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Scott L. and Amber attempt to explain and discuss the Phil Schneider story and other things related to him such as the Philadelphia Experiment and Valient Thor. Phil's story is often too fantastical for many to believe. Alien wars in Dulce, New Mexico, underground cave bases, government-planned murders - it all sounds like something from an action novel. But was there some truth to the shocking story that Phil Schneider began to tell eight months before his mysterious death?

We keep it conversational and go all over the place with the duo that is Dye Paranormal: Chad Dye and Heather Hansen. Just in time for Valentine's Day, we share how the paranormal all brought us together in it's fun and strange way. Chad and Heather are also the resident paranormal investigators at The Whitney, a historic and stunning 19th century mansion in Detroit, Michigan with an upscale restaruant and a few ghosts! They are also the event managers of the Midwest Parafest which is in its fourth year. Give them a follow to keep up-to-date with the latest paranormal events they have planned.

Our first show of 2023 starts off with that everlasting discussion of evil in our world, what happens after we die, NDE (Near Death Experience) stories, and much more. Pastor turned horror writer Ezekiel Kincaid updates us on his work and ongoing paranormal explorations. Inspired by Bruce Campbell and characters like Tucker and Dale, Kincaid is also an unapologetic, witty writer of horror comedy so naturally when he introduced and explained one of his latest titles, we exploded into childish laughter.  We also discussed an upcoming format change to Ghostly Talk. While we still plan to have guests on the show, we may venture into more conversational territories between us (Scott and Amber) and whatever strange and fun topics we want to explore. Visit our website for show notes with links to books and movies we talked about.

For our last show of the year, we continue our foray into the high strangeness that is Christmas, Yule, and the dark winter months. Author and Ghostly Talk's very own "writer in residence" Mark Onspaugh shares some strange tales, folklore and of course his original story specially written for this show, "The Best Gift Ever" and a retelling of the heartstring puller "Vulpecula."  Isolated versions of Mark's stories are available at www.ghostlytalk.com. Make sure to check out Mark's books on Amazon! Bio: Mark Onspaugh is a native Californian who grew up on a steady diet of horror, science fiction and DC Comics. He’s a proud member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers association. In addition to the produced film Kill Katie Malone, he has several other screenplays in various stages of development, and was also one of the writers of the cult favorite “Flight of the Living Dead”. While Onspaugh is definitely a fan of the horror genre, he also writes science fiction and comedy.  He polished his comedy writing (and improv skills) at the Groundlings Theater in L.A., where he studied under Lisa Kudrow (“Friends”), Michael McDonald (“Mad TV”) and Heather Morgan (“The Dana Carvey Show”). Earlier in his career, Onspaugh studied Special Effects Makeup in college and continued to pursue this passion under the tutelage of premier makeup artist Thomas R. Burman (“Invasion of the Body Snatchers”,” Cat People”, “Scrooged”) with additional lectures by such notables, among others as Oscar-winning makeup artist Rick Baker (“American Werewolf in London”, “Men in Black”, “Planet of the Apes”).  An active member of the Horror Writers Association, Onspaugh has won recognition for his screenwriting and a novel, Kushtaka, at the Austin Film Festival and the Writers Network competition, respectively. In 2003, his feature scripts, RAZORFISH and STRANGERS both made the second round at the Austin Film Festival. In 2007, his script THE DEAD LIFE was a quarterfinalist in the 9th annual Scriptapalooza competition. STRANGERS is a backdoor pilot for a series of the same name. Onspaugh has written the STRANGERS bible, debut episode and a regular episode. Onspaugh’s previous television credits, include episodes for Night Man (“Burning Love”), X-Men Animated (“Secrets, Not Long Buried”) and Street Fighter Animated (“Getting in Guile”). Mark knows people expect horror writers to be lurking misanthropes, but hasn’t lurked since leaving L.A.  A native Angeleno, he now lives on the central coast of California with his wife, author/artist Tobey Crockett and two off-kilter cats.

