up to her nose.

“What are you doing here?” Alec snapped.

“Eating an apple.”

“No, what are you doing in my house?”

 

About the Author:

A.L. Hawke is the author of the bestselling Hawthorne University Witch Series. The author lives in Southern California torching the midnight candle over lovers against a backdrop of machines, nymphs, magic, spice and mayhem.

 

Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/gce6Rz

 

Youtube https://youtube.com/@ALHawke

 

Twitter: https://x.com/alhawkeauthor  

 

Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@alhawkeauthor

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alhawke/


Threads: https://www.threads.net/@alhawke


Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-l-hawke  


Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18821515.A_L_Hawke