Fiona Dodwell's Blog, page 3

My Radio Interview with US station, Romance Radio Network

This interview took place in late 2011, with Desmond Haas of the Romance Radio Network. I remember particularly enjoying this interview, because it was my first time (and attempt!) at publically exploring and expressing my thoughts on The Banishing, being able to talk about my feelings, opinions and influences regarding the horror genre as a whole. It was a learning curve for me as much as for any reader of The Banishing!

I took the interview down from my site a long time ago, but wanted to share it again here. I feel that anyone who is passionate about writing horror, or who has been strongly influenced by the horror genre, would relate toat least some of what I shared in this interview.

Either way, I’ve added it here again for you to have a listen, if you get a spare few minutes.

Thanks!

Fiona’s Romance Radio Network

When Horror Delivers

What do you find scary?

I was thinking lately about some of the movies and novels I find particularly unnverving, or frightening. There aren’t too many. Whilst I enjoy horror as a whole, after many years of being exposed to all kinds of repulsive scenes and fear-inducing descriptions, I have to say I’ve become somewhat immune to the horror that the genre itself delivers.

That isn’t to say I don’t get scared – I do. I’ll often be the first to jump, screech out loud or hide behind a cushion. I can be a nervous viewer when the tension is just right, however I’m talking about a type of nervous fear, the kind that only a few books or movies can do to you. There’s been some real gems over the years, when I think back. The novel “Pet Cemetery” by Stephen King had me so nervous that I was often relucatant to turn the page. I didn’t even like reading it alone in the house! The movies ‘The Ring’ and ‘Insidious’ both unsettled and scared me. When the tension, atmosphere and believability is just right, the effects can  be far-reaching to an audience.

This had me thinking about some of the things I’ve watched recently which have had the perfect amount of creepiness and atmosphere. The first was a movie I came across online, called ‘Ju-On, White Ghost.’ Made shortly after The Grudge (which was a big success), this lesser known feature runs at just one hour, yet really packs a punch in the chills department. Scenes of insane grandparents, murderous boyfriends and possessed houses, Ju-On White Ghost literally made me scream out loud. If you’re interested, take a peek on You Tube, because the feature is on there. If you’re really after atmosphere, watch it late. Watch it loud. On your own.

Then there is the US series, A Haunting. I purchased the box set of this series some time ago. It’s a long series, with 26 episodes detailing so-called true-life accounts from across the States. I loved this series. Of couse, in a set with this many episodes, there are some that are better than others. The accounts themselves, the acting, the special-effects etc, do of course change from one episide to another, but there are definitely some strong stand-outs in this series. Two of my favourites were the episodes detailing the Haunting in Connecticut, and another episode entitled Hidden Treasure, starring wonderful actor Johnny Alonso. You can get sneak peaks and samples of either episode on You Tube too.

A Haunting is a US series exploring true-life encounters

All in all, it’s really hard to pin-point to why we find something thrilling or exciting. Some of you may find what I have mentioned really light, or easy viewing. I guess fear is as individual to us, as our fingerprints. There is something within each of us that bears a darkness, a place we don’t really like to touch or explore too deeply. With me, it is hauntings, spiritual wars, anything that explores darkness and evil within our lives, homes or bodies. I find that far more troubling than any violent movie.

Anyway, I’ve enjoyed this. If you have any recommendations for scary books or movies, I’d love to hear. Halloween is around the corner and I’m up for exposing myself to more!

Catch you soon,

Fiona.

“The Banishing” Voted into ‘Best-of’ List on Good Reads

When The Banishing was published, back in March 0f 2011, I knew that as a debut author, I’d have mixed feelings. Would I receive good feedback? Would people enjoy my take on horror?

I’ve been more than happy with the response from readers, and I want to take a moment out to thank anyone who read, reviewed and supported me in my endeavours with this novel.

The Banishing took little under a year to write, but it was a life-time of inspiration, dreaming and trying that led to its ultimate creation and publication. I can say with an honest heart that I loved the experience of getting my work out there, and of finally getting my writing into the hands of others. I’ve received positive reviews from book companies and fan sites, made several “Best Of” lists on the amazing Good Reads website (such as the “Best of Unknown Authors” list) and had several emails from happy readers.

All I want to do is say a huge thank-you to those who took the time out to read and review my work. It means a lot to a newcomer to publishing like myself.

The Shift is due for publication with Double Dragon Publishing in 2013, and I hope to receive even a little of the positivity in response to that upcoming release!

