28 Wednesday Jan 2015
Posted in Breaking the News, In the News, Movies
McCarthy Confirmed
As if reading my mind, or my blog, Paul Feig tweeted the following yesterday:
Feig Tweet
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Melissa McCarthy is confirmed as having already signed onto the reboot. The remaining ladies, Kristin Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon, are in negotiations. Excitement is brewing.
26 Monday Jan 2015
Posted in Breaking the News, In the News, Movies
Ghostbusters Reboot
Ghostbusters Reboot
Director Paul Feig proclaimed last October that he is in fact directing the latest installment in the Ghostbuster franchise. The Heat writer Katie Dippold will pen the script. Look for a younger and “hipper” all-female cast. Shooting will be in New York City. Feig assures fans that he is not creating a parody of the original but plans to update the immensely popular franchise.
It’s official. I’m making a new Ghostbusters & writing it with @katiedippold & yes, it will star hilarious women. That’s who I’m gonna call.
Speculation has started on who these hilarious women will be. Recent reports, via leaked emails, have Melissa McCarthy and Gillian Anderson as the front-runners. Australian actress Rebel Wilson has already spoken with Feig. All we know is that it will be an all-female busting team. Ahh, a breath of fresh air!
26 Monday Jan 2015
Posted in Painting, Teaching Writing
≈ Comments Off on H2O 4 $40
I hoard watercolor paints. I’m always looking for vibrant brands that counter the perceived notion that watercolors are muted. With $50, I can purchase the introductory set of 12 QoR paints by Golden. The set retails for $38.99 at Dick Blick Art
Materials, http://www.dickblick.com. I’ll be able to experiment with the broad color selection. Now to decide what to paint!
Watercolor Magazine
23 Friday Jan 2015
Posted in Research
≈ Comments Off on 4 Must Use Sources for Researching Super-Secret Location
Google Doodle of Panda and Penguin.
4 Must Use Sources for Researching Super-Secret Location
It’s been a drought. December and January are slow investigation months. Combined with Georgia’s unpredictable weather, holidays, and travel, Archer Paranormal Investigations (API) takes a break. But we’re back. In a huge way! We’ve got a super-secret investigation scheduled for next week that truly shows how truth is stranger than fiction.
Although I cannot disclose more details, I can share how I found the exact location and some titillating facts about the case.
As a researcher, I love the hunt. The hunt for information, records, names, addresses, stories. I search everywhere: databases, websites, newspaper articles, etc. Often I’m asked: How did you find it? Well, let me tell you.
Google: Love Google. First place I start looking. Type in as much information and let the spiders do the work. If you get too many results, limit your search by removing words. Usually, people don’t add enough words in the search field. If you know a specific detail, use it. Use proper names. Use variations. Always add the town. That alone should reduce the hits.
Property Databases: Most counties, at least in Georgia, have an online portal where you may search by name and/or address. Type “cobb county property appraiser” into the Google search field to get the URL for the Cobb County Property Appraiser’s database.
Newspapers: Invaluable! This one may require some legwork. Visit your local library and peruse the archived issues. Smaller newspapers will be archived on microfilm, if at all. Do not be afraid to use the readers. Ask for help. There is no need to pay an online service unless you absolutely need to. Your local public library main branch should have past issues.
Ancestry.Com: Don’t underestimate the power of this database. I set up family trees for clients and await the results—growing leaves. I can search birth, marriage, and death records with ease. The number of cases your team handles will decide whether this subscription service fits your budget and needs.
Try these resources and see if you uncover more stories explaining the phenomena you investigate.
23 Friday Jan 2015
Posted in Breaking the News, In the News, Live Paranormal
≈ Comments Off on Breaking the News Tonight at 9 pm EST
Join me as I discuss the latest paranormal news with Wes Forsythe on Paranormal I-Con. The segment, “Breaking the News,” squeezes all things paranormal into 30 minutes. Tonight on http://www.liveparanormal.com at 9 pm EST.
22 Thursday Jan 2015
Posted in Uncategorized
≈ Comments Off on 1/23 Luckovich cartoon: Patriot games
Funny.
