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Ulama of Sri Lankan Folklore

A shriek from the jungle portends death.

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Arizona Doesn't Do Daylight Saving Time & I Rescued a Spider

The horrors of Daylight Saving Time, an eight-legged friend, and writing updates.

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Jure Grando of Kringa, Croatia

The world's first documented vampire.

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Winter Moon Over the Desert, the Coming Spring, and Steady Progress

I took this photo of the winter moon over the Tucson desert with my phone and was surprised at how well it turned out.

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Leannán Sídhe of Irish Folklore

An alluring figure from Irish folklore that can bring you a wonderful life for a price.

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A Jumping Spider & Catching Up

I rescued a jumping spider on the wall a few days ago before Cap'n Hammy Pants found it. Her name is known far and wide as the scourge of the insect and arachnid worlds. Eight-legged parents tell their children stories of the massive paw-stomping furry monster to keep them from wandering too far into the wilds.

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La Llorona of Mexico City

Stories of a spirit from Mexico City, dating back to at least the 1500s.

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Pigeons Drive Cap'n Hammy Pants Crazy

Over the last week, two pigeons have come and sat by the window every morning.

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Old Book Ghost of Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois

A gravedigger still lingers a century after his death.

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Fantastic El Peuchen Art

A British/Chilean artist living in the UK reached out to me a while back about my article El Peuchen of Mapuche Mythology.

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Coffin Joe of Brazil

What is now known as Brazil's National Boogeyman brought the very first ever Brazilian-produced horror film to the world.

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Walking With Crutches Is a Skill

Due to a sudden injury, I've learned how to use crutches over the past few days. No one tells you how much skill is required to properly use them.

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Bogeyman: Myth or More?

A creature parents tell their children about all around the world. Is it a myth? Or is there something more?

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Where Were You When the Space Shuttle Challenger Exploded?

Some of you reading this may not have been alive, but I distinctly remember it.

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Son of Frankenstein (1939)

A horror movie icon's final performance as a Universal Classic Monster.

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To Verb a Noun: Telekinesis

Tae and I were talking about the word telekinesis. I don't think there is an existing verb form for it, at least not one that I could easily find.

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Morgawr of Cornwall, England

A sea serpent off the coast of England, spotted by soldiers during World War I.

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Generative AI; or, Why ChatGPT Sucks

There has been a lot of talk about ChatGPT and "generative AI" lately. I've noticed a lot of posts on various social media sites, posts from users who are brand new to the platform and who all have the same five talking points and use the same phrases and linguistic style.

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Hauntings of the Forbidden City in Beijing

Strange happenings in a city centuries old.

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New RAM, Stable Computer

A few weeks ago, I had RAM failing in my computer, which resulted in all sorts of weird, intermittent issues.

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Cooking With Vincent Price

A horror movie icon's secret, real-life superpower.

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Happy 2023

Weird how fast time goes, isn't it?

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Krampus of Alpine Folklore

Everyone's favorite wintertime horned, anthropomorphic pre-Christian pagan kidnapper. What can be said about Krampus that hasn't already been said?

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Success Defunkifying "The Supernatural Omnibus" From 1931

I've successfully defunkified a few books now with my Not Patent Pending Demonically Divine Defunkifier 3000™ (not trademarked).

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I Made a Book Trailer

It's been a bit since I played with video, so I thought I'd make a little book trailer.

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Ghosts of Raynham Hall Museum in Oyster Bay, New York

A museum in New York with recorded ghost sightings from over one hundred years ago.

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A Box Full of Thorns

Quite literally.

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Ghost of Dreamworld Theme Park in Australia

An amusement park in Australia with the restless ghost of a little girl.

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One Year of Newsletters

I don't usually write this much in a weekly update, but it's been a year since I started writing newsletters, and I thought I'd reflect a bit.

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Glaistig of Scottish Folklore

A malevolent Scottish ghost. (Or is it?)

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You Never Know Where You'll Find...The Witches!

Arizona isn't a place people typically think of when the word "witch" is mentioned, but you might be surprised to hear that the desert is not only full of life but also rich with...the witches!

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Inugami of Japan

A familiar spirit born from a brutal ritual.

