AlienCon 2018

If you're interested in aliens and UFOs, you'll want to check out AlienCon this summer! The convention takes place June 15th-17th at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California and features guests like David Duchovny (love him!), Star Trek: The Next Generation's Gates McFadden, Star Trek Voyager's Robert Picardo, Ancient Aliens' Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, and author Erich von Däniken. Day passes costs $61, and weekend passes are $124. For more information, check out the AlienCon website:

AlienCon

Book Review: The Haunting of the Tenth Avenue Theater by Alex Matsuo

When I went to AtomaCon in 2015, I attended Alex Matsuo's haunted theaters and demonology panels, and they were so interesting that I decided to read a few of her books. I wrote about More Than Ghosts: A Guide to Working Residential Cases in the Paranormal Field on the blog last year, and now it's The Haunting of the Tenth Avenue Theater's turn. The Tenth Avenue Theater is located in San Diego and used to be a church; Matsuo, who is a playwright and actress as well as the founder and director of the Association of Paranormal Study (APS), has been involved with a few productions there. Jeff Cotta bought the building from the First Baptist Church of San Diego in 1997 and agreed to let APS investigate the allegedly haunted space a few years ago. The theater is rumored to be haunted by a young girl named Missy who died when she fell down the stairs at the church, a pastor who felt guilty about Missy's death and committed suicide in the chapel's cloakroom, and a British lieutenant who temporarily possessed the doctor who tried to save him and apparently decided to make the building his new home when the doctor came to the sanctuary to pray.

I don't want to say too much about what happened during APS's investigations of the theater because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who might read the book, but I will say that Matsuo described the investigations so effectively that I felt like I was there. The Haunting of the Tenth Avenue Theater is a fascinating read, and Matsuo definitely knows her stuff when it comes to the paranormal. I've enjoyed both of the books I've read by her, and I hope she'll write many more in the future. : )

My rating: 10/10

Disneyland is Haunted as Hell, and I'm Never Going There.

When I went to ScareLA last weekend, I attended a live podcast about haunted places in L.A. and Orange County (you can read my write up about it here: ScareLA: Haunted LA vs. Haunted OC), and after hearing about some of the creepy stuff that goes on Disneyland (like the fact that the dolls in It's a Small World sometimes keep moving after the ride has been shut off), I decided to do some research and find out about some more souls who never left "the happiest place on Earth." 

-"The Man with the Cane": In the 1940s, a pilot crashed his small plane in the area where Disneyland would eventually be built; he appears in The Haunted Mansion, usually after closing time, and he always has a cane.

-"The Man in the Tuxedo": A former employee kept seeing this well-dressed spirit in a mirror in The Haunted Mansion, and when he finally reached out and touched her, she quit her job and never set foot in Disneyland again (smart move).

-"Mr. One Way": Space Mountain is haunted by the ghost of a man who died on the ride four decades ago; he disappears before the ride is over and has also been spotted in the employee locker room.

-"Disco Debbie": Possibly a cast member who had an aneurysm and died at work, this glowing spirit likes to ride Space Mountain, materialize on the track, and roam around the building.

-Dolly Young: A woman named Dolly Young was thrown from the Matterhorn and run over in 1984; her ghost has been seen and heard there ever since.

-Deborah Gail Stone: A cast member was crushed to death in the America Sings attraction in 1974, and up until the attraction was eventually shut down, cast members would hear a female voice warning them to be careful.

For more on these lost souls and other Disneyland hauntings, check out A Spooky Tour Through Haunted Disneyland...there's a ton of information there and some other stuff about It's a Small World that will creep you out (the phrase "a pattering of small footsteps" in relation to It's a Small World just might give me nightmares). If you've experienced paranormal activity at Disneyland, please leave a comment and tell me all about it. I can't find out for myself if any of this is true because I'll be avoiding Disneyland for the rest of my life. ; )

ScareLA: Haunted LA vs. Haunted OC

I was lucky enough to go to ScareLA this year, and while I was there, I attended Haunted LA vs. Haunted OC, a live version of the Collywobbles podcast. I wrote about it for Haunt Jaunts, and you can read about it here:

Scare LA: Haunted LA vs. Haunted OC

You can also watch the podcast, which I highly recommend because it was really entertaining. : )

Exciting News!