Thanks guys!

Sallie House Haunting: Interview with Debra Pickman

After reading the true life account of the haunting now famously known as the Sallie House Haunting, I felt compelled to get in contact with Debra Pickman, the young mother and wife who suffered the horrific encounter. Open, friendly and approachable, Debra was more than willing to discuss her perspective of the haunting and was able to take part in a question and answer session. I am pleased to be able to share the results of our discussion below, and look forward to hearing what you all think of Debra, and the haunting itself.

In your novel, The Sallie House Haunting, you describe a set of unusual and unnerving events, such as items going missing or hearing random noises. In the beginning, you and your husband seemed to approach those moments in a logical and level-headed way, even dismissing or ignoring what you experienced. Can I ask, at what point did you feel that the things happening in your home were actually paranormal in nature? Was there a specific incident or turning point where you felt your home was haunted?

Its difficult to say for sure, as my mind is always so logical and prefers to err on the side of sensibility, logic and a tangible explanation for things. I guess I would have to say the night that all the stuffed animals in the nursery were moved into a circle in the middle of the room was the shocking night of in your face realization for the three of us. It was hard to deny that something was happening, and some unseen force or energy was responsible for what we were repeatedly experiencing. Logically ruling out other possibilities had been exhausted.

Once you and your husband Tony came to accept that your home was haunted, how did this effect your day-to-day life in the home? Was it hard to relax? Did you feel uncomfortable?

Tony and I actually dealt with our situation in two very different ways. I had been interested in the paranormal as a teenager and was ecstatic that I was in a situation to experience it for myself. I just knew that if given the right situation and approach, there could be real communication between the spirit and the human world and I was excited for the opportunity to give it a try.

Tony on the other hand was rather cemented in the religious teachings and beliefs that he was brought up with; that spirits were an unnatural occurrence, a bad thing and something to ignore or leave alone. The fact that Tony was affected differently, because he was having distinctly different and worrisome experiences than I, also set us apart on how we dealt with being haunted. Tony almost always felt uncomfortable; not knowing what he was going to hear or see next.

I’m not sure I could say that I was relaxed or comfortable either though. As experiences gained momentum, I worried about how our infant might be affected by the unseen forces that were obviously in our home. The fires and such created worry and stress as well; unsure of the possibility that something would get out of hand and put our lives in danger was always in the back of my mind. Even more so, because of having different experiences and viewpoints, Tony and I argued on almost every aspect of dealing with the haunting. This put a tremendous amount of stress on our relationship or friendship and trust in each other.

  In your account, we learn that the haunting involves the spirit of a 7 year old girl, called Sallie, and that you felt quite drawn to taking care of this lost and innocent soul. How did your husband cope with your desire to not only communicate with Sallie, but to also take care of and invite her into your daily lives?

Tony basically thought I was playing with fire, was a nut for talking to the air (Sallie) and expecting compliance and had a difficult time with my desire to get answers through various types of interaction. Knowing of my interest in the paranormal, he appeased me and went with the flow as much as he could; even putting aside his growing fear created by the intensified experiences he was having unbeknownst to me.

  How did family and close friends react to you and your husband once you told them about the paranormal occurrences in your home? At one point in your book, you describe feeling “judged and scrutinized” by people. How did these experiences of feeling judged or not-believed affect you?

 My side of the family was a bit more open to the possibility of what we were experiencing; and several members of my family had an experience while visiting which reinforced their need to be more open-minded.

Although a few of Tony’s family members seemed supportive in the beginning, we soon lost that support when they felt judged by outsiders. For a while it was very difficult being so scrutinized by people who did not believe us. There were sarcastic and condescending comments, being pointed at while at the local stores and people who no longer wanted anything to do with us for fear of being associated with our farfetched claims – keeping in mind we live in the Bible belt.

As time went on and our story became more widely known, people saw raw footage of our experiences on reputable shows and I think they were better able to entertain the possibility that our claims were real because they were being authenticated by experts and scientists.

What followed were people who asked serious questions, told us about their own experiences and showed a real interest in ours. It was surely hard to deal with sceptical people and for the longest time we felt the need to defend ourselves. Eventually we grew comfortable with the knowledge that we alone knew what we had experienced and although we put it out to the public we could not control how they perceived it. After all, we ourselves had been tough sceptics on the claims of others over the years until we had our own experience, so how could we judge others for drawing their own ?

