Good Book! Haunted Nantucket Island

I just finished reading a good book about 22 different haunted places on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. The book is called "Nantucket Haunted Hike Presents: the Haunted Nantucket Island: Twenty-two True Nantucket Ghost Stories" by W.B. Alexander, a man who lives there and runs the ghost tours of the island. The book is extremely well-written, captivating, and has some really great stories in it that will make you want to visit Nantucket!
ISBN-10: 1413488935. I highly recommended it!

Dread and Anxiety Drive us from Haunted New Hope, PA

Tom and I visited New Hope, Pennsylvania this past Saturday and as soon as we crossed into the town line I started feeling anxious, nervous and miserable. It was like I walked into a thick blanket of negative energy. It didn't help that the bed and breakfast that we were going to stay at (but we didn't) was full of negative energy either, which is why we drove home that evening.
First, however, we walked through the town for about 2 hours. The first hint that things were screwy was a restaurant we went into. I sat while Tom went to the restroom for a minute. During that time (which was about 3 minutes) a waitress and her husband (they owned the place) walked up to me and asked for the order. Not knowing what Tom wanted the man said "you come to the cash register when you know." Um... so when Tom returned to the table I had to order at the cash register. Weird.
New Hope, Pennsylvania runs along the west side of the Delaware River (yes, the one that George Washington crossed on December 25, 1776, and he did so just south of New Hope). As I've mentioned many times before running water near a town adds to ghostly activity. This was off the charts for me and I couldn't block it out. The tell-tale headache I get that signals ghosts or spirits are around hit me when we came into town. The negativity, the sadness, the fear, anxiety, nervousness I felt were making me really, really uncomfortable.
In terms of the haunts, here is what Unsolved Mysteries.com says about New Hope, PA: "The New Hope area has been rumored to be haunted by a number of ghosts. So many, in fact, that it has been named “America’s Most Haunted Town.” Most [haunts] originate in “downtown” New Hope surrounding Bridge Street and the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge." (That's especially where I felt miserable and where we decided to leave the town that night and return home!
Unsolved Mysteries.com goes on to say that many places have ghost stories: the Inn at Phillips Mill, the Pickett House, the Logan Inn, Odette’s Restaurant, and the Van Sant Bridge. Each place has its own specific legend and the witnesses to back it up.

"The Inn at Phillips Mill is known for having a couple of ghosts spending their time inside its walls. There is rumored to be a woman who wears a long dress with a high collar roaming about around the staircase and the upstairs hall of the building. A rocking chair in one corner of the Inn is also claimed to have a spiritual presence about it."

"The Logan Inn also has a reputation for being haunted; in fact, so much so that the place has four ghosts. If you stay in room six, watch out for a man’s reflection in the mirror which disappears when you look around. Two children are also said to stay in this room sometimes. A Revolutionary War soldier also wanders about the Inn, taking refuge in different rooms including the bar, the basement, and the dining room. A portrait of a woman who enjoyed wearing lavender perfume hangs in a hallway, and many claim that they can still smell the scent when they pass by it. For men who wish to use the restroom, be wary if the steps leading to the one in the basement: it is believed that a man in knee breeches waits on them. And in the parking lot, a little girl who was known to have drowned some time ago lurks in the shadows."

"Joseph Pickett is a deceased artist who hauntes what once was his bedroom in the house he owned on Mechanic Street. He also, like many residents of New Hope, enjoys strolling along the towpath. Joseph likes to visit a house on Mechanic Street once owned by his cousin. Odette’s, which used to be called the River House and used to serve boatmen in the late eighteenth century, has occurrences of a ghostly woman who was rumored to be murdered during the time when the restaurant was called the River House. There are also moments of chills and voices in the restaurant, accompanied by a strong smell of perfume, much like in the Logan Inn."

"The Van Sant Bridge is also haunted by an unmarried young woman with an infant, who was thrown out of her house by her parents. She jumped to her death off the Van Sant Bridge, with her baby in her arms. The legend says that to this day, when you stand on the bridge, you can hear the baby crying. Horse thieves also used to be hanged from this bridge, and people can often still see one of them hanging there."

So, it's no surprise to me that it was especially walking over that bridge that I felt the most negative energy and we decided to leave the town. Between the suicide and the hangings from that location, there was way too much negative energy for me to block out.

