The Season is About to Begin - Again

What season is that? Battlefield Investigating season! The arrival of March begins eight months of interviewing witnesses, visiting historic sites, and (of course) trying to capture some sort of indicator of paranormal activity.

The first wave will take me to Southwestern Virginia:

Cloyd's Mountain
Cove Mountain
Marion
Saltville


The beautiful view from Cove Mountain, Virginia.

The next wave will take me to Northwestern Virginia:

Cool Spring
Berryville
Opequon
Rutherfords Farm
Kernstown
a return to Cedar Creek
Fishers Hill
Toms Brook
New Market
Trevilian Station
Winchester
Port Republic
Cedar Mountain
McDowell

The second leg of investigations will likely take weeks, but I'm looking forward to it more than when I was researching Haunted Battlefields: Virginia's Civil War Ghosts. All of the sites I included in that book are fairly well-traveled by tourists - these new sites are truly off the beaten path. To me, that means fertile ground for paranormal energy!

For this collection of investigations, only the BEST 13 will make the final cut. What that final cut will be for, I've not yet decided. I'm toying with the idea of creating a DVD or two that documents the history and my findings instead of another book on the topic.

I'd love to hear feedback from readers on this idea! Please leave a comment with your opinion - DVD or book?

Thanks,
Beth

The Distinctive "Richmond Accent"

Those of you from Virginia know exactly what I'm talking about - people from Richmond have a very distinct, unique accent that's found nowhere else in the American South. Most of my generation and those younger have a diluted version of the original that pales in comparison (I blame the monotalk of TV for the change) but know at least a handful of old-timers with The Real Deal.

I found out from a friend from Pennsylvania that the Richmond Accent is fairly well-known. She announced to some pals that she would be visiting here and they responded with, "Ooooh! Maybe you'll meet someone who says 'rivah'!" That really blows my mind for some reason - probably because I hear "rivah" more times in a day than I care to count....

Back to the point. This hilarious little parody about Richmond's ever-changing mashup of architecture is narrated with the BEST (albeit fake) Richmond Accent I've ever heard. Think of this as your own little trip to a city stuck in time.

Watch, listen, enjoy.



My grandparents sounded like this, and all of my aunts and uncles still do!

Mark Your Calendars!

I'm thrilled to announce the premiere of my new radio show, GHOST LAB, on the Para-X Network. Tune in to Para-X on Sunday, Feb. 15th at 5:00 PM to listen live, or visit www.GhostLaboratory.com after the premiere date to download an encore podcast.

Hard science that’s easy to understand! Join host Beth Brown and Nick, her robotic assistant, as they deliver a dose of radical thinking and explore the scientific theories believed to explain paranormal phenomena. Ghost Lab will help you conduct your own experiments, build and customize equipment, and push the limits of your paranormal research every week.

Each Episode Features:

Simple Science – easy to understand explanations of scientific theories, processes, and mechanics that relate to the study of paranormal phenomena.

Investigator’s Workshop – step by step instructions for building and customizing equipment that are easy enough for beginners. Includes web links to source lists and written/illustrated directions.

Field Test – scientifically designed experiments (combining the Investigator’s Workshop creation and Simple Science discussed that hour) for listeners to conduct while researching paranormal phenomena.