Some of the phenomena in your home involved items being thrown, fires starting of their own accord, and loud noises. Did you ever worry about the safety or lives of your child, your husband, or yourself?

Although, the concern for our safety was often in our thoughts, we were told, by a psychic involved in our haunting, that “Sallie” would not do anything to harm the family; she loved the family and would actually protect the family. This seemed to be the case defined by several events, so we tried not to worry. I say “we” but I mean me. I know Tony worried a lot; he’s a worry wart about everything and I seriously don’t know how he kept it together back then.

  Early stages of the haunting you wrote about, indicate your belief that the things happening in your home was the result of child-spirit activity. However, over time, we learn that more  viscous and darker things started to take place – especially to your husband. Tony recalls feel attacked, being scratched and burned. At this point, did you wonder if there was more in the house than just Sallie? Or did you feel Sallie wasn’t the innocent child you thought she was?

I remained sure that there was a young and innocent child spirit in the house who needed protection and cared for. Tony had experienced seeing an older female on several occasions, but I thought his experiences could be explained by fatigue, stress and lack of sleep.

The realization that there was more than one spirit in the house became clear at Christmas when we had photos developed in which there were two very distinctly different anomalies in the photo. This seemed to support Tony’s claim and we began looking at things a little differently.

At any one time, did you suspect Tony, friends, family or neighbours of trying to fool you by creating effects in the home? Did Tony suspect anybody?

The night the stuffed animals were positioned in a circle on the floor of the nursery was the only night we thought there might be pranks being played on us by friends or family members. It was not only  the ability to logically eliminate the viable and reasonable explanations during each subsequent event that night, but the thoughts of a prank were debunked by the very events themselves which took place while Tony, my sister and myself were all in the same room (leaving no room for blaming each other).

It becomes more apparent as your case of the haunting progresses, that things took a very dark turn for the worse, and both you and Tony felt scared, unsafe and at times under attack. You started to believe there may be evil or demonic activity involved. Looking back now, do you feel that Sallie ever existed at all, or do you believe an evil entity or demon used Sallie as a “mask” to cover darker intentions?

Tony and I whole heartedly believe that although there may have been human spirit there at times, the bulk of activity and “show” was used as a facade to hide behind. We believe that the house had/has at least one very strong and powerful dark entity capable of altering thoughts, perception, emotions and actions of those it wishes to inflict these elements upon. We believe that the intention of this dark presence was to cause chaos and bring down everything good within a god fearing family. That presenting as an innocent young female would be more acceptable and less threatening and it would be easily accepted by us and then be able to do its damage. This attempt worked with me and I not only accepted it, I unwittingly enticed it with continued acceptance and interaction.

Tony on the other hand had never accepted what he saw or heard as an innocent projection of human spirit. This dark force seemed to understand his attitude and took it as a challenge to defeat his inner strength against. It presented differently several times and when it still couldn’t entice him into acceptance, it proceeded to work on his emotions, thoughts patterns and mental state of mind, which severely jeopardized the family’s safety, namely the safety of me.

Although, evidence from investigations since we lived in the house, show that there seems to be active human spirit (both residual and interactive) at this location, we also have EVP depicting that they are scared, manipulated and ultimately captive by a much more powerful force that tends to be an overseer of sorts.

  Tony suffered a great deal during the haunting, as is evidenced by the photos of his body after attacks. Do you look back and regret not listening to his wishes to move house, or are you glad you were able to live-through the momentous haunting you encountered because of what you have learned and experienced?

 I’m not sure at what point we could have left the house and been free of the ties that continue to bind us to the energy and spirits there. I honestly don’t think that we will ever be free, because as soon as we let our guard down or get comfortable, it seems we are under attack again. Of course nothing like it was while we lived in that house, but none-the-less it affects us in a significantly negative way.

Having gone through the experiences we have, has certainly opened our eyes to these dark and unseen forces that we all face but don’t recognize. Difference is that we can distinguish when something negative is at work around us or between us and can take actions or react appropriately so that harm, whether it be mental, emotional or physical, is minimal. The whole experience has strengthened our faith, brought us much closer to God and given us the ability to help others in similar situations.

With that said though, I sincerely regret that Tony went through so much in his own experiences within this house and felt so alone and forsaken through it all. Experiences that were so odd and farfetched they actually alienated him from me and others who might understand and help. Some feel it was a cognisant choice on my part to ignore his experiences, his distress and the signs of trouble, others feel that I was just as manipulated not to see it or to help him. Whichever it is, I will regret, for the rest of my life, not being there for him in some better way.