Information from: http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm464955.html

Tony Communicates at his Wake Tonight

Tonight we attended a wake for a former high school teacher of Tom's. I haven't been to a funeral home since my dad passed in August, 2008. As soon as we walked in the door, I got my tell-tale headache that there was a ghost or spirit present. In fact, I know there were at least two there (there were two wakes going on). One wake was for an older woman and the other was for Tony, Tom's former teacher. Tony passed from a brain tumor and had 5 sons.
We were standing in line to sign the guest book and I kept hearing "Maura, or Mara, or a female "M" name. I don't know who that is, and checked that Tony's widow's name is Pam and his sisters' names don't begin with "M." I got the sense that the name belonged to an older woman that was being waked down the hall in another room.
Once we entered the crowded and noisy room full of people talking, laughing and carrying on, I stood in the back. I didn't know anyone and Tom knew many people (former classmates, teachers, and people that belonged to that church school). I was standing with my back to the wall talking with my father-in-law and I felt a finger poke me in the back so I turned around. No one was there. It poked me again, I knew that it was "Tony" playing around to let me know he was there. My father-in-law noticed someone else he knew came in, so he walked over to talk with the man.
I wound up standing alone at the back of the room and sensed that Tony's spirit was poking his head into small groups of people talking, and turning his head as if he were trying to hear what they were saying about him. It was pretty amusing to watch. He really seemed to be enjoying the crowd of people there to honor him. When I later told Tom about this behavior, he said "That's exactly the kind of thing that Tony would do! He was a prankster in life. He loved to joke around."
The other thing was that whenever various younger men walked by me (there were a lot of younger men from 20 up there), Tony "told" me which of them were his sons. I knew that there four sons, but Tony pointed out three. One was a taller man wearing tan slacks and a checkered button down shirt. He then showed me another of his sons that was wearing a dark suit that walked by me. The third son was standing in the hallway wearing a black shirt, tie and pants.
Tony kept nudging me to tell that son dressed all in black that he was still here and actually enjoying seeing who came to honor him. I was reluctant to do that, however, because of the religious beliefs of the family (which is very sad). The family's religion thinks that mediums "talk to the devil." It's really frustrating to me, because I could've provided some comfort to the family. I heard and "saw" Tony, and know that he was grateful for the show of love and support during his wake.

Negative Energy and Sensitive People

During one of my recent book events, a woman came up to me and started talking about her abilities as a developing medium (like I am).
We talked about how ghosts utilize negative emotional energy and spirits (those who have crossed over into the light) use positive emotional energy to power up.
She mentioned that she's also an emotional person and talked with me about how being around people who are pessimistic tends to make her physically sick. The person she mentioned was her elderly mother, whom had grown from a loving mother into someone who was bitter, negative and never had a good word. The woman I met mentioned that when she goes to visit, she can't stay long periods of time, because the negativity actually affects her physically. For sensitive people and mediums who feel negativity and positivity more than the average person. In fact, the same thing happened to me. I was in a situation where I was visiting with an extremely negative, bitter person for two days (years ago) and I came home physically sick to my stomach with a headache that didn't abate for days.
So, if you do have mediumistic abilities, you're likely emotionally sensitive, and just know that a pessimistic person can drain your energy and actually make you physically sick.

Horses See Spirits

I gave a talk and did a book signing on Saturday at the Largo-Kettering Library in Maryland and it was well-received. There were a lot of folks who had their own experiences and they shared them with me. One gentleman who had moved from the African Continent to the U.S. told me that in his homeland it is widely known that horses can see Earth-bound ghosts and spirits (who have crossed).
I firmly believe that horses, like dogs and cats have that ability. Dogs, cats and horses, moreso than any other domesticated animal hear at higher decibel ranges (that digital recorders pick up, but humans don't hear at that level). Each of those types of animal also have the intelligence of a 4-5 year old human child (read Dr. Stanley Coren's "The Intelligence of Dogs" (cats and horses). Further, they have different cones and rods in their eyes than humans, that enable them to better sense motion.
The gentlemen proceeded to tell me more about the African belief. He said that it's known that when a horse sees a ghost or spirit, you can look directly in their eyes and see the ghost that they are looking at. Fascinating! I was so glad he shared that story with me.

Largo-Kettering Library Event!

