A Witch’s Journey by Tena Stetler Spooktacular Guest Blog

Speaking of Hauntings!

Did you know, most present day Halloween traditions are traceable to the ancient Celtic day of the dead? Halloween consists of mysterious customs, but each has a history, or at least a story behind it.

Take wearing costumes, and roaming from door to door demanding treats. This behavior can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and about, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This is where the practice of trick-or-treating began. To this day, vampires, witches, ghosts, and skeletons are among the favorite costumes.

Our Halloween also retains activities from the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, (pumpkins) as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices for cider associated with the day. Although at my house, hot chocolate is pretty popular, since Halloween almost guarantees the first snow of the year.

Looking for a fun Halloween Read? A Witch's Journey is chocked full of meddling ghosts, shapeshifters, sexy witch, a ruggedly-handsome Navy SEAL. An exciting story of redemption, wildlife rescue and Halloween festivals. 

What more could you ask for? I love Halloween, don’t you?

A Witch’s Journey

A Witch’s Journey Series

Book One

Tena Stetler         

Genre: Paranormal Romance                        

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication: 6/15/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5092-0820-3

ASIN: B01F0LRJ7U

Number of pages: 344

Word Count: 88,890

Cover Artist: Kristian Norris

Tagline: Former Navy Seal helps a powerful witch, achieve her life-long dream of a wild life rescue, but can they save the McKay magic and their love?

Book Description:

Pepper McKay comes from a long line of powerful witches. Unfortunately, magic brings her nothing but trouble. She learned the love of wildlife rescue and rehab from her Aunt Ashling. After graduating from college, Pepper works for Salem Wildlife Sanctuary and lives from paycheck to paycheck until she inherits the McKay property in Lobster Cove. With the family land and resources, she dares to dream of starting her own wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.

Lathen Quartz, a former Navy SEAL turned handyman maintains the enchanted McKay property for the McKay estate. But someone is trying to steal the McKay magic. Lathen offers to help Pepper achieve her life-long dream of building a wildlife center. During the long hours spent together on the project, their mutual attraction can’t be denied. But each harbors a deep, dark secret. Will they overcome their demons and give love a chance?

Amazon       Amazon UK       Amazon AU

Amazon CA       Audible       Amazon Audio

The Wild Rose Press      Kobo      BN        iTunes

About the Author:

Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance novels. She has an over-active imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends.

With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of paranormal creatures, with a Navy SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, a bit of mystery, and adventure flourish in her books.

Website: http://www.tenastetler.com

Authors’ Secret’s Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/

My Say What Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author

Twitter Page: http://www.twitter.com/TenaStetler   

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler

The Wild Rose Press: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/1264_tena-stetler

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler

Newsletter: http://www.tenastetler.com/newsletter-signup/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/tenastetler

Tribber - http://triberr.com/TenaStetler

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tena-stetler

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenastetler/

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The Travel Channel’s The Dead Files in Flint

Flint has been a popular destination for The Travel Channel’s show The Dead Files. The Dead Files features two paranormal investigators: psychic medium Amy Allan and former NYPD homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi. They travel the country investigating paranormal activity.

They have investigated three separate locations in the Flint area and have aired four episodes featuring Flint.

They first visited for an episode that aired in June 2013.

The Dead Files Battlefield

Outside the city of Flint a private residence was experiencing such a profound haunting they called in experts.

Historical records found by Steve DiSchiavi indicate the house sits on the site of a War of 1812 POW camp. Native Americans used the land to hold white soldiers for ransom. During Amy’s walk around the land she sees the spirits of many men looking worn and haggard.

The land is also reported to be in Section Five of the old Smith Reservation.

In 1819 the land was designated by Jacob Smith (Flint’s founder) to go to a woman named Mokitchenoqua. Smith’s heirs say that Mokitchenoqua was his daughter, Maria Stockton. (However historical records list a Supreme Court Case, Stockton v Williams, in which Nancy Smith Crane, Marie Lavoy and Elizabeth Lyons each claimed to be Mokitchenoqua to lay claim to land- the Supreme Court declared Elizabeth Lyons to be Mokitchenoqua however local Flint courts refused to evict Smith’s heirs so Stockton and Payne held onto the land in question).

(In the episode they use the name Nondashemau, which is another name listed on the treaty however all the documentation regarding this land dispute declares the disputed name to be Mokitchenoqua)

More of Steve’s investigating revealed details about a little girl, Loretta, who died in the home in 1936 by falling inside a hot water laundry tub. This fit with Amy sensing a little girl’s spirit (possibly Loretta) during the investigation.

Amy also sensed a shape shifting demonic entity which was the main force behind the chaos and the evil occurring in the home. The youngest child was being manipulated by an entity Amy called “The Babysitter”.  She concluded that at some point someone on the property was into dark magic and conjured a demon that had attached itself to the family currently in the home.

