Vampires in Poland?

Imagine my surprise to see the headlines the other day: 

"Researchers Discover Skeleton At Polish Cemetery That's Straight Out Of A Horror Film" (HuffPo) [1]

"Skeleton of woman suspected of being a vampire in 17th century found in Poland" (CBS via YouTube) [2]

"‘Vampire’ grave shows 17th-century fear of women who ‘didn’t fit in’" (Washington Post)[3]

Looks like an archaeological dig in a cemetery in Pień, Poland uncovered the 17th-century grave of a young woman with a sickle placed over her neck so that she could not rise up from the grave. There was also a padlock on her toe!

People of past ages could be superstitious and sought to give themselves peace of mind, particularly during times of trouble, by taking these extra steps. Villages suffering from illnesses such as consumption or food shortages due to drought have been known to think supernatural elements were at the root of their suffering. 

“Ways to protect against the return of the dead include cutting off the head or legs, placing the deceased face down to bite into the ground, burning them and smashing them with a stone,” said Dariusz Polinski, a professor from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. [3]

But why THIS particular woman? 

According to Bethan Briggs-Miller, a British folklorist and paranormal historian [3], women who were a little different were often singled out. This could include refusing to marry, having a miscarriage, or even not menstruating. And apparently social status does not matter, either, graves like these having been found that come from richer or poorer families. While we may never now the story of this particular woman, some of these reasons may help explain her eternal predicament.

At any rate, it's pretty gruesome!

So what do you think about this? And do you have any favorite vampire stories, either "real" or fictional? Drop a comment below!

Book Review: One Bed Over: A Hospital Haunting by Alex Matsuo

Believe it or not, this is the 46th book I've read this year (so far). I've been keeping count on Goodreads, and have been known to binge book series on Kindle Unlimited, which is what makes that count go up so fast, I think. 

Anyway, paranormal peeps are going to want to read this one: if you’re a fan of Haunted Hospitals, then you may have seen Alex’s story featured in S3, E12, “It Followed Me Home.” But what TV can’t really give you in a 15–20 minute segment is the whole story of what happened when the author suffered a traumatic accident involving a 25-foot fall, ended up in the hospital for quite some time, and while there, encountered an angry spirit who followed her home. 

While HH covered Alex’s story really well, you will definitely want to read her FULL account. It’s riveting and rich, and I really appreciate Alex’s transparency about her life, what she went through, and what she took away from it.  

Another plus to this book is the author’s voice: this is accessible, intimate reading, like she’s telling you her story in person over a coffee. A true joy to read! And while you're at it, check out the author's cool site, The Spooky Stuff.

You can order her book on Amazon in either Kindle format or paperback, read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription (at the time of this writing), or, like me, get a signed copy from the author if you see her at an event. 

It was so nice meeting Alex and getting up a signed copy of this book at ConCarolinas 2022.

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The Conjuring House Has Sold!

We have all spent months wondering what was going to happen to Andrea Perron's beloved former home when it was listed on the market for $1.2 million, and we now know the answer: the property known as the "Conjuring House" has sold for more than its asking price, for a whopping $1.5 million!

The historic three-bedroom farmhouse at 1677 Round Top Road, built in 1736, was the home of the Perron family for a decade starting in 1971. While there, they experienced a series of manifestations, haunting activity, and most unsettling, the mother of the family was attacked by a spirit. Andrea is fond of saying "It's a portal cleverly disguised as a farmhouse." The home and the events therein became the basis for the first movie in The Conjuring movie franchise, loosely based on the events as told in Andrea Perron's trilogy, House of Darkness, House of Light.

The new owner, Jaqueline Nunez, intends to continue running it as a paranormal business. She will be honoring the existing bookings through the end of 2022 and will be adding day tours and other events as well. She has the Perron family's blessing, too, as you can see in Andrea's interview with the new owner on her radio show/YouTube channel, linked below.

The paranormal world has made a collective sigh of relief, if reactions I've seen online are anything to go by. All I know is that if my friend Andrea is happy with it, then it's a good thing, and I congratulate the Heinzens on the sale, the new owner on her purchase, and I wish everyone the best for the future of the property.

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Nessie Sighting in Drone Footage?

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Wait. . . Did Nessie just show up near a shoreline in Loch Ness?

My news feed and social media feeds have blown up these last few days: 

‘Loch Ness monster’ spotted lurking near shore by wild camper

(The Independent)

'Loch Ness Monster' spotted again! This time on drone footage

(NY Post)

The Loch Ness Monster Returns! Nessie spotted in 4k drone footage

(Marca)

'Loch Ness' Monster is caught in 4k drone video by canoeists drone

(Daily Mail)

Go ahead and take a look at the video linked in the articles above and let me know what you think.

