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.

Gear up for a frightful journey into the mysterious Ocala National Forest. Central Florida is known as the happiest place on Earth. But an hour's drive from the amusement parks lies a forest swirling with mystery. For generations, locals have whispered about a dark energy coming from the Ocala National Forest and drifting into nearby towns. Supernatural beasts and apparitions. Ghost lights galore. From cults to monsters to the spirts of those who ventured in yet never reemerged, the woods have long been a source of rumor and tragedy. The vengeful Coyote Woman who dispatches those with evil natures. The soldier of Fort King who vanishes when addressed. The spectral monk of Astor, on the hunt for his killer. Author and folklorist Christopher Balzano takes readers among the trees and beyond to offer a glimpse into the true stories, urban legends and haunted folklore whispered among the residents of these deep woods..

Romance is undeniably otherworldly. Heart racing, breath quickening, senses ablaze—it’s all part of what makes love so frighteningly grand. As Francois de La Rouchefoucauld said four centuries ago, “It is with true love as it is with ghosts; everyone talks about it, but few have seen it.” And yet, there are those who have seen both. Welcome to Haunted Love. With settings ranging from southern Florida to South Korea, Haunted Love delivers a rich and varied collection of tales that touch the heart and tingle the spine. The book features lush historical narratives that capture all of the tenderness, heartbreak, and raw emotion of the love affairs along with the chillingly detailed encounters with the ghosts these ill-fated romances left behind.

Eerie events and stories from Florida.

A fictionalized history of the infamous, if little-known outside Florida, Prohibition-era gangster John Ashley and his moll, Laura Upthegrove.