Why I Do What I Do

The Occult Adventurer: Why I Do What I Do.
By Paul Dale Roberts, HPI Paranormal Investigative Reporter
Edited by Shannon 'Ms. Macabre' McCabe, President of HPI

The home at Brougham Way is a strange home. When HPI (Haunted and Paranormal Investigations International) got wind of it, Shannon sent out two teams of seasoned investigators that retrieved 8 EVPs from this home. Shannon also sent me to do a second preliminary with two other seasoned investigators. The second investigation resulted with no EVPs and no photographic evidence. The occupant asked if I could have a Scouting Mission at her home, with ghosthunters-in-training. I ran it by Shannon and she said "why not?" I told Shan, since the place is not haunted, it will be fun for the newbies to experiment in scouting a private residence. Shan told me, that the place is haunted, because the first preliminary investigation resulted with 8 EVPs captured at the residence. I didn't know about the first preliminary investigation, nor did I know about the 8 EVPs. I was surprised.

When I did have a Scouting Mission at this residence, we conducted a seance that produced amazing results. Results that stunned 15 newbies with the sounds of a little girl giggling and saying "hi", something that we could all hear with our own ears. The sounds of the wall echoing with a ripping effect, and later a series of knocks on the wall. Something that we could all hear and we all witnessed. A seance that was so frightening to the newbies, that many broke the circle, some were crying and many who did not want to continue with the seance.

On March 29, 2008, Saturday. 2100 hours. Seasoned paranormal investigators arrived to the Brougham Residence. They were: Shannon McCabe, Paul Dale Roberts, Chris Grissom, Jennifer Baca, Tim Hawkins, John Wachter, Michele Paykel, Angela Kesti, Donna Reynolds, Kristen Sheley, Michelle Stump. We were equipped with all kinds of ghost hunting equipment, such as temperature gauges, EVP Readers, numerous video cameras, digital cameras, dowsing rods, digital audio recorders, Listen Up Sound Enhancers. We were prepared to document the events of the second seance.

After I briefed all of the investigators on what occurred during the first seance, we prepared to conduct three seance sessions in 2 rooms that seem to have the most activity. I was completely jazzed after the briefing thinking that what occurred at the first seance, will happen again and this time we will have video evidence of what transpires. One of the reasons why I do what I do, is because it's my 'high'. I get an adrenaline rush when I witness true paranormal activity. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does and I can witness the events with my own senses and not just with machines, is the ultimate 'high'.

On this night the three sessions of the seance were conducted. It is said that the former owner, a man named Harold, haunts this home, also a little girl (name unknown). During the seance session, we talked with the little girl first and at some point the walkie talkie turned on and we could hear a little girl saying "la, la, la, la" during the first transmission. Then the second transmission, she repeats herself. There were 6 walkie talkies in the bedroom, all placed on the same channel according to Chris Grissom , and only one walkie talkie had the voice of a little girl. During the time the walkie talkie turned on by itself, John Wachter was feeling something near him or on him. The temperature gauges that were pointed towards John indicated a cold spot. Jennifer saw what appeared to be a small shadow move along the wall. Michelle Stump felt a cold spot in the hallway. Shannon watched the TV monitors and discovered some unusual orb activity.

With three sessions of seances that began at 2100 hours and ended at 0100 hours, it was time to call it a night. I decided to stay the night in the most haunted room. With the video camera running and recording my sleep session, I later learned nothing of significance happened during the whole night I stayed in that room. I was disappointed that more didn't happen. My adrenaline had run down to an all time low.

What keeps me going with these investigations is that I know the afterlife exists, I experienced the paranormal with my own senses, I have no doubt that the paranormal is all around us. If I hadn't experienced the paranormal, I would have quit the ghost writing business a long time ago and moved on or reinvent myself to some other persona. What keeps me going is the adventure.

I have always been an adventurer. It's probably because I am the direct descendent of Captain Bartholomew 'Black Bart' Roberts, a Welch pirate. Adventure runs in my DNA. That is probably why I worked with US Army's C.I.D. (Criminal Investigation Division) in Germany and became so prolific with my busts, the lead special agent would tell me "Porkchops (my code name), you are a legend". With trench coat, sunglasses, long hair, beard and a packed .45, I went throughout Germany busting the bad guys. Working undercover, pretending I was a former soldier that was now a major drug dealer and sometimes a pimp.

I joined the Army twice, once in 1973 and the next time around in 1979, in which I joined Military Intelligence, with another code name 'Hollywood'. During my break in between Army tours, I was a professional dancer, that once danced 205 hours, with 5 minute breaks on every hour for the Guinness Book of World Records. I also was a firefighter for a while. Yes, I sought out adventure and I had the energy for it. To be a good ghost hunter and ghostwriter, you must have four ingredients, they are: energy, being fearless, being adventurous and being prolific. Most writers will spend a couple of weeks on one article. I whip out articles in perhaps 2 or 3 hours, being prolific with my writings and getting out the information as quickly as possible.

