FREE Online Paranormal Classes (October 2018)

I'm always looking for ways to continue my education in the paranormal investigation and research field.  This month, I'll be attending this set of 4 FREE online classes offered by the Association of Paranormal Study! The first class begins tonight at 9:30 pm and will cover the History of Ghost Lore.  Each class is a stand alone class, so you have to register for each one independently.  From my understanding, if you cannot be present for the live class, it will be recorded for you to watch later at your convenience.  What have you got to lose?  Come sign up and join me on this spooky journey!

Association of Paranormal Study Facebook Page
Link to register through Zoom for Class #1
Association of Paranormal Study Website

Book Review for The Ghosts of London

Title: The Ghosts of London---A Collection of Ghost Stories from the British Capital
By: Sean McLachlan
Published by the Charles River Editors
Amazon Purchase Information

Every couple of weeks or so, the mood hits me to fill up my Kindle with FREE ebooks. I'll go to the Amazon website, click on the Kindle Store, and then search the last 30 days of new releases, priced low to high! Over the years, I've found quite a few free ebooks on my favorite subjects---ghosts and hauntings!

However, the old adage is usually true: you get what you pay for. More often than not, these free ebooks are poorly written, factually inaccurate, or at least just really, really short. There are gems to be had, though, and The Ghosts of London is one of those gems!

I have several other ebooks from the Charles River Editors, mostly quick-history type books, and they've all been a great deal. They are well written, interesting, and long enough to actually be considered a book, lol. But The Ghosts of London, written by Sean McLachlan, is the best I've found so far.

This book isn't super long, but its got a great sampling of London's haunted history. You'll find some standby classics such as 50 Berkeley Square, which many know as the Most Haunted House in London. Of course, a few hauntings associated with the London Underground (subway system) are included, as are plenty of haunted pubs, churches, and other places of interest. There are also a few really strange stories included, namely the ghost of Sir Francis Bacon's FROZEN CHICKEN!!

Chapters are enhanced with photographs and illustrations, and there's a great bibliography at the end of the book. It's a quick, fun read, but its not overwhelmingly short like so many similar books tend to be. I'm not as up-to-date on my British hauntings as I'd like to be, so this was a great collection of stories to become familiar with.

Unfortunately, at the time of this review, the FREE promotion for this book has ended, and the price is up to $2.99. That's still a respectable price for the quality and quantity of information packed into this ebook. And, if you don't care for the ebook format, you can get this title in paperback as well, for about $10.

However, just keep your eyes open! Charles River Editors often offers their ebook titles for free during limited times, and they cover some really great subjects. I also managed to pick up a free copy of The Weird and Mysterious United States at the same time as The Ghosts of London! It's been added to the To-Be-Read pile and may end up as a future Book Review!

Happy reading, and happy haunting, everyone. Stay spooky!

FREE Kindle Books on Demonology

Demonology is a subject that many are interested in, and it continues to be as hot a topic today as it was 100 years ago. So, today's quickie blog is a list of three totally FREE ebooks on the subject of demonology. Have you read any of these?


1. Demonology and Devil-Lore, by Moncure Daniel Conway

According to the Cambridge Library Collection: "In this two-volume work, first published in 1879, Conway draws from examples across the world to discuss the origins and decline of beliefs in demons. In Volume 1, he classifies types of demon and argues that the various types are personifications of the main obstacles to 'primitive man'. In Volume 2, he discusses the role that the Devil plays in Christianity, and that similar figures play in other religions." Also available through Project Gutenberg

2. Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, by Sir Walter Scott

"The book takes the form of ten letters addressed to J.G. Lockhart, the epistolary mode permitting Scott to be both conversational in tone and discursive in method. In these, Scott surveys opinions respecting demonology and witchcraft from the Old Testament period to his own day. As a child of the Enlightenment, he adopts a rigorously rational approach to his subject. Supernatural visions are attributed to 'excited passion', to credulity, or to physical illness."--Source and More Info





3. The History of the Devil as Well Ancient as Modern in Two Parts, by Daniel DeFoe

This book is also known as The Political History of the Devil.  "The Political History of the Devil is a study of the devil by novelist, satirist and political journalist Daniel Defoe (1660?-1731). It was published in 1726 but this illustrated edition is from 1819. Defoe, a Protestant Dissenter, believed in the devil as a physical being at work in the world. The Political History of the Devil suggests that the devil appears on earth both in his own form and through inhabiting the bodies and minds of other beings. Defoe was strongly anti-Catholic and here he associates the devil with Catholicism, specifically with the Pope." Source and More Info

FREE Online Photography Education

If you know me or are familiar with this blog, you've probably already realized that I am a HUGE supporter of higher education for paranormal investigators! In a field as dynamic as this one that incorporates so many different disciplines, there is always something to learn. 

