One of my favorite towns in Arizona, where I live, is Jerome, a former mining community, now mostly made of artisans, artists, and hospitality staff. In Jerome, you will find the Grand Hotel, a massive construction at the top of a hill, which started as a general hospital in 1926 and closed in the 1950s. It was considered state of the art when it first opened, and the original Otis elevator, a modern contraption for the time of the launch, still works today. At the height of activity, the town was home to 15,000 miners and their families, so the hospital was very important and quite busy, socially since mining accidents were common. After the hospital closed, the building was vacant for decades until it was purchased and reopened as a hotel and restaurant in 1996.
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Almost as soon as the hotel opened, reports of strange happenings started surfacing. There were hospital-like sounds, like those of gurneys riding down corridors, as well as voices from empty rooms. The third floor of the hotel is considered to be the one with the most supernatural activity. Children crying and an apparition of a young child are among the most common manifestations. A bearded man who is heard coughing is also amongst the ghosts of the hotel. People also claim to see spectral nurses roaming the halls of the building.
I have eaten at the hotel’s restaurant numerous times (their roasted butternut squash soup is famous!) and stayed in one of the guest rooms overnight once. Apart from the eerie atmosphere that makes you jumpy—after all, there are even old hospital instruments in curio cabinets decorating the halls—I have never had a close encounter with a ghost there.
Yet, Jerome is a wonderful day trip from Phoenix. Wondering the streets, learning about the history, eating a massive sandwich at the Haunted Burger (they have vegetarian options), and going to one of the many art stores make for a wonderful time.
View from the hill where the Grand Hotel stands
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Patricia Friedrich
Genre: Women’s Fiction/Historical
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: Jan 19, 2022
ISBN: 978-1509237791
ASIN: B09KQY4W8L
Number of pages: 372
Word Count: ~ 90K
Cover Artist: Diana Carlile
Tagline: The biggest mystery is why we lie to ourselves
Book Description:
Art history student Darcey Mendes needs a new topic for her thesis in order to graduate, but time is against her. Family debts are pressing. She fears she must give up all hopes of an academic career. Yet, without her degree, would she earn enough to provide for her secret daughter's future?
Archie Northwood, rich and from a privileged family, suddenly reappears in her life to offer the chance that could save her--the story of his Brazilian great-grandmother. His ancestor was Modernist painter Ana Eça, who, on the verge of stardom in the 1920s, mysteriously vanished from public view forever.
Choosing to unveil Ana's story is a complicated proposition for them both. How will they be able to work together to resolve the decades-old mystery when Darcey cannot allow Archie to guess her secret?
Excerpt:A thin mist had covered the city. Inside the fog, cobblestone pavers and streetlamps gave the streets a dreamlike feel, which Ana experienced from the other side of her window. Watching the movement of neighbors hurrying to catch a train or walk to work, she knifed a small wedge of butter and slathered it on a piece of toast. The flavors of the morning, fresh coffee and jam, delighted her. It was a moment of perfection, a fleeting one, full of ideas about art and success, so she took full notice of it. But soon the pleasure of warm French bread and sweet coffee was replaced with worry. Her morning with Joaquim and the strange intuition she had about it kept her heart prisoner and made her attention falter. The strange prophecy and the knot in her stomach alerted her to be careful. As she fell asleep the night before, she had made up her mind that the recent encounter would be their last time together. She reminded herself that no matter the powerful hold Joaquim had on her, she could do whatever she wanted.
About the Author:
Patricia Friedrich is a Professor at Arizona State University, having received her Ph.D. from Purdue University. She teaches courses in composition, linguistics, peace, and culture. She writes non-fiction about the intersection of those areas. Her non-fiction work has appeared in eight books and in over 40 book chapters and journal articles. Her fiction has been published in several literary magazines including Eclectic Flash, The Linnet's Wings, and Birkensnake, as well as in the anthology Flash in the Attic. Her novel The Art of Always was awarded first place at a regional RWA competition, was the winner of a National Indie Excellence Award, and was published in 2022 by The Wild Rose Press. She is also an author of historical romance under the pseudonym Eliza Emmett. All the Parts of Your Soul, her next novel (with Jen Jensen), is forthcoming. She lives in Arizona.
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