HAUNT JAUNTS » Archive for September 2009
Wednesday Silliness: Dipsy Gizzardbrains
Today I got an email from my friend JuJu. (Well, her real name is Judy, but I call her JuJu or Judykins.) Her subject line read: CHEESEY DIPPINDUNKIN. Well, if there’s one thing you must know about me besides I like to travel and I’m into ghosts, I ADORE food. I thought she was passing along some recipe! Oh no. It was her created name using the scheme below. (Now I have something new to call her!) … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Kent Boasts the Most Ghosts, Yorkshire the Most UFOs
One day I’d like to Haunt Jaunt across the pond to the UK. Yesterday I came across an article that would help me focus my jaunts when I do. Nigel Bunyan of the Telegraph wrote an article “More ghosts appear in Kent than elsewhere in UK, finds research.” It was about Lionel Fanthorpe, a researcher who reminds me of a blogger I know a lot of us are familiar with: Autumnforest of Ghost Hunting Theories. (She’s … Read entire article »
Filed under: United Kingdom
Day Trip to Land Between the Lakes
Last week Gummerfan wrote about Land Between the Lakes. It reminded me that’s a place my husband and I have not yet checked out, but one that was on my list. I mentioned reading Gummerfan’s post to my husband. Wayne promptly suggested, “Let’s do it this weekend!” So, inspired from a fellow blogger in the blogosphere, we struck out for a day trip to Land Between the Lakes Sunday. Here’s what we saw… WOLVES AND BATS AT … Read entire article »
Filed under: Haunt Jaunts - General, Haunted Places, Kentucky, Poltergeist Parks
I like Halloween, I’m Going to Hell
Today I got a very disturbing email from one of my husband’s friends. Wayne has known this guy, who I’ll simply refer to as Big J, for years –since the mid-90s when we lived in Phoenix and they worked together for a company there. Big J and his family are EXTREMELY devout Christians. That’s cool. It’s not my bag, nor Wayne’s, but we try to be the peace we’d like to see in this world. Meaning, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Haunt Jaunts - General
Halloween Haunted House Season is OPEN!
Okay, so admittedly I’m a big freakin’ chicken when it comes to investigating haunted houses of the Halloween variety, but I love them nonetheless. I love their spirit (or spirits as the case may be) and I love what they represent. I love that they allow people of all ages to get in touch with their inner fears, scream and shout, and in general embrace the darker side of life in a creative way. This past … Read entire article »
Filed under: Halloween
Putting out the Poll
One widget my WordPress theme didn’t automatically come with that I missed from Blogger was a poll. I finally figured out how to search for and add plugins. (Well, I sort of knew how to do it already, but it only recently dawned on me to search for a poll plugin.) Anyway…I’ve had an idea in mind for a poll question for a couple of weeks now. It was inspired by Josh Gates while watching Destination … Read entire article »
Filed under: Ghosts on TV
The U-Turn Man
My husband and I recently made a trip back to our hometown of Denver, Colorado. It’s where we were both raised, where we met, where we fell in love…heck, even where we got married even though we were living in Phoenix at that time. While we were back this time we spent a little time driving around checking out some of our old haunts. Both ones that meant something to us personally as well as a … Read entire article »
Filed under: Haunt Jaunts - General, Not Haunted
Arkansas Dept. of Parks and Tourism’s “Haunted Arkansas”
I’m always excited when I come across tourism departments that promote paranormal tourism. Today I discovered another one when I read an article published by The City Wire about the new “Haunted Arkansas” web page on the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism’s web site. Haunted Arkansas appears under their Things to Do section and keeps company with other favorites travelers like to know about, such as Arts & Crafts, Dinner Theaters, Festivals & Events, Fishing, Girls Getaways, Nightlife, and Shopping…just to name a few. (They have more categories, which makes it look like there’s lots of ways to enjoy Arkansas!) Anyway, the web page is pretty cool. It has scary music accompanying eerie images describing some of Arkansas’ more notable Haunt Jaunts, including the Crescent Hotel, the Old Arsenal, and the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Arkansas, Paranormal Tourism
The Ghost Hunters Effect: Oprah-esque Boon for Non-Profits
Are you familiar with something called “The Oprah Effect?” I’m not sure who coined the term, but CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla explored “how she turns no names into brand names.” I believe Syfy’s Ghost Hunters is having a similar effect, except not so much on no names as non-profits. More and more I’m running across museums and historic sites offering ghost tours or ghost hunting tours in addition to their regular tours. This is just a … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
