Imagine a ghost show, where a team of investigators search for evidence of hauntings. When magic returns to the world in Fantastic America, Chaz Buhrman is ghost hunting. In the short story that introduces him, “Midnight at the Sultan’s Palace” he ends up at ground zero for a ghostly display right out of a horror movie. It changes his ideas about paranormal activity in an instant.
That isn’t the end of his story though. Chaz is famous for his ghost hunting cable TV show, Spirit Searchers. He also runs a museum in Las Vegas, dedicated to weird and paranormal items from around the world. His Halloween specials from the museum are fan favorites every year.
But the solstice changed everything for him. As a consummate professional, Chaz is forced to reinvent his show. Without missing a beat, he transitions from paranormal investigator to ghost interviewer. He tries to sound a warning about wraiths, but has little success at first.
Chaz has been all over the world hunting ghosts before the solstice events herald the return of magic. The ghosts he meets after the Sultan move him to pity their condition. He seeks out other paranormal investigators who feel the same way to build a network of advocates for ghosts.
His advocacy goes largely unnoticed, but his results on TV keep him in the public eye. When we see Chaz in Fantastic America, he’s been sounding his warning for months. Only with Ashley Monahan’s help does he make any real progress. Ashley recognizes a kindred spirit and stays in touch with Chaz. They cover different aspects of the same phenomenon, maybe they can help each other out.
You’ll see more of Chaz in Midwestern Magicians, the second book in the Magic Unleashed series!