With time, my attitude has changed, so that now I'm a bit of a skeptic when it comes to the paranormal (though I'll admit you couldn't pay me a million dollars to spend the night in a place where people have reported ghostly activity). I still like reading about "real-life" paranormal stories, though, and that's how I discovered Amberrose Hammond's books.
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| Amberrose Hammond |
Since graduating from Grand Valley State University in 2005 with a degree in English, Hammond has written "Ghosts and Legends of Michigan's West Coast," about creepy goings-on along the Lower Peninsula's western shores, and "Wicked Ottawa County," about historic scandals and crimes in, well, Ottawa County. Her third book, another entry in the "Wicked" series, is slated for release in the spring of 2014. Hammond has also taken part in several paranormal investigations, and maintains a website, "Michigan's Otherside," that provides details about mysteries, legends, and hauntings in the Great Lakes State. Hammond was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions I emailed to her. Read on to learn more about the paranormal in Michigan from one of the state's foremost experts on all things spooky.
On your webpage, you
say that you've been interested in the strange and unusual since you were a
kid. Did you ever imagine, back then, that you would make your living from
researching and writing about the paranormal? How did it all begin?
"Growing up, I always had an extreme interest in unusual and paranormal topics. I soaked up shows like 'Unsolved Mysteries' in the 80s, B-rated horror movies on Saturday nights, and could always be found with a book on ghost stories or something more esoteric in my backpack. It wasn’t until years later, in October 2000, that I was thinking about ghosts and how none of them live in Michigan; at least it seemed that way. Whenever I picked up a book on haunted locations around the U.S., it never featured too much about the great state of Michigan.
"So one night, I consulted the oracle that is Google and it
delivered. I started finding all kinds of neat stories and paranormal
experiences from people. There wasn’t nearly the amount of info available
on the Internet today, but it was enough to get me hooked. By my searching, I
was also introduced to the early paranormal investigation teams in the state,
which leads to the next question on the list!"
You helped found The
Great Lakes Paranormal Research Organization. Are you still involved with that
group?
"In 2000, there were just a handful of paranormal
investigation teams in the state. West Michigan Ghost Hunters Society at the
time was hosting public investigations at the now-infamous Nunica Cemetery. [Ed. note: See the "For more information" section at the end of this interview to learn more about Nunica Cemetery.] I
joined them on a few ghost hunts and was immediately hooked! I joined The Great
Lakes Paranormal Research Organization in 2001 after some friends formed it,
and researched and investigated under that name until 2006, when I developed the
concept of 'Michigan’s Otherside' and started to use that name, as my interests
within the paranormal were changing."
What goes on during a
"typical" paranormal investigation? (Though I realize there probably
isn't any such thing as "typical" when it comes to the paranormal!)
What is the team's goal, what are the methods they use to investigate, etc.?
"Any paranormal investigator of course wants to stumble upon
what they feel is genuine paranormal activity and document it. Ultimately, the
goal of any paranormal team is to try and rule out the mundane first. If a
client reported that he or she was hearing a spooky sound in the attic and the
investigators actually discovered a family of raccoons living up there, they just
found a mundane solution. Problem solved. No ghosts.
"But...if all possibilities are exhausted and the sound of
footsteps is still heard in the attic at the same time every night...well,
maybe...just maybe...there’s something paranormal going on.
"Many teams employ a variety of equipment when they
investigate, the 'big three' being cameras, video recorders, and audio
recorders. The gadgets and equipment can add up from there depending on how
much extra cash you have. The standard paranormal investigation usually starts
with a request. The client feels something 'strange' is going on in his or her home
or business, and is interested in having someone come out to verify that 'they are not
crazy.' A telephone or face-to-face interview will usually happen before a full-blown investigation to determine what exactly is going on and, in some cases,
rule out an investigation. There are times when the interview process can
expose mental illness, drug use, or other things that make people
believe they have paranormal activity going on, but in fact don’t.
"If the interview shows a need for an investigation, the date
will be set and the team will show up and do a sweep of the house, checking
things out, looking for those 'mundane' causes. Also, if possible, background
research is done beforehand to get an idea about the history of
the location.
"There can be a lot that can happen during an investigation
depending on what equipment is brought in. Or sometimes a whole lot of nothing.
It’s always wise to keep the owners in the same room or have someone with them
at all times to make sure they are not trying to trick anyone. That has
happened before, when people want their place to be 'haunted,' either to get on
TV or to create a business, such as the popular 'haunted bed and breakfast.'
