ARE GHOST’S REAL?

A nurse who gives invisible shots, a girl who likes to dart into corners and a man who still sits in the common room are just three of the spirits haunting the Pennhurst Asylum in Spring City, Pennsylvania. How do I know that? I have spent the past 2011 Halloween season working in the Mayflower building, 2nd floor and have witnessed the paranormal activity first hand.

Twenty-five years ago, Pennhurst State School and Mental Hospital was closed down due to patient abuse. Today Pennhurst has been turned into a controversial Halloween attraction. I took a job as an orderly working in the Mayflower building, one of the most spiritually active of all the buildings.
People are fascinated with Pennhurst and want to know more of its past and its present. Intrigued, I decided to do my own research. As a child, I had visited a couple of times with my mother and I also had an uncle that once worked there.

People want to know if Mayflower is really haunted. Because of this question, I began a diary of my experiences working in the Mayflower building.

Here is the first chapter…

             “Mommy,” a child cried out.

              Frozen, I blinked beneath the glaring light. A child? Why would a child be in the Mayflower building at the Pennhurst Haunt? The sound had come from the third floor. Slowly, I walked to the foot of the third floor staircase and shined my flashlight up the stairwell. Nothing. Just creepy blackness and the feeling something was watching me. My light fell on the ceiling above. Water dripped in the corner, where the exposed ceiling dipped. Paint chips hung precariously from the ceiling. My beam trailed over the window at the top. I wondered how many people had looked out that same window? Walked that same staircase?

             I moved back into position at the top of the second floor stairs. I stood quietly. I know what I heard. Could it have been another worker in the building? A customer coming up from the first floor with a small child in tow? I waited. Minutes ticked away. When the next group of people arrived, there aren’t any kids with them. And there weren’t any children for the remainder of that night. My thoughts flew over possibilities. But ghost echoed in my mind.

              It was the first night of the Pennhurst Asylum, located in Spring City, Pennsylvania. The old Pennhurst State School had closed its door in 1986 due to allegations of abuse. It had been turned into a Halloween attraction. The building had been left to rot away. Ceilings leaked, plumbing was missing and ceilings and walls were graffiti and chipped. This was its second year. It was raining outside in an endless torrent. It began raining inside parts of the building. Dripping became my companion as I waited for ghost hunters to come up to the second floor. Because of the rotten weather, customers were few and far between.

              I was an orderly in the 2011 Mayflower Building, new this year. My uniform is all white. White pants, white collared shirt, white shoes. I also wear a black bowtie and belt. I decided to wear my hair in a head band to give me a more orderly affect.

             Customers are given flashlight and were able to explore the first and second floors of the building, looking for real ghosts. The Mayflower was said to be really haunted. We were warned before we even started working that we would be messed with by something living in the Mayflower. Do I believe in ghosts? To a degree I do. Perhaps Pennhurst would make me a believer.

              My job was to guard the third floor stairwell from patrons who want to explore the rooms above me. The third floor was closed off for the season. Earlier in the night, I toured the third floor with three other employees. Darkness pressed against me. It was so creepy. I felt like at any moment something would reach out and touch me. Trailing the group, the beams from our flashlights created large shadows. Doorways were ominous, leading into forbidden rooms. I would shine my light behind me, trying to ward off the darkness. When the group rounded the staircase to start their descent, I saw a glimpse of a dark shadow cross in front of me. If I would have blinked, I would have missed it. Stunned, I hurried down the staircase, not sure what I had seen. But others had seen it too. In fact, a lot of people I meet over the next few weeks will talk of the dark shadows and of children, nurses. But I pass it off to maybe it was a shadow created by their flashlights as they passed through the doorway. I’m not ready to believe in any other possibility. I’m here to work. To learn.

Happy and Healthy New Year to you All!

Shyann and the Lawrence Family Wish you a Happy New Year!
Do not forget to buy my grandmother, Award Wining Author Tamera Lawrence's Novel "The Pond"

Kindle Format $2.99 PURCHASE HERE!

Paperback $16.95  PURCHASE HERE!

