A Word Please

I’m excited to introduce everyone to author Donald Allen Kirch! After reading his book MANCHESTER HOUSE, I contacted Donald about his book, the inspiration behind it, and an extraordinary experience he mentions in his bio. Donald graciously agreed to share with us today the story of his ghostly experience!

First, a little about Donald:

Donald Allen Kirch lives in Kansas City, Missouri. He is an avid reader of history, Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, and the paranormal. He has a degree in Radio and Television Arts, and is listed in “Who’s Who in America.” After spending two weekends in the famous “Sallie House,” a “haunted house” featured on the Fox TV-series Sightings, in Atchison, Kansas, he is one of the only authors of his genre who can claim to have been attacked by a ghost!
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About MANCHESTER HOUSE:

Manchester House was built upon secrets and blood. Even the land upon which it was built was considered…bad.

No one in the town wanted to admit that the ancient house even existed. All homes facing the ruin had their windows boarded shut. All roads to the thing were blocked, overgrown, or forbidden.

Manchester House was a beacon of evil at the center of a small Kansas Town with a dark and mysterious past that would not go away. All tried to forget it even existed — until the police had to bring the bodies out.

When a group of professional “ghost hunters” explore a local haunted house, they descend into absolute darkness and terror, learning the incredible truth behind the legend of MANCHESTER HOUSE.
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Donald’s Story:

“I Was Attacked By a Ghost!”
By Donald Allen Kirch

Since the publication of my horror novel “Manchester House” back in November of 2009, I have received a lot of compliments, some conservative praising, and one of two “WTF’s?” I appreciate all of them – even the negatives. In all things, we learn by doing. However, this book was an important exception to me. It was inspired by a true event.

In short: I was attacked by a ghost.

Back in 2004, I knew a group of individuals who wished to get together and form a production company. Their goal was to create low budget documentaries, which they hoped to feature on an online website. They all seemed passionate and willing enough to do the incredible task ahead, so I joined them as a creative consultant. It was a slow summer, and, frankly, I had nothing better to do.

While at one board meeting, blowing spit bubbles of boredom, someone suggested that we do a documentary on “haunted houses.”

Suddenly, my ears perked up and my spit bubbles ran dry!

As a child, I loved to watch the TV series “In Search Of…” Some of their best episodes were on the subjects of ghosts, haunted houses, and curses – I have a giant sweet tooth for this stuff, and knew the suggestion was “gold.” I also remember one of the researchers from that television series. His name was Hans Holzer.

Hans Holzer had more degrees than a thermometer. He specialized in paranormal studies, and was quite intelligent and timid-looking. I watched this guy on TV, carrying an old-fashioned cassette recorder, and a cheesy microphone, claiming to be chasing ghosts. And, as a child, I bought it! I ate it up like candy after a diet! He struck an everlasting and positive cord in my early memory. I named one of my main characters in “Manchester House” after him, in his honor.

In any case, to continue…

Having explained to the entire crew that I knew “something” of the paranormal, I suggested we scope out Atchison, Kansas – not too far from Kansas City, MO where we all lived. Atchison, Kansas was once an important hub in the American Railroad Empire, it was the starting place of the “Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad, Companies,” it was also the hometown of Amelia Earhart, the famous female aviator. Also, this small hamlet of a Kansas town, held yet another important honor – it is considered the “Most Haunted Town in Kansas.”

We agreed. Atchison would be the setting of our documentary.

Several members of the crew started to investigate, contact, and scout out the town. While doing this, we came across some incredible luck – the owner of the “Sallie House” was going to allow us the opportunity to stay two weekends, alone, within the residence. And, he was going to do it for free!

The “Sallie House” is a two-story, post Civil War home, built in the 1890’s, and had been featured in the Fox TV series “Sightings” and the Learning Channel’s documentary “Haunted Town.”

The story behind the house is this…

In the late Nineteenth Century, the home was owned by a medical practitioner, who had also once been the Mayor of Atchison. As was the practice of the time, he had live-in servants. One was an attractive black woman, whose name has been lost with time. In short, she and the doctor had an affair, and from that affair “Sallie” was born.

“Sallie” lived in the house, and she, her origins, and her mother’s affair were closely guarded secrets. It would not have served the doctor any, for those amongst him, or his peers to learn that he had fathered a black child. Again, this was not an enlightened time, and “color” was an important gage upon the social ladder.

In any case, “Sallie” ended up having trouble with her appendix.