Yes, sending Christmas cards of dead birds was a thing the Victorians did. We discuss this kind of Christmas strangeness and so much more with Craig Kringle, the creator of Weird Christmas. Learn more about Christmas and holiday weirdness with Craig's podcast "Weird Christmas." Bio Craig started collecting vintage Victorian Christmas cards years ago and sharing them with friends online, and the whole thing exploded. This site began with a Tumblr blog, but there were stories to tell about those images, and Tumblr’s not the best for text. Craig decided he didn’t enjoy having free time, so he started a podcast. Weird Christmas can be found at www.weirdchristmas.com. Stream the show below or use your favorite podcast app to listen and subscribe. Search "Ghostly Talk." Enjoy the show? Leave a positive review for us!

John Brassard Jr. joins us again for a conversation about paranormal and dark tourism and a lot more! We really let ourselves just wander on this one and it was so much fun. -------- John Brassard Jr. is an author, host, and podcaster behind the Kitchen Table Historian. He grew up on the stories of America’s past told to him by family and friends. He was always intrigued by the strange and unusual stories that his grandfather and father told him. He decided to turn it into a life-long interest. Since that time, he has authored three books and numerous articles detailing forgotten stories from the nooks and crannies of history. In 2019, John started the Kitchen Table Historian podcast, bringing these weird and wonderful tales into the ears of eager listeners all over the nation.

Scott L. sits down with author, researcher, and filmmaker Mike Ricksecker to talk about “Alaska’s Mysterious Triangle” and a bunch of other strange stuff. Mike Ricksecker has been featured on Travel Channel’s “The Alaska Triangle”, History Channel’s “Ancient Aliens” and “The UnExplained,” Animal Planet’s “The Haunted” and more.

Can being in a haunted location have a long-term, negative impact on a person? We discuss this idea with Scott Sukel and Zippy who spent many years at the historical Mansfield Reformatory in Ohio. Scott Sukel went into very personal detail about how volunteering and working at this former prison affected him and how leaving it all behind was probably the best thing for his mind and his health. If you want a recap on the ghostly stories of Mansfield Reformatory, listen to episode 49 when Scott and Zippy were with us on January 22, 2019.

We sit down with author and supernatural researcher of all things strange and unusual, James Willis, to talk about the stairway spirits at the historic Clay Haus Restaurant in Somerset, Ohio.

Have you visited Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky? Or is it on your bucket list of haunted places to explore? Our old friends Tonya and Allie Haynes from the Waverly Hills Historical Society stop by to talk about all things Waverly from the history and purpose of the hospital to its current haunted reputation. Check out the Waverly Hills Sanatorium website for tour dates and special events. Bio: Tonya Haynes has worked with Waverly Hills for nearly 20 years. Her interest in the paranormal world started in her childhood, and since then, she’s been involved with paranormal groups such as the Louisville Ghost Hunters Society. Currently, she serves as Waverly Hills Sanatorium’s Director of Operations, where she manages events and tours and day-to-day operations. Allie Haynes has been involved with Waverly Hills Sanatorium in some capacity since 2003, helping the Sanatorium with different roles throughout the years. She started as a volunteer, and since then, Allie has led tours and hosted events, served on the Waverly Hills Historical Society board of directors, and more. Allie has been interested in the paranormal world since childhood and has been searching for more experiences ever since. She currently serves as a human resources consultant for the Waverly Hills Historical Society’s board of directors, the nonprofit organization that manages the Sanatorium and its surrounding grounds.