On Saturday morning I was one of 2 guest authors speaking at the Jazz Brunch fundraiser for the Largo-Kettering Library in Maryland. It was a really well-done event, and the jazz band and food were great.
I was also thankful that our friends Jack, Terri (visiting from Wisconsin), Kristi and Randy King came to the event, too! What a great show of support. Thanks, all!
The audience was diverse and receptive. There were some great questions, and a lot of good discussion. Even Brenda, who organized the event shared an experience about her father manipulating her garage door (after he passed). I met some people who also have the ability to sense ghosts and spirits, which is always amazing. There are so many that have this ability.
Tom and I really enjoyed ourselves, and became friends of the Library. Brenda and I connected instantly, too, as if we knew each other for a long time. It was a great time, and great cause (benefiting the library). Thanks to Brenda and the library!

I Really Enjoyed Inspired Ghost Trackers of Odenton

On Friday night June 11th I gave a talk and had a book signing with the Inspired Ghost Tracking Group of Odenton, Md. http://www.meetup.com/inspiredghosttracking/

(PHOTO: Troy shares his experiences)
Our friend Troy joined us and shared some of his experiences (he's also a "developing Medium."). There were about 25 people in the audience, and they were wonderful. They made me feel so at ease, and we laughed about a lot of things.
Our family/friends Jill, Kelli, Kenny and Allen also came and showed support. Thank you SO much!
When I mentioned a "dark entity" being evil and non-human, someone brought up their mother-in-law. That was a priceless moment. :) Tom and I have joined the Ghost Trackers Group and look forward to going out on field investigation with them sometime.
Here's some of the reactions from the group about the event:
Craig -I thought it was GREAT!!! I learned some things, and enjoyed the laughs. Thanks Rob ...
Linda - Being a medium myself I LOVE the energy that Rob sent out to us. I enjoyed his stories, and the little tips that her gave everyone. It was nice and refreshing to meet a medium that is NOT stuck on themselves....
Margaret - Rob was very interesting and at times funny. He kept us all laughing with him and feeling some of his pain from his stories. Great job Rob and glad I got your book to read more on your stories. The group really enjoyed him.
Ronda -I can't wait for Rob and his friends to come back...great time tonight.

(PHOTO: Tom helps while Rob signs books)

A Residual Haunt in President Adams' Home

When my partner and I went to Quincy, Mass. this weekend for a book event, we toured two of the four Adams houses. The 2 we toured were the birthplaces of John Adams (2nd U.S. President) and John Quincy Adams (5th U.S. President). The houses are side-by-side and still exist pretty much as they were when built in the late 1600s (by two families that owned them before the Adams Family did).
Adams National Historical Park is managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The park consists of the homes of two American presidents and subsequent generations of their descendants from 1720 to 1927. The family's experience represented, shaped, and mirrored significant events in the social, cultural, political, and intellectual history of the nation. The purpose of the park is to preserve and protect the grounds, homes, and personal property of four generations of the Adams family and to use these resources to interpret the history they represent and to educate and inspire current and future generations.
During the tour of the older home, I didn't sense any intelligent haunts (that is, interactive ghosts), but I did feel residual energy in one room that turned out to be Abigail Adams' favorite room. It was like I could sense her energy there that this was "her favorite place."

Call Now to go to the Free Event in Odenton!

Call 443-396-1282 to register with Inspired Events for my FREE talk this FRIDAY NIGHTm June 11 at 7pm
At 1350 Blair Drive, Suite E, Odenton, MD, Anne Arundel County.
MAP: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=&q=1350+Blair+Drive,+Suite+E,+Odenton,+MD&rlz=1B3MOZA_enUS367US367&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=1350+Blair+Dr,+Odenton,+MD+21113&gl=us&ei=SYIOTPP_FMLflgeQhdBu&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ8gEwAA
- It's on ROUTE 175, east of where 175 crosses Route 32.
- It's east of Fort Meade.
- It's near the intersection of 175 and 170 (which goes north/south and goes into Odenton).
WhenFri, June 11, 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Description This is a ghost tracking group that gets together to discuss like-minded topics, share experiences, and do some investigation work. Due to the nature of this group you must be at least 18 years old or accompanied by an adult. The Ghost Tracking Meetup group meets monthly at Inspired Events of Maryland. For more information, visit their website at www.meetup.com/inpiredghosttracking

Adventures at the Federal Hill Jazz Festival

Ghosts and vampires DID make an appearance at Baltimore's Federal Hill annual Jazz & Blues Fest Sunday, June 6. At least, I did with our friend Lynn J, whose husband Steve wrote a great parody of the book/movie "Twilight" called "Twilite: A Parody." Lynn was selling Steve's autographed books, and I was selling my book on "Ghosts and Spirits." To order "Twilite: A Parody" visit: www.twilightparody.com
We arrived at 10:10 a.m. for the 11am-7pm festival. We were armed with a table and chairs (borrowed), tent (borrowed), tablecloth, our books, bowls of candy and great signs that Lynn made for us!
Karma always plays into things and Karma didn't appear to be cooperating for the first hour. One of the other vendors took our space, so we wound up set up next to a chicken and pork BBQ tent. It smelled good, but the smoke blew on us most of the time, so we both smelled like BBQ pig. :) Nope, it wasn't a new cologne.

