THE FLORDIA TIME UNION: Book Review of Ghosts of Mayflower

Book Review: 'Ghosts of Mayflower: A Pennhurst Haunting' by Tamera Lawrence

Posted: October 20, 2013 - 8:05am

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By Richard Moore

Pennhurst, the Pennsylvania State School and Mental Asylum, was built in 1908. Social misfits, the psychologically disturbed and epileptics, including children, lived there — some for their entire lives. Before it closed in 1986, more than 10,000 people passed through its doors.
Some believe that many never left. Are there hidden graveyards underneath and around the asylum?
The former institution is now a haunted attraction that thrill-seekers pay to visit (See pennhurstasylum.com). Actors with painted faces carry chains and scare people. But for the real ghost hunting, there are no actors. Customers equipped only with flashlights explore the first and second floors of the huge dilapidated Mayflower building, the source of numerous sightings and the setting for many paranormal shows.
Why do the flashlights’ new batteries go dead, and why is it so cold inside?
Tamera Lawrence worked as an attraction “orderly” in the Mayflower building from September to November in 2011. This frightening, enlightening story is her chronological, detailed account of what happened on her watches at the asylum and the eerie events that occurred at her home soon thereafter. Photographs are included.
Did something follow her home from Pennhurst?
“Ghosts of Mayflower: A Pennhurst Haunting” is an informative, historical, page-turner. Tamera writes in a straightforward, easy-to-read style and comes across as credible and competent. She certainly gives readers something to think about, especially those who plan to visit a haunted house, cemetery or other creepy locale.
Be careful what you go looking for, because you just might find it. Or it might find you when you’re not looking.
Richard Moore lives in
Orange Park.

http://www.outskirtspress.com/GhostsofMayflower


Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/literature/2013-10-20/story/book-review-ghosts-mayflower-pennhurst-haunting-tamera#ixzz2jFwd19xU

 

 

Eastern States Terror Behind The Walls Review: by Tammy Tattles

 

Limited moonlight brighten the sky over the streets of Philadelphia.  But beneath the moon’s glint, the soft hues failed to bring any solace to the stony walls of the old Eastern State Penitentiary. Opened in 1829, the old prison majestically stood, having weathered time and still boasting of a dire heritage that few had ever enjoyed in this once prosperous prison.  Vagrants and pillagers, murderers and debtors and just the woe-be-gones once claimed home in Eastern State’s confines. To step into its fortress, one steps back into time, back to a place where the hopeless and lost were held in chilly cells meant to punish the offenders with regret and solitude and enough despair to last an eternity where even the eye of God might have a hard time finding you. It’s easy to imagine it worked only too well in its cause.

As I stepped across the threshold of Eastern State into the Terror Behind the Walls attraction, my heart picked up its pace. I couldn’t help but wonder about the people who once spent their lives in such a dire atmosphere and now for a few minutes, I would share their fate. But I had little chance to gather my nerve since our VIP group was moved ahead in the lines. After a glowing red collar was added to my neck and a smear of an icky substance smeared on my check, I was soon off with my group and found myself entering the prison’s domain.  

Ghouls and prison guards and creatures of ill repute lurked through the dark hallways. Screams filled the air. Winding corridors and long hallways offered glimpses into old rooms and prison cells. If you were wearing the red glowing collar, you were inviting monsters to touch you. And they did. A lot. Blinded by a blinking light, I found myself trailing my group only to run into a ghoul pretending to slice my throat. As I hurried past him, he grabbed my arm and jerked me into a hidden corridor filled with two other creatures. After some jostling, they released me into another hallway. Now I had to retrace my steps which led me back into the same knife welding ghoul’s domain.  Once again, a slash across my throat.

“Ouch,” I cried, holding my neck. “That hurt.”

“Ahh,” he said. “Let me see.” He ducked his head down, staring up at my neck. Another slash as he smirked. “Did that make it better?”

Laughing, I hurried away to find my group.

Terror Behind the Walls is an exciting mix of terror and mischief. It never fails to impress. So make sure you add it to your to do list if you are a die heart Halloween fan that loves scary attractions.

GHOST ON THE MOVE

Halloween can be a fun time to create a scary scene. This is a picture of an old truck I decorated for Halloween. People often stopped to take pictures of the truck.

 And for Ghostly reading, check out my two novels

The Pond (Award winning Paranormal Mystery) set in Kimberton Pa (available on Amazon.com) The first chapter is based on a true event.

Ghosts of Mayflower: A Pennhurst Haunting (Award Finalist) - A true life accounting of my time spent at the old Pennhurst State School in Spring City, Pa during their annual Halloween Haunt. Find out if the Mayflower Hall building is truly haunted?  Available on Amazon.com & Barnes & Noble.
http://www.outskirtspress.com/GhostsofMayflower


                                        Have a great Halloween Season!

                            I know this little Lady will!

SEEKING THE UNKNOWN

I was recently asked to speak at the local Upper Dublin High School to talk to students about writing, publishing and sharing of my current books.. Two session were held in their beautiful library with a group of great students. Their theme week was "Seeking the Unknown."

