44 Years in Darkness by Sylvia Shults

Sylvia Shults

Sylvia Shults combines her love of history and her fascination with ghost stories to write passionate, intriguing books of paranormal nonfiction.

Subscribe 9 subscribers

About the author

Sylvia Shults is the author of Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River. She sits in dark places so you don't have to. She lives a short motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital.

After battling a lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear".

	Profile verified
	http://www.sylviashults.wordpress.com
	View profile

Pre-orders

Funded

$310.00

Days left

0 250 500 1000

Success! 44 Years in Darkness has already sold 10 pre-orders , was pitched to 18 publishers , and is in discussions with publishers .

$20 Copy of 44 Years in Darkness

3 readers

Be the first on your block to get a signed copy of 44 Years In Darkness when it's released at the beginning of October, 2016. You'll get a digital copy of the book, too, because I'm cool that way. You'll also get a magnet with the cover of the book, just perfect for sticking your grocery list to your fridge, or to your stove, or to your neighbor's car ... you get the idea. Choose from two designs -- the cover of 44 Years in Darkness, or a magnet with the QR code for Lights Out, my ghost story podcast.

1 copy + ebook included

$5 shipping

$30 Advance Copy of 44 Years in Darkness

5 readers

Be the first EVER to get a signed ARC (advanced reading copy) of 44 Years In Darkness. With this perk, you get your hot little hands on the book at the beginning of August, 2016 -- two whole months before it hits bookstore shelves. Plus you get your choice of magnet, because you can never have too many magnets.

1 copy + ebook included

$5 shipping

$50 Gift Shop Perk

0 readers

This perk is for managers of museum gift shops (or for anyone who really, REALLY likes books). Buy five copies of the book for $10 each. (Copies will retail for at least $15). Stock your store shelves with quality nonfiction.

5 copies + ebook included

$5 shipping

$50 Book + Skype

0 readers

This perk is for those awesome people who already own a copy of Fractured Spirits. You get a signed copy of 44 Years In Darkness when it comes out in October 2016, plus a digital copy, and a Skype Q&A with the author. We'll sit and chat one-on-one about history, ghosts, other spooky stuff, your pets, my pets -- just about anything, really! And I do have some magnets left, so let me know which one you want.

1 copy + ebook included

$5 shipping

5 of 5 left

$50 The Matched Set

1 reader

With this perk, you get a signed copy of 44 Years when it comes out in October, plus a digital copy, plus a signed copy of Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital -- the book that kind of started it all. Feed your need to read with a double whammy of history and hauntings. Plus your choice of magnets, because why not?

2 copies + ebook included

$10 shipping

$90 Gift Shop Perk

0 readers

This perk is for managers of museum gift shops (or for anyone who really, REALLY likes books). Buy ten copies of the book for $9 each. (Copies will retail for at least $15). Stock your store shelves with quality nonfiction.

10 copies + ebook included

$5 shipping

$100 Stock Up

0 readers

Christmas is just around the corner. Got friends or family who dig history and/or ghost stories? This perk gets you five signed copies of 44 Years when it's released at the beginning of October 2016, in plenty of time for you to wrap them. (And yes, I'll sign them all to different people if you want me to. Hey, I'm easy.)

5 copies + ebook included

$15 shipping

$100 PARTAYYYY!

0 readers

We've got one more super fun perk at this level. This perk gets you an ARC (advanced reading copy) of 44 Years at the beginning of August, AND an invitation for you and a friend to attend the launch party for the book. Show up at the Peoria State Hospital Museum in Bartonville, Illinois, on Monday October 10 at 7 pm, to help us launch the book and celebrate Rhoda's birthday. Or party with us at Pandora's Box in Pekin, Illinois, on Friday October 28, from 4 to 8 pm. (Travel arrangements are strictly the responsibility of the donor. I'll feed you cake, but you gotta get here on your own.)

1 copy + ebook included

$5 shipping

$120 Gift Shop Perk

0 readers

This perk is for managers of museum gift shops (or for anyone who really, REALLY likes books). Buy twenty copies of the book for $6 each. (Copies will retail for at least $15). Stock your store shelves with quality nonfiction. (Note that this perk is pretty much the same offer as the "fifteen copies for $8 each". So you might as well get twenty for $6. Just sayin'.)

20 copies + ebook included

$15 shipping

$120 Gift Shop Perk

0 readers

This perk is for managers of museum gift shops (or for anyone who really, REALLY likes books). Buy fifteen copies of the book for $8 each. (Copies will retail for at least $15). Stock your store shelves with quality nonfiction.