09 Friday Jan 2015
Posted in Haunted Houses, Investigations, Special Events
≈ Comments Off on Investigate with Me on January 24th
Haunted Dalton, GA
The API Gals are investigating a haunted location in Dalton, Georgia on Saturday, January 24th. Currently a secret, the location is ripe with activity and possibly mentioned in Connie Hall-Scott’s book. (Hint. Hint.)
Space is limited and will be reasonably priced. Dalton has lots of haunted locations and this one is sure to please. More details soon.
16 Tuesday Dec 2014
Mister Babadook
Own Mister Babadook, the Pop-Up Book
The horror movie The Babadook is premised on a children’s pop-up book. The movie is the best horror movie of 2014. Read my review. This blog is about owning the pop-up book. The book will be fashioned after the production version and autographed by Jennifer Kent, writer/director. It’s costly; however, there’s a huge part of me who wants to buy it.
As a former Youth Services Librarian, I adore pop-up books. They are very popular. And one that is incredibly sinister takes the cake!
Just as the movie was crowd funded, so will the book. Jennifer Kent wrote the story and Alex Juhasz illustrated the nightmarish images. The U.S. price is $80, which includes shipping. Pre-order sales were set at 2,000. To date, 3,019 books have been ordered. The book will take 5 months to produce. Time is of the essence. Only 34 days remain. Go to http://thebabadook.com/ for more information.
Christmas is coming. It will make the perfect gift.
Inside Mister Babadook
15 Monday Dec 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
≈ Comments Off on Review: The Babadook
Another glowing review of The Babadook.
A truly terrifying time.
I know I don’t usually do back-to-back reviews, but this time around is an exception. Especially since this film is so damn good. It’s actually won a couple of awards and is nominated for plenty more, so I think it’s especially deserving of a review.
The Babadook follows Essie Davis as Amelia, a widow who refuses to confront her own grief over the death of her husband or the fact that her young son Samuel (played with convincing skill by Noah Wiseman), while brilliant enough to do advanced magic tricks and build weapons, has some behavioral problems (as evidenced by the weapons). One day Samuel finds a pop-up book entitled Mister Babadook, about a boogeyman-like creature whose name is derived from the onomatopoeia of two quick raps and three steady knocks. Anyone who sees it will be menaced by it until it kills them. Thus…
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05 Friday Dec 2014
Posted in Breaking the News, In the News, Movies, Reviews
≈ Comments Off on The Babadook: The Best Horror Film of 2014 that You’ve Never Seen
The Babadook
The Babadook: The Best Horror Film of 2014 that You’ve Never Seen
Mister Babadook is a pop-up book discovered in Amelia’s house six years after her husband, Oskar, died en route to the hospital. The day Oskar died was the day their son, Samuel, was born. Amelia still grieves. And Samuel is odd. Only the neighbor, Mrs. Roach, seems to like him—including Amelia.
Samuel believes in monsters. He creates primitive weapons to keep them at bay. After reading Mister Babadook, however, Samuel fears this new bogeyman has taken over the family home. The Babadook is this year’s best horror film.
This highly anticipated horror movie started as a short film, Monster. Through online campaign funding, the movie was extended to full-length. It debuted at Sundance Film Festival in January 2014. Currently in limited American release, it can be rented through various video on demand services.
More of a psychological thriller, The Babadook follows grief-stricken Amelia, played by Essie Davis, as she becomes possessed by this shadow figured bogeyman. Davis shines. Equally impressive is Noah Wiseman’s portrayal as 6 year old Samuel. Samuel seeks to protect his mother.
The film is very Hitchcockian, although the official website likens it more to Polanski. Both were great directors in this genre. Writer/Director Jennifer Kent employs minimalistic camera techniques and little background music. Absent are the cheap horror tactics of slasher films. And this is appreciated! Furthermore, the ending is more realistic than recent horror films, thus setting up the potential for sequels. The Babadook will be a franchise worth watching. Every horror film aficionado must see this film. Every budding horror film writer should take notes and see that there is more to horror films than graphic violence. Horror movies can have a plot and great actors.
Jennifer Kent has created one wicked creature. The Babadook creature is more than a children’s book. He can be anywhere. The pop-up book is simply sinister. Fans can purchase a high-quality version of the book for $80 at www.thebabadook.com.
The Babadook
The Haunted Librarian 
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