Greetings my Fiends: Lately, I have been devoting much of my time to the creation of my new spooky show. It surprises me, because so many stories for this new show come very naturally to me. I have a confession to make: I grew up in a home that was truly haunted with spirits of people who died violently in this home. First, a violent murder by strangulation, then a devastating fire of mysterious origin. Death, murder and insanity seemed to surround this house.

The house, known as the Meriwether House, stood empty in the deep woods of Louisiana for nearly twenty years. No interested home buyers would dare take the house because of the sounds and sights they experienced while touring with the realtor. Realtors stopped showing the home out of absolute fear! When my parents bought the murder/death house (which had been reduced to pennies on the dollar) the realtor absolutely refused to enter during the showing. My parents (knowing that spirits exist virtually everywhere) were not afraid of this home, so they bought the house.

In co-existing with spirits who die violently, I have discovered that many spirits (and maybe all) who die violent deaths seem very fearful and share that fear with the humans they encounter. Sometimes the death scenes get repeated over and over again. This saddens me and I only wish I knew the correct song or words to free them from their Earthly tethers.

As I create these new spooky routines, I find that my scary stories come from the experiences I had in this house. I know these stories well, for I have repeated them hundreds of times to terrified friends and family. The stories are believable because they are honestly true. I want to try to keep these stories as accurate as possible, out of respect to the experiences and the spirits at the Meriwether House.

Just so you know, I have been working on my own spooky homemade props. However, I am excited to announce that I just received my first OFFICIAL 'store-bought spooky prop': The infamous 'Be** From He**' by Nick Weng*r. Scared the be-JEE-zus out of me when I tried it out!! Whoa! I knew what was coming and I STILL jumped a mile!!

This effect is perfect for telling the story about our haunted house and the dreadful death of the poor soul who perished in that house fire. The props themselves look like they came from the charred beams in the burned out attic of the fateful Meriwether House. I am SO happy that if I had a pointy tail, I would wag it!

Autumn, while on 'Spooky',you may have to change your name to...
"Autumn MOURNING Star"

Hey, Zilla! I do plan to use a pseudonym, because I want my two performing characters to stay separate!

I would love to hear your stories someday Autumn, please consider posting your performing schedule here when it is available.
It is the bits of truth in the routine that can give it the real beauty and strength, I think.

Thanks so much, Balaram! I will let you know when this show is in production!

This sounds incredible !
I would love to hear or read them one day as well.

Kotah

Even your set-up gave me chills, I can't even imagine what the real stories are like.
Yes, Nick does excellent work. You made a wise purchase with his bell.

Yes, Wizard! The quality of work in Nick's Be** is so precise! This prop works every time and scares you to death when it ignites! I actually kept his Be** in my home for several days, WITHOUT trying it out (!) just to get my creative juices flowing. Never have I left a magic effect untouched for that long in my life!

I wanted to feel the presence of this beautiful piece of magical art in my home. I wanted to suffer a bit and actually 'long' to use this prop. I wanted to spend time remembering the childhood story that would go so perfectly with this effect. For days I visualized myself using the be** to tell the story. This made the first run-through intensely chilling!!

Nick Wenger is fabulous. He is creating a custom prop for me now, but I am not going to tell you about it. You will just have to see the show

I'm impressed. I could never look at a prop like that without giving it a whirl. But I absolutely understand your methodology. I wish your audience knew the sincerity you have in the research and practice of your effects. But alas, they'll only know the final results of your time and effort...yet something tells me that will be quite good enough.

I just love it when an Innocent turns.

Darkest of Welcomes,
SB

Wizard, thank you for the wonderful supportive words! I talk about this methodology in my magic lectures, because so many magicians have great props but lack exciting and original routines. Try it sometime, particularly on a prop for which you have been salivating! Your mind will work overtime and shine with brilliance, because you are so strongly anticipating the opening of the box!

This method of approaching a new effect wakes up a portion of your brain that, as a child, is deeply conditioned to anticipate the fun that can be had with contents of a wrapped package. By stimulating this portion of your memory, you will find yourself thrilled by the mystery of the package and your imagination will go wild!

You will discover that your mind is involuntarily visualizing what you will DO with the magical contents of the unopened box. You will repeatedly imagine yourself performing this new effect using a variety of approaches. They just pop into your head unannounced! This method takes great self-dicipline (to avoid opening the box), but your mind will overflow with creativity and possibilities! Now isn't that what we ALL want to have happen when we acquire a new magic effect??

Your words ring true, Bella Morte....
for most of my props I do not open the instructions but rather play with the item, I let its voice speak to me. it is then that I will read the instruction .. I do this because most times my ideas fit me far better then those that came with the prop.

may your new path reward you as much if not more then your old one.

Michael

Thanks very much for the nice comments!!!


Nick

SB, thank you for the welcome. I have been sliding toward the dark side for a while now. Another hopeless lost soul!

I absolutely agree, Michael. I would rather build the method in my mind first, then look at the suggestions. Creativity is a lost art form.

You are most welcome, Nick! Thanks for making such a fabulous product! Scared myself with it again. Going to scare my husband in a minute, ha! Call you today with the dimensions for the secret custom job Shhh...
A.

If I may ask, Autumn, is this your Be**?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x15EWVRfnrk

I need more info on this. Is there a website?

Doug

Oop, never mind. I found it. Bob Kohler Magic. Price: $424.99! If Bob Kohler's name is on it, I cannot afford it.

Doug

No, this is not my SB. Mine is much cooler and does more than just ring

The apartment I rented in Rumford Maine (520 Hancock Street) was haunted. The spirit and I came to a sort of agreement. I keep the radio on 24 hours a day on low volume, and she leaves me alone. However, she did mess with my guests...

Doug

What sort of activity did the spirit conduct in your apartment?

Well, first the toilet flushed. That was strange, but then the bathroom sink faucets came on full blast! I shut them off, tight. As soon as I left, WHOOSH, they came on again! Then the bathtub! That scared me! I said out loud, "Who ARE you? Why are you doing this?" Nothing. Quiet for a while. I went to bed. Then BOOM, my 55 pound JBL speaker hit the floor! Then the kitchen trash bin (which was full) bounced off the four walls! What a mess!

I was mortified! Just to calm me down, I turned on the Alternative Rock station WBLM on low volume. That ended the problem, until one night, I didn't have it on. My glass of iced tea went shooting across the room - CRASH! I turned on 'BLM. Quiet.

My friends and I were in the living room, and my friend's wife Lisa was sitting in a chair I never sat in. I just didn't like it. Well, a look came on her face. Utter shock. She went deathly pale, and got up and ran out of my apartment, down three flights of stairs, and to her car. She drove home. You have to understand this woman was morbidly obese. At least 400 lbs!

I had to give her husband a ride home! She would not tell us what happened. (10 years later, I got it out of her. She said someone was in the chair! She heard a raspy whisper, "GET OUT of my chair!")

Yeah...that did it. I moved shortly afterwards. I don't do ghosts...

Doug