Showing posts with label Roxanne Rhoads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roxanne Rhoads. Show all posts

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



Thursday, August 6, 2020

Review & #Giveaway ~ Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life by Roxanne Rhoads @RoxanneRhoads


Pumpkins and Party Themes

50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life

by Roxanne Rhoads



Paperback: 176 pages

Publisher: Skyhorse

Release Date: August 25, 2020

ISBN-10: 1510751165

ISBN-13: 978-1510751163

About the Book:

Bring your Halloween party theme to life with these quick tips and tricks!

Pumpkins and Party Themes features ten unique party themes with five do-it-yourself pumpkin designs for each theme. The pumpkin projects have a variety of decorating ideas that include carving, painting, and mixed media craftiness and easy-to-follow steps on each creation. Author Roxanne Rhoads also includes quick ideas on how to bring the theme to life through décor, costumes, and activities. These fun party themes range from gothic elegance to Edgar Allan Poe, under the sea, let's get literary, and more!

With beautiful full-color images to illustrate the tools needed, steps to follow, and final products, this book makes for the perfect gift for Halloween enthusiasts and party hosts alike!

My Review:

Pumpkin and Party Themes is a book full of great Halloween party, celebration, and just plain fun ideas. The book includes a brief history of pumpkins and Jack O'Lanterns. I enjoy historical aspects of holidays and this book delivers. 

The book includes pumpkin carving basics, tricks, and tips. Written in an easy to understand way, the book will be a wonderful addition to anyone's crafty, DIY bookshelf. The author even includes step-by-step instructions on how to create some of her designs. The end of the book includes stencil patterns, as well.

My favorite parts of the book are the steampunk and coffin sections. I can't wait for everyone to have the change to grab this book. You will love it and be as excited to try some of the projects as I am!!



Purchase Links:

Amazon      IndieBound      BN      Kobo     Chapters     




About the Author:

Roxanne Rhoads is an author, book publicist, mixed media crafter, and lover of all things spooky.

Her books include the Amazon Bestseller 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. She operates a Halloween blog- A Bewitching Guide to Halloween and 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.

Amazon Author Page

A Bewitching Guide to Halloween


Author Website http://www.roxannerhoads.com  


Bewitching Book Tours www.bewitchingbooktours.com  









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Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Haunted Halloween Spooktacular & #Giveaway ~ Downtown Flint’s Five Most Haunted Locations by Roxanne Rhoads (& Joe Schipani), Author of Haunted Flint (Haunted America Series) ~ #Ghosts #Hauntings @RoxanneRhoads


Downtown Flint’s Five Most Haunted Locations

Home to ancient Native American battle sites and burial grounds, the Sit Down Strike of 1936-37, unsolved murders, economic depression, social injustice, and a water crisis - Flint’s unholy brew of energy has led to macabre tales of ghostly encounters and stories of demonic possession.
            
Is there something sinister lurking in Flint’s history to blame for all the hauntings? Do the souls of Flint’s murdered linger, craving justice by haunting the land until they get their vengeance? Whatever the reason, Flint is filled with frightful sites and terrifying tales.

From ghostly graveyard apparitions in Glenwood and Sunset Hills to spooky specters spotted in downtown Flint’s Capital Theatre and The Whiting, Flint is filled with ghosts.

Here are downtown Flint’s Five Most Haunted Locations.

Stockton Center at Spring Grove

The Stockton Center at Spring Grove is a haunting example of Italianate architecture.  The house first belonged to Colonel Thomas Baylis Whitmarsh Stockton and his family before becoming a hospital and then a nursing home. Considered to be Flint's most haunted location countless ghostly encounters have occurred in this building. Some believe the Stockton Family still reside in the home, Colonel Stockton himself watching over it for eternity.

The Masonic Temple

Officially dedicated in 1911, the Flint Masonic Temple is located in the heart of downtown. Shadowy figures, strange noises and the distant haunting sound of organ music fill this old building. Many who have worked in the building have experienced strange encounters and ghostly apparitions.

Whaley House

The Whaley House started life in 1859 as an Italianate but Robert Whaley hired an architect to transform it into a Victorian. In 1885 the Whaley family moved into the newly remodeled home. Levitating tarps, moving toys, ringing bells, curtains blowing with no wind, and shadowy figures fill this haunted mansion. In the basement, you may feel an unearthly chill and a sense of being watched.

The Capitol Theatre

The Capitol first opened its doors at 140 E 2nd St on January 19, 1928. Rumors of hauntings have swirled about The Capitol Theatre for decades. Strange knocking sounds, disembodied singing, shadowy figures…The Capitol’s recent renovations returned the building to its original glory. Did this calm the restless spirits or make them more active?

The Cornwall Building  

Construction began on the house in the early 1870s by Royal Ripley who lived on premised from 1874 to 1881. In 1881 Er Milner purchased the home and completed construction on it in 1883. The ghost of Jennie Milner Cornwall is said to haunt the premises. Sometimes you can see her looking out the window.


Haunted Flint
Haunted America Series
Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani 

Publisher: The History Press

Release Date: September 2, 2019

ISBN-10: 1467143049
ISBN-13: 978-1467143042

About the Book:

Sinister Secrets in Flint’s History

Home to ancient burial grounds, unsolved murders, economic depression, and a water crisis, Flint emits an unholy energy rife with ghostly encounters.

Colonel Thomas Stockton’s ever vigilant ghost keeps a watchful eye over his family home at Spring Grove, where guests occasionally hear the thump of his heavy boots.

Restless spirits long separated from their graves lurk among the ancient stones in Avondale Cemetery.

Carriage maker W.A. Paterson’s spirit continuously wanders the halls of the Dryden Building, and something sinister and unnamed resides in a Knob Hill mansion waiting to prey on impressionable young men.

Join authors Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani on a chilling tour of Flint’s most haunted locations.

Saph's Note: I may have been born in Flint ;) This book has me so intrigued. I will be snagging a copy for myself soon!!

Purchase Links:

Amazon    BN    Chapters    Book Depository    Arcadia Press     Goodreads
  

About the Authors:

Roxanne Rhoads is an author, book publicist, mixed media crafter, and lover of all things spooky.

Roxanne is the owner of Bewitching Book Tours, a virtual book tour and social media marketing company, she operates Fang-tastic Books, a book blog dedicated to paranormal and urban fantasy books, and she runs the blog, A Bewitching Guide to All Things Halloween, which is dedicated to everything Halloween related. Roxanne’s sells handcrafted jewelry, art, and home decor through The Bewitching Cauldron.

When not reading or writing, Roxanne loves to craft, plan Halloween adventures, and search for unique vintage finds.

Joe Schipani is an integral part of Flint’s Art Community with ties to local artists, galleries, book stores, and the Flint Cultural Center. He is the Executive Director of the Flint Public Art Project and the FFAR Project Assistant at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

He has a weekly column on All Things Halloween titled Freaky Flint History showcasing true crime and weird but true tales of Flint deaths.

Visit them online at:





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