The investigators advised the Flint family to move out because it was too dangerous to continue living there after reports of being choked by unseen hands, being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night, and pets mysteriously dying.

The Dead Files Revisited: Battlefield and Violated

In this revisited episode that aired in November 2013, an exorcism was performed to get rid of the demon that had attached itself to the mother of the household from the Battlefield episode. The family decided to move out of the house even though things seemed better after the exorcism.

The Dead Files Living Nightmare

This episode first aired November 2014. Ryan, a local Flint police detective, requests Steve’s help to figure out what is going on in his mother’s home.

Upon arrival Amy senses multiple spirits.

She senses an angry man- a convict and felon. She feels him in the guest bedroom and basement. Ryan had a terrifying experience in the bedroom; he was pinned to the bed by an unseen entity.

Homeowner Dawn often hears a voice in the basement telling her to leave. Other strange happenings occur in the basement - doors opening and shutting and things being moved.

Amy feels a very depressed woman in her mid-20s in the master bedroom.

The previous owner’s husband, who was a career soldier, passed away suddenly inside the home, in the bathroom of the master bedroom. Steve investigates meanwhile Amy senses a military man moving throughout the hallway, confused, perhaps not realizing he is in a house and not on a mission.

During his research Steve uncovers that the original owners of the land, John and Lydia Utley, experienced tremendous tragedy. 6 grandchildren, a daughter in law, along with John and Lydia all died on the property.

Amy senses a matronly, grandmotherly like spirit, very religious woman. The woman claimed that her family was cursed and haunted by demons. She believes Lydia Utley is the grandmotherly spirit.

Amy also sense shapeshifting creatures and elements on the property.

More research reveals notorious criminal Tommie Nesbit (also spelled Tommy Nesbitt in different news clippings) lived next door to the home. Steve teams up with local retired detective, Robert McFadden, to learn more. McFadden finds that Tommie was a career criminal. He spent years in and out of jail and prison but was eventually released early because both he and his mother had tuberculosis. They both passed away soon after he was released from prison. Amy believes the violent criminal entity to be Tommie Nesbit.

Amy suggests the family hire a shaman to get rid of the elementals, a psychic to offer counseling for the depressed spirit to pass on, and a strong male psychic to get rid of the criminal spirit. Once the dark spirits are gone the old woman will be satisfied and can move on.

The Dead Files Triggered

In an episode that first aired in February 2018, The Dead Files returned to Flint for a third time to investigate a house filled with shadowy figures.

After moving into the home the new residents underwent emotional changes and started suffering from depression. Then physical attacks from unseen entities started.

Amy sensed an influence that pushed males to violence.

Steve uncovered a murderous past tied to the Thomas Brent family who originally owned the land the house is on.

Brent’s daughter Charlotte fell in love with a married farmer and got pregnant. 

The farmer’s wife and child mysteriously disappeared. They were suspected to have been murdered but no charges could ever be filed.

Charlotte’s mother did not approve of the couple. Six months after they married she died of arsenic poisoning. The farmer, Palmer, was considered a suspect in this murder but he disappeared.

Is he the murderous spirit haunting this land?

Quite a few deaths are linked to the area around this home. Amy felt so much chaos and sensed numerous spirits. The most concerning spirit was that of a violent mustached man.

Things were so bad Amy and Steve suggested the family call in a male medium and a Chaos Magician to get rid of the evil spirits.

Haunted Flint

Haunted America Series

Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani 

Publisher: The History Press

Release Date: September 2, 2019

ISBN-10: 1467143049

ISBN-13: 978-1467143042

Book Description:

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.

Amazon    BN    Chapters    Book Depository    Arcadia Press     Goodreads

  

The Detroit Spook Show Halloween Sale Saturday October 20

The Detroit Spook Show Halloween Sale

Saturday, October 20

at Sanctuary located at 2932 Caniff in Hamtramck, MI. 

From 10 a.m. till 4 p.m.

The event is free to attend and is open to all ages.

 www.facebook.com/rockandrummage

https://www.facebook.com/events/1192822250884121/

The first ever "Detroit Spook Show Halloween Sale" is taking place on October 20th at Sanctuary in Hamtramck. 

Numerous vendors will be converging to Hamtramck to sell the coolest of Halloween and horror related treasures at the first ever "Detroit Spook Show Halloween Sale"

Over 25 local and out-of-state vendors will be on hand selling unique and extensive variety of Halloween related treasures. Expect to find horror movies, comics, art, patches, buttons, toys, books, handmade crafts, home decor, jewelry, t-shirts, costumes, witchy wares, collectibles, props, and much more. 

”The Detroit Spook Show Halloween Sale” is the one stop destination for those looking for haunted home décor, supplies for a Halloween party, or additions to ever growing collections. 

