Friday, September 2, 2022

Book Spotlight & #Review ~ Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties: Haunted America Series by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani @RoxanneRhoads


Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties 
Haunted America Series 
Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani 

Release Date: August 29, 2022 

About the Book: 

Ghost stories and urban legends lurk throughout Genesee and Lapeer counties. 

A Clio man's spirit is thought to still reside in the junkyard office where he was murdered. For almost two centuries, the Flushing area has been fascinated by tales of the wealthy Brent family whose land is connected to numerous tales of murder, mystery, and ghosts. 

In Lapeer County, the Bruce Mansion's unnerving façade hints at the specters inside, and the land and buildings once belonging to the Lapeer State Home are plagued by haunting cries and ghostly activity. 

Join the authors of Haunted Flint, Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani, as they take you on a tour of Genesee and Lapeer counties’ most haunted locations. 

Saph's Notes/Review:

Most people don't know this but I was born in Flint (and no, I never use that as a security question) and raised in Montrose, MI - just off of McKinley Road and about 2 miles away from Mt. Morris Road, near Brent Creek. This is significant when you read the first few stories in Ghosts and Legends of Genesee & Lapeer Counties. I had heard stories about the ghosts in Brent Creek but had no idea the history or origins.  I know exactly which dangerous curve on McKinley Road this book references and am thankful I never fell victim to any shenanigans during the many, many times I drove along. 

When I was married to my first husband, we lived in the house directly behind the Linden Hotel. His mother owned the house for several years and when she remarried after divorcing his dad, she left Michigan to live in Ohio and sold the house to us. I lived in Linden between 1996 and 2000. In that time, I'd also heard of ghostly tales but despite living directly behind the establishment, we had never gone into the Linden Hotel. 

Yes, the Fenton Seminary was creepy. No, I never set foot on the property. My first husband and I would just do drive-bys occasionally. I was always curious but never enough to do anything more than look as we drove by.

Shout out to the Fenton Hotel - they have great food and a wonderful atmosphere. Apparently, they also have ghosts. I've only been in the building a couple times and never experienced or felt anything supernatural. My sister, on the other hand, has seen things. She and a group of friends were taken on a tour of the Fenton Hotel and as the group descended the stairs, she looked back behind her up on the balcony and right at an apparition. He was watching the entire group tromp down the stairs - and according to her and her friends, they were the only ones on the second floor. 

I absolutely loved this book. I love learning the history about the locations, buildings, and people. I find ghost stories, sightings, and paranormal events exciting. When the information shared includes places I've lived, visited, or seen, I can't help but dive right into the content. This book gave me the chills as I learned about the history behind places I grew up around. Thank you so much Roxanne for providing me a copy of your and Joe's book to read.

My Rating:



 

Read an Excerpt:

Intro:

Spooky stories and terrifying tales lurk in dark rural corners and on historic main streets throughout Genesee and Lapeer counties. Hospitals, cemeteries, and historic homes have numerous ghosts attached to them.

The secrets of the dead can be buried in history, but we like to dig into the archives and coax the stories back to life, if only for a fleeting moment with words on the page. 

Several chapters in this book feature locations where history, true crime, and the paranormal intersect. These sinister tales of murder have led to locations full of paranormal activity. A Clio man’s spirit is thought to still reside in the junkyard office where he was murdered. The incident was billed as the internet’s first murder case and made nationwide headlines as the Instant Message Murder.  

For almost two centuries the Flushing area has been fascinated by tales of the wealthy Brent family whose land is connected to numerous tales of murder, mystery, and ghosts. The land may also have ties to the brutal 1928 murder of 5 year old Dorothy Schneider. 

The Lapeer State Home has ties to unethical medical practices, eugenics, and murder. The land and remaining buildings that once belonged to the home are considered to be extremely haunted. 

We dive into the history and uncover the dark truths that have lead to such haunting tales. We hope you enjoy this tour of Genesee and Lapeer counties’ most haunted locations.
Purchase Links:

Amazon      Arcadia Publishing      Walmart     BN     ThriftBooks    


Roxanne Rhoads
is an author, book publicist, mixed media crafter, and lover of all things spooky. Her books include Haunted Flint and Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life. She is the owner of Bewitching Book Tours, a virtual book tour and social media marketing company and she operates a Halloween blog- A Bewitching Guide to Halloween. She sells handcrafted jewelry, art, and home decor through her Etsy store The Bewitching Cauldron. When not reading or writing, Roxanne loves to craft, plan Halloween adventures, and search for unique vintage finds.

https://www.patreon.com/RoxanneRhoads 

https://www.tiktok.com/@roxannerhoads76 

https://www.abewitchingguidetohalloween.com/ 

https://www.bewitchingbooktours.com/


https://www.facebook.com/ABewitchingGuidetoHalloween/

 

Joe Schipani
is an integral part of Flint’s art community, with ties to local artists, galleries, bookstores, and the Flint Cultural Center.

As the executive director of Flint Public Art Project, he has curated an outdoor mural gallery in the City of Flint, with over 200 murals from artist all around the world. He also serves as the one of Flint’s Historic District Commissioners and loves learning about the history of old buildings. In 2019 he co-authored Haunted Flint with Roxanne Rhoads.

https://www.haunted-flint.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HauntedFlint



2 comments:

  1. Oh wow, I knew you were from the Flint area but I didn't realize how close you were to some of the locations featured in this book. If I knew I would have asked you about spooky stories from that location. Thanks so much for reviewing and taking part in the tour.

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    Replies
    1. Some of your haunted places were literally right in my backyard :)
      You're welcome. I appreciate the opportunity to read Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties.
      One of these days I'll have to tell you the legend about the house on McKinley Road just north of Dodge Road that used to display human skulls on their front porch.

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