Laconia, New Hampshire is a gold mine of haunted locations.  This is Part 2 (of 2) about haunted places around Tilton, Franklin, and Laconia, New Hampshire.

In the previous podcast, Fiona Broome discussed these locations:

1. Hall Memorial Library, Northfield-Tilton, NH.

2. Tilton Mystery Tunnel, Tilton, NH.

3. Two buildings and a cemetery at Webster Place, Franklin, NH.

4. Daniel Webster birthplace, Franklin, NH.

In this 27-minute podcast, Fiona talks about visiting Laconia, NH with a neighbor.  He remembered a house from his childhood; the house had "ghost stories" and a legend about a hidden Underground Railroad room.

Fiona describes what happened when they visited the house, including evidence of its Colonial history, the Underground RR room, and hash marks on the attic staircase walls and the inside of the door.

However, the owners of the home assured Fiona and her neighbor that there were no ghosts there.

The next day, Fiona returned to that area and found several other sites worth investigating:

Tavern 27 at the Mystic Meadows, 2075 Parade Road, Laconia, NH, and the gift shop behind it.

The former site of the Anti-Pedo Baptist Church of Meredith, NH, which was burned to the ground on behalf of a neighbor, Mrs. Morgan.

Mead Cemetery (433427N / 0712936W) and Round Bay Cemetery, Laconia, NH.

Fiona also recommends looking for the Folsom graves at Laconia's Union Cemetery (between Garfield St. and Academy St.), where the petrified bodies were reburied.

How to find similar haunted locations where you are:

1. Ask people if they know any local, haunted places.

2. Follow your instincts.  Drive around, look at maps, and -- psychic or not -- pay attention to your "gut feelings."

3. Research history! Look for patterns -- geographical or historical -- that connect the locations.

4. Ask more questions.  Collect more stories and look for "odd" comments and history.

5. Investigate, then ask more questions, and conduct more historical research.

For more information about this podcast, Laconia, NH Ghosts

For more information about ghost hunting, in general, visit HollowHill.com.

Music: Zombie, by Devin Anderson

5. Investigate.

In this 17 1/2 minute podcast, Fiona Broome talks about several haunted and eerie locations around Tilton and Franklin, NH.

For more complete background info -- and photos -- see Fiona's article at Hollow Hill: Podcast: Tilton Mystery Tunnel & Webster Place.

Music for this podcast is Zombie by Devin Anderson.

In this 14-minute podcast, Fiona Broome talks about several controversial topics.

First, she explains that she's not going to appear on a TV show (unless absolutely necessary), she's been working behind the scenes on a TV series.  She finds, researches and recommends locations for a new TV series that's airing beginning in June 2011. 

Then, she talks about ghost-related TV shows in general, and admits that she watches (and likes) one paranormal TV show: Ghost Lab.

Here's why she likes them:

• They get the history right, usually.
• They try new, interesting things and admit when those experiments don't work.
• The show is realistic.  They don't act as if all the cool stuff happens in one hour or even six hours.
• The cast react appropriately to phenomena.
• The cast are blunt and connect with the ghosts with integrity.

Next, Fiona revisits the topic of "provoking," because the Ghost Lab team's version of provoking isn't the same as the taunting seen on some other shows.

The question is, if you were talking with that person (the ghost) in real life, would you be challenging them and helping them come to terms with what's happened, or are you taunting them?

After that, Fiona reviews a book, Being Mystic - In Touch with God, by Betsy Balega.  It addresses psychic issues and paranormal research from a Christian (Catholic) foundation.  In this book, Ms. Balega tells her own story in a chatty, personal manner.  Then, she talks about being psychic in the context of spiritual beliefs.  The book is written with tremendous sensitivity, and shares excellent advice.

Though you may not agree with Ms. Balega's spiritual choices, open-minded readers will discover useful insights that resonate across religious lines.  (If you really can't stand Catholicism, or Christianity in general, this book is not for you.)

Finally, Fiona reminds listeners that challenging spirits in healthy ways, giving them good advice, can be part of a productive parnormal investigation.

Music credits: Zombie, by Devin Anderson.

If it's not a ghost or a demon... what is it?

