Summer Gothic

Welcome to Summer Gothic, a collection of summertime ghost stories from twenty-two fantastic Alabama authors!

 

From the Introduction:

“From a storyteller’s perspective, ghosts are a gold mine. They hire you to kill your uncle, they trick you into a duel with your estranged father, they fight you for territory, they warn you about your doom, and sometimes they just want to be your friend. They’re benevolent, critical, terrifying, humorous, murderous, helpless, and heroic. Ghosts serve as ambassadors into the unknown, and ghost stories off a taste of “anything is possible.”

– Sean DeArmond

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Summer Gothic: A Collection of Southern Hauntings was produced in 2012 as a collaborative project between members of the Hoover Library Write Club, Southern Magic (the Birmingham chapter of RWA), and several other Alabama writers’ groups.

Contents:

My Best Girl – Michael P. Wines

Jolene loves nothing more than the shack she’s haunted since her death, until a young man with a guitar starts to use it for his nightly serenades.

The Beaky Bunch – Ingrid Seymour

Nicki is haunted by more than guilt after the death of her husband – namely the fear that his vengeful spirit will speed her own self-destruction.

Dead in Me – Teresa Howard

After a bungled robbery, Davy gets more than he wanted when the soul of his victim moves into his head and takes over his life.

Sugar Baby – Lindsey Robinson

While vacationing in Paris, Delilah finds a window to the past and a handsome, mysterious stranger in an old-fashioned cinema.

The Reproach – Ray Busler

It takes more than a dead man to make a haunting, and it takes a whole community to keep the story alive.

Beachfront – Sean DeArmond

For the ghost hunters and debunkers, it ought to be a seaside holiday, since the beach isn’t supposed to actually be haunted.

The Colors – Julia Jones Thompson

Lizzie’s been around a longer time than most, and ever since she was five she’s been able to see the spirits of the living and dead alike.

Nancy’s Jog – Larry Williamson

An act of kindness leads a young woman to a strange encounter with an addled boy soldier who seems to have come from another time.

The House Near the Covered Bridge – Mary Brunini McArdle

Innocence is no shield against loss, as two childhood friends explore a bizarre, deserted house they never should have visited.

Wayward – Megan Ingram

Every night, an unknown force calls David into the woods, and every morning he wakes with an old gate in front of him and a rusty key in his hand.

The Haunted House – Larry Hensley

The sign in the yard says “Haunted House,” but the house herself isn’t interested in letting any ghosts scare anyone.

The Apparition – Bret Williams

At the end of the semester, Scott’s final class project becomes a way for him to reconnect with his late father, in more ways than one.

Fourth of July – Margaret Fenton

Every year, remorse drives Lauren back to the cabin on the lake, an echo of the past that won’t let her forget the day her world was shattered.

Shades of History – Lin Nielsen

It’s Tommy’s first night as a tour guide in Huntsville, but not all of the travelers in his group are unfamiliar with the city’s heritage.

Family Ties – Joan Kennedy

Even for a professional ghost hunter, the spectral warning Crystal Phillips receives comes from a source she could never have expected.

The Exorcism of Mary’s House – Jessica Penot

Alia, a wild, free spirit, is everything her sister envies until the call of the Other Side pulls them both to a house overrun by the supernatural.

The Ghost of Bear Creek Swamp – Tracy Williams

Not believing in ghosts can be hard work, especially when one follows you home to escape the sinister spirits of a haunted forest.

Feral – C. M. Koenig

Troubled teen Kessie thinks she’s going insane, because the invisible beast that hounds her every move lacks even a shred of humanity.

Earl and Bubba Save the King – Louise Herring-Jones

Ever since August, 1977, their mother has been in mourning for the King of Rock ‘n Roll, and two country brothers just can’t take it any more.

Summer Forever – J. M. Gruber

Simon has a plan to get him through the summer and into grad school, one that doesn’t involve parties, drinking, or falling for an attractive phantom.

Hurricane Season – Jared Millet

When Lindsey inherits her grandmother’s home near the coast, she gets drawn into a tempest of family secrets and forgotten crimes.

All the Good I Could – Suzanne Johnson

Daniel doesn’t know what happened to his sons after they went to fight for the Union, until the oldest of them finally comes home.