When the Skeptic Became the Believer

For most of my life I didn't believe in ghosts. That changed back in 2008 when I went on vacation in Vermont.

During the summers, I take a "self-cation". Just me, myself, and I. A stress-reducing week to see parts of the US I'd never seen. Plus I take copious notes for forthcoming books.

Vermont is one of the loveliest states I'd ever visited. My primary goal was to see as many of its covered bridges as possible.

One of the most haunted bridges is Emily's Bridge. I reached it near the end of one long day, then went into town to find a motel.

That night, I woke myself around 4 a.m. screaming, "Who are you?" I can still feel the cold hand that had lifted mine high over my head. A hand that had released me the moment I was awakened.

My heart was pounding so hard, I couldn't go back to sleep. I was terrified that hand would return, or worse.

Eventually, around seven, I finally gave up and crawled out of bed. Still groggy, I thought a shower would help. I set my bottles of shampoo and conditioner near the tub, and tried to erase the memory of that night underneath the spray. As I washed my hair, I thought I heard a thump, but I knew I was alone, and I knew my door was locked and bolted. However, when I went to reach for the conditioner, it was no longer where I'd set it. Thinking I must have accidentally knocked it over, I got out of the shower to look for it.

It was sitting in the middle of the bedroom floor. And it was standing straight-up...as if someone had placed it there. I knew that if I'd knocked the bottle off, it could have possibly rolled that far, but there was no way in hell it could have sat itself upright.

Needless to say, from that moment on, my skepticism evaporated. And to this day, although I never thought the ghost or spirit that was attracted to me meant me any harm, I do think it was playing with me.

It's an experience I'll never forget.
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Now Available as an Audio Book!

ZONATON
Sensuous Sci-Fi Romance
Narrated by Audrey Lusk
Length: 6 hrs, 1 min

She was the child of his heart. Then she grew up to become the love of his life.

A hundred years ago, the last people of Earth landed on planet AR617b. It was their only hope after being forced to flee the dead planet that was once their ancestral home.

The native inhabitants of AR617b, known as gerons, are sentient creatures that resemble a cross between dragons and griffins of old Earth lore. When they initially tried to destroy the settlers, a deal was made to ensure both species' survival. It was decided that each year, every five-year-old human child must take The Walk across a hundred meter field. If they don't stop or run, they will arrive safely on the other side, and be allowed to grow up and have families of their own. But if they break the rule, the gerons will kill them. Unless, by a strange quirk of fate, a geron decides to Pair with the child, taking and raising the human as its own.

 

Emmala took The Walk, and found herself adopted by one of the older gerons, an immense silvery-white creature named Zonaton. For the next fifteen years, he cared for her, protected her, and loved her. But now Emmala's real family wants her back, and they will do everything they can to have her returned, even if it means killing Zonaton, and starting an all-out war with the gerons.

 

What neither the settlers nor gerons realize is that there is another alien species watching and waiting for the two combatants to go into battle. Because when they do, that will be the aliens’ cue to destroy everyone and claim AR617b for their own.

Warning! Contains green fire, arrogant assholes, plunderberries, child abuse, rectangular spaceships, shadows on the wall, and a love so great, it defies death.

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