Paranormal Fridays: The Puerto Rican Vampire Killings

I first heard about this very bizarre string of events back when I was doing my undergrad. In one of my classes (I believe it was a Latino literature course) my professor told us a little about a Puerto Rican gang in New York City called the Vampires. It was the late fifties, and Latino gangs were in an upswing in the city, and would inspire the writing of the musical West Side Story.

A kid named Salvador Agron went from being a member of the Mau Muas to the Vampires. Agron was known for taking his gang's namesake to a theatrical level, wearing a Dracula-style black cape with red lining inside everywhere he went. He also got a kick out hiding in the shadows on New York's streets, and then jumping out at people walking by to scare them half to death. Gaining a rising street reputation for his wildly unpredictable behavior, Agron was called by some "a creature of the night."

One late summer night the Vampires, along with members from a few other Latino gangs, went to Hell's Kitchen to rumble with some members of an Irish gang called the Norsemen. Upon entering a park where they expected to find the rival gang members, Agron and the others spotted two white kids sitting on a bench. Despite the fact that the two kids did not seem to know what was going on, the Latino gangsters viciously attacked them with broom handles and bottles. Another of the Vampires members, Hernandez, carried a large umbrella with a long and sharp tip he used to stab the victims. Agron upped the ante and pulled out a silver-handled knife. He stabbed one kid in the back and the other in the chest, killing both within a few short minutes.

The murders sent the city into a complete uproar, since two other kids in New York City had been killed by gang violence in the same week. You could fairly say it was the camel that broke the straw's back, and the kid who wanted so desperately wanted to strike fear into the hearts of the city's citizens that he dressed like a vampire found he was being treated just like a monster.  After his capture, though, Agron did not seem phased by the public's disdain for him. He even famously said "I don't care if I burn; my mother can watch."

In the end, Agron--who was then 16 years old--became the youngest person in United States history up to that point to have been sentenced to death, but later his sentenced was commuted to life. Agron was called by the press "The Capeman" while Hernandez was called "The Umbrella Man" as if they were comic book super villains of some sort.

Later, a musical called "The Capeman" was made. After Agron was released from prison in the late 1970s, a television movie was made about his life, as well as a book was written. Agron used the funds from his royalties to support his victims' families. He campaigned against gang violence until his death at the age of 42 from pneumonia and internal bleeding.

Projects Update

I will keep this very brief as I have more on my plate than hours in my days, but I wanted to pop in and give anyone who is curious an update on my different projects.

First off is the movie script, which is an adaptation of my Shades of Night: Wounded Fox story. I have started the process and already the beginning is different from the story, but in a good way. There's not too much to report, but I will say that things are going well enough.

I am still parking The Devil's Nightmare in my brain for a while, so there is nothing new on that project.

I have been doing some prewriting for the next Shades of Night story, which will be called The Truth in Texas. This will be a follow-up to the Perfect Village and El Chupacabra in Texas storylines, tying the two together.

I have been dedicating an increasing amount of time to my young adult novel. Actually, the book is turning out to be a middle reader. It is about ghosts and a little girl. Really, I think it may be one of the best ideas I have had to date. I am still keeping the covers tightly over this one, but I expect a finished product no later than early fall, so by the end of the summer I will make the big announcement of what the book is all about.

Don't forget to read tomorrow's Paranormal Fridays post: it is about real vampires in New York City. Really. 

Getting Kids to Read When Your Example Doesn't Work

 
In a blog post not too long ago, I talked about the importance of parents reading with and in front of their kids to set a good example, especially fathers. While parental example certainly helps with encouraging kids to read on their own, it is not the only way to motivate kids to read more.

The purpose of this blog post is to explore why some kids, even with encouragement and shining examples from their parents, still do not catch the reading bug. Each child is an individual, meaning a child's motives for not reading might be multifaceted and complex. I think it is tempting sometimes as parents to oversimplify complex behavioral issues with children, especially when we feel mystified by their behavior. The following points should help parents think of potential causes and solutions, but parents should also perform their own due diligence to properly address any of their children's reading woes.

1. Some kids don't read on their own because of a learning disorder. These children are fine being read to, listening to audio books and consuming other forms of entertainment, but they do not pick up a book and just read for pleasure. And why should they? If you were dyslexic and reading were a confusing or laborious task, why on earth would you read for the fun of it? Before parents jump to the conclusion that their child has a learning disorder, the child needs to be diagnosed. Speak with your child's doctor for recommendations on this.

