The good news is that my business is doing well so I’m very busy.

The bad news is that it is taking away the time I used to have to edit the podcast. I’m still only 10 minutes into the episode that was scheduled for Monday passed.

Therefore, I’ve decided to switch the podcast to a biweekly rather than weekly schedule. That means the episodes will be posted every other Monday until such a time as I can find someone to help me edit them. If you know someone who would like to volunteer for that post, please send them my way!

This is very personal list. These episodes were memorable for me … as were many that didn’t make it to this list. I just felt the need to keep it to 10. If I had to give some “honorable mentions” they would go to Bud Sparhawk and Jennifer Brozek (just off the top of my head).

I’m more of an intellectual speculative fiction fan, so many of these episodes I found intellectually stimulating, which is why I so fondly remember them. Others were just plain fun and you’ll probably hear a lot of laughter during the episode. And many were both at the same time!

	1. Robert J. Sawyer Podcast Episode 30, April 18, 2011 I found Sawyer to be a very interesting conversationalist, filled with lots of historical and literary information. In addition, he was personable and just plain nice. I bet he makes a very good friend.
	2. Matt Cardin Podcast Episode 50, September 6, 2011 I was talking about this episode for days after recording it. I generally like this topic, but Cardin really made it pop. He is smart, knowledgeable and was really fun to talk with.
	3. Fiona Broome Podcast Episode 64, December 12, 2011 The information Broome shared about paranormal activity was really interesting, and new, to me. It also gave me some seeds of ideas for stories I might write in the future.
	4. Mark McLaughlin Podcast Episode 65, December 19, 2011 McLaughlin is a very funny man … and he writes horror! I really enjoyed this conversation, especially all the stuff about slime.
	5. Gabrielle Faust Podcast Episode 27, March 28, 2011 My conversation with Faust was just plain interesting. We waxed philosophical about vampires, artificial intelligence and horror literature in general. I had a great time recording this episode.
	6. Jonathan Ball Podcast Episode 39, June 20, 2011 This episode is definitely not for everyone. Ball writes some cutting edge stuff and our conversation got kind of philosophical and esoteric. I had a great time!
	7. A.P. Fuchs Podcast Episode 45, August 1, 2011 I’ll admit it … Fuchs made it to this list in part because I think he’s cute. But he was also an interesting conversationalist with a lot of knowledge beyond his years. I bet he’d be fun to hang out with.
	8. Carol and Adam Kunz Podcast Episode 38, June 13, 2011 This mother and son team is inspiring … and a lot of fun to talk with. I had such a great time talking with them that we continued the conversation past the recording. I look forward to reading their book.
	9. Joseph Picard Podcast Episode 21, February 14, 2011 Picard has a quirky way of looking at the world and it shows in his fiction, as well as conversation. We had a fun time talking about nanite zombies, people made out of fish and not getting pigeon holed as the guy who writes lesbian protagonists. Good times!
	10. Jonathon Rosenthal Podcast Episode 34, May 16, 2011 I’m not a big Harry Potter fan, but Rosenthal made looking into this particular fandom fascinating. Who knew that Quidditch was becoming such a popular sport outside of the Harry Potter universe?

The series, which tells the story of Calla, the alpha female of a shape-shifting wolf pack, started with Nighshade in 2010. Bloodrose, the third and final book will be out on January 3, 2012.

Along with the two books was an announcement that Cremer will be signing books at two locations in Southern California, and I thought I’d share.

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012
7 pm
Barnes & Noble
7881 Edinger Ave. #110
Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Friday, Jan. 13
4-6 pm
Pages: A Bookstore
904 Manhattan Ave.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

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Mentioned in this Episode:

Linnea Quigley
Born in Davenport, Iowa, Quigley moved to Los Angeles in the late 1970s to pursue acting. She quickly established herself in the arena of independent films and appeared in almost one hundred feature films. She is best known for her role in The Return of the Living Dead, but has appeared in many horror films such as Nightmare Sisters, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Creepozoids, Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama, Night of the Demons (1988 original and 2010 remake), and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.

Kyra Schon
Kyra is best known for her role as Karen Cooper in the George A. Romero film Night of the Living Dead (1968). She was the trowel-wielding zombie girl. She is a regular contributor to Dread Central, an online magazine dedicated to horror entertainment. An interesting bit of trivia: Her father, Karl Hardman, played her father in the Romero film.

