Guest Post
by
Kimber Leigh Wheaton
America’s Haunted Destinations — Old Town
San Diego
I’ve had the
privilege of living in some of America’s most haunted cities. Yet I’ve never
(yep—never) had a paranormal experience beyond simple events that can be
written off as a trick of the eye or the light or just plain old imagination.
That doesn’t mean I haven’t been looking for the paranormal most of my life.
Ghosts have fascinated me since early childhood. So in this series of posts
I’ll reveal some of the haunted destinations I’ve visited in my search for the
supernatural.
The Whaley House
in San Diego, CA is supposedly one of the most haunted destinations in America.
When I was in high school, my drama group did plays at The Old Town Theatre
just a block or so away from The Whaley House. Late night rehearsals were the
norm two weeks prior to show time. We were all quite adventurous, and after
rehearsals, we’d walk around Old Town looking for ghosts.
One night we
were standing outside The Whaley House when we saw a curtain flutter in an
upstairs window. That curtain was moving… definitely no trick of the light
there! Other than that, the house was dark and appeared deserted. My friends
freaked out and took off running back to the theater. I, on the other hand, was
fascinated. Had they stayed, they would have seen the gentleman part the
curtain and wave at me. Sorry to say, he was no ghost (I’m sure he’s happy
about that fact, though).
Did you know
that The Whaley House offers night tours and ghost tours? Even back then they
happened every few months. His name was Warren, a student from SDSU, there with
a group of students for a parapsychology class. He was quite nice (not to
mention rather cute—hard for a high school girl to resist an adorable college
guy). Warren came outside to see what we were doing. Since my fair-weather
friends abandoned me at eleven-thirty at night, he walked me back to my car. So
I didn’t see a ghost, but I made an interesting friend that night.
Old Town is full
of intriguing places. There’s a tiny, old cemetery down the block from The
Whaley House that has several children’s graves. The El Campo Santo cemetery
was used between 1850–1888. Even today people stop by and leave toys for the
children and flowers for the graves. Some of San Diego’s most prominent
founding families are buried here.
Casa de
Estudillo is another interesting place. Set up as a museum with décor
appropriate for the time period, it offers an inside look at aristocratic life
in the 1800s. Many people have taken odd phots in this old structure. Orbs,
streaks, and riots of color are not uncommon. My photos all came out pristine
on my visit last year.
When you’re
finished ghost hunting, stop at Coyote Café for some yummy Mexican food and
great big Margaritas! If you’re under twenty-one, the virgin strawberry
Margarita is quite good.
Tortured Souls
The Orion Circle #1
Kimber Leigh Wheaton
YA Paranormal Romance
June 29. 2014
Sea Dragon Press
Sometimes Rest in Peace isn't an option.
Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it's ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.
When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie's longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.
But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he's never seen before—a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.
Kacie can't ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.
Excerpt:
Closing
my locker, I nod and smile at him, trying to hide my anxiety. Why did I agree
to go to this club meeting? What if they sacrifice goats to some pagan god or
something? Laughter wells up within at the absurd image of an animal sacrifice
occurring on the third floor of the Sciences building. Besides, it couldn’t be
a goat—it would have to be a cat or a fetal pig since that’s what the AP
biology class is dissecting this year. I guess it could be a crawfish or an
earthworm since the regular biology classes dissect those.
My
laughter finally bubbles out when I picture figures in black robes sacrificing
an earthworm to their pagan god. I feel Logan’s eyes on me. When I glance at
him, he has a strange, indecipherable look on his face.
Tortured Souls by Kimber Wheaton........ omg!!
Great book!!!! This is one you don't want to miss out on.” ~ Paranormal Romance & Authors That Rock
“Right off the bat the characters and story line grabbed my attention. The story has a smooth flow and the author has the 2 main characters interact in a way that works great. I cannot say anything bad about this book at all. Once I started this book I could not put it down there was way too much action and suspense.” ~ Sheryl ~ Amazon Reviewer
The
Orion Circle is awesome. I enjoyed the variety of characters that are in this
book and look forward to more installments of this series. I highly recommend
Tortured Souls. This mysterious and paranormal adventure will entertain readers
of all ages.” ~ Christy Tanner ~ Goodreads Reviewer
“I
was sooo not disappointed! I mean...this has everything I love! Most of all, it
was unique! I'm always on the lookout for unique books that breathe some fresh
air in to the YA genre and this is one of them!” ~ Alisha Tarran ~ Reality’s A
Bore
“The
plot is wonderfully spooky with just the right amount of suspense and mystery
to keep the pages turning.” ~ JML Graphics
“Tortured Souls was a
wonderful YA read. It was light and enjoyable all the way through. From the
romance, to the thrills, this book was fantastic. YA lovers, this is definitely
a book you'll want to check out.” ~ Farrah at Imagine a World
About the Author
Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a bestselling
YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance. She is married to her soul
mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs, four cats, and
lots of dragons. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Kimber
Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not
necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate
covered superhero!) She currently lives in San Antonio, TX but has been
somewhat a rolling stone in life, having resided in several different cities
and states.
Tour-Wide Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card
1 Signed Print Copy - US Only
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About the Author: Majanka Verstraete begged her Mom to teach her how to read while she was still in kindergarten. By the time she finished fifth grade, she had read through the entire children’s section of her hometown library. She wrote her first story when she was seven years old, and hasn’t stopped writing since. With an imagination that never sleeps, and hundreds of possible book characters screaming for her attention, writing is more than a passion for her. She writes about all things supernatural for children of all ages. She’s tried to write contemporary novels before, but something paranormal always manages to crawl in. Majanka is currently studying for her Master of Laws degree, and hopes one day to be able to combine her passions for law and writing. When she’s not writing, reading or studying, she likes watching “The Vampire Diaries” and “Game of Thrones,” spending time with her friends, or playing “World of Warcraft.” Website
