Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: The Great Lakes have a wide variety of ghost stories passed down through generations. This book provides a collection of those stories, originating from multiple states and Canada. Review: I came across Spooky Great Lakes at my local library, while familiarizing myself with their temporary location after coming in to get a book that was on hold. It sounded interesting, mostly because I recognized a few of the Wisconsin cities mentioned, so I added it to my checkout. After reading it, my opinion was mixed. The book offers a good collection of ghost stories; some told in first person and others in third person. This included stories of ghost ships and face-to-face interactions with ghosts on land. Some of the backstories behind the ghosts were equally as interesting, including one involving a brutally murdered man. The reason I say my opinion was mixed was the book, while entertaining, also felt incomplete. It's a nice compilation of stories and I'm as open minded as...

  Image courtesy of Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay The grocery store three blocks from my house had been family owned since at least a decade before I was born. That recently changed, however, after the original owner retired and his son decided to sell a couple years later due to health issues. Now, the store is owned by some corporation out of California. Sure, they claim nothing has changed other than the name but there are plenty of not-so-subtle differences whenever I stop there on the way home from work. The produce department, for example, is smaller with less of a selection. Meanwhile, my pizza rolls are in the freezer that used to contain chicken nuggets, and the chicken nuggets seem to be relocated once per week. The most noticeable difference though is at the front of the store, where even during the busiest times of the day (like when I shop), there is usually just one cashier working. I don’t know if it is by choice, as a way of cutting costs in these uncertain economic ...

Synopsis: This non-fiction book covers documented ghost stories from the 19th century United States, including a number of stories never shared before. Review: I checked out another book from the library but lost interest in it after only about a chapter. Fortunately, my wife gave me a couple alternatives as Christmas presents, including 50 Real American Ghost Stories . I ended up reading this book instead as a result and, overall, thought it was a good choice. The book provides a solid selection of stories that, while all from the same century and, of course, the same country, offer quite a bit of variety. There are ghost stories that feature just one person seeing the spirit, ghost stories that were witnessed by multiple people and even a few hoaxes mixed in. As promised, the stories tell us about as much about American history and culture as anything else. I also liked how the author used first-hand accounts and articles of the events, adding some legitimacy to the stories that is...

Synopsis:  After years of caring for her now-deceased invalid mother, Eleanor Vance is all too happy to accept an invite by Dr. John Montague to investigate paranormal rumors at the secluded Hill House mansion. She quickly forms a friendship with Montague and the two other guests, an artist by the name of Theodora and the home's heir apparent, Luke Sanderson. However, as the house guests begin to experience supernatural phenomena, Eleanor's mental stability comes under question. Review:  I was in the mood to take a short break from murder mysteries and, after remembering I had seen this book at our local library, decided to check it out. Even though it was relatively short, it took me a bit longer to read than I was expecting it to and, I finally finished it early this morning. Ultimately, after a few hours of reflection, I have to say this book wound up being a pleasant surprise. I'm going to be honest, through the first hundred pages or so of this less-than-200-pag...

Overall, I'm pretty skeptical when it comes to ghost stories and, whenever I hear the word "haunted," I can't help but think there's some other explanation. That being said, there are times when I do wonder if my own house has a spirit living in it. This includes thinking (on multiple occasions) someone walked into the kitchen and turning my head to see nobody was there, something that has happened to my wife and I simultaneously, I might add. We also used to hear doors shutting and three of us have heard what sounded like a baby crying. This latest incident, however, was definitely one of the stranger ones. My wife and I were watching TV a few nights ago when our printer (located in the corner of our living room) suddenly turned on and started printing something. She was on her phone at the time but had not done anything (that she's aware of) that would cause her to print off of it. She even checked her history to make sure of that. I didn't have any ...