Allison Jornlin and Mike Huberty join us to talk about their journey into the paranormal, their experiences, and owning a paranormal tour company, American Ghost Walks. www.americanghostwalks.com Bio: Allison Jornlin: Allison Jornlin has been investigating strange phenomena for more than 20 years.  Inspired by Chicago’s Richard Crowe, who kickstarted U.S. ghost tourism in 1973, she developed Milwaukee’s first haunted history tour in 2008. Allison currently works as a professional weirdo, speaking throughout the U.S., writing for a variety of publications, and developing haunted history tours for American Ghost Walks. She has also been featured in the media including an appearance on the CW’s "Mysteries Decoded." Mike Huberty: In 2010, Mike founded a tourism company called Madison Ghost Walks dedicated to preserving the Wisconsin capitol city’s history and folklore, as well as showing people a great time around the city. Today, Mike has expanded his mission to 6 U.S. states including California, Puerto Rico, and even Hawaii. Mike performs in the Wisconsin Rock Band Sunspot and is the co-host of the See You On The Other Side podcast with pop culture and paranormal themes. He has also been featured on the BBC and TRVL Channel’s "In Search of Monsters."

Richard D. Lewis joins us to talk about Christianity and the paranormal. Richard combines his skill as a journalist along with his personal spiritual journey and those of others to correlate mysterious phenomena and the biblical worldview. His two books, "The Paranormal Christian: Bridging the Gap Between Unusual Experiences and the Biblical Worldview" and "The Paranormal Christian: More True Stories of the Strange and Unusual in the Christian Life" explore the many correlations between Christianity and the paranormal. Christianity is one of the largest religions in the U.S. and the world and its members sometimes can be conflicted about wanting to explore the paranormal and feel "guilty" about having an interest. Richards's books show the reader just how "paranormal" the Bible really is.  Richard D. Lewis is an author, journalist, and veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he began his career in broadcasting. Creator of the award-winning Pentagon Channel TV news magazine "Air Force Space Today," he has won multiple Telly and Thomas Jefferson Awards. In 2003, Richard became a certified spiritual counselor by the California Board of Hypnotherapy. He is also a communicant member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in good standing.

Master storyteller, author, and supernatural researcher James Willis joins us to talk about all things strange in Ohio. We discuss the Loveland Frog, the Oxford Motorcycle ghost, that pentagram situation in Athens, and much more! His new book, “Southern Ohio Legends and Lore” is available on August 15, 2022. Learn more about James at his website www.strangeandspookyworld.com and check out the many books he has written on the strange and unusual in Ohio. James A. Willis has been walking on the weird side of history for nearly forty years. He’s authored more than a dozen books, including “Central Ohio Legends & Lore,” “Ohio’s Historic Haunts” and “Weird Ohio.” He is the director of the Ghosts of Ohio, a paranormal research group that he founded in 1999, and is a sought-after public speaker. He has also appeared in hundreds of media sources, including CNN, USA Today, Fox Sports and the Astonishing Legends podcast. Willis resides in Ohio, with his wife and daughter and two narcoleptic cats.

Inspired by the southeast Michigan legend of a ghostly mother forever searching for her lost child, filmmaker Francis J. Sampier has worked hard to bring the story to life on the big screen. For decades, people have reported strange experiences on the road around Clay Township from apparitions and hearing a baby cry to seeing floating, glowing orbs. It’s long been an area for paranormal investigators and enthusiasts to check out. We discuss the legend, moviemaking, and more. Visit https://www.morrowroad.com to learn how to get involved, become an extra (or a lead), lend a prop, or donate to help support this independent project. Read more about the legend written by Francis at Mysterious Michigan. https://mysteriousmichigan.com/the-legend-of-morrow-road

We explore Wendigo lore and stories, the Van Meter visitor, and much more with author and paranormal researcher Chad Lewis. For nearly 30 years, Chad has traveled the globe in search of haunted places, monsters, and unique, bizarre stories and history. Learn more at www.chadlewisresearch.com and find him on social media or see him live at one of his many lectures around the midwest.