2. As was the case with me when I first started reading, some children do not read because they feel it is not challenging enough. If your child is especially intelligent in other areas, the chances of boredom from a lack of a challenge being the cause increases. Some kids have an extremely high aptitude for reading, so giving them a Dick-and-Jane-style basic reader is almost insulting to their intellect. These kids, whom some people would label "lazy" do not like to do things that are not hard. Put a book in front of them that is at a much higher reading level than they are supposed to be reading at, and these kids will eat it up.

3. Some kids don't read because what they have to read is not interesting. Perhaps your child does not want to read about genius talking rats, a little girl in grade school that goes on adventures or even about dinosaurs. Like picky eaters, picky readers are very particular about their reading preferences. The problem is with kids, they have not developed their reading pallet to the point that they can even really tell you what kinds of books are their forte. Perhaps the best way to deal with this is to go to the library and check out the maximum number of books you can each time. Pick up books on a variety of subjects and from a variety of genres: fiction, nonfiction, sci fi, fantasy, graphic novels, science textbooks, books about vehicles, etc. It can take considerable time and effort, as well as extending well beyond your own personal awareness of books that are available, but this method works for engaging picky readers.

4. Your child might find reading hard not because of a learning disorder, but because of an eye problem. Many people think of farsightedness as something only older people develop, but the fact is there are some children who cannot see well up-close without glasses. Part of the problem is that some children think everyone sees the way they do, so they will not tell their parents that things look blurry because they assume it is "normal" (I know about this one from first-hand experience as well). A trip to the eye doctor should get this resolved relatively easily.

5. I know it at least used to be the chic thing that was probably diagnosed way too much, but it is possible that a child who does not like to read has ADD or ADHD. Of course a child that has trouble sitting still and paying attention for long periods of time would have trouble reading for extended periods. The thing is, that kids with ADHD can actually learn to concentrate to the point that they can work with greater intensity than their peers (again, I have first-hand experience with this one). You can have your child diagnosed by a psychiatrist, and then put on medication. Personally, I think the medication should be avoided at all costs since it can cause all kinds of undesirable side effects. Instead, there are may alternative ways of dealing with or managing the condition.

Paranormal Fridays: Is John Douglas Psychic?

I recently finished reading a book by John Douglas, Mind Hunter, which is about criminal profiling in the FBI. For those who don't know, Douglas is one of the pioneers of criminal profiling (and the author of The Silence of the Lambs).

The book is intense and disturbing, since Douglas talks at length about the many serial killers and rapists he has interviewed or helped capture. If you want my full review, check out my Goodreads page.

There were many interesting points in the book, including when Douglas would talk about psychics. He largely dismissed them, saying most are just good at picking up on nonverbal clues so they gain law enforcement's confidence. In fact, when Douglas was working the famous Atlanta Murders case, he said psychics near and far came out of the woodwork offering all kinds of wild explanations.

Douglas does say that he thinks there are a few select psychics who actually are helpful in criminal investigations. He admits that he doesn't know how exactly, but then Douglas also admits criminal profiling is part science and part "magic." In fact, at one point Douglas pauses to wonder if he himself doesn't have some latent psychic abilities that help him create criminal profiles where others cannot. In some cases Douglas was able to "guess" that a suspect spoke with a stutter, had a limp or some other uncommon ailment.

Perhaps there is something to the "witchcraft" claims some people make about good criminal profilers. 

What to do When Your Wife/Husband/Significant Other Wants to be a Writer

 
For many spouses/girlfriends/boyfriends of wanna-be writers, their significant other's dreams of writing professionally can be a source of contention or worry. Really, such dreams do not need to be a source of stress, and in fact can become a point that only draws the two of your closer together. Just as you have your own deep-seeded dreams (maybe buying a house in a specific area, going on a dream vacation, earning a specific degree or getting that promotion at work) you need to realize that if your significant other really, truly wants to desperately be a writer, you need to be there as a support. The pathway to becoming a professional writer can be extremely rocky and difficult.

Try to be realistic while still being supportive. Not being realistic about your significant other's writing goals is not going to help anyone. You can set yourself up for a life of milk and honey, only to be consistently let down as a result. Your unrealistic view can rub off on your significant other, causing him to also be let down over and over, demoralizing him to the point he no longer believes in himself. This is a tough industry, and you must believe in yourself to make it to any degree. Your significant other needs you to be supportive and encouraging, but you need to be smart about how you do that.

