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    No Need for Broom Closets….


    2009 - 10.11

    Posted in books, people, personal, salem, stores, travel, updates | 1 Comment »

    For starters… Happy National Coming Out Day!! I know, I didn’t realize until just now. Sorry! My mind has been elsewhere!

    Well, Salem has been everything I thought it would be. And above all else, the entire month of October is one, long Halloween for this town. There isn’t another city on earth I can think of where zombies, vampires, and other costumes are seen daily on the street. Of course, fighting your way through the crowd is another matter. It’s a madhouse around here.
    I’ll have to update about my entire trip when I get back. I want to devote some time to everything here in the best way that I can, with enough rest for my bones and less aches and pains from hours on the streets. I have so many businesses to talk about… interesting people to mention (beyond Jeffrey Justice, who has been a dear even though he’s run ragged with work… stay tuned for a Supernatural Spotlight featuring him) and photos to share (I know I’ll max out my monthly allowance of photos on Flickr for sure). I’ve been trying to avoid being a tourist, but it’s difficult not to be.
    I’m down to the last 5 copies of my book already, and I’ve only been here three days! Let’s hope they last me through it all. I wasn’t expecting this much. I dropped off two copies at The Magic Parlor yesterday and they both sold within 24 hours! We shall see how long the 10 signed copies there now last. Otherwise, I’ve met some amusing people, had some interesting conversations, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. People are far more receptive about Queer Hauntings than the naysayers would care to believe. And if all goes well, aside from a few radio show/podcast interviews I have coming up thanks to some good people I’ve met, I might even be talking at a university in the coming months!
    It’s all so exciting, wonderful, and yet exhausting. But for now, I’m signing off from the Witch City. It will be a very long week…

    (Un)Dead Man Walking…


    2009 - 10.01

    Posted in books, bookstores, dayton, events, halloween, massachusetts, radio show, salem, travel, updates | 1 Comment »

    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.

    Creeping from the Crypt…


    2009 - 09.23

    Posted in books, life, ohio, personal, radio show, salem, updates, writing | 2 Comments »

    I’ve done it again. I’ve neglected this blog. Of course, this month I haven’t been online as much as I normally am, so that’s part of the reason. It’s been another crazy few weeks for me, chock full of anxiety, stress, and my usual confusion. The temperatures here are slowly dropping down to autumn levels and Halloween will be here before we know it. That’s not such a bad thing, though. I’m ready for pumpkins, cider, and the sweet scent of burning wood mixed with foliage in the air. Besides, ’tis the season for people to suddenly regain interest in ghosts and hauntings…

    Personal dramas aside, I have also been working (when possible) on research for a sequel to Queer Hauntings. It might sound premature considering the book isn’t even available everywhere yet (and I haven’t even seen my first copy of it yet), but this time around. the research will be more grueling. I have perhaps five places to research at this moment, which means I need at least another 35 stories before I will have another full manuscript. My goal is by next year to have it finished, along with another possible book I’m looking into… though writing two books at once might be a struggle.

    On the bright side, I’m still looking forward to my great escape to Salem in October. I’ll be updating with details as soon as I know anything for certain. I’ll also be off to Dayton yet again for another adventure with friends and spooks, so it will be a busy time for me. I’m hoping to have a few books on hand before I begin my travels, but we shall see how things work out. Also, on October 4th, I’ll be on NRR Radio talking about my new book, as well as doing a bit of ghost hunting on the air. Apparently, the studio where DJ Kode and DJ Nyte are based has become a lot more active in the past month, so this could prove to be interesting. But don’t expect things to be too serious. We’re all going to have a little bit of fun… and during the program, I highly doubt the only spirits around will be those of the dead.

    I’ve finally been updating my website a bit, so feel free to check things out. There are book excerpts posted and I’m slowly adding links as I find more booksellers offering Queer Hauntings. I’m still hoping to do book signings, lectures, and library events as time passes though it might take a little time. I know my local library might be interested in setting up something, though I’m hoping to break out of Ohio here and there too. Yet another thing for me to get going on: contacting places and trying to set up a few events as locations from the book. So much to do, so little time when you’re only one man. That’s where this blog suffers too. Perhaps Jeanne Barrack is right… I need a blogging team to help keep this thing going!
    I’ll do my best to keep this thing alive, though. Hopefully I’ll find some nifty things to write about soon…

    Glancing Down the Road…


    2009 - 08.27

    Posted in books, massachusetts, personal, salem, updates | 3 Comments »

    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…

    Bizarre News Recaps…


    2008 - 10.28

    Posted in cats, england, france, internet, netherlands, news, salem, theft, voodoo, witchcraft | Comments Off

    While recovering from a cold the past few days, I didn’t have a chance to write long posts about some odd and interesting news from the last week. Here’s a bit of what you missed while I was busy hording Kleenex.

    Pinned for Office…

    President Nicolas Sarkozy of France is up in cross stitched arms and spitting nails (or needles) over the tactics of a publishing company. They are selling voodoo dolls of his likeness accompanied by slogans reportedly spoken by Sarkozy (including such thoughtful words as “get lost, you pathetic arsehole”). They aren’t just targeting the incumbent; his rival, Segolene Royal, has a similar doll marketed by the same company during last year’s election. Both men are considering legal action. Some politicians are just a bit high strung.

    Branded a Driving Witch…

    Get ready, Salem. Drivers in the city may soon have the option of purchasing specialty license plates bearing a witch. Destination Salem is asking the Registry of Motor Vehicles to add the new plate to its options. Unfortunately, similar plates will not be issued for broomsticks.

    A Feline Vortex…

    Wooaston in Stourbridge, UK, has earned the nickname “The Purr-muda Triangle” this month, as nearly 50 cats have gone missing without a trace in the past five years. Several collars have been located around Meriden Avenue, where the mystery is centered, but not a single hair or body has surfaced. Are aliens in need of a litte furry companionship or has Cruella deVille turned her sights toward other animals?

    Virtual Jail Time…

    Two Dutch teenagers have been convicted of theft in Leewarden District Court. The object in question is a magic amulet and mask. Not a real amulet, mind you: it exists only in the virtual reality game RuneScape. The culprits, aged 15 a 14, convinced a 13-year-od boy to snag the items and place them into their online accounts. For their acts, the two youths were sentenced to 200 and 160 hours of community service, respectably. And no amount of cyber gold coins can get them out of this mess.