Slime Mold
Formerly classified as fungi, slime molds are now classified as protists, a group of eukaryotic microorganisms that don’t really fit into the other kingdoms. Eurkaryotic cells have complex structures enclosed with membranes … human cells are eukaryotic. There name comes the phase in their life-cycle where they appear as a gelatinous slime.

Geoff Peterson
Craig Ferguson’s robot skeleton sidekick, Geoff Peterson, debuted on April 5, 2010, with limited capabilities. In July 2010, he was upgraded to be able to shake his head, keep his mouth open, and use his right hand to perform what seems to suggest a sexual act.

Geoff was designed and built by Grant Imahara of Mythbusters fame. He has glowing blue eyes, a metal mohawk and wears an oversized brown suit with a The Price Is Right name tag. He is voiced by Josh Thompson.

Geoff was inspired by Ferguson’s constant complaints of lacking a band or sidekick, coupled with his desire to have his own “Robot Skeleton Army” … a reference to The Terminator cyborgs. Also, he has expressed a keen appreciation of the motorcycle driving Ghost Rider from the Nicolas Cage film. Imahara volunteered to create this sidekick if Ferguson could get him 100,000 Twitter followers, which he accomplished in 24 hours.

The Three Stooges and Hitler
In the 1940s, the Three Stooges made several anti-Nazi movies including You Nazty Spy!, I’ll Never Heil Again and They Stooge to Conga. Moe Howard’s impersonation of Adolf Hitler highlighted these shorts.
 
 
 
Springtime for Hitler
Mel Brooks’ The Producers (1968), starring Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel, told the story of a theatrical producer and an accountant who want to create a flop, so they can run away to Brazil with the money when the play closes. They find a former Nazi soldier who has written a musical based on Adolf Hitler’s life and are sure they’ve found their failure … especially when they find a drugged out hippie to play the lead. Unfortunately, it becomes a popular musical comedy that is a rousing success.
 

 
Recently, Mel Brooks successfully adapted the film into a Broadway musical, as well as a re-make film (2005) starring Nathan Lane (in Mostel’s role) and Matthew Broderick (in Wilder’s role).

Winter Warlock
One of the characters in the 1970 stop-motion TV special Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town was the Winter Warlock. He starts off evil, but when Kris Kringle gives him a toy train, his heart of ice melts as he laughs at childhood memories. In becoming good, he loses most of his magic, but he had some leftover magic feed corn that made reindeer fly … that’s how Santa got his flying reindeer.

Voldemort
Lord Voldemort, also known as “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,” “the Dark Lord” or, as today’s guest put it, “Mr. No Nose,” is the chief antagonist in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. Born Tom Riddle, he believed that blood purity was important and wanted to rid the wizarding world of people who had Muggle (non-magical) heritage. He also wanted to rule both the wizarding and muggle worlds. Interesting side note, his name is supposed to be pronounced the French way with a silent “t,” which was correctly done in the first four U.S. audiobooks. However, since characters in the movies pronounced the “t,” the remaining audiobooks did, as well. The French phrase “vol de mort” means “to flee from death,” which Lord Voldemort actually does in the Harry Potter books.

Killer Plants
Man-eating plants is a recurring theme in horror. In fact, recently I read a short story in the anthology Three Messages and a Warning, that was about an illustrator who was drawing the man-eating plants imagined by a mad scientist. Also, a recent episode of Haven featured attacking plants. Here’s a link to the article Mark wrote about “floraphobia”: www.horrorgarage.com/horror/column-mark-mclaughlin-floraphobia.php

 
Mamie Van Doren
This American actress and singer rose to popularity as Universal Pictures version of Marilyn Monroe, with her platinum blonde hair and curvaceous figure. Because of many of the roles she played in film, she was known as “Hollywood’s Bad Girl” and of “The Three M’s” … the other two being Monroe and Jayne Mansfield.

Justin Bieber/Ozzy Osbourne Best Buy Commercial
Take note at the end … Bieber in costume makes a comment about Justin Bieber looking like a girl.

