Every year, tens of millions of people flock to Florida for its sunny beaches and world-famous tourist attractions. Most never learn about the strange and unusual locations just off the beaten path. In the beautiful Florida Caverns, a second Rip Van Winkle was woken from one hundred years of sleep. The Green Swamp is home to murders, monsters and mysteries galore. A shining castle made of recycled material, built by an artist like no others, gleams within a Florida swamp. A spectral horse heralds tragedy and caused a notorious scandal in a central Florida city. Join Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz as they share tales of Florida's myths, monsters, massacres and legends and the hidden history behind them.

Making other paranormal mysteries look tame. Centuries-old vampires who play pickleball. Aging werewolves who surf naked beneath the full moon. Plus dragons, demons, ghouls, and more. They’re all in Florida, land of the weird, where even monsters come to retire. Enter Missy Mindle. She’s started over in midlife as a home health nurse for elderly monsters and as a witch with growing powers. She solves mysteries and fights evildoers with help from a cute reporter. But dangerous secrets from the parents she never knew keep bubbling up. SNOWBIRDS OF PREY Dead bodies, drained of blood, are piling up on the beach beside Squid Tower. Unfortunately, this condo community is full of retired vampires who won’t survive if the police find out about them. Is one of their own responsible for the bodies? Or is someone framing them? Missy must solve the mystery. INVASIVE SPECIES Missy nurses an injured baby dragon she found in the Everglades. And she has to protect it from a deranged python hunter, an evil god, and an almost-as-evil CEO. Meanwhile, one of her vampires has been abducted, and she has to rescue him before he’s staked. FATE IS A WITCH Missy has two mysteries to solve. First, who is making a series of dangerous magick attacks against her? And who is stealing corpses from funeral homes in Jellyfish Beach? When an embalmer is murdered, one of Missy’s patients, a werewolf, is arrested. Can she exonerate him?

Discover the weird sites and peculiar stories that lurk in the shadows of the Sunshine State in this guide for fans of all things freaky. Millions of people flock to Florida for its beaches and tourist attractions. Most never learn about the strange locations just off the beaten path. In Freaky Florida, Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz share tales of Florida's myths, monsters, massacres and legends—and the hidden history behind them. In the beautiful Florida Caverns, a second Rip Van Winkle was woken from one hundred years of sleep. The Green Swamp is home to murders, monsters and mysteries galore. A shining castle made of recycled material, built by an artist like no other, gleams within a Florida swamp. A spectral horse heralds tragedy and caused a notorious scandal in a central Florida city. Discover these and other stranger-than-fiction tales in Freaky Florida.

"The sweltering heat of the Florida sun breaks as a chill runs down your spine. A dark shadow looms from a nearby tourist trap--you didn't expect to find this kind of shade in Florida. Check in at The Biltmore in Coral Gables to spot the ghost of slain Fatty Walsh roaming the thirteenth floor. Sit down for a meal with the spirit of Ethel Allen at Ashley's Restaurant in Rockledge. Visit haunted graveyards, museums, parks and battlefields. Hear macabre stories of spectral pirates, gangsters, witches and madmen. From phantasmagoric packs of Madam McCoy's girls in Pensacola to the ghostly clacking of Hemingway's typewriter in the Keys, Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz lead brave readers along Florida's border with the great beyond."--Page [4] of cover.

Wide eyes, sweaty palms and a racing heart. Are these the tell-tale marks of a love story or a haunted tale? If the story is set in Florida, there's a good chance it's both. From the infamous Bellamy Bridge to a haunted lighthouse in Key West, love is in the air--but it isn't always a good thing. Author and folklorist Christopher Balzano follows lingering campus whispers and trails that vanish into the swamp to track down the urban legends and ghostly lore of Sunshine State love affairs that live on even after death.

"Razor-sharp... Deb Rogers writes with such verve and honesty about all the ways we stumble through life, and, like all great storytellers, gives us something wondrous when we reach the end of the journey.” —Kevin Wilson, bestselling author of Nothing to See Here An Indie Next Selection • A Fantastic Strangelings Book Club Pick • Recommended by: Harper's Bazaar • Shondaland • New York Post • Goodreads • Lambda Literary • Book Riot • Reader’s Digest • LGBTQReads • Medium • Debutiful • She Reads • Autostraddle • and more! A gleefully dark and entertaining debut for fans of Kevin Wilson and Karen Russell, about one young woman’s sensational summer at a Floridian wildlife center for exotic monkeys Jamie is a Florida Woman. She grew up on the beach, thrives in humidity, has weathered more hurricanes than she can count, and now, after going viral for an outrageous crime she never meant to commit in the first place, she has the requisite headline to her name. But when the chance comes for her to escape viral infamy and imminent jail time by taking a community service placement at Atlas, a shelter for rescued monkeys, it seems like just the fresh start Jamie needs to finally get her life back on track — until it’s not. Something sinister stirs in the palmetto woods surrounding her cabin, and secrets lurk among the three beguiling women who run the shelter and affectionately take Jamie under their wing for the summer. She hears the distant screams of monkeys each night; the staff perform cryptic, lakeside sacrifices to honor Atlas; and the land, which has long been abandoned by citrus farmers and theme park developers alike, now proves to be dangerously, relentlessly untamed. As Jamie ventures deeper into the offbeat world and rituals of Atlas, her summer is soon set to inspire an even stranger Florida headline than she ever could’ve imagined.