Talk about solid, measurable goals. Most of the time creative types really hate talking about goals that are not nebulous, like winning a Pulitzer or capturing a movie deal. Setting a goal for the current week can be a scary thing, but I know from experience it is a very necessary thing. Your significant other needs at least weekly, if not daily goals for his writing. Without goals it is easy to become complacent, which makes his chances of making some real money writing about as likely as being struck by lightning on a sunny day. Writing goals need to be something that can easily be measured, and that usually means the goal must be quantified. The goal can be amount of money earned, number of words written, number of projects completed--only you two know the entire situation and can set the goals. Since both of you know the goals, this will spur your significant other forward more since he knows you are aware of what he is aiming to achieve.

Offer to give real, constructive feedback. All writers need people to check over their work, even the best writers in the world. Usually an editor will look over a writer's work, but editors are humans and can make mistakes (although sometimes I wonder if some aren't secretly androids). You can help your significant other achieve writing greatness by offering to read what he has written and provide feedback. For some writers, this is a very uncomfortable activity, but your significant other needs to get used to it. As his writing circulates more (which should be a goal) it will be critiqued by complete strangers--some of whom might not be very nice at all. Since you (should) have a loving relationship with your significant other, you have an incentive to be nice about your feedback. Sometimes spouses or even boyfriends/girlfriends are the worst people to check over a writer's work since they say it is brilliant and needs little to no improvement. You are not helping by just saying something your significant other wrote is "really good" and that's it. If it is really good, tell him why. Remember also that the best writing still needs to be tweaked before it is fine-tuned. The other end of the spectrum involves you just tearing apart what your significant other has written, since you think this will help him improve. Any criticism you give must be constructive, which means you don't just tell the bad about a piece, but also the good. You also offer suggestions of how to improve problems with the writing, instead of making it seem like mission impossible or some hopeless mess.

So that's my advice, at least what I can think of right now. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to comment below and I will respond (unless you are a spam bot).

Writing Until it Hurts to Become a More Prolific Writer

I have run into and know of quite a few people who say they want to be full-time writers. I have said it before and I will say it again: being a full-time writer is not an easy job. I think some people fantasize about kissing their boss and 8 to 5 job goodbye so they can sit in their pajamas in their backyard everyday, as they compose beautiful prose while eating spoonful after spoonful of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

There might be some writers who live that kind of a life, but I certainly don't know any. Most writers (including yours truly) often have to perform what I would call "quick and dirty" writing to pay the bills. We cannot afford to spend too much time composing pieces, because we have to produce a volume that is high enough to bring in enough income. Most clients might appreciate some good prose, but we don't get paid extra for rising to the level of Shakespeare.

Yes, this dynamic is totally different for very well-read and well-published authors, but most writers do not fall into that category. In fact, most published authors must either hold down a day job at an office, loading dock or something of the sort, or (like me) write about other things during regular business hours to make ends meet. This blog post is about us working stiff writers, the ones who have not had a book that has been #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List for 40 straight weeks.

The title of this post should give you a clue about what I am about to say, so I'm just going to get to it. When you are a working stiff writer, you know you are doing your job correctly when you write until it hurts, and then you keep writing. If this sounds odd to you, then you have never composed several thousand words in a day, or if you have you are not pushing yourself as hard as you could and should.

Back when I was in high school, I decided to go out for our cross country team. I think before I joined the cross country team, the farthest I had ever ran was a little over a mile. I wanted to increase my running endurance--which was very low--knowing it would benefit me in a number of ways.

The first day of practice I believe we ran about three miles, in the heat of the day, in Albuquerque, so the temperature was well above 90 degrees. We ran on dirt pathways in the desert just beyond the high school, where it was even hotter. I thought I was going to die that first day. That night I felt muscles aching that I did not even know existed (literally). I went through four more days like that until I finally received a break on the weekend.

Sitting in class during the day, I could feel the lactic acids building up in my leg muscles. I craved salty and fatty foods like crazy. I had an unquenchable thirst. I was running everyday until it hurt, and then I just simply kept on running. Eventually, over time, I got to the point where running three miles was a breeze. I never would have arrived at that point if I had given up the minute things became uncomfortable when I was running.