The Pond" By Award Winning Author Tamera Lawrence takes the "GOLD"

Readers Favorite Book Review and 2011 Award Contest

Fiction - Mystery - General - Category

Author Biography

Tamera Lawrence was born on February 21st in Norristown, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Methacton High School. She loves to write and is an avid reader. "THE POND" is her first novel. Currently, she is working on several writing projects and loves to support other writers as they follow their dreams.

Book Review Reviewed by Fran L. for ReadersFavorite.com

***** Five out of Five Stars

Eight-year-old Carl Weber died for no reason. When his mom dropped him off at his friend Mike’s house, the maid slammed the door in his face and left this poor child out in the cold. Hoping to find his way home, he decided to cut through what he thought was a frozen pond, only to meet a cold and frigid death. Twenty-five years later, when Mike Adams, his wife Donna, and seven-year-old daughter Kim move into his late mother’s mansion, unexplainable things begin to happen leading back to Carl’s death: things fall, break, and spill for no apparent reason, and the silence of the countryside is deafening. What is really behind his death and what is behind the unusual occurrences in this town?

Award Wining Author Tamera Lawrence delivers an ending that is filled with strange and unusual surprises and a clever twist that you won’t expect. Not only are the characters well defined, strong and believable, but they blend together creating a compelling, heartbreaking story. Great read for those who enjoy a good mystery.

You can Purchase "The Pond" in paperback format at Amazon for $16.95 PURCHASE HERE!!!

You can Purchase "The Pond" in Kindle Format for $2.99 at Amazon PURCHASE HERE!!!!!!

Have any Mystery Novel Lover's on Your Holiday Gift List?

If you do then why not get them the Mystery Novel, "The Pond" by Award Winning Author Tamera Lawrence?

Here is a little overview of how "The Pond" became an Award Winning Novel!

Do the Adam's have more to fear from the living or the dead?

"He grabbed the edge of the ice, clinging desperately. Murky water filled his boots, becoming as weighted anchors. Numbing cold squeezed his limbs as he tried to scream for help. But his chest hurt. It was hard to breathe. His heart beat wildly in his thin chest. Water seeped inside his clothing, his skin turned to ice. He stared up at the sky. The ice cracked again, creating fragments of drifting sheets. As his glove caught on the jagged edge, his hand slid out. Dark water swirled over him as he began to sink into the frigid depths of the black void."

Twenty-five years have passed since eight-year-old Carl Weber drowned in Gray's Pond, and now one member of the Adams family has returned to Kimberton, Pennsylvania, to reside once again in the old mansion. It is time for Mark Adams to revisit his past, and for his wife Donna and daughter, Kim, to become acquainted with their neighbors, a rather odd old couple who own the farm next door.

Each day, however, brings strange occurrences, increasing paranormal activity, till it becomes agonizingly clear that ghosts of the past are trying to make their presence known. As the search for the truth be. .

You can purchase your copy of "The Pond" at:

Barnes and Noble - Paperback Format for $16.95

Amazon - Paperback Format for $16.95

Amazon - Kindle Format for $2.99  (Remember Kindle Format Books can be sent as a gift to anyone that has an email address!

Award Winning Author Tamera Lawrence wishes you and your family a "Very Happy Thanksgiving"

When you are making your choice of which "Pie" to try, think of who made or brought the "Pie" and  what you really know about the Person!

Stayed Tuned to the Blog to find out about "The Pie"

About Author Tamera E Lawrence By Jill Elizabeth

Author Tamera E Lawrence
As a child, I had a vivid imagination and many imaginary playmates. I read anything I could get my hands on and wanted to write books like Laura Ingalls.

In high school, I aspired to become a writer. But life for me took a different turn. I married young and had 2 small boys before I could blink an eye and began helping my husband achieve his own goals. So writing took a back seat as I concentrated on running an excavating business. Along the way, we had four more children, making us a family of 8.

Whew! Still, I wrote in my spare time, writing mostly poetry. As my children grew, I wrote my first novel. It was 150 pages long. I sent a sample to an agent, who remarkedly called me and told me I had talent. He said my book needed to be about 350 pages and that I needed to learn to polish my material. I was thrilled.

