Most Popular Blogs of 2022

As a blogger, it's important to analyze statistics every once in awhile. I like to see how the blog is doing, and what types of posts you guys seem to like the best. It's both enlightening, and at times, entertaining! Recently, I was curious about 2022. It was a pretty good year in terms of traffic to the site, as well as the number of new posts I was able to put out. But, I wanted to take it a step further and see just which posts I created in 2022 actually brought in the majority of that traffic. And, I thought some of you might be interested as well. So, here are the Top Five Most Popular Blogs of 2022 for Theresa's Haunted History. 

#5: Book Review for Appalachian Bigfoot, by Russ Jones. I'm not even gonna lie; this one threw me for a loop, because normally, book reviews are some of my least popular blogs here on Theresa's Haunted History. I love to read and share what I read, but those blogs don't usually get a whole lot of views in comparison to my other writings. I guess that says a lot about Russ Jones' work! This blog was originally published on Saturday, July 9, 2022.

#4: Friday Night Funny: Hot Bigfoot: Okay, another one that completely shocked me because my Friday Night Funnies, while I think are hilarious, also don't get a whole lot of organic traffic. But this one did, probably because it was a pretty funny summertime meme. This blog was originally published on Friday, July 8, 2022.

#3: TALA Tales: Karl Kunst. I find it important to share the forgotten stories from famous haunted locations that don't necessarily have well-known hauntings attached to them, and the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum is a perfect well of these stories. The story of Karl Kunst is a really sad one; he was not a patient at the hospital, but rather the son of the hospital's superintendent. He tragically took his own life at the hospital in the staff quarters. This blog was originally published on Sunday, July 10, 2022.

#2: The Bewitched Hen of Roney's Point. This was a really weird story I found in an old newspaper about a hen that laid eggs with cabbalistic inscriptions. It was originally published on July 6, 2022. 

#1: June's Paranormal Discussion Group-Haunted Objects. I wrote about the St. Albans Paranormal Discussion Group's monthly meeting for June. That month's topic was a really cool one---haunted objects. We had a great show and tell session, and even had some interactive spirit communication/ghost hunting taking place! That's kind of awesome that this was the most popular blog post of 2022 because I think very highly of this group and am very proud to have the opportunity to attend meetings and write about it. This post was published on July 5, 2022. 

Okay, so I'm seeing a definite pattern here! All of these blogs were published in early July, within a week of each other. That must have been a really, really good month for Theresa's Haunted History! I'm not great about tracking my daily stats (especially around then, as that was when my mom was especially sick) so I'm not sure if I had some older posts 'went viral,' if I was just getting some weird traffic because search engines were indexing me, or if I was just really, really lucky that plenty of people were looking for haunted stuff in and around West Virginia and happened to come across my blog.

Either way, I am so, so grateful to have the wonderful supporters that I do and even though I'd probably STILL write this blog if no one read it, I get so excited seeing my visitor count grow. If you enjoy what you read here, please consider sharing it on social media, sending it to a spooky friend, or even pinning it to Pinterest. I love sharing my love for West Virginia's spooky history and I hope to reach as many people who share that same passion as possible. Thank you and as always...stay spooky! 

Happy Birthday to Theresa's Haunted History!

 

Happy Birthday to Theresa's Haunted History

of the Tri-State Blog!

I can't believe it. It has been TWELVE YEARS since I outgrew my little FreeWebs page of haunted locations, and made the decision to move everything to the free and easy to use Blogger platform. Over a decade later, I'm still happy with my decision, and still working hard to crank out new content.

You wouldn't think it was possible, but there is a never-ending supply of ghost stories, haunted locations, creepy critters, and just plain weirdness to talk about! Every day, I come across new ideas to share on the blog, and I'm also constantly attending new paranormal events, going on new investigations, and reading/watching/listening to all the paranormal media I can consume, which all makes for even MORE fun stuff to share with you all. 