A Show About Ghost Hunting with Pets
I just read “Does Your Pet See Ghosts?” on KYPost.com. It wasn’t a very big article, but it caught my eye because (a) it had to do with ghosts, and (b) it mentioned pets. Turns out Bobby Mackey’s Music World is opening it’s doors to pets to try their paws at ghost hunting this Friday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. It’s for a new show to premiere on Animal Planet called “Haunted Animals.” (The producers … Read entire article »
Filed under: Ghosts on TV
Haunted Travel Sites
Earlier today I announced how I’m ceasing work on HauntJaunts.net the website (not the blog, just the website), but what I failed to do was mention some other haunted travel sites that I’d like to aspire to one day be like. (Well, some are not specifically travel oriented, but they can be used for that.) Some of these sites I knew about before I started trying to make my version a reality. Some I came upon … Read entire article »
Filed under: Paranormal Tourism
Changes to HauntJaunts.net
I have some big news about HauntJaunts.net the site. (Just the website, not the blog. I’m still continuing with the blog.) So here goes: I just officially launched the site this month, but I’ve made the hard decision to back off from it right now. “Why? What happened?” Well, Mercury Retrograde for one. I should have consulted my chart when making my decision to launch. I’ve encountered all manner of hiccups. (Which, thanks to Mercury Retrograde, I … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Proper Haunt Jaunting Etiquette: Lesson 1
We’re fast approaching the Haunt Jaunting high season. Yes, I’m talking about that month of October when ghost tours, ghost hunting tours/classes, and haunted houses (of the variety that crop up around this time of year) move to the top of everyone’s To Do list. But something you don’t see too often is reminders about proper haunt jaunting etiquette. “Ghosts care about manners?” you may be wondering. Hmmm…that I don’t know. I’m sure some would appreciate you using … Read entire article »
Filed under: Haunt Jaunts - General
One Blog Leads to Another
There are lots of ways to find blogs to follow isn’t there? A friend suggests one, a Google Alert leads you to another, following someone on Twitter leads to some, and of course there are the other blogs you already follow. Recently I’ve come across some pretty cool blogs. I can credit one blog in particular for leading me to them: Autumnforest’s Ghost Hunting Theories. (GHT) I thought it’d be fun to trace my steps from her … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Hotel & Museum Freebies
Thanks to a recent issue of Woman’s World magazine, I came across some cool hotel and museum freebies. They could potentially be applied to any Haunt Jaunts you’d like to make. (Say to a Spooky Stay, Apparition Attraction or Historic Haunt.) VOLUNTEER REWARDS Do you do volunteer work anywhere? Complete eight hours for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and you could net yourself a free or half-priced night’s hotel stay with Sage Hospitality’s “Give a Day, Get a Night” program! To see hotels offering complimentary room reservations, click here. To see hotels offering 50% off, click here. By clicking the links provided above, you’ll also see the codes you’ll need to use in order to net these FABOO deals. I scanned the list and didn’t notice any high profile Spooky Stays right off the bat. However, even … Read entire article »
Filed under: Budget-friendly
Win a Halloween Haunt Jaunt
A couple weeks back I wrote about FEARnet’s a Haunting in LA Sweepstakes. That Haunt Jaunt isn’t necessarily Halloween specific, although it does take place in October. But it did include something popular to do around Halloween, a ghost tour. It also gave the winner more than just one prize. Here’s a couple more contests that do the same. One isn’t necessarily Halloween specific, but the prize is good during October. The other one is very much Halloween specific. HISTORY & HAUNTINGS SWEEPSTAKES This one is offered by Warren County in Ohio. The prizes up for grabs (you get both if you win) are: 4 tickets to the Ohio Renaissance Festival 4 tickets for Waynesville’s Ghostly Walking Tour Entries are open to residents of the United States and District of Columbia. One entry per person. Enter … Read entire article »
Scare for a Cure: A Haunted House with a Purpose
I have Twitter to thank for introducing me to Scare for a Cure, a non-profit out of Austin, Texas, that “raises money for local cancer charities one scream at a time.” I figured it’d be a good thing to write about today. For one, Halloween is coming and haunted houses are on everyone’s brain. But also because cancer’s on my mind due in part to Patrick Swayze’s death yesterday. I thought Scare for a Cure was a really novel approach to raising both money and awareness for the disease. (In 2007, Scare for a Cure raised $5,000 for breast cancer recovery. In 2008 they doubled that with $10,000 that benefited scholarship funds for four students affected by cancer.) “BLOOD RITUAL” Scare for a Cure’s mission is to create an “extreme, full contact, interactive … Read entire article »