In a month or so, you might notice that I'm not posting as often as usual, so I wanted to tell you why: In early August, I'm moving to L.A. to finally try to follow my dream of being a TV writer! I still plan on posting here as much as I can, but since I'll have to work a lot to be able to afford an apartment, it might be hard for me to post once a week or more like I do now. My first weekend there, I'll be attending a Halloween convention called ScareLA though, and of course I'm going to write about that and share some pictures. ScareLA sounds really cool, and I'm excited to wear my '80s Ghostbuster costume again. For more info on ScareLA, check out their website, and if any of you will be there, let me know. : )

http://scarela.com

America's Most Haunted Grocery Store

Stories about haunted houses and hotels are pretty common, but you rarely hear about haunted grocery stores. A California town called Chowchilla is believed to be home to the most haunted grocery store in America: the Save Mart on Robertson Boulevard (which closed in 2008). The ghost of a man with claw marks on his face was spotted in the frozen food section several times, and a former store employee says he came face-to-face with the spirit and that on the store's security camera footage, it looked like the employee was screaming and running away from nothing.

http://backpackerverse.com/chowchilla-home-to-the-most-haunted-grocery-store-in-america/

I found this story on Backpackerverse, but I did a little research and found a few more websites that talk about the haunted Save Mart:

http://www.weirdfresno.com/2010/04/was-old-save-mart-in-chowchilla-haunted.html

http://forgottenusa.com/haunts/CA/2625/Save-Mart%20Supermarkets/

Going to Hollywood

I'm taking a short break from the blog so I can go to L.A. for a few days to take part in a celebration of female playwrights. My short play "Playing Doctor" is being performed at the Hudson Theatre in Hollywood as part of 2Cents Theatre's Acting Out INK Fest...it's about Zeus trying to get a job as an OB/GYN, and if you're in L.A., you can see it March 17th at 6:30 p.m. or March 18th at 3:30 p.m. I was lucky enough to be a part of this event in 2014, and I'm so excited to be included again this year! : ) If you want day, weekend, or VIP passes, you can buy tickets here:

https://www.plays411.com/newsite/show/play_info.asp?show_id=4626

Or if you just want to see my play (and the three others in that block), you can buy them thirty minutes before showtime at the Hudson Theatre (6539 Santa Monica Blvd.).

For more info, check out the 2Cents Theatre website:

http://www.2centstheatre.com/

Hollywood Ghost Stories and Urban Legends

I recently came across an article called "17 Creepy Hollywood Ghost Stories and Urban Legends" on Ranker, so I thought I'd share it here. The list includes the Black Dahlia, James Dean's cursed car, the ghosts that haunt the Queen Mary and the Hollywood sign, and many other interesting stories, so check it out if you're into that sort of thing (and if you're reading this blog, I'm guessing you are). : )

http://www.ranker.com/list/hollywood-ghost-stories-and-urban-legends/jacobybancroft?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=creepy_hollywood_stories

Haunted California Amusement Parks

I'm not a fan of amusement parks (vertigo and amusement parks don't mix), but I know most people like them, so I thought I'd share this article about ten haunted California amusement parks. From the little girl ghost who tries to drown people at Raging Waters to the real spirits that have been spotted at The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, these are some interesting stories...and they might make you think twice about visiting these amusement parks.

http://backpackerverse.com/amusement-parks-in-california/

Colma: The Town of the Dead

I always find interesting paranormal stuff on Backpackerverse, and I wanted to share this article  about a small town in California that's known for having more dead residents than live ones. Colma has around 1,700 living residents, and they're far outnumbered by the 1.5 million dead residents buried in their 17 cemeteries. Of course this city has had some strange paranormal activity, and you can read about it here:

http://backpackerverse.com/colma/

Also, this 2005 article about Colma is pretty interesting:

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/10/31/colma-where-the-living-haunt-the-dead/

Haunted California Beaches

I love California, so I'm always interested to read Backpackerverse's articles about the Golden State's haunted and paranormal spots, like this list of their ten most haunted beaches. I usually avoid the beach, but I've actually been to three of the beaches on this list (Venice Beach, Santa Monica Beach, and Marina Beach)...I didn't see any headless ghosts, shadow people, or possibly demonic horned creatures who speak in Tongues though. : )

http://backpackerverse.com/best-beaches-in-california/

California Cryptids

Since Los Angeles is my favorite city, I like to keep up with Backpackerverse's articles on paranormal California. Recently I came across one about the most mysterious cryptids in California, so I thought I'd share it here...if you'd like to learn about the Lone Pine Mountain Devil, Tahoe Tessie, the Fresno Alien, and seven other cryptids, check it out! : )

http://backpackerverse.com/california-cryptids/

For more interesting articles about paranormal phenomena in California, you can find the Paranormal California Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/paranormalcalifornia/

September: The Month of Bigfoot

I've never thought of September as Bigfoot Month, but according to Haunt Jaunts' calendar of paranormal/horror festivals, there are three Bigfoot festivals this month, so I guess September is the month to celebrate Bigfoot. First up is the International Bigfoot Conference in Kennewick, Washington, which takes place September 2nd-4th.

http://www.internationalbigfootconference.com/

That same weekend (on the 3rd), there's also the Bigfoot Celebration in Willow Creek, California.

http://www.redwoods.info/showrecord.asp?id=3689

Minerva, Ohio's Minerva Monster Day takes place on September 23rd and 24th and will focus on Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Minerva Monster, and the Beast of Whitehall.

http://minervamonsterday.com/

Check out Haunt Jaunts for a list of all of the fun paranormal and horror festivals going on all year. : )

http://www.hauntjaunts.net/paracons-horror-fests/

ScareLA

If you're as obsessed with Halloween as I am, and you happen to be in L.A. this weekend, you're definitely going to want to check out ScareLA, a convention dedicated to the awesomeness that is Halloween. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go because I'm already back in Charleston, and I hate that I have to miss it since it sounds like the best thing ever. ScareLA takes place August 6th and 7th at the Pasadena Convention Center, and you can get all the info here:

http://2016.scarela.com

If you go, make sure to see Nilbog: the unauthorized musical parody of Troll 2...I saw it during my L.A. trip and loved it (and I haven't even seen Troll 2). : )

Paranormal California

I'm spending ten days in L.A. this summer, and though I won't have much free time since I'll be filming my web series while I'm there, of course I had to do some research about paranormal stuff that I might be able to see on my trip. I found a website called Backpackerverse that has lots of great information about the paranormal side of California, so I thought I should share it here:

http://backpackerverse.com/


I thought the article about Griffith Park was interesting since I'm going to a concert at the Greek Theatre...I'm sure I'll be too focused on Flight of the Conchords to notice any ghosts though. ; )

http://backpackerverse.com/paranormal-activity-at-griffith-park/

This article might come in handy too:

http://backpackerverse.com/haunted-places-to-visit-in-los-angeles/

I've been to the Hollywood Wax Museum, but I haven't been to any of the other places on the list. : )

Encounters: U.F.O. Experience in Anaheim

In September 2014, I visited an exhibit called Encounters: U.F.O. Experience in Myrtle Beach and loved it. (You can read about my experience here:  http://paranormalcrystal.blogspot.com/2014/09/encounters-ufo-experience.html). If you live in or near Anaheim, California, now you can see it for yourself at the Anaheim Garden Walk...you can get all the info here:

http://www.latimes.com/socal/weekend/news/tn-wknd-et-0117-ufo-exhibit-20160117-story.html

It's a really cool exhibit, so if you're interested in aliens and UFOs, make sure to check it out. : )

