Interview with Melissa Martin Ellis

      Before my team was a team, we were family.  I remember us being glued to the television to catch the next episode of Scariest Places on Earth, hosted by Linda Blair.  We would talk all the time about how, one day, we too would be exploring haunted places.  We have been recently able to get our equipment and begin the process.  Part of that process has been finding books in order to educate us better.

      I came across a great book by author Melissa Martin Ellis.  It is called The Everything Ghost Hunting Book.  It is twenty chapters of all the basics needed to have successful investigations.  I found it to be a great and entertaining read, full of great pictures.  Chapter 9 covers scientific protocol and accountability.  Chapter 17 talks about the legalities involved with investigating.   Every different aspect of investigating is covered.  She even gives brief descriptions of some haunted sites and a brief history lesson about Victorian age ghost hunting.  I have used the information she gives about matrixing in order to analyze a few pictures I have run across recently.  I highly recommend this book to anyone just starting out in the paranormal, as it is written for them. An updated version is scheduled to come out sometime next year.

The Interview:

Me: What made you decide to investigate the paranormal?

MME: "My overwhelming interest in the paranormal led me to investigating, researching and writing about the paranormal from about age 12."

Me: How many investigations have you done?

MME: "Countless ones, since I've been at it for decades now. But I must say I don't think it is the number of cases you've been on that makes you a good investigator. I think if you bring a professional attitude to bear on cases, you're way ahead of the game, no matter how many investigations you've been on. That being said, a bit of experience is a nice thing to have, though."

Me: What is your favorite tool?

MME: "I really love to find photographic evidence, so I'd have to say a digital camera would be my favorite investigative tool. I use a Nikon DSLR."

Me: What is the most exciting/scary moment you have had investigating?

MME: "That's a tough one. I investigated at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI a few years back--I had a pair of firmly secured doors clang shut right behind me that startled the bejesus out of me. Was it paranormal? Frankly, I can't see any other explanation. Another notable one was a psychic attack I experienced after investigating the scene of a triple homicide. I was flabbergasted when the attack happened, in broad daylight, wave after wave of darkness washed over me, combined with the sickening stench of death. It passed quickly but that sort of experience is a reminder to investigators that sometimes some very unpleasant things can happen when you least expect them."

Me: What was the best piece of evidence you have collected?

MME: "I am actually very dismissive and skeptical when it comes to orbs, (as most folks are these days) but an orb I captured at the Lizzie Borden House a few years back really creeped me out. The sofa where Andrew Borden was slain is adjacent to a doorway to the dining room. Whoever took that axe to Borden's head was very probably standing right behind him in the doorway. I captured two orbs in the photos I took of the murder scene--one in the doorway and one on the sofa where Andrew's head would have been. The large orb in the doorway seemed to have a deaths-head in it. Cold chills ran down my spine when I enlarged it on my computer screen." 

Me: When is the next edition of your book coming out?

MME: "I expect the book to hit the shelves in 2014. It will have equipment and tech updates, as well as updates on some of the stories. Look for a few more stories of my own experiences and encounters."

Me: Is there a message that you would like to give to the fans?

MME: "I'd like to thank them for being so supportive. I get contacted quite a bit by people who are using the book as a training manual or who take it with them when they're in the field...I love to hear from them and really appreciate that they've taken the time to drop me a line. I also would like to say I support paranormal unity--it's good for us all to remember to respect each other and behave professionally, if we want to be considered professionals ourselves."

Thank you to Melissa Martin Ellis for this great interview.  

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