Freaky Flint History with Joe Schipani: The Jealous Wife July 14th, 1917

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 Jealous Wife July 14th, 1917

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Shanaghan moved to their downtown Flint apartment on Union Street from New Lothrop in 1915.

City life had made Mrs. Shanaghan a jealous wife.

When they first moved to Flint Fred Shanaghan worked for James Goodwin on Saginaw Street. Then he got a job as the manager of the Harry W Watson Cigar store on Saginaw Street.

A woman living in an apartment building across from the Shanaghan’s, said she would see Mrs. Shanaghan sitting at the window all day watching the cigar store. 

When Mr. Shanaghan would arrive home from work, the neighbor claimed she could hear Mrs. Shanaghan screaming at Fred and accusing him of being unfaithful and gambling.

When the police asked friends of the couple if the accusations were true, the friends would say he never had time because he was either at work or by her side to keep her happy.

One morning during a Shanaghan screaming match, Mrs. Shanaghan threatened to kill Fred then kill herself. 

Fred screamed that she would never have the chance to say something like that to him again because he was leaving.

Fred stormed out of the apartment. Just as he turned to close the door Mrs. Shanaghan grabbed the gun, fired a shot and hit him in the eye.

She fired a second shot that went straight through his heart.

Fred staggered back about fifteen feet and fell at the top of the stairway.  She fired a third shot and missed.

She ran back to the apartment, locked herself in the bedroom, put the gun below her breast and fired.

A few minutes later the police arrived.

Then the ambulance arrived. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shanaghan were still alive and rushed to Hurley hospital.

Mr. Shanaghan died before reaching the hospital.

Mrs. Shanaghan was raced to the operating room.

She died in the middle of surgery. 

~ 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/ 

DIY Smoke Filled Crystal Ball- Halloween How-To

In my quest to make a crystal ball with swirling mist/smoke I ended up making 4 styles of crystal balls. (Check out the DIY for the mist filled one here)

Not all of them had smoke or mist I just happened to have new ideas while working on my original idea.

This one is relatively simple. The smoke is from an incense cone.

The smoke does not work as well as the diffuser. It is very subtle.

I'm not sure if it simply isn't vented enough or if my incense cones are old and damp from sitting in my basement, but they did not want to stay lit.

Perhaps you'll have better luck.

I'm going to purchase new incense and see if they work better.

What You'll Need:

6 inch glass globe from Menards or other home improvement store (Available in frosted or clear. I chose clear so I could put an image inside. They are available in the lighting department.)

Incense cones

Color changing tea light

Metal base (so the cone doesn't melt anything). A tuna can is perfect. I used an old metal butter tin. My grandma had a stack saved in the basement.

A small drill or an ice pick or something else pointy to poke holes in the can.

Drill and small drill bit made for glass 

Skulls or jewels to adorn your base. I had clay skulls that I had previously made with molds.

Hot glue gun and glue stick to attach your skulls or jewels to base.

Spray paint in your color choice. I used black because it is what I had on hand.

After everything dried I brushed white and gray acrylic paint over everything to give it an aged look.

Optional- Transparency paper and printer to create a skull or other image to put inside your globe. (Download a 6 inch globe ready version here.)

Instructions:

First you'll need to gather your materials.

Be sure to find a metal base for the globe. A tuna can is perfect.

Drill holes in the sides of the tuna can to vent the incense. Without proper venting the incense will not stay lit.

Carefully drill a tiny hole in the top of your globe, this is also for venting. Be sure to use a drill bit for glass and follow instructions.

Paint your base, take the can outside and spray the outside of it with spray paint. Let it dry completely.

Once dry decorate your base with skulls, jewels, or whatever you want.

Optional- Print out your skull, skeleton or other image on transparency paper. Let the ink dry for awhile before grabbing it from the tray or it will smear. 

Cut out the circle, roll it up then place inside the globe. It'll open into the circle. Adjust as needed.

Add your tea light.

Light your incense

Place your globe on the base

Turn out the lights and voila...color changing crystal ball with smoke

DIY Halloween Costume - Warlock Holmes by G.S. Denning

DIY Costume Idea

Need something unique for Halloween? Want something memorable and fun for that special party? Do what I did…

Step 1: buy a greatcoat. Go on. You know you want to. Everyone looks seriously bad-ass in a greatcoat. I found mine used at Value Village for forty bucks. Worth. Every. Penny.

Step 2: Go on ebay and buy a Sherlock Holmes hat. For those of you with an ounce of class, they are called deerstalkers. Then again, if you’re all classy and stuff, you already knew that, didn’t you? Make sure it’s at least two sizes too big for your head.

Step 3: Go on eBay again and buy a set of real-life, disembodied, resin-dipped goat horns. Yes. eBay has them. Why? Because… Um… Because eBay, that’s why!