"After the investigators feel they have gathered enough
audio, video, photos, or other data, they pack up and spend a couple of days
going through it. If they find something strange, they will share it with the
owners and determine if more investigations are needed.
"So here’s the question: What’s the real point of an
investigation?
"One of the reasons I pulled back from doing actual home
investigations is because I cannot, in good faith, tell someone their house 'is'
or 'isn't' haunted, because what exactly is a haunting? We really have no proof
or definitive answer yet. It’s all just theories and very often based on belief
systems and religious ideas of the afterlife.
"A home is someone’s safe haven and I do not feel right
telling people, 'Yep...you have an unseen squatter in your house.' That’s just
freaky. Plus, it can actually mess with someone’s mental wellness, which is something not
many budding paranormal investigators take into consideration.
"But on the other hand, most homeowners who experience something
just want to know they are not crazy. A good paranormal team can sometimes give
an owner peace of mind. They can experience the same thing to verify what the
owner has been noticing. They may also be able to suggest clergy or other
spiritual people to cleanse a house if that is what will provide some peace.
"Sometimes, the homeowners totally dig it when they find out
they may have a 'ghost' living in the house. Like the question asked,
there’s nothing 'typical' about the paranormal."
What investigations
stand out in your mind as being especially interesting, creepy, etc.?
"There are two that stand out. One was when I actually saw a
possession, and another was when I physically saw something with my eyes for the
first time.
"The possession investigation took place at a store in Norton
Shores in West Michigan. It was a brand-new strip mall not more than a few
years old. I wrote about this story in 'Ghosts
and Legends of Michigan's West Coast,' and it was the only story that wasn’t
'historical' in nature in that book. It was just disturbing. It wasn’t anything
out of 'The Exorcist' by any means, but witnessing something in which you
instinctively knew something wasn’t right with the person involved, along with
other factors during the investigation, made for a very unforgettable
experience.
"The other investigation that stood out was at an old New
England cemetery in Cape Cod. We were visiting our friend Dave, who runs ghost
tours and a paranormal team in Cape Cod. He was so excited to bring us to a
particular cemetery in the area at night because some of the common things they
would see in this place were strange blue floating orbs.
"We set up equipment to try and capture these mysterious
things, and when nothing seemed to want to happen, we packed up and just stood
around talking under a huge full moon.
"All of a sudden, that’s when these tiny, glowing blue lights
started floating toward the outskirts of the cemetery.
"'That’s it! Those are what I was telling you guys about!'
said Dave. We all just stood there with our mouths open, watching these
unexplainable lights move through the cemetery, no equipment capturing any of
it, and then they were gone.
"And that’s pretty much how it works in paranormal
investigation. It comes when you are least expecting it, and least-prepared."
How did your work
writing "Ghosts and Legends of Michigan's West Coast" come about? Did
you approach The History Press, or did they approach you?
"The History Press puts out a lot of fantastic topics on
Michigan and the entire United States. I recommend their books to everyone. I
was approached by them in 2008 about writing a book for their "Haunted America" series, and after I gave
them my ideas and sample writing, they approved. The book came out in
September 2009. I had always wanted to write a book, so the opportunity was a
welcome surprise and created other opportunities for me as well."
Did you ever get
"creeped out" when you were working on the book, or while you're
writing for "Michigan's Otherside"? Do you have to write with other
people in the room, with the lights on, etc.?
"I will admit that ghosts do not freak me out anymore. I’ve
become an open-minded skeptic over the years and look at the subject of
hauntings and other paranormal topics a little differently than when I got
started. TV and movies will have one believing paranormal activity is
around every dark corner, but it’s not. In my opinion, it’s actually quite rare
to encounter something that could be considered genuine paranormal activity.
"But speaking of night lights, there is one thing that freaks
me out that has caused me to sleep with the lights on.
Aliens.
"The very idea of aliens is downright creepy to me, and most
likely Hollywood interpretations (namely, the movie 'Fire in the Sky') have made the worst impact on me over the
years. I shudder when I think about some of the scenes in that movie. I was at
the Michigan Paranormal Convention in 2012 and the man who the movie was based
on, Travis Walton, was there. Needless to say, I stayed far away from him."
"Wicked Ottawa
County" isn't about the paranormal...how did your work with that book come
about?
"As a collector of the strange and unusual, I have quite the
array of odd articles and history from all over. During the research of my
first book, I had stumbled upon some interesting murder stories and history. I
had been admiring the 'Wicked' series that The History Press put out. It delved
into really old true crime about specific areas. Great books for the local
history enthusiast! So when my publisher wrote me and asked if I had any ideas
in the think tank, I told them I’d like to write 'Wicked Ottawa County,' which
is where I live. They thought it was a cool idea too, so that’s how that book
was born. It was a nice change to start writing about something other than the
paranormal. My third book will be in the 'Wicked' series as well."
