Despite my histrionic attempts to get late registration at the Romance Writers of America national convention in San Antonio this week, I had to settle for staying at home. Sob. (I usually prepare well in advance for such events as this, but family summer plans changed… and I realized I DID have the time to get there after all. Ah, well, the travel gods paid me no nevermind.)
Anyway, best I could do was take Mary Connealy’s place at Wildflower Junction today–she’s rockin’ it in San Antonio–and spread some love from my visit there several years ago.
Yup. I loved The Alamo.
And The River Walk.
And The Menger Hotel. The HAUNTED Menger
In 1859, twenty three years after the battle of The Alamo, a San Antonio brewer named William Menger added a boardinghouse for his customers. Since then, the hotel has expanded, and many dignitaries have stayed at the historic place including Robert E. Lee, Sam Houston, Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, Presidents Grant, McKinley, Taft, Eisenhower and Clinton, as well as such “stars” as Mae West, John Wayne, and Bob Dylan.
(“Menger Hotel San Antonio Texas photo of historical photo”. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – http://tinyurl.com/nys5q7g)
But several guests have never checked out! Texas mega-rancher Captain Richard King (1824-1885) sometimes left his spread of 600,000-plus acres to stay at his favorite hotel. He passed away from cancer in his favorite room at The Menger, and his funeral was held in the hotel parlor. Although the room has been remodeled several times, his ghost doesn’t mind and seems to find it no matter what. Just ask those sleeping there in the King suite on the second floor.
Another famous, or perhaps infamous ghost, is hotel maid Sallie White. Her ghost is seen often on the third floor, carrying towels. She worked at, and died at, the hotel. The Menger cared for her after she suffered a severe beating by her husband in 1876. Lingering for two awful days, she died, and the hotel covered her funeral costs.
It is claimed that more than 40 ghosts wander The Menger. An old lady knits in the lobby. A little boy plays in guest rooms. Are sounds of marching and bugles soldiers from The Alamo?
Anyway, I had lunch there and didn’t see anything but beautiful gardens and splendid architecture.
No wonder this lovely hotel has earned recognition on the national registry of historic hotels.
Now a haunted hotel has NOTHING to do with my latest release. Covenant. It’s Christmas in July at Prairie Rose Publications, and my short story is being re-released tomorrow for 99 cents. (It was part of the Wishing for a Cowboy anthology last Christmas.)
What a steal. To celebrate, I’m giving away FIVE non-gift wrapped Kindle editions, so please don’t leave me hanging and post some comments today!
Ever been anywhere supposedly haunted? Ever seen/heard/felt anything-anyone other-wordly?
Alone, abandoned, struck with guilt and grief, mail order bride Ella Green refuses to celebrate their first wedding anniversary by herself on the Nebraska homestead. Her fault Charlotte died.
Her fault her husband couldn’t stick around. So it’s back to Pennsylvania. Until the snow hits.
But do the spingerle cookie molds depicting her life–Carsten’s hand-carved courtship gifts to her across the miles–still have more story to tell?
Or is it truly The End?
Widower Carsten Green took on a bride merely to tend his little daughter. Unbeknownst to Ella, he gave her his heart instantly. Yet he believed she’s got no reason to stay after the child’s death. So he’s left her first.
How can the Christmas blizzard separating them warm their hearts, brighten their future, and ignite love gone cold?
This post is really interesting. I went on a ghost tour once in San Antonio. It was so long ago, I don’t remember all the places they took us. But, I bet the Menger was one of them.
This book sounds really good. The ghost tour sounds interesting.
I’ve never visited a haunted place and I really don’t want to. My daughter stayed in a bed and breakfast in New Orleans near Jackson Square which was supposed to be haunted. Luckily nothing appeared during their stay. I’m afraid of haunted places.
My same daughter used to live in Oconomowoc, WI. The local cemetery there is supposed to be haunted with lights and sounds coming from the graves. I did see it from a distance but I had no desire to stroll through the resting place.