Contact in the Desert Conference

The Contact in the Desert conference takes place May 29th-31st at the Joshua Tree Retreat in  California, and I wish I could go because it sounds awesome!  The website describes the conference as "a weekend of exploration into ancient astronauts, extraterrestrial life, human origins, crop circles, UFO sightings, contact experiences, and the need to know." Weekend passes cost $235, and it does cost to go to workshops, but lectures and panels are included in the price of the weekend pass...so if you like UFOs and have a lot of money, get your passes now!

http://www.contactinthedesert.com/

MysteryQuest: Return of the Amityville Horror

I recently discovered a show called MysteryQuest on the H2 channel, and I decided to watch an episode called "Return of the Amityville Horror" since I had just read a book about Amity.  On the night of January 1, 1976, Kathy Lutz was sitting in front of the fireplace when "a hooded figure materialize[d] from the flames."  The Lutz family only spent one month in the house, and for good reason; while they lived there, they experienced objects moving on their own, disembodied voices, and demonic spirits.  Not long after the family left, a news crew took a picture of the house, and in it was a picture of a young boy with glowing eyes (they showed the picture, and it's super creepy).  Though Amity is one of the most well-known haunted houses in history, the family who currently lives there has not experienced any paranormal activity.

Three thousand miles away in Clovis, California, a house known as Wolfe Manor is experiencing similar problems.  Wolfe Manor used to be a sanitarium (Is it just me, or does it seem like every former sanitarium is haunted?), and owner Todd Wolfe believes that some of the former patients are still there.  Mystery Quest sends demonologist David Considine and paranormal investigator Chris Daddio to investigate Wolfe Manor, and Todd says that most of the activity takes place in the basement (where dead bodies were kept in the sanitarium), kitchen, and the rooms of Mary and George (two spirits believed to haunt the home).  They set up an infrared camera, FLIR thermal camera, and Platoon Early Warning (PEW) System to try to catch any paranormal activity.  David and Chris are joined by research scientist Andy Coppock and medium Melissa Sehgal, who start out in Mary's room, while David, Chris, and paranormal investigator John Arel check out the basement.  The FLIR thermal camera shows a heat anomaly on a column in the basement, and the PEW System alerts them to an intruder on the property, but there is no one outside the house.  In Mary's room, the electromagnetic amplifier indicates a great deal of activity, so Melissa tries to communicate with Mary.  The team takes their equipment to PFM Engineering (Andy's headquarters) in Carson, California, which also happens to be (possibly) haunted...a security camera caught a chair moving by itself and a cubicle wall dislodged itself and fell over.  The team then decides to investigate PFM for paranormal activity, and by that point, I totally lost interest in the episode.

When the team reviews the recordings and video footage they took at Wolfe Manor, most of it is inconclusive, but some video from the second floor convinces the team that they may have found a vortex "between this world and the other side."  I enjoyed MysteryQuest, but the title of the episode was misleading since this show was actually about Wolfe Manor, and the Amityville house was only mentioned a few times.  I feel like a lot of people were probably tricked into watching this episode because they thought it would be about the Amityville Horror.

My rating: 6/10

Movie Spotlight: Odd Thomas

Odd Thomas is a 2013 movie based on a Dean Koontz novel, and it stars Anton Yelchin, Willem Dafoe, Addison Timlin, Patton Oswalt (yay!), Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nico Tortorella, Shuler Hensley, and Melissa Ordway.  Odd Thomas (Anton Yelchin) is a short-order cook who lives in Pico Mundo, California, and he happens to be able to communicate with the dead; he uses this gift to find the murderers of the ghosts who come to him and to prevent the deaths of others.  Odd Thomas is in love with Stormy Llewellyn (Addison Timlin) and is sure they'll be together forever, so you know they probably won't be.  I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that when I read the novel, I was so mad about the ending that I threw the book across the room, and I'm glad I read the book before I watched the movie, so I was prepared for the ending and didn't throw anything at the TV.   I enjoyed the movie, but like most movies based on books, the book was better...also it needed more Patton Oswalt. ; )

My rating: 7.5/10

Haunted Highway: Lake Murray Beast/The Donner Party

Haunted Highway is a paranormal investigation show that airs on Syfy and stars Jack Osborne, Dana Workman, Jael de Pardo, and Devin Marble.  When I found out that they filmed an episode in South Carolina, my home state, of course I had to watch the December 2013 episode “Lake Murray Beast; The Donner Party.”

