Latest / What’s Up, Wake / Ghosts of the Triangle: Local Legends & Spooky Stories with Liz Pardue
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Winter is coming. Make sure your car is ready with Cary Car Care. Family owned and operated, they'll keep you safe on the road all season long. Give us a call at 919-380-0040 to schedule your winter service today. Or visit us at carycarcare.com. Cary Car Care, it must be right or we'll make it right. [00:01:17] Speaker 7: Hi there and welcome to What's Up Wake? Presented by the publishers of Cary Magazine, Wake Living, and Main and Broad, What's Up Wake covers the people, places, restaurants, and events, essentially all the cool stuff and great news of Wake County. I'm your host, Melissa Wissahuff. Join me as we find out what's up Wake. It's Halloween week and we're getting into the spirit, or should I say spirits. We're taking a little detour into the darker side of Wake County, where the stories are spooky, the legends are haunting, and some of our local history is downright eerie. And who better to guide us through the graveyard of local lore than storyteller Liz Pardue, a North Carolina native who has built a following by bringing local history to life through the stories, characters, and places hiding in plain sight all around us. Liz has a unique knack for making the past feel personal, fascinating, and sometimes downright creepy. Today, Liz is bringing us some of the most spine-tingling stories from right here in our own backyard. We're talking ghosts, haunted places, mysterious happenings, local legends, and maybe a few tales that will have you looking over your shoulder the next time you're out and about. . Hi, Liz. Hi. Welcome. Thank you so much for being here. Thanks. I'm delighted to be here. I've been following you for quite a while now on social media, and I do wonder when I watch your videos, after I'm done laughing or- Right ... you know, enter- being entertained by your stories, wondering how you got started into storytelling. Um, I grew up with storytellers. I remember Donna Washington coming to my elementary school and telling all this incredible folklore. I have storytellers in my family where we just, you know, spin a yarn, and um, I started because my gran told me a terrifying story of the Mako Train when I was, like, six, and then I wanted to tell everybody on the playground, uh, this terrifying story that kept me up all night in the way that stories become contagious and you wanna, like, get everybody on the same adrenaline high- Yeah that you're on. And, um, then I just kept wanting to go back for more and more material, and so I started l- uh, like, going to my local library and reading all of this old folklore just so I could tell it at, uh, slumber parties and Girl Scout camp outs. Well, I mean, and here you are. Right. So many years later, and you're still telling stories. They say if you do what you love, then you're never really working, right? Absolutely. So. Absolutely. Okay, so I've gotta get straight to the good stuff. You brought this book in. It's Fuquay-Varina Ghost Legends and Lore. I'm wondering if you could tell us your favorite story from this book. I know that's like choosing a favorite child, but- It is, but I also have a favorite ghost in all of North Carolina who is in that book. Oh. Right. Okay. So- So this is a twofer. Yeah. Yeah. So we had a mayor by the name of Wiley Cozart who, uh- was mayor of town. He also owned the building across the street from the Fuquay Mineral Spring, and he also, uh, had a private practice. He was a doctor, just a small town physician, and he was assassinated in office in 1952. Um, a gentleman who had been mistreated at what was known at the time as the Insane Asylum for Colored People in Greensboro believed that the doctor had bewitched him, and he went and he shot the doctor at his office. You can still see the desk at the Fuquay Historical Society Museum. I don't know how I've never heard this story. Yeah, it was huge news. Um, and then he was sent to the mental hospital in Goldsboro. So you would think that Wiley Cozart... By the way, he ran a h- a hotel right next to his house with his brother Ben called the Ben Wiley. It's 100 years old as of last year. But, uh, you would think that he'd be the one that haunts Olive Fuquay Mm-hmm But he's not. It's his wife, Pauline, because Pauline did something that is commonly known as prop lifting, where she liked to, instead of going to the gift shop whenever she would travel, she would take clippings of a plant and then go home and put it in water and make a new plant, uh, and then give it to all of her friends. And for, there's a, there's a tree in front of her old house that she saw when it was a sapling at the Biltmore Estate grounds, and she dug it up, and she put it in a coffee can. And she drove it back to Fuquay, and then she raised it in her yard, and she gave it to all of her friends. And almost every yar- uh, every... Sorry. Almost every plant in her yard is from some place she traveled to. The vines that run between the buildings were from the church where Martin Luther was buried. And