 
Actors with strongly identified characters
Some actors portray a character so well that fans lose sight that this is a fictional character separate from the actor. Some notable examples include:
 

	Bob Denver as Gilligan
	Henry Winkler as The Fonz
	Leonard Nimoy as Spock
	Brent Spiner as Data

 
Woops!
This post-apocalyptic sitcom aired on Fox from Sept. 27 to Dec. 6, 1992. It centered on six survivors of a world nuclear holocaust living in an abandoned farm house. It starred Evan Handler (Sex and the City, Californication), Fred Applegate (whose gone on to do Broadway), Meagan Fey (Charmed, Freaks and Geeks), Cleavant Derricks (Sliders), Marita Geraghty (Groundhog Day) and Lane Davies (Good & Evil, The Crew).
 
 
 
 
Cavemen
Based on the GEICO cavemen ads, this dramedy ran on ABC from Oc. 2 through Nov. 13, 2007. The show was put on hiatus during the Writers Guild of America strike and didn’t survive. The final six episodes never aired in US markets.
 
 
Threshold
Produced by Brannon Braga, David S. Goyer and David Heyman, this science fiction TV drama first aired on CBS in September 2005. It first aired on Fridays then moved to Tuesdays, which ended up hurting ratings. The show was canceled on Nov. 23, 2005. The final four episodes were never aired in the US, but are available on the DVD.
 
 
 
 
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
In 1972, Darren McGavin starred in a television movie called The Night Stalker, in which he played an investigative reporter who suspects that a serial killer in Las Vegas is a vampire. This movie was followed in 1973 with a sequel called The Night Strangler. This time Carl Kolchak (McGavin) is up against a serial killer who creates an elixir of life from his victims’ blood that keeps him alive 21 years at a time. The success of these two TV movies lead to the TV series, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, that ran for one season, 1974-1975.

In 2005, the TV series was re-booted. This time Stuart Townsend (Queen of the Damned, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) played Kolchak … and the series was canceled before the first season was complete.

The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Vincent Price starred in this 1971 horror film about a man, horribly disfigured in a car crash, who takes revenge on the doctors he thought were the cause of his wife’s death. He kills them using methods based on the Ten Plagues of Egypt from the Old Testament. Once he has exacted his revenge, he commits suicide, embalming himself while lying next to the embalmed body of his wife. Of course, as with many horror films, it was followed by a sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again. Dr. Phibes is resurrected by a predestined angle of the moon and finds that his house has been demolished and his papyrus scrolls from the Pharoh’s Tomb stolen. Those papers have the information he needs to resurrect his wife, so he goes off in search of the thieves leaving bodies in his wake.

For more information about Mark McLaughlin:

• www.facebook.com/markmclaughlinmedia

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Mentioned in this Episode:

Paranormal
Adjective: Denoting events or phenomena such as telekinesis or clairvoyance that are beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding.

Ley lines
Alleged alignments of a number of places of geographical and historical interest, such as ancient megaliths, natural ridge-tops and churches, ley lines were first suggested by Alfred Watkins in 1921. He theorized that these alignments were created to ease overland trekking by line of sight navigation during neolithic times and have persisted in the landscape over time. More recently, the term has become associated with spiritual and mystical theories about land forms, including feng shui.

Bennington Triangle
Between 1920 and 1950, several people went missing in an area of southwestern Vermont. Joseph A. Citro coined the phrase to describe this area during a public radio broadcast in 1992. The Bennington Triangle was further popularized in two books. Citro claims that this area shares characteristics with the Bridgewater Triangle in neighboring Massachusetts.

Hollow Earth
The concept of a hollow Earth recurs in folklore and as the premise for subterranean fiction, a subgenre of adventure fiction. This hypothesis proposes that our planet is either entirely hollow or contains a substantial interior space. Although disproved by observational evidence and the modern understanding of planet formation, the concept is still featured in some present-day scientific, pseudoscientific and conspiracy theories. The general scientific community has dismissed the idea since at least the late 18th century.

Romania’s Painted Monasteries
In northeastern Romania, there are a series of monasteries with their exterior walls painted with biblical scenes. These elaborate 15th and 16th century frescoes show saints, prophets, angels, demons, Jesus, heaven and hell. In 2005, while participating in a group of “famous American writers” in Suceava, I had the opportunity to see many of them. It was a memorable experience.

