MEG by Jason Medina was inspired by true events.
MEG
This is the story of a single mother and her child, who move into a new home hoping to make a brand new start. The things they experience afterwards is far from ordinary. The story is largely inspired by true events, which took place in California from 1998-2008.
After making a major change in her life, Megan Foster and her 4-year-old son, Joey, relocate to an apartment in Yonkers, New York. Adjusting to a new home is not always easy, as they will realize, especially a home that comes with hidden dark secrets.
While getting settled into her new home, Megan comes across the photo of a beautiful teenage girl. Figuring it belonged to a previous tenant, she disregards the photo and sets it aside. Not long after, strange things begin to take place that stir up terrible memories from the past with the potential to push her over the edge. It is something she definitely cannot afford to happen. She knows it was the photo, which triggered the memories, but why?
As she slowly unravels the mystery surrounding the photo, young Joey makes a new friend. However, his new friend is no ordinary friend and could cause problems for him and his already shaken up mother. Megan just might have to fight to remain sane, as she adjusts, while dealing with an onslaught of dark memories.
In this story, the past dictates what will happen in the present and the past was not good.
The original title of this story was "Help Me," but I got the idea to change it to "MEG" in September of 2013. I made the change official by early October of 2013. Both titles were inspired by key events that take place in the story, but the new title had more meaning and could be tied to both characters from the past and present. I also changed the location to Yonkers. Originally, it was going to be set in La Jolla, California. However, I thought it would be more convenient to use a location I am more familiar with, allowing me to be more descriptive of the surrounding area.
I had planned to start this book in late 2000, but after the whole Covid lockdown, I had trouble selling my previous novel during that year. I figured it might be wise to hold off on writing another book, so I waited and took a nice long break. Besides, I already had the plot outlined for every chapter. I knew once I started, it would be easy to finish the story. I knew how it was going to start, I had a good idea of the middle, and the ending was all planned out. I just had to put them together and fill in the blanks. Piece of cake. I think you can expect this book to be ready during the summer of 2021.
After making a major change in her life, Megan Foster and her 4-year-old son, Joey, relocate to an apartment in Yonkers, New York. Adjusting to a new home is not always easy, as they will realize, especially a home that comes with hidden dark secrets.
While getting settled into her new home, Megan comes across the photo of a beautiful teenage girl. Figuring it belonged to a previous tenant, she disregards the photo and sets it aside. Not long after, strange things begin to take place that stir up terrible memories from the past with the potential to push her over the edge. It is something she definitely cannot afford to happen. She knows it was the photo, which triggered the memories, but why?
As she slowly unravels the mystery surrounding the photo, young Joey makes a new friend. However, his new friend is no ordinary friend and could cause problems for him and his already shaken up mother. Megan just might have to fight to remain sane, as she adjusts, while dealing with an onslaught of dark memories.
In this story, the past dictates what will happen in the present and the past was not good.
The original title of this story was "Help Me," but I got the idea to change it to "MEG" in September of 2013. I made the change official by early October of 2013. Both titles were inspired by key events that take place in the story, but the new title had more meaning and could be tied to both characters from the past and present. I also changed the location to Yonkers. Originally, it was going to be set in La Jolla, California. However, I thought it would be more convenient to use a location I am more familiar with, allowing me to be more descriptive of the surrounding area.
I had planned to start this book in late 2000, but after the whole Covid lockdown, I had trouble selling my previous novel during that year. I figured it might be wise to hold off on writing another book, so I waited and took a nice long break. Besides, I already had the plot outlined for every chapter. I knew once I started, it would be easy to finish the story. I knew how it was going to start, I had a good idea of the middle, and the ending was all planned out. I just had to put them together and fill in the blanks. Piece of cake. I think you can expect this book to be ready during the summer of 2021.
Cover Gallery
This is a high school photo of Maggie, a character from the book.
WARNING: THIS SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS!
This story is inspired by true events. On January of 1976 Marie Elizabeth Spannhake was abducted by unknown person(s) from Chico, California. Her body was never recovered and to this day her crime remains unsolved.
On September 12, 2012 "The Apartment," an episode of "Paranormal Witness" told the tale of a woman named Jodi Foster, no relation to the actress, and her young daughter, Hannah, who resided in the exact same apartment (#14) at the complex on Parmac Road, where Marie Elizabeth Spannhake lived during the 1970's. The woman and her daughter told a tale that spanned from 1998-2008, in which each had seen the apparition of Marie. The mother had gone through a terrible ordeal by having a series of realistic nightmares that detailed the events of Marie's abduction allegedly by Cameron and Janice Hooker, along with her torture, murder, and the disposal of her body. Jodi believes it was Marie's way of telling her what happened to her.