Would you consider that the entity in your house perhaps manipulated your thoughts and feelings into wanting to stay in the house and interact with the beings there?

As much as Tony was manipulated by jealousy, anger, insecurities and fear while in the house, I do believe I was manipulated by my mothering instinct (having just given birth to a baby) and by my interest and longing for a paranormal experience. Tony recognized my interest early on and placated my efforts to interact and experience the paranormal events in our home. Allowing this secured a further interest and desire to find answers and before we knew it we were each being affected differently by the energy within the house. I wanted to stay because I felt no real threat; the operative word being, “I”. Fact is it wasn’t me that was feeling eminent danger, it was Tony.

As I look back I cannot understand how I ignored so many signs, so many experiences, and so many words that pleaded. I am a logical, fact seeking person who assesses everything around me or taht affects me or my family. My natural instinct should have been to ask Tony more questions, get more details of the experiences he was having, do more research and fully explore the possibilities not simply shrug them off repeatedly leaving him rejected and alone. It is for this reason that I feel I was manipulated to work against my own husband, to work against my own nature just like he was.

How and why did you and your husband come to the decision to go public with a story/claim that would certainly be scrutinized?

 The decision to do go public was not an easy decision and again another topic that Tony and I battled fiercely over from opposite sides of the fence.

He is a very private and quiet person by nature and comes from a very large and respected family in a small town (his father was 1 of 13 children, his mom 1 of 12, and they had 8 children together. One can only imagine how the family had grown over the years and permeated the town). Tony was extremely worried about how going public might affect his family’s place in the community. Additionally, he didn’t want people to assume we were attention seekers or worse yet, being paid to portray a wild claim.

When we several television shows showed interest in our story, I advocated allowing their involvement because we were promised that they would bring in people who would give us help in dealing with the paranormal events we were experiencing. We were so out of our element and didn’t know where else to turn. Additionally, I felt our case was very different from others that I had read about and was certain that those in the field might be interested in knowing the particulars of our experiences.

Money was never a factor or offered in exchange for going public with our story. In the end it was the hope of getting a level of help and understanding for our own experiences and  to perhaps let others who might be going through paranormal events of their own, know that they were not alone.

  Thank you Fiona, not only for great questions but also for the opportunity to share my story.

Trailer for Obsessed

For those that are interested in reading my second novel, Obsessed, please take a quick peek at the trailer designed and created by fellow author, Su Halfwerk.

Su really captured the eerie and unsettling feel of my novel in her piece, and I’d love to know what you think of her trailer.

If you’re interested in Su’s trailers, or you want to read some of her horror novels, please check her out here:

http://www.su-halfwerk.com/

Reviews of The Banishing

I wanted to share a collection of reviews that The Banishing were given after publication, and I wanted to thank those that took the time to read my debut publication, because new authors can only thrive with the support of others.

MY BOOK ADDICT: Verdict on The Banishing

“Never in my life have I been so scared after reading a book, but The Banishing has scared the hell out of me. This story just unfolds itself and you live through everything the main character lives through.

The story Fiona created really pulled me in and even now as I’m writing this review the chills are still running down my spine.

Amazing debut, if this predicts anything about the books Fiona will write in the future then I can’t imagine she won’t be a bestselling author. An amazing and chilling book you don’t want to read after dark!“

5/5

 

DONNA’S BOOK REVIEWS: Verdict on The Banishing

“I was a little unsure when I first started this book,  but seriously no more than 10 pages in I was hooked.

What starts as a mystery story of why Melissa’s husband is changing quickly turns into a suspenseful tale of horror. You are right there with Melissa as she figures out what is going on. The story is set at a good pace, it doesn’t lag or go too fast.

The book comes to quite a surprising conclusion… I have to admit it was completely unexpected.

If you are looking for a good horror novel, this is one you should pick up. Fiona is a writer to watch for… I fully expect to see more from her in the future and I am looking forward to it.”

To read the full review, or to read Donna’s other reviews and author interviews, please visit

www.donnasbloghome.blogspot.com

I HEART READING BOOK REVIEWS: Verdict on The Banishing

4/5 Stars

The Banishing tells a dark and twisted tale, that will probably reminds its readers of the classics in the horror genre. Fiona Dodwell’s story is varied, frightening and interesting. The tension builds up slowly and gradually, but never fails for one single moment during the entire reading experience. The writting is excellent, the storyline full of unexpected twists and turns. The ending is nothing if not brilliant, and it will leave you thinking about this novel for a long time after reading it. If you enjoy horror, especially the classic horror involving ghosts and demons, then The Banishing is an excellent choice.”

