I had a fabulous time at the MID-SOUTH PARANORMAL CONVENTION over the weekend. I performed with the Orb Tones, gave a Bell Witch lecture presentation, and signed books all weekend.
It was also great to catch up with old friends and make lots of new ones. Great convention + great people! And, KUDOS to the LGHS for organizing yet another stellar, first-class convention!
Stay tuned for MORE conventions and excitement later this year!
Captain Jack, the Paranormal Pup
Free-hanging pendulums with audio + visual alarms
You never know who you’ll see at MidSouth
Doing one of the things I love
Giving my guitar a last-minute workout before performing with the Orb Tones
In this blast-from-the-past interview with Lucy Pireel in her Author Spotlight blog, I discuss several facets of authoring and how I handle them. Click. Read. Enjoy.
As many already know, From Turkey Creek – A Memoir is a long-term work in progress. It is my childhood memoir of growing up at the most remote, fun, and wacky place in the world: Turkey Creek, in Humphreys County, Tennessee. This is a short, transitional chapter I wrote, which describes the “general stores” that dotted the countryside near Turkey Creek back in the day.
ON COUNTRY STORES
Nearly every dirt road out in the country had a general store. Within an eight-mile radius of Turkey Creek, there was Nolan Sulley Grocery, Thomas Freeland Grocery, George Harris Grocery, Leonard Barnes Grocery, Clyde Rose Grocery, Harold Smith Grocery, Dudley Jones Grocery, and William Covington Grocery. Usually named for their retiree owners, these rural mom-and-pop institutions were the places where good country folk met, talked politics, and engaged in long, serious talks about the lack or overabundance of rain. Women bought what they needed and left; the men stayed and gossiped.
Time truly flies when you’re having fun–and when you are busy. I apologize for the long delay between updates; it has been a very busy and productive last few months. I plan to post a lot of pictures, videos, and news in the coming weeks.
As 2017 reaches the halfway point, I am repointing and refocusing my efforts on current research and writing projects, and fewer ghost investigations. Not that there is anything wrong with ghost hunting, but planning the investigations, the travel involved, and spending weeks reviewing evidence takes a LOT of time. And so does writing. Finding the time to investigate hauntings, research cases, and write books, all at once, and hoping for the proverbial “big bang,” is daunting at best. Any more ghost investigations? You betcha–but just not as frequently (for a while). It is now time to catch up on my writing projects.
You will be hearing much more about these titles, as well as release dates and upcoming appearances, through more frequent updates of this web site/blog. I will also be sharing pictures from various ghost investigations and my travels.
In the meantime, I leave you with a video from a ghost investigation near Jackson, Tennessee, conducted on January 21, 2017. Three of us investigated an 1850s-era church building and Masonic hall, and the graveyard behind it, which dates back to the early 1820s. Activity was fast and furious, so much that we brought a much larger group for another investigation on June 24th; we encountered the same results. The area is chock full of history. Watch the video and read the captions for more information!
It’s amazing how I can be shoveling January snow one day and observing Memorial Day the next. Time moves too quickly. I wish it would slow down or, better yet, recycle itself. For that matter, I wish I could, too. The past few months, while exciting beyond words, have kept me super busy.
I still have several books in progress, but I’ve decided to keep them on the back burner while I pursue some exciting new opportunities. But of course, “back burner,” in my realm, only means putting the book together (typesetting, layout, pagination, TOC and index, cover design, and so on). I write the books in my head, then commit them to memory; I save the dirty work until later.
Exciting things are happening behind the scenes, and will continue to happen on into next year and beyond. Hint: Keep an eye on the Appearances page and watch [some of it] unfold. That’s all for now.
I’ve received several private messages with questions about the rewrite/13th Anniversary edition of “The Bell Witch: The Full Account.” That’s great! I intend to publish a FAQ about the rewrite in the coming days.
The “Rewrite FAQ,” as well as progress reports and excerpts, will be posted to the book’s existing Facebook page. The new edition will not have a dedicated page; it will use the existing Bell Witch page.
For those with questions about the new book, or who would like progress reports and excerpts, please make sure to add the following page to your Facebook “Likes.” Thanks!
In his words, “Lori and I share a passion for Southern history and legends, and our works complement each other nicely. Lori writes about the people, places, and events that made history. I write about the spiritual residue they left behind. Our collaboration…
I have the honor of writing the foreword to “The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge,” by historical fiction author Lori Crane. And, I couldn’t be happier! Lori and I share a passion for Southern history and legends, and our works complement each other nicely. Lori writes about the people, places, and events that made history, and I write about the spiritual residue they left behind. Our collaboration comes naturally. I am looking forward to this wonderful opportunity!
What is Stuckey’s Bridge? Where is it? What happened there? Read on:
In 1901, the Virginia Bridge & Iron Company rebuilt an aging bridge over Mississippi’s Chunky River, near the hamlet of Savoy. Amid the project, workers discovered at least twenty bodies buried beneath the river’s snaky, overgrown banks.
In earlier times, flatboaters often saw a man standing on the bridge at night, waving his lantern and offering travelers a hot meal and a soft bed for the night. “Need a good night’s sleep? Stuckey’s Inn is right around the bend! Weary wagon traveler? Stop by Stuckey’s Inn!” he would yell.
Rest in peace at Stuckey’s Inn.
The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge, coming Fall 2013 to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers.
I’ve been busy typing away on the update and complete rewrite of The Bell Witch: The Full Account, scheduled for release on October 13, 2013. The book’s first edition debuted on Friday, October 13, 2000. Yes, Friday the thirteenth of October, in the year 2000.
The 2013 update, which is a full rewrite available in both paperback and eBook formats, coincides with the book’s thirteenth anniversary. There’s just something about that number–thirteen.
Two weeks have elapsed since I [finally] located the book’s original file–created in Word 97–and opened it for the first time in thirteen years. I could’ve sworn my computer’s screen turned yellow and began to smell musty, it has been that long. Here is what I’ve done over the past two weeks:
Reduced the page count from 406 to 348!
Removed three entire sections (not reflected in revised page count).
Added 24 new pieces of new information about the case.
The copy and developmental editing will continue over the summer. New covers, both front and back, will also be added. The promotional campaign will begin in May. Also this year, I have two more books to finish and a busy lecture/signing schedule. Please send prayers and coffee.
Pat Fitzhugh 
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