Stephanie Faris's Blog, page 39
October 30, 2015
Scary October: Villisca Axe Murder House
In celebration of my favorite month, October, I'm featuring a different scary story every Friday. I've saved the best for last. This creepy house will stay with you long after you've heard the story:
The title of the house gives away the ending to this disturbing story, but we'll start at the beginning, anyway. Located in Villisca, Iowa, this house was home to the Moore family, which included Josiah and Sarah Moore and their four children. They are pictured here with two of those children:
On the evening of June 9, 1912, the family attended church, bringing home two young friends who were spending the night. The group of eight walked home, arriving at approximately 10 p.m., and were never seen alive again.
The next morning, a neighbor noticed the family had not yet begun their chores. Since the doors to the home were locked, she got Josiah's brother to unlock the door. Overnight, someone had murdered all eight with an axe, covered every mirror in the house, and crept out without being noticed.
To this day, the case has never been solved. Visitors to the house, which is open to tours, report hearing children's voices and seeing objects move and fall over. Photos, videos, and audio recordings have supposedly captured volumes of evidence. There are so many, the Villisca Axe Murder House page simply links to a YouTube channel as evidence.
It has been a fun month! I hope everyone has an awesome Halloween. In case you missed any of my Scary October stories, here they are:
The Bell WitchThe Myrtles PlantationLaLaurie MansionSt. Augustine Lighthouse
Scary October will be back in 2016! Do you have any places you'd like to see mentioned in next year's posts?
The title of the house gives away the ending to this disturbing story, but we'll start at the beginning, anyway. Located in Villisca, Iowa, this house was home to the Moore family, which included Josiah and Sarah Moore and their four children. They are pictured here with two of those children:
On the evening of June 9, 1912, the family attended church, bringing home two young friends who were spending the night. The group of eight walked home, arriving at approximately 10 p.m., and were never seen alive again.
The next morning, a neighbor noticed the family had not yet begun their chores. Since the doors to the home were locked, she got Josiah's brother to unlock the door. Overnight, someone had murdered all eight with an axe, covered every mirror in the house, and crept out without being noticed.
To this day, the case has never been solved. Visitors to the house, which is open to tours, report hearing children's voices and seeing objects move and fall over. Photos, videos, and audio recordings have supposedly captured volumes of evidence. There are so many, the Villisca Axe Murder House page simply links to a YouTube channel as evidence.
It has been a fun month! I hope everyone has an awesome Halloween. In case you missed any of my Scary October stories, here they are:
The Bell WitchThe Myrtles PlantationLaLaurie MansionSt. Augustine Lighthouse
Scary October will be back in 2016! Do you have any places you'd like to see mentioned in next year's posts?
October 28, 2015
Best Books of October
It's the end of the month, which means it's time to share all of the great books I read this month.
Usually I do this on the last Friday of the month, but this month my Fridays are dedicated to "Scary October" posts. So we're doing this one a little early. But posting two days early didn't stop me from getting seven books read this month!
We're nearing Halloween, so I'll bet you're in the mood for something scary to read. I mentioned this book earlier this month, but now I get to tell you how much I enjoyed reading it!
In The Holler Witch, a six-year-old girl is called to the deathbed of a woman known as "Holler Witch." There's a reason she's been called there. This young girl has something special...and it's the same thing the Holler Witch has. But before she can leave, she must overcome her fears and accept the gift the dying woman has for her. This book feels both sweetly nostalgic and subtly spooky at the same time. This is the perfect horror story--dark and scary without being violent.
My next read for October is a boatload of books from Kristina Springer. I have to first say that my one of my life's goals is to read every book this awesome writer has written. I got a good start this month with this young adult box set:
You can also buy the books individually, starting with Just Your Average Princess. But with this box set, you get three super-awesome books in one! Every book is a standalone story about a group of teens living in a town called Average. The first story revolves around a pumpkin farm, while the second story is about a girl who signs up to allow the popular girls to date her boyfriend. The third story has students playing paparazzi and celebrities as part of a class project. All three books are way above average. You must read these books! You can get the whole box set for just $6.99.
My next book is by a blogger most of you know already. He's the one who brought most of us together! Alex J. Cavanaugh is not just a talented blogger and supportive friend, but he's a world-class writer, too. I read the first in his series, Cassastar.
I've never read a space opera before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. If I had to offer a comparison, I would compare CassaStar to Starship Troopers, a movie I really liked when it first came out. Now I'm wondering if I've missed out by not reading space opera before. CassaStar tells the story of a young space fighter who has extraordinary abilities and the struggles he faces in dealing with authority. While it may be set in space, I think its themes cross all genres. Alex is an amazing writer...if you haven't read this one, it's time to check it out!
The next book is a memoir by another favorite blogger of ours. You may know Anna Mullins from her blog about her life's adventures, but did you know there's a book, too?
