My name is Bud Steed, and as the tag line at the top of my website states (budsteed.com), I am an author, researcher, investigator and explorer of strange and lost legends; if it’s strange, weird or kind of scary, I’m probably interested in it.

I’ve written and published five books, three of which were reviewed and accepted for inclusion into the Library of Congress based on their folklore and historical content. Those three books are the Haunted Natchez Trace, the Haunted Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Haunted Baton Rouge. Additionally, I have two other books published, each the start of its own series. Ozarks Ghosts and Hauntings is the first book in the America’s Ghosts series and Lost Treasures of the Ozarks is the first book in the America's Lost Treasures series. I can’t wait to research and add new books to each series!

A lot of the content within my books is historical as it relates to the particular story or legend; I guess you could say that I am kind of a self-described “history geek”. It’s my opinion that each ghost story, each legend or strange occurrence, has its roots buried somewhere in historical fact. Researching the history behind the story gives us a better sense of why the legend or ghost sighting started in the first place, and allows us to separate the fact from the fiction; hopefully that will lead us down the twisting turning path to the truth.

Being a naturally inquisitive person (I ask why a lot), I tend to look at a story and wonder what happened to bring this particular story to life. What is the “back story” behind the legend or paranormal sighting and what can I do to find it? I don’t always succeed but I have a damn good time trying :)