One area where I definitely see a need for more training and education is the field of photography.  While there aren't any real 'experts' in the paranormal field (how can you become an expert or even receive any type of certified credentials to study something that isn't proven to exist?) a good bump to the resume is being proficient and knowledgeable in the photographic process. A little knowledge of photography can go a LONG way in adding integrity to both your evidence collection and your analysis of possible evidence.

Obviously, nothing beats hands-on experience, but taking a live class can be hard for those who are already busy with careers, family, and other pursuits.  Plus, it can get expensive!  That's why I've compiled this short list of completely FREE photography courses available ONLINE! I have personally taken each of these courses myself and recommend them. I think there's enough here that anyone, from the complete beginner and up can learn a little something will be come in handy. There are literally tons of different photography courses out there, so if you find one that isn't on the list that you recommend, please let me know and I'll be happy to add!

FREE PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES

Digital Photography by ALISON Courses--This is an intense, but extremely thorough lecture series offered FREE through ALISON Courses by Harvard University.  After working your way through 12 modules, which contain varying numbers of lecture videos each, you have the option to take the course assessment and earn a certificate of completion. Topics include an extensive view of the inner workings of the digital camera, focusing on the DSLR, exposure, light, optics, etc. You may start this class at any time and work your way through it at your own pace.

The Art of Photography by Open2Study--This class is taught by Dr. Shane Hulbert of RMIT University, and even though it is geared more towards the artistic application of photography, there is plenty of excellent information useful to the paranormal investigator.  There are four modules within this course, each with 10 videos each.  Each week you work your way through a module, taking a one-question quiz after each video, followed by an assessment of the whole module after the tenth video.  Topics covered include the different settings on your camera and what they mean, the meaning of RAW and why it should be used, image editing software, how the aperture and shutter speed works, etc. This course is designed to take 4 weeks to complete.  It runs every 5 weeks, with the next session beginning on September 7, 2015.

FreePhotoCourse.com--Not interested in a traditional course format with quizzes and assessments?  I'd recommend this series of tutorials and education from Free Photo Course.  You can read through the material, complete with reference photos at your own pace and not have to worry about deadlines or tests.  There's some great basics here, including a brief history of photography, which was a nice addition.

FREE Online Research--Newspaper Research

Photo by ShironekoEuro

As a paranormal researcher and the Historic Research Manager for Huntington Paranormal Investigations and Research, I have discovered that one of the absolute best sources of information comes in the form of newspaper archives! I have spent countless hours hunched over the microfiche machines at the Cabell County Public Library, looking up obituaries, news coverage of disasters, and other articles of interest. Even advertisements can offer useful information about daily life. Many times I'll be looking for one thing, and stumble upon an article or photograph pertaining to another local haunting or interesting story!

I'm lucky that I live relatively close to the library and can usually find the time to visit a few times a month, since these archives are not yet digitally available off-site. But what if you're NOT able to visit these archives regularly...or are researching a topic or location from another area? If the internet is your only option for research, there are some pretty awesome newspaper archive services out there...but they come at a fairly hefty price, usually available through monthly, 3-month, 6-month and yearly subscriptions. However, if this is a service you find yourself using often, it might be well worth it---saving on travel expenses and the ability to research topics at your leisure and from your own computer (and printer) are excellent reasons to consider a subscription service.  Most also offer a free 30 day free trial---so you can do some major research on a variety of topics all at once and then cancel! Newspapers.com is my personal favorite and is running a reduced price on yearly subscriptions this month.

The options above are great and all, but here at Theresa's Haunted History, I'm always looking for resources that are completely FREE! Below I've compiled a short list of free online newspaper resources that I have personally used in my own research. Do you know of any other FREE newspaper resources, especially those pertaining to the tri-state area of West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky?  If so, please join me over on Facebook and let us know!


Free Online Newspaper Archives

Chronicling America: The Library of Congress has digitized a great number of newspapers from across the country.  While obviously not ALL newspapers are represented, there are plenty of examples from West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.  Unfortunately, the archive only dates between 1836 and 1922. Still, there is some great information to be found, and the search options are very user-friendly.  Just doing a little exploring, I found some interesting articles about both the WV State Penitentiary at Moundsville and the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.