According to the nightmares, Cameron and Janice Hooker approached Marie and offered her a ride in their vehicle. Marie was taken to an undisclosed location, where she was drugged. She was then taken to the basement of a house, where she was sexually abused and tortured. Sometime afterwards, her throat was cut, while in an upstairs bathroom. She bled out and died. Her body was later disposed of near an isolated road during the night. The numbers 35.76 were spoken during the nightmare, which could possibly be in reference to the road number or an address.
Connections to Jodi's nightmares and the actual case were confirmed with the help of a detective. There was also a confession made by Janice, who was later acquitted. Cameron remains in prison for the kidnapping and torture of another girl, who was kept in a box under his bed for 7 years, until she managed to escape. Unfortunately, no official connection can be made to the death of Marie at this time, until her body can be located. Marie remains missing and without a body to prove her death it is difficult to charge someone for her murder.
Jodi Foster has written a book about her experience entitled "Forgotten Burial." I read the book before I began writing the story for further inspiration and to learn more about the details that were not mentioned in the television show. It was a good story. I highly recommend it.
When I first heard this tale, I felt inspired to write a similar story, but this time I thought it would be nice if there was some form of justice dished out to the killer(s). It was my way of giving Marie Elizabeth Spannhake some semblance of justice through my character, Margaret Elizabeth Garrett, who is based on her.
In my version of the story, the missing girl from the past is named Margaret Elizabeth Garrett, as mentioned above. She went by the nickname Maggie. Her initials MEG actually spell out the title of the book. However, they can also be short for the protagonist's name, Megan Foster. Megan lives with her son, Joey, rather than having a daughter. I cannot recall why I chose to name her son Joey. I think it was because it is similar to Jodi. I am using similar details from the actual story, but my story has also been changed in many ways to make it different and more personal for me.
I would like to thank Jodi for sharing her experience with the world and getting my creative juices flowing.
This story is a tribute to Marie Elizabeth Spannhake. I hope her body can be found, so she can someday rest in peace.
On September 12, 2012 "The Apartment," an episode of "Paranormal Witness" told the tale of a woman named Jodi Foster, no relation to the actress, and her young daughter, Hannah, who resided in the exact same apartment (#14) at the complex on Parmac Road, where Marie Elizabeth Spannhake lived during the 1970's. The woman and her daughter told a tale that spanned from 1998-2008, in which each had seen the apparition of Marie. The mother had gone through a terrible ordeal by having a series of realistic nightmares that detailed the events of Marie's abduction allegedly by Cameron and Janice Hooker, along with her torture, murder, and the disposal of her body. Jodi believes it was Marie's way of telling her what happened to her.
According to the nightmares, Cameron and Janice Hooker approached Marie and offered her a ride in their vehicle. Marie was taken to an undisclosed location, where she was drugged. She was then taken to the basement of a house, where she was sexually abused and tortured. Sometime afterwards, her throat was cut, while in an upstairs bathroom. She bled out and died. Her body was later disposed of near an isolated road during the night. The numbers 35.76 were spoken during the nightmare, which could possibly be in reference to the road number or an address.
Connections to Jodi's nightmares and the actual case were confirmed with the help of a detective. There was also a confession made by Janice, who was later acquitted. Cameron remains in prison for the kidnapping and torture of another girl, who was kept in a box under his bed for 7 years, until she managed to escape. Unfortunately, no official connection can be made to the death of Marie at this time, until her body can be located. Marie remains missing and without a body to prove her death it is difficult to charge someone for her murder.
Jodi Foster has written a book about her experience entitled "Forgotten Burial." I read the book before I began writing the story for further inspiration and to learn more about the details that were not mentioned in the television show. It was a good story. I highly recommend it.
When I first heard this tale, I felt inspired to write a similar story, but this time I thought it would be nice if there was some form of justice dished out to the killer(s). It was my way of giving Marie Elizabeth Spannhake some semblance of justice through my character, Margaret Elizabeth Garrett, who is based on her.
In my version of the story, the missing girl from the past is named Margaret Elizabeth Garrett, as mentioned above. She went by the nickname Maggie. Her initials MEG actually spell out the title of the book. However, they can also be short for the protagonist's name, Megan Foster. Megan lives with her son, Joey, rather than having a daughter. I cannot recall why I chose to name her son Joey. I think it was because it is similar to Jodi. I am using similar details from the actual story, but my story has also been changed in many ways to make it different and more personal for me.
I would like to thank Jodi for sharing her experience with the world and getting my creative juices flowing.
This story is a tribute to Marie Elizabeth Spannhake. I hope her body can be found, so she can someday rest in peace.
Photo Gallery