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An Old Book & A Few Updates

A friend of mine sent me an old book for my birthday. It's an original from 1931—nearly one hundred years old. The book is in fantastic shape for being almost a century old. I'm running it through my old book process right now, and I expect it to be finished next weekend. Just look at the first few pages to get an idea of what's inside.

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Seven Gates of Hell in Hellam Township, Pennsylvania

One gate is visible in the day, six more at night, and passing all seven takes you straight to Hell.

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Finally, a Proper Fall

While snow is blanketing many parts of the United States right now, Arizona feels like autumn.

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Phone Cameras, Full Moons, & Finishing the Absolution Retelling

I took a photo of the full moon with my phone on November 8th, 2022. The cameras sure have come a long way since the potato quality of yesteryear.

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Prime Hook Swamp Creature of Delaware

A strange creature lurks in the swamps of a wildlife refuge in Delaware.

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An Update on the Fauna of Mirrors

Remember the strange story of the Fauna of Mirrors I mentioned in Mirrors: Superstition, Mythology, Psychology, & Sanity?

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Haunted Pillar on Broad Street in Augusta, Georgia

Local legends are fascinating. Most of them can't really be traced back to any particular origin, and precisely how or why locals know about them is a bit of a mystery.

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Devil's Night Moon Over Tucson & Finally Finished Moving

I took this photo last night, around sunset, of the moon on Devil's Night here in Tucson.

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Owlman of Mawnan, Cornwall

Many legends of cryptids don't have a clear origin, a story that can easily be traced back to the first sighting. For these creatures, the line between cryptid (an as-of-yet undocumented natural animal) and supernatural is sometimes blurry, as is true with cases such as The Qalupalik of Inuit Folklore or El Peuchen of Mapuche Mythology. In some ways, the controversy surrounding sightings of strange things can make them even more intriguing to explore because there is little in the way of proof for or against their existence. At the core of these legends or folklore is a story, often a tangled combination of truth and fiction, genuine experience and exaggeration.

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Dollies Are a Great Help While Moving & a Light Writing Week

There's a bit more to do with the move into a new place in Tucson, and it's a good thing I have a couple of dollies to help.

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Ghosts of Ogrodzieniec Castle in Poland

A ghostly black dog isn't the only thing prowling castle ruins in Poland.

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Uncertainty, Sore Legs, & Certainty

I move around a lot. It's a thing. I've accepted it as part of my personality, and it's good that Tae is the same way. It's not that we necessarily like moving. In fact, the act of moving is kind of a pain in the ass. But we have had enough practice that it's pretty straightforward for us.

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Hodag of American Folklore

A creature born from the ashes of cremated oxen, out for revenge.

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Life Changes & the Hunter's Moonset

I'm moving into a new place in Arizona, changing day jobs, starting up a few new adventures, and still getting a lot of writing done. There are times in life that are relatively calm and routine, and then others, like now, are hectic and sometimes chaotic.

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Godzilla (1954)

A movie from Japan that forever changed the film industry.

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An Update on Keillers Park Murder & A Black Widow

Some time ago, I wrote about a true crime murder case in Keillers Park, Gothenburg, in western Sweden. I've just published an update on the case.

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The Isdal Woman of Norway

A strange mystery from Norway that remains unsolved over fifty years later.

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The Threat of Nuclear War, Women's Rights, a Cozy Mystery, & a Lizard

Why is it that at least every couple of years, it looks like nuclear war is imminent?

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Dayan of Indian Folklore

A witch with a true horror that may surprise you.

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True Crime & Real People

Did you know that true crime means real people? It seems obvious, but it's easy to lose sight of...

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Jenglot of Indonesian Folklore

Don't you just love spirited dolls?

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A Package From Japan & a Few Updates

It's always a great day when some weird package comes in the mail.

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Santa Compaña of the Iberian Peninsula

A procession of the dead just waiting to curse you.

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Arizona Sunset & an Update on El Peuchen of Mapuche Mythology

About two months ago, I tracked down and ordered an old book that supposedly had an entry El Peuchen, a strange flying snake creature from Mapuche mythology in the southern area of South America. The book finally came!

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Morgus the Magnificent

The life and times of horror host Morgus the Magnificent.

