Spooky Great Smokies: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore

by S.E. Schlosser, Paul Hoffman (Illustrations)

The eastern side of the Smokies abounds with spooky tales, like the story of a Shadow Woman who appeared to a farmer each morning and evening to beg for a cup of milk. Skinned Tom is another East Tennessee haunt, though his is a sinister tale that warns the unfaithful to steer clear of local lover’s lanes for their illicit trysting. From the farmer who finds a Cavern of Skulls to a moonshiner who makes a deal with a water demon; and the Half Shaved ghost seeking vengeance to the first (and only) meeting of the Asheville Ghost Club, the Great Smoky Mountains and its foothills abound with spooky tales. My favorites are in this collection.

Genres: Folklore

200 pages, Paperback

Published July 15, 2021

About the author

Author S.E. Schlosser has been telling stories since she was a child, when games of "let's pretend" quickly built themselves into full-length stories. A graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature and Rutgers University, she also created and maintains the website AmericanFolklore.net, where she shares a wealth of stories from all 50 states, some dating back to the origins of America.

(source: Amazon)

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not so spooky but definitely an enjoyable read. The variation in types of stories and the manner of their telling were a nice touch that didn’t make it seem like you were reading too much of the same thing over and over again. And the placement of each story to a general location in or around the Smoky Mountains was cool for someone living in and familiar with the area.

[Coira]

THIS ONE ALSO SLAPS!!! I adore this series and devour these books as soon as they're released. The Watcher story about Tsali made me cry. I want to do my grad thesis on Appalachian folklore now because of this book. Easily one of my top three Spooky anthologies.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, fun read detailing local folklore and ghost stories around the Smokey Mountain areas of North Carolina and Tennessee. There wasn't much depth to any of the stories but entertaining nonetheless.