After reading Confessions of a Crazy Fox, I officially know more about Anna Mullins than any other blogger. I know her entire life history! How can you beat that? This book--and books like it--are essential. They are the last memories of a very special time in our nation's history. Anna covers the tight family bonds that can sometimes lead to tensions. She takes us through the many ups and downs of her life in a way that only a talented storyteller can. I hope she'll move on to another book--perhaps a fictional tale about a girl growing up in the 50s? Maybe it's just that I love the 50s and can't read enough about that decade!
SK Anthony's Static is my next book. You probably know SK from her great blog, but I love her books just as much as her blog! Static is the sequel to Kinetic, a book I read earlier this year. But you don't have to read the first book to enjoy this one.
I love the way S.K. ended this book! I won't give anything away, but it promises an exciting Book Three, that's all I'll say. This book has it all: action, sci-fi, and romance--a love triangle, to be more exact. I was rooting for Kevin to get together with one of the two females...but then S.K. broke my heart! She redeemed it at the end, though, so all is good. This book will take you for a roller-coaster ride of emotions, which is what I call a great book!
That's it for October. What's the best book you read this month?
Usually I do this on the last Friday of the month, but this month my Fridays are dedicated to "Scary October" posts. So we're doing this one a little early. But posting two days early didn't stop me from getting seven books read this month!
We're nearing Halloween, so I'll bet you're in the mood for something scary to read. I mentioned this book earlier this month, but now I get to tell you how much I enjoyed reading it!
In The Holler Witch, a six-year-old girl is called to the deathbed of a woman known as "Holler Witch." There's a reason she's been called there. This young girl has something special...and it's the same thing the Holler Witch has. But before she can leave, she must overcome her fears and accept the gift the dying woman has for her. This book feels both sweetly nostalgic and subtly spooky at the same time. This is the perfect horror story--dark and scary without being violent.
My next read for October is a boatload of books from Kristina Springer. I have to first say that my one of my life's goals is to read every book this awesome writer has written. I got a good start this month with this young adult box set:
You can also buy the books individually, starting with Just Your Average Princess. But with this box set, you get three super-awesome books in one! Every book is a standalone story about a group of teens living in a town called Average. The first story revolves around a pumpkin farm, while the second story is about a girl who signs up to allow the popular girls to date her boyfriend. The third story has students playing paparazzi and celebrities as part of a class project. All three books are way above average. You must read these books! You can get the whole box set for just $6.99.
My next book is by a blogger most of you know already. He's the one who brought most of us together! Alex J. Cavanaugh is not just a talented blogger and supportive friend, but he's a world-class writer, too. I read the first in his series, Cassastar.
I've never read a space opera before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. If I had to offer a comparison, I would compare CassaStar to Starship Troopers, a movie I really liked when it first came out. Now I'm wondering if I've missed out by not reading space opera before. CassaStar tells the story of a young space fighter who has extraordinary abilities and the struggles he faces in dealing with authority. While it may be set in space, I think its themes cross all genres. Alex is an amazing writer...if you haven't read this one, it's time to check it out!
The next book is a memoir by another favorite blogger of ours. You may know Anna Mullins from her blog about her life's adventures, but did you know there's a book, too?
After reading Confessions of a Crazy Fox, I officially know more about Anna Mullins than any other blogger. I know her entire life history! How can you beat that? This book--and books like it--are essential. They are the last memories of a very special time in our nation's history. Anna covers the tight family bonds that can sometimes lead to tensions. She takes us through the many ups and downs of her life in a way that only a talented storyteller can. I hope she'll move on to another book--perhaps a fictional tale about a girl growing up in the 50s? Maybe it's just that I love the 50s and can't read enough about that decade!
SK Anthony's Static is my next book. You probably know SK from her great blog, but I love her books just as much as her blog! Static is the sequel to Kinetic, a book I read earlier this year. But you don't have to read the first book to enjoy this one.
I love the way S.K. ended this book! I won't give anything away, but it promises an exciting Book Three, that's all I'll say. This book has it all: action, sci-fi, and romance--a love triangle, to be more exact. I was rooting for Kevin to get together with one of the two females...but then S.K. broke my heart! She redeemed it at the end, though, so all is good. This book will take you for a roller-coaster ride of emotions, which is what I call a great book!
That's it for October. What's the best book you read this month?
October 27, 2015
Introducing Snow on Cinders by Cathrina Constantine
I love Cathrina Constantine's writing, so I'm excited that she has a new book. This one has a cover that just makes me crave the magic of winter! The book is Snow on Cinders and it's brand new. Here's the beautiful cover:
And here's all you need to know about it before you click over and download your own copy!
Blurb:
How far would you go to protect your family?
A peculiar metamorphosis has taken shape since the final days. And the planet is in the throes of healing.