 

 

 

Obsessed

Sometimes the past just won’t stay dead and buried… James Barker is a happily married man. He thinks he has it all-until one morning when he witnesses a gruesome suicide. Haunted by the death, James embarks on a journey. Who was this man? Why did he kill himself?
Now haunted by visions of the dead man in his home and in his nightmares, James begins to wonder if he is losing his mind. Surely the dead can’t return? As James uncovers the terrifying truth of the stranger who died at his own hands, he realizes his own life is in danger-and the lives of those he loves.

Obsessed is available as eBook and paperback, online and in book stores ( you can order in store if they don’t have any in stock!)

The Banishing

When Melissa first notices the change in her husband – subtle at first – she thinks it may be the stress of moving into their new home. Or working long hours. But soon he turns into something far darker, far more sinister.

Who or what is the dark shadow living beneath her husband? What is haunting him?

Melissa must quickly find the answer to these questions, because Mark is changing, and fast. Soon her fight will be for her life, as well as for her marriage.

The Banishing is a dark, disturbing novel exploring the world of demonic possession, spiritual oppression and domestic abuse.

The Banishing is available as eBook and paperback, online and in most book stores.

Luke Walker: On Writing Horror

I've had the pleasure of knowing Luke Walker for some time now, and have admired his skill in writing and the angles of horror which he tackles. His debut novel, The Red Girl, was recently published by Musa Publishing and in honour of his big release, I've invited Luke to take my blog for a day and to do with it as he wishes! Take it away, Luke…

Horror Is Horrible

Or at least it should be.

The clue is in the word, after all. It's not called 'Niceor' or 'Lovelyor'. No, it's horror and it should stand up and be proud of it. What brought this to mind is down to an old interview with Peter Cushing which I watched on Youtube a few days ago. This was in the late 80s; the interviewer asked Mr Cushing what he thought of modern horror films (so for modern in this context, think endless Elm Street and F13th sequels as opposed to endless Final Destination sequels).

The great man clearly wasn't in love with them but was too much of a gentleman to say as much. Too much gore for his taste. Too much bad language. The conversation reminded me of an issue I've often considered as a horror writer, namely horror being horrible and what that means to different people. There are plenty of tools the horror writer can use: gore, extreme violence, a creeping sense of dread, grief, unthinking anger, mystery. The list is huge but it often seems to me that the first two on that list are the default tools for a lot of people. And here's the funny thing: they're not automatically required to create a decent horror story whether that's a book or film. Remember the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre? It's a hugely effective film and yet, there isn't a hell of a lot of gore in there. Yes, there are moments which make the viewer wince, but you don't actually see a great deal. Or how about Silence of the Lambs? The scariest bit in that film is when the kidnap victims sees the scratches on the wall and realises…the obvious. No gore needed. This isn't to say gore and physical violence shouldn't be in horror at all. Of course, they should – when needed, not when the writer wants to come up with a gross out shock. Horror like that might be revolting but it doesn't stay with the reader. Horror that gets under their skin, now that's fun.

Which brings me back to my original point. Horror should be horrific. You can keep your sparkly vampires, thanks very much. I want mine to be beasts. I want to dread their appearance, not swoon when they enter the room because, you know, they're just so damn hot. I could be in the minority with this way of thinking, though. A recent trip to the lone bookshop in my town centre was a depressing experience. The horror section, next to the fantasy and SF, was tiny. I'm talking five or six shelves at the most. The paranormal romance, on the other hand, was considerably larger. And at the risk of sounding as if I'm knocking a popular genre, PR is not horror. It's romance. Horror should horrify the reader, not turn them on.

So come back, horror. Come back and be horrible.

You can find more information on Luke and his work at his website: http://getthegirlkillthebaddies.blogspot.com/

His novel, THE RED GIRL, is available now!

Sallie House Haunting: Exclusive Interview with Debra Pickman

A few days back, I reviewed one of the most interesting true-life haunting cases I have ever come across – The Sallie House Haunting. Debra Pickman, author of the book and the woman who experienced the haunting herself, kindly agreed to be interviewed to discuss the paranormal activity that she had her husband endured during their stay at the haunted property.

