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    (Un)Dead Man Walking…


    2009 - 10.01

    Welcome to October… or, as I prefer to think of it, that time of year when suddenly everyone thinks about ghosts, ghouls, and hauntings only to forget about them after Halloween. Those of us dealing with the dead generally feel it’s “just another day at the office” and sometimes scoff at the sudden interest. Although there is one exception to it being like the rest of the year: everyone wants you to be everywhere at once for the whole 31 days.

    Honestly, I haven’t had what you might call a laid-back October in a few years now. I miss the days when Halloween was something to look forward to instead of the last night and a mile marker for that next chance to take a deep breath, kick off your shoes, and relax. But this is what I’ve chosen, because I love the paranormal. So I won’t complain… though I might try my best to find mild ways of enjoying myself between gigs.
    And this month is going to be action-packed for me. I’m gone to Cleveland this weekend to conduct an investigation at a haunted place, followed by an appearance on The Kode ‘N Nyte Show on NRR Radio on Sunday to talk ghosts, have fun, and give away a copy of Queer Hauntings. Then I have a few days of down time, hopefully having coffee with a friend, before taking my great adventure east to Salem, the Witch City!

    Thankfully traveling via Amtrak again (I love rail travel… so relaxing), I’ll be arriving in Boston on October 8th where I’ll meet with Jeffrey Justice, who has been tirelessly helping me plan events in Salem for my week-long stay. I don’t have a full schedule yet to give you all, but you can be sure I’ll be poking around town, popping up in some of the expected (and more unexpected) places. If you happen to be in the area, check with your local bookstores and see if I’ll be popping by… I know Cornerstone Books is on my list for the 15th!

    Although it is mainly intended to be a “business” trip, that doesn’t mean I’m not planning on enjoying myself. If money permits, I’ll be having a nice celebratory beverage at some night spot with Jeffrey and I’ll be taking plenty of photographs throughout my stay. I”m even planning an excursion to a haunted New England site as research for the sequel to Queer Hauntings (yes, I’m already working on that slowly). Perhaps I’ll take a few interesting photos and have a little contest here… letting my dear readers try to guess where I was.
    After I arrive back in Ohio on October 17th, it’s off to Dayton for another busy week with friends, followed by a ghost tour. Perhaps I’ll stop to breathe around the 24th before the month crescendos into Samhain, or All Hallows Eve. All the while my laptop will be with me. During all my excursions, I should be letting everyone know what is happening and updating things accordingly. There is no guarantee I’ll have time to post daily, but at least I’ll do my best to share my experiences with you all.

    Glancing Down the Road…


    2009 - 08.27

    In light of the crazy week it’s been, I haven’t had the time yet to write about some of the interesting things I’ve run across. But it’s coming… never fear. Meanwhile, just a short personal update. The final cover is done for Queer Hauntings: True Tales of Gay & Lesbian Ghosts, so here’s a sneak peek:

    I’ll be posting more soon. And also, plans are going ahead with my Salem adventure in October. So in less than two months, I’ll be trekking across the witch capital. I’ve been wanting to go there for years… and what better time than the Halloween season?
    I’ll be gone all weekend, but hopefully I’ll give you all a few amusing things to read about before I leave…

    Queer Paranormal Road Trip: Christopher’s by the Bay


    2009 - 03.11

    Some of you might remember Christopher’s by the Bay from an earlier pre-Christmas post mentioning a conversation I had with the innkeeper. I thought I may as well elaborate on the place, since summer will be here before you know. Time for vacations and travel. And if you find yourself in Provincetown, MA, Christopher’s is a wonderful choice for lodging…

    …and perhaps a ghost or two.

    Dave and Jim have operated the guest house on Johnson Street for the past couple years. It is located in a century house, constructed in the 1840s as a home for shipwright Stephen Mott. For the past 40 years, guests have stayed at the residence through its many incarnations: Swanberry Inn, Carpe Diem, and (finally) Christopher’s. A variety of rooms are available for overnight guests on each of the three floors; each is named for a famed painter. But anyone planning to visit the inn might want to keep an eye out for a ghost or two.

    The main presence within the home has been dubbed ‘Elizabeth’ after a local psychic picked up on the name while passing the property. The owner’s dog occasionally growls at ‘nothing’ in the dining room and there is a sense of people coming and going at what once was the rear entrance (now leading to the innkeeper’s quarters). A few guests have experienced bizarre-but-not-frightening occurrences in a few rooms, including the sensation of being watched and encyclopedia’s removing themselves from the bookcases. Whoever ‘Elizabeth’ is, she is not unfriendly, though, to the living, her unexpected manifestations can catch people off guard. Even through the eyes of skeptics, there have been moments that leave you wondering if ghosts really do exist…

    Provincetown has been an escape for artists and celebrities for decades, and the region is ripe with history. Its high GLBT population makes it a favorite vacation spot for ‘friends of Dorothy’ with as much sun and entertainment as any man or woman could want. And if staying in a haunted bed & breakfast isn’t enough to satisfy your craving for the dead, haunted places can be found throughout the city. You can explore the sites for yourself or tag along with Provincetown Ghost Tours and get a taste of Cape Cod’s undead nightlife.

    Keys to a Secret Melody…


    2008 - 11.24

    A mystery surfaced this weekend along a dirt road near Harwich, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. A piano of unknown origin found itself lost in the woods.