(PHOTO: Rob at the Federal Hill Jazz Fest)
Unfortunately, the tent we borrowed was BROKEN on one side, so it kept collapsing. In the morning a cold front was approaching so the winds kicked gusts up to 20 mph, so Lynn and I wound up holding the tent most of the first hour until we could figure out how to secure it. I did run to the truck and got bungee cords that we used to hold it together. After an hour we were able to sit down!

(PHOTO: Lynn at our book table at Federal Hill's Jazz Festival)
We talked with a number of folks, and several told me of their ghost-experiences. Some asked about the differences between ghosts and spirits. Others are also developing mediums. In the end, we learned that people don't go there to buy books, but to enjoy the great music and food, and we enjoyed each other's company.
We were happily surprised when Lynn's hubby Steve arrived at the festival. The festival was in full-swing and packed with people,good food and music. Our friend Jim from Las Vegas was in town and came by to say hello, and our friends Jim and Craig came by, too! Between their visits and spending the afternoon with Lynn, it was fun. Tom (who was sick at home with a summer cold) called me at 3pm and warned us of strong thunderstorms, so we packed up quickly and left. Four hours in the heat was enough. Besides, Lynn and I both smelled like BBQ pig!

Book Event at Federal Hill's Jazz and Blues Fest Sunday June 6

Ghosts and vampires are going to make Baltimore's Federal Hill annual Jazz & Blues Fest their favorite "haunt" on Sunday, June 6. Two Maryland authors who wrote about real-life ghosts and a vampire parody of a famous novel will be at the festival talking with humans and signing their books.
Author and developing medium Rob Gutro just published a book called "Ghosts and Spirits: Insights from a Medium," about his abilities, experiences and how entities communicate with the living. Author Stephen Jenner recently published "Twilite: A Parody," a hysterical look at the characters created by Stephanie Meyers' famous novel turned-movie.
(IMAGE: This is a promotional poster that our friend Lynn J. made for the event!)

A Presence in the Barnstable Restaurant and Tavern

Before my talk at the Cape Cod Community College last weekend, my partner and I met some others for dinner at the Barnstable Restaurant and Tavern in Historic Barnstable Village, Massachusetts. It's a fantastic, beautiful restaurant with great food and excellent service. What I didn't know is that it has a ghost... at least until I got inside. As soon as I entered the main room, I got my tell-tale headache alerting me that there is an entity in the building. Then I felt a quick burning pain in my front right temple that disappeared quickly. During dinner I continued to feel the headache so I know the presence didn't leave.
I learned from Derek Bartlett, manager of Cape Cod Paranormal Society, that the Tavern is the first stop on his local haunted tour, and that the ghost of a woman haunts it. That night, she also let me know she was there.

A Residual Energy at the Historic Josiah Quincy House

(PHOTO: Front side of the Josiah Quincy House where some ghostly imprint energy resides on the lawn).
While in Quincy, Mass. this past weekend, my partner and I also stopped by the historic Josiah Quincy House (1770 and pronounced /ˈkwɪnzi/). This was the "country home" of Revolutionary War soldier Colonel Josiah Quincy I, the first in a line of six illustrious Josiah Quincys that included three Boston mayors and a president of Harvard University.
Josiah inherited the land from his father and built his mansion on a 200-acre farm called the "Lower Farm," which had been in the family since 1635. Tom immediately noticed that the house has an unusual "monitor roof," the oldest known example of this roof style to survive from the original colonies, and includes a Chinese fretwork balustrade and classical portico. The National Park Service notes that "during the American Revolution, Quincy aided General George Washington by observing the British fleet in Boston Harbor from his attic windows."

(PHOTO: Front door of the Josiah Quincy House)
The house is only open by appointment (we didn't know that) so we walked the grounds. While walking the grounds my head was filled with residual energy on one side of the house, and vivid images of Colonial men, women and children in period garb, in addition to horse-drawn carriages coming up one entrance to the home. There's a lot of residual energy even outside of that house! It's too bad we couldn't get inside it.