J.A. Hernandez

Tracking the mysterious identity of one of the most famous ghosts in the world.

You might think that unpacking clothing, acquiring food and drink, or setting up some kind of entertainment would be the thing to do when arriving at a new living space.

A classic video game where the undead defy gravity and family feuds reach epic proportions.

A co-conspirator with professional packing skills.

Wind spirits of Romanian folklore.

By the time you read this, I will be dead...

The ruins of a villa in Sicily that some believe once housed a Satanic order.

Tae and I have been in Tucson, Arizona, for a little over a year, and the nature here is still just as beautiful as when we arrived.

A man so hated that his corpse was executed.

Moving is always a great time to take a breath and assess your belongings before flinging them into a dumpster.

The first of many stories published by a now famous, versatile Irish author.

I'm revisiting early versions of my synopsis to revise it in preparation for querying the now-completed novel.

An old, crumbling manor house in Poland with a restless spirit.

I've officially completed all of the minor edits for the now-completed novel, and I'm moving on to the next step: querying.

The story of a castle in Scotland and the ghost that haunts it.

That's a lot to pack into a title, huh?

I finished the bulk of the work on my first novel, and I've been itching for a new, big creative project ever since I sent the novel out to beta readers.

A sea monster that was first spotted in 1936.

It's so hot during the day here in Arizona that going outside feels like walking into an oven.

Low-flying triangular objects in Belgium.

I've gotten some feedback on my novel WIP from a few beta readers already, and it's been overwhelmingly positive.

Oklahoma's Bermuda Triangle.

I finished working through the latest revision notes from Tae, and I've sent off the novel to a small group of beta readers. 🎉

Aztec vampires. Need I say more?

So, apparently, it's baby lizard season here in Tucson, Arizona.

Strange occurrences and spectral figures on a short road in Missouri.

I'm about halfway through the revision notes from Tae.

An American serial killer who made an appearance on a game show amidst his murder spree.

About two weeks ago, I finished the third draft of the novel WIP. I handed it over to Tae to go through it with her keen eyes.

A director's debut film that helped kick off Hong Kong's New Wave movement.

It's a strange feeling to have finished the latest draft of the novel WIP.

The story of a woman pulled underwater by a strange beast on one hot summer day.

Early Sunday morning, after staying up all night, I completed a full set of revisions (third draft) on the novel WIP, from start to finish.

A Gothic-style castle in Ireland with a few incorporeal residents.

Tae and I were walking a few nights ago and stumbled upon a little snake.

A science fiction novel from 1951 with themes still relevant today.

I'm a big fan of philosophical razors. Recently, Tae stumbled across a new one to add to my Big Bad Toolbox of Very Sharp Things™.

An island inhabited only by the corpses of sinners.

So, I left the house...

Oh, the tales children are told to get them to behave.

I've been in a book club for years, and I often like to ask how people would change the endings of books. It's fascinating to find out how a book's end can change one's opinion of the entire work.

A cryptid referenced as far back as Ancient Rome.

Kids leave traces everywhere!

An urban legend over fifty years old may have real roots.

Tae and I are watching the old seasons of Dexter. Nearly everything on the show feels current, like it could be unfolding right now.

A film from over a century ago and the quintessential work of German Expressionist cinema.

Obviously, these things are related. A quick update on nature and tools.

A legendary voodoo priestess predicted a Louisiana town's destruction.

Those two things are unrelated, I think.

Desecrated mummies in Ireland make for restless spirits.

With everything going on in your life, it can sometimes be tough to remember to take a break. Luckily, Mother Nature is out there constantly setting up signposts for us.

What do you get when you combine horror, ghosts, comedy, and Cantonese Opera?

Is it just me, or does it constantly seem like the world is falling apart? Wars, natural disasters, disease, famine, murder, poverty—the list goes on and on.

"Sleep child, sleep or else...Coco will come and eat you." — Auto de los desposorios de la Virgen by Juan Caxés. 17th Century.

On novel drafting, I made it past revisions on a pivotal scene that had been stuck in my head for a while. It needed...something. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, and I had to let it sort of percolate within the broader story.

A migration for a better life led to a series of shocking events.

Apparently, brown widow spiders are everywhere in Tucson now. They set up webs and actively hunt down other spiders, including black widows.

A shriek from the jungle portends death.

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

The world's first documented vampire.

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

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

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.

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

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

A gravedigger still lingers a century after his death.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Strange happenings in a city centuries old.

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

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

Weird how fast time goes, isn't it?

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

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

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

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

Quite literally.

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

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.

A malevolent Scottish ghost. (Or is it?)

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!

A familiar spirit born from a brutal ritual.

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.

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

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

An old highway full of haunts.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.