Déjà vu
From the French meaning “already seen,” term describes the feeling that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation before. When you experiences déjà vu, you feel a compelling sense of familiarity, an uncanny sensation that you experienced this same situation in the same way already.

Schnellegeister
Also known as a snallygaster, this large flying reptile with feathered wings has been spotted in both Pennsylvania and Maryland since at least the 1700s. The name come from the German phrase that means “fast spirit or ghost.”

For more information about Fiona Broome:

• fionabroome.com
• faeriemagick.com
• hollowhill.com
• lab.fionabroome.com
• mandelaeffect.com

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Mentioned in this Episode:

High-End Thriller
A publishing industry term that means a thriller with pace, danger and tension, that also features three-dimensional characters, a literary writing style, a complex plot mechanism and elements that challenge the reader to think. In a way, they are a cross between the traditional thriller and literary fiction.
 
 
Booker Award
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction was first awarded in 1969 to Something to Answer for by P.H. Newby. This award promotes the finest in fiction, rewarding the very best book of the year.
 
 
 
Purple Prose
The term “purple prose” refers to writing that is so extravagant, ornate or flowery that it can break the flow and draw attention to itself. This type of writing is often sensually evocative beyond the needs of its context.
 
 
 
For more information about Andrew Pyper:

• www.andrewpyper.com

Previous Canadian guests have included:

• Joseph Picard: Podcast Episode 21: Attack of the Nanite Zombies
• Jonathan Ball: Podcast Episode 39: Pushing the Boundaries of Genre Literary Art
• A.P. Fuchs: Podcast Episode 44: The Self-Evident Truth
• Robert J. Sawyer: Podcast Episode 30: Exploring Options in Science Fiction

Further Information and Reading:

• Types of fiction: Thrillers
• SF subgenres: What is a thriller?
• Types of fiction: Literary fiction
• Types of fiction: Genre fiction

“A film that’s so bad, it went straight to radio.”
~ Edward Bass

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Mentioned in this Episode:

Belle Gunness (1859 – 1908)
This Norwegian-American serial killer, is known to have killed most of her suitors and boyfriends, as well as her two daughters, Myrtle and Lucy. She is also suspected of killing both of her husbands and all of her children. Motives for these killings seemed to be collecting life insurance, cash or other valuables, and eliminating witnesses. It is estimated that she killed between 25 and 40 people over the course of several decades.

 
Monster (2003)
In this biographical crime drama, Charlize Theron portrays serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a former prostitute who was executed in Florida in 2002 for killing six men … a seventh murder was not brought to court. The killings took place in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. In the film, Christina Ricci plays her fictionalized lover, Selby Wall, who was based on Wuornos’ real lover, Tyria Moore. Theron won 17 awards for her work on this film, including the Academy and Golden Globe awards for Best Actress.

 
Born Warriors
This organization, established by today’s guest, Edward Bass, is a network for people in the film industry who have disabilities. For more information, visit their website at www.bornwarriors.org.

Andrew Niccol
This New Zealand screenwriter, producer and director often uses a science fiction or fantasy lens to comment on societal and political issues. He wrote and directed Gattaca and S1mOne, wrote and co-produced The Truman Show, and is the writer, producer and director of In Time, which is currently in theaters. Gattaca (1997) focused on genetic discrimination, S1mOne (2002) comments on virtual actors, and In Time (2011) explores the effects increasing longevity might have on society.

Every Sperm Is Sacred
This musical sketch appeared in the movie Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life and is a satire of Catholic teachings on reproduction. Michael Palin and Terry Jones wrote the lyrics; Andre Jaquemin and Dave Howman wrote the music. The, released on the album Monty Python Sings, was nominated for a BAFTA Music Award for Best Original Song in a Film in 1983.

 
Enemy Mine (1985)
Starring Dennis Quaid as a human and Louis Gossett Jr. as a reptilian alien, Enemy Mine is based on a novella of the same name by Barry B. Longyear. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the film focuses on an intersellar war between humans and Dracs. When Willis E. Davidge (Quaid) and Jeriba Shigan (Gossett) crash land on Fyrine IV, they have to learn to overlook their hate and work together to survive the hostile environment. The film was a critical and financial disappointment, in part due to production problems. Richard Loncraine (The Haunting of Julia, Brimstone & Treacle) was the original director. He was switched out for Petersen after production issues and management changes at the studio caused filming to stop.