Writing is the same way. If you want to learn how to write a lot in a short period of time, you need to write quickly and continue doing so until it hurts and then some. Before I became a full-time writer, I would write often until it hurt, and then I would put my writing away and go do something else. If  I were to go back in time, I would have told myself to keep pushing to increase my endurance earlier.

The best way to ensure that you, as a writer, can push beyond the painful threshold of writing and continue on is to set an aggressive writing schedule. You must push to keep the schedule, or else you will not learn to be a quick and prolific writer. This means you must have good self-discipline, or someone watching over you who will beat you with a whip if you deviate from the schedule.

YouTube and Goodreads

I am always trying to find new ways to spread the word about my writings, like most other writers. Sometimes, though, the methods of doing this are right in front of my face, or I just procrastinate on ideas for far too long. I have started using Goodreads some, which really is a great site I think anyone who likes to read (and write) should use.

About a year ago, I had the idea to start using YouTube as an author. I signed up for an account, and then did nothing else. Life got crazy (it still is) and I just put off recording anything. I had a million excuses, too: I am not good in front of the camera (which is true), I was too busy, I didn't know what to do videos about, etc.

Well, I have finally taken the plunge and recorded a simple video to welcome people to my Goodreads page. It is nothing special, but it is a start. Hopefully I get better at these videos as time goes on.

Here is my first YouTube video:

Paranormal Fridays: Emailing From Beyond the Grave? Also, More Chupcabra Activity in Mexico

For centuries, mankind has been obsessed with contacting the dead, even communicating with those who have partaken in death's sleep. The reasons for doing so vary from those who wish to ensure their loved ones are happy in the afterlife, to people wanting to employ the dead to harm their enemies.

Up until recently, though, contact with the dead has involved using what you might call primitive devices such as a spirit or Ouija board, psychic mediums, etc. In our modern times we have turned to our technology to reach out to those who have passed on. EVPs or electronic voice phenomena are commonly used by modern ghost investigators who believe the dead's voices might turn up--grainy and quiet--on a digital audio recording. There is even the ovulus that combines several environmental readings to produce supposed communications with the dead.

I thought I had heard of it all, and then I recently read an article about the dead communicating through email.

Yes, that's right, email.

As crazy as it might sound, some people in the UK claim that their deceased friend and family member has been contacting them using email. Unlike some other accounts of posthumous email contact, these emails do not involve spam or other commercial content. In fact, some of the emails contain information only known to the deceased and the recipient, casting doubt on a hacker being the source.

I guess you could make an argument that in this modern society of ours, we truly cannot get away from our dependency on technology, even in the afterlife.

Now, on to the Chupacabra news. As told by quite a few international news agencies, people in Paracuaro, Mexico claim that 35 sheep were killed by chupacabras. Apparently the sheep were not harmed, save for what appeared to be teeth and claw marks on their necks.

What makes the story strange is that several horses and pigs were contained in the same area as the slaughtered sheep, yet these other animals were untouched. Past animal deaths blamed on chupacabras have included a variety of livestock, especially cows. For this and a few other details not released to the media, several cryptozoologists are skeptical that the attack was performed by a chupacabra.

From what I have studied, most attacks blamed on the legendary "goat sucker" (that's what it means in Spanish) involve animals' bodies being desanguinated (all of the blood sucked out of the body) through only two or four tiny wounds that resemble pin pricks. No blood is found on the ground around the prey, which is contrary to the behavior of known wild predators such as wolves or mountain lions.

So what caused he death of the sheep? Who knows, but after the Bigfoot freezer gag I think a lot of people are less likely to just buy any ol' wild claim about legendary creatures (at least so I hope).

Scriptwriting Update

I never, EVER get writer's block. I have called it a fallacy and dismissed the condition in the past. Well, as I have started trying to work on my script idea I mentioned a little while back I have found myself staring at the blank Word document and having a desire to do other work.

I have writer's block.

I actually wrote the first few pages of a new book I have been brainstorming, and that flowed just fine. My regular day work has been flowing just fine. But when it comes to this scriptwriting stuff, my mind just goes blank.

Because of this unprecedented problem, I have made a decision: I am going to adapt a story I have already written and published. I think the process of writing in script format is so foreign to me, my brain is too busy dealing with the technical differences that it is struggling to stay creative. I once took a test to determine how much of a right-brain versus a left-brain person I am. I don't know how accurate such tests really are, but I came out a 60/40 split, which the lady administering the test said was pretty rare. My left brain has been taking over with this scriptwriting, which is just hammering down my creativity.

