Ghostly Talk Podcast

In 2016, we resurrected Ghostly Talk from a 2009 hiatus and managed to record 200 episodes of paranormal and off-beat strangeness. After seven years, the original show host, Scott L., has decided to retire from the mic and explore new interests. But don't worry, you haven't heard the last of Ghostly Talk because the show is not retiring. Current co-host Amber will stay on as the ship's captain and chart a new direction for the show. If there are aspects of our show you loved and don't want to see change, please drop us an old-fashioned email and share your thoughts! Amber's brain goes 100 different ways at once so most likely there will be some variation in the show's content. Interviews, casual hangs, perhaps some scripted tales, or solo storytelling episodes. Who knows! So stay subscribed and stay tuned! We value all our listeners so much and appreciate every stream and download. As always, all of our shows since 2016 are available to stream and the older episodes are all downloadable from our website archives.

It's that time of the year when many of our workplaces and homes are filled with delicious treats and cookies for the rest of the month. Author and researcher Linda Raedisch explores the darker (and sometimes magical) side of Christmas baking in her latest book, 'The Secret History of Christmas Baking: Recipes and Stories from Tomb Offerings to Gingerbread Boys.' We discuss a bunch of fascinating history behind some of our favorite traditional treats, particularly from Europe. Did you know ground-up mummy corpses were used as medicine? Or that Gingerbread cookies could have magical abilities? Linda's books can be found anywhere books are sold. Give Linda a follow on Instagram!

Steele Alexandra Douris, author and Victorianist, specializing in Victorian Spiritualism, crime fiction, and the gothic novel joins us for a fascinating look into this era. How many people view the paranormal today stems from the Spiritualist movement of the 19th century. Seances, mediums, and paranormal investigation were all born during this time. Steele's new book, "Spirits, Seers & Seances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural" is the perfect introduction to this time. Available wherever books are sold! Steele is also a Ph.D. candidate in the English department at Stanford University, where she has taught courses on 19th-century spiritualism and ghost stories. She holds an MA in English from Stanford University and a BA in anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin.

With us in-studio on this episode is the legendary Ed Terebus to discuss the entertainment of fear and his record-breaking haunted attraction Erebus. Erebus stands as a formidable four-story haunted attraction nestled in Pontiac, Michigan, and is open during the Halloween season. From 2005 to 2009, it held the Guinness World Record for being the largest walk-through haunted attraction. Its chilling origins trace back to the year 2000 when it breathed new life into an abandoned four-story parking garage, dormant for nearly half a century. Prior to Erebus's arrival, this very structure languished as an indoor junkyard. The visionaries behind this macabre masterpiece are none other than Edward and Jim Terebus, distinguished for their prior ventures into the realm of haunted attractions around the Detroit area. Before Erebus, their expertise was demonstrated through portable haunts constructed within trailers. Complementing Erebus, they also helm the publication Fear Finder—a seasonal beacon that serves as a central nexus for Michigan's haunted houses, facilitating effortless discovery for the intrigued and the brave-hearted alike.

The idea of "death magic" is majorly misunderstood and you probably have no idea how often you are actually doing little acts of necromancy in your own life. We have a deep conversation with author Mortellus about what the practice of necromany is really all about and how they came to be where they are today. Their new book, "The Bones Fall in a Spiral: An Introduction to Necromancy and the Magic of Death" will be available in October 2023! Bio: Mortellus is a lineaged Third Degree Gardnerian High Priestex of the Long Island Line. Presently busy at work on their third book, with the second, "The Bones Fall in a Spiral: A Necromantic Primer" completed and arriving soon. In addition to their role as High Priestex, Mortellus is a Mortician, and holds degrees in Design, Education, Fine Arts, and Mortuary Sciences. Their areas of expertise include necromancy, necrobotany, mediumship, and the funerary rites of minority faith groups. Currently residing in Western North Carolina on three acres that doubles as the Covenstead for the Coven of Leaves with their spouse, adult child, AMAB/AFAB twins, and dog; generally wishing there was more time in the day for hiding in the studio and playing with clay.

