Ghost Stories of Sarasota

If you love stories of ghosts and the paranormal, you'll want to check out Historic Venice Press and a woman named Kim Cool. Cool, a resident of Venice, is intrigued by phantoms and spirits, so much so that in 2001 she created her own publishing company to publish books about them. Since 2002 when her first, Ghost Stories of Venice, Ghost Stories of Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Ghost Stories of Sarasota, and Ghost Stories of Fort Myers is in production. (She's also published Cool Road Trips in Southwest Florida.)

Ghost Stories of Sarasota was of immediate interest to me because I lived in Sarasota for a number of years and was active in The Players of Sarasota, the local community theatre where one of Cool's stories takes place. And I wasn't disappointed although The Players' ghost was well after my time. The book is charming, written in a pleasant, conversational style and visits some of the best known sites in Sarasota - the Ringling Museum, the Asolo Theater, Ringling's home Cad'Zan, the Sarasota Opera House, the Golden Apple Dinner Theater, to name a few.

It also features a few folks well known in the Sarasota area - John and Mable Ringling, Dale Shields a/k/a The Pelican Man, legendary animal trainer Gunther Gebel Williams, Will Rogers, Flo Ziegfeld. In addition, Cool interjects much Sarasota history and lore so that the book is an entertaining and enlightening read.

Cool's ghosts are neither evil nor threatening. Many times, they seem protective of loved ones or properties or, in the case of The Pelican Man, wildlife. In the case of The Players' ghost, a talented 16-year-old actress died as the result of a freak accident involving a drunk driver in 1997. She and her boyfriend were both actors there. A few weeks later, another actor arrived at the theater early for a rehearsal of "Call Me Madame" in which he had a role. While backstage he spotted a lovely young girl near the costume department. He asked if he could help her, and she said, "No." Later the first actor saw a photograph of the girl near the boyfriend's dressing table. He said. "Is that your girlfriend? I saw her backstage here last week." The boyfriend turned pale.

Books reviewed in this column are available online or at your local bookstore.

(c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.