———————————————————–

In your novel, The Sallie House Haunting , you describe a set of unusual and unnerving events, such as items going missing or hearing random noises. In the beginning, you and your husband seemed to approach those moments in a logical and level-headed way, even dismissing or ignoring what you experienced. Can I ask, at what point did you feel that the things happening in your home were actually paranormal in nature? Was there a specific incident or turning point where you felt your home was haunted?

Its difficult to say for sure, as my mind is always so logical and prefers to err on the side of sensibility, logic and a tangible explanation for things. I guess I would have to say the night that all the stuffed animals in the nursery were moved into a circle in the middle of the room was the shocking night of in your face realization for the three of us. It was hard to deny that something was happening, and some unseen force or energy was responsible for what we were repeatedly experiencing. Logically ruling out other possibilities had been exhausted.

Once you and your husband Tony came to accept that your home was haunted, how did this effect your day-to-day life in the home? Was it hard to relax? Did you feel uncomfortable?

Tony and I actually dealt with our situation in two very different ways. I had been interested in the paranormal as a teenager and was ecstatic that I was in a situation to experience it for myself. I just knew that if given the right situation and approach, there could be real communication between the spirit and the human world and I was excited for the opportunity to give it a try.

Tony on the other hand was rather cemented in the religious teachings and beliefs that he was brought up with; that spirits were an unnatural occurrence, a bad thing and something to ignore or leave alone. The fact that Tony was affected differently, because he was having distinctly different and worrisome experiences than I, also set us apart on how we dealt with being haunted. Tony almost always felt uncomfortable; not knowing what he was going to hear or see next. I'm not sure I could say that I was relaxed or comfortable either though. As experiences gained momentum, I worried about how our infant might be affected by the unseen forces that were obviously in our home. The fires and such created worry and stress as well; unsure of the possibility that something would get out of hand and put our lives in danger was always in the back of my mind. Even more so, because of having different experiences and viewpoints, Tony and I argued on almost every aspect of dealing with the haunting. This put a tremendous amount of stress on our relationship or friendship and trust in each other.

In your account, we learn that the haunting involves the spirit of a 7 year old girl, called Sallie, and that you felt quite drawn to taking care of this lost and innocent soul. How did your husband cope with your desire to not only communicate with Sallie, but to also take care of and invite her into your daily lives?

Tony basically thought I was playing with fire, was a nut for talking to the air (Sallie) and expecting compliance and had a difficult time with my desire to get answers through various types of interaction. Knowing of my interest in the paranormal, he appeased me and went with the flow as much as he could; even putting aside his growing fear created by the intensified experiences he was having unbeknownst to me.

Debra Pickman (left)

How did family and close friends react to you and your husband once you told them about the paranormal occurrences in your home? At one point in your book, you describe feeling "judged and scrutinized" by people. How did these experiences of feeling judged or not-believed affect you?

My side of the family was a bit more open to the possibility of what we were experiencing; and several members of my family had an experience while visiting which reinforced their need to be more open-minded.

Although a few of Tony's family members seemed supportive in the beginning, we soon lost that support when they felt judged by outsiders. For a while it was very difficult being so scrutinized by people who did not believe us. There were sarcastic and condescending comments, being pointed at while at the local stores and people who no longer wanted anything to do with us for fear of being associated with our farfetched claims – keeping in mind we live in the Bible belt.

As time went on and our story became more widely known, people saw raw footage of our experiences on reputable shows and I think they were better able to entertain the possibility that our claims were real because they were being authenticated by experts and scientists.

What followed were people who asked serious questions, told us about their own experiences and showed a real interest in ours. It was surely hard to deal with sceptical people and for the longest time we felt the need to defend ourselves. Eventually we grew comfortable with the knowledge that we alone knew what we had experienced and although we put it out to the public we could not control how they perceived it. After all, we ourselves had been tough sceptics on the claims of others over the years until we had our own experience, so how could we judge others for drawing their own ?

Some of the phenomena in your home involved items being thrown, fires starting of their own accord, and loud noises. Did you ever worry about the safety or lives of your child, your husband, or yourself?

Although, the concern for our safety was often in our thoughts, we were told, by a psychic involved in our haunting, that "Sallie" would not do anything to harm the family; she loved the family and would actually protect the family. This seemed to be the case defined by several events, so we tried not to worry. I say "we" but I mean me. I know Tony worried a lot; he's a worry wart about everything and I seriously don't know how he kept it together back then.

