Book Review: Ghostopolis

This is my second book review this week.   I suppose that probably says a lot about my week.   It is cold outside and there has been snow on the roads.  The children have been sick and a sense of Christmas quiet has taken hold of my house.  This has given me excessive amounts of time to read. ...

Book Review: The Dead Path

It took me quite a while to make it through this unusual book.  I've grown accustomed to reading books that are high on action and low on art.   Sometimes I find myself wondering if the art behind the written word is lost in horror and fantasy.  This book definitely rediscovers the art of words.  It...

The Ghosts of Christmas Yet to Come

Christmas is one of the most ironic holidays.   Although it has been embraced by Christians around the world as the celebration of the birth of Christ, its antecedents are murky and deeply embedded in pagan tradition.   Christmas isn't the day Christ was actually born.  In fact, most scholars believe...

Winners and Other Announcements

My Anniversary has come and gone and the winners of my contest were Dave of the Dead and LaughtingWolf.  I'll be getting in touch with both of you to get your addresses etc. so I can mail your prizes.  I used the well tested inny minny miny moe technique to chose my winners.  I'm sure this was much better than the best random number generator.Before I begin with another year of ghost...

A Year of Blogging and Time for Me to Give Back

I have been blogging for one year now.  Today is my blogs birthday!  Last year,  the night before my birthday was the winter solstice and it felt like a night to make changes.  I was frustrated with my writing career and had just been moved by my publisher  from an 18 month contract to a 3...

Phishers Move to Avvo for email Mining

I was getting a bit worried. Things were starting to slow down here. I had discontinued my listing with lawyers dot com and martindale dot com. That was where a bulk of my phishy emails were coming from. Lucky me! The phishermen (phisherpersons?) have moved past this old-school advertising model and onto the new kid on the block. And, of course, Avvo is a much better resource, given they have every...

The Lonely Bridge

Haunted Bridges are a common thing in ghost lore.  Throughout the South, stories of cry baby hollows and  bridges that lead to hell can be found in every other town.  As a collector of ghost stories, I've heard so many of these stories they begin to blend together in my head so I can't remember which town and...

The Ghosts of the Vicious Circle

The Vicious Circle is a group of writers that shaped the literature of their time.  This group was also known as the Algonquin Round Table and consisted of such notable wits as Franklin Pierce Adams,  Robert Benchley,  Heywood Broun, Marc Connelly, George S. Kaufman, Dorothy Parker, Harold Ross, Robert E. Sherwood,...

Hammer Time

From: Mike Hammer Subject: That is 10% of funds received out of court and 30% of funds received after trial Date: December 13, 2010 9:53:40 PM PST To: info@seattlelgbt.orgI am an interpreter with a Chinese Manufacturing Company and I am from Channel Island in British Island Territory. The Company supplies goods to some companies in your country.Unfortunately these companies are debtors and have...

My Worst Nightmare

This is a horror story of a different sort. There are no ghosts, but I certainly felt haunted.    I wasn't alone in my haunting.  Yesterday, it seemed like every single person who set foot in New York Lagaurdia Airport was being chased by a demon with a violent disposition.  The demon, in this...

Every Little Helps

I haven't blogged here for a few weeks. I've been trying to leave a few inane comments around just to let you know I haven't died, emigrated or been arrested.There are several reasons for this. First of all I haven't had anything interesting to say (nothing unusual there). Also, both of the writers' groups I'm in have broken up until the new year so nothing to report on that. In addition I've actually...

The Ghosts of Grand Central Station

 I skipped my list today.  I was far too tired to travel to far from home to chase fog and specters.  So instead I stayed close to home and went to Grand Central Station, one of the most famous haunted locations in the city. Grand Central Station is an imposing structure that is embedded into the corner of 42nd...

My Haunted New York Wish List

I am travelling again.  This time I'm going to New York for the rest of the week.  It will be a long, cold trip, but I will be bundled up in many layers of clothing and their are many secret haunted places in Manhattan to keep me company during the long, dark nights after my conference ends.   At the...

How to Protect Your Home from Haunting and Evil Spirits

 While exploring the Burritt Museum and the many historic cabins within it last night,  I came upon an old witch bottle sitting atop a shelf in a cabin from 1825.   The witch bottle was a hideous and fearsome thing that reminded me of my love of folklore and folk remedies.  I especially love...

Ghosts on the Mountain

Burritt Museum is a living history museum on the top of scenic Monte Sano Mountain.  It is a breathtakingly beautiful location.  It sits perched atop the mountain lost in the clouds.  The view from its steps is awe inspiring.  The museum began with the Burritt Museum which is a mansion once owned by a local...