I love her, and her spirit has been heard and smelled around the property for a long time. And I told this story online, and her family reached out and said, "We knew you were telling the truth about our grandmother, because the way you described her smell was exactly right." And what is that? It's a very powdery floral perfume. Oh. It doesn't smell- Oh, okay. I thought you were going towards, like, maybe she smelled like the flowers that she planted or- No, no, no. It smells like a- Her actual perfume ... her actu- well, yeah, like a powdery- Wow. Yeah, it's really lovely. And last year we had a gentleman come on our ghost tours, and he was smoking a cigar on the tour, and his wife made him stand, like, 10, 15 feet away from the group. And my tour guide came back and said, "I was standing there watching the group," and he suddenly jerked, and on his way out of the gate he asked his wife, "Did you tap me on the shoulder when we were in there?" And she said, "No, I had you stand away from the group 'cause you smelled so bad." And he said, "Before the tour guide even said the perfume story, I could smell that, and somebody tapped me really hard on the shoulder." No way. And we think it was Pauline trying to tell him not to mess up her garden with his cigar smoke. Yes. Go, good, good for Pauline. And one thing that's coming to mind, though, n- normal ghost stories that we hear are, like, couple centuries old. Right. This one is not that old. Right. 1952- 1952 ... you said he was assassinated. Yeah, and then she lived in the house for a couple decades after that. And so, you know, we have a lot of spirits in the area that aren't terribly old. There's a story in the book of, um, a gal, a gal, you know, just a ghost gal- ... bebopping around- Yeah ... Duncan Junction. And- We would've been friends, but whatever and she passed in the early aughts, and she was a teenage girl. She's wearing, uh, late '90s, early 2000s country core, as the kids would say. Okay. Yeah, she's a very recent-looking spirit. And where is she? She is just south of Fuquay in Duncan Junction area. Wow. I haven't heard of her either. She wears a camo puffer jacket and those light wash jeans that were very popular. Sh- they were flared at the bottoms. Uh-huh. And, uh, sh- Probably super low-waisted- Uh-huh ... because that was very early 2000s. Absolutely. Yeah. And a, a part down the middle with bleach blonde hair, and, like, remember we were all putting, uh, eyeliner just straight around with no wings or anything? Yes. Yes. Yeah, she looks like that, and she looks like just a normal gal walking on the roadside in the country. Do we know anything about her? There's a story that her date flipped his truck coming home from a party, uh- Ah ... ho- you know, homecoming weekend. Yeah. But that's just a bit of folklore- Yeah ... from what I understand from historical records, 'cause we do really try to do our research. Speaking of older stories, I feel like everybody listening probably knows the folklore about Mordecai House. Mm-hmm. Uh, the Oakwood Angel, really old, old, old stories Are there any stories that come to mind that you feel like should be as well known as, as those, but maybe- Absolutely ... people don't know The Heck-Andrews House, and oh, goodness, I'm gonna forget her name. I think it's Gladys Perry. I believe that's her name. Okay. But the Heck-Andrews House is this absolutely gorgeous Victorian mansion pretty close across the street from the governor's mansion. Mm-hmm. And up until the '80s, it was owned by a series of folks, and this woman, uh, was basically l- bequeathed it when her mother died, who was the owner of the house. And she was a hoarder, and apparently she would walk up and down the street around the governor's mansion, basically with the same type of face paint as Chappell Roan, just- ... white, white pancake makeup- Yeah ... and dark rouge on her lips and her cheeks. Sh- it was said she dressed that way so people would leave her alone, but then she would go around collecting and scavenging from dumpsters and trash, and then she would bring it back to this mansion. And the state took over half of the property, and she was unwilling and perhaps mentally unable to, uh, get rid of the house. But she was found in the middle of winter, freezing, and behind a p- a six-foot pile of rubbish, and she was removed and put into an apartment and taken care of until she passed. But they say that her spirit still haunts this house that she clung to until her very last. Mm. And I think it's such an interesting story of a house and its owners and, uh, just a spirit that really loved it but didn't know how to take care of herself or the property. Yeah. I do feel like most ghost stories, the ghosts themselves, um, stick around where they, either where they loved being the most or where something terrible happened. Something horrible happened, yeah And it's like one, one end of the coin or the other. Right. I mean, um, not really anywhere in the middle. Right. Okay. You are one of the best storytellers that I have come to follow. Thank you. And since it's Halloween week, I even wore my