Fulvio McTullan leads his family and a band of misfits to form a new settlement, far from Tallas and it’s nefarious Elites. Their journey takes them into uncharted territories where strange creatures are lurking. It’s a battle of survival, not only from the creatures, but the mutated earth as well.
Meanwhile, Pomfrey Addler, an oppressive Elite squashes the insurrection in Tallas. Suddenly, citizens begin to vanish in the middle of the night and his daughter, Paniess is hell bent on revenge.
Fraught with mishaps, Fulvio finally locates the perfect place to settle. They begin to rebuild until they receive a call. A call which will lure them back into the clutches of Tallas.
Bio:
Cathrina Constantine resides in Western New York with her husband, five children, two Labrador Retrievers and two cats. Author @BlackOpalBooks & @CHBB_Vamptasy. Her current books: WICKEDLY THEY COME, WICKEDLY THEY DREAM, TALLAS, And her newest novel from @CHHB_Vamptasy DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE.
When not with her family or stationed at the computer writing, you will find her walking in the backwoods with her dogs, conjuring up a new tale.
Contact info:
Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter
And here's all you need to know about it before you click over and download your own copy!
Blurb:
How far would you go to protect your family?
A peculiar metamorphosis has taken shape since the final days. And the planet is in the throes of healing.
Fulvio McTullan leads his family and a band of misfits to form a new settlement, far from Tallas and it’s nefarious Elites. Their journey takes them into uncharted territories where strange creatures are lurking. It’s a battle of survival, not only from the creatures, but the mutated earth as well.
Meanwhile, Pomfrey Addler, an oppressive Elite squashes the insurrection in Tallas. Suddenly, citizens begin to vanish in the middle of the night and his daughter, Paniess is hell bent on revenge.
Fraught with mishaps, Fulvio finally locates the perfect place to settle. They begin to rebuild until they receive a call. A call which will lure them back into the clutches of Tallas.
Bio:Cathrina Constantine resides in Western New York with her husband, five children, two Labrador Retrievers and two cats. Author @BlackOpalBooks & @CHBB_Vamptasy. Her current books: WICKEDLY THEY COME, WICKEDLY THEY DREAM, TALLAS, And her newest novel from @CHHB_Vamptasy DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE.
When not with her family or stationed at the computer writing, you will find her walking in the backwoods with her dogs, conjuring up a new tale.
Contact info:
Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter
October 26, 2015
How Old Is Too Old to Trick or Treat?
Every year during the weeks leading up to Halloween, a question pops up on Facebook. It almost always leads to a heated discussion. The question? "How old is too old to trick or treat?"
The overwhelming majority of people believe there should be no age limit. They have two reasons for this: 1) we're all kids at heart and 2) they would rather people be trick or treating than playing pranks and causing trouble.
Some say as long as they have a costume (or at least some facsimile of a costume), they'll hand over candy. But all too often these too-old trick or treaters are easily identified by their complete lack of a costume.
Apparently, however, if you do trick or treat as a teen, you should be prepared to be confronted by an annoyed homeowner at some point. That may seem wrong, but it's actually against local ordinances in some states to trick or treat after a certain age.
The reason for the ban is the very same thing I've been arguing for about three years with these people. You see, I lived in a neighborhood that was in rapid decline. After the 2010 flood, you could buy a house there for $80K, so some shady elements were moving in. Those shady elements had no problem letting their teens roam the streets all day. On Halloween, those teens came out without a costume, grocery bag in hand, cell phone pressed to one ear as they held the bag toward you and waited for you to fill it with candy.
Age bans were passed because senior citizens and single moms expressed concerns that strange, lurking men were knocking on their doors and expecting them to open them. My personal fear, since the front door at my old house pretty much showed off the entire house, was that one of these un-costumed teens was scoping out my house. Crazy? Maybe...but you have to admit, Halloween is the one night a year that just about everyone will open the door to anyone who knocks.
Or will they? Over time, as more and more people accept uncostumed adults on Halloween night, more and more people will be doing this:
Which sucks because THIS is so much fun!
Does your city have age limits on trick or treating?
The overwhelming majority of people believe there should be no age limit. They have two reasons for this: 1) we're all kids at heart and 2) they would rather people be trick or treating than playing pranks and causing trouble.
Some say as long as they have a costume (or at least some facsimile of a costume), they'll hand over candy. But all too often these too-old trick or treaters are easily identified by their complete lack of a costume.
Apparently, however, if you do trick or treat as a teen, you should be prepared to be confronted by an annoyed homeowner at some point. That may seem wrong, but it's actually against local ordinances in some states to trick or treat after a certain age.
The reason for the ban is the very same thing I've been arguing for about three years with these people. You see, I lived in a neighborhood that was in rapid decline. After the 2010 flood, you could buy a house there for $80K, so some shady elements were moving in. Those shady elements had no problem letting their teens roam the streets all day. On Halloween, those teens came out without a costume, grocery bag in hand, cell phone pressed to one ear as they held the bag toward you and waited for you to fill it with candy.
