Comicpalooza 2016 'Paranormal Track' Events

As the coordinator for the Paranormal Track of the Comicpalooza fan convention, I am responsible for developing interesting programming related to ghosthunting and similar subjects. For the past few years I have done this in conjunction with two great Houston-area groups, Dawn Paranormal and the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team, and with the assistance of the America's Haunted Road Trip series of travel guides. Following is the terrific lineup of events we will be presenting at the convention this year. All except for one, the Investigation at Discovery Green, are set to run for up to 90 minutes and will take place in a dedicated panel room at the George R. Brown Convention Center. 

FRIDAY, JUNE 17

Paranormal 101: Introduction to Ghosthunting (1 p.m.)

Join author Michael Varhola, editor of the “America’s Haunted Road Trip” series of travel guides, Christy Briones of Dawn Paranormal, and Kristen Stout of the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team for an interactive introduction to the subject of ghosthunting that will examine the basics of this popular phenomena and answer questions from attendees.

Paranormal 101: Opening Up with Meditation (2:30 p.m.)

Perr Mittelstaedt and Darcy Tarrillion of the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team will provide a basic introduction on learning meditation and using it as a tool for paranormal investigation. "I have been investigating and learning about the paranormal, meditation, and metaphysics for more than 40 years and have done many different types of investigations, classes, and events," Mittelstaedt says. "I have also given many presentations on UFO research, philosophical topics, and mind expansion. Learning to be quiet internally will allow people to have much better paranormal investigations ... you become your greatest tool, allowing the experience to flow from you to your equipment instead of the conventional vice/versa. Stay open, learn, understand, and experience the amazing worlds that surround us all."

Paranormal 101: Ghosthunting Around the United States (4 p.m.)

Rody Speake, Kay Finlayson, Chris Finlayson, and Darcy Tarrillion of the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team will discuss well-known haunted locations throughout the United States, some of which they have personally investigated. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 18

Paranormal 102: Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, & Texas Hill Country (1 p.m.)

Join author Michael O. Varhola for an exploration of some of the most fascinating haunted sites in San Antonio, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country and get a first-look preview of some of the things that will be appearing in his upcoming book on the subject. 

Paranormal 102: Investigative Equipment (2:30 p.m.)

Experts from the local Pasadena Paranormal Research Team will conduct this hands-on workshop that introduces attendees to the various sorts of equipment used by ghosthunters and other paranormal investigators, including cameras, recorders, EMF meters, digital thermometers, laser grids, and night-vision devices. 

Paranormal 102: Ghosthunting Texas and Louisiana (4 p.m.)

Join experts Christy Briones, Denise Hardin, and Megan Mozelle from the local Dawn Paranormal investigative group for this seminar on a number of the most interesting haunted sites they have investigated in Texas and Louisiana — along with things they have personally experienced at some of them! 

Paranormal 102: Protection Techniques (5:30 p.m.)

Join experts Christy Briones, Denise Hardin, and Megan Mozelle from the local Dawn Paranormal investigative group for a discussion on how to psychically and physically protect yourself before, during, and after an investigation. They will also discuss everyday psychic protection techniques for yourself and your home. 

Paranormal 102: Investigation at Discovery Green (7 p.m.)

Investigators from the local Pasadena Paranormal Research Team will guide attendees on a very special firsthand investigation of Discovery Green, the park located across from the George R. Brown Convention Center! Everyone will meet in the Paranormal Track panel room, where they will receive an orientation and be formed up into groups. They will then proceed across the street to the park for an investigation that will run until between 9 and 10 p.m. There may be limited spaces available so, just in case, feel free to show up a little early to get signed up. 

SUNDAY, JUNE 19

Paranormal 103: Reviewing Evidence After an Investigation (1 p.m.)