ghost sweater just for this occasion, I'm wondering if you can give us the top two or three creepiest local legends Oh, creepiest local legends. I mean, we have so many, and, uh- Our history is so vast in this area with, you know, the Civil War and, and, uh, uh, the, the '60s, and, uh, uh, slavery, and e- everything else that I, I feel like there are- Absolutely ... we have a plethora of stories. We sure do. And, um, I like the stories that we have of cryptids in the area. I love the story of the Devil's Tramping Ground, because there's something going on out there. Okay. Now, do I believe that the Dark Lord himself is clamoring out of the depths of hell to walk around in Chatham County, North Carolina every night? Yeah. No, but I do know folks that have seen, uh, what are sometimes known as not deer. The indigenous folks have a word for it that we should not say out loud or else it will call her close. Um- Oh ... but it's a, a half-human, half-deer, and I've heard a lot of reports of those out there. Um, I love the Devil's Tramping Ground. I haven't heard that. I've- Tell us about the, the Devil's, you said Devil's Tramping Ground. The Devil's Tramping Ground? Yes. It has been this perfectly circular 50-foot wide spot in the woods in Bear Creek, North Carolina, uh, like I said, Chatham County, and it has existed for centuries, even before Europeans got here. But the lore is that the Dark Lord comes there to do his bidding and really get away from it all every night, and the legend- Every night is exhausting every night. You would think he would take a little break. I know. Or that he would travel. He'd wanna see the rest- Yeah, yeah ... of the world. Maybe this is the only spot he's allowed to hang out. Yeah. It's very peaceful in Chatham County. Um- Well, it's, m- h- do you watch that show Ghost on CBS? Yes. It's like they, they're not allowed, they c- physically cannot leave- Right the spot where they died, so maybe that's- Yeah ... that's the story. But the story goes is that nothing will grow on that space. No birds will build nests or fly over the space. Animals will not cross the circle, uh, except for dogs. Dogs will do anything. But animals- Dogs are dumb. Yeah, yeah. Well, firing shots at dogs- No, I know. No offense to anyone out there. No, that's it. That's your viral clip right there. Um, but animals won't cross it, and if you place something in the circle at night, it will have been flung into the woods, and if you fall asleep in the circle at night, you will wake up deep in the woods around the circle, because it needs to be hallowed ground. And so, uh, I've heard a lot of different theories about some folks have seen mysterious lights out there. Some folks have seen not deer wandering around the area. I, I think it's spooky. I've been out there a couple times, and it's just a wide spot in the woods, but there is a vibe. There is a- Okay, so that's one. Okay. So I've got one story. Um, gosh. But you've spent time out there yourself? Yes. Okay. I, and I, which is funny, 'cause I'm- You're a wild one ... w- but I'm also- Brave ... a wuss. Yeah, I was about to say, I'm, I'm a wuss. I would not even go. If you invite me on your ghost hunting or investigation- Mm-hmm ... to a prison or a mental asylum, no, thank you. I will be snuggled up- Ah ... in my bed. Okay. No, no, no, I can't. I believe you. I think you'll have a great time. Do not invite me. I will cry, and I will ruin the vibes. That is so funny. Yeah. Every ghost I've seen has been against my will. Yeah. And I wasn't expecting it, and I didn't handle it well. And, like, I'm never gonna go and f- try to find them on purpose. Oh, what's another... Sorry, you asked me for two or three. Well, okay, why don't we go back to Fuquay, because you have a whole book about Fuquay. Now- Can you think of another story there? There's a house that many of the homeowners have believed had a portal to, and I say underworld in the ancient Greek way, but it's not a portal to hell or anything. It's a portal to the other side. Many homeowners said that they had to leave because, quote, «How would you like trying to fall asleep in Grand Central Station?» And the belief was that when Fuquay was a... It was used to be a resort for the health craze that swept through North Carolina in the, uh, turn of the century, the turn of the 20th century, and that was also the time that the spiritualism movement came across the United States. Ah. So people were reading tarot cards and having seances and taking pictures of ectoplasm. And they say that somebody who lived in this house opened a portal to the other side in the backyard. And one of the homeowners told me that she and her family would be sitting in the den watching television, and a spirit would walk through the front door, through the foyer of the house, and out the back of the house, and then they would read that person's obituary in the paper a couple days later. Wow. And that happened more than once while she was trying to raise a family in the house. There's also a spirit that made himself into a ghost, shall we say, upstairs, and, uh, every guest that stayed in the