Age bans were passed because senior citizens and single moms expressed concerns that strange, lurking men were knocking on their doors and expecting them to open them. My personal fear, since the front door at my old house pretty much showed off the entire house, was that one of these un-costumed teens was scoping out my house. Crazy? Maybe...but you have to admit, Halloween is the one night a year that just about everyone will open the door to anyone who knocks.
Or will they? Over time, as more and more people accept uncostumed adults on Halloween night, more and more people will be doing this:
Which sucks because THIS is so much fun!
Does your city have age limits on trick or treating?
October 24, 2015
The Voices: A Guest Post by Karen Helene Walker
Karen Helene Walker is a new friend of mine, so I'm excited to introduce her to everyone! She's here today to promote her new book, The Wishing Steps, which is available now! You can order it here. She's here to talk about something most writers can relate to--the voices in her head.
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The Voices
by Karen Helene Walker
Thank you, Stephanie, for hosting me today.
I’ve always had voices in my head. For many years, they tortured me with their negativity. I had to learn to sort out those negative voices from the voice of wisdom that is my Higher Self. I was comfortable with all of that. Until I went on vacation to Scotland and Ireland in 2009 and a voice I’d never heard before from inside of me said, “Tell my story.” I wasn’t sure exactly what I heard, so I said, “Sorry, I’m on vacation.” But the voice came again while in Ireland. Once more, I ignored it. But when I got home, I couldn’t forget what I’d heard and began to explore who or what this voice was and what story it wanted me to tell.
I’ve always imagined that fiction writers must have many voices inside their heads. The voice of the Muse or God or whatever it is that brings an author the idea for a story. Then there are the voices of the different characters. I didn’t hear the voices of my characters inside my head. It was more that I felt what they wanted to say and wrote that down. But I wonder whether some writers do hear their characters speak in a voice different from the author’s own voice. Do share in comments if you have thoughts on this, please.
If a writer does hear their character talking, how do you turn that off? How do you live your life while some character is living inside your head living theirs? It’s mind-boggling. Over the years, my negative voices quieted down considerably and more and more, it’s the voice of wisdom I hear. I’ve also learned that when the negative voice does come, I can shift it quickly by turning my energy and attention to the voice of wisdom.
Ironically, that is one of the themes in The Wishing Steps. Turning from what I call the Dark Side, to the Light of the Goddess. Here is the scoop on the story:
Blurb:
Three Women and a Single Story That Unites Them Across the Millennia
“Totally engrossing. A must-read for today’s wise woman!” Rev. Kathleen McKern Verigin, minister/priestess
Brighid, Ashleen and Megan: Bound through time by a curious light, a mysterious voice and a call they dare not ignore. Yet in obeying this strange force, the women must face soul-searing trials that call into question everything they know and believe — about themselves and about the world around them.
“Guaranteed to inspire you to a deeper level of spirituality and a new appreciation for Goddess.”Rev. Clara Z. Alexander
Bio:
Karen Helene Walker is a widely published essayist and author of the 2009 memoir, Following the Whispers. When she isn’t writing, you will often find Karen performing in nursing homes and retirement communities as part of the Sugartime or Sophisticated Ladies musical groups, traveling with her husband of 20 years, Gary, or relaxing with a good book at their home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visit the author’s website at www.karenhelenewalker.com
Contact info:
Blog | Website | Facebook | Amazon
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Voices
by Karen Helene Walker
Thank you, Stephanie, for hosting me today.
I’ve always had voices in my head. For many years, they tortured me with their negativity. I had to learn to sort out those negative voices from the voice of wisdom that is my Higher Self. I was comfortable with all of that. Until I went on vacation to Scotland and Ireland in 2009 and a voice I’d never heard before from inside of me said, “Tell my story.” I wasn’t sure exactly what I heard, so I said, “Sorry, I’m on vacation.” But the voice came again while in Ireland. Once more, I ignored it. But when I got home, I couldn’t forget what I’d heard and began to explore who or what this voice was and what story it wanted me to tell.
I’ve always imagined that fiction writers must have many voices inside their heads. The voice of the Muse or God or whatever it is that brings an author the idea for a story. Then there are the voices of the different characters. I didn’t hear the voices of my characters inside my head. It was more that I felt what they wanted to say and wrote that down. But I wonder whether some writers do hear their characters speak in a voice different from the author’s own voice. Do share in comments if you have thoughts on this, please.
If a writer does hear their character talking, how do you turn that off? How do you live your life while some character is living inside your head living theirs? It’s mind-boggling. Over the years, my negative voices quieted down considerably and more and more, it’s the voice of wisdom I hear. I’ve also learned that when the negative voice does come, I can shift it quickly by turning my energy and attention to the voice of wisdom.