15 copies + ebook included

$5 shipping

$125 Gift Shop Perk

0 readers

This perk is for managers of museum gift shops (or for anyone who really, REALLY likes books). Buy twenty-five copies of the book for $5 each. (Copies will retail for at least $15). Stock your store shelves with quality nonfiction.

25 copies + ebook included

$5 shipping

$150 History Tour

0 readers

Oh, it gets really interesting from here. This perk lands you an ARC of 44 Years at the beginning of August. Then, you and a friend get to join me for a personal tour of the Peoria State Hospital Museum, the four asylum cemeteries, and the Pollak Hospital, all nestled together on the hilltop in Bartonville, Illinois. Stroll the grounds of the asylum with me as your guide. Enjoy a historical tour of the Pollak Hospital with costumed interpreters from the asylum's history. Ask all the questions you like -- we love to talk about history AND ghosts! (Travel arrangements are strictly the responsibility of the donor. This perk is, unfortunately, not available during October, due to the Haunted Infirmary being set up at the Pollak Hospital.)

1 copy + ebook included

$5 shipping

3 of 3 left

$300 Let's Be Ghost Hunters!

0 readers

Like the paranormal? Got some buddies who are willing to ghost hunt with you in a haunted tuberculosis ward? Join me for a personal tour of the Pollak Hospital, complete with costumed actors who portray scenes from the asylum's history. We'll visit the Peoria State Hospital Museum, just down the road. And you and three friends will get to hang out with us on an overnight ghost hunt of the Pollak and the four cemeteries. Be sure to bring the signed ARCs of 44 Years you got with this perk! (Travel arrangements are strictly the responsibility of the donor. This perk is, unfortunately, not available during October, due to the Haunted Infirmary being set up at the Pollak Hospital.)

4 copies + ebook included

$20 shipping

3 of 3 left

44 Years in Darkness

A True Story of Madness, Tragedy, and Shattered Love

Rhoda Derry spent decades locked away in an almshouse, battling severe mental illness. Her crime? Falling in love. She had been "cursed" by the mother of the boy she was engaged to marry. She was eventually rescued by Dr. Zeller of the Peoria State Hospital, spending her final years surrounded by caring nurses.

Share Tweet LinkedIn Embed pszr.co/mXCXX 2565 views

	Journalism History
	75,000 words
	75% complete
	11 publishers interested
	View publishers