house had to be told, "Hey, you're going to hear him crying himself to sleep at night. Just tell him it's gonna be fine, and he'll chill out." But it would happen frequently enough that they had to give everybody a heads-up. Do people still live here? Yes. And they- I cannot even imagine ... and they have their, yeah, and they have their own stories. And I've spoken to every homeowner who's been there since the late '80s. Mm-hmm. And they all corroborate each other's stories even though a couple of them don't know each other. Wow. Yeah. Okay. I've been in the house. It feels really lovely in the daylight, but, you know. But you haven't stayed to- I haven't stayed the night ... to see, yeah- Yeah ... to see for yourself. No. Correct. Yeah. I don't blame you one bit Okay, you've already named some really creepy things, but I'm wondering, is there one place anywhere in the triangle that you absolutely would not dare go alone? You've already said you're a wimp, which I totally get. I'm, I'm wimping out with you, but I mean, yes. Uh, I will say that I find, uh, cemeteries to be very safe spaces. Okay. Like Oakwood Cemetery is just beautiful and it's just- It's peaceful, yeah ... it's a peaceful, lovely place of stories. Um- Well, and cemeteries do, to your point about stories, it's, it's really about history, and you're a history buff, so. Yeah, every place that I'm thinking of is just outside of the triangle. Uh, the- You can name one. That's fine. There is- We can take a day trip. So my buddy Joe Creech, who is on the board of directors at the Ava Gardner Museum with me, took me out to a place where there was a murder- Okay ... in his family back in the '60s, and, uh, I, I, I don't, I don't ever need to be in that house ever again. I felt something, and I didn't know it at the time. But I, I got to this space in the hou- He was just showing me, he was like, "This is a crazy story," and it made it to the tabloids 'cause it was Ava Gardner's family. And I got to the doorway and had the most horrible feeling I've ever had in my life, and I said, "I can't go in this room." I don't even consider myself a sensitive or a medium. Uh-huh. And he's like, "Okay, well, that's where Maddie Creech's husband shot her through the door." Ooh. And then once he told me that, it felt like somebody had thrown a bucket of ice water in my solar plexus, and I was like- Yeah ... "Okay, I'm good," and then- I'm good. Yeah. Yeah. See you later. It's not, I mean, I think there's a ghost there, but it's not, like, a haunted attraction that people go to. Mm. But it's the most- Mm-hmm ... terrified I've... And I've been to Mordecai, and I've been to Dorothy Dix and- Yeah ... that's the most terrified I've been in a place in a very long time. Yikes. Yeah. Also, again, broad daylight. Mm. You know? Wow. Yeah. Me no likey. Yeah. But it's not, like, a place that people can go visit, nor do I recommend it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so you, and you have said that you're, you're not seeking out any- Correct ... any creepiness, and I'm, I'm on the same page, but- I like a safe thrill. I like an A24 horror movie. I don't- Okay, and I don't even do that. Oh, okay. I am, I am a, I am a cutesy Halloween lover. I don't like any horror movies, anything scary. I won't watch a mystery show, nothing. Okay. No, I am- See, I can't watch SVU ... G, rated G, I'm good. I can watch supernatural, like, things that can't possibly happen, but I can't watch, like, Law & Order: SVU. That, 'cause that's too real. That's, that's... Yeah, yeah. Right. I can't do the real horror. Yeah. I do neither, fake or real. Nope. Nope, I'm good. But let's say, I, I, maybe you and I can team up to do this. Okay. Let's say that we go out with real ghost hunters, because we do have some in our area. Okay. Real paranormal experts. They've got the gear, the machinery. We promise that we're n- not gonna leave each other's sights, so we're gonna be safe, in other words, or we're just gonna scream our heads off, whatever. But let's say you could spend one night investigating a haunted place in our area. Would, where would you go? I mean- I mean, you- You mentioned Dorothea Dix. I don't mean- It would be Dorothea Dix Yeah, yeah. I know a lot of folks... Oh, I have so much, uh, I know a lot of folks that work there that were talking- Mm ... about the underground tunnels. Yes. Um, I also know a gal, and I hope she doesn't get mad that I'm saying this, uh, she worked for the park there, and some of the headstones have been used twice Because a lot of those are mass graves- Yeah. Mm-hmm ... that they've just disguised to look like, uh, individual cemeteries- Yeah ... for the families. And so there are a lot of disgruntled spirits out there. Mm-hmm. And, uh, yeah, if I had a really good team and a pair of Depends- Yes. Um, we could go- And somebody to laugh through it with. Right. Yes. We could go together. I'm a nervous laughter s- uh, laugher, so I'll just- Yeah ... laugh the whole time. The other thing is I really respect the work of Dorothea Dix and what she was trying to do. Yes. And when you read about the conditions of