Ironically, that is one of the themes in The Wishing Steps. Turning from what I call the Dark Side, to the Light of the Goddess. Here is the scoop on the story:
Blurb:
Three Women and a Single Story That Unites Them Across the Millennia
“Totally engrossing. A must-read for today’s wise woman!” Rev. Kathleen McKern Verigin, minister/priestess
Brighid, Ashleen and Megan: Bound through time by a curious light, a mysterious voice and a call they dare not ignore. Yet in obeying this strange force, the women must face soul-searing trials that call into question everything they know and believe — about themselves and about the world around them.
“Guaranteed to inspire you to a deeper level of spirituality and a new appreciation for Goddess.”Rev. Clara Z. Alexander
Bio:
Karen Helene Walker is a widely published essayist and author of the 2009 memoir, Following the Whispers. When she isn’t writing, you will often find Karen performing in nursing homes and retirement communities as part of the Sugartime or Sophisticated Ladies musical groups, traveling with her husband of 20 years, Gary, or relaxing with a good book at their home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visit the author’s website at www.karenhelenewalker.com
Contact info:
Blog | Website | Facebook | Amazon
October 23, 2015
Scary October: St. Augustine Lighthouse
In celebration of my favorite month, October, I'm featuring a different scary story every Friday. This week I'm spotlighting a location that would be interesting even if it wasn't haunted. St. Augustine is the oldest continuously-occupied city in America and this lighthouse is the oldest surviving brick structure in the town.
Peter Rasmussen was the original lighthouse keeper. He was known to be a strict manager who regularly smoked cigars while on duty. To this day, visitors report smelling cigar smoke while in the lighthouse.
But visitors are far more enthralled by the ghosts of two little girls, Eliza and Mary Pity. Eliza, 13, and Mary, 15, drowned on the property in 1873.
The Pity girlsToday, people report a variety of activities inside the lighthouse. A young girl has been seen in period dress at the top of the lighthouse. A door that is closed and locked every evening is frequently found unlocked and open by the morning staff member--somehow without having tripped the alarm.
To this day, Ghost Hunters' episode about the St. Augustine lighthouse is considered one of its best. Sounds were captured on camera throughout the night, but perhaps the spookiest moment was one where you could actually see a black blob peek over the railing, then disappear.
Come back next week for the final stop on my ghost tour:
Peter Rasmussen was the original lighthouse keeper. He was known to be a strict manager who regularly smoked cigars while on duty. To this day, visitors report smelling cigar smoke while in the lighthouse.
But visitors are far more enthralled by the ghosts of two little girls, Eliza and Mary Pity. Eliza, 13, and Mary, 15, drowned on the property in 1873.
The Pity girlsToday, people report a variety of activities inside the lighthouse. A young girl has been seen in period dress at the top of the lighthouse. A door that is closed and locked every evening is frequently found unlocked and open by the morning staff member--somehow without having tripped the alarm.
To this day, Ghost Hunters' episode about the St. Augustine lighthouse is considered one of its best. Sounds were captured on camera throughout the night, but perhaps the spookiest moment was one where you could actually see a black blob peek over the railing, then disappear.
Come back next week for the final stop on my ghost tour:
October 21, 2015
Grocery Shopping from Your Car
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you probably know all too well that I hate grocery shopping.
As a freelance writer, I've spent the past four years writing about all the exciting things everyone else can have brought to your homes. Groceries, restaurant food, wine... If you live in a big city, chances are there's a person who will bring it to you.
Until this summer, the only thing we could have delivered to our old house in Nashville was pizza. A month after we moved, Shipt started delivering groceries to our old neighborhood. Our new neighborhood isn't part of their service area.
I thought all hope was lost. Then I heard our big grocery chain (Kroger) will offer grocery pickup with a new store here...a year from now. Lost hope again. But then something awesome happened.
Walmart announced it was offering grocery pickup here. You just go to their website and put the groceries in your cart. When you're ready to check out, you pick a time for pickup and they put it all together for you. I was expecting massive failures, since I can't seem to deal with a business these days without needing seven calls to customer service.
Nope. The whole thing was easy-breezy. They called at 10:45 a.m. to say my groceries were ready and I headed straight over. I pulled into the designated parking space...
...and called the phone number on the sign. Within minutes, two great employees came out with all my groceries. A team of managers followed and watched the whole thing. Apparently it was the first day and they were excited about it.
They even gave me a welcome bag because I was a first-timer.
Oh...and now the Kroger down the street from me is installing grocery pickup stalls as you read this!
Photo by Cathi King Carver (via Facebook)
Of course, I'm sure all of you have online delivery, so this all seems very old school! Leaving the house to get groceries? SO last decade!
Have you ever had your grocery shopping done for you?
As a freelance writer, I've spent the past four years writing about all the exciting things everyone else can have brought to your homes. Groceries, restaurant food, wine... If you live in a big city, chances are there's a person who will bring it to you.
