Florida boasts mysterious tales that stretch back more than twelve thousand years. Dive into the lives of the proud Wakulla Pocahontas and the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge. Meet local lawbreakers like John Ashley, as well as transplants like Ma Barker and Al Capone. Stalk stumpy gators or Hogzilla as they prowl Florida's swamps and suburbs. Discover the quintessential Cracker cowboy and the Barefoot Mailman, plus the origin of names like Boca Raton and Orlando. Storyteller Caren Neile, PhD, shares myths, legends and folktales that reflect the diversity of characters and cultures that make Florida such a fascinating place.

Caren S. Neile, PhD, is a performance storyteller and affiliate professor at Florida Atlantic University, where she has taught storytelling studies since 2001. Dr. Neile has performed and taught throughout the United States and abroad, including in Jerusalem, Vienna and Warsaw. She is the former chair of the National Storytelling Network and is a former co-founding editor of the international academic journal Storytelling, Self, Society, published by Wayne State University. Dr. Neile cohosts The Public Storyteller, a weekly segment on South Florida public radio WLRN 91.3 FM. Her numerous publications include the book The Great American Story, and she contributes a regular column on storytelling for the Florida Jewish Journal.