A Review of the Short Story Best Ghost

 

I received a copy of this short story via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. The novelette follows two YouTube ghost hunting creators who run the "Best Ghost Hunters" paranormal channel and their encounter with an actual haunted house. The Old Mayor's Mansion is located in a town called Cemetery in the Hudson Valley. Hudson Valley really does have a reputation as a paranormal hotspot so it was a nice added touch to have the story unfold there. The story reminded me of the many ghost hunting shows that are on television and Youtube, which I am not really fan. But the story is well written and I'm happy I decided to give this one a read. I would recommend it to anyone who likes ghost hunters or the paranormal in general and would read the expanded collection of short stories especially during the spooky season.

Best Ghost By C.J. Daley  Published June 2024  My rating on GoodReads is 4 stars

#NetGalley #eBook #Paranormal 

The Rochester Poltergeist

 

Artist conception of poltergeist activity claimed by Therese Selles, a 14-year-old domestic servant of the Todescini family at Cheragas, Algeria. From the French magazine La Vie Mysterieuse in 1911.

Sometimes emotional turmoil and stress are suspected of creating PSI phenomena such as is suggested in the report that I investigated below.

"For nearly two years from 1991 to 1992 I went to live with my parents in Brockport NY. I was 24-25 at the time and was experiencing a great amount of emotional turmoil because of a recent arrest and lengthy court appearances. In addition I had a falling out with my wife at the time because of said arrest.

While at my parent's home I would on occasion hear loud explosions sometimes so violently loud that they would shake the house. My mother would hear them too, one time knocking on my bedroom door to inquire if I had been lighting off fireworks. My father had experienced these explosions too, but refused to discuss such (I think it unnerved him). I came out of my room one day to hear something like chains jingling in the small linen closet in front of me. upon opening the closet the only thing I could find that could possibly make such a noise was a box of family silverware. However this was secured in a large wooden box which would have muffled the noise to the point that I doubt it could have been heard as clearly as I heard this.

The occurrences climaxed one day while I was home alone. I was upstairs in the loft when I heard something that sounded like a 300lb. safe being dropped below me in the kitchen. I proceeded to grab my father's 32 auto from the adjoining bedroom as I thought someone may have kicked in the door downstairs. As I swept the house and began to descend the staircase I felt and heard pounding directly under my feet and then I felt something pass through me from my feet to my head, like a chill(it made me tingle). I checked the house inside and outside and from top to bottom, nothing was amiss.

I did not know what to do so I called this psychic bookstore and talked to the person there. I explained the situation to them and told them that it was a brand new home that my parents had just built and that we had even had the builder come to inspect the home because of the occurrences, but he had no explanation. The woman I was talking to suggested that we could have built over an old grave site and to tell the presence to go to the light. So after getting off the phone with her I told this presence out loud several times to go to the light. Later that night while lying in my bed I heard directly over top of me, and only for a split second, a piercing scream so loud that it reverberated off of the walls. I lay in awe, and actually began to question if I had really heard what I had heard. The interesting thing was that we never had any further occurrences after this event.

I believe that I may have been unconsciously manifesting these happenings or that it could have been a manifestation of energy caused by disturbing the site the house was built on (old burial ground, etc.). From what I have studied over the years concerning poltergeists, the severe turmoil and uncertainty in my life may have very well been the catalyst that precipitated the happenings."

Much appreciation and gratitude goes to the witness for sharing these experiences with me.  It is interesting to note that when the witness took charge of the situation by speaking out loud and therefore empowering himself that the phenomena ceased. This is very much in keeping with my own findings to date, and is usually the case.

Pandemic note: During 2020-21 numerous reports of loud explosions, and phantom fireworks have been reported first in North America and then Europe. Some of these reports I'm certain have mundane explanations, but others such as the poltergeist report above do not. I do not doubt that in these times of extreme anxiety, stress, and death the world is experiencing increased poltergeist phenomena. We are living in haunted times. 

Originally published to PSICAN Paranormal Studies and Inquiry Canada

Have you had a similar experience? If so please feel free to connect with me here or through social media I'd love to hear from you. 

 

Cosmic Witch: Magic, Witchcraft, and the Supernatural

I am so happy to announce the English version of my book Cosmic Witch (The Witch - La Strega in Italiano) is now available on Amazon. Feeling, excited, accomplished, nervous, happy, and relieved.