Until this summer, the only thing we could have delivered to our old house in Nashville was pizza. A month after we moved, Shipt started delivering groceries to our old neighborhood. Our new neighborhood isn't part of their service area.
I thought all hope was lost. Then I heard our big grocery chain (Kroger) will offer grocery pickup with a new store here...a year from now. Lost hope again. But then something awesome happened.
Walmart announced it was offering grocery pickup here. You just go to their website and put the groceries in your cart. When you're ready to check out, you pick a time for pickup and they put it all together for you. I was expecting massive failures, since I can't seem to deal with a business these days without needing seven calls to customer service.
Nope. The whole thing was easy-breezy. They called at 10:45 a.m. to say my groceries were ready and I headed straight over. I pulled into the designated parking space...
...and called the phone number on the sign. Within minutes, two great employees came out with all my groceries. A team of managers followed and watched the whole thing. Apparently it was the first day and they were excited about it.
They even gave me a welcome bag because I was a first-timer.
Oh...and now the Kroger down the street from me is installing grocery pickup stalls as you read this!
Photo by Cathi King Carver (via Facebook)Of course, I'm sure all of you have online delivery, so this all seems very old school! Leaving the house to get groceries? SO last decade!
Have you ever had your grocery shopping done for you?
October 19, 2015
Paranormal Activity Truth or Fiction: Guest Post by Valerie Capps
Full disclosure: today's guest blogger is my mom. But she's also the best writer I've ever read. Now you see where I got my writing gene! Today she's celebrating the launch of her first book on Amazon. It's a short story that is the beginning of a series called Proctor Hollow. I was lucky to get an early edition of it and I loved it. You will, too! Plus, it's only $.99. Be sure to stick around after her guest post to read more about her book.
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Paranormal Activity Truth or Fiction
by Valerie Capps
It’s that time of the year again. Halloween! The season when those of us who enjoy a good story about things that go bump in the night try to get our fix for the year. As for me, I’m constantly searching for a new ghost story or paranormal book to read. More often than not when I find one it turns out to be a tedious read that doesn’t allow me to suspend my disbelief or it becomes so gory that instead of teasing my imagination it makes my stomach do queasy flip-flops.
Some psychologists are investigating why so many people persist in believing in superstitious nonsense and perpetuating ancient folklore. They tell us that most paranormal experiences can be explained. Brain processing glitches, alcohol, drugs, tricks of lighting and other rational explanations dismiss most instances of the paranormal. But then there are the ones that can’t be explained away so easily. What about those phenomena? Psychologists tell us they’re still “looking into” those instances and are confident a reasonable explanation will eventually be found. Until then, there will be people like me who continue to be fascinated by the unknown and unexplained.
According to surveys, up to three-fourth of Americans believe in the paranormal. Nearly one in five say they’ve actually seen a ghost. Most people won’t admit this except in confidential surveys for fear of being thought ignorant, superstitious or a few ghosts short of a haunting. For this reason, I’ll tell you right now that I am not superstitious (knock on wood) and I’ve never seen a ghost (although if you won’t tell anyone, I will admit to having heard and felt the presence of a few spirits during my lifetime).
Why are so many people fascinated with things that can’t be explained? Are you one of them? Do you believe in ghosts, spirits and paranormal activity? If so, you might find my Procter Hollow Short Stories interesting; if not, perhaps you will find them mildly entertaining.
Blurb:
Six-year-old Lucy Rhys has never met her great-grandmother Rhys, a woman known to locals as the Holler Witch. The woman lives deep in the woods of Proctor Hollow, a place Lucy’s mother and aunt call the Devil’s Den. In the fall of 1955 the old woman was dying and her last wish was to see Lucy. Everyone knows it is very bad luck to thwart a dying wish—especially on All Hallows Eve and the night of a lunar blood moon.
Bio:
Valerie Capps is a freelance writer. Her short stories and articles have appeared in magazines and newsletters with world-wide circulation. Since her retirement from State Government last year, she has ghost-written two books for Kindle Publication and numerous articles for on-line sites. Her latest project is a series of short stories with a paranormal theme set in a mid-twentieth century town called Proctor Hollow. The stories will be individually published in the upcoming months as Amazon Kindle e-books. The first in the Proctor Hollow series, The Holler Witch, is now available on Amazon.
Valerie lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, Doug, and their Welsh Corgi, Bandit.
Contact info:
Website | Facebook | Amazon
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Paranormal Activity Truth or Fiction
by Valerie Capps
It’s that time of the year again. Halloween! The season when those of us who enjoy a good story about things that go bump in the night try to get our fix for the year. As for me, I’m constantly searching for a new ghost story or paranormal book to read. More often than not when I find one it turns out to be a tedious read that doesn’t allow me to suspend my disbelief or it becomes so gory that instead of teasing my imagination it makes my stomach do queasy flip-flops.