Ghosts of Mayflower: A Pennhurst Haunting fit very well into their topic and the teens liked discussing the paranormal aspects of ghost hunting. We also discussed Pennhurst State School and Mental Hospital's tainted past. Many of the kids had never heard of Pennhurst so it was awesome to answer many of their questions.

Working at the Pennhurst Haunt these past three years, I, myself am always learning more about the previous Pennhurst State School, which opened and closed its doors 1908 -1986. I have met a lot of prior staff and have heard tales both good and bad from people with hands on experience. Though some of what I have learned is clearly speculative, people love to share their knowledge or opinions. Whatever the reason, Pennhurst has a way of sparking interest in the local area and from the many visitors that travel long distances to take a peek at the complex.

Pennhurst was once called The Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic. It was initially meant to run as a community in itself, separating the mentally and physically handicapped from the rest of society. It once housed children of all ages, children that grew to adulthood. But many were neglected and failed to progress. Over the years in operation, 10,000 children came through Pennhurst's door. The institute was underfunded, understaffed and poorly organized.

Today parts of Pennhurst have been turned into a Halloween Attraction. The Mayflower Hall Building offers a Ghost Hunt - where you can tour the building and look for real ghosts. Come visit me on the second floor. Already this season, I have met fans of Ghosts of Mayflower and would like to thank them for their support.

***I would like to note there was a lot of great staff in Pennhurst's later years that were not only underpaid, but often worked for free because they did care about the residents and tried to make a difference.

If you would like further information about Ghosts of Mayflower, please feel free to check out a writing sample through Amazon.com 

My webpage is http://www.outskirtspress.com/GhostsofMayflower

My other books include the following:

Fiction

Wrecker

Before I Wake

The Pond  1st Place award winning mystery (Reader's Favorite)

The Serpent's Kiss (Young adult paranormal series) ---  Coming 2014

Non Fiction: 

Ghosts of Mayflower: A Pennhurst Haunting  (Reader's Favorite Finalists)

 

Available Amazon.com & Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 

1st Weekend in October, 2013 - moving orb (Mayflower Buliding)

MAYFLOWER HALL BUILDING, PENNHURST PA

Another interesting weekend in Mayflower with plenty of ghoulish pics and paranormal mischief brewing. It was also great to meet so many people from other states that traveled all the way to Pennsylvania for the attractions. One family had come all the way out from Alabama and fell in love with the place. 

PENNHURST HAUNT: Tammy Tattle's Review

GHOSTS OF MAYFLOWER: A PENNHURST HAUNTING

Friday, September 27, 2013

Pennhurst Haunt:

As the Halloween season begins, autumn attractions pop up everywhere. From parades and festivals, to hayrides and outdoor activities. But then there is the Halloween haunts that invite fear seekers to confront the dark and face their nightmares if only for a moment of fun.

But even without the added Halloween glimmer, Pennhurst Asylum, located in Spring City, Pennsylvania is one scary place. Built in 1908, Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic once housed children of all ages. These children were what society labeled as misfits, retarded or epileptic and placed in Pennhurst to shield the general public from having to accept or interact with people who were less than perfect. But not every child was mentally challenged, there were also the orphans, who were added to the mix.

Can you imagine being a child left in such a place? It must have been terrible to be taken away from your family (if you had the benefit of having one that cared) and basically dumped off at an institution that labeled and discarded you into one of their many buildings or cottages. Understaffed the ratio of care taker to residents was absurd and the institute was severely underfunded, having little ability to change anything.  Children were basically left to fend for themselves or tied into beds, becoming often the victims of neglect, beatings and even rape. Children drew into themselves, failed to progress – some became silent.  

In 1968 ,CBS10 exposed the horrific conditions at Pennhurst through a documentary entitled Suffer the Little Childrenreported through Bill Baldini.  And in 1987 Halderman verses Pennhurst State School and hospital became a widely publicized lawsuit over the abuse and neglect suffered by some of the residents.  

Thankfully, Pennhurst State School and Hospital closed its doors in 1987.

Currently the Pennhurst Haunt offers a haunted attraction filled with plenty of grisly scenes and action packed ghouls to evoke screams from the most brave of heart. But when the lights dim, some say the spirits of the past still lurk about, filling the tunnels and rooms of the old massive buildings with ghostly activity. Pennhurst is said to be truly haunted and often the source of paranormal investigations. But if you don’t want to temp your fate and go there in person, feel free to check out what it was like to work in the Mayflower Hall Building during a Halloween season. (Preview on Amazon.com)

Http://www.outskirtspress.com/GhostsofMayflower

So is the Fear Is Real logo true of the Pennhurst Haunt?  Absolutely!

Note: Pennhurst Haunt opens September 20 – November 3^rd2013. (Weekends and some Thursdays). Check their calendar for specific dates and times. For more information: http://www.pennhurstasylum.com/

Amazon.com