There is a strong autobiographical component to this book where I recount my experiences with mysterious lights, and other paranormal phenomena, and how those encounters shaped who I am, both as a researcher of exceptional human experiences, and as a witch.

I am an introvert, it has never been easy for me to be so open, and I am fully aware of how strange what I write about will sound to most people, but I believe in my heart that my initiation as a witch occurred when I first experienced the strange, mystical lights in the sky, which some people identify as UFOs. The encounters I write about occurred mostly in Canada and around the Great Lakes.

In a spiritual sense, I view them as messengers from the star goddess, and throughout my life they have extended to me their cosmic invitation, and allowed me to participate in their magic.

This book came about through a series of synchronicities that brought me together with my publisher Le Due Torri in Bologna Italy, and lays the foundation for future planned projects where I discuss some of the experiments I have conducted in conjuring UFOs, including a reworking of the famous 1970s Toronto "Phillip" sessions. Its is a book written from my heart and perhaps guided occasionally by unseen hands.

The beautiful artwork is by Miguel Romero aka Red Pill Junkie, who captured the spirit of Cosmic Witch with this breathtaking image.

COSMIC WITCH: magic, witchcraft, and the supernatural Available through Amazon in English and Le Due Torri in Italiano

High Strangeness at the Toronto Reference Library

In late November 1999, myself and two friends were doing some research on UFOs and lake Ontario at the Toronto Reference Library. The library is located in the very heart of the city, and the building is mostly open concept, as you can see from the photo above, and about 5 stories tall. From any given floor you can easily see below to the others.

While we were there we were followed over the course of three different floors by an impeccably well dressed man. His clothing of note was all black. It was getting late so when we first noticed him following us we thought he may have been part of the security staff, and was either getting ready to hustle people out for closing, or may have thought we stealing something from the special collections. We also thought he may have been just a creep because he was always standing just one or two shelves away from where we were or just behind a pillar or corner. All three of us noted that there was something off or weird about him.

Had this happened today I would have definitely grabbed a photo of him with my phone, but back then phones were just phones so no pics. I searched the web for a similar looking guy to add to this post, and came up with this dude, who is similar. Please note this photo could very well be a hoax of an M.I.B, but it does look very much like the guy we encountered.

Image source

When he followed us to our final stop, which was the map floor my friends and I decided to confront him, and ask him why he was staring at us and following us. When he was approx. 6-10 ft away we whirled around, and started towards him, and at that moment we looked down and really saw his shoes for the first time. They were old, with huge holes in them, could have even been two different ones covered in fresh mud and grass or hay! 

The photo below is just to illustrate what they looked like. 

Image source

It was very weird! The rest of him was perfect, very clean, very well-dressed, and normal .... but those shoes?!!  Not only were those shoes in no way a match to the rest of his outfit, but it was a cold November, winter in the center of a major metropolitan city, and nowhere near where one would expect to see muddy hay or tall grass as were stuck to his shoes. 

As we advanced upon him he bolted down a set of stairs and vanished. We were at the stairs within 1-2 seconds, and he was gone, just like that, with nowhere to easily hide in an open concept building. It was like he just disappeared in the time of a few seconds! 

We were a bit shaken by the experience to say the least. We kept looking for him as the library was getting ready to close, but with no luck. When we were safely in the car my friends and I started nervously laughing, and joking, and wondering if he had been a ghost or even a man-in-black because we were researching old UFO cases, and mapping out where they had been reported around our Great Lakes.

Would be interested in hearing from others who had similar experiences. Leave a comment. 

Top image source 

Signs Your House Is Haunted

Many years ago I used to live in a very haunted house, and one of the lessons that experience taught me was how to recognize the signs of a haunting. In hindsight most of the houses I have lived in were probably haunted, but in general the ghostly phenomenon was so subtle, and so rare, that had I not been very observant, or a believer in strange things, I may have just written them off as something mundane, and likely forgotten about it.

Most of us live busy and exhausting lives that take us away from where we live for the majority of our waking hours. The corona virus pandemic has changed all of that. Almost all of us are now either willingly or forcibly locked inside our homes, for who knows how long. These are anxious and turbulent times.  And now, as we are spending almost all of our time inside our houses, and apartments, and rooms I wonder how many people might be experiencing odd happenings that they may have not noticed before?

