Ghost writer profiles Will paranormal investigators
Amateur ghost hunters, take heart.
A new book, "Ghosts from Coast to Coast," not only documents some of the best paranormal investigations across the country, it also offers a "how-to section" for people interested in exploring the phenomenon.
The Will County Ghost Hunters Society is one of the investigation groups profiled in this book, which comes in several formats: standard text, CD and video.
"It will show the different ways people do ghost hunting, and people will be able to listen to some of the evidence," said Dan Jungles, society founder, director and lead investigator. "Some of the locations in this book are not well-known to be haunted."
The book's author -- who goes only by the pseudonym Kalyomi -- is not a ghost hunter. She became interested in the paranormal several years ago, then contacted Jungles and other ghost hunters for more information. She then compiled the discoveries of 60 ghost hunters into one book.
She preferred to remain anonymous, Jungles said, to keep the focus on the ghost hunters and their work rather than on her.
Jungles' own interest in the paranormal was piqued in 2001 when he noticed activity in his Shorewood home.
"I decided I could either run away from it or look for answers to find out what was going on," Jungles said. "I took the latter and it snowballed from there."
After purchasing educational material from the International Ghost Hunters Society and several pieces of equipment, Jungles conducted his first investigation at his home.
As his interest in ghost hunting grew, he began visiting local cemeteries and posting his findings on a Web site. In 2004, Jungles formally began the Will County Ghost Hunters Society to train, organize and coordinate investigative teams.
The society's Web site, www.aghostpage.com, contains an invaluable list of suggestions for successful ghost hunting, such as no shooting in direct light and holding one's breath while shooting on cold nights, as well as a few general safety precautions. Those include respecting No Trespassing signs, carrying valid identification and bringing a friend while venturing into secluded areas. Jungles also suggests one banish negative thoughts before officially ghost hunting.
"I don't believe it's dangerous," Jungles said. "These are just people that are deceased. They have no bodies so they cannot really harm anyone."
"Ghosts from Coast to Coast" costs $19.95 from Golden West Publishers, www.GoldenWestPublishers.com.