Our friends Sara and Kevin join us in the studio to discuss the recent UFO whistleblower David Grush and we have fun speculating on UFO disclosure and the idea of life beyond our planet. Things to watch and read from our discussion: -INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAY U.S. HAS RETRIEVED CRAFT OF NON-HUMAN ORIGIN – The Debrief.org article that introduced Grush’s claims. -Moment of Contact – Documentary about the Brazil UFO and body retrieval -Ariel Phenomena – Documentary about the Ariel school UFO sighting -Passport to Magonia: On UFOs, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds by Jacques Vallée

Researcher and author Maxim W. Furek joins us to discuss the high strangeness of the 1963 Sheppton mine disaster in Pennsylvania. Learn more about the paranormal happenings of Pennsylvania in Maxim's latest book, "Coal Region Hoodoo: Paranormal Tales from Inside the Pit." Pick up a copy from Amazon or visit Maxim's website to get an autographed copy. _______________________________________________ Coal Region Hoodoo: Paranormal Tales from Inside the Pit continues Maxim Furek’s sociological exploration inside the Pennsylvania high strangeness that gave birth to The Night of the Living Dead, The Blob, and The Philadelphia Experiment. His book is described as “A fascinating look into Pennsylvania’s paranormal wormhole through a never-seen-before sociological and popular culture lens.” His journey takes us beyond the netherworlds of Centralia, Sheppton, Chestnut Ridge, and The Pennhurst Asylum. It looks into the eyes of demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren and the twisted souls of serial killer Gary Heidnik and con artist Richard Sharpe Shaver while exploring the preternatural secrets of Bigfoot, cryptids, Kecksburg, The Smurl Haunting, Pennsylvania Dutch Powwowing, and Roman Catholic Mysticism. Miners claim that being trapped in the bottom of a coal mine is as close as one can ever get to being in Hell. Coal Region Hoodoo takes us even closer inside that forbidden, paranormal pit. Maxim W. Furek’s rich background includes aspects of psychology, addictions, and music journalism. He considers himself a student of the paranormal and has explored and published numerous articles. He has a master’s degree in Communications from Bloomsburg University and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Aquinas College.

Sterling Moon joins us on this episode for a fantastic conversation about mediumship. In her new book, "Talking to Spirits: A Modern Medium's Practical Advice for Spirit Communication", Sterling provides a refreshing and insightful guide for those seeking to explore the world of mediumship. With a blend of traditional spirit communication techniques, as well as additional tools such as paranormal investigation and folk magic, Sterling offers a comprehensive approach to connecting with the spirit world that's accessible to anyone. Bio Sterling Moon has communicated with spirits since childhood and began officially practicing mediumship in 2016. She has been reading tarot since 1995 and teaching divination skills since 2013. She works with clients virtually and in-person at her private office in the metaphysical shop, Ritualcravt. She teaches through her school, Sterling Moon Divination Academy, and is a long-time instructor at Ritualcravt School. She also apprenticed under Johannes Björn Gårdbäck, an internationally respected teacher and spiritual worker in the Swedish folk magic tradition of trolldom. She lives in Colorado. Learn more about Sterling at sterlingmoontarot.com. Follow Sterling on Facebook and Instagram.

We discuss the aura with author and long-time researcher Jean-Louis de Biasi. Jean-Louis has been studying this for 40+ years and his latest book, Mysteries of the Aura is a fantastic introduction to the field that surrounds all living and even non-living things. Book Description: Reveal the Secrets of the Subtle Body and Your Psychic Ability - Drawing on Eastern and Western explanations of energy work, this beginner-friendly book teaches how to see and interact with subtle energies. Jean-Louis de Biasi shares nearly forty exercises, both for solo practitioners and couples, to heighten your psychic abilities and give you a new understanding of the levels of reality beyond our own. Mysteries of the Aura takes you further than the usual study of auras, allowing you to not only perceive and work with your invisible bodies, but also to help others. You’ll explore where auras come from, how the elements influence your energies, how aura colors and shapes affect your health, how the aura is connected to Kabbalah, and much more. From healing the subtle bodies to out-of-body experiences, this accessible book expands your awareness in amazing ways. Bio: JEAN-LOUIS DE BIASI (Las Vegas, NV) is an author, lecturer, and philosopher. He has been initiated into the highest degrees of several Western traditions, is the Grand Master of the Ordo Aurum Solis, and G. P. of the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose-Cross. He is also the author of Esoteric Freemasonry, and The Magical Use of Prayer Beads. For more, visit www.deBiasi.org. PATRICIA BOURIN (Las Vegas, NV) Patricia Bourin is a breathing coach and a certified yoga teacher with more than fifteen years of practice. She is also the co-author of Mysteries of the Aura. Bourin travels all over the world with her husband, Jean-Louis, and teaches a variety of private classes and yoga workshops. She has studied Western and Eastern spirituality, is a trained expert in gemology, and spent more than a dozen years as a surgical first assistant.

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!

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...

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.