Filed under: Halloween
Farewell Patrick Swayze
I was very saddened to hear the news late last night that Patrick Swayze had finally succumbed to his cancer. Normally I wouldn’t write about a celebrity’s death, but he was in Ghost. I figured if nothing else I could tie that in with the usual theme of blog. But I felt compelled to bid him farewell. Mostly I just wanted to add my sympathies and condolences to the list of people extending them to his … Read entire article »
Filed under: Movies
Paranormal Activity in Select Cities September 25
‘Tis the season for horror movies. I just got wind of one I hadn’t heard about yet: Paranormal Activity. Click here to check out the movie’s website. The title alone would have piqued my interest, but I read something about it on a site called Film School Rejects that made me think, “Hmm…what’s this all about?” Apparently they gave kudos to the way the trailer was done. But they said they were waiting for a disclaimer about it being too intense for people with heart conditions or pregnant women. (I realized afterward that they were being somewhat cheeky.) Still, as far as trailers go, it was okay. The movie’s now on my list of possibilities to see when it comes out. If it comes out near me. Paranormal Activity will be released in … Read entire article »
Filed under: Movies
Let’s Do Lunch: My JibJab Cameo
Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today! In honor of my birthday today, my friend Jeanine sent me my gift: a link to a JibJab sendable. It had an image next to it, with my picture (pre-chemo, back when I had hair) on it. Her note to me was: “Welcome to your own personal scary movie! I just crack myself up! I thought you would appreciate this in theme with your fixation on the horror movies and haunted houses!” I didn’t now what to expect, but J-9 (as I affectionately call her) is hysterical. Plus, I love JibJab stuff. I figured it must be pretty good. Basically, pasted-face me meets Gorgon the Destroyer. It brought to mind my confession about how I act in haunted houses. (The actor my face is pasted on let’s out … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Travel Troubles? Blame Mercury Retrograde!
My husband had a host of travel troubles last week. “Damn Mercury retrograde!” he cussed on the phone to me while he waited to hear when his delayed flight might be allowed to take-off. (This after troubles just getting to the airport, then fearing his flight might be canceled, but eventually just having to suffer take-off being delayed twice.) “What the heck is Mercury retrograde and what does it have to do with me?” those of you … Read entire article »
Filed under: Travel - General
Halloween Haunted Houses: A Confession
I’ve got a confession to make regarding Halloween Haunted Houses. I’m making it because starting this week, then over the coming weeks, I’ll be writing extensively about all things Halloween. But especially about haunted houses. (They’re among the perfect Haunt Jaunts to make at this time of year, aren’t they?) However, haunted houses both fascinate me and terrify me. The part of me that’s drawn to ghoulies and ghosties and all things horror to begin with … Read entire article »
Filed under: Apparition Attractions, Halloween, Haunt Jaunts - General
Ghost Hunters Beware: The Very Real Dangers of Ghost Hunting
This morning my Google Alerts held two stories that are good examples of the very real dangers of ghost hunting. Specifically, why so many ghost tours, ghost hunting teams, and haunted places websites, including HauntJaunts.net, do not condone trespassing. For the veteran and novice ghost hunters alike, let these stories remind you to always beware. DEATH BY MISADVENTURE Jordana Huber of The Vancouver Sun reported that a 29-year-old woman fell to her death this week while on an … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
In Remembrance of 9/11: Haunt Jaunting to Ground Zero
HauntJaunts.net extends its sympathies to all those affected by the events that transpired on September 11, 2001, now forever known as simply 9/11. But there’s nothing simple about what happened on that day, or about all the lives lost and families and friends forever haunted by the loss of their loved ones. Not that their loved ones mean to haunt them. It’s just that it’s only natural for people who lose someone so suddenly and tragically to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Ghosts
HorrorFind Weekend 11
Okay, I might have been a little late in the know (and therefore FYIing) about ScareFest, but I’m giving you a little more heads up about HorrorFind Weekend. (Not much, admittedly, but a smidgen more notice. Hey, this is my first year at all this. Next year I hope to (a) still be here and (b) be much more on top of all paranormal and horror-related events.) WHEN AND WHERE HorrorFind Weekend is two weeks away, September … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
HauntJaunts.net to Review Shadows of the Emerald City