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Foggy Mountains & Taking Breaks While Writing

Whenever I'm writing and get stuck on something, I go for a walk. I'm not sure it's the actual act of walking, but taking breaks every once in a while is necessary.

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Mirrors: Superstition, Mythology, Psychology, & Sanity

There's more behind the mirror than you may think.

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A Praying Mantis Outside My Door

Arizona really is full of life. I'm not sure why, but people think the state is a desert wasteland of sand and rattlesnakes. I see something new every day, like this praying mantis outside my door.

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Brown Lady of Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England

One of the most famous hauntings in the United Kingdom.

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Desk Cats Are the Best Cats

Actually, all cats are the best cats, but desk cats add a fun extra challenge to writing. Cap'n Hammy Pants loves to hang out with me while I'm writing. She sometimes takes naps on the desk, and, like most cats, she loves to lie on the keyboard.

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The True Story of Arnold Paole, Vampire of Meduegna, Serbia

One of the few vampires documented in official government records.

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A House Finch & Vampire Interview

We're in the middle of monsoon season in Arizona, and most of the wildlife is taking shelter anywhere it can.

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La Patasola of South American Folklore

Another trip to South America, deep in the jungle, where the last thing you want to do is follow a beautiful and mysterious woman away from your traveling companions.

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El Peuchen of Mapuche Mythology

A terrifying flying feathered serpent from South America.

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120 Decibels & A Colorful Cryptid Lanyard

I bought a super loud whistle, 120 decibels. It's part of my kit that I take with me for nighttime walks around the neighborhood here in the desert.

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Princess Theatre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A theatre haunted by the ghost of opera singer Frederick Federici.

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A Happy Cat Makes for a Happy Home

You know when you move, and you get unpacked, then realize there are little things here and there that you haven't found a home for, and while you're putting those up, you find a few moving boxes you still haven't opened?

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New Friends

Your circle of friends shrinks as you grow older, but it doesn't have to be that way. Two-sentence horror.

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A Desert Tarantula

New installation of Absolution: Behind the Scenes, a haunted theatre coming up next week, and a desert tarantula.

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A Telltale Rumble

Doggie nightmares two-sentence horror.

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El Silbón of Los Llanos in South America

If you hear his whistle, it may be too late.

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Catching Up With a Persistent Cough

Covid has cleared out of my system, and I'm doing a bit of writing catch-up.

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Summer Practice

Christmas summer fun with two-sentence horror.

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Casper the Friendly Ghost

They sure don't make cartoons like they used to.

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A Magazine Interview With Me

A few months ago, I was interviewed for a magazine.

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Restless

Have trouble sleeping? Two-sentence horror.

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Soucouyant of Caribbean Folklore

A shapeshifting jumbie that strips off her own skin to go hunting.

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Two and a Half Years and It Finally Happened

Two and a half years, and it finally happened. Covid found me.

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Grandchildren

Two sentence horror about grandchildren.

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Art, Art Everywhere.

You know what I like? Art.

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Anniversary Present

Get a special gift for that someone special in your life. Two sentence horror.

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Insects Are Alive and Well in the Desert

It's an odd thing to move to a different landscape. Moving within a local area, you get pretty much the same, just slightly different views. Moving from Colorado to the Arizona desert, though, everything is different.

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Storm Chaser

Storm chasers really are crazy. Two sentence horror.

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Resurrection Mary

A spooky story from Chicago that may seem like an urban legend—until you dig deeper.

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It's Always the Little Things

Moving 900 miles (1,400 km) sounds pretty straightforward, right? You just box up your stuff, hop in a vehicle, and make the drive.

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Alexa

Amazon's Alexa sure is getting advanced.

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Ann Radcliffe, Pioneer of Gothic Fiction

A woman who created her own movement in Gothic that still continues today.

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Are We There Yet?

I'm probably driving or last-minute packing when this goes out.

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The Secret Ingredient Is Love

Everyone has their own secret ingredient.

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Nale Ba of Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

A local legend from Karnataka, India, that you don't want to encounter in the dark—or at all.

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One Week To Go

One week to go, and I'll officially be a desert dweller. I can't wait to get to the new place, get settled in, and get back to editing the novel.

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Younger Days

Isn't it great to gaze back on your accomplishments? More experiments in two-sentence horror.

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