Steven Spielberg
Every genre fan should probably know the name of this American film director, screenwriter, film producer, video game designer and studio entrepreneur. His name has been behind some of the most successful films in science fiction, fantasy and horror, including Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), AI: Artificial Intelligence (2001), Minority Report (2002) and more.

 
Psycho (1960)
This Alfred Hitchcock thriller shocked audiences by killing the lead character, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), near the beginning of the film … after developing her character. From that point, the film focuses on Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), the owner of the motel where Leigh’s character is killed. The screenplay was adapted from a Robert Bloch novel of the same name, which was loosely inspired by the crimes of serial killer Ed Gein. Psycho was remade in 1998 with comic actor Vince Vaughn portraying Norman and Anne Heche in Leigh’s former role.

For more information about Edward Bass:

• www.edwardbassfilms.com

Further Reading:

• How to write horror: Serial killers
• SF subgenres: What is a thriller?
• Types of fiction: Thrillers
• The Hitchhiker
  A snippet of a story I’m working on that features a serial killer
• Justin Timberlake Lives Forever ‘In Time’ by Edward Bass
  This is the article on longevity that Edward mentions in this podcast

	Ghosts and Gravestones Tour, Boston Walk amongst the dead in burial grounds nearly 400 years old, hear stories of those whose mortal remains lie beneath your feet and listen to tales of the sordid practices that went along with them. Highlights include the site of the biggest grave-robbing scandal in New England’s history and Boston’s largest unmarked burying ground, as well as tortures, punishments and executions.
	Haunted Boston Listen to enchanting and chilling tales of Boston’s most famous ghosts, as well as the area’s extensive and rich history. Your guide will tell you extraordinary and tragic tales from the founding of Colonial Boston right up to present day. This family-friendly tour includes secrets lying beneath Boston Common, the Boston Athenaeum and a well-known hotel that is Boston’s most haunted.
	Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast/Museum Erected in 1845, the home was originally a two-family and was later made into a single family by Andrew J. Borden. The Bed & Breakfast is named after his youngest daughter, Lizzie. Although she was tried and acquitted of her accused crimes, the community of Fall River ostracized her. Since the murders on August 4, 1892 the house has been a private residence. Now, for the first time the public is allowed not only to view the murder scene, but is also given an opportunity to spend a night (if you dare) in the actual house where the murders took place. The home has been restored to its original Victorian splendor, with careful attention to making it as close to the Borden home of August, 1892 as is possible.
	Spooner House Ghost Tour, Plymouth Be your own detective during this exclusive paranormal investigation of the historic Spooner House on North Street. Guides steeped in Spooner family lore will help you seek out strange anomalies and invisible energies in the nooks and crannies of the centuries-old house. Bring your own wireless hand-held equipment and be a DIY ghost hunter! Card readers and psychics will also be on hand. The fee is $30 per person and prepaid reservations are required. For more information email pasm@verizon.net or call 508-746-0012.
	Haunted Harbor Cruise, Salem Come learn about the haunted happenings of Salem Sound on this 1.5-hour cruise along the shores of Salem, Marblehead, Beverly, Manchester and mysterious Misery Islands. This is a fun filled informative cruise loaded with spooky stories of ruthless local pirates, haunted lighthouses, mansions, abandoned mental wards, tails of local ghosts, ocean demons and living monsters who reek havoc on local ships to this day!
	Summon the Dead Séance Experience a sinister paranormal séance in the darkened theatre of The Witches Cottage. Complete with ghostly appearances and startling moments, this theatrical séance is sure to make a believer out of anyone. Seating is limited seating; allow 45 minutes. This performance is not for the faint of heart.
	Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tours, Salem Salem’s original ghost tour, Haunted Footsteps’ guides will recount Salem’s haunted history and share their own encounters with supernatural Salem. Bring your camera to capture the ghostly orbs you may encounter on this tour!
	Omen Psychic Parlor Discover your destiny with a psychic reading at Omen. Participate in a séance or witchcraft workshop. Omen offers Tarot, palmistry, mediumship and clairvoyance to guide you.
	Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Concord’s largest cemetery, Sleepy Hollow has an estimated 10,000 gravesites, many of local, national, and international interest. It was one of the first cemeteries in the United States to be designed to have a sylvan character and has also been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Here is where you will find the burial sites of Henry Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott and Bronson Alcott.
	Spider Gates Cemetery Located in Leicester MA, this cemetery has a spooky reputation. Folklore includes: a strip of lawn where grass doesn’t grow; a central raised area 20 feet by 20 feet, called “the altar,” which Satanists have permission to use; a second cemetery that can only be found once; and a haunted house.
	The Bloody Pit: Hoosac Tunnel This railroad line goes nearly five miles through a mountain. Legend has it that 200 men were killed during construction. The crew nicknamed the tunnel project “The Bloody Pit.” In 1865, two miners were killed in an explosion at the site. A third worker, Kelly Ringo, the man who had accidentally detonated the blast, walked away unhurt. One year later, Ringo’s body was found in the hole; he had been strangled to death. No living person was apprehended for the crime, if there was one. It was believed the ghosts of the two miners exacting revenge. There are many tales of spooky happenings in the Hoosac, and the ghosts of the many men who died there may still haunt the tunnel.
	Haunted Cape Cod Be spooked as you walk these one of a kind tours, featuring lessons on electric voice phenomenon (recording voices of the dead), detect paranormal activity and visit active haunted places where strange occurrences are likely to take place. Offers Barnstable Village’s Haunted and History Walking Tours, Ghost Tours and “Love You To Death” tours.

