In a hurry? Need some ghost-related quotes? Here are some that you can use without Fiona’s permission. Attribute them to Fiona Broome, the founder of Hollow Hill, http://www.HollowHill.com/

Subjects are in bold type to make it easier to locate the kinds of quotes that you need. This page changes regularly, so that individual quotes aren’t overused.

ABOUT RECENT EVENTS

TV popularity of ghosts and hauntings

* I’m often asked if ghost shows are real. Many don’t represent this field very well.  A few still represent the kinds of phenomena that we encounter.  Most ghost-related shows bore me because they’re not offering anything new, and I’m not sure they’re  showing us anything real.

*In general, I’m opposed to shows that focus on demons and demonology.  Whether the phenomena are real or not, it