GenDisasters: GenDisasters is a collection of newspaper articles about different disasters transcribed by volunteers from across the country.  By searching by state, disaster, year or even keyword, you'll gain access to different tragedies such as fires, explosions, train derailments, etc.  I have been a volunteer transcriber for several years now and have added a number of Huntington, WV area articles.

Google News Archive: I have mixed feelings about the Google News archives.  There are different ways of maximizing your search results using this feature, but quite honestly, I've found that the easiest thing to do is do a regular Google search for whatever you're looking for and see if any newspaper stories are included in the search results. The big problem is, however, is that the newspapers aren't transcribed by a human--they are digitally translated using a software program.  This results in a LOT of mispellings---to the point where its almost impossible to actually read what is being said.  Plus, you generally cannot read from the actual newspaper image itself---just the text box below, which is all running together.  Still, I've had some measure of success and at the very least, have found out critical dates of events so that I can narrow down the search parameters on the microfiche and find out what the local papers have to say.

The Glenville Mercury: Glenville State College in Glenville, WV, which began as a Normal School, has digitized their school newspaper!  Archives go from December 1929 to July 2000 and while the content may be a little more geared to local and college interests, there's some interesting stuff in there if you look hard enough.

Are you looking for MORE FREE STUFF?
*FREE ghost hunting course by Fiona Broome
*FREE occult ebooks

FREE Parapsychology Course (January 2015)

The Rhine Research Center defines parapsychology as 'the scientific study of interactions between living organisms and their external environment that seem to transcend the known physical laws of nature.  Parapsychology is a component of the broader study of consciousness and the mind.'

It goes on to list the FIVE areas of study within parapsychology:

1. Telepathy-mind to mind communication through a means other than the normal senses.

2. Clairvoyance or Remote Viewing-knowledge of objects, people or events that are hidden via space or time.

3. Precognition-knowledge of an event that has not yet occurred, or information that appears to be transferred from the future into the present.

4. Psychokinesis (PK)-Mind interacting with matter at a distance.

5. Survival Studies-The nature of human consciousness and an examination of whether consciousness survives the physical form.  This includes mediumship research, reincarnation, out of body experiences, apparitions, and ghost activities.

Up until this point, the majority of my interests, and thus work, in the paranormal field have had a fairly narrow focus on Survival Studies, mainly ghosts, apparitions, and hauntings. However, in order to have a fuller understanding of my chosen focus area, I realize the need for a broader education of the entire parapsychology field.

Luckily, I found a wonderful, FREE opportunity!  Starting on January 5, 2015, the Parapsychology Foundation is partnering with the AZIRE to offer a free course entitled Parapsychology and Anomalistic Psychology: Research and Theory. Hosted through WizIQ, this course will consist of over 22 video lectures running almost daily through February 14th.  A partial list of speakers has been published, and there are some interesting lectures, ranging from those geared to the beginner to those very specific to certain areas of study.  The majority of speakers are associated with the Rhine Research Center in some way or another and are noted in their field as being top researchers.

This link will give you all the information you need to sign up for the course: Parapsychology MOOC

I'm excited for this and I hope some of you will join me in this endeavor!

13 Spooky Movie Classics

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...but even it can't hold a candle to these spooky classic films!

Here in the tri-state, winter has finally hit!  It's been cold, wet, and even a little snowy at times.  Therefore, leaving the house unless absolutely necessary hasn't been a huge priority for me.  So what have I been doing to fill my time?  Watching scary old movies on Youtube, of course!  Grab some popcorn and a cuddle buddy and enjoy these horrifying examples of classic horror, cherry-picked from among my personal favorites!

1. Carnival of Souls (1962)--Before there was The Others or The Sixth Sense, there was Carnival of Souls.  After a tragic accident, a young woman journeys across the country to settle into her new life, but along the way she's plagued by strange happenings.

2. Suspiria (1977)--A new-comer to a prestigious ballet academy quickly finds out that there is something very sinister going on.  Is a coven of witches responsible for the brutal murder of one of the students?

3. White Zombie (1932)--In order to steal a beautiful, young bride-to-be away from her fiance, a jealous suitor employs a witch doctor to turn her into a zombie.  Unfortunately for him, the plan backfires.

4. The Ghoul (1933)--An Egyptologist returns from the grave to exact revenge on those who plundered his tomb.

5. The Vampire Bat (1933)--When the citizens of a small town start dying of a mysterious blood loss, it is believed that the culprit is a vampire...but is it really a vampire, or something much worse?