So I have decided the solution is to adapt a story I have already written. This is my chance to take something I like and to make it better, in screenplay format. After much deliberation, I have decided to go with my Shades of Night: Wounded Fox story. I originally wrote it in high school and think it is an original story with a lot of potential. The story has suspense, mystery and a wolf. What could be better?

I will let you all know how the adaptation process goes. Oh, and as far as Paranormal Home Improvement--the story I was originally going to introduce in script format--it will be added to my Shades of Night series and then adapted into a screenplay. The story is just too good to not share with everyone, really.

Real Men Read

Recently I read yet another article about how boys are reading less and less than girls of the same age. As an author and growing reading advocate, this trend disturbs me greatly. As a father, I do have to admit it disturbs me less, but only because my own son who is not old enough to read yet, shows great interest in books and reading.

There are a lot of theories floating around about why boys are falling behind girls academically. I am confident that boys' not reading as much is both a product and a cause of their academic lag, and it is time we as a society do something about it. I strongly believe, though, that the majority of this responsibility falls on the shoulders of boys' fathers, and I will tell you why.

Many boys want to imitate what their father does, since he is the most visible bridge from boyhood to manhood. You can see this clearly evidenced when preschool aged boys play like they are performing the work they see their dads doing (i.e. getting out toy tools when dad is fixing a leak under the sink). This can be a positive thing, depending on the type of example dad is setting for his little boy.

Sadly, many men I know don't read books, or read very little. Their excuse? The most common one I hear is that they don't have enough time, which is a load of garbage. Everyone is busy, and we all make time for the things that we feel are valuable. What it comes down to is these men think watching NASCAR, cutting wood or going hiking is more important than reading a book. It's not that these other activities are lesser or evil, but somewhere in there should be some daily reading time. It's great if mom reads as well, since it does make an impact on little boys, but having a dad who reads as well will make a bigger impression on little boys. \

Kids need to form the reading habit early. My kids are addicted to books, and I couldn't be happier. We give them books for birthdays, Christmas, vacations or just because. We go to the library regularly, as well as the bookstore, and allow their little minds to explore whatever they wish. We read with them daily.

We also teach our kids that reading is a part of daily life just by example. My wife and I both read books, the news, magazines--you name it. Our kids undoubtedly notice this and they feel the need to read as well. I know the reading habit will take them far in life, especially in college where the curriculum is so much more reading intense. When I was doing my undergraduate, I would be reading on average at least two and a half books a week between my English and business classes. Because I was a voracious reader, I would easily keep up with the reading load (and read other books for fun).

I know a lot of men don't like to read fiction, and while I have my opinions on that I think these men need to be reading something every day. And don't just read at night, but also read during the day so your kids will see you. Instead of just flopping in front of the TV or surfing the Internet to read up on the latest sports gossip, pick up a book and read! You can read about sports, business management principles, politics, science, whatever! The point is that you need to read and teach boys that reading is not just something women do. If women continue to be the readers in society and boys stop reading, I guarantee the academic gap between boys and girls will widen even more.

Part of my quest as a writer is to produce at least some books that boys and men  enjoy reading, that also appeal to girls and women.

Paranormal Fridays: Why I Will Never Use an Ouija Board

I am sure all of you have heard of Ouija boards. If you haven't you can educate yourself by stopping by your local toy store and checking out the "toy" ones they likely have on display. Once when I was at Toys R Us I saw a glow-in-the-dark pink Ouija board that was obviously target at preteen girls. Trust me, though, if one of my kids showed up with a new Ouija board as a fun, recreational tool I would take them right back to the store to return it.

Now don't get me wrong: I don't think that Ouija boards (or spirit boards, as they were originally called) are inherently evil. I do, however, think they can become a very dangerous tool. Many people have used Ouija boards and have had little to nothing happen. The poet James Merrill claimed to have written the poem "The Changing Light at Sandover" using an Ouija board for direction. Other people, though, have had some downright frightening or dangerous experiences using a board.

In case you are not quite clear on how Ouija boards work, here is a quick overview. The boards typically have the whole alphabet written on them, as well as some basic words such as "Yes" or "No" or "Goodbye." Two people are supposed to place their hands on the planchette, or the pointing device you place on top of the board. These people are supposed to rest their hands gently on the planchette, allowing spirits to move it more easily. These spirits then spell out communications, which a third person transcribes as they are spelled out. Some people place a lit candle next to the board, which is supposed to indicate when a spirit is present as the flame flickers.