If you want my opinion? That's about as real a Nessie as the one I just finished cross-stitching... 

As many others have pointed out, the image seems very much like a toy that is easily findable. Also, the movement seems unnatural. It doesn't really seem to move . . . it just kind of pops up there in the water. Edinburgh Live interviewed experts who called it a hoax.

I'm no expert, but I'm also calling this a dud. Leave your opinion in the comments!

And regardless of this instance being disappointing, there may be something to the aquatic cryptic phenomenon. If you've had your own Nessie or other aquatic creature sighting, let us know by filing a report! All responses can be kept confidential.

 

The 'Conjuring' House is for Sale

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Got a cool $1.2 million dollars? 

Then you can possibly buy the famed home at the basis of The Conjuring franchise, otherwise known as The Farm on Round Top Road in Harrisville, Rhode Island.

The current owners, Cory and Jennifer Heinzen, are selling the farm (otherwise known as the Arnold Estate) due to issues with Cory's health that make upkeep of the property difficult. 

This home was where the Perron family lived and experienced the now-famous (and at times terrifying) haunting in the 1970s, which Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated and which was memorialized in Andrea Perron's trilogy of books, House of Darkness, House of Light. The movie The Conjuring (first in an internationally best-selling franchise of horror movies) then added more visibility to a house with many tales of entities, foul smells, oppression, and sleepless nights.

Since the Heinzens have owned the house, they have allowed groups to investigate the property in addition to special events being held, such as the upcoming three-day/night event hosted by The Dark Zone called "The Conjuring House: A Homecoming" taking place Oct. 29th – Nov. 1st. (Tickets: $19.99 at the linked site.) In the promo video, Andrea Perron describes the home as "a portal cleverly disguised as a farmhouse." According to Andrea's post on Facebook, this event is a very possibly the last time the Perron family (Andrea, Roger, and Nancy) will be all together on the farm again. (Andrea's mother and her sisters, Christine and Cindy, will attend from a safe distance via Zoom.) 

No one knows the farm's fate going forward, but I know we will all wait with bated breath to find out.

Have you had an experience at the Farm? Tell us all about it using this form!

                           

                                                        

Mysterious Beasts of Kentucky by Barton Nunnelly

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Today was a good mail day! 

I got a book in the mail from Barton Nunnelly, Mysterious Kentucky: The History, Mystery and Unexplained of the Bluegrass State.

I had to contain myself until I'd finished my work for the day, then sat down in my new comfy chair and started reading. It's a fascinating book so far! 

If you'd like a signed copy of this or other books, please contact Bart himself to see if he has any more copies. He made a post about it here, and you can DM him for payment details. 

Or you can find it on Amazon—as of the time of this writing, you can read it for free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription, or purchase Kindle or paperback versions. (***But if you buy books directly from him, he is raising money for charity as per his post.***)

Happy reading!

Mothman Festival 2021: CANCELLED!

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Welp. 
Due to COVID-19's delta variant spreading like wildfire, 2021's Mothman Festival is officially CANCELLED.

The news came out yesterday, and I am SO disappointed! 

From one of the news stories (byline: Bailey Brautigan, August 19, 2021), this is the 2nd year in a row the festival has been canceled, and it's due to expected crowds having the capacity to overwhelm a small town at a time the pandemic is expected to have peak numbers.

From the town's website, in a banner right up top:

"We’d love for you to visit, but stay home for now. Instead, discover Point Pleasant virtually through our website. We encourage you to follow WV guidelines for safety, travel and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic."

And from the festival organizers:

"After several meetings with local public health and city officials, the Mothman Festival team is saddened to announce that we are canceling the 2021 Mothman Festival.  We realize that some might not understand or realize that we are already in a vulnerable position with the festival crowd outnumbering our town by thousands. We operate with a small number of staff to handle that great of a load (many are our personal family and close friends). Local hospitalizations and active Covid cases are rising daily, and according to officials at our health department, are not expected to peak until right around Mothman Festival time. We are disappointed, but it was not an easy decision to make, we can assure you of that. We cannot in good conscious jeopardize the health of our families, your families, or any family that calls Mason County WV home. We appreciate you guys, and we hope that we’ll see you again when things are more manageable and safe.  - Also note, if you have purchased tickets for the bus tours, your money will be refunded, and all of our vendors have been emailed prior to this notice. Here’s hoping to a better 2022."

Bummer, but it is what it is! I totally understand why they made this difficult decision. I hope it'll go on next year; this was to be my first Mothman Festival, and it's been on my bucket list for many years, now. 

Everyone stay safe, okay?