So… I took some writing courses, learned how to write, edit and polish. I met a teacher and author, who took me under her wing and showed me how to use POV as well as keep a story flowing. Her influence has greatly helped me in the way a college never could. “THE POND” was half written when I began my schooling and I finished the book in 2007.

I have 2 more books that I am currently working on. I would have to say that my writing a novel comes second nature to me and the challenge now is writing the perfect query letter. It’s amazing how I can write 400 pages of a novel and yet struggle with that one single letter.

But I’m finally figuring it out. OR so I think!

Anyway…

God bless all writers.

Keep Checking This Blog for Updates!

Guest Post: A Handful of Thoughts, Courtesy of Author Tamera Lawrence

By Jill Elizabeth posted this on October 27th, 2011

Today’s guest post consists of a handful of thoughts (originally presented as blog posts) by author Tamera Lawrence whose novel "The Pond" is now available.

Enjoy!

Subliminal events that evoke feelings of “Hometown”

Summers always remind me of celebrations and gatherings especially when I was a kid. The frequency just seemed to naturally come in quick succession. There’s Mayday, the last day of school, summer camp, Fourth of July, country fairs and family vacations. All of these events make me think of warm weather and good times.

As I was writing “The Pond,” I wanted to build upon the idea of creating an ambiance that spoke to the memories of home that we all share. After all, if readers can’t relate to the subject of your story, then the story will be spoken but never heard. One of those memories for me was going to the fair each year. The whiff of cotton candy and candied apples while walking well-worn paths to the Ferris wheel and other rides all come flooding back to me. I am betting that you recall the same general memories too. Those types of memories are what help to shape a story like “The Pond.”

I’ll be writing more posts about “relate-able” events and memories because I think they are an important part in telling a story that has plot lines and situations that are horrifying. Most people don’t experience some of the events that Michael Adams and his family did in their new home. Tying the common thread among us helps to bring the reader along for the ride and experience a roller coaster of emotions.

The roller coaster is ready and waiting for you!
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Panic Attacks

According to Wikipedia, the definition of a “Panic Attack” is as follows:

"Panic attacks" are very sudden, discrete periods of intense anxiety, mounting physiological arousal, fear, stomach problems and discomfort that are associated with a variety of somatic and cognitive symptoms. The onset of these episodes is typically abrupt, and may have no obvious triggers.

If you have ever suffered from one of these attacks, you will quickly discover that there is nothing psychosomatic about this disorder. It seems that at one time or another, everyone has experienced some form of a panic attack. I know some friends who have difficulty with this horrible attack and the experience can be terrifying.

The type of attacks can vary by including one or a combination of feelings or physical agitation:
Trembling, fear, rapid breathing, feeling of having a heart attack, heart racing, sweating and mind racing and a host of other types of emotions and physical feelings.

Sometimes, describing a fearful situation can bring on a panic attack…in my book, “The Pond,” I wrote the main characters to have similar experiences with panic attacks that they never had before. Why? Perhaps just reading about a panic attack can bring one on. The only cure is to buy a copy of the book, “The Pond” and read it!

Are You Affected by Local Legends where a Young Boy drowned in a Pond?

When I was growing up, legend around town was that a certain old bridge hidden by foliage from the road was “haunted.” I don’t know if it is fact, but people’s curiosity confirmed that if nothing else, the mystique was there. Legend was that a young mother was walking over a bridge one day, lost her footing and accidentally dropped her child in the water below. And, according to the locals, her ghost walks the bridge searching for her child. Curious onlookers (usually teenagers) still visit the bridge and listen for the sounds of her steps.

This type of folklore has always intrigued me. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to put this type of theme in “The Pond.” The idea that a legend can sustain and thrive in this day and age simply by word of mouth from generation to generation rekindles the art form of storytelling. Think back to your past; do you remember folklore in your hometown? When you read “The Pond” it will make you wonder whether the folklore is fact or fiction.

"The Pond" is available in Paperback for $16.95 and you can purchase here for you or to give as a gift.

"The Pond" is available in Kindle Format for $2.99 and you can purchase here for you or send as a gift to anyone that has an email addresss.