Early stages of the haunting you wrote about, indicate your belief that the things happening in your home was the result of child-spirit activity. However, over time, we learn that more  viscous and darker things started to take place – especially to your husband. Tony recalls feel attacked, being scratched and burned. At this point, did you wonder if there was more in the house than just Sallie? Or did you feel Sallie wasn't the innocent child you thought she was?

I remained sure that there was a young and innocent child spirit in the house who needed protection and cared for. Tony had experienced seeing an older female on several occasions, but I thought his experiences could be explained by fatigue, stress and lack of sleep.

The realization that there was more than one spirit in the house became clear at Christmas when we had photos developed in which there were two very distinctly different anomalies in the photo. This seemed to support Tony's claim and we began looking at things a little differently.

At any one time, did you suspect Tony, friends, family or neighbours of trying to fool you by creating effects in the home? Did Tony suspect anybody?

The night the stuffed animals were positioned in a circle on the floor of the nursery was the only night we thought there might be pranks being played on us by friends or family members. It was not only  the ability to logically eliminate the viable and reasonable explanations during each subsequent event that night, but the thoughts of a prank were debunked by the very events themselves which took place while Tony, my sister and myself were all in the same room (leaving no room for blaming each other).

It becomes more apparent as your case of the haunting progresses, that things took a very dark turn for the worse, and both you and Tony felt scared, unsafe and at times under attack. You started to believe there may be evil or demonic activity involved. Looking back now, do you feel that Sallie ever existed at all, or do you believe an evil entity or demon used Sallie as a "mask" to cover darker intentions?

Tony and I whole heartedly believe that although there may have been human spirit there at times, the bulk of activity and "show" was used as a facade to hide behind. We believe that the house had/has at least one very strong and powerful dark entity capable of altering thoughts, perception, emotions and actions of those it wishes to inflict these elements upon.

We believe that the intention of this dark presence was to cause chaos and bring down everything good within a god fearing family. That presenting as an innocent young female would be more acceptable and less threatening and it would be easily accepted by us and then be able to do its damage. This attempt worked with me and I not only accepted it, I unwittingly enticed it with continued acceptance and interaction.

Tony on the other hand had never accepted what he saw or heard as an innocent projection of human spirit. This dark force seemed to understand his attitude and took it as a challenge to defeat his inner strength against. It presented differently several times and when it still couldn't entice him into acceptance, it proceeded to work on his emotions, thoughts patterns and mental state of mind, which severely jeopardized the family's safety, namely the safety of me.

Although, evidence from investigations since we lived in the house, show that there seems to be active human spirit (both residual and interactive) at this location, we also have EVP depicting that they are scared, manipulated and ultimately captive by a much more powerful force that tends to be an overseer of sorts.

Tony suffered a great deal during the haunting, as is evidenced by the photos of his body after attacks. Do you look back and regret not listening to his wishes to move house, or are you glad you were able to live-through the momentous haunting you encountered because of what you have learned and experienced?

I'm not sure at what point we could have left the house and been free of the ties that continue to bind us to the energy and spirits there. I honestly don't think that we will ever be free, because as soon as we let our guard down or get comfortable, it seems we are under attack again. Of course nothing like it was while we lived in that house, but none-the-less it affects us in a significantly negative way. Having gone through the experiences we have, has certainly opened our eyes to these dark and unseen forces that we all face but don't recognize. Difference is that we can distinguish when something negative is at work around us or between us and can take actions or react appropriately so that harm, whether it be mental, emotional or physical, is minimal.

The whole experience has strengthened our faith, brought us much closer to God and given us the ability to help others in similar situations.

With that said though, I sincerely regret that Tony went through so much in his own experiences within this house and felt so alone and forsaken through it all. Experiences that were so odd and farfetched they actually alienated him from me and others who might understand and help. Some feel it was a cognisant choice on my part to ignore his experiences, his distress and the signs of trouble, others feel that I was just as manipulated not to see it or to help him. Whichever it is, I will regret, for the rest of my life, not being there for him in some better way.

Would you consider that the entity in your house perhaps manipulated your thoughts and feelings into wanting to stay in the house and interact with the beings there?