Rody Speake, Katrina Cooper, Kay Finlayson, and Chris Finlayson of the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team explain how to review and then debunk or validate any possible evidence gathered from an investigation using cameras, audio recordings, video recordings, and personal feelings/senses. Specific examples will include any possible evidence gathered during the investigation at Discovery Green being run on Saturday! 

Paranormal 103: Science and the Paranormal (2:30 p.m.)

Christy Briones, Denise Hardin, and Megan Mozelle of the Dawn Paranormal investigative examine how certain environmental conditions may affect how people perceive various sorts of paranormal activity. 

Paranormal 103: Open Forum Q&A (4 p.m.)

Anything goes at this open forum with a panel of professional paranormal investigators from America's Haunted Road Trip, Dawn Paranormal, and the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team! Our experts will address questions about anything related to ghosthunting and other aspects of paranormal investigation. 

Acknowledgements for 'Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country'

While writing is a solitary pursuit in so many ways, a striking number of people nonetheless played a role in the completion of this project and deserve recognition here. 

Foremost among those who warrant thanks is my wife, Diane, who accompanied me on visits to many of the sites that appear in this book and, perhaps even more importantly, allowed me to make working on it a priority.

Three people who have encouraged the development of this project and given me an opportunity to speak about it publicly are Donna Stewart, Laura Schier, and Sharon Kincaid of Psi-Fi Radio, a paranormal-themed show I have appeared on many times over the years. All three of them even ventured out to Texas in May 2014 to do presentations and broadcast the show from the Comicpalooza fan convention in Houston! 

Comicpalooza itself, for which I serve as the paranormal track coordinator, has also been a terrific venue for talking to people about haunted sites in Texas, the America’s Haunted Road Trip series, and paranormal investigation in general. Its organizers have always been very helpful and encouraging. I am especially grateful to John and Patty Simons, Ginger Simon, J.R. Warren, and Dawn Washington.

Another convention that has given me the opportunity to talk about haunted places in the Lone Star State is Dallas Comic & Pop Expo, which is owned and operated by impresario Zachery Taylor McGinnis, who I always enjoy working with.

I also have had the opportunity to work with a number of paranormal investigation groups while writing this book and would like to thank the members and organizers of San Antonio Ghosthunters, Dawn Paranormal, the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team, and the Dallas Area Paranormal Society. People in those groups whom I have particularly enjoyed working with include Jill Benoit, Christy Briones, John Delgado, Alan King, Glenn Martinez, Coy and Lori McCollum, and Kristen Stout.

Special thanks are due to Lauren Swartz and Allison Lindhorst of Sisters Grimm GhostTours, whose historical roots in San Antonio, paranormal research in it, and work on the subject provided me with lots of useful information and some unique perspectives.

Karen Holmes, someone whom I have worked with off and on in some capacity or other since moving to Texas in 2009, deserves thanks for encouraging me in this and other projects and discussing the history and folklore of Texas with me. She also gave me the opportunity to visit or spend time at a number of the sites described in this book, including Enchanted Rock, the Texas State Capitol, the San Antonio Missions, and the Devil’s Backbone (the first three of which I visited with her and students from Fischer Schule Haus Christian Academy, and the last of which is the area where that school is located).

I do not want to neglect to thank the publishing, editorial, and design staff at Clerisy Press for the work they did on this book at their end. I am especially grateful to acquisitions editor Tim W. Jackson, who served as de facto project manager for this book and as my main point of contact with the company while I was working on it; to marketing and publicity specialists Liliane Opsomer and Tanya Twerdowsky Sylvan; and to publisher Richard Hunt. Molly Merkle and Marie Hillin at the Keen Communications headquarters have also always been helpful and a pleasure to work with.

A number of the proprietors or staff of various sites I visited or people I encountered in the process of doing so deserve my thanks as well, and these include Jo Ann Rivera of Victoria’s Black Swan Inn, Doug Blank of the Faust Hotel, staff members at Hotel Indigo and the Emily Morgan Hotel in San Antonio and the Driskill Hotel in Austin, the staff of Ye Kendall Inn in Boerne, the management and staff of the Austin Pizza Garden, and bartender Lincoln at the Devil’s Backbone Tavern.