Since I have experienced the paranormal, I keep seeking it out for that adrenaline rush. I head out to every location, with fast music resonating throughout my car the 'Ghost Tracker'. I never listen to slow, dull music, it must always be upbeat and fast. It gets me pumped for the night!

I left the Brougham residence in Citrus Heights and headed to Stockton, CA. I had Rick James' Gold Album blasting fast tunes to keep me pumped up as I headed to a location in Stockton to interview a lady that witnessed a doppelganger. To be a successful ghostwriter, you can't be shy, you have to confront people in the street, you must engage them to get the story. At times, I am somewhat of a maverick, but Shannon keeps me on the straight and narrow.

When I first met Shan, I learned she had a very diverse background also, she was a woman that sought out adventure and her life story compares close to my life story. We were two peas in a pod and now we pump out the investigations and we pump out the stories!

Shan has touched the edge-of-fame and so have I. Shan with her singing career and I, with my former dancing career. Shannon and I are currently working on a T.V. show called "Ghost Girls" with Nancy Bradley, the Celebrities Psychic, and Shan has appeared on Nash Bridges, and Tylenol commercial. All the while, I was participating in dancing movies like Rollerboogie and Skatetown USA. Shan has reinvented herself and so have I many times over. I have reinvented myself from military undercover cop to firefighter to professional dancer to military intelligence to OPFOR Army instructor to Governor's Office of Emergency Services to comic book critic to freelance journalist to Ghost hunter/Ghostwriter.

The natural adrenaline rush of any adventure is experiencing life to the maximum, that is why I probably parachuted from a plane once, took flying lessons for a Cessna airplane and later a helicopter, para-sailed in Thailand or rappelled down the Moaning Caverns. I seek out the thrill of the rush. I never thought ghost hunting would pump me up, but like I said when you experience the paranormal firsthand, the excitement is hard to contain.

The disappointment is also hard for me to contain and when this second seance didn't produce the results I wanted, I felt let down by the ghosts of this house. Perhaps Michelle Stump's theory is correct, she believes that since the newbies did the first seance, their fear was an exhilarating energy for the entities to feed on. When the seasoned investigators participated in the second seance, there was no more fear to feed on and nothing resulted because of that. Who knows why ghosts do what they do?

Most seasoned investigators are fearless when it comes to the unknown and everyone in this HPI group is fearless. There are so many possibilities to dwell on, I wouldn't know what theory would be more feasible. But, I must admit I favor Michelle's theory.

Chris Grissom one of the lead investigators, during our break session from the seance, described what happened to him recently on a lone wolf scouting mission to a haunted warehouse. While in the warehouse, he saw a black dark mass by some pallets. He watched the black mass dart swiftly through the door and heard the door slam violently. The door never opened, nor did it close. This was his first time witnessing the paranormal with his own eyes. When he first told me the story, you could feel his adrenaline rush from this experience. That is exactly what I am talking about.

When I left the Brougham residence, I headed over to Stockton to meet Eissu Gown at Starbucks. My interview with Eissu was amazing, she is the first person I ever interviewed that described her encounter with a doppelganger. She was at an airport, ready to catch a plane, when she was confronted by a person that looked exactly like her. This doppelganger that caught her eye vanished into the crowd and it left her feeling odd and strange. While she was surprised to see her double, her double didn't act surprised, but merely looked at her with a glazed look. This was Eissu's only encounter with the paranormal, but it is an encounter she will never forget.

Well, now that you know why I do what I do, if I had never experienced anything paranormal, I would have left this business a long time ago, but after 80 plus investigations and experiencing something significant three times, where my own senses were involved, I keep going and going and going, like the Eveready Bunny.

Since most of you know that I am also in the comic book business, promoting writers and artists into the comic book industry and reviewing many comic books as the M.O.E. (Multiverse Observer and Explorer), I will discuss some of the comic books in the market today, that either deal with the paranormal or are about the paranormal. If you want some good paranormal entertainment in comic book form, check out: Bushi Tales #3 of 3 by Pencil Neck Studios, Dan Dare #5 by Virgin Comics, Dark 48 by Digital Webbing, Drain #6 by Image, Gargoyles #8 by SLG, Jorge Vega's Gunplay by Platinum Studios Comics, Kabuki #9 by Icon, Gutwrencher #2 by Image, Insane Jane #1 by Bluewater Comics, Ramayan 3392 AD Reloaded by Virgin Comics, Rogue Angel - Teller of Tall Tales #2 by IDW, Sheena #5 - Queen of the Jungle by DPP, Spawn #176 by Image, Savage Dragon #135 by Image, Proof #6 by Image, Army of Darkness meets Xena Warrior Princess #1 by Dynamite, Silent Hill #2 by IDW, Speak of the Devil #5 of 6 by Dark Horse Comics and KIP (Knowledge is Power) by 803 Studios.