West Virginia is one weird place, and while it will continue to be the focus of my content here, 2023 will bring a little more in the way of some personal theories and advice regarding paranormal investigation and ghost theory. I'm also going to refocus on trying to incorporate the tri-state a little more, with new haunted locations and ghost stories from Ohio and Kentucky being added, as well as sharing a little more about the actual investigation case files of Spectral Research and Investigation.

Thank you so much for joining me on another year of spooky fun as we explore the unexplained here in West Virginia and beyond. 2022 was a roller coaster of a year, full of wonderful things...but at the same time, one of the worst years of my life. I know it sounds sappy and cliche but having this blog to distract me got me through some rough times. I'm really proud of how it has progressed over the last dozen years, but I couldn't have done it without all of you. So, on the 12th birthday of Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State blog, I hope you'll celebrate with me! Here's to many, many more years of searching for the spooky!

*Last year, I wrote a little bit about what inspired me to start Theresa's Haunted History, and how the process actually got started. If you're interested in that, please see my blog post, Happy Blog-a-Versary!*

Spooky Season 2022 is Finally Here!

From SRI's Fairfield County Infirmary
Investigation in September

I mean, it's spooky season all year long here at Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State, but as October 1st finally arrives, it seems...official! Along with plenty of ghosts, spooks, monsters, and goblins, October also brings along with it another round of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. That's right---thirty one more straight days of brand new paranormal content here on the blog. 

As some readers may already know, I lost my mom last week after a nearly 6 month battle with cancer. I haven't had a whole lot of time, energy, or motivation lately to focus on my work, but I'm desperately needing a distraction. Hopefully, this blog will provide that much needed outlet for me to concentrate on during these next few months, and the UBC will give me the push to actually get it published. I've certainly got quite a back log of content I've been wanting to share with ya'll! Despite everything going on, I've still tried to keep up with my paranormal investigations with Spectral Research and Investigations, my spooky reading, making research notes on cases I'd like to study further, and going to as many local paranormal events as possible. 

Please join me all month long as we get caught up with some new haunted locations in West Virginia and beyond, take a look at some of SRI's events/investigations, and explore everything strange and spooky throughout the tri-state. This is my favorite time of the year, and I'm excited to get to share it with you.  Happy haunting! 

Happy Easter 2022!

 Happy Easter from Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State!

April is another busy month here at Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State and for the Spectral Research and Investigation team. Conferences, tours, investigations, book research, AND another attempt at the Ultimate Blog Challenge have kept me on my toes...and that's not even taking into consideration that my kid is playing another season of baseball! 

So, today, I'll be taking a rare day off and spending time with family...but that doesn't mean the spookiness has to take a break. Theresa's Haunted History is always available to provide you with your paranormal fix! I've already scheduled plenty of Easter-themed ghostly posts over at my Facebook page for you to enjoy throughout the day. In addition, there's a ton of NEW content right here on the blog. Whether your interests lie more in the ghosts and hauntings side of the paranormal, or if you prefer cryptozoology, ufology, psychic/spiritualism, or just general West Virginia weirdness, it's all here---with plenty of local history thrown in. Theresa's Haunted History continues to grow, and continues to be one of the largest online repositories of haunted locations throughout the Mountain State and beyond. 

I've really enjoyed being able to share with you West Virginia's haunted history, and I've enjoyed seeing how this blog has evolved over the years, incorporating even more aspects of Fortean phenomena into the mix. I've been really motivated this year to explore different directions in which to take my work and I think the natural progression is to focus more on ALL of West Virginia's weird and wonderful history. But, I still want this blog to have a little 'something for everyone.' Therefore, expect to continue seeing posts on different aspects of paranormal investigation, paranormal theory, and of course, haunted locations/mysterious happenings from Kentucky, Ohio, and beyond! 

But, as always, I want to hear from YOU. Leave me a comment below on what YOU'D like to see more of on Theresa's Haunted History. I might be taking a quick break today, but I'll be right back at it tomorrow, researching and writing all the strange and unusual paranormal content that can only be found right here on Theresa's Haunted History blog. 