The following are some signs that your home may be haunted that I have learned through my personal experiences with ghosts, and through my many years of investigating hauntings. Its important to remember that since we are all living with a lot of anxiety and our routines have been upended a lot of what we may perceive as a haunting could have a natural explanation.

Strange Sounds: Are you hearing unusual sounds? Many hauntings do start out with strange sounds, knocks, loud bangs with no explanation, phantom footsteps, scratching sounds, disembodied voices, whispers, and even growls. Some sounds such as the house settling are normal, and you just might not be used to hearing them. If you can investigate the source of the sound you may be able to explain it.

Unusual Feelings and Sensations: Do you ever feel like you’re being watched when there is no one with you in the room? Have you ever had the sensation of being touched by unseen hands, or felt the temperature suddenly drop with no apparent explanation?  All of these have been reported by people who live in haunted homes, including myself.

Strange Dreams and Night Terrors: I think right now we are all experiencing these, but in normal circumstances people living with ghosts occasionally report having nightmares, and sleep paralysis.

My girls Pixie and Merry

Pets Acting Strangely:  Right now our pets are likely feeling the anxiety we have due to the pandemic. My own cats Pixie and Merry are very clingy lately and seem to know something is not quite right. But in general animals might react to spirits and ghosts in ways that are unusual such as barking at something only perceptible to them,  or not willing to enter certain rooms.

Objects Disappearing: When I lived in that very haunted house I would routinely have objects moved around, disappear, and sometimes reappear in places I knew I never put them. Ghosts are definitely tricksters. If this is happening a lot and your not in general absent minded you may have a ghost in the house.

Poltergeist Phenomena and PK or Psychokinesis:  This is more rare, but would include things like unexplained water puddles, fires, furniture moving, doors slamming, lights turning off and on etc. Electronic disturbances including strange interference with radio, tv, internet, and phone calls, and batteries draining are another sign that a place may be haunted.

Unexplained Shadows: Do you see shadows lurking out of the corner of your eye that are not there when you look around? Do you see shadows where one should not be? Shadow people are a newer phenomenon, but masses or balls of black shadow date back for centuries in the ghost literature. If you experience any of these unexplained shadows your house could be haunted.

Light anomaly or reflection? Taken at a place that was reputedly very haunted. 

Balls of Light and other Light Anomalies: I am not talking about "orb" photos which are mostly explained, but visually seeing balls of light with your own eyes. These are frequently associated with hauntings and are described in many different colours.

Apparitions: These include shadow people or human shaped shadows, but often they are described as fully solid looking 3D people or animals that witnesses would never have guessed were a ghost until they did something freaky like vanish or appear to walk through a wall.

An abandoned cabin in the woods near my home, that has a dark, and tragic past. 

Haunted History: Many haunted houses have a tragic or violent past or are perhaps built on land that has a history of turmoil. The home itself may have a long history of ghostly activity This is not true with all haunted houses. I have investigated ghosts in brand new buildings with no history nor the land they were built on. In those cases it seemed the people were haunted and not the place.

If you are worried that you may be living in a haunted house please keep in mind that hauntings are never like they are portrayed in the movies or horror fiction. When I investigated haunted houses one of the main things I took away from talking with people is that they were more afraid of what might happen than what had actually happened ie: their imagination was driving their fear more than the ghosts were.

Most hauntings end as swiftly and mysteriously as they begin with no lasting harm, but there are some tried a true methods to either live with ghosts or send them on their way.  In a few days I will write about some of the methods I've personally used and found success with.

Are you living in a haunted house? Can you add something to these signs of a haunting? If so, please leave a comment. 

Some of the suggestions I've been given in addition to the signs listed in the blog:

* A history of addictions or tenants with a addictive personalities
* Religious Iconography and or an overtly religious household
*Location --- near a cemetery, church, ravine, wood...
*History of Trauma --- either in the home or on the land
*Ratio of females to males living on the property
*Objects appearing and disappearing
*Strange smells that cannot be accounted for

These came from members of the Paranormal Experiences and the Pandemic Facebook group. Thanks so much to everyone who added to this post and please feel free to join the group.

UFOs and the Supernatural in Times Of Crisis

“The phenomenon of UFOs is real. I know that there are scientific organisations which study the problem.” - Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev on 26th April 1990.

The quote above came at a time when the former Soviet Union was coming to an end, the Berlin wall had started to come down, Germany was reunifying, and millions of Russians and Europeans were living in a very liminal state. It was a time when UFOs appeared all over Russia and Europe particularly over NATO headquarters, and thousands more were experiencing strange paranormal events.