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We have many talented people in HPI and one of those great talents is science fiction writer Kristen Sheley See: http://www.kristensheley.com/pitseries

Kristen gave me three of her time traveling books to review and since I have written articles on time traveling, I couldn't wait to delve into these books and review them for the public. Here are my reviews:

Name: No Time Like the Present - Partners in Time Series Book 1
Publisher: iUniverse
Author: Kristen Sheley
Website: http://www.kristensheley.com/pitseries
Email: KMSheley@aol.com
Price: $14.95
Comments: Back cover reads: "He wanted a time machine. She wanted an adventure. Be careful what you wish for. Sam Foster is a fairly typical modern American teenager - who just invented a time machine. Sam didn't mean to bring back anything from his first trip to the past, but he returned home to 2005 with more than he bargained for, in the form of Meg Clayton, a spirited pioneer girl from Oregon. Sam would be only too happy to obey Meg's demand that she be taken home at once, but he encounters technical difficulties - and a stranger who may threaten more than just Meg's life." With this exciting book, there is a great project that will shock the world! The way Kristen describes the city of O'Hara, you feel like a character inside the book. You will see Sam struggle with time traveling, the failures first, then the successes. You will enjoy this science fiction novel, that has detailed descriptions of the cities, the buildings, the landscapes and even some normalcy of walking into a McDonalds. You will learn about the 'It's a Wonderful Life Effect' that people have with other people, the way people can impact other peoples' lives! When you take the free fall plunge into a Sheley book, anything can happen and anything invariably does!

Name: Future Shock - Partners in Time 3
Publisher: iUniverse
Author: Kristen Sheley
Website: http://www.kristensheley.com/pitseries
Email: KMSheley@aol.com
Price: $15.95
Comments: Back cover reads: "The future looks bright for Sam Foster - but it may not last for long. A homework assignment to write an essay about what his life might be like a few decades into his future should be an easy task for Sam Foster. After all, Sam is the inventor of a time machine. With his friend from the past Meg Clayton, Sam journeys to the year 2040 to investigate his fate firsthand. It doesn't take long for Sam to find information about his future self. Not only does he become a wealthy businessman, he makes a name for himself in the world of computer technology. It appears Sam is destined for fame and fortune. But the pair also discovers something about 'Older Sam' than stuns them: Sam's future self died just five years earlier at age of 45. Will Sam and Meg be able to stop this 'future shock' from happening? Or is Sam's destiny sealed for all time?" The future is alien to Sam and Meg, scan your thumb here for identity purposes or to pay for something. Or PWC - pay with cash, hardly anyone in the future pays with cash. $8.00 for a quad organic soy latte at Starbucks, yep, the prices are pretty high in the future! It's exciting to watch Sam stumble around in the future, trying to get used to things. In the future anything is possible, like an International Language Translator that can translate over 40 different languages! There is excitement, intrigue and action with this book! You have plausible, engrossing characters, a well designed world and a well realized plot! You can compare her novel with books like Dr. Futurity by Philip K. Dick! Sheley is talent extraordinaire!

Name: Going Medieval - Partners in Time #2
Publisher: iUniverse
Website: http://www.kristensheley.com/pitseries
Email: KMSheley@aol.com
Price: $14.95
Comments: Back cover reads: "Who knew that the Middle Ages could be so dangerous? A month after their first adventure together, Sam Foster and Meg Clayton travel back in time to medieval England with hope of solving a historic mystery. From the start, however, things go wrong. They aren't dressed correctly. The locals use strange words and have thick accents. And they arrive almost thirty miles away from their intended destination! When the steward of the village, Geoffrey, arrives in the nick of time to save them from some unfriendly locals, the worst of their troubles seemed to be over. Unfortunately, they had just begun." In medieval England, it can be dangerous for Sam and Meg to walk the streets. There is paranoia that sets in for Meg thinking of staying at a medieval manor house. There is a touch of the dark arts, there are some cool references to Back to the Future 2 and Blade Runner and The Terminator. You will learn more about the time machine software that Sam uses. There is a trip to Tunguska, before the blast! Then a trip back to Portland, Oregon. Going Medieval is a world wind ride with exhilarating results! Sheley is a consummate writer of sci-fi, she writes with power and pathos. Going Medieval is a full menu of adventure, action and exceptional character interaction! Bravo!

Kristen Sheley grew up in the city of Beaverton, Oregon, and has been writing stories since the age of 9. Partners in Time is her first published series. She currently resides in Northern California, where she teaches English and journalism in a suburban high school.

Now as I close this article, let's see what Shan's findings and conclusion is on the investigation and seance session on Brougham Way. Shan take it away!

SHANNON'S FINDINGS: We got some orb activity on my video camera. My camera, Sony 30GB IR, NEVER picks up orbs. We got 1 EVP from the walkie talkie,but we need to really analyze it first.

SHANNON'S CONCLUSION: This house is haunted. We have numerous EVP's from prior investigations, and some interesting evidence on http://www.HPIparanormal.net. You can find the investigation under "Home in Citrus Heights" I just wish it would have been a little bit more exciting when we were there, I've heard so many stories! I wanted to really experience the walls ripping apart for myself!


Paul Dale Roberts, HPI Paranormal Investigative Reporter, Ghost Hunter
WPRT Paranormal Radio - Content Editor
Email: JazmaPika@cs.com


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