Researcher and director Scott Deschaine joins us again to continue the fascinating discussion of sea-type creatures living in our upper atmosphere. Could life in the sky be a threat? Has it snatched up humans? In shape, UFOs often resemble marine invertebrates. Are some of the UFO sightings around the world actually biological entities similar to squid and jellyfish? We review the Living Sky hypothesis and Scott Deschaine shares many disturbing and creepy stories that will start to make you wonder about what’s living in the sky above. Check out Scott’s films: “Not Alone – The Life Above” and his latest, “The Cohoke Light.” Visit www.thelivingsky.com to learn more about this fascinating topic! BIO: Writer and director Scott Deschaine has helped educate millions of young people and families around the world about a wide range of subjects, including health, safety, conservation, and citizenship. His research into the natural world led him to develop The Living Sky hypothesis for the study of the atmosphere as a habitat. He proposes that a wide variety of life forms may move through Earth’s atmosphere. Deschaine proposes that many so-called Unidentified Flying Objects or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena may actually be organisms similar to those that move through the oceans. His article “The Sky is Alive” was featured in Fortean Times, the world’s foremost journal of strange phenomena. For the celebration of its 40th anniversary, the editors selected it as one of the top 40 articles in the magazine’s history. Deschaine appeared on an episode of The Travel Channel’s “America Declassified” to investigate the mystery lights of Marfa, Texas. The research team found evidence that the lights may actually be bioluminescence from unknown aerial organisms. His award-winning documentary “Not Alone – The Life Above” uses actual footage from many NASA space flights to present the case for atmospheric life.

Scott L. welcomes Kieran Woodhouse back to the show to discuss his second book "Experiences of a Paranormal Investigator" and his recently released documentary available free on Youtube called "A Haunting In Essex". Kieran Woodhouse is a UK based paranormal researcher. He is the author of An Introduction to Paranormal Investigation & Experiences of a Paranormal Investigator. He has recently released a documentary - A Haunting in Essex - which details a family haunting with some fantastic evidence and interviews with the family members. Although the show is on a hiatus, Kieran also hosts the Paranormal Paradigm Podcast. Kieran tends to look at the world of the paranormal differently when compared to some mainstream researchers, looking at the nature of reality, a holographic universe, and a collective consciousness to help shape his theories.

Hey, all you awesome listeners! We are going to take a small break for a couple of months, but don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere. You’ll hear our voices again sometime in June. For now, please catch up on old episodes or take the Ghostly Talk Challenge and start listening from the beginning in 2002… If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to support us and leave a positive review on Spotify or Apple Music (or whatever platform you use) It would be very appreciated. Enjoy the spring and thank you again for listening to us. Scott L. and Amber

Dr. Kelly Renee Schutz is a Minnesota native and paranormal enthusiast who has encountered a multitude of unexplained experiences from psychic and physical attacks, trances, possessions to poltergeist activity. She has written over 10 books on her experiences and hosts and produces Paranormal Encounters Podcast. Kelly joined us to share some of the experiences that have happened to her since she was a child. Dr. Schutz is a retired college professor, litigation paralegal investigator, and event show manager-owner with five advanced degrees in human ecology, management, communications, and post-secondary and adult education. Her books are available on Amazon and her podcast can be found on all major podcast platforms.

With his creation of the infamous Church of Satan in 1966 and his bestselling book “The Satanic Bible” in 1969, Anton Szandor LaVey (1930–1997) became a controversial celebrity who basked in the attention and even made a successful career out of it. But who was Anton LaVey behind the public persona that so easily provoked Christians and others intolerant of his views? Carl Abrahamsson met Anton in 1989 and they remained friends until his death. Carl’s new book, “Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan: Infernal Wisdom from the Devil’s Den” contains personal accounts of Anton from those who knew him and helps to demystify this polarizing persona and also highlight his continuing influence on the occult and magic. Carl joined us all the way from Sweden and we had a fantastic time talking about the strange and interesting life of Anton LaVey. Carl also released a documentary in 2019 called “Anton LaVey — Into the Devil’s Den” available on Vimeo. Carl Abrahamsson is a writer, publisher, magico-anthropologist, photographer, and filmmaker, most recently producing the documentary Anton LaVey: Into the Devil’s Den. The author of “Occulture” and “Reasonances” as well as the editor and publisher of the annual anthology of occulture, “The Fenris Wolf.” He lives in Stockholm, Sweden. Learn more at www.carlabrahamsson.com