In troubling times UFOs appear, and the supernatural is more likely to be experienced, and reported.  This may be do to the amount of stress we are all under, or it may simply be a way to let us know that whatever is behind these strange magics, we are not alone.  I really don't know for certain why humans in crisis experience psychic phenomenon like poltergeists more often, but there is a lot of historical evidence that shows this to be the case.

In 2014 I worked on research with Dr Eric Ouellet that demonstrated how UFOs may in fact be parapsychological in nature, and part of that research included examining UFO events that occurred during times of liminal states.

The most obvious being the Belgium UFO wave and the Russian waves of the late 80's and early 90s, which is why I quoted Gorbachev. It was a very uncertain time for many Europeans and Russians, and there were numerous types of UFOs, and paranormal events being reported and investigated by both civilians, police and military. The cooperation between military and civillian UFO researchers at that time was unprecedented in the Western world.

In total more that 13, 000 people officially reported experiences with UFOs, UFO pilots, and other paranormal encounters, but the true number is probably much higher.

Once again we are living in an uncertain and turbulent time. This time the whole world is in crisis over the Covid 19 pandemic, and never before have so many people been plunged into a liminal state, all at once. As I write this a quarter of the world's population, over a billion people are quarantined. And, I have to wonder if this general state of anxiety, sickness, and uncertainty will produce mass paranormal phenomena including UFO waves?

I have reached out through social media asking if anyone hears of any increased UFO or paranormal activity to please let me know as I would like to document any large scale events that may occur.

Greg Bishop and I have created a group on Facebook that aims to explore contemporary accounts as well as historical cases of paranormal outbreaks at times of human crisis such as Covid-19. Please feel free to join us. Or leave a comment for me here.

Join us here: Paranormal Experiences and the Pandemic

This is a very scary time for many of us, and it may help to give us some insights into how human beings experience the paranormal during times of mass crisis.

Many good wishes to us all. Be well and safe my friends.

Ghosts Are A Trickster

Video clip taken at Fort George. Both the security staff and I felt something brush past us in the dark room. This particular building is proclaimed the “most haunted” site in Kyle Upton's book on the ghosts of Fort George.

Ghosts are a Trickster

In the early 2ks I worked as a segment producer on a television show called Creepy Canada. The attached video clip was filmed by me (very poorly, sorry) after a day of shooting in Fort George, Niagara-on-the-lake, Canada. This particular building I was in is proclaimed the “most haunted” site in Kyle Upton's book on the ghosts of Fort George.

That evening after the production crew was wrapping up I was called into a room where another producer from Los Angeles had heard what he believed to be the sound of a child's spirit playing with some wooden toy blocks. I recall that he was super unnerved and when I heard the weird noises I grabbed one of the security guards who worked at the Fort to accompany me in trying to find the source of the sound.

We walked through the large barracks style building with only a flashlight and my camera to light our way until we got to the other end, down some stairs and to where the sound was coming loudest. At the source it had the very distinctive sound of an animal (maybe a squirrel or mouse that was in between the wooden panels and outer stone wall. Our walk to looking for the sound's source was a bit tense and so naturally we started laughing, and thinking of how we were going to tell the producer from LA that the "child ghost" which freaked him out so much was an animal scratching on the wall. I remember hoping the poor thing was not trapped and would find his or her way out.

The video clip begins where we started walking back. Still feeling satisfied at debunking the sound I all of a sudden felt a chill. The air literally shifted and changed. As we walked into the upper space I felt someone from behind push past me very quickly and brush my shoulder. I could see a figure a very dark a little taller than myself out of my peripheral vision. I should add here that the security guard and I were completely alone at this point.

On the video you hear me gasp, then the security guard and I ask him if he is ok? He answers yes, and I tell him we are not alone there. He also felt the figure move past us only he saw directly in front what he described as solid legs move through the door ahead.

A television production which is a fictionalized reality, a debunking, and a true encounter all in the same day in a very haunted place.

As I say, Ghosts Are A Trickster

My Life Is An 80's Horror Movie

Vintage Ouija Board and Hans Holzer's Haunted Houses First Edition

There must be something spooky in the cold November air tonight! I have been having this vision over the last couple months of finding a Ouija board at the local thrift store, and on the third visit there it was sitting exactly on the very shelf that I pictured it would be. Even the box looked exactly as I had in my mind's eye. I'm only half kidding when I say I had a little shiver along my back and arms when I saw it.

