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

Dallas Comic & Pop Expo

An Evening with Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours

SAN ANTONIO -- Had a great time with Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours and guide Allison Schiess on Saturday, January 25, visiting haunted places downtown in the Alamo City! About half of them were places that I have investigated previously in the course of my research for Ghosthunting San Antonio, Austin, and Texas Hill Country, the title I am currently working on for the America's Haunted Road Trip series of travel guides. A number of the sites were completely new to me, however, and I learned a number of interesting things about all of the ones we visited. 

We kicked off the evening by enjoying a great steak dinner with our guide and fellow tour goers in the elegant formal dining room of the famous and very haunted Menger Hotel. We then proceeded to explore the haunted histories of it and several other sites, including the Alamo, Casino Club Building, Cathedral of San Fernando, Spanish Governor's Palace, and old Bexar County Jail. 

Above left, Allison set the tone for the tour by being attired in authentic 19th century garb. Above center, Diane Varhola checks out the spot on the outer wall of the Roy Rogers Suite that was once used to give fodder to Rogers' horse Trigger! Above right, the original bedstead in the King Ranch Suite where Captain King died and around which his spirit is sometimes seen. 

Above one of the sumptuous lobbies of the Menger Hotel, as viewed from the third floor. Above right, I have no idea what is causing this particular anomaly, but am well aware that a heavy spiritual presence can wreak havoc on electronic devices. 

Above left, this particular photographic anomaly caught me eye because it affected only Allison -- clearly a spiritual magnet of some sort -- and not our two friends from Canada or anything else! Above right, a view of the Riverwalk in which can be seen a couple of orbs, one left and the other above of center. 

Above left, outside the Casino Club Building, a historic structure now used for private apartments that has any number of ghosts sharing space with its living residents. Above center, a statue associated with the old Aztec Theater -- I have no reason to think it is haunted but think it would be cool if it was! Above right, front of San Fernando Cathedral, built in the 1700s by Canary Islanders and today the oldest continuously-operating cathedral in North America. 

Above left and center, the exterior of the 18th century Spanish Governor's Palace, once the seat of government for San Antonio and a bastion against Comanche and Apache raiders. Above right, the old Bexar County Jail, which now houses visitors to the city in the guise of a Holiday Inn Express! It remains haunted by the spirits of men executed on its third floor. 

All in all, we had a great, informative, and sometimes spooky evening with Allison and Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours! Anyone interested in learning more about the sites we visited should do the same and check out grim sister Lauren Swartz's terrific Haunted History of Old San Antonio (and, of course, my own book when it comes out in October). 

Annual Halloween Ghost Hunt

Just got back from my annual "world's fastest ghost hunt" at the haunted little German cemetery in the wooded valley below my house and was stunned at how active it was tonight! This is especially striking when compared with last year, when it was almost completely inert, and I am trying to figure out what might be accounting for these differences. 

It was a very dry, clear, cool night, in the 50s, completely moonless, giving perfect visibility of the stars but very little usable light (although I avoided using my flashlight at all). I spent about 20 minutes between the cemetery and the nearby ruined house and during that time took 76 photos. Following are the ones with the most profound anomalies, all orbs as far as I can tell -- some of them very profound. 

This was the second picture I took and initially seemed to confirm my theory that it is sometimes possible to "surprise" ghosts and get images of them immediately upon arriving at a site. I felt a presence and corroborated it with photos, however, throughout the duration of my visit. 

 

Evidence of a spiritual presence is as associated with the trees at this site, at the orb in the upper right corner suggest, as they are with the actual burial plots. 

I have on numerous occasions gotten anomalies around this tree and wonder if it was used for a hanging at some point; it really does almost feel as if a ghost was living in it. 

I heard noises and got a creepy vibe south of the cemetery, toward the seasonal stream that was running strongly as a result of the recent heavy rains, and am not too surprised to have caught these orbs in my photo. 

This shot I took during my departure from the grove containing the cemetery seems to reveal something watching me! As with a number of things associated with tonight's investigation, this was the first time I have noted this happening at the site. 

