18 April 11, Author: Fiona Broome, Leave a comment

One Step Beyond – Official First Season

Categories: DVDs, Fiona's Favorites
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One Step Beyond - the first season DVDsIf you like a good ghost story, One Step Beyond is a classic worth watching.  This is 1959 TV series is the original in the paranormal genre, with half-hour shows that tell creepy stories… often based in fact.

Note: Twilight Zone didn’t air for another six months, and it was probably inspired by the success of One Step Beyond.

Since the shows in this One Step Beyond DVD set are from 1959, they’re going to be in black & white.  However, this One Step Beyond DVD set — unlike others (such as “Best of”) — has been restored and cleaned up so it’s fun to watch.  No distracting humming noises, and no skipped scenes.

This isn’t anything like today’s paranormal TV shows.  Each episode re-enacts a chilling encounter with something unexplained.  (Just keep telling yourself that they must be making some of it up.)

The show is dated.  It’s delightfully over-dramatic.  Spooky music, cheap sets, and stars (who later became famous) playing stereotypes in too-heavy makeup… they all add to the charm.

One Step Beyond is fascinating fun for anyone who enjoys good storytelling, and it’s a time warp back to the late 1950s.  With 22 episodes in the first season, this 3-disc DVD set will keep you amused, entertained… and a little wary of things that go bump in the night.

Highly recommended fun, and sometimes a little scary.

Warning: If you let your kids watch these shows, they might grow up and become paranormal researchers.  Not that I’m speaking from experience, of course. Ahem.

Rating: ★★★★☆ … for campy chills and creepy tales




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One Step Beyond: The Official First Season (DVD) Starring: John Newland
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
List Price: $39.99 USD
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Release date September 15, 2009.
18 April 11, Author: Fiona Broome, Leave a comment

Ley Hunters Guide, The New

Categories: Ley lines
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The New Ley Hunter's Guide - ley linesThe New Ley Hunter’s Guide by Paul Devereux is the best book for learning the basics of traditional ley lines.

I’ve emphasized traditional because Mr. Devereux focuses on straight lines you can draw with a ruler on a map.

That’s also my primary approach to analyzing patterns of paranormal activity.  However, some ley line experts use energy-detecting tools (such as pendulums and dowsing rods) and map curving or even wavy “ley lines.”

When someone wants to know more about ley lines, I always recommend The New Ley Hunter’s Guide as a starting point. It’s informative and easy-to-read.

The author starts with the history of ley lines, then talks about how to use them, and includes several great examples and useful ley line maps.

That book won’t answer all of your questions about ley lines and ghost hunting.  For example, no one has clearly determined how wide an average ghost-related ley line should be.

Note: I take this on a case-by-case basis.

For example, my New Orleans’ ley lines are often less than five feet wide; I can usually predict — within three feet — where a location’s most intense activity is.

My Salem, Massachusetts, lines are closer to 20 feet wide, but cover a far greater distance including several towns.  My two, parallel, northern NH lines may be as much as 1/4 mile wide, and they cross several states.

In my opinion, ley lines are going to be increasingly important in understanding paranormal activity.  To begin your studies, I recommend this book.

Rating: ★★★★☆




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The New Ley Hunter's Guide (Paperback) By (author) Paul Devereux
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17 April 11, Author: Fiona Broome, Leave a comment

Poltergeist Phenomenon, by Michael Clarkson

Categories: Studies and research
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The Poltergeist Phenomenon, by Michael ClarksonThe Poltergeist Phenomenon is an interesting and entertaining book about poltergeists. It includes a wide range of true poltergeist and ghost stories, as well as professional opinions about those individual events.

In addition, author Michael Clarkson includes extensive information about evidence for and against the credibility of poltergeist reports.

I’m pleased that Clarkson used discretion in reporting controversial topics, such as the spoon-bending of Uri Geller. Clarkson displayed tact and integrity by focusing on what’s pertinent to poltergeist research, regarding the Geller stories.

The Poltergeist Phenomenon is written somewhat journalistically, focusing on facts. For some, that will make the stories more credible and compelling.

However, if you’re looking for fictional stories with over-the-top adjectives and fantastic descriptions, this book may disappoint you.

I recommend The Poltergeist Phenomenon to anyone who enjoys good, true ghost stories.

Also, this is an excellent reference book for paranormal researchers, offering alternative explanations for phenomena we encounter in the field.

Rating: ★★★★☆




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The Poltergeist Phenomenon: An In-depth Investigation Into Floating Beds, Smashing Glass, and Other Unexplained Disturbances (Paperback) By (author) Michael Clarkson
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17 April 11, Author: Fiona Broome, Leave a comment

Mysterious New England

Categories: Ghost stories
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Mysterious New EnglandMysterious New England, edited by Austin N. Stevens, is an older (1971) book of folklore and weird stories — including ghost stories — from around New England.  All of them appeared in Yankee magazine and were tremendously popular.

Mysterious New England probably won’t appeal to someone who wants just ghost stories, or only true stories.  This book is a mixture of fact, fiction and folklore, and many of the tales are masterfully told.

For the low price of a used copy — sometimes only one cent (at Amazon.com) — I think this book is definitely worth buying.  I paid $2 for a hardcover copy at a yard sale, and I still consider it a bargain.

There are many good reasons to read this book. Here are just a few:

  • The gory tale of the Lizzie Borden murder mystery includes a fascinating (and often overlooked) addition provided by a reader of Yankee magazine.
  • C. B. Colby’s crypto zoology article, The “Black Panther” Never Dies, will make you wonder what else is in New England’s woods.
  • Village of 100 Witches, by Maria Dabrowski, shares a chilling overview of Dogtown, a New England settlement abandoned since 1830.

This is storytelling at its best, and it’s a good creepy book to read on a dark autumn night.

In addition, readers have a chance to enjoy short stories and true tales by writers such as the legendary Edward Rowe Snow, who describes the unsolved mystery of Boston’s Lady in Black.

If you’re looking for a fascinating book of strange tales and ghost stories, this book is a classic and worth owning.

Rating: ★★★½☆




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Mysterious New England (Sixth Printing) (Paperback)
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17 April 11, Author: Fiona Broome, Leave a comment

PSIence, by Marie D. Jones – review

Categories: Fiona's Favorites, Related studies
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PSIence (or pscience, PSI science) by Marie D. JonesPSIence, by Marie D. Jones is a fascinating, geeky book.

It’s not a “ghost stories” book. It’s not just about ghosts or ghost hunting, either.

If you’re willing to explore alternative explanations for ghosts and hauntings, PSIence (also called “pscience” or PSI science) may be a must-read.

For me, it was a must-own.

This book is not easy to read.  It’s also not a definitive study of any one theory in particular. It touches on a variety of topics at lightning speed, sometimes with a mere nod at a huge body of evidence or an intriguing chain of theories.

Where PSIence shines is as a jumping-off point for further research.  Author Marie D. Jones has included a wide range of scientific topics (to some, this will be “pseudo-science”) to explain paranormal phenomena.

If quantum science and string theory, vile vortices and crypto zoology make you sit up and pay attention, you’ll enjoy this book.

If you simply want cool ghost stories, this is not the book for you.

However, for people like me who are willing to consider the reality of alternate worlds and parallel times — and how they could affect paranormal research — we need more books like PSIence.

Rating: ★★★★☆ … if you’re looking for a 200+ page survey of wild, “What if…?” ideas.




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PSIence: How New Discoveries in Quantum Physics and New Science May Explain the Existence of Paranormal Phenomena (Paperback) By (author) Marie D. Jones
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