The other day JW Schnarr, an editor from Northern Frights Publishing, contacted me about reviewing Shadows of the Emerald City, an anthology set for release on October 15, 2009. While the book isn’t a ghost travel guide or anything of that nature, here’s the tagline: “Tales of Terror inspired by the writings of L Frank Baum and the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” A collection of stories exploring the “darker side of the Oz Mythos?” Okay, I … Read entire article »
Filed under: Books
ScareFest in Lexington, KY This Weekend
Thanks to Twitter, and specifically a tweet by Chip Coffey, I learned about ScareFest this weekend in Lexington, Kentucky. (FYI, Mr. Coffey will also be one of the guests.) How I wasn’t aware of this, I don’t know. ScareFest boasts that it’s the largest horror and paranormal convention in the United States. I’ll tell you what, it just very well may be. They certainly have an impressive lineup of guests! So many they have them broken … Read entire article »
Filed under: Kentucky
Checking Out Arizona’s Spooky Stays with Debe Branning
I first came across Debe Branning, author of Sleeping with Ghosts: A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Arizona’s Haunted Hotels and Inns, when I was adding ghost guides and regional ghost books to HauntJaunts.net’s Emporium. Later I learned she’s also the leader and founder of MVD Ghost Chasers Mesa Arizona and the Arizona Haunted Sites Examiner. I started following her writing because (a) she lives in Arizona, a place that will always hold a special place in my heart (I have … Read entire article »
Filed under: Books, Interviews, Spooky Stays, Travel - General
Haunted Road Tripping through Maryland and Virginia with Michael J. Varhola
I’ve been on a bit of an interviewing binge lately and my next victim –er, I mean subject– is Michael J. Varhola, author of Ghosthunting Virginia and, his latest release, Ghosthunting Maryland. Both books are part of America’s Haunted Road Trip’s series of travel guides. I knew of Mr. Varhola and his books, but I hadn’t even dared consider contacting him until (a) I realized, after contacting other authors, that they’re usually more than happy to answer … Read entire article »
Filed under: Books, Interviews, Maryland, Virginia
Why Do So Many Haunt Jaunts Have Ghosts Named Lydia?
Recently I’ve run into a string of of Haunt Jaunts with ghosts named Lydia. The first time I noticed it was when I wrote about the Blake Street Vault. They have a ghost named Lydia. The name stood out at me because I have a friend named Lydia. In fact, she’s the only Lydia I’ve ever known so her name’s sort of left an impression. But then I noticed it again when I wrote about the Ghosts & Good Time Girls tour in Alaska. The Red Onion Saloon in Skagway (one of the tour’s stops) has a ghost named Lydia. Then, most recently, as I researched Jaunts for the Hood to Coast Haunt Jaunts article, I came across Buttertoes Restaurant. I learned from StrangeUSA.com that the restaurant is now out of business and is a private … Read entire article »
Filed under: Ghosts, Haunt Jaunts - General
If I Was a Ghost
Good day one and all. My name is Shiela Stewart. I am a paranormal romance author with a love for the things that go bump in the night. I’ve written several tales of ghost, haunting and spirits that cry out for help. And it got me thinking. What would I do if I was a ghost? I think I would want to tour the world rather than stick to one place. Sure, fine, I can understand … Read entire article »
Filed under: Canada, Ghosts, Guest Bloggers
HauntJaunts.net Discovers Twitter’s Spooky Side
By TwitterIcon.com I mentioned that as part of the official launch of HauntJaunts.net, I set up a Twitter account. I had been really reluctant to get involved on Twitter because I just couldn’t understand how it all worked. However, my defenses were worn down. I kept hearing about it and hearing about it and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life it’s this: if you keep encountering something over and over, there’s a reason and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Ghosts on the Net
Discussing Paranormal Romance with Shiela Stewart
I met paranormal romance author Shiela Stewart after posting the interview with Pamela K. Kinney. We got to chatting and the idea of both an interview and a guest blog spot came up. I was delighted when she agreed to both! Today I’m pleased to post her interview. In the near future she’ll also be posting a guest blog. (Or perhaps I will. I’m still learning WordPress so if I can’t figure out how to set … Read entire article »
Filed under: Interviews
Presenting the Launch of HauntJaunts.net
I am very pleased to announce the official launch of HauntJaunts.net! FYI The site’s still not complete, though. I’ve added a lot of Jaunts, but there are still a ton more in the queue. But, you know, if there’s one thing my hitchhiker has taught me it’s that life is too freaking short. Rather than try to add every Haunt Jaunt then launch, I figured, “What the heck! The main one’s are in, let’s get the party started. We … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
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