    Discovered by a hiker at 3:00 PM Saturday, the Baldwin upright piano sitting peacefully in a wooded section of Bell’s Neck Conservation Area has perplexed authorities. It was perfectly in tune and came complete with bench. Given its immense weight, this was no simple feat. It took several men to move the instrument back to storage as police await answers.

    Was it theft, abandonment, or a prank? No one has come forward to claim it. The Arcosonic upright, model number 987 – serial number 733746, remains in police custody as local law enforcement search for its rightful owner. Anyone knowing information related to its origins or the individuals who moved it to the site are asked to contact Harwich police.

    Is it the work of Liberace’s ghost, a tortured pianist seeking solitude, or bored teenagers? The ivories aren’t telling…

    Supernatural Spotlight: Jeff Belanger


    2008 - 10.30

    Back what seems like eons ago, I belonged to several paranormal message boards and kept up on them a quite regularly. One of my favorites that I followed very closely was Ghostvillage. While I haven’t found time to be as active as I was, I still stop on every so often to see what’s happening. The creator, Jeff Belanger, still operates the site but he has become a bit of a phenomenon himself.

    From webmaster to prolific author, Belanger has churned out a series of books on both the paranormal and odd history. And it may not be surprising that his website was the catalyst. The Worlds Most Haunted Places: From The Secret Files Of Ghostvillage.com launched his paranormal literary career, though he had been a writer long before it was published. He received his English degree from Hofstra University and was the editor of a Connecticut newspaper for a spell.

    But like many of us, ghosts were a fascination of Jeff’s from a young age. His first investigation was at the age of 10 during a sleepover at a haunted house. The lure of hauntings never went away and Belanger is now considered a leading expert in the field of the supernatural. Even so, he maintains a good sense of humor and level head, earning him many fans and lecture engagements.

    Ghostvillage.com began in 1999 and has grown to an enormous size. Jeff has been featured on countess radio and television shows and mentioned in dozens of print media sources. Now, he is a full-time writer living in Massachusetts with many projects on his slate. There are plans for a paranormal thriller novel and even a children’s book in the works. He is also the writer and researcher for the new series, Ghost Adventures, starring Zak Bagans.

    His newest book, Who’s Haunting the White House?: The President’s Mansion and the Ghosts Who Live There, is currently available in bookstores everywhere. If you’re looking for some spooky reading material, this is one author to check out!

    Quirky Paranormal News Shorts…


    2008 - 09.05

    Just to catch everyone up on some of the news of the odd from the past few weeks, here’s a brief glimpse at some of the world’s more strange occurrences.

    Big Fish, Mork, Mork, Mork!

    A local videographer in Sweden claims to have captured footage of Storsjöodjuret, Sweden’s version of the Loch Ness Monster. The creature in great Lake has been spotted hundreds of times over the past 400 years. It is described as a humped serpent with the head of a dog. Just be careful to keep the Swedish Chef at bay. Who knows what he might do with such a delicacy.

    Your Mystic Money’s Not Good Here…

    In King County, the Solid Waste Division as turned down psychic funds. Seattle psychic Alexandra Chauran was impressed with the composting of our bodily functions and offered to donate her services for a fund-raising program for the Christmas holiday. They replied with a “thanks, but no thanks“, stating that a paranormal business was “not an appropriate fit for a county program”. Crooked politicians? Yes! Tarot readers and pet psychics? Absolutely not!

    What Big Feet You Have…

    Fossilized footprints believed to belong to a bigfoot-like creature have been unearthed near Cookville, Tennessee. They were discovered by Harold Jackson on his property and measure 15 inches long and 11 inches wide. Jackson thinks they’re simply Native American tracks. That might be wise, after the bigfoot corpse hoax of recent news. Still, footprints that large are questionable, unless it was a native basketball player from the past.

    Police Hounds of the Baskervilles…

    A band of would-be ghost hunters broke into Westboro State Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts to hunt for ghost of the former mental patients. What they encountered instead was the rattling of handcuffs as local police arrived on the scene. One man jumped from a window and eluded police, while the others quickly ran out when they heard the police dogs bark. They were arrested on charges of trespassing and breaking and entering. But luckily, they weren’t bitten by any dogs… or ghosts.

    Religion and the Grape Lady…

    That pesky Virgin Mary keeps popping up everywhere. Now she’s taking over the supermarket fruit aisle! 24-year-old Becky Ginn of Arlington, Virginia found her effigy on a grape and blogged about it on Livejournal. After some prodding from readers, she contacted the local media. Ginn, a Baptist, hasn’t given any thought to idolizing the green relic. But if she plans to sell it, she probably should do so before it becomes another California raisin.

    That’s all the wierdness for the day. Have a good weekend, everyone!

    Blood Stains Not Included…


    2008 - 07.01

    Perhaps you’re not very familiar with the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts. But surely you’ve heard the tale of Lizzie Borden. And if you’re a history buff or fascinated by the grizzly murders which shook the town in 1892, you just might have a shot at owning a piece of history.

    Maplecroft, located at 306 French Street, is up for sale. Lizzie Borden lived there after the murders until her death in 1927 at the age of 66. Now, owner Robert Dube has placed the luxurious 14 room home on the market.

    Emma and Lizzie purchased the 1889 home for $11,000 back in July of 1893. Emma left in 1905 after a disagreement with her sister. Allegedly, it involved actress Nance McNeil and the nature of her and Lizzie’s relationship.

    The asking price is currently $680,000. If you’re seriously interested, you can contact Mr. Dube at (508) 673-8088.

    Check out Shelley Dziedzic’s drawings of the floor plan here:

    First Floor
    Second Floor