6. The Old Dark House (1932)--Five travelers seeking shelter during a terrible storm find themselves at a strange old house with even an even stranger family living inside.  Will they make it through the night alive?

7. House on Haunted Hill (1959)--Guests are challenged to spend the night in a haunted house for a cash award.  Who will take home the prize...and who will die trying?

8. Ghosts of Hanley House (1968)--Another movie where guests are staying the night in a haunted house, and start dying off.

9. Terror in the Haunted House (1958)--When a young bride is taken by her husband to their new home in Florida, she's shocked to see that the home is one that she has never seen in person...but has been having nightmares about.

10. Horror Hotel (1960)--A young student spends her school break researching witchcraft in a small town.  However, she soon finds out that things are not quite what they seem and that witchcraft might still be alive and well here.

11. The Ghost Walks (1934)--Another movie involving stranded motorists trapped in a sinister house, where the widow of a murder victim is 'mourning' the anniversary of her husband's death.

12. Nosferatu (1922)--The classic silent film that sparked a cultural phenomena of vampire movies.  Even after all these years, the Count is one of the creepiest depictions of a leading role vampire you'll EVER see on screen.

13. The Phantom Carriage (1921)--A silent film about a drunkard telling the legend of the Phantom Carriage.  It's New Year's Eve and the legend states that whomever is last to die in a year will be cursed to drive the phantom carriage...who will the unlucky soul be?

Occult Books

Happy National Occult Day!  I'm not sure where this celebration originated from or even why it is celebrated, but its a great excuse to once again share my love of reading with you all!

 Today's blog is just a short list of some of the FREE (yes, FREE) ebooks that are available on occult subjects.  The world of the occult is a huge one, encompassing many different ideas, but I've chosen to narrow down these literary choices to ones that specifically use the word 'occult' in the title.

These books are all now in the public domain (written in the late 1800s through early 1900s), so the FREE price point should remain constant.  The links below will take you to the Amazon website where you can easily download them for your Kindle.  However, if you do not own a Kindle device or a way to read Kindle books, all of the selections can be found for free on other websites as well, including Project Gutenberg, where they are available in a variety of formats to read on your PC, laptop, tablet, e-reader or phone.

Happy reading...and Happy National Occult Day!

1. An Outline of Occult Science by Rudolph Steiner.  This is a look at the psychic anatomy of man, and covers topics such as reincarnation, the transition from life to death, and the relationship between sleeping and waking consciousness.

2. Clairvoyance and Occult Powers by William Walker Atkinson.  Written under the pen name of Swami Panchadasi in 1916, this book contains 20 lessons on topics such as astral travel, psychic healing, and crystal gazing.

3. Studies in Occultism by H.P. Blavatsky. Topics covered include black magic in science, hypnotism, and noetics.

4. Occult Chemistry by C.W. Leadbeater.  This book proposes that the structure of the chemical elements can be assessed through clairvoyant observation with the microscopic vision of the third eye.

5. Mystic London; or Phases of Occult Life in Metropolis by Charles Davies is a collection of articles about late 19th century Spiritualism in London.  It defends the practice and beliefs of Spiritualism, arguing that they can co-exist peacefully with the beliefs and ideals of Christianity.

*If you have any other great recommendations, feel free to pop on over to Theresa's Haunted History Facebook and share!*

8 Classic Tales of Horror

Looking to add some intellectual savvy to your Halloween celebrations this year?  There are so many  awesome books, fiction and non-fiction, that make excellent spooky reading material for this time of year, but I've chosen to share some of my favorite examples of classical horror literature.  These tales, all written in the 1800s, have withstood the test of time and remain as creepy now as the day they were written.  Many of these are quick reads, either short stories or novellas, and ALL are available FREE in various formats for reading on your computer or ebook device.

If you have a favorite spooky book, perfect for the Halloween season, hop on over to Theresa's Haunted History Facebook and let me know what it is!

1. Turn of the Screw by Henry James--Published in 1898, this is perhaps one of my favorite novels by Henry James, despite its verbosity and complexity.  Don't let the language scare you off; this is truly a frightening tale of a governess trying to protect her young charges from the spirits who intend to do them harm....or is it?  The mystery of what is actually going on, whether it be in real life or in the governess' own mind makes for some creepy reading.

2. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde--Here's a short story, first appearing in print in 1887 and again in 1891 featuring a family that moves into a quintessential haunted house.  However, as hard as the ghost tries, the family, except for one young girl, chooses to ignore him.