Here is the thing about Ouija boards: no matter how careful you might be at following so many of the rules different people advise for the use of Ouija board use, you still don't know with whom you are speaking. If you are using the board in your own home, you are inviting spirits that might not otherwise have entered your house. I have heard some people liken Ouija board use to picking up strangers on the side of the road, since you never know what they are really about and you are putting yourself in a very vulnerable position.

There have been cases of people who have claimed to have been possessed by spirits they met through an Ouija board. There are also countless accounts of severe hauntings that started with recreational Ouija board use. Some people have been told through Ouija boards to do violence or other horrible things to other people.

Some paranormal experts claim that really about the only spirits who will even attempt to communicate through an Ouija board are the ones that you really should not be speaking to. In fact, there are some who are of the opinion that most if not all communication through Ouija boards is with demons (although I'm not sure I entirely buy that one, but it is something to think about). Many have caught spirits lying through an Ouija board, saying they are a dead relative or someone else they really weren't. Many people have been personally threatened through an Ouija board.

It doesn't matter if you use the Parker Brothers board, one that you buy at a mystical shop or if you even just draw one out on a piece of paper: communication with spirits through an Ouija board can be very risky. Nothing may happen, but with my past experiences there is no way I would send out a beacon for strange spirits to come into my home and talk to me. Obviously you can choose for yourself, but personally I wouldn't even keep a board in my house for five minutes.

Movie Review: The Lorax

I saw the Lorax movie with my family just over the weekend. Before I launch into my review of the movie adaptation of the classic book, I must confess that I am a huge Dr. Seuss fan. In fact, when I first started learning to read I went almost straight from flashcards to Dr. Seuss' books, despite my "smart" first grade teacher said I was too "dumb" (and that is a quote) to read them. Seuss' wordplay and rhyming schemes absolutely fascinated me and still do. As I grew older I found that Shakespeare has provided a similar level of linguistic pleasure.

With that out of the way, I am not prepared to review the movie. To put it all into a nutshell, I thought the movie was pretty good. I guess on a scale of one to five stars I would give it a solid three and a half. Trust me, though, very few movies would score a four or above on my scale. I did not feel ripped off by the movie, but I will say it is very much geared toward kids. My kids laughed, they giggled and they screeched in delight through a good portion of the movie. They asked when we left the theater when we could buy the DVD--the highest compliment a kid can give.

What bothered me about the movie--being the Seuss fan that I am--was the fact that the original language in the book was really not used at all. Other Dr. Seuss adaptations have incorporated at least some of the language into their scripts, which I think is not only a nice tip-of-the-hat to Seuss but also makes good use of some brilliant language. I would love to sit down with whomever wrote the script (sorry, I didn't catch the credits) and ask why the book's language was dropped.

My other big complaint about the movie: it seemed to slightly alter the message from The Lorax book. Sure, both the book and the movie are about excesses and damage done to the environment for business profits. The movie, though, skipped much about how the Once-Ler's business spiraled out of control, which I think is a very instructional part of the book. Also, the ending of the movie did not seem to drive home the message of how precious trees and other natural resources are. The book's ending I find almost haunting every time I read it.

I took a class in college about literature and film adaptations, so I get the movie could not be like the book. Because of what I learned in that class, though, I think the makes of the movie missed slightly on the essence of the book's message. I say slightly, because the variation really was slight and I might be the only person on Earth who even noticed or feels this way. I am picky about stories, and I think that comes from being a writer.

Would I recommend The Lorax? If you have kids, absolutely yes. If you are offended by "leftist" messages about conserving natural resources and not just acting selfish, this isn't the movie for you. If the second person is you, you really should read up on Teddy Roosevelt and realize that preserving natural resources should not be a partisan issue, but really should be something we all concern ourselves over. If you don't see the movie, then please read the book and appreciate what Dr. Seuss was trying to teach children and adults--I think his crafting of the story is brilliant.

Just Doing It

I am taking you all along for my journey into scriptwriting and submission to Amazon Studios. I mentioned before that I have an idea for a movie script that I wanted to write and submit to Amazon in the hopes of maybe making some money off my idea and gaining some exposure.