I also would like to thank all of the editors, colleagues, family members, business associates, and friends who patiently — or, in some cases, not so patiently — waited for me to fulfill my obligations to them while I was focusing so much of my attention on this project.

Finally, if there is anyone I have left out of these acknowledgments, I would like to sincerely beg their forgiveness and thank them for the roles they played in the completion of this book as well! 

Comicpalooza 2014 Paranormal Track Events

Following are the dozen events that America's Haunted Road Trip series editor Michael O. Varhola has organized for the Comicpalooza fan convention being held in Houston, Texas, during Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-26. Our program is even bigger and better than it was last year and we very much hope you will be able to make it out to the convention, whether it is just for one day or all four! 

FRIDAY

Paranormal 101: Introduction to Ghosthunting

Join author Michael Varhola, editor of the “America’s Haunted Road Trip” series of travel guides, and a panel of experts for an interactive introduction to the subject of ghosthunting that will examine the basics of this popular phenomena and answer questions from attendees.
            Time: Friday 2 p.m. (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Ken Gerhard, Donna Stewart, Christy Briones, Kristen Stout

Paranormal 101: Encounters with Flying Humanoids

Join world-renowned author and cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard of Monsterquest for an examination of flying humanoids, including the Mothman, Manbirds, Gargoyles, and other winged beasts.

            Time: Friday 4 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Presenter Name: Ken Gerhard

Paranormal 101: Haunted Pub Crawl

Hear about spirits while imbibing spirits in some of the most haunted and historic watering holes in downtown Houston! This walking tour will depart from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

            Time: Friday 8 p.m. (2-3 hours)

            Requirements: —

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola

            Additional Fee: $12

SATURDAY

Paranormal 102: Investigative Equipment

Experts from the local Pasadena Paranormal Research Team and other investigative groups will conduct this hands-on workshop that introduces attendees to the various sorts of equipment used by ghosthunters and other paranormal investigators, including cameras, recorders, EMF meters, digital thermometers, laser grids, and night-vision devices.

            Time: Saturday Noon (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Ken Gerhard, Donna Stewart, Christy Briones, Kristen Stout

Paranormal 102: Cryptozoology in the Lone Star State

Join world-renowned cryptozoologist and author Ken Gerhard of Monsterquest for an examination of real "X creatures" in Texas, including Bigfoot, the Chupacabra, and many more. 
            Time: Saturday 2 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Presenter Name: Ken Gerhard

Paranormal 102: Ghosthunting Houston

Join experts from the local Dawn Paranormal investigative group and other organizations for this seminar on some of the most interesting haunted sites in and around Houston — along with things that some of the participants have experienced at them!

            Time: Saturday 4 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Christy Briones

SUNDAY

Paranormal 103: Open Forum Q&A

Anything goes at this open forum with a panel of professional paranormal investigators! Our experts will address questions about anything related to ghosthunting and other aspects of paranormal investigation.

            Time: Sunday 2 p.m. (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Christy Briones, Donna Stewart, Kristen Stout, Laurie Olerich

Paranormal 103: Ghosthunting Oregon

Join author Donna Stewart for an exploration of some of the most fascinating haunted sites throughout the state of Oregeon, from hotels and theaters in Portland to cemeteries and lighthouses along the coast. She will also give attendees a sneak peak at some of the things that will be appearing in her upcoming book on the subject!

            Time: Sunday 4 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Presenter Name: Donna Stewart

Paranormal 103: Haunted Hermann Park

Surrounded by hospitals, the zoo, and museums, Hermann Park has become Houston’s epicenter for paranormal mystery. Join us for a tour where we will recall the history of the Civil War cemetery that lays beneath the park, hear the story of an opera singer who died in Miller Outdoor Theater and still haunts it today, and roll down a hill where many have died — including children who still happily invite you to join them! With animal spirits, history, superstitions, and mysterious and unexplained deaths, it is no wonder Hermann Park is haunted.

