Haunted Flint Book Release Party September 6, 2019 #hauntedflint


Join authors Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani to celebrate the release of their book Haunted Flint.

The event will feature a discussion and Q&A with the authors, to be followed by a book signing.

Enter to win a spooky gift basket from The Bewitching Cauldron

Light refreshments will be provided. 

Totem also has a full menu of drinks and food that may be purchased separately. 

The event is free to attend but if you would like to reserve a copy of the book please pre-order HERE. This helps to ensure that we will have enough copies on hand for everyone who wishes to have one signed. 

The link price includes one signed copy of Haunted Flint, which you can pick up at the event.

Follow the Facebook Event Page to stay up to date on party details.

Haunted Flint 
Haunted America Series
by Roxanne Rhoads  and Joe Schipani 

Release Date: September 2, 2019

Publisher: The History Press

About the Book:

Home to ancient burial grounds, unsolved murders, economic depression and a water crisis, Flint emits an unholy energy rife with ghostly encounters. 

Colonel Thomas Stockton's ever-vigilant ghost keeps a watchful eye over his family home at Spring Grove, where guests occasionally hear the thump of his heavy boots. 

Restless spirits long separated from their graves lurk among the ancient stones at Avondale Cemetery. Carriage maker W.A. Paterson's spirit continuously wanders the halls of the Dryden Building, and something sinister and unnamed resides in a Knob Hill mansion waiting to prey on impressionable young men. 

Join authors Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani on a chilling tour of Flint's most haunted locations.


Pre-Order at 

Amazon     BN     Book Depository      Target     Chapters   

Freaky Flint History with Joe Schipani - The Prowler March 19th, 1929 #freakyflinthistory


Flint is well known for its modern violent crimes but Flint's history is filled with little known stories that read stranger than fiction. Gruesome murders, weird accidents, and violent deaths. Join us every Thursday as Joe Schipani details some of the odd but true deaths he found in Flint's archives.


The Prowler March 19th, 1929

Harry Seeback arrived at Hurley hospital shortly before three in the morning with a gunshot wound in his back. The doctors told Harry that he needed surgery and the outcome might not be good.

Harry’s explanation for the gunshot wound was that he had went downtown to get he and his wife a sandwich when he was robbed and shot by two men on Avenue A.

After an unsuccessful surgery Harry was told he might not make it through the day. Just before he died, he gave a statement to the police saying that he went to Paul Gonsler’s house to take back whiskey that the Gonsler brothers hi-jacked from him a few months back. He had discovered that it was stashed in their garage. He parked on the street and left the car running while he crept into the garage.

When he saw the light in the house turn on, he started running for the car. The door opened and shots were fired. He made it to the car and started driving before realizing he was hit. He stopped at the first house he came across. It was Mr. West’s house. He took Harry to the hospital and called the police.
After Harry’s confession the police picked up Paul Gonsler and his brother and brought them down for questioning. During Paul’s interview, he admitted to hearing someone in the yard and said he grabbed his shotgun and called out for the intruder to show themselves. He then saw the person running from his garage and thought it was a prowler trying to steal his car. He yelled for the intruder to show themselves but they kept running so he fired his gun. He claimed he did not know he hit the person. He was only firing to scare him off and let them know he meant business. Gonsler denied knowing Seeback or anything to do with the high jacking of his liquor.

The police kept Paul detained while they went to the address of Harry Seeback to inform his wife of his death. When they knocked on the door they were met by a teenage boy. He said he did not know a Harry Seebeck and had never heard of him.

The police asked to speak to the boy’s parents, the boy got his father who told them the same thing. They had lived there for years, and have never heard of a Harry Seeback.

The officer then went back to the station to check all the records for a Harry Seeback and found none, no police record, birth certificate, nothing.

Paul Gonsler was convicted of murder and spent ten years in prison for killing a mystery man.


It was never determined if Harry Seeback was the man’s real name or if any of his tale was true.

~ Joe Schipani is the Executive Director of the Flint Public Art Project and the FFAR Project Assistant at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.  Find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HauntedFlint/ 

Bewitching Halloween Books by Roxanne Rhoads : Non-Fiction #HalloweenBooks #Halloween #HalloweenReads

The Ultimate Halloween Party Planner


Do you want to plan a Halloween party but you have no idea where to start?

Are you in the midst of planning a party but can't stay organized?