Have a wonderful Easter holiday and as always, stay spooky y'all!

*Be sure to check out my Haunted West Virginia Page for quick access to TONS of haunted locations throughout the Mountain State, many of which YOU can visit!*

Happy Blog-a-versary!

Early Logo for
Theresa's Haunted History

Today I'm celebrating a very special birthday...the birthday of Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State Blog! On January 16th, 2011, I sat at my communal desk in the break room of the Clay Center. I was on break from my duties as a gallery educator and decided that I might as well make the most of the hour I had. So I did it. I took the plunge and wrote the first blog entry: The Apollo Theater. It's not a long entry, and honestly, it's not a very well written one either...but it was the beginning. Well, sort of.

Theresa's Haunted History actually dates all the way back to 2006 when I first began serving as Historic Research Manager for Huntington Paranormal Investigations and Research. As part of my 'research duties' I thought it would be a good idea to take a deeper look at some of the known haunts around West Virginia and surrounding areas, just to see what locations might be worth looking into for future investigations. My inspiration came from popular websites, such as the Shadowlands Index and WV Ghosts, where I scoured the user-uploaded entries to find hauntings that I could substantiate a bit further. 

I quickly discovered that these types of websites weren't a huge help to those looking for places to investigate. Not only was historical background and location details often inaccurate, but most of the entries for 'haunted places' weren't really places you could actually investigate, or even FIND for that matter. As much as I enjoyed reading about a scream heard in the old haunted house down by Papaw's cabin, there was no way of finding out where that haunted house was. So, I decided to create my own list in a way. It started with our HPIR website's message board section. I'd post a location, with a brief description of where it was, whatever history I could find, and any relevant links for further information. Eventually, I decided to make that information more widely available, and started posting on a old FreeWebs website.

I ran my FreeWebs site for a couple of years, but it quickly became apparent that I was posting too much stuff and getting way too much traffic for the free hosting service to handle, and the website would be down for quite a few weeks every month. I wasn't super techy so I started researching better options, and decided on moving everything over to Blogger. It was still free and easy to use...and offered me much more flexibility with how much I could post! But, the process was a slow one. I started off the new blog with a fresh, brand new location, and then started the painstakingly boring task of moving everything else over. 

It's been 11 years now and the process isn't actually done. Sure, I moved over the most important entries, and have been busy creating new content over the years, but the blog still needs a LOT of work. My research skills and my access to research materials have evolved greatly over the last decade, so many of my early blogs on here need updated---BADLY. Dead links need to be gone, photographs need to be added, and some just need to be totally re-written as better and more accurate information has been uncovered about them. I'm constantly running across new information about 'old' locations, but it's been a struggle trying to juggle new content with updating the old. Every year, I make a resolution to make major improvements, and this year, I'm hoping to actually follow-through, lol. 

Anyway, I've had an absolute blast these past years. I love learning new things about the paranormal, and I love sharing what I learn with you all. This blog has been a big help to me (I find myself referencing it quite often for details I've forgotten) and I hope it has entertained and/or educated some of you as well! There may be times where I lack the motivation to post regularly, but I always keep coming back to. I'm looking forward to what the next decade in Theresa's Haunted History's history has to hold. Stay spooky, y'all! 

Theresa's Haunted West Virginia Page

Top 5 Spooky Posts of 2020

2020 was a crap year for a lot of reasons, and it was a crap year for Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State blog. Not counting this submission, I've only managed to knock out 50 new blogs over the course of the entire year. Therefore, I thought it would be fun (and EASY) to take a look back over those 50 posts and share with you which ones did the best!

5. Bellaire's Sheeted Apparition: (Published January 2, 2020) Bellaire's Sheeted Apparition was a short, vintage newspaper article from 1892, discussing a spook that was terrorizing the people of Bellaire, Ohio, just across the river from Wheeling, WV. 