As the story goes, the doctor, and “Sallie’s” father, had a drinking problem. And, upon the night in question, the man had been deep within his cups. Solidly drunk, the man inadvertently allowed his daughter to die upon the operating table, and was never held responsible for the act. In the eyes of the times, it was just the death of another servant’s child.

“Sallie,” according to legend, was buried in a nameless grave – or – within the confines of the doctor’s basement. Either fact is impossible to prove. As with “Sallie’s” mother, her family name has been lost. To find a grave would be quite impossible. Note: Several psychics have claimed that “Sallie” has a grave, and that site has been examined, but to no apparent conclusion.

Upon her death, “Sallie” declared war on all male occupants of her house.

In August of 2004, we ventured into this house, never fully seeing the danger we were putting ourselves into.

Now, before this episode, I had always been a believer in the afterlife. However, time, taking her course upon an open mind and an adult heart, I became a skeptic. I still believed, mind you, but I also believed in the human ability to create a fraud. One of my favorite quotes is, “If it’s put on a T-shirt, and makes money, then it will never go away.” Two great examples: Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. Next to Elvis…the biggest “tourist traps” in the world!

So, as a skeptic, I was chosen as a member of the “crew.”

The owner of the “Sallie House” informed us that he was preparing the home for a new client. The house is a rental, and was in between residents. So, we would not be held back by manners or film restrictions. In short, we had full reign.

Upon our entrance, things turned weird. A cameraman, and a non-believer, instantly started to become sick. Vomiting several times, he left. The man never again set foot in the house.

Instantly, our digital camera started to have problems. A photographer’s flash wouldn’t work, and batteries drained like there would be no tomorrow. All our hard work was starting to fail at each and every corner.

Luckily, our two backup cameras still worked.

Heading down into the home’s basement, we decided to do some filming there.

The basement of the “Sallie House” is quite ordinary. It consisted of a long wooden staircase, furnace, and lovely riverbed rock walls.

There was also something else.

A black pentagram.

Someone, we do not know who, had drawn a black pentagram upon the floor, directly in front of the furnace. This, I have to say, freaked me out.

One of the cameramen decided to try our new “night vision” camera filter.

We turned off the lights.

The cameraman started his filming.

A scream was heard.

Flipping the basement lights back on, we discovered that one of our team was attacked by a brick. In point of fact, there are no bricks in the basement of the “Sallie House,” other than those in the chimney. As mentioned, the walls are constructed from riverbed rock. At first, we all took the attack as a kind of “April Fools” joke. So, the lights went out again, and the bricks continued to fly. All in all, six. Each victim hit was a male within our group. I had been personally grazed by a brick that hit me in the right kidney area.

Then, came my attack.

As we continued our investigations, I was taking notes in the hallway on the second floor, between the bathroom and nursery. I had come to the conclusion, while in the basement, that there was something genuine about this haunting, and was writing that in my notes, when, upon heading down the main staircase, I felt something.

As I remember, I felt a small pair of hands – like those of a child – taking hold of my ankles, and a rather adult pair of hands grabbing me at the shoulders.

My pen stopped in mid-sentence.

My eyes, I’m sure, opened quite wide.

And, my world changed.

All at once, the child’s hands pulled my feet off the steps, and the adult hands upon my shoulders pushed. If it had not been for my instant reaction to place my right hand against the staircase wall, and my left upon the railing, I’m sure that I could have fallen down the stairs, breaking my neck. The staircase is indeed long and deep enough to cause serious energy.

I am not one for delusional fantasies – I create too many on my own and need little help.

This…happened.

I was attacked.

And, until the day I pass, I will state this for the record.

There was “something” within the confines of the small Kansas house, that did not like or want us there. If it is the child ghost known as “Sallie” she got her wish. Upon being attacked, and having felt a level of personal horror I have never felt before, I left. I had people in our group tell me, later, that it appeared that I had been lifted from the stairs, and thrown from my footing. I thank God, that I had the presence of mind – or instinct, at least – to take some kind of action.

There are more things in both Heaven and Earth that are beyond our dreams or thoughts.

If you ever find yourself in the town of Atchison, Kansas, why not take a drive down Second Street and find out for yourself.

“Sallie” is waiting.

She has all the time in the world.
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Whether you believe in ghosts or not, you have to admit that this is a fascinating story!

You can learn more about Donald and his books, as well as purchase his paperbacks, on his website: www.donaldallenkirch.com

His books are available in e-book format on Fictionwise.

And here are his books on Amazon:

Tags: Donald Allen Kirch, ghost attacks, ghostly encounters, ghosts, Guest Authors, haunted houses, hauntings, horror authors, horror books, Manchester House, paranormal suspense, Sallie House, Sightings