In this 17-minute podcast, paranormal researcher Fiona Broome talks about phenomena that don't fit our usual "ghosts" context, but aren't demons, either.

First, Fiona provides her own definitions for ghostly, poltergeist, and demonic activity.  Her main emphasis is on the scope of the phenomena and how much seems externally-caused v. internal, and how people react to it... and how quickly.

Then, she talks about the main explanations for activity that's probably not a classic ghost or a demon, as those words are popularly used.

Here are a few explanations:

1. Nothing is going on.  The person is making it up.  (This can still be a serious problem that needs to be addressed.)

2. The phenomena are natural, from animal sounds to EIFs. (Experience Inducing Fields including infrasound, EMF and geomagnetic energy anomalies.)

3. It's a deliberate prank. 

4. The phenomena relate to alternate paranormal, supernatural or spiritual contexts, including faeries, aliens, the Loa, imps, djinns, and so on.

5. We're experiencing effects from a parallel reality, as described by quantum science.  This could be the influence of someone alive & well in that reality, a ghost in that reality, or a demon in that realm whose influence is seeping into our world.

Fiona's main point is:  No matter what is actually going on, if someone is clearly in trouble, they need immediate help.

She also explains the difference between a demonologist and an exorcist, and why a second opinion is always important.

For years, people have said, "My house is only five years old and there wasn't anything on the land before.  Why is my house haunted?"In this 22-minute podcast, paranormal researcher Fiona Broome provides possible answers.

Fiona starts with the usual explanations:

1. Something was on the land, long ago, but the new home's builder didn't know it had been there.
2. Something about the current residents -- possibly their family history -- connects with each other and/or the immediate geographical area.  That energy enables spirits to act-out past events or go through the (sometimes slow) process of closure.  (Fiona admits this a a very "woo-woo" concept.)
3. Your family has a secret history -- perhaps nobody talked about "crazy" Great-aunt Prudence who was an amazing psychic and ghosts talked to her -- that suggests a genetic predisposition to attracting spirits.  

Then Fiona explains additional information from her most recent research.  She starts with additional information related to Ireland's Duckett's Grove Castle, featured in the St. Patrick's Day 2011 episode of Destination: Truth.  Though hunting for a Banshee (bean sidhe) isn't recommended -- and Banshees aren't always blonde or in a shroud -- the cursed castle led Fiona to additional discoveries about the Duckett family and their cursed English home.

That led to the apparent contagion of tragedy at Lowther Castle. 

For additional show notes, visit HollowHill.com

In this six-minute mini-podcast, Fiona Broome shares very basic steps to begin your paragenealogy research.  (Her book will explain this in far more detail.)

Begin with your own family history.  That will show you the possible connections -- and innate rapport you may have -- with specific ghosts.

Summary:

Step 1. Ask your family for information about your parents and grandparents.  Include all information.  Don't omit things that "everybody knows." Write it all down.

For each person, you'll need the following:

• Name at birth
• Place of birth
• Full date of birth

If possible (or relevant) ask also for when & where they were married, and -- if the person is deceased -- when & where the person died and is buried.

The correct name is very important.  The location -- country, state, county, and city or town -- are vital, so get as much data as you can.  The date is helpful, but not as essential as the correct name and location.

Tip: Allow for spelling errors in public records.  For example, Fiona's Maloney ancestors' names have been spelled Mulloney, Malloney, Mallony, and so on.  Never rule out an historical record just because of a spelling error.

Step 2. Visit Ancestry.com and use their free trial membership to research more of your family history.  (There are many other resources, online and off, but Ancestry.com is the largest online resource with the easiest interface.  And, it costs nothing to try it; you may find all the information you need during that free trial membership.)

Once you know who your ancestors were, and the important historical eras (and locations) that are part of your family history, you'll also know the kinds of hauntings that may respond more intensely to you, personally.

In this 16-minute podcast, Fiona Broome talks about ghost hunting in 2010 and early 2011.

Initially, she talks about cycles of interest in ghosts.

The past 100 years

The Victorian / Spiritualist era (1870s - 1920s) when many researchers made remarkable discoveries, but today that time is remembered for its frauds.  Modern researchers would do well to review the older books, journals and magazines of that era.