Gear up for a frightful jaunt into the darkest reaches of the ancient Appalachians. Folk deep within Appalachian hollers lean close to share stories of the inexplicable with hushed awe. Monsters rumbling in the hills. Strange lights darting through the pitch-black night sky. Horrible occurrences, almost ineffable in their bizarre tragedy. "Tall tales," you might say. But tell that to the Flatwoods monster in Braxton County, West Virginia. Or the Goat Man of Louisville--look into his humanoid eyes and let him know you don't believe. And what of those apparitions in Mammoth Cave's Corpse Rock, or the Satan-spawn known as the Jersey Devil? How do you respond when those mysteries confront? From metaphysical energy that swirls near the Serpent Mound in Ohio to Point Pleasant's Mothman legacy, Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz explore the dark history lurking in the shadows of Appalachia..

Where can you join in a pirate parade, see live mermaids, and catch a flamenco dance performance at the oldest and largest Spanish restaurant in America? Where does the spirit of an ancient Tocobaga shaman allegedly continue to protect the area from the forces of nature? Where can you wander through secret gardens, listen to bagpipe music, take a class in fire spinning, and sample a seemingly endless variety of local craft beers, all on the same day? The answer, of course, is Tampa Bay. Secret Tampa Bay: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure provides a deeper dive into the local culture, history, art, and one-of-a-kind attractions as alternatives to the usual beaches and theme parks. Whether it’s an abandoned island fort from the Spanish-American War, a dolphin famous for its prosthetic tail, a love story captured on a tombstone, or a town of circus sideshow performers, whatever natural or unnatural wonder you’re seeking, you are sure to find it here. Join author Joshua Ginsberg as he explores Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and the surrounding areas in search of hidden history, strange monuments, museums, oddities, antiques, and the very best Cuban sandwich. From gangsters to gators to ghost stories, it’s sure to be a memorable experience.

Midlife manatee insanity Who’s behind the plot to kill off Florida’s sea cows? While midlife witch Missy Mindle tries to solve this mystery, she must nurse a rescued manatee back to health. The problem is, he’s actually a human shifter, Seymour, who wants to celebrate manatee mating season with her. Missy and her reporter friend Matt face corporate villains and team up with the ruthless Mothers4Manatees. Throw in a vengeful vampire who wants to kill her, and Missy’s magick is pushed to the limit. Meanwhile, she discovers what life would have been like if she hadn’t divorced years ago: living with a flabby, middle-aged guy who leaves the toilet seat up. Dirty Old Manatee is Book 6 of Freaky Florida, a humorous paranormal mystery series filled with magic, monsters, and mystery; sarcasm and satire; and, of course, Florida Man. If you love the thrills of urban fantasy, the wit of cozy witch mysteries and paranormal women’s fiction, plus a big splash of comedy, this series is for you.

Gators. Pythons. Iguanas. Dragons? Why not? It’s Florida. Missy, midlife amateur witch and nurse to elderly supernaturals, has two problems. First, she found a young, injured dragon in the Everglades with a price on its head. Second, her vampire patient Schwartz has disappeared after getting caught by Customs with werewolf blood. (It’s like Viagra for vampires. Don’t ask.) There are many bizarre creatures in the Everglades, native and non-native, but who knew dragons were among them? And this isn’t just any young dragon. This is a dragon prophesied to restore its species to greatness. That’s why an evil, ancient god wants to destroy it, and an almost-as-evil CEO tries to capture it. Missy has to protect the dragon while it heals (and snacks on the iguanas in her neighborhood). Too bad she also must locate and rescue Schwartz before he gets staked. Her best weapon is her not-always-dependable magick. And she is learning that she inherited much more power from the parents she never knew than she had realized. Invasive Species is the second book in Freaky Florida, a clean, humorous fantasy series filled with magic, monsters, and mystery; sarcasm and satire; and, of course, Florida Man. If you love cozy witch mysteries, the thrills of urban and paranormal fantasy, and a splash of comedy, this series is for you. Think of it as an unholy blend of Amanda M. Lee, Jana DeLeon, Kim Harrison, Shayne Silvers, Christopher Moore, and Carl Hiaasen. Grab this book and enjoy a vacation in Jellyfish Beach today.