Category: Supernatural

On occasion, I take part in local festivals.  They are a good way of connecting with potential readers/buyers of my books.  Of Dreams and Shadow, the first book in the Forget Me Not Series, features a shadow.  The shadow is an evil apparition. As people stopped by my table, I would present my pitch, hoping I could entice them to buy a copy. As I described the premise of the story,  highlighting the shadow, I was surprised at the number of  people asking me if I had a paranormal/supernatural experience as a child.  It would seem that plenty of people have.  An old woman described how as a child, she was visited by a shadow who wore a cloak and hat.  Another shared her experience of a shadowy figure who haunted her until she turned eighteen.

The thing is – these people aren’t alone.  As I was writing Of Dreams and Shadow, I researched shadow people and there are a lot of sightings.   The cloak and hat guy – I couldn’t believe how many accounts I found concerning him – and while the old woman stood in front of me recounting her experience, I realized how much her story had in common with my research.  

As for me – I didn’t see a shadow but I remember having the sensation of feeling “watched.”  It was so unnerving, I shared that experience with my main character.

“There are three classes of people: those who see.

Those who see when they are shown.

Those who do not see.”
                                                        ~Leonardo da Vinci

 

So – what’s with these shadows?  Are they ghosts or something else?  Perhaps, they are nothing more than a figment of an overactive imagination or a hysterical response to something like a night terror.  If so, what about those people who’ve seen these entities during the day?

I’m not sure I believe in ghosts – but I believe there’s something going on that I can’t explain.

Years ago, our dog (who coincidently was named Shadow)  disappeared.  We searched for her for hours. I’ll never forget getting out of our vehicle, walking to our house and feeling as though Shadow was running to us.  It was strange, to say the least.  It wasn’t long before my son came inside.  He looked at me and said, “I saw Shadow.  She was sitting by the steps watching me and then she was gone.” Sometime later, we found Shadow’s body.  Do I believe that she came back to check on her boy one last time – absolutely.

How about you?  Any strange experiences or encounters with the unknown?