The 1960s, when spirituality and the hippie movement led to a fascination with all things paranormal.  Fiona recommends the book Conjuring Up Philip, and some episodes of the (somewhat dated but delightfully campy) TV series, One Step Beyond.  Amid the hype and woo-woo silliness, breakthroughs in areas such as EMF could be helpful to us today.

Modern researchers can read books by authors such as Jess Stearn and Hans Holzer, and find important bedrock studies related to paranormal studies.  Then, search for those topics and researchers, online, to see what's been discovered since then.

Where we are now

Fiona then talks about the ghost hunting field today.  Paranormal research is facing a widening gap between entertainment -- particularly TV and radio shows -- and serious research.

She reminds listeners that she's never lost her respect for many people on ghost-related TV shows, including the Ghost Hunters franchise… while seeing many shows scripted and edited for popularity instead of credibility.

Fiona relates the current scene to election year, with a very vocal (and very small) minority loudly boasting about themselves while shamelessly trashing others.  Fiona says that she's decided to step back from the fray before it turned into the paranormal equivalent of the Jerry Springer show.

However, despite the sideshow fueled by social media sites and bad radio shows, Fiona raves about the serious research, such as real-time communication with ghosts as well as scientific studies of ghostly phenomena.

She recommends websites, podcasts and books that focus on the academic side of ghost hunting… unless you're mostly interested in entertainment and a "good scare."

EVP studies

Fiona talks about her current surveys of EVP recordings, looking for patterns in the noises and voices in those recordings.  To participate in those studies (anonymously), see Fiona's article,  EVP Survey #1 - Voices.

Initial survey results support these popular beliefs:

1. The vast majority of successful EVP recordings occur in response to things that investigators do and say.

Current conclusion: If you're recording EVP, don't just set up the recorder and leave it while you research somewhere else.  Stay with your recorder, talk to the ghosts and ask questions.

2. Most of the voices seem to be adult males who are hostile or defensive.  So, while Fiona disagrees with the popularity of "provoking" spirits, you may find better EVP results if you talk to the ghosts in forceful (but not belligerent) terms.

These conclusions may change as additional data is added via the current EVP surveys.

Book review: The Poltergeist Phenomenon, by Michael Clarkson.

The 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 Clarkson includes extensive information about evidence for and against the credibility of poltergeist reports.

Clarkson also used discretion in reporting controversial topics, such as the spoon-bending of Uri Geller.  Instead of following current trends that border on libel, Clarkson displayed tact and integrity by focusing on what's pertinent to poltergeist research.

The Poltergeist Phenomenon is written somewhat journalistically, focusing on facts.  For some, that will make the stories more credible and compelling.  If you're looking for over-the-top adjectives and fantastic descriptions, this book may disappoint you. 

Fiona says, "I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, true ghost stories.  This is also a great reference book for paranormal researchers, offering alternative explanations for phenomena we encounter in the field."

In this 2-minute podcast, Fiona talks about the clothing we wear when ghost hunting.  If all-black is your default wardrobe, you may want to reconsider that for ghost investigations.

In the first of Fiona's new series of mini-podcasts, Fiona talks about Friday the 13th and why it might be a good day (or night) for ghost hunting.

In this 16-minute podcast, Fiona Broome talks about the waning popularity of ghost hunting, and why that might be a good thing.  However, on TV and off, people are going to extremes to try and maintain their corner of the market.  Parts of this field are imploding in a flurry of drama, catfights, mudslinging and flame wars.

Fiona plans to sit this dance out.  She'll be speaking at Dragon*Con 2010, but otherwise expects to keep a low profile -- and keep writing books -- through the end of 2010 and perhaps early 2011.

Also in this podcast, Fiona warns about the folly and liabilities of focusing more on ghost hunting tools than on the haunted environment around you.  She offers several tips, including ways to use your real-time communication devices (EVP, Puck, Ovilus, Frank's Box, Shack Hack, pendulum,etc.) to plan ahead for a ghost investigation.

Finally, Fiona recommends reading the beginning of Embraced by the Light, by Betty Eadie.  As one of the most detailed descriptions of a reported near-death experience, we can learn from what she describes.  If some ghosts go through the same steps, this may help us understand where they are and what they're dealing with, before they "cross over."