The Ghosts of The Algonquin Roundtable Writers

Next week I will embark on a journey that is completely ill advised.  I am going to New York to attend one of the Algonquin Writer's Conferences.  This trip is ill advised because I don't have the money to waste on a trip to New York,  I am leaving my children during a time when they need me, and the probability...

Time to Begin Your Krampus Day Celebrations!!

In America, we embrace all cultures and pull their traditions into our own culture and make it our own. I believe we should do the same for Krampus Day.   It is time to begin our Krampus Day Celebrations!  According to Wikipedia,   "Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks...

The Lost Princess of Noccalula Falls

Noccalula Falls is hidden in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains on the side of Lookout Mountain.  It is hidden in the quiet green of  the forest and is buried in rich history that isn't evident when you look.    The history here is Native American history.,  There is a gorge and trails...

Am I Fester Adams?

Today was one of those days.  It was one of those days when you have to step back at least three times and take deep cleansing breaths to prevent yourself from falling apart completely.   The day started badly.  I had bought new, prelit garlands for the house and none of them lit up.  I had promised...

The Lady in the Lake

I can't resist.  I know I should, but I can't.  I have too many wonderful ghost stories from Chattanooga to not write at least a little about one of them.  So here is my favorite.   There is an old cemetery on a mountain in Chattanooga.  The cemetery is called Greenwood Cemetery and the most remarkable...

The Thanksgiving Horror Movie!

For every holiday there is at least one horror movie and here is Thanksgiving's. Thankskilling is about an evil turkey turned ax murder that kills college students on Thanksgiving.  There really isn't much more that can be said about this very silly film.  It is on netflix instant view.  So happy Thanksgiving...

Totoro's Ghosts

This morning I watched a Japanese film called My Neighbor Totoro with my children.  Totoro is a haunted house movie, although it is nothing like any haunted house movie you would ever see in America.  As I sat watching Totoro this morning,  I got to thinking about the amazing difference in perceptions of the...

Touring Chatatnooga with Amy of Chattanooga Ghost Tours

There is no better way to spend a lovely autumn day than on a haunted tour.  Yesterday was a beautiful autumn day.  The leaves were still dressed in their fall colors.  Deep reds and burnt umbers painted the hills.  The sun was blanketed in thick clouds which made the temperature perfect.   ...

The Darkness Came

For those of you interested in reading the winning entry of the Nottingham Writers' Club Manuscript of the Year competition, the author has posted it on his own blog here:http://davidabowman.blogspot....

7 Reasons Why We Love Ghost Stories by Guest Blogger Maria Rainier

People seem to feel strongly about the paranormal, and many seek it out by actively listening to or reading ghost stories. Horror films, books, podcasts, blogs, social media sites, and personal videos are all popular ways to experience ghost stories. There are many ways to access dialogue about the paranormal, and that demonstrates...

The Paranormal Leadership Award

Recently, the wonderful Courtney Mroch presented me with a paranormal leadership award.  I am deeply honored that she thought of me for this award.  I was also honored to be included in a group with Ghost Theories, Ghost Eyes, and The Weekly Specter.  You should stop by www.hauntjaunt.net/blog/ to see the...

The Lost Lovers of the Eiffel Tower

It is appropriate that I end my week of French hauntings with the most famous location in France.   Whenever you think of France,  this is the first structure that comes to mind.   The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of France.   It can be seen in every souvenir shop in Paris in miniature.  ...

The Chateau De Saumur and the Ghost of the Marquis de Sade

The Chateau De Saumur is a hauntingly beautiful and very haunted castled nestled in the historic Loire Valley of France.  The Chateau De Saumur  was built in the 10th century by Thibault le Tricheur the Comte de Blois.  The castle was completely destroyed in battle in 1076.  Henry II  Of England rebuilt...

The Ghosts of Notre Dame

Notre Dame is probably one of the most famous cathedrals in the world.  It took over 200 years to built and was one of the first Gothic cathedrals to feature flying buttresses.  It has witnessed the ebb and flow of history for almost a millenia.   During the French Revolution it was desecrated.  It...

A little back-and-forth with a Phisherman

From: My email address Subject: Re: Why havent you contacted me ? Date: November 9, 2010 10:13:48 AM PST To: Robert Watts On Nov 8, 2010, at 4:59 AM, Watts, Robert wrote:Why havent you responded to my previous email? This is my last notice to you,so when you get this...i expect you to call me immediately or send an email directly to my private email address .Edward Fitzgerald QC (Esq)1 Crown Office...

A Week at the Haunting Chateau Larcher

I am revisiting this old post again as part of my week of France. I love to travel and I love to rent houses when I travel. I avoid hotels when possible and look for rare and interesting places to stay. When I went to France, I found an old medieval castle that had been broken up into 4 town houses. I was able to rent...