Some psychologists are investigating why so many people persist in believing in superstitious nonsense and perpetuating ancient folklore. They tell us that most paranormal experiences can be explained. Brain processing glitches, alcohol, drugs, tricks of lighting and other rational explanations dismiss most instances of the paranormal. But then there are the ones that can’t be explained away so easily. What about those phenomena? Psychologists tell us they’re still “looking into” those instances and are confident a reasonable explanation will eventually be found. Until then, there will be people like me who continue to be fascinated by the unknown and unexplained.
According to surveys, up to three-fourth of Americans believe in the paranormal. Nearly one in five say they’ve actually seen a ghost. Most people won’t admit this except in confidential surveys for fear of being thought ignorant, superstitious or a few ghosts short of a haunting. For this reason, I’ll tell you right now that I am not superstitious (knock on wood) and I’ve never seen a ghost (although if you won’t tell anyone, I will admit to having heard and felt the presence of a few spirits during my lifetime).
Why are so many people fascinated with things that can’t be explained? Are you one of them? Do you believe in ghosts, spirits and paranormal activity? If so, you might find my Procter Hollow Short Stories interesting; if not, perhaps you will find them mildly entertaining.
Blurb:
Six-year-old Lucy Rhys has never met her great-grandmother Rhys, a woman known to locals as the Holler Witch. The woman lives deep in the woods of Proctor Hollow, a place Lucy’s mother and aunt call the Devil’s Den. In the fall of 1955 the old woman was dying and her last wish was to see Lucy. Everyone knows it is very bad luck to thwart a dying wish—especially on All Hallows Eve and the night of a lunar blood moon.
Bio:
Valerie Capps is a freelance writer. Her short stories and articles have appeared in magazines and newsletters with world-wide circulation. Since her retirement from State Government last year, she has ghost-written two books for Kindle Publication and numerous articles for on-line sites. Her latest project is a series of short stories with a paranormal theme set in a mid-twentieth century town called Proctor Hollow. The stories will be individually published in the upcoming months as Amazon Kindle e-books. The first in the Proctor Hollow series, The Holler Witch, is now available on Amazon. Valerie lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, Doug, and their Welsh Corgi, Bandit.
Contact info:
Website | Facebook | Amazon
October 16, 2015
Scary October: LaLaurie Mansion
In celebration of my favorite month, October, I'm featuring a different scary story every Friday. This week I'm telling you a story I heard a decade or so ago. I never forgot it--it was that disturbing. It's a story about Madame Delphine LaLaurie, who lived in New Orleans. This is Madame LaLaurie:
She was played by the very talented Kathy Bates on American Horror Story: Coven.
When I saw the first scene on American Horror Story, I realized this was the story...the one that had been so disturbing. Few people in history have been as evil as Madame LaLaurie. She was a wicked, sadistic person who locked slaves up in her basement and physically abused them. Pure evil.
It's important to note that ghost-hunting tours and the screenwriters of American Horror Story have taken many dramatic liberties with their tales of torture. The facts, as they stand, can be traced back to newspaper accounts at the time. What we know today is that in 1834, a fire broke out at Madame LaLaurie's mansion. A judge ordered her husband, Dr. LaLaurie to free the slaves that neighbors knew were chained in her basement. Dr. LaLaurie told the judge to mind his own business.
LaLaurie Mansion, New Orleans
The judge ordered the doors to the basement be broken down and, according to the newspaper, the rescuers found, "seven slaves, more or less horribly mutilated … suspended by the neck with their limbs stretched and torn from one extremity to the other.”
Neighbors were reportedly so outraged, they ransacked the house and destroyed everything they could. Madame LaLaurie is said to have escaped to Paris. Some say she returned secretly at some point, but there is no evidence of any of that. This copper plate, found in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, indicates that she was buried in Paris in 1842:
Today you can find a wax depiction of Madame LaLaurie in the Musee Conti Wax Museum, but only until January of 2016. The museum is closing its doors.
The LaLaurie Mansion, meanwhile, is said to still be haunted. For some reason, Nicolas Cage bought it in 2007 and let it go into foreclosure in 2009. If you take a New Orleans ghost tour, you'll likely find yourself standing outside of it, listening to numerous exaggerated tales about the torture that happened inside.
But you won't be able to set foot inside the house. The home was restored in 2013 and there were rumors it would be turned into a haunted bed and breakfast, but the home remains closed to the public.
Come back next week for the next stop on my ghost tour:
She was played by the very talented Kathy Bates on American Horror Story: Coven.
When I saw the first scene on American Horror Story, I realized this was the story...the one that had been so disturbing. Few people in history have been as evil as Madame LaLaurie. She was a wicked, sadistic person who locked slaves up in her basement and physically abused them. Pure evil.