4. Cold Hands-My Experience at the Ridges: (Published January 3, 2020) What started off as a funny lil' spooky photo turned into an opportunity to share one of my personal ghost experiences. Back in my early days of investigating, I visited the Ridges, an old asylum in Athens, Ohio, and actually got to feel what felt like a small, ghostly hand slip into mine. 

3. Pressing Questions-Familiars: (Published January 17, 2020) This was another Friday Funny, featuring one of my favorite woodcut artworks of a witch and her familiar. It is suggested that perhaps in olden times, witches spoke to their familiars, no matter how grotesque, in the same sweet, soothing, coddling tones that we use on our pets today. 

2. 1952 Louisville Poltergeist: (Published May 2, 2020) The Louisville Poltergeist story was my personal favorite blog to write in 2020. I had stumbled across a newspaper article mentioning it, did a little additional research, and came to the conclusion that what was deemed a hoax, was to me much more complex. Shortly after this blog was posted, I was contacted by a family member, letting me know that the little girl in question had recently passed away...but not before making a successful, loving life for herself and others. There was a lot more to the story than published in the newspapers, and it seems that paranormal activity followed the young woman her entire life. 

1. Fresh Seafood Company: (Published April 28, 2020) Behind the Louisville Poltergeist story, this one was probably my second favorite. I LOVE finding new-to-me haunted locations in West Virginia, and this one is actually VERY close to me! The Fresh Seafood Company is a modern restaurant located in Jefferson, WV...but was once a private residence. It's now haunted by the apparition of a man in a plaid suit.

So there ya have it.  These five blogs were the best performing posts written in 2020. There were a few posts written in previous years that did better than these five this year, so I hope that in years to come, these five will continue to be read and enjoyed by readers of Theresa's Haunted History. I look forward to stepping up my game in 2021 and producing many more quality works for ya'll.  If you have a moment, look over in the sidebar at what I've published in 2020 and let me know in the comments below or over at Theresa's Haunted History's Facebook page what YOUR favorite blog post of 2020 was.

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve and I'll see ya in 2021! Stay spooky!

Goodbye, 2019....Hello 2020!

Happy New Year!  It's time to say goodbye to 2019...and hello to 2020.  This has been a crazy year. I met my husband in January and got married in March.  My mom battled (and won!) against breast cancer. My tiny boy turned DOUBLE DIGITS! I've spent many a day traveling between Hurricane and Grafton, and many a night sitting in hospital rooms. 

With all the craziness going on, this blog has suffered, and to my regular readers, I apologize.  As life is settling back into a routine, I'm ready to get back to bringing you all the coolest ghost stories, haunted locations, urban legends, and just anything and everything spooky related to West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and beyond!  To kick start a new year of new content, I'll once again be doing the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  That means there will be a new blog post every day throughout January.  I have failed miserably during the last few challenges, so I'm hoping the motivation of a new year will give me the boost I need to make it through this time. 

If you don't already, please follow me on Facebook for lots of fun and spooky articles, photos, and much more!  It's also the best place to contact me with your questions, comments, and suggestions for haunted locations. Pop on over and let me know if you have any paranormal-related New Year's resolutions, or if you have any awesome investigations, trips to haunted locations, conferences/events, books, podcasts, or anything else spooky coming up in 2020 that'd you'd like to share! You can also find me on Twitter and on Instagram. 

I hope you and yours have a safe and happy New Year, and that 2020 is a great year for you.  Thank you so much for continuing this journey with me as my blog and my involvement in the paranormal community has evolved, shifted, be put on hold, etc.!  I appreciate all the support and kind words you've shown me over the years.  In a few weeks, this blog will be celebrating its NINTH anniversary!  

BONUS

Curious as to what the Top 3 blog posts of 2019 were?  Here's what people were reading and sharing the most this year!

3. David Morgan's Vision---Early West Virginia pioneer, David Morgan, had a sickbed vision that saved the lives of his children from an Indian attack. This tale of supernatural intervention has been passed down from generation to generation, and there is even a historical marker documenting the prophetic dream.