The Ultimate Halloween Party Planner is exactly what you need.Filled with Halloween party tips and ideas, a party planning timeline and checklist, a budget sheet, a guest list chart, to do lists, monthly calendars, weekly to do lists, lined notebook pages, blank sketch pages, recipe pages, craft pages, costume planning pages, and more- this planner has everything you need to plan a Halloween party your guests will never forget.






100 Halloween Writing Prompts: A Curated Selection of Halloween Images to Inspire Short Stories, Poetry, Essays and Blog Posts

Cute and creepy, magical whimsy, cozy fall and colorful autumn splendor images fill this notebook with 100 Halloween writing prompts. 


Plump pumpkins, dark nights, scary skulls, wicked witches….flip through the pages and be inspired to write Halloween short stories, poetry, essays and blog posts.








Haunted Flint

Sinister Secrets in Flint’s History


Home to ancient burial grounds, unsolved murders, economic depression, and a water crisis, Flint emits an unholy energy rife with ghostly encounters. 


Colonel Thomas Stockton’s ever vigilant ghost keeps a watchful eye over his family home at Spring Grove, where guests occasionally hear the thump of his heavy boots. 

Restless spirits long separated from their graves lurk among the ancient stones in Avondale Cemetery. 

Carriage maker W.A. Paterson’s spirit continuously wanders the halls of the Dryden Building, and something sinister and unnamed resides in a Knob Hill mansion waiting to prey on impressionable young men. 



Join authors Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani on a chilling tour of Flint’s most haunted locations.


Honoring the Dead : Death Holidays Around the World


Halloween isn't the only celebration of the dead.

Death is the one thing that connects us all. Inescapable, death will visit each and every one of us.

That is why throughout time and around the world people of different religions, backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities have had special days dedicated to honoring their dead.

In this book you'll learn about Halloween's origins along with other death celebrations around the world: China's Hungry Ghost Festival, Pchum Ben in Cambodia, Toro Nagashi and Obon in Japan, Chuseok in Korea, Gai Jatra in Nepal, and Dia de los Muertos which is celebrated in parts of Mexico, Latin America, and Spain.


A Guide To Greening Halloween

Halloween is a holiday that can really take its toll on resources: candy, decorations, food, costumes, and more.

This guide will help you green the three major areas of Halloween fun: the costume, the party and the decorations.














Cover Reveal- Haunted Flint by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani #hauntedflint

Haunted Flint 
Haunted America Series
by Roxanne Rhoads  and Joe Schipani 

Release Date: September 2, 2019

Publisher: The History Press

About the Book:

Home to ancient burial grounds, unsolved murders, economic depression and a water crisis, Flint emits an unholy energy rife with ghostly encounters. 

Colonel Thomas Stockton's ever-vigilant ghost keeps a watchful eye over his family home at Spring Grove, where guests occasionally hear the thump of his heavy boots. 

Restless spirits long separated from their graves lurk among the ancient stones at Avondale Cemetery. Carriage maker W.A. Paterson's spirit continuously wanders the halls of the Dryden Building, and something sinister and unnamed resides in a Knob Hill mansion waiting to prey on impressionable young men. 

Join authors Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani on a chilling tour of Flint's most haunted locations.


Pre-Order at 

Amazon     BN     Book Depository      Target     Chapters   

Freaky Flint History with Joe Schipani - Backyard Quarrel September 2nd,1928


Flint is well known for its modern violent crimes but Flint's history is filled with little known stories that read stranger than fiction. Gruesome murders, weird accidents, and violent deaths. Join us every Thursday as Joe Schipani details some of the odd but true deaths he found in Flint's archives.

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, when Allen Papendick and his wife decided to have some of their closest friends over.

In attendance were Berry Sugg and his wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Gideon, who lived in the apartment above the Papendick’s. The three couples had been close friends for many years. It was common practice for Allen and Berry to quarrel almost every time they got together. Berry was a drinker and did not let prohibition slow him down.

That afternoon, the two men got into their normal quarrel, but this escalated quickly due to Berry’s intoxication. Berry became very agitated and walked over to his home on Court Street to find his gun. When he got there, he discovered that his wife had hid it. Berry stormed back to Allen’s home and demanded she tell him the location of the gun. Thinking that he was all show, the other men convinced her to tell him where it was. After she did, he stormed back home to retrieve it and more whiskey.