11 publishers interested

	Agora Publishing Agora Publishing is a Canada-based not-for-profit organization, founded in 1997 with the aim of making book publishing accessible to all writers across Canada and internationally. We are the only hybrid book publisher which is also a cable TV show producer; newspaper publisher; social media marketer and search engine marketing organization. Do you have a Twitter following of at least 5000? We will interview eligible authors for 15 minutes for our cable TV show broadcast. If your raw interview footage generates at least 1000 views within a four day period, we will air your interview on our cable TV show. Contact us for more information. Applications are due Saturday, May 29, 2021. #authors #bookmarketing #writers #tv Hybrid publisher All categories Worldwide
	Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. 250 copies • Completed manuscript. Atlantic Publishing has been providing millions of readers information to jumpstart their careers, start businesses, manage employees, invest, plan for retirement, learn technologies, build relationships, and live rewarding, fulfilling lives. Our award-winning authors and publication staff strive to make our products the best and most up-to-date available. We go further than most publishers to get our customers the best products. Hybrid publisher Children Fiction, Mind & Body, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Politics & Social Sciences, Society & Culture Worldwide
	Boyle & Dalton 250 copies • Completed manuscript. Boyle & Dalton was founded in 2014 and publishes works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. The world of publishing is changing, we're changing with it. Our founder Brad Pauquette, conceptualized a hybrid model that balances the financial and rights model of self-publishing with the quality controls and production excellence of a traditional publisher. Our designers and editors produce exceptional books that are distributed in both print and digital formats to all major retailers, including Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Boyle & Dalton carefully consider all submissions for publication, based on manuscript quality. We do not accept erotica or children's books. Hybrid publisher Christian Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBT Fiction, Literary Essay, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Mythology & Folk Tales, Poetry, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Women's Fiction, YA Fiction, Art & Photography, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Children Non-Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Coloring Books for Grown-Ups, Comics & Graphic Novels, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Communication Skills, Corporate Culture, Crafts & Hobbies, Creativity, Current Affairs, Economics, Education, Entrepreneurship & Small Business, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Humor & Entertainment, Illustrated Books, Journalism, LGBT Non-Fiction, Management & Leadership, Marketing & Sales, Mindfulness & Happiness, Money & Investment, Motivation & Inspiration, Nature & Environment, Parenting, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Philosophy, Politics & Social Sciences, Popular Science, Productivity & Time Management, Psychology, Reference, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Sex & Relationships, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel, YA Non-Fiction Worldwide
	Inside Edge Publishing 100 copies • Partial manuscript. Inside Edge Publishing works with our writers every step of the way on their literary journey, helping to bring out the most from their work. From an idea and rough draft to editing and publication, Inside Edge Publishing helps our authors produce high quality, interesting and entertaining books. We are looking for innovative writing in just about any genre but love memoirs, thrillers, sci-fi, business, and motivational books just to name a few. Our books frequently appear on the bestseller lists and our authors are among some of the best known in their genre. At Inside Edge Publishing, we believe that every author has a story to tell and that every story deserves to be told. Hybrid publisher All categories
	1106 Design, LLC Dear Author, You worked hard to write your manuscript; finally, it's ready to release. You know that expert assistance is needed, but perhaps you didn’t know that it’s no longer necessary to work with a publisher—especially publishers who charge fees to produce your book upfront and deduct more costs on the back end whenever a book is sold. 1106 Design is an author services company. We provide all the editorial and design services you’d expect from a publisher to turn your manuscript into a market-ready book—editing, cover design, interior layout, proofreading, eBook formatting, and more—at the traditional publisher level. Unlike a publisher, we’ll help you obtain print-on-demand printing and worldwide distribution in your name so that you earn, in most cases, several dollars more for every book sold instead of a measly “royalty.” We’ll customize a package of services to suit your exact needs at affordable prices ranging from $4,000 to $10,000, depending on your manuscript's word count and complexity. And we’ll manage all the intricacies of book production, so you don’t have to. After this one-time investment, every penny of net revenue from book sales goes directly to you, never to us. If this sounds like a better way to publish your book, I invite you to browse our services, design samples, no-surprises pricing, outstanding customer reviews, and educational articles at https://1106design.com. 1106 Design has been in business since 2001 and is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. We are a “Highly Recommended Expert” at IngramSpark.com and rated "Excellent" at Alli, The Alliance for Independent Authors, at SelfPublishingAdvice.org. How can we serve you today? Sincerely, Michele DeFilippo, owner Service publisher Children Fiction, Christian Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Essay, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Mythology & Folk Tales, Poetry, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Women's Fiction, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Children Non-Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Communication Skills, Corporate Culture, Current Affairs, Economics, Education, Entrepreneurship & Small Business, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Humor & Entertainment, Journalism, Management & Leadership, Marketing & Sales, Mindfulness & Happiness, Money & Investment, Motivation & Inspiration, Nature & Environment, Parenting, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Philosophy, Politics & Social Sciences, Popular Science, Productivity & Time Management, Psychology, Reference, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Sex & Relationships, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel, YA Non-Fiction, Science Fiction & Humour Worldwide
	Atmosphere Press 250 copies • Partial manuscript. Atmosphere Press is an independent publisher dedicated to author rights. We publish in all genres and have an exceptional editorial, design, and promotional staff. We stand for Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, and Kindness. We want our authors and their readers to be blown away when they first hold that book in their hands. It needs to look good inside and out, and feel good to the touch. And, of course, the words need to be top-notch, and our editors are devoted to making that the case. Service publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel Worldwide