As much as Tony was manipulated by jealousy, anger, insecurities and fear while in the house, I do believe I was manipulated by my mothering instinct (having just given birth to a baby) and by my interest and longing for a paranormal experience. Tony recognized my interest early on and placated my efforts to interact and experience the paranormal events in our home. Allowing this secured a further interest and desire to find answers and before we knew it we were each being affected differently by the energy within the house. I wanted to stay because I felt no real threat; the operative word being, "I". Fact is it wasn't me that was feeling eminent danger, it was Tony.

As I look back I cannot understand how I ignored so many signs, so many experiences, and so many words that pleaded. I am a logical, fact seeking person who assesses everything around me or taht affects me or my family. My natural instinct should have been to ask Tony more questions, get more details of the experiences he was having, do more research and fully explore the possibilities not simply shrug them off repeatedly leaving him rejected and alone. It is for this reason that I feel I was manipulated to work against my own husband, to work against my own nature just like he was.

When you finally decided to pack up and move into another house with Tony, was paranormal activity still taking place as regularly and vividly as ever? Or had things eased up?

While living the house, activity was sporadic, never really constant, but never really what was expected either. We never knew what, where or when something was going to happen; just when we would get comfortable and feel a bit more at ease, things would take an unexpected turn and we would literally be on the edge or our seats and peering around corners and over our shoulders.When Tony was shoved, with such force from the doorway of the master bedroom that his feet left the floor and he almost went toppling over the 2nd floor railing, we both realized it was time to leave.

Now some time has passed and you have more distance from the case – both physically and mentally – can I ask you and Tony if you ever still experience any paranormal activity or encounters?

After moving from the house, and as per the caution we were given by Kerry Gaynor, we remained aware of every aspect of our surroundings, waiting for the possibility of a paranormal event. After   about 2 months we began to let our guard down, and that's when the activity began again. Not to the extent it was while living in the Sallie House, but none-the-less, something we continually remain on guard for.

To this day, events are not nearly as frequent or influential as they once were, but we feel that is because we are so much more aware of the negative forces that fluctuate around us. We have learned a lot over the years, more specifically how to recognized it quickly and battle against its effects with the help of our faith in God.

On occasion there are some events that are worse than others, and I would imagine the experiences we have had and the emotions we have endured could have broken us many years ago, but after almost 20 years Tony and I remain as dedicated to each other and our family as we have ever been.

Do you feel your brushes with the paranormal at the Sallie House have changed your ideas, beliefs and attitudes about life-after-death and the existence of demons?

I would have to say previous to our experiences, I never gave much thought to specific negative aspects of spirit or demons and how they could influence a person or an environment; call it a lack of awareness or understanding. Now and after witnessing negative influences and manipulation in cases we have investigated and consulted on since living in the house, we have absolutely no doubt that there is so much more in the unseen world that we don't know about.

In a way our experiences have made me more curious, but I investigate and asses information with a different set of parameters now. I maintain a respect for the seemingly unrealistic possibilities that exist and what forces are likely responsible, and I actively listen and follow my gut instinct in every situation that arises in life.

How and why did you and your husband come to the decision to go public with a story/claim that would certainly be scrutinized?

The decision to do go public was not an easy decision and again another topic that Tony and I battled fiercely over from opposite sides of the fence. He is a very private and quiet person by nature and comes from a very large and respected family in a small town (his father was 1 of 13 children, his mom 1 of 12, and they had 8 children together. One can only imagine how the family had grown over the years and permeated the town). Tony was extremely worried about how going public might affect his family's place in the community. Additionally, he didn't want people to assume we were attention seekers or worse yet, being paid to portray a wild claim.

When we several television shows showed interest in our story, I advocated allowing their involvement because we were promised that they would bring in people who would give us help in dealing with the paranormal events we were experiencing. We were so out of our element and didn't know where else to turn. Additionally, I felt our case was very different from others that I had read about and was certain that those in the field might be interested in knowing the particulars of our experiences.

Money was never a factor or offered in exchange for going public with our story. In the end it was the hope of getting a level of help and understanding for our own experiences and  to perhaps let others who might be going through paranormal events of their own, know that they were not alone.

Debra, thanks so much for your time! It's been wonderful talking to you and getting to know you

Likewise Fiona, not only for great questions but also for the opportunity to share the answers on your website. Our hope is that in making our story known and ourselves available, we can help others who may be going through similar trauma. I hope your website viewers visit our website www.TheSallieHouse.com and make contact should they have an interest, or a need for help or support.

Many thanks,

Debra

You can find a copy of Debra's novel on Amazon, The Book Depository,  www.thesalliehouse.com and in most good book stores.