Writer plans book about ghost stories on Route 66

Richard Southall plans to write a book about ghosts and paranormal activity along Route 66, and is searching for additional such stories in Arizona, reported the Kingman Daily Miner.

Southall has written another book, “How to Be a Ghost Hunter,” with Llewellyn Publications. He wants his Route 66 ghost stories book in stores by 2013.

Southall wants to go beyond common urban legends and publish personal accounts from residents, business owners and tourists. In his early research, he collected several stories from Illinois, California, Kansas and Missouri, but he is still looking for more Arizona stories.

There are 401 miles of Route 66 in Arizona, he said, so there has to be some good stories out there. […]

In addition to the stories, Southall wants to add a directory that lists paranormal groups on Route 66, so interested readers can learn more.

“It’s going to be a fairly large book,” Southall said.

Southalll asks that people with a story they would like to share or a paranormal group or tour they want included in the book to please email or write him as soon as possible. Email him at route66ghostbook@gmail.com or write to P.O. Box 8212, Nutter Fort, WV. If sending an email, put the state that the story originates from in the subject line.

One of the stories that undoubtedly will be included is the death site of Sam Kinison. The comedian and actor died in a car crash on old Route 66 near Needles, Calif., in 1992. According to Southall, locals say they sometimes glimpse Kinison’s white Trans Am on that stretch of road. Also, the sound of screeching brakes and crashing metal sometimes is heard there.

Another book, “Missouri’s Haunted Route 66,” was published a few years ago. And “Haunted Highway: The Spirits of Route 66” remains in the marketplace. However, the latter volume was published in 1999 and hasn’t been updated, to my knowledge.