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Pat Fitzhugh
| gender |
male |
| place of birth |
Nashville, Tennessee, The United States |
| website |
http://www.bellwitch.org |
| genre |
Mystery & Thrillers, History, Horror
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| influences |
Stephen King, John Grisham, William Faulkner |
about this author
Pat Fitzhugh’s fascination with the supernatural began at an early age when he spent countless hours watching TV classics like "Ghost Story," "Dark Shadows," and the locally-televised "Creature Feature," which featured ghost movies every Saturday night.
"I was totally into it," he recalls, "as soon as I heard my parents snoring, I would rush downstairs to the TV and watch scary movies." But one night his mother caught him. "She said that she would start reading me ghost stories at bedtime, which would make me too afraid to go downstairs," he recalls.
Of all the stories she read him, the one that impressed him the most, and which would one day introduce him to paranormal enthusiasts and mystery lovers around the world, was none other than Tennessee’s Bell Witch legend, which happened roughly fifty miles from his boyhood home in west Nashville.
"Although I was barely seven years old, I was frightened and intrigued by what she told me, especially about knowing some of the actual descendants!"
And what’s more, Fitzhugh later learned that he is distantly related to the Bell family through a marriage on his mother’s side of the family, several generations back.
As a teenager, Fitzhugh began searching libraries and archives for more information about the legend.
"My goal was – and still is – to find historical facts and create a 'mask’ that separates fact from fiction so we can develop a better understanding of the legend," he says.
And thus began a never-ending journey through public and church records, manuscripts, personal interviews, and numerous other sources around the Southern United States.
Not all of his time is spent researching the Bell Witch, Fitzhugh says. "I enjoy stories of ghosts and the
supernatural, and I’ve researched many of them." He continues, "I’ve also conducted my fair share of paranormal investigations with EMF meters, cameras, temperature probes, and EVP recordings."
Fitzhugh’s paranormal interests include
Rotherwood Mansion, Sloss Furnace, Resurrection Mary, the Florida Skunk Ape, Waverly Hills TB Sanatorium,
the Devil’s Tramping Ground, the Brown Mountain Lights, Civil War ghosts, and the ghosts of New Orleans, to name a few.
Pat Fitzhugh has written two books about the Bell Witch: "The Bell Witch Haunting," and "The Bell Witch: The
Full Account."
The latter is an extensive 406-page account that follows the legend from North Carolina to Tennessee, and then to Mississippi. It contains a comprehensive index, detailed historical discussion notes, and a
wealth of history, theories, and perspectives on the legend.
Fitzhugh’s work in the paranormal field has led him to numerous radio and TV appearances, newspaper and magazine articles, speaking engagements, and a spot on the DVD of the 2006 Hollywood motion picture, "An American Haunting," starring Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek.
Days before the movie’s release, he discussed the Bell Witch legend with journalists from around the world at an international press conference facilitated by the Associated Press.
He also was a contributing author of "Weird U.S.," from Barnes & Noble Press. His next book release will be "Ghostly Cries from Dixie," an extensive compilation of ghost stories from the southeastern United States.
Being an author and a researcher isn’t always easy, he admits. "There have been plenty obstacles and setbacks
along the way, and every answer I find yields more questions."
So, why does he do it?
"Getting to meet so many nice and interesting people along the way makes it all worth it," he says, "it’s truly an honor to meet such people, and most of those friendships will last a lifetime."
An accountant by training and a school teacher by occupation, Pat Fitzhugh makes his home in rural Middle
Tennessee and enjoys playing the guitar, photography, and fishing. He may be reached through his web site at http://www.bellwitch.org.
Pat Fitzhugh's full press a
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