Shortly after he left Mrs. Sugg got a very bad feeling. She convinced the Gideon’s to walk her home and so they could stop Berry. When they arrived at her home she found that Berry had already left. He was back at Allen’s house trying to convince him to drink more.

Allen walked him out to the back yard where the two chatted for a while.

According to Allen’s wife’s police statement, Berry kept trying to get Allen to drink with him. After a while, he got so angry at Allen’s refusals Berry shot him.

The sound of the gun shot made Allen’s wife rush out to the back yard where she found him lying there with gunshot to the heart.

Berry was gone.

Police arrived on scene at the Papendick residence around the same time Berry Sugg stumbled into the police station and turned himself in. At first he confessed to accidently killing Allen while showing off his new gun. Later that afternoon he changed his story and said that Allen was holding the gun and accidently pulled the trigger.

The coroner’s report determined that the gun was fired from about twenty feet away. There was no gun residue on Allen’s hands. The biggest indication that Allen did not shoot himself was the angle the bullet entered, and the fact that the bullet grazed Allen’s arm before entering his chest and going through his heart.


Berry Sugg was arrested and received ten years in prison. 

~ Joe Schipani is the Executive Director of the Flint Public Art Project and the FFAR Project Assistant at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.  Find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HauntedFlint/ 

Freaky Flint History with Joe Schipani - Common Law Marriage June 3rd, 1928


Flint is well known for its modern violent crimes but Flint's history is filled with little known stories that read stranger than fiction. Gruesome murders, weird accidents, and violent deaths. Join us every Thursday as Joe Schipani details some of the odd but true deaths he found in Flint's archives.

Common Law Marriage June 3rd, 1928

On the morning of June 31928, Lynn Wanzer and his common law wife Louise Evans Wanzer, engaged in a big quarrel.

The couple had lived together for over a decade and for the last couple months Lynn had been out of a job. Money was so tight that Louise claimed there was nothing to pay their bills or buy food. According to Louise’s sister Stella, who lived with them at the time, Louise threatened Lynn if he did not have a job by the time he came home, she was leaving him.

Later that afternoon, after having had luck finding a job, Lynn returned to his apartment on Sixth Avenue to find Louise packing her things.

When he confronted her, she claimed she was going to leave him either way and planned on doing so before he got home. This sent Lynn into a rage. He ran into the bathroom, grabbed his razor, and locked the door to the apartment.

Lynn threatened to kill Louise if she left. Louise continued to try and push past him. While this was going on, Louise’s sister, Stella, climbed out the bedroom window and went to the police.
The police arrived just moments later to find the door locked.

Lynn refused to unlock the door. Patrolman McFarland broke the door down. He found Lynn slashing away at Louise’s throat.

Patrolman McFarland warned Lynn to stop or he would shoot. Lynn ignored him.

McFarland shot him dead. But it was too late. Louise had already bled to death. 


~ Joe Schipani is the Executive Director of the Flint Public Art Project and the FFAR Project Assistant at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.  Find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HauntedFlint/ 

Easy DIY Faux Antique Pewter Mirrors #DIYGothMirrors #GIY #GothItYourself


I am a treasure hunter and bargain finder. Yard sales, flea markets, resale stores...these are my haunts. I also scour online auctions like eBay and a local place a friend works for. I love finding amazing deals.

Last year I got a grouping of 3 mirrors and a framed art piece for $1. Yes, all 3 for $1. A total steal.



The mirrors had dated 1970s gold frames. I wasn't sure what I wanted to to do with them so they just went in the pile of things to paint.


Last weekend I finally picked them up and decided to paint them. I taped off the mirrors with painter's tape, took them outside and sprayed them glossy black. Let them dry then brought them back in.





I decided to use pewter rub n buff and lightly add some silver detail. Wow, wow, wow. I love how they turned out.




I wanted to dress one up and make it a little spookier, a little more Goth. So I dug through my box of cameos and other resin littles that I have made. I picked out a bat and a matching pair of male and female skeleton cameos. I brushed those with the pewter rub n buff then added a little ebony rub n buff to the cameo settings. It gave them more texture and added to the antique look.




I am so pleased with how these two mirrors turned out. Originally I was going to take them to an upcoming vending event to sell them. I was on the fence about it. Then my husband seen them and said "Absolutely not, those are going in our living room." So, not for sale. LOL. Fine with me.





If you want to recreate the look you'll need:


Fancy framed mirror (usually easy to find at Goodwill, yard sales, flea markets, etc.)


