Monsters of the Midwest
Read 23 chilling stories, from two paranormal investigators, about reportedly true encounters with monsters in the Midwest.
A mysterious snake grows to frightening proportions. A slimy, clawed, green-scaled beast terrorizes swimmers from the bottom of a lake. Two enormous birds try to prey upon farm animals—and children. The Midwest’s history includes several unimaginable encounters with legendary creatures. This collection of “ghost stories” presents the creepiest, most surprising tales of monsters in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Authors Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler are active paranormal investigators with a shared fascination for things that go bump in the night. The professional writers spent countless hours combing the region for the strangest and scariest run-ins with the unexplained.
Horror fans and history buffs will delight in these 23 terrifying tales. They’re based on reportedly true accounts, proving that the Midwest is the setting for some of the most unsettling monster tales ever told. The short stories are ideal for quick reading, and they are sure to captivate even the most reluctant of readers. Share them with friends around a campfire, or try them alone at home—if you dare.
Jessica Freeburg has always been inquisitive and loves all of the challenges that life—and the afterlife—have to offer. As the founder of Ghost Stories Ink, Jessica has performed paranormal investigations at a variety of reportedly haunted locations.
She has written young adult fiction, middle-grade narrative nonfiction, and short stories for children and adults. She has served as a news correspondent for the wildly popular paranormal radio show Darkness Radio and on the editorial staff of FATE magazine. She is the Assistant Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in Minnesota.
Jessica also enjoys working in screenwriting and documentary production. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children.
Natalie Fowler has been fascinated by ghost stories since she was a little girl—she could never learn enough about ghosts. Once a practicing attorney, now Natalie does freelance editorial work and writes her own stories. She is a staff editor for FATE magazine and Galde Press.
Natalie is a self-proclaimed research geek and could easily spend hours in the library with dusty old books. She is a paranormal investigator for Ghost Stories Ink, a group of authors and illustrators who go on ghost hunts for creative inspiration. She is always happy to fulfill any of the team’s research needs.
Together with Jessica Freeburg, Natalie co-edited the group’s first anthology, Night Visions, a collection of short stories inspired by their paranormal investigations.