how things turned out because of the lack of funding, it is- Absolutely ... it is its own horror story. Mm. Uh, yeah, but I'm sure we would get a ton of activity. Each of those little homes out there that are used for buildings I've heard are haunted as well. Um- Like, they just created a new coffee shop there, and I, I really wanna go to the coffee shop, but I also walk into these buildings and try to think about the stories that, that lived there. Same, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And the things that those folks had to take home with them every day, and- Oh, yeah ... there's, yeah, I, the, ev- I mean, I can't even be there after dark, I'll be honest. I, again, I think if I was with people who, um, do this for a living and they've got all the machines and stuff- Sure ... and if I have my car real close by- Yep unlocked, ready to go- Right ... then I would be willing to try. Yes. So maybe next Halloween we can- And somebody to cling to. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can be your clinger. But I would ruin an investigation, 'cause I get the nervous laughter and kind of the weird- Yeah. ... shrill screaming, where I'm like, like- Yes ... every, like if you were like, "Hey, Liz," I would scream and start crying. Oh, yeah. So. Yeah. And then, uh, you'd hear me just huh, huh in the background. And the poor, yeah, and the p- And the poor people that are just out there to try to get real collections of data would just be like, "Will you guys shut up, please?" "Can you shut up?" Like- Yeah, you're messing up our- Yeah, I will ruin the vibe our investigation. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so maybe we'll, we'll not be invited. But there are so many stories out there- Mm-hmm ... and so many fascinating, uh, macabre elements to the operations. It was a small city, and for a while it was occupied by, uh, soldiers during the Civil War, and it, you know, there's so much to it that's its own dense ecosystem of history that it's fascinating and terrifying. Yeah. And I will read about it- And sad. Yeah. So much sadness there. And I will- Yeah ... I will read about it safely in my home. Yeah. And again, I'm such a wimp, I'm not even gonna read about it. Sure, yeah. Okay. I would like to know, especially now that I know that you, um, that you actually don't even like scary things very much- I like them in small doses, but yes, I hear you. If you could summon one historical Triangle resident to come back and have a conversation with you, who would it be? Oh, okay. It's actually, uh, André Leon Talley. Oh, yes. He is from here, or was from here. He, he wasn't from from here, but he lived in Durham for a very long time. A long time, yes. And he went to Central, and, uh, yeah, he was the editor at large of Vogue. Of Vogue. And he was this- Good one ... incredible stylist, and he only recently passed. Yes. And I always dreamed of running into him or something. He was such an icon and- And he is so- ... and did such important work ... yeah, and so, um, animated, and everything- Yeah ... is bigger than life. Yeah, he's, he's- That's a good one I thought you were gonna come back with one, like a person like the Heck Andrews house, you know? Somebody- Well, I thought about it ... from way back in the day. Yeah, I thought about all the historical folks, and I was like- Yeah ... "Oh, wait, we had Andre Leon Talley." Like- Yeah, come on now ... that's who I wanna- Yeah ... that's who I wanna sit down and spill tea with. Yes. That's a very good one, because then you can get all, all the good stuff about- I wanna know every- the models and the celebs and ... and Anna Wintour. I wanna know- Yeah ... everything. Oh, yeah. We'd get the real deets. I wanna know how to style a caftan. I wanna w- I wanna know... I like to wear draperies as an outfit, and that was his whole- Oh, yes ... look as well. Yeah. Love it. That's a great one. Okay, you are now coming to the end of your Tar Heels Terror speaking tour. Yes. But you, you have an ongoing tour that sh- I'm hoping you can tell us about. I do. Keep NC Weird? Yeah, and I, I talk a little bit about the spooky things, but it's also a walk through all of our odd history and people and, uh, inventions and the oddities that have come about here in the Old North State. And I tour it across the state. I do universities and libraries, and I mean, anybody that'll let me come and talk to them about it. Uh, I find that learning history is most effective and more fun when you find elements of the strange. I call it strange-baiting. And so yeah, I take it across the state. Uh, this is my second year with it. So it's kind of like, uh, a, a comedian, like stand-up comedy. It- But you're, you're standing up there telling- It's part stand-up comedy- ... stories ... part storytelling. Okay. Yeah, part history lesson. Mm-hmm. It's kinda like feeding... I've been saying it's like feeding a dog medicine wrapped in cheese. Yeah. People don't know they're getting a history lesson because- Yes I'm cloaking it in weirdness and jokes and- Mm-hmm. But yeah, we talk about Andre the Giant living here in Ellerbe. He