Rustoleum 2X Paint + Primer Black Gloss


Rub N Buff Pewter


Nitrile or Latex Gloves to protect your hands while painting and suing the rib and buff


Small cloth for the Rub N Buff (I use pieces old socks)


Painter's tape (I prefer Scotch Blue)


Resin cameos and bat (optional)


Dazzle Tac (to attach cameos)


Instructions:


Tape off mirror with painter's tape


Spray paint outside or in a well ventilated area


Let dry then carefully add just a little rub n buff on raised surfaces, spread with cloth, wipe it until blended. Let it streak and end up wherever. You want it to look random.


In the end it should look like antique pewter.


Optional add cameos and bat. I cast most of my own cameos, you can check out this post for instructions. Or you can purchase pre-made cameos and settings on Amazon, eBay or Etsy.


For the cameos and bat I added a little rub n buff, glued the cameos to the setting (also called a bezel or cabochon frame), then glued the framed cameos and bat to the mirror with Dazzle Tac jewelry glue.






Just a note- when I'm working on craft projects I try to remember to take photos throughout the project. But I don't stage them so you'll see my workshop, my kitchen table, my back porch, wherever I work in whatever stage of disaster it currently is in. Sorry. When I am in create mode I am not in "let's stage this and make it look pretty mode".  I'm lucky if I even manage to do that once the project is complete. I am trying to get better. It is a slow process.

Join Me Friday June 14 at the Magically Good Fair


I'll have copies of Hex and the Single Witch and The Ultimate Halloween Party Planner along with some of my crafty creations.




Friday June 14 6- 9pm

The Good Beans Cafe
328 N Grand Traverse St, Flint, Michigan 48503

Books, Tarot & Oracle Decks, Local Authors, Local Artists, Live Performances & Demonstrations, Community Partners & so much more including:  Psychics, Metaphysical Vendors, Healers.... 

Join us for our our Magically Good Fair during Flint Art Walk June 14th 6pm - 9pm for this HUGE Rain or Shine Fair,  inside and outside the Good Beans Cafe at 328 N Grand Traverse, Flint 48503.  

You will not want to miss this!  

$3 admission benefits Local 598's Soberfest. 

Freaky Flint History with Joe Schipani - Gagged and Stabbed April 3rd, 1928 #unsolvedmurder #flintsfreakyhistory #flintmurders


Flint is well known for its modern violent crimes but Flint's history is filled with little known stories that read stranger than fiction. Gruesome murders, weird accidents, and violent deaths. Join us every Thursday as Joe Schipani details some of the odd but true deaths he found in Flint's archives.

Gagged and Stabbed April 3rd, 1928

Tuesday April 3, 1928 started at 5am for the Keen Family. Mrs. Keen made breakfast for her husband Joe and their three kids. While they were eating, she made Joe his lunch and sent him off to work.

He left a little after five and would not return until around 6 in the evening.

Mrs. Keen spent the rest of her day cleaning and caring for the children. The couple had a happy marriage according to the two boarders that lived in the house. They both claimed the two never fought and seemed very much in love.

When Joe arrived home that night around six he stumbled into a scene that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

He entered in the kitchen. He found a blood filled sink, a blood soaked towel, and a trail of blood on the floor that led to his wife’s dead body. Mrs. Keen had two stab wounds in her throat and another in front of her ear. She also had a towel gag around her mouth and another towel around her neck.

Joe quickly screamed for help and the two boarders that lived there came running. After seeing what happened, one of them sent a neighbor boy to get the police.

When they arrived, they found Joe and the two boarders standing over Mrs. Keen’s body and the three children playing in the next room.

Murders involving people of color were treated differently during this time. The police arrested Joe and the two boarders and took the children into protective care. Joe stayed in jail for three days while the police investigated his alibi. Joe’s employer verified that he was at work all day and never left. That was not satisfying to the detectives handling the case, so they interviewed his co-workers who all verified that he was there all day and never left. Joe was not released until the coroner verified that Mrs. Keen had been dead long before Joe got home.

Although he was released, he was still under suspicion and was not allowed to get his children back for a couple more weeks. The two boarders were old and deemed unable to have the strength to commit the crime. They were soon released.


With no clues, witnesses, or leads the case was put aside and the murderer was never caught.    

~ Joe Schipani is the Executive Director of the Flint Public Art Project and the FFAR Project Assistant at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.  Find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HauntedFlint/