3. Dracula--Published in 1897, this iconic work by Bram Stoker is the go-to guide for the vampire mythos and the creation of horror's most famous ghoul, Count Dracula!

4. Frankenstein--Mary Shelley's 1818 work is another iconic piece in the history of horror.  Written one summer during a challenge with some friends over who could write the scariest story, this tale of a doctor and his monstrous creation has been a Halloween favorite for close to 200 years.

5. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson--The ultimate tale of good vs. evil and the dual nature of every human being...just, pushed to the limits, lol.  Published in 1886, this classic tale will send shivers down your spine.

6. The Picture of Dorian Gray--Another Oscar Wilde favorite, published in 1890.  The Picture of Dorian Gray is a tale of what happens when vanity overrules a person's senses.  This story was apparently quite controversial in Britain when it was first published!

7. The Tell-Tale Heart--First published in 1843, the Tell-Tale Heart is a Poe classic...and you can't have a Halloween-themed literature list without mentioning Edgar Allen Poe!  Murder, insanity, and the incessant beating of that blasted heart come together to terrify you with this gothic thriller.

8. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving--Published in 1820, this short story has withstood the test of time; the tale of Ichabod Crane meeting the Headless Horseman is still as spooky as it was almost 200 years ago.

*Links updated on October 8, 2017*

Book Review: The Travellers' Guide to Hell

Title: The Travellers' Guide to Hell
Authors: Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls
Published: Tinselhouse (2014)
Amazon Kindle Purchase Info

The Travellers' Guide to Hell, by Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls is available as of right now as a FREE Kindle download from Amazon, so if you're interested, jump on it now!  And I definitely suggest you do!  I absolutely loved this book, despite it not being exactly what I thought it was going to be...

It's advertised as being a fun little travel guide formatted book, taking you down through the depths of Hell itself.  I was expecting something very humorous and honestly, something that was probably going to be poorly written and not very factual.  However, I found just the opposite--almost.

This is still a comical look at Hell, from its history to its geography to its inhabitants and literally everything else you could think of.  However, its a very well-written and well-researched comprehensive, and even scholarly, look at the perceptions of Hell.  The idea of Hell is explored across history and across different cultures, bringing in references from a variety of literary and uh, "first-hand" accounts.  It actually loses a little bit of the actual "travel guide" formatting, but that fact is quickly forgotten, thanks to all the awesome information crammed into this book.  I especially found the information on the Chinese version of Hell and Gilligan's Island as an allegory of Hell, to be especially intriguing...so head's up:  I might be blogging about those later on!

And, like all the other books I review here, this is a title that I do recommend for paranormal researchers.  So many times we hear that religion has absolutely no place in paranormal research...and that's true, but only to a point.  We cannot allow our own faith or belief system to interfere with an objective and scientific study of the truth.

 However, for those groups and individuals working directly with clients, its crucial to have an understanding of how different religions and different cultures view the afterlife, and that includes opinions and even the mythology of what we know as Hell in order to relate to those clients and give them the best possible investigation possible based on their needs.  If you have to learn about Hell, then it makes sense to have a little fun with it, and get a comprehensive cross-culture view all in one FREE ebook!

FREE Vampire eBooks!

Welcome to a BONUS Vampire Week blog!  I'll be posting today's regularly scheduled blog this evening as a Friday Night Funny, but until then, I wanted to drop in and share a few FREE vampire-related ebooks being offered on Kindle through Amazon.

There isn't a huge selection of FREE material when it comes to really informative non-fiction pieces.  There is, however a TON of paranormal romances starring vampires.  I've listed a few choices that fall somewhere in between that are available right now at no charge for Kindle.  Please, if you have any further FREE recommendations, share them in the comment section.  Happy Reading!

The Vampire Cookbook
Looking for some elegantly spooky recipes for a vampire-themed or Halloween party?  This book offers a complete dinner's worth of ideas, from cocktails to dessert and everything in between.  No blood needed, of course.

Varney the Vampire, or The Feast of Blood
This is a classic from 1847, meaning it predates even Bram Stoker's Dracula!  A must read for anyone interested in vampire folklore from a literary point of view

Dracula
This one needs no description, but you might also be interested in Dracula's Guest, a collection of short stories by Bram Stoker that supposedly give a little more insight into the character of Dracula.  I personally haven't read it yet *hangs head in shame*

101 Tips for Traveling with a Vampire
A cute, satirical comedy on how to make the most out of traveling with a...well, vampire.

Totally awesome image from Nirav Photography