I was stunned when I saw this image, which almost seems to seethe with spiritual energy! I have never caught anything of note at this ruined structure previously so this came as a bit of a surprise. I did sense some sort of a presence as I passed it during my approach to the cemetery but decided to reserve flash photography of it for my exit from the area. 

A small orb can be seen hovering over the ruined farmhouse in this alternate view of it. 

As is often the case with investigations in which I was exposed to spiritual entities, I was very hungry by the time I made it back home. Also, apropos of nothing peculiar to tonight's venture, it occurred to me that, for whatever reasons, I have never captured a partial orb cut off at the edge of a picture ... 

Beyond Texas: The Rocks Ghost Tour (Sydney, Australia)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- Had the opportunity to explore some of the oldest haunted sites in this port city with the Rocks Ghost Tour the evening of Friday, Oct. 11! Between expert guide Lachlan McWilliam, the horrifying stories of the community's early years, and the genuinely haunted nature of many of the sites it was an exciting and enjoyable night and a great way to kick off the Halloween season. Following is a taste of what we experienced, which I will discuss in greater detail in my next appearance on the Psi-Fi Radio Network and in a more detailed report to come. 

Above, tour guide McWilliam on Observatory Hill, possibly the most haunted spot in Sydney. Yes, that is a convergence of orbs! My images up until and after this point were completely clear with just one exception and it was only here, at the site of an old fort and a place used for hangings, that we detected anomalies of this sort. 

 

Above left, tour goers peer into a basement formerly used by an undertaker; center, the creepy and cluttered basement of the Hero of Waterloo, the oldest pub in Sydney (and where we had a few glasses of Guinness at the end of the tour); right, a glimpse into a home with a well into which bodies from animal fights were thrown. 

Above left, McWilliam near a home where a cuckolded husband killed his slatternly wife and where her spirit has been seen walking -- and where we picked up a faint orb, in the upper right corner of the image; right, an apartment building built on stilts to preserve an archaeology site where thousands or artifacts and numerous sets of bones have been found. 

Ghosts aside, one of the things that impressed me most about the Rocks Ghost Tour was the number of sites it had access to, which far exceeded anything I have experienced on a similar activity in the United States. So, all things considered, when you are in Sydney there are not too many better ways to spend an evening in a fascinating historic quarter of the city -- all the more so if you have the opportunity to do so this most haunted time of the year! 

Varhola Appearance on 'The Paranormal View'

If you missed my appearance on the Paranormal View when it aired live Saturday, you can still check it out in archive! Among other things we discussed my books on Virginia, Maryland, and Texas, my upcoming adventures in Hawaii and French Polynesia, and more. I had a great time on this show and know you will love it! 

Beyond Texas: Gen Con Indy Paranormal Events

Following are the paranormal panels and seminars I am organizing for the Gen Con 2013 convention, being held August 15-18 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana! 

Ghosthunting Indiana (Thursday, August 15, 4-5 p.m., Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hay Market B Room)

Join local ghosthunters and Michael O. Varhola, author and series editor for the “America’s Haunted Road Trip” travel guides, for this seminar on some of the most interesting haunted sites in Indiana.

Ghosthunting 101: Introduction to Ghosthunting (Friday, August 16, 2-3 p.m., Crowne Plaza Hotel, Victoria Station Room)

Join author Michael O Varhola of “America’s Haunted Road Trip” and a panel of experts for an interactive introduction to ghosthunting. Learn the basics and have your questions answered by experts. 

Ghosthunting 102: Equipment and Investigative Techniques (Saturday, August 17, 3-4 p.m., Crowne Plaza Hotel, Victoria Station Room)

Join paranormal researcher and author Michael O. Varhola and other ghosthunting experts and lean about the equipment and methodology of effective ghosthunters. There are almost as many ways of ghosthunting as there are ghosthunters! This panel discussion with paranormal researcher Michael O. Varhola and other ghosthunting experts looks at everything from “naturalistic” means of ghosthunting, to those based on psychic ability, to ones heavily dependent on equipment like cameras, recorders, EMF meters, digital thermometers, laser grids, and night-vision devices. 

Be sure to also check out the other events being organized by Kettle of Fish Productions this year at Gen Con, including a number of live-action role-playing games using my Skirmisher Publishing LLC's Cthulhu Live rules system.