2024 COVERS

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We are writers mainly from Australia and New Zealand who write speculative fiction with romantic elements. Be it fantasy, paranormal, dark urban fantasy, futuristic and everything in between.

Friday 4 April 2014

Real Life Paranormal

 With Cathleen Ross.

Haunted mansion?

I sold my house recently and moved into part of an enormous mansion. It's very old and dearly in need of maintenance, but I decided it was fine. After all, I was only going to be here for six months or until we found another house and that still stands. What I didn't count on was having to develop my psychic shield and keep it wrapped close around me to keep "them"  out.
Now I want to put it on the record I'm not afraid of ghosts and I can cope with one or two, I just wasn't counting on a whole lot of them. Never-the-less, despite my innate psychic awareness that I wasn't the only person living here, I didn't say anything to my family until my spooky sister came to stay.

My sister often talks about the time she nursed. When the people from the other side gathered around the bed of her patients it meant that they only had two weeks left before they passed over.  I am used to her stories.Don't raise an eyelid. Now my sister's a lot like me. When you have a gift you have to learn to live with it. She stayed the night and when she woke up in the morning she said to me, "I dreamed there are a lot of people who live in this house."
    "Uh huh."
    "Yes the old man doesn't sleep in the bedroom with the old woman."
    "Uh huh."
    "And there's a couple living in one of the bedrooms."
    My sister preceded with a long list of people who were living in the various rooms of the house.

The only person who currently lives in the main part of the mansion is the elderly owner. Sometimes his son comes to visit, so I had an opportunity to talk to the son. When I recounted my sister's story, he told me his deceased mother never slept in the same bedroom as his father. He also said that fifty years ago, the mansion used to be a boarding house filled with lots of different people before his father bought it. I always like a bit of validation.

My mother decided to visit and while we were in the downstairs kitchen area, we both heard my front door open. A young voice call out, "Hi Mum." And the door closed. I went to say hello to my daughter and there was no one there. Later that day, someone walked by me. Thinking it was my mother, i turned to tell her something and you guessed it, no one was there.

On the weekends I go to my country house to write. I love it because it is quiet and no one disturbs me unlike at the mansion. I didn't bother with my psychic shield as I thought I didn't need it. That night I went to sleep and I dreamed so vividly that lots of different people were gathering around my bed. They wanted to know who I was. They knew I had a gift and could communicate with them. I struggled out of my dream wondering which house I was in and was glad when I realised I was back in my country house. I knew they were the people from the mansion. I told them to stay in their dimension and I would stay in mine. It's been nice and quiet for the past few days but somehow I don't think it's going to stay that way.

Cathleen Ross writes for Harlequin Escape. Her next book, Ruby's Fantasy, is an April 1 release.
   




***stay tuned next month for the conclusion of Enisa Haines real life paranormal experiences***

11 comments:

  1. What a fantastic extra sense you have, Cathleen. And a great attitude in accepting it in your life. Haven't seen ghosts myself but my father lived next door to a house with a resident ghost for 27 years and did meet the ghost so I'm always fascinated by stories like yours.

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    Replies
    1. I've got used to it over the years. It's just another part of my multifaceted life. Thanks for stopping by Enisa.
      Best
      Cathleen

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  2. Enisa that's interesting that he met the ghost. Was he scared? I've got so used to it I don't get scared.
    Best
    Cathleen

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  3. Another great real life story Cathleen. Sure there will be plenty more too! =)

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  4. I have shivers running up and down my arms. I'm always fascinated by your real life stories, Cathleen!

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  5. Yes Mel whether I like it or not. I'm doing well with my shields in this house. When I with them off when I go to my country house, I dream about this spooky one.
    Cathleen

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  6. Hi Christina
    My sister and I are pretty matter of fact after all these years. As Mel said, there are bound to be more.

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  7. I had a definite shiver down my spine when I read this post Cathleen. We have a 'spirit' / ghost who lives with us. There are times when he/she is very quiet and it feels as if they've left but next thing you know he/she is back! I do feel its a he tho.

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  8. SE How do you know? Do you see or feel the presence?
    Best
    Cathleen

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  9. Hi Cathleen, we have a house with a few ghostly residents. My family spends a lot of time away from home for work and we seem to have a revolving spiritual door. I got rid of one last December, he liked to come into the bathroom when I showered and he came into my room late at night, my dogs growled and went ballistic until I told him to p--- off out of my personal space. He was a horrible black blob, thankfully now he has been replaced by a lovely lady who has taken residence in the empty front bedroom. She jumps when I see her out of the corner of my eye then hides for a while. The front of the house is no longer freezing cold but is slightly over warm. We had a disagreement over my leaving some newspapers on the floor by the fireplace one night but she let me know by stomping around the house all night and rattling the china cabinet. Hopefully she stays. I like to think she's reading the books beside the bed she's claimed.

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  10. I wonder what it is about your place that they keep coming in, Kathryn? At least you know how to get rid of them:)
    Best
    Cathleen

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