2. Mason County's Mysterious Skeletons---A newspaper from 1821 shares the news of four giant skeletons found in a burial mound, located on a Mason County, WV farm. Folklore is full of claims that West Virginia's Adena burial mounds contain giant skeletal remains of a race of people long forgotten.

1. The Sistersville Stocking Lady---There's a tombstone in Sistersville, WV with a highly damaged carving of an angelic woman atop.  Local legend states than anyone foolish enough to touch the 'Stocking Lady' will meet a horrible fate.

Copy Ghost: A Friday Funny

I don't know what it is about this image, but every time I see it, it puts a smile on my face! I hope it adds a little humor to YOUR Friday as well!  And while it's light-hearted, it does kind of reflect how I've been feeling lately, in regards to Theresa's Haunted History blog and Facebook page. I feel like I'm just posting the same ol' thing, over and over again. This blog dates back to 2011 and my original website was started in 2006, so there is actually a fair bit of content to share...but I feel like its all already been done, lol.  

I'm constantly searching for new information and new ways to keep this site fresh and relevant.  However, I also think I'll be spending quite a bit of time this year polishing up, updating, and sharing some of that older content that newer readers may not have seen yet.  But let me know---what do YOU want to see more of in 2019? Are there any specific locations or topics you'd like to see me cover?  Hop on over to my Facebook page and share your ideas! 

Welcome to a Spooky 2019!

Another year has gone by and while we say goodbye to 2018, we're charging full steam ahead into 2019! And...

Oh. My. Gosh.  Why do I keep doing this to myself?  Once again, I have signed up to participate in the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  That means that once again, I will be pushing myself to publish a brand new blog post EVERY single day throughout the month of January.  That's starting the year off with thirty-one new blog posts! 

It's not totally out of reach, though.  Although I nearly finished last April and totally bombed out last July, I rocked the October challenge, successfully publishing a new blog every day for the entire month.  Given that my favorite holiday, Halloween, awaited me at the end of the challenge made the whole thing a little easier.  There's just a lot to write about that time of year on a blog like this one!

I'm hoping that this challenge will just as easy as October's...and just as rewarding as well.  I think it's going to be an excellent way to kick off 2019!  Like always, I have tons of plans in store for where I want to take this blog, as well as where I want to take my work in the paranormal research field.  I'm not going to bother with any New Year's Resolutions or goals this year, other than I want to push my own comfort levels and make this year better than last.  I truly want those who read and/or follow my work to walk away informed, entertained, and maybe even a little bit inspired.

But what about you?  Do you have any paranormal related goals you're hoping to accomplish this year?  Are you starting or expanding a YouTube Channel, blog or social media group?  Are you starting or joining a new investigation group?  Do you have any really cool investigations coming up this year, or any haunted places you really want to hit up?  Any awesome books on your to-be-read list that deal with the paranormal?  Let me know how you plan on making 2019 your spookiest year yet!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

Theresa Takes on July's Ultimate Blog Challenge!

Woohoo! It's time for another round of the Ultimate Blog Challenge, in which I challenge myself to create a new post every day for an entire month.  That's 31 blogs this month, but I feel confident.  Back when I attempted the challenge in April, I ALMOST completed it---I was short just THREE blogs for the month.  In my defense, I was suffering from a super-crazy, super-painful bout of TMJ, but this time, I have no excuses.  I'm either going to complete this challenge or die trying...and if that happens, I'll have plenty of hands-on ghostly experience to hopefully share during the next challenge!  

Please check back daily for fun and spooky new content concerning all things weird, ghostly, and paranormal throughout West Virginia, the tri-state, and beyond.  And, if you'd like to see a certain location or topic featured, you can find me over at Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State Facebook page.  Also, if you're a blogger yourself, definitely check out the link above to the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  It's free and open to everyone.  

Spooky Summer!

