Ponce De Leon landed in St. Augustine back in 1513 and founded the “Fountain Of Youth.” It was then that he claimed the land for the great nation of Spain. That piece of land was the entire North American continent. He was the true founder of the Americas, even though Columbus got the credit. However, De Leon’s discovery would eventually kill him when he came to the Tampa Bay area by Native Americans. Florida, from the time it was founded, would have many conquests throughout its history that would end up bloody. St. Augustine was another place where pirates would pillage the villages, killing all they could reach. From coast to coast this state has seen its share of murders, conquests and wars, so it’s no wonder there are many haunted places in this paradise state. Ponce De Leon’s discovery was the first start to a book, centuries in the making. If the “Sunshine State” wasn’t so rich in history, Kimberly Rebman would have never been able to write her book, ”Haunted Florida: A Guide To The Departed Soul Vol. 1.”
Rebman has always been fascinated by the paranormal, and started paranormal investigating to further her need for the truth with our after life; a taboo subject among society, but something she wants to prove exists. In college Rebman started doing some serious investigations, back in 1996, and that is when her book started to come to light.
This female ghost hunter was investigating all around the state of Florida, not just in her home city of Hollywood, FL. It was during her travels that she encountered an intense paranormal experience that left a lasting impression and, in turn, increased Rebman’s passion for the paranormal. It came at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, FL. She documented her experience at the haunted hotel and those notes turned into the start of her book.
She wasn’t serious about the book at first until she met Dr. Greg Jenkins in 1999. Together they both wanted to write a book about the paranormal and their findings. Dr. Greg Jenkins was a paranormal expert who showed Rebman the ropes and lent his vast knowledge to her. Unfortunately, they had to part ways and Rebman moved to St. Petersburg, never getting to finish her part of the book. Dr. Jenkins, however, did finish his and Rebman decided to wait no longer. She would indeed go on to write her own book.
Over the years, Rebman compiled notes from her investigations and travels, deciding to make them into a book for the “Armchair Ghost Hunter;” hence, “Haunted Florida: A Guide To The Departed Soul, Vol. 1″ was born. Rebman wanted the book to be simple reading and well-organized. She categorized the haunted destinations into three sections: North, Central and Southern Florida. Then Rebman organized each story into three details: history, ghost lore and her own personal accounts. Rebman wanted the book to be easy reading so she omitted the scientific terminology and the hard to read words. Basically, it was designed so everyone can read and enjoy it. What makes this book so great, is that it gives you a history of your surroundings and can bring readers face to face with ghosts so they don’t have to partake in finding them if they so choose, but get the same experience. It also can be a field guide to those adventurous souls who want to find the damned or trapped souls of today’s past.
Now you probably are saying, how credible is she? Credibility in a case like this is very important. Rebman not only is a writer of ghost lore, but she has years of experience in it too. She has done research on the paranormal since the early 1990s. Rebman, through the years, has visited each and every place she writes about gathering a history on the property, interviewing eye witnesses, writing down some of the ghost lore that bring attention to a haunting, then goes into her own personal investigations. She has studied under some paranormal experts such as Dr. Greg Jenkins and investigated under a Chicago based society run by veteran ghost researcher, Dale Kaczmarek. In 2001, Rebman along with Greg Jenkins and well known paranormal investigator Dr. Andrew Nicols, had a feature written on them in a magazine. The three page spread was about Florida’s up and coming ghost hunters, something Rebman feels to be a huge honor in her life. She also started her own independent ghost society in 2008 called “Haunted Florida: Paranormal Investigators of Central Florida.” Rebman’s group tours around the state, primarily Tampa Bay, searching for what goes bump in the night.
Rebman’s credibility can also be based on the length of time it takes for her to deem a property “haunted.” Most groups are fairly quick to judge, but Rebman likes to take her time and do her research first. I talked with the ghost hunter and even investigated with her recently which gave me a first hand look at her philosophy. Rebman’s belief is very similar to T.A.P.S. (The Atlantic Paranormal Society). She isn’t going to judge a place “haunted’ without a photo or video of a full apparition, or without a load of EVP, EMF and other scientific data. Orbs can be easily explained and this is something I found her to be stern on, unlike many investigating groups. I can personally vouch for her philosophy and her credibility as I worked with and seen her philosophies in use.
Rebman shows us that ghost hunting is not just for men, as she is a breakthrough leader among the genders. She sets an example for men and women investigators alike, with her beliefs, investigation rules and as a published author in the field.
I encourage you to check out Rebman’s wonderful book. You can only get it online right now through Barnes and Noble, Amazon or Borders. The cost on these sites is $13.50. You can even get it at a steal for $11.00 at Authorhouse.com. You can meet Rebman at a book signing in February which we will keep you updated on. To get in touch with Rebman for paranormal advice or help, contact her through her paranormal group at www.floridaghosthunters.org
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