had a ranch, and he was cremated in Southern Pines. He had 17 pounds of his ashes, uh, cremated in Southern Pines and then scattered across his farm in Ellerbe, North Carolina. Um, and you can still visit hi- You can sit in his La-Z-Boy and visit some of his effects at the Rankin Museum of American Heritage. I talk about all of the famous conjoined twins that end, or spent the rest of their lives here and were buried here. We had the Siamese twins, we had the original Hilton sisters, and we had Millie-Christine McCoy, and all three of them were world-famous conjoined twins that are buried here in the state. And- Really? Yeah. I talk about the mummy of Laurinburg who was on display in the McDougle funeral home. Oh, tell us about that one. Yes. Whoo. That is a story, I think you, I think I first heard it through you, so tell us about that one. In 1911, a gentleman named, uh, Concetto Farmica was a, a carnie, but he was working, uh, setting up a carnival just south of the North South Carolina border, and he got in a fight with a strongman who put a tent stake through his skull, and he was taken to nearby McDougle Funeral Home. Um, his father reached out and said, "We are Orthodox Catholic. We have a lot of rituals. The family may want to send the body back to Italy. Here's a down payment." I'm paraphrasing, obviously. But, "Here's a down payment. Please hold onto my son until we make further arrangements." McDougle said, "Of course, I will do that. I will be very respectful." And then, uh, when, uh, Farmica's father never returned, uh, the mummified corpse was then put on display and stayed on display for folks to pay a very small admission fee and look at. They couldn't pronounce a name like Concetto Farmica in in Laurinburg in the 19- or in the 1910s, so they just started calling him Spaghetti 'cause he was Italian. So they had Spaghetti the Mummy that hung on the wall. At first, they just had him, they tied a rope under his arms, and they hung him on the wall like a picture frame. And then after a while, McDougle was able to make enough money off of it that he got a really nice glass case, and that's where most folks when I tell this story that remember going to see Spaghetti, uh, they're like, "Oh, yeah, I remember seeing him in the glass case." Ah. And in the 1970s, a, um, local politician campaigned to get Spaghetti a proper burial. He was like, "Hey, guys, this is kind of disrespectful." Uh, yeah. So, and it doesn't make us as a people look real great. So- Yeah, it's not, it's not very good for our town image. Right. So in 1972, Farmica was, uh, was buried in Laurinburg, and you can still visit him there today. And the McDougle, uh, funeral home is also still going. Wow. I mean, okay, so- And from what I hear, they're very good people. I'm just reporting the facts. I'm just telling the story. Well, what, what stands out to me is that he was a carnie, so he kind of continued to be a carnie after death. Correct. Yeah. He became the attraction afterward. He was the show. Yeah Can you tell everybody how, where to follow you? Again, I love your social media. Thanks. You always have great stories, uh, on your, on your Instagram page in particular. But tell everybody where to follow you and where we can find your upcoming event schedule. Sure. I am Liz Z. Pardue, middle name is Z. Um, so liz.z.pardue is at Instagram, or lizzpardue on TikTok. Uh, I'm also lizzpardue.com. That's where all my events are. And yeah, I've got a lot of things coming up in 2027 I'm really excited about. And thanks so much for following along. Look, it's... This is just how I've been the whole time. It was my friends that encouraged me to just put it on the internet. Mm-hmm. So. It's good timing, because I mean, it sounds like you've blown up on the internet. Yeah. And it's really a testament to your storytelling abilities too. Thank you. Look, all- And adding in the sprinkles of, of fun ... all of my report cards always said, "She is a pleasure in class, a studious learner. We just can't keep her from talking." So. So you're right where your teachers- Right where- ... thought you would be. Yeah. And, and everybody, pick up your book. Where can we find this? This is on Amazon. You can also get it at K&B's Marketplace. You can get it at So & So Books in Raleigh. Uh, and Iris Books, which is a popup truck, um, around the lower Wake County area. Thank you again so much for being here. I hope you have a very happy Halloween. Thank you. Happy Halloween. And a great rest of your year with all the speaking engagements you have. Thanks so much. Thanks for listening to What's Up Wake with Melissa Wistehuff, presented by the publishers of Cary Magazine, Wake Living, and Main and Broad. Follow them on social media @carymagazinenc, @mbmagazinenc, and @wakelivingmagazine. Visit each magazine's website at carymagazine.com, mainandbroadmag.com, and wakeliving.com to check out the latest digital edition of each magazine and find pickup locations. Be sure to subscribe and leave a five-star review to help others find us. Music provided by Angie Bagley and Chris Bagley. This show is produced by Podcast Cary.