Source

Summer is almost officially here!  Well, it has FELT like summer for several weeks now, with temperatures reaching through the 80s here in the tri-state, but soon school will be out for the year, baseball will be over for another season, and I can finally concentrate on some spooky summer projects.  So, here's a quick look at what's been going on with Theresa's Haunted History, and what's coming up over the next couple of months:

1. I ALMOST completed my Blog-a-Day Challenge for April! I think I ended up missing 3-4 days at the end because of some complications with my TMJ. Those issues bled over into  May, but I'm still pretty proud of the amount of content I was able to push out before then.  In fact, my post about the hauntings of Branson's Titanic Museum went viral and quickly became the most viewed blog post of all time on here.  That was pretty unexpected, to say the least!  

2. I somehow ended up on the Top 50 Paranormal Blogs and Websites to Follow in 2018!  I ranked #19 on the list, which includes some really awesome pages, many of which I've already been reading for years.  Go check out some of the other sites on the list for plenty of fascinating paranormal reading on a variety of spooky and strange topics.

3. There WILL be a book by Autumn! I don't want to say too much just yet, but it will focus on a rather narrow niche in West Virginia's paranormal lore, and will hopefully be a really fun combination of fact and folklore.  Throughout the summer, please keep an eye out on Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page---I'll be asking for personal experiences and input on several stories to be featured, and I'd love to include YOUR insight in my book!  Wrapping up the final details will be my main summer project, but there are a few on-going research endeavors happening as well.  I'm trying to organize tons of newspaper articles, death certificates, and other documents concerning both the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum and the West Virginia State Penitentiary into something actually useful.  I've also got a ton of new information to add to older blog posts, but I just haven't had the time to update as much as I should.

4. This year's family vacation will be to the Wilmington, N.C. area where I'll get to tour the haunted USS North Carolina.  There are also a few ghost tours offered in the area, so we're researching what will be available while we're in town.  For Mother's Day, my boyfriend gifted me with FOUR new books on ghost stories and legends from the area to get me fired up for this trip.  I'm not a huge fan of the beach, so while the boys get their beach vacation during the day, the nights will belong to me and my spooky pursuits.  

5. I've been invited to participate in a local investigation towards the end of summer at a pretty fascinating location.  Since its not my personal case, I don't know how much, if anything, I will be able to share, but another good chunk of my research time will be devoted to uncovering as much about the history of this location as I can.  I've already accumulated a pretty good stack of newspaper articles to add to the pile of other projects' documents----can you tell I'm a bit ADHD and like to jump around a lot?

Anyway, that's the important stuff...I think. Like always, my family and I plan on plenty of short, little day trips, some of which will undoubtedly lead to battlefields, graveyards, museums, and other spots of paranormal interest, so be on the lookout for blogs about that.  I hope all of you out there have a wonderful and productive summer, filled with plenty of ghostie goodness of your own.  Happy Haunting and Stay Spooky! 

New Year's Resolutions

Source plus my 3 second alteration!

Happy New Year to all the readers out there! It has been a long time since I've posted a blog, and I've really missed it. Unfortunately, I became extremely jaded and horribly unmotivated awhile back, which caused the blog to suffer. But, it is a new year and a new opportunity to not just pick up where I left off, but to make some changes for the better.

Without further adieu, here are my New Year's Resolutions for Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State!

1. I will take ANY criticism, warranted or not, no matter how rudely or nicely presented, as CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM  and use it as motivation to improve this blog and the information presented within. I know I'm not perfect...so if you see any corrections that need to be made, please be kind and please provide accurate documentation to prove those claims. I am way too sensitive and need to not take things as personally--as I work on that, please bear with me, lol.

2. I will not let those who plagiarize my work cause me to shut down. I will take it as flattery, but I will still politely ask them to give credit where credit is due, lol.

3. I will make a valiant effort to post new, fresh content at least twice a week, especially in regards to West Virginia hauntings, an area that has ironically suffered quite a bit.

