Author Archives: Jamie Cook

In which the Author publishes an ebook on poltergeists…

 

At long last What is a Poltergeist? Understanding Poltergeist Activity has materialised, if indeed an ebook can be said to have a material presence. To quote from the official blurb:

A new ebook introduction to poltergeists examining the theories and presenting the latest research evidence for poltergeist activity. This book explores possible answers to the question ‘what is a poltergeist’?

What is a poltergeist? Are they the restless souls of the dead? Demons? Witches’ familiars? Household spirits? Mysterious earth energies? Unknown powers of the mind? Or hoaxes? This ebook takes the well-known poltergeist phenomena – the movement of objects by invisible forces, the noises, the eruptions of fire, water and electrical disturbance – and maps them against changing ideas and beliefs. The author presents the latest theories and research evidence in his search for answers.

 

Here’s the chapter headings:

What is a Poltergeist

Introduction

Chapter 1                  Poltergeists are… Demons

Chapter 2                  Poltergeists are… Witchcraft

Chapter 3                  Poltergeists are… Ghosts

Chapter 4                  Poltergeists are… Fairies

Chapter 5                  Poltergeists are… Vampires

Chapter 6                  Poltergeists are… Powers  of the Human Mind

Chapter 7                  Poltergeists are… Thoughtforms

Chapter 8                  Poltergeists are… Hoaxes

Chapter 9                  Poltergeists are… Forces of Nature

Chapter 10                A Conclusion of Sorts

 

The cases are principally drawn from the USA, Canada, Scotland, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Australia and Japan, with others taken from Africa, Eastern Europe, Indonesia, South America and Iraq. Yes, the poltergeist is a citizen of the world.

The prolix author waxes enthusiastic on the topic of poltergeists on this very website here and also on something called YouTube.

What is a Poltergeist? Understanding Poltergeist Activity is published by David & Charles/FW Media International and is available on Amazon(UK) and Amazon(US) for Kindle, Kobo, Feedbooks, Lybrary.com, and other cyberspace vendors, and shouldn’t set you back more than five dollars.

 

 

 

In which the Author finds poltergeists have no deadline sense…

 

What is a Poltergeist

 

If you’ve been watching the interviews about poltergeists on this site and YouTube, you will have seen me say that the ebook What is a Poltergeist? Understanding Poltergeist Activity was due to be published at the end of December.

Unfortunately due to a glitch in the space-time continuum this was not possible. The most up-to-date news from the e-gnomes in the vast underground complex of GeoffHolderVirtualWorld™ is that the book may be available at the end of January, but that depends on the deliveries of digital dragons’ blood arriving on time, so February might be a better bet. Apologies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In which the Author sees another book swim into view…

 

My next book, Poltergeist over Scotland, will be published at the end of January. It is the first-ever survey of Scottish poltergeists, with 134 cases stretching from 1635 to 2012. Illustrated with images and distribution maps, and with cases in Shetland, Orkney, the Western Isles and the Highlands, as well as all the Lowland counties and the major cities, this should be the definitive work on the topic of Scottish polts.

New research throws light on a number of well-known episodes, from the Edinburgh ‘Egyptian curse’ poltergeist to the Trinity case that famously ended up with one of the participants suing the other in court. In addition, many cases have been rescued from dusty obscurity, while others have either not seen the light of publication for centuries, or are previously unpublished.

You can order Poltergeist over Scotland here.

Meanwhile, a series of interviews with the humble author on the subject of poltergeists can be found on this very website here and also on YouTube.

Hallelujah, it’s raining polts.

 

 

 

In which the Author talks poltergeists on the Paranormal Podcast…

 

The estimable Jim Harold, host of that splendid internet radio institution known as the Paranormal Podcast, has just upped a 30-minute interview with the humble author, Jim’s first post of the New Year. Poltergeists are discussed in detail, with reference to areas such as ‘polts are demons’, ‘polts are ghosts’, ‘polts are vampires’ and such like. Yes, it’s gone polt-shaped around here.

See http://jimharold.com/the-paranormal-podcast/what-is-a-poltergeist-with-geoff-holder-paranormal-podcast-267/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In which the Author talks about poltergeists on YouTube…

 

To mark the fact that I’ve got two books on poltergeists coming out, a series of interviews with the humble if prolix author have been posted on that there YouTube.

The interviews concentrate on both the ebook What is a Poltergeist? – Understanding Poltergeist Activity and the conventional book Poltergeist Over Scotland. For the former, which will be available for download soon, I discuss the nine different theories/beliefs that have been put forward over the centuries to explain poltergeists:

  1. Demons
  2. Witchcraft
  3. Ghosts
  4. Fairies
  5. Vampires
  6. Psychokinesis (powers of the mind)
  7. Tulpas (thoughtforms)
  8. Hoaxes
  9. Natural forces (electromagnetism, geomagnetism, earth movements etc.)

These are illustrated with cases from throughout the world, including America, Europe and Asia.

When discussing Poltergeist over Scotland I talk about some of the 134 cases I’ve uncovered over the past 400 years. This is the first ever history of Scottish poltergeists.

The interview clips are being released in 16 parts over the next week or so, both on this website here and on YouTube. Collect the set!

In which the Author appears on ‘Behind the Paranormal’ with Paul & Ben Eno…

 

This coming Sunday (December 10) I have a return engagement with those fine gentlemen of the airwaves, Paul and Ben Eno on their ‘Behind the Paranormal’ radio show.

I’ll be discussing my forthcoming ebook What is a Poltergeist?, which explores the nine theories or beliefs that have been put forward to explain poltergeist activity, from demons, witchcraft and ghosts to psychokinesis, tulpas, hoaxes and natural forces. And if we have time we’ll get onto my other next next book, Poltergeist over Scotland, the first history of Scottish polts..

The show goes out live between midnight Sunday and 1a.m. Monday UK time (GMT), which is 7-8pm Eastern Standard Time in the USA. Here’s how you can listen in live, or time-shifted thereafter via the electric internet all you crazy kids are always going on about:

Behind the Paranormal will be a live broadcast on CBS New Sky Radio: Detroit on WOMC 104.3 HD3, Boston on WBMX 98.5 HD3, Pittsburgh on WDSY 107.9 HD3, and Seattle on KMPS 94.1 or 96.5. The show also streams online at NewSkyRadio.com (USA only), the AOL Radio player (radio.aol.com) and Yahoo LAUNCHcast  (new.music.yahoo.com/launchcast). Listeners may call in to ask a question by calling (248) 545-SOUL (7685) or, if they are listening online, may send an instant message via the Instant Feedback box located on the NewSkyRadio.com home page. Free podcasts are available later at the show site www.BehindTheParanormal.com, www.NewSkyRadio.com and on iTunes.

Ben and Paul state that the show’s combined live, Internet and podcast audience has been estimated as three million worldwide.