This is a vintage board from the Canadian Games Company, and in perfect condition, for the mere price of only $2.99 and perhaps my eternal soul ... kidding, but, yeah I realise every 80's horror movie begins out something like this.

The instructions come with some hilarious and very dated questions. Here's a sample :

1. Is there a single man present?
2. Is he in love?
3. Spell his sweetheart's name.
4. Does he love her? ( this might be a fun one for the cosmic pixies to answer)
5. How many years before they get married? 
6. Does he kiss other girls? ( This might have bearing on the previous question) 
7. How old Is Miss So-and-So?
8. What street does she live on?
9. What number? (This is getting stalker-ish) 
10. Which gentleman would she prefer to walk her home? 
11. Does she flirt?

Ouija thinks it might be a good dating tool I guess. Like I said, very dated questions, and it warns if you get an incorrect answer to remember that Ouija has its humorous side.

Along with the board I had a bonus find that was not part of my visions, but very welcome, and completely suiting the theme of my other purchase.

I found a first edition hardcover Hans Holzer's Haunted Houses, with some super atmospheric vintage pics of infamous ghost houses. This even more than the Ouija made my day. I love Holzer's stuff and there has never been another ghost hunter like him since.

Definitely a good day thrifty shopping for the girl who loves all things spooky! I will let you know what mischief I get up to with the board.

An Impossible Little Man

"Last night I saw upon the stair

a little man who wasn't there.

He wasn't there again today.

Oh gee, I wish he'd go away!" 

~ Old Nursery Rhyme

I love a good mystery......which is why I chase after UFO's, Ghosties, and other strange beasties....in a conversation with a friend the other day I had the opportunity to remember, and relate a strange experience from my childhood, which may have in turn been the impetus for my deep interest in the paranormal. My encounter with the "Impossible Little Man" is from way back, 1973 to be exact, and I was 5-6 years old.

Make of this what you will.....

In '73 my Mom was pregnant with my younger sister and my parents were looking to upgrade their home. Often they would take me out with their real-estate agent looking at houses. One house in particular was in a then newly developed neighbourhood, but on land with some historic significance.

The house was brand new at the time, and therefore never lived in. Being a kid I was itching to explore, and seeing it was unoccupied I was given free reign. And I did explore on my own bottom to top. I came to one bedroom that was just too cool!!! It had skylights, and I said to myself this is soooo going to be my bedroom!!!!! I whirled around intending to run down the stairs and tell my parents, and the realty lady that I picked MY room ...

And that is when I saw him .... He was standing in the corner of the bedroom. A little man, slightly smaller than myself at age 5-6. He was wearing non-descriptive clothing, looked rather stern and was staring directly at me. I remember being shocked. I remember blinking, looking away, and back again and he was still there. I was probably scared, that I can't really recall, but I do remember knowing he was "wrong" ... not supposed to be there, not "real" ...

I have no idea how much time passed, but eventually I heard my parents and the realtor outside of the door. I looked at my mom in the door frame, and gingerly made my way past the little man who had kept his eyes fixed to my own the entire time.

I said nothing ..... But I loathed the house from that point. My father put a deposit it on it, but the deal fell through ... and I was relieved ...... we eventually moved elsewhere.

Many years later I told both parents about that day. My father was a scientist and atheist, and my mother more of a nature loving free spirit, but who was still very level headed ... and they both were supportive of me. They never insulted my intelligence....or in other words, if I said something happened, they trusted my word that something had indeed occurred that I felt was important enough to tell them.

My mother claimed to have recalled that day, and how my demeanor did change dramatically, but she just wrote it off ... and I said nothing to her at the time.

So there you have it, what, who, or why I can't say.....beyond he was solid, and looked very real ... yet somewhere in my child's mind I knew he was "impossible" ....... maybe even a ghost......or some bleed through from another space, and time.....

Several years after writing this post, and with the help of another friend who is a professional scientist and very well versed in UFOs and open to the occult, I came to consider my "little man" may have been a homunculus or  -> literally "little man." The image I have included is LAM which is Aleister Crowley's homunculus. This is not a true representation of what I encountered, but its close enough that I thought I'd include it.

Originally published October 23rd, 2009 to my Out Of My Mind's Eye web journal