13th Annual Haunted American Conference, Jun 19-20 in Decatur, IL

Pat and I are heading to the 13th Annual Haunted America Conference June 19-20 at the haunted Lincoln Theater in Decatur, IL, this weekend.  I checked the website and tickets are available at the door, if you are interested; maybe I should've written it up earlier but I thought it was sold out.  Everything Troy Taylor puts together sells out in about five minutes.  It's $60 at the door for the weekend.  Check the website at http://www.americanspookshows.com/.

Expect a write-up next week on the conference.  Last year I won a genuine used coffin.  First prize.  I couldn't win the Bigfoot plaster cast feet.  I couldn't win the board from the haunted house whose owner was getting tired of hearing footsteps overhead all night (Big whoop-I got a heavy-footed neighbor upstairs.)  I couldn't win some free books from vendors.  I got a cotton-picking used coffin.  If you check my photos you can see it...especially the photo of me, the coffin, and an orb above my shoulder! (Cool!)  Anyway, organizer Troy Taylor says this year they'll be giving away door prizes that are framed souvenirs from some of the country's most haunted houses.  Maybe I'll get something I can take home!  (The coffin was take-it-and-get-out and I was in no position to take charge of a used 1880's coffin.)

Troy is author of about 60 books on ghosts and hauntings and founder of the American Ghost Society.  He'll talk about his latest book,  Sex and the Supernatural, which I have read and reviewed.

In addition, there will be others, including Len Adams and Luke Nadolski who lead ghost tours and talk about them.  Len wrote a book this past year on ghosts in Lebanon, Illinois. (I think Pat bought a copy; I'll have to ask.)

There are numerous others including Patrick Burns from "Haunting Evidence " on Real TV (formerly Court TV) talking about ghost photos that aren't , crime writer Ann Rule's daughter Leslie, who has written several books of ghost stories, Dale Kaczmarek of Chicago, and others.  There's also a live performance by The Spectremen after hours and a seance on stage that's free to attendees.

If they do what they did in the past, there's also a series of bus tours of the nearby cemetery where there are numerous ghost stories involving a bride walking along one ridge, lights in the original Indian burial ground section of the cemetery, and Confederate soldiers in the military section.

There are also live online radio broadcasts from the event and you can refer to the website for that information.

Very eager to go.  We're driving up tomorrow (Friday) and should be back Sunday.