Step 4: go to Home Depot and pick up a sheet of fiberglass cloth, some epoxy, and some 1 ¼ inch wallboard screws. Now, go home and grab a sheet of construction paper and your stapler.

Step 5. Make a construction paper strip and staple it into a loop that fits around your head. Now make an arch that goes over the top of your head. Now mix up some epoxy, cut some fiberglass strips and cover the construction paper frame in epoxied fiberglass to make a rigid shell that fits over your head. Do not keep your head inside the construction paper frame while you do this. If you do, make sure to point out to the emergency-room doctor that G. S. Denning totally told you something horrible would happen, but you just didn’t listen. Spend all the time while they chip your head out of its new-made glue tomb reflecting on the inadvisability of ignoring sage advice from well-meaning authors. Shame on you.

Step 6: Hover around the mailbox each day until your disembodied goat-horns arrive. Make sure to tell all your neighbors this is exactly what you are doing. Oh my God, the world will wonder, what is wrong with you?

Step 7: Got your disembodied goat horns? Great! The side that used to have a goat on it will end in a big, cavernous hole. Fill that hole with epoxy. Let it dry. Drill pilot holes in the epoxy. Drill pilot holes in the forehead area of that rigid head-cover you made. Screw wallboard screws through the inside of the head-cover and into the base of the goat horns.

Step 8: Remember that oversized deerstalker? Doesn’t it look dapper? Cut it! Cut two slits in the front. Take that, poncy British hat!

Step 9: Slide the deerstalker over the rigid head-cover, letting the creepy black goat horns curl out through the slits in the forehead of your new hat. Ooooh. Awesome. Put it on. Know what else is awesome? Greatcoats. Put that on, too. Now—covered in awesome—you are awesome.

Step 10: Go to the party. You are Warlock Holmes. Does anybody there know that’s a book series? If so, you are super-clever because you know all of the best geek-candy that everybody else hasn’t realized is cool yet. Does nobody know it’s a book series? Then you’re even super-clever-er because you came up with dark little twist on a much-loved character and nobody has to know you had any help. In fact, if you do decide to call for everyone’s attention and make a public announcement thanking the individual who helped you be so clever and so awesome, here’s how to do it right:

Thank the goat.

Warlock Holmes - A Study in Brimstone

Warlock Holmes

Book One

G.S. Denning 

Publisher: Titan Books

Publication Date: May 17, 2016

ASIN: B014BQVKUC

Tagline: Sherlock Holmes is a genius … Warlock Holmes is something else …

Book Description:

Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius. Warlock Holmes is an idiot. A font of arcane power, certainly. But he’s brilliantly dim.

Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart companion.

Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety… and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.

Amazon

Warlock Holmes - The Hell-Hound of the Baskervilles

Warlock Holmes

Book Two

G.S. Denning

Publisher: Titan Books

Publication Date: May 16, 2017

ASIN: B01KRUN0IQ

Tagline: Sherlock Holmes is a genius … Warlock Holmes is something else …

Book Description:

The game’s afoot once more as Holmes and Watson face off against Moriarty’s gang, the Pinkertons, flesh-eating horses, a parliament of imps, boredom, Surrey, a disappointing butler demon, a succubus, a wicked lord, an overly-Canadian lord, a tricycle-fight to the death and the dreaded Pumpcrow. Oh, and a hell hound, one assumes.

Amazon

Warlock Holmes - My Grave Ritual

Warlock Holmes

Book Three

G.S. Denning

Publisher: Titan Books

Publication Date: May 15, 2018

ASIN: B075WCS6WZ

Tagline: Sherlock Holmes is a genius … Warlock Holmes is something else …

Book Description:

As they blunder towards doom, Warlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson find themselves inconvenienced by a variety of eldritch beings. Christmas brings a goose that doesn't let being cooked slow it down; they meet an electricity demon, discover why being a redhead is even tricker than one might imagine, and Holmes attempts an Irish accent. And, naturally, Moriarty is hanging around... in some form or other.

Amazon

  

About the Author:

G.S. Denning furiously studied reading and math until he could play Dungeons and Dragons. His love of DandD expanded to a passion for all things in the sci-fi and fantasy realm, particularly when spliced with comedy - Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Monty Python, Red Dwarf, Black Adder, Whose Line is it Anyway, Dr. Who, and the holiest of holies: The Princess Bride.

He learned his story-telling skills on the improv stage as a member of Orlando Theatersports, Seattle Theatersports, Jet City Improv, and as a Disney Performer at Epcot. G.S. also worked for Nintendo and Wizards of the Coast.

Finally, after realizing that humanity had not used the pun Warlock Holmes yet, he sat down to begin his first novel series: a dark-comic retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic Sherlock Holmes stories. G.S. Lives in Las Vegas with The Best Wife and The Best Children.

Website: https://www.gsdenning.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gsdenning

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/warlockmomma

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gsdenning/

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