4. I will make a valiant effort to re-write or update many of my early entries on haunted locations, especially in West Virginia. Although the blog itself only dates back to 2011, most of my Haunted WV entries date back to around 2006...and were never meant to be public. There is a LOT more information out there now, especially on the internet, and my skills as a researcher have improved a lot since those early days, so those early entries definitely need a makeover!

5. I will remember that this is my passion, and while I will never stop doing what I love, I couldn't have made it this far without the support and encouragement (and readership!) from my awesome fans! I appreciate you all.

Have a safe, happy, prosperous 2016!

The Southern Spirit Guide

After taking another weekend break, I'm back with Day 8 of the blog challenge and today's topic is to write about a blog that I regularly read.  Honestly, I don't read as many blogs as I should, especially in my niche, but there is one in particular that I make a habit of reading whenever new material is posted.

That blog is the Southern Spirit Guide by Lewis Powell, IV!

As you can probably guess from the title, this blog covers all things spooky in the southern United States.  What I've tried to accomplish with my blog with West Virginia, Lewis has succeeded with an entire REGION.  Well-written and immaculately researched listings for haunted locations throughout the south are the cornerstone of this blog, making it a favorite read of mine.

There is so much variety; from haunted movie theaters to inns to everything in between, you're sure to find a location that interests you or that you're already familiar with.  Beautiful pictures, often original, accompany each blog, and a handy bibliography makes further research quite easy.

Lewis is also one of my favorite paranormal researchers on a personal level as well.  We both have a similar love for researching haunted locations, but also for books...especially paranormal-related tomes!  In fact, he's just about the only person I know whose library may be more expansive than my own.  He's also been such a wonderful supporter of Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State, often sharing and promoting my work, and always giving credit where credit is due--something I've found lacking in this field.

So between being an awesome person and having an awesome blog, that is why I chose to feature Lewis Powell's Southern Spirit Guide as one of my favorite blogs!  Please go check it out, and feel free to give him a shout on FaceBook as well!

The Goal of Theresa's Haunted History

It's Day 2 of the blog challenge and today I have been asked to write about a goal I have and how I plan to get there.  This has been an especially hard challenge for me as a procrastinator.  I have no problem SETTING goals...but follow-up is a little different!  It's been this way my entire life, and it hasn't gotten any easier when it comes to providing fresh, new content on this blog!

It's always been the primary goal of this blog to provide the largest and most accurate collection of haunted places in West Virginia, and so far, I've done a fairly good job, I think.  I get a decent amount of traffic and most of the feedback on specific locations has been very positive.  However, there is always room for improvement!

Opinions, please!

One of the biggest issues I face is simply a lack of motivation.  I have a huge list of locations that I've stumbled across or have been submitted to me, and I lack the motivation to getting around and fully researching and posting them.  It's not that I don't have the TIME in most cases...its just simply a personal hurdle of feeling overwhelmed, overanxious, and under appreciated, lol.  In other words, its the ADHD kicking in.  I can't finish one project because I'm too busy thinking about 6-7 others!

That's partly why I joined this challenge; its a way to stay accountable and a way to get into the habit of daily writing.  This particular blog challenge leaves the weekends free, and I've made a promise to myself, and now to YOU readers, that I will try my best to fill in those weekends with new locations and new articles!  Feel free to help keep me accountable--if you haven't seen me post anything new, or want to suggest I write about something in particular, call me out on FaceBook or Twitter!

The second part of attaining my goal is something I'd really like everyone's input on.  In order to feel more like I'm doing something worthwhile and simply not wasting my time, I've been seriously considering monetizing this blog.  It won't be anything huge...just a few small ads placed at the bottom or in the side-bar.  I think that if I knew that I had the potential to make a few extra dollars by doing something I love, I'd be more inclined to do it more often!  But, since this blog wouldn't be where it is today without the readership and support of all you out there, I wanted to get some honest opinions first.

So...what say you?  Yea or Nay to the ads?

If you have any experience with ads on your blog, feel free to shoot me some advice as well!

Blog Challenge Posts
Day One-Someone I Admire (Hans Holzer)