These are just highlights, so for more information visit www.massvacation.com.

	Factory of Terror, Fall River Voted the #1 Haunted House in New England, the Factory of Terror has three combined haunts. There are more than 35 rooms with spirit filled walls, underground tunnels and more than 30 professional horror film actors.
	Bog Fright Night Weekend, Wareham From October 21 to 23, enjoy scary wagon rides run through the wooded bogs! Wagon ride tickets are $5 with pre-paid reservations and $7 at the event. Reservations are highly recommended to avoid long lines and secure a ride on the desired night. For advance tickets, stop in or call between 2-6 p.m.
	Creepy Carousel, Fall River On October 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. come to the special children’s Halloween Party at the Fall River Carousel geared for younger children, ages 12 and under. Costume contests, candy hunts, ghost stories, crafts, face painting, and cupcake decorating. $10 pp. Call for reservations, for space limited: 508-678-1100 x101.
	Spirits of the Gable, The House of the Seven Gables Guilt! Greed! Revenge! Witness two families entangled by a curse in this presentation of The House of the Seven Gables acted in the mansion that inspired the story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Travel through this house at your own risk, for as long as there is a Pyncheon descendant inside, only darkness and death will fill its walls. Performances begin every five minutes and last approximately 35 minutes. Reservations highly recommended. 978.744.0991 ext. 104.
	The Salem Night Tour Stroll through Salem’s haunted history with the guides at the Salem Night Tour. Affiliated with the Histrionic Academy, which runs tours at Boston’s Freedom Trail and in Plymouth, this tour can interpret the historic gravestones, spooky sites and colorful characters from Salem’s past.
	Frightfest at Six Flags New England During the month of October, check out all Six Flags New England in Agawam has to offer for your Halloween celebrations. Thrills and frills you can’t get enough of. Takes place weekends and holidays in October. Call (413) 786-9300 ext 3241 for more information and times.
	The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Estate and Gardens One of the great writers of her time, Edith Wharton wrote a number of ghost stories and gave us a number of haunting characters as well. It’s said that the spirit of Wharton lingers on at The Mount, the author’s Lenox estate that was built in 1902. Visitors report hearing Wharton laugh. Shakespeare & Company called The Mount home for many years. They reported strange occurrences – footsteps, laughter, and sounds – almost from the start. Some claim that fellow author Henry James joins his friend Wharton in haunting the site. When Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson, and the rest of the Ghost Hunters team came to investigate The Mount they found very significant indications of paranormal activity. Footsteps, voices, even a head peeping around a corner … just to prove what so many before them have claimed. The Mount is indeed a center of ghostly activity! Ghost tours through Oct. 29.

These are just highlights, so for more information visit www.massvacation.com.