	Authors Unite 250 copies • Partial manuscript. Authors Unite helps you become a profitable author and make an impact. We take care of printing and distribution through major online retailers, developmental editing, and proofreading with unlimited revisions. We take care of the entire process for you from book cover design all the way to set up your backend so all your book royalties go straight to your bank account. We can also help with ghostwriting if you prefer not to have to figure out all the steps on how to write a book yourself. With our book marketing services, you don’t need to worry about figuring out all the steps on how to market a book or how to become a bestselling author. We’ve helped hundreds of authors become bestselling authors on Amazon, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. We take care of the entire book launch process for you to help you sell thousands of copies of your book and become a bestselling author. View case studies here: https://authorsunite.com Service publisher Children Fiction, Christian Fiction, Comics & Graphic Novels, Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBT Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Mind & Body, Mythology & Folk Tales, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Women's Fiction, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Children Non-Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Communication Skills, Corporate Culture, Crafts & Hobbies, Creativity, Current Affairs, Economics, Education, Entrepreneurship & Small Business, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Humor & Entertainment, Journalism, LGBT Non-Fiction, Management & Leadership, Marketing & Sales, Mindfulness & Happiness, Money & Investment, Motivation & Inspiration, Nature & Environment, Parenting, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Philosophy, Politics & Social Sciences, Popular Science, Productivity & Time Management, Psychology, Reference, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Sex & Relationships, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel, YA Non-Fiction, Science Fiction & Humour Worldwide
	BookFuel From Manuscript to Market. We help authors self-publish their books by providing the professional services needed to get books into book stores. Services offered include: Editing, Cover Design, Print Layout, eBook Conversion, and Distribution. Our unique Boost program allows authors to have their books created for $2,399. The process is guided by a dedicated Account Manager, who's goal is to produce the book the author envisioned. With BookFuel, authors retain 100% of their rights, ownership of their files, and all their royalties. Service publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel Worldwide
	Happy Self Publishing 100 copies • Completed manuscript. Happy Self Publishing has helped 500+ authors to get their books self-published, hit the #1 position in the Amazon bestseller charts, and also establish their author website & brand to grow their business. And the best thing is, we do all this without taking away your rights and royalties. Let's schedule a call to discuss the next steps in your book project: www.meetme.so/jyotsnaramachandran Service publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel Worldwide
	IngramSpark 100 copies • Completed manuscript. Ingram is a rather large company with several different divisions and supplies books to bookstores and libraries in over 200 countries around the world. Ingram also has a print on demand digital printing company, Lightning Source. IngramSpark is the platform that combines those two services together. At IngramSpark, we work with authors and independent publishers to print their books for orders they need (no minimum order) and we have a way to list the books as available for sale to all of Ingram’s 39,000+ customers- distributors, bookstores, retail outlets, libraries, etc., so you never miss a sale. You would provide us with the print-ready digital files (one for the cover and one for the interior) and we print the books as they are sold through our distribution partner’s websites. We pay you for those sales approximately 90 days later. The compensation you earn is based on the retail price you set, minus the wholesale discount you offer our distribution partners, minus the print cost. Service publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Personal Growth & Self-Improvement, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel Worldwide
	ShieldCrest Publishing ShieldCrest are book publishers based in the UK who fill that vital gap for talented authors where mainstream publishers are unwilling to give them that chance. We strive for excellence and invest in our authors and are listed in FreeIndex as the number one independent publisher in the UK for price quality and service rated author satisfaction. We publish books of all genres including; fiction, historical, biographies and children's books. ShieldCrest publishing continues to grow rapidly with satisfied authors throughout the UK and overseas. Our range of products includes paperbacks, hardbacks and digitised e-books in all formats used globally in the myriad of e-readers. In addition to the above, ShieldCrest provides a complete range of services including book design and layout, illustrations, proof reading and editing. For marketing we offer author web page, press releases, social media marketing packages and many other support services to help both first time and experienced authors get their books into the market quickly and maximise on the opportunities available. These services enable us to guide our authors through the process as we transform their manuscript into a professional book, which can take its place with pride next to any famous author's book of the same genre. The staff at ShieldCrest have many years experience in the book industry and this wealth of experience is put at the disposal of our authors. Our clients include established authors such as Diane Marshall who has been acclaimed as the best writing talent to come from Scotland for years by The Scotsman newspaper, and Prof Donald Longmore OBE, who performed the first heart transplant in the UK and has sold thousands of medical books used by students throughout the world. We also recently released "Martin Foran-The Forgotten Man" by J.R. Stephenson, which features fraud within the police, abuse within the prison service and injustices in the courts and has been featured in the press and on TV. Service publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel Worldwide

The author hasn't added any updates, yet.

cancel

Mildred Derry
on June 16, 2016, 4:35 a.m.

reply

She is family and I like reading about her from different people

Sylvia Shults
on June 16, 2016, 3:06 p.m.

reply

Thanks Mildred -- and now you'll get to read the book two months before everyone else does! I appreciate the preorder. :)

Kim Setraycic
on June 22, 2016, 1:11 p.m.

reply

I enjoyed reading your Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital and know this book will be another page turner that will be hard to put down. Good luck with your campaign...cannot wait for August to roll around.

Brandy Yassa
on June 24, 2016, 11:39 p.m.

reply

I am very much looking forward to receiving signed copies of both books mentioned, the e-book, & of course we mustn't for get the magnet (which is very cool since I collect them😉)!
I was my pleasure to help support your campaign, and I will share it around as well...good luck!! 😊

Search

Sylvia Shults

About the author

44 Years in Darkness