Hi Janine! oh I so wanted to go on that ghost tour…but I was in SA alone and too sceered LOL. The Alamo is supposedly super haunted. Nonetheless it is an ironically serene, peaceful place these days. The Menger is a lovely place for sure. Thanks so much for commenting.
Cathy. Thanks for,stopping by. It’s actually a short story story that makes a quick summer read on a hot day. Brrrrrr. I wanted a gut-wrencher like some of my favorite Hallmark holiday weepers! But the cover matches the hope at the end of the tale! Hope you like it. P.S. My favorite time of year, Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas this year begins October 31! Yippee!
Hi Laurie, . Ooh, Yowzers! I love old cemeteries but only in the bright of day for sure. I didn’t feel any shivers at the Menger but then, I didn’t sleep over…just ate lunch. The venue where my daughter got married-a historic mansion at the Mission at San Juan Capistrano has a friends ghost. George, not Casper LOL, who changes the portraits on the walls and once left a smoking cigar. Fun! Thanks for stopping by.
Haunted place… Aren’t all castles supposed to be haunted? In that case I’ve visited in three of those here in Finland: Olavinlinna Castle, Turku Castle and Castle of Finland.
I have always been curious about how I would react at a haunted place… I have had strange things occur but never saw one…
Hi Minna, I do believe castles must have ghosts! Most are so old and have so many tragedies in their histories. Thanks for posting today! I have a Finnish daughter (exchange student several years ago) from Turku.
I attended Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi. Quite a few of our buildings are pre-Civil War and were used as hospital facilities. Lots of legends and accompanying bumps in the night! Freshman year with a ghost in the clock tower and attic above our dorm room gave rise to plenty of stories to tell. 🙂
Interesting post the ghost tour sounds like a lot of fun. Your book sounds really good and I would love to read it.
Hi Colleen, I think it’s much more fun to think about something haunted than to want to live through it LOL. I’m so glad you stopped by today!
hi Kim G, wow, what wonderful stories…write ’em down! Inside my head is a YA set at Gettysburg College, also used as a hospital and also haunted! (Wish I’d gone to school there…it’s a Lutheran college but I picked the one in Nebraska. Sigh.)Thanks for the post!
Hi Quilt Lady, It’s always so good to see you here in Wildflower Junction. Thanks for the kind words. Supposedly even the mission in town (established by Father Serra) has a ghost! Shiver…
The Whaley House here in San Diego is supposed to be haunted, and they give tours, but I didn’t see anything 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!
Hi Heidi, I’ll have to check that out next time I’m in SD. I wonder if anybody actually does see anything LOL or if they do, whether it’s sparked by emotion and imagination. Fun! Thanks for the post!
Thanks to everybody who posted today and cheered me up! I so appreciate all our friends!
Great history lesson on the hotel. I usually don’t see anything either when I go to haunted sights, although I may feel as though someone is staring at me. You know those strange sensations that are hard to explain?
Your book sounds fun and has the makings of a great read. Please put my name in the drawing.
Hi Tanya – sorry this is a little late. And sorry, you didn’t get to San Antonio. Great haunted stories of the hotel! I’m always fascinated by those tales…always wonder how true they really are. Off now, to buy Covenant!
Sorry I missed the giveaway. Traveling certainly interferes with computer time. Interesting information on the hotel. It sounds like a place I would like to visit, but I’m not sure I am brave enough to spend the night there. Sorry you weren’t able to attend the convention. There was a great group of authors attending. One more would have been nice.
Best wishes for the success of COVENANT.
I have stayed at the Menger several times. Never saw a ghost. I didn’t even know it was supposed to be haunted when I stayed there.I also heard that one of the buildings on my college campus was haunted but that was so long ago I don’t remember. I’ve seen some strange things but I don’t remember anything specific but I also don’t believe in ghosts.That may be the reason I haven’t seen any. Wish I could have gone to the conference. I would have liked to meet Mary and other writers. Best wishes on the book and I would love to have a copy.
Howdy all, hope you enjoy. My “Christmas” giveaway has now concluded. Hugs and see you again soon in Wildflower junction, xo