What kind of
responses do you get from people when they find out what you do for a living?
"I still have a day job, but when I tell people what I do on
the side, the majority of the time they have a story to tell me---some ghostly
thing that happened to them or someone they know. Some even have an old crime
story related to their family to share. There are the rare occasions where
people give you a look like you just told them you were best friends with the
devil and ate babies as snacks, but they are few and far between, and are
becoming more rare these days.
"There are so many paranormal TV shows and books out there
now that the idea of the 'paranormal' has become part of this decade’s pop
culture and people are just getting used to the topic."
You mention on
"Michigan's Otherside" that the number of paranormal research teams
in Michigan has significantly increased in the past decade or so. Why do you
think that is?
"Interest in the paranormal exploded after the Syfy channel's
'Ghost Hunters' debuted on TV and was a total hit. Pre-'Ghost Hunters,' I would
tell people, 'Yep...went on a ghost hunt last night. It was pretty cool…'
"They would just look at me like I was the biggest dork in
the world and ask me if I talked to Casper or when I would be moving in with
the Addams Family.
"Post-'Ghost Hunters,' the scenario is now more like this:
"'Yep...went on a ghost hunt last night. It was pretty cool…'
"'You did? Ohmygod! Do you ever watch 'Ghost Hunters?' Do
things in the show really happen like that? I get so scared watching that show
but I love it! In this one
episode...Grant and Jason…' blah, blah, blah
"And that’s about the time my eyes glaze over and cross.
"The start of those shows prompted thousands of people to get
together, form groups just like on TV, and seek out paranormal investigations
in their area. The paranormal was 'cool' and part of pop culture now. The
majority of these copycat teams mimicked the shows, complete with matching
t-shirts, decals on their cars, and a mindset that everything they ventured out
to do would be exactly like they had seen on TV.
Wrong.
"Therein lies the double-edged sword in this situation.
"The shows increased awareness about the paranormal to a new
height. The New Age section at Barnes & Noble used to be a few shelves,
and now it’s a huge area with lots of topics to browse. The Internet is
overflowing with websites and blogs on this topic. TV shows haven't slowed down, and 'Ghost Hunters' is still going strong.
"Some of these new teams inspired by TV shows actually went
on to be great paranormal teams. They quickly learned it wasn’t like TV at
all, but they still had a passion for the subject and continued to pursue
investigations and research.
"However, there were many other teams that formed and just
made the serious people shudder. They all claimed to be 'scientific,' but if
asked, no one in the team could tell you about the scientific method or what
the equipment they bought actually did and the theory behind it. They just
bought some gadget on TV, walked into the homes of strangers who stupidly invited
them in, waved their equipment around, and said things like, 'You have
ghosts for sure,' or worse, 'You have a demon here.' There has been a recent
trend where people have taken up as demonologists, and just about
everything they encounter is...wait for it...yep, a demon.
"I’ll stop myself here because I can get on a dangerously
long rant on this topic. So in a nutshell, that was one of the major reasons
for the explosion."
Any advice for
budding paranormal investigators?
"Learn all you can. I have told people through the years that
to be a solid paranormal investigator, you really have to be a jack-of-all-trades and spend some time reading about photography, sound, video, physics,
electrical systems, interview techniques, mental illness, religious beliefs,
etc. The list really never stops.
"I have some short and sweet paranormal advice on my website
at this link to check out:"
"My favorite place to visit in Michigan is actually Mackinac
Island. I love the history, the vibe of the place, the lack of cars, having an
excuse to indulge in large quantities of fudge, and, of course, its ghosts! For
years, it was a spot in Michigan we always dreamed about investigating. History
and hauntings go hand-in-hand, and Mackinac is full of awesome history.
"Thankfully, our friend Todd Clements started 'Haunts of Mackinac' ghost tours on the island, and of course, landed Mackinac Island on
what else? The TV show, “Ghost Hunters.”
# # #
For more information:
The story of Nunica Cemetery:
Paranormal enthusiasts consider this cemetery, located in Ottawa County east of Spring Lake on M-104 near the I-96 exit, as one of the most haunted cemeteries in Michigan. Various paranormal phenomena have been reported there, including cold spots, orbs, and apparitions. Here's more information from "Michigan's Otherside":
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