Haints, Hucksters, and Hoodoo
Southern folklore, ghost stories, and forgotten history from the heart of Dixie
Southern Folks And Ghosts
Southerners are descendants of folks from all over the world. We come from different races and ethnic groups, with various regional accents and speech patterns. You'll find all manner of cooking down here, too, from hickory-smoked pork to shrimp grits to pinto beans 'n cornbread. We like to kick up a fuss about who makes the best pork barbeque- Georgians like theirs shredded and smothered in sweet tomato sauce, while Alabamians pull it and serve it with spicy vinegar or white sauce. And in Louisiana- look out, cher! Tempers can flare like a ricocheted bullet. A young man from Thibodeaux nearly called off his wedding when his prospective in-laws served filé gumbo instead of okra gumbo at a pre-nuptial fais-do-do, arguing it was the only way to make gumbo. "My people don't go for no filé," he explained to his tearful bride. "It'd be like servin' up turkey instead of Daddy's smokehouse ham for Christmas. It ain't right and I ain't gon' stand for it."
Rooted in the Old South
From haints and hucksters to hoodoo and hijinks, Southern stories inspire, excite, and sometimes send a chill up the unwary spine. There is nothing finer than sitting on the front porch on a warm summer evening, spinning yarns and scaring the young 'uns.
Sign up for my newsletter and read short stories set in locations across the Old South — familiar places I've loved all my life. Sit down on my front porch and enjoy a glimpse of warm, easygoing life. Read about notable people, urban legends, and little-known history. Tuck into Southern recipes and learn some hoodoo. After all, you never know when you'll need to clear a "haint" from the house!
Stories of the Old South
Anne Bradshaw Clopton
A late 19th-century Alabama artist who painted portraits and scenes on the nearly invisible webs of the little brown spider — and whose filmy figure still dabs thin drops of oil paint onto fragile cobweb strands.
Captain Ma Greene
Captain Mary Becker 'Ma' Greene, who died in 1949, still pilots her beloved paddlewheel steamboat Delta Queen — peering through portholes at startled guests and reading by the light of a kerosene lamp.
Lost Souls of Vicksburg- the Gibraltar of the Confederacy
To escape the Yankee bombardment during the Siege of Vicksburg, many citizens fled into caves dug in the high riverbanks — and some of them never left.
American Cemetery, Natchitoches, Louisiana
In Natchitoches, Louisiana's American Cemetery, a miserable wanderer swings from the bough of an oak tree — her eyes bugging out, going woo-woo-woo like a hoot owl.
Theophilus Jowers
Assistant iron foundryman Theophilus Calvin Jowers once told his young wife, 'As long as there's a furnace standing in this county, I'll be there.' He kept that promise — in the most terrible way imaginable.
Snakes Came Down from the Mountain
A scary story set in 1940s North Alabama — hide under a quilt and pull your feet up under you! This story was broadcast as an old-time radio show by NoSleep Podcast in January 2025.
The Coonskin Cap
Can the ghost of Daniel Boone protect a young girl from her grandfather's pain? A story of mountain life, frontier code, and the love between a granddaddy and his girl — published in The Saturday Evening Post.
2025 and 2026 Killer Nashville Claymore Award Winner & First Runner Up Overall: Best Southern Gothic and Best Short Story Collection
Books and Stories by Venita Lynn Bonds
Gone Fishin' — Crime Takes a Holiday is an anthology of 23 crime stories from Sisters in Crime writers around the world. My story, "Dead Man's Reunion," closes the collection with a Louisiana twist that'll leave you guessing.
And be sure to grab a copy of GONE FISHIN'- CRIME TAKES A HOLIDAY from any bookseller. This is an anthology of 23 crime stories chosen from Sisters in Crime writers around the world. My story, "Dead Man's Reunion," is the final chapter-- and it's a doozy!
Past Books
Historical Romance Novels
My interests have changed since writing historical romance novels many years ago. I now write mysteries and thrillers—quite a change from romance—and not as likely to shock my beautiful Southern mother. These four novels have been out of print for a long time, but used copies can sometimes be obtained through eBay or Amazon. SAPPHIRE won Romantic Times' Best First Historical Romance Novel and was reprinted in Great Britain, Russia, and China. People all over the world love stories set during The War for Southern Independence.
Sapphire
When New Orleans beauty Arienne Lloyd first gazed into the eyes of the stranger who snatched her from the jaws of the sea, she thought she had died. Major Joshua Langdon, a Union officer posing as a Confederate soldier, was equally captivated by the sapphire-eyed rebel. But realizing his first duty was to a secret mission, Joshua rejected the one woman who could make him forget his loyalties. With her own allegiance to her beloved South, the bold Arienne had to fight for the heart of the man she called her enemy—even if it meant risking everything.
Diamond
Rafael Laffite had stolen a diamond in Mexico destined to power a secret weapon of war. Wounded during his daring escape, he staggered back to Alabama and into the arms of Lizzy McCord. Though it had been seven long years since he'd left her, the fiery inventor was still the most precious jewel he'd ever seen. Against her better judgment, Lizzy helped him escape to freedom in her hot-air balloon. There, in the sky, Rafe showed her the heights of ecstasy, and Lizzy knew this ride would yield the adventure and the love of a lifetime.
Pirate's Prize
Loire Chartier was a determined businesswoman and the most ravishing beauty in New Orleans. To the notorious gentleman pirate who caught a glimpse of her in a stolen portrait, she was more enticing than all the priceless treasures in the world. Dominique Youx soon charmed his way into Loire's life and captured her heart, but he carried a dark secret that threatened their newfound bliss. Only on a dangerous quest to save their beloved city from the British could they rekindle a passion as relentless as the war that raged from the bayous to the high seas.
Spell Weaver
Lady Taras sought to create a philter of love but instead, her subject became a toad—or so she thought. Summoned by her king, Taras was told that only her potion could save them from the Viking warlord wreaking havoc on the English troops. Legend claimed the man could not be killed. England had one chance: turn the mighty Cynewulf into a toad. But how could her sham potion subdue this powerful man? She would have to rely on a separate sorcery than what she'd brewed, and the only magic she knew was woven of love.
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I'd love to hear from you — whether you're a fellow Southerner, a lover of Southern stories, or just someone who stumbled onto this porch and decided to sit a spell.
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