As I said before, I had some exposure to scriptwriting some years ago in high school. I know I could spend weeks, months or even years studying up on scriptwriting methods, theories and techniques. Instead, I am going to first write the script in play form, and then go back and reformat it into script format. I know myself, and if I am worrying about formatting the script the first go-around, then I will never get it written. I need to worry about the storytelling first, and then fix any formatting issues.

And so I am beginning my journey into writing a movie script. If you are curious, click here to see my profile on Amazon Studios, where you can track my progress on the site first-hand.

Paranormal Fridays: Old Lehi Hospital Hauntings

Utah has a surprising number of paranormal hot spots, including numerous old haunted locations. One of these locations is the old Lehi Hospital. Lehi sits at the north end of Utah County, which is just one valley south of the Salt Lake Valley where Salt Lake City is located. What was once a rugged frontier town quickly grew into a hub of activity that necessitated the construction of what was at first a bank when the building was constructed in 1891. After the bank moved out of the building, it was used solely as a crematorium for a time. The furnace in the basement was too small to fit an entire body, so workers had to cut up corpses and then stuff the parts one-at-a-time into the furnace. Later, the building was converted for use as a hospital as Utah County's population continued to grow.

Being that it was a hospital that operated for several decades, many people died on-site. Hospitals can also be places of great suffering, which many theorize can also leave a spiritual imprint on the building. To top it all off, the hospital had a mental ward as well as a crematorium in the basement. Unfortunately, the old Lehi Hospital was condemned and torn down in 2009.

Several Utah-based paranormal investigative groups spent time in the Lehi Hospital when it was still standing, collecting evidence such as EVPs (voice recordings of spirits) and spikes of electromagnetic activity. Those who have spent time in the hospital reported hearing strange noises throughout and also seeing full-body apparitions (which are more rare than Hollywood movies would lead you to believe).

A famous urban legend in Utah has added fuel to the fire of speculation about whether the hospital was a center of paranormal activity. The legend claims that the hospital's head doctor had become deranged late one night and attacked the head nurse. Victorious, the doctor hung the nurse on the flagpole outside at the front of the building. Another legend tells of a man who died on his way to the operating room on the second story because the elevator moved too slowly.

The hospital fell into disrepair after it was closed. Windows were broken out and one of the staircases inside fell down. Some people went so far as to claim the ghosts in the Lehi Hospital had done the damage to keep the living out of the building. The owner converted the building into a spook alley to raise funds for its restoration, but he was unable to earn enough. Even though the building is gone, some people speculate that the land might still be haunted, meaning any new building placed on the same parcel of land might also be a hotbed of paranormal activity.

Perfect Village Starts Bringing it Together

If you have not read Shades of Night: Perfect Village I strongly encourage you to do so now. As added incentive, Perfect Village is actually free to download on Amazon March 1st through 3rd, which you can do by clicking here. If you have read the other Shades of Night stories, then you will notice that Perfect Village is starting to tie the seemingly unrelated tales together. Things are a little fuzzy right now, but the next Shades of Night story will start bringing everything else into a sharper focus as Flynn interacts directly with the main character from another story. You'll have to read Perfect Village to find out how things are starting to come together in the series, so that is all I am going to say for now. Once you start figuring things out be sure to send me some feedback. Also, if you wouldn't mind tagging Perfect Village on Amazon so other readers have an easier time finding it, that would be much appreciated.

I have to say, I am starting to have fun with episodic storytelling, which I haven't really done until now. Shades of Night started off as more of an experiment, but I think Perfect Village is taking it beyond the experimental phase. I guarantee the next story in the series (after Perfect Village) is really going to knock your socks off.

If that is not enough incentive to download Perfect Village, here is a free sample paragraph from the story:

Flynn quickly found the website for Perfect Village, which looked like a sick twist between Disneyland’s Main Street and old advertisements for housing developments from the 1950s. In every photo the models (at least that’s who Flynn assumed were in the photos) were smiling like the Cheshire Cat or maybe even the Joker. The grass in all the pictures looked as if it were bleeding green, the children had on spotless and wrinkle-free outfits, the women all were in brightly-colored dresses like they were visiting the country club and the men would have made Barbie’s Ken jealous with their plastic hair, pressed chinos and JC Penny’s conservative polo shirts. Flynn glared critically at the bold and bright yellow wording across the bottom of the website: “Where the imperfections of the world are washed clean!”