The episode begins with Jael and Devin traveling to South Carolina to try to catch a glimpse of the Lake Murray Monster.  Jael says that there have been reports of Lake Murray Monster sightings every year since the 1930s and that “every report has some kind of act of aggression.”  They go to Dooley’s Sport Shop and talk to owner Charles Dooley, who says that many customers have come in and said they’ve seen something strange and snake-like in the water.  He suggests that they talk to Sharon Kincaid, who has written a book about the Lake Murray Monster; she says that in the most recent sighting, the monster was reported as having “scales the size of an individual’s hand.”  Sharon points out a few areas where the creature has been spotted, so Jael and Devin get in a boat and head to Dreher Island.  They see a huge shadow in the water, but it disappears before they can find out what it is.  Night falls, and Jael and Devin build a campfire; they hear a splash in the lake, so Devin takes the boat out in search of what made the noise.  It is too dark to see anything, and while Devin is using the thermal imager something slams into the boat.  They decide to go diving to see if they can spot anything underwater; after Devin’s regulator malfunctions, he returns to the boat and sends Jael an RC submarine, which shows a snake-like creature before it stops working.  Jael sees something in the water and goes after it, but she soon runs out of oxygen and has to return to the surface.  The next day, they contact Captain Rich Harris, who is an expert on the types of things that live in the lake, and he tells them that the creature on the RC submarine is a sturgeon, which can get up to 300 pounds.  My in-laws have a house on Lake Murray, and I definitely won’t be going in the water there (but to be fair, I don’t go in the water anywhere…except the shower).

Jack and Dana go to Truckee, California to investigate claims of spirits of members of the Donner Party.  The Donner Party was made up of eighty-seven people who were traveling to California in 1846 when they got stuck in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a snowstorm and had to resort to cannibalism to survive; it is believed that the spirits of those who died there still linger, and there have been reports of shadow figures and strange lights.  Jack and Dana go to the Old Truckee Jail Museum to meet with Chelsea Walterscheid, who tells them them that The Donner Party ran into trouble because they took a shortcut.  She also says that a medium revealed that there are twelve spirits at the Murphy cabin site, and Tamsen Donner, who thought the shortcut was a bad idea, is one of them…and she’s angry.  Jack and Dana meet with Chelsea’s friend Jen (and her adorable dog Harlan), who says that one night she saw a “shadow figure kind of peek around the corner of one of the snow banks” and that sometimes on the trail Harlan lurches at things she cannot see.  Jack asks Jen if they can borrow Harlan, and she agrees (I would never let any of my pets investigate angry spirits…just sayin’.), so Jack and Dana take Harlan to Murphy’s Rock.  Jack attaches a camera and light to Harlan’s back, and Harlan starts barking at something and leads Jack into the woods.  Jack sees a shadow figure on the thermal camera, and it quickly disappears.  Dana joins Jack, and they set up an EVP, using beef jerky to draw the spirits out since most of them died of starvation.  Dana asks if there are any spirits there and if they’re angry, then feels something on her neck; Jack checks it out and finds a huge scratch.  She asks the spirits if it’s easier for them to communicate through her, then starts having terrible stomach pains and nausea.  A few of the cameras go out, and Jack has lost sight of Dana, so he sends a heat-seeking RC copter to find her; the copter catches sight of her and also shows a figure a few feet away from her.  Harlan starts barking and growling, and Jack and Dana notice two lights glowing near Murphy’s Rock.  These guys are brave…after I got a ghostly scratch on my neck, I would’ve gotten the hell out of there!

I've only watched two episodes of Haunted Highway, but I really like it; this episode was a little scarier than the first episode I watched, and the fact that part of it took place somewhere I've been before made me more interested in the episode.

My rating: 8.5/10

http://www.syfy.com/hauntedhighway