            Time: Sunday 7 p.m. (2-3 hours)

            Requirements: —

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola

            Additional Fee: $15

Paranormal 103: Psi-Fi Radio Live!

Join host Donna Stewart, author Michael O. Varhola, and other expert guests for the first-ever live broadcast of the Psi_Fi Para Radio show! As usual, they will be covering a lot of ground on all things paranormal, and will be taking questions from members of the audience throughout the course of the show.

            Time: Sunday 10 p.m. (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Donna Stewart, Sharon Kincaid, Laura Schier

MONDAY

Paranormal 104: Investigative Techniques

There are almost as many ways of ghosthunting as there are ghosthunters! In this panel discussion paranormal researcher Michael Varhola and members of the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team, Dawn Paranormal, and other groups looks at everything from “naturalistic” means of ghosthunting, to ones heavily dependent on equipment, to those based on psychic ability.

            Time: Monday Noon (2 hours)

            Requirements: Microphones

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola, Donna Stewart, Laura Schier, Christy Briones, Kristen Stout

Paranormal 104: Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country

Join author Michael O. Varhola for an exploration of some of the most fascinating haunted sites in San Antonio, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country and get a first-look preview of some of the things that will be appearing in his upcoming book on the subject.

            Time: Monday 3 p.m. (1 hour)

            Requirements: Microphones, projector and screen for PowerPoint

            Credited As: Michael O. Varhola/America's Haunted Road Trip

            Panelist Names: Michael O. Varhola

Comicpalooza 2013 'Paranormal Track' Events

Following are the "Paranormal Track" events I am organizing for the Comicpalooza fan convention, being held May 24-26 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston!

FRIDAY
Cryptozoology 101
Join world-renowned Cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard for an examination of "X creatures" in Texas and around the world, from Bigfoot and Chupacabras, to Yetis and the Loch Ness Monster, and many more. Time: Friday 3 p.m. (1 hour)



Ghosthunting 101: Introduction to Ghosthunting
Join author Michael Varhola, editor of the “America’s Haunted Road Trip” series of travel guides, and a panel of experts for an interactive introduction to the subject of ghosthunting that will examine the basics of this popular phenomena and answer questions from attendees. Time: Friday 4 p.m. (2 hours)



Haunted Pub Crawl
Hear about spirits while imbibing spirits in some of the most haunted and historic watering holes in Houston! Time: Friday 7:30 p.m. (3.5 hours)



SATURDAY
Ghosthunting 102: Equipment
Experts from the local Pasadena Paranormal Research Team and other investigative groups will conduct this hands-on workshop that introduces attendees to the various sorts of equipment used by ghosthunters, including cameras, recorders, EMF meters, digital thermometers, laser grids, and night-vision devices. Time: Saturday 3 p.m. (1 hour)



Ghosthunting Texas
Join experts from the local Dawn Paranormal investigative group and other organizations for this seminar on some of the most interesting haunted sites in the Lone Star State — to include ones in and around Houston and the things that some of the participants have experienced at them! Time: Saturday 4 p.m. (1 hour)



SUNDAY
Ghosthunting 103: Investigative Techniques
There are almost as many ways of ghosthunting as there are ghosthunters! In this panel discussion paranormal researcher Michael Varhola and members of the Pasadena Paranormal Research Team, Dawn Paranormal, and other groups looks at everything from “naturalistic” means of ghosthunting, to ones heavily dependent on equipment, to those based on psychic ability. Time: Sunday 2 p.m. (1 hour)



Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country
Join author Michael Varhola for an exploration of some of the most fascinating haunted sites in San Antonio, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country and get a sneak preview of some of the things that will be appearing in his book on the subject. Time: Sunday 5 p.m. (1 hour)