It's important to note that ghost-hunting tours and the screenwriters of American Horror Story have taken many dramatic liberties with their tales of torture. The facts, as they stand, can be traced back to newspaper accounts at the time. What we know today is that in 1834, a fire broke out at Madame LaLaurie's mansion. A judge ordered her husband, Dr. LaLaurie to free the slaves that neighbors knew were chained in her basement. Dr. LaLaurie told the judge to mind his own business.
LaLaurie Mansion, New OrleansThe judge ordered the doors to the basement be broken down and, according to the newspaper, the rescuers found, "seven slaves, more or less horribly mutilated … suspended by the neck with their limbs stretched and torn from one extremity to the other.”
Neighbors were reportedly so outraged, they ransacked the house and destroyed everything they could. Madame LaLaurie is said to have escaped to Paris. Some say she returned secretly at some point, but there is no evidence of any of that. This copper plate, found in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, indicates that she was buried in Paris in 1842:
Today you can find a wax depiction of Madame LaLaurie in the Musee Conti Wax Museum, but only until January of 2016. The museum is closing its doors.
The LaLaurie Mansion, meanwhile, is said to still be haunted. For some reason, Nicolas Cage bought it in 2007 and let it go into foreclosure in 2009. If you take a New Orleans ghost tour, you'll likely find yourself standing outside of it, listening to numerous exaggerated tales about the torture that happened inside.
But you won't be able to set foot inside the house. The home was restored in 2013 and there were rumors it would be turned into a haunted bed and breakfast, but the home remains closed to the public.
Come back next week for the next stop on my ghost tour:
October 14, 2015
She Just Disappeared
There's something about the disappearance of a person that is so haunting. How does a human being just vanish...here one minute, gone the next?
I'm fascinated by a now-ended TV series on Investigation Discovery called Disappeared. The series told the stories of the many, many, many people who have just vanished without a trace over the past few decades.
Out of hundreds of episodes, one haunted me. It was the story of a 21-year-old college girl named Maura Murray.
Maura got in her car one day and started driving toward the White Mountains. She wrecked her car in a snowbank at this spot on Route 112 in Woodsville, New Hampshire:
She was last seen standing by her wrecked black Saturn. A bus driver stopped to ask if she needed him to call the police. She asked him not to call the police and said she'd already called AAA. (No cell phone service is available in the area, so that couldn't have happened.) The bus driver got home a few minutes later and called the police. When the police arrived at the scene three minutes later, they found a locked, empty car and no sign of Maura.
The story has stuck with me for several years. Occasionally, I'll check to see if they've found her yet and find nothing. But my most recent check found that there's now an entire podcast dedicated to solving Maura's disappearance:
Turns out, that Disappeared episode haunted quite a few people. Since it aired in early 2010, the Internet has been buzzing about the case. Amateur sleuths everywhere are working hard to solve the case...probably harder than the detectives being paid to to do it. Maura wasn't perfect. In fact, she got into a little trouble before disappearing. This is a shot of her taken by the police after she illegally used someone's credit card to buy food:
There have been stories that her body was buried beneath a local guy's house. There have been questions about whether she started a new life somewhere. There have been all kinds of rumors, innuendo, and facts...all of which are brought out and dissected on the podcast. What will really be amazing is if the Internet can actually solve this case, once and for all.
Did Maura run from the scene and start a new life?
Or did someone harm her?
What do you think?
I'm fascinated by a now-ended TV series on Investigation Discovery called Disappeared. The series told the stories of the many, many, many people who have just vanished without a trace over the past few decades.
Out of hundreds of episodes, one haunted me. It was the story of a 21-year-old college girl named Maura Murray.
Maura got in her car one day and started driving toward the White Mountains. She wrecked her car in a snowbank at this spot on Route 112 in Woodsville, New Hampshire:
She was last seen standing by her wrecked black Saturn. A bus driver stopped to ask if she needed him to call the police. She asked him not to call the police and said she'd already called AAA. (No cell phone service is available in the area, so that couldn't have happened.) The bus driver got home a few minutes later and called the police. When the police arrived at the scene three minutes later, they found a locked, empty car and no sign of Maura.
The story has stuck with me for several years. Occasionally, I'll check to see if they've found her yet and find nothing. But my most recent check found that there's now an entire podcast dedicated to solving Maura's disappearance:
Turns out, that Disappeared episode haunted quite a few people. Since it aired in early 2010, the Internet has been buzzing about the case. Amateur sleuths everywhere are working hard to solve the case...probably harder than the detectives being paid to to do it. Maura wasn't perfect. In fact, she got into a little trouble before disappearing. This is a shot of her taken by the police after she illegally used someone's credit card to buy food:
There have been stories that her body was buried beneath a local guy's house. There have been questions about whether she started a new life somewhere. There have been all kinds of rumors, innuendo, and facts...all of which are brought out and dissected on the podcast. What will really be amazing is if the Internet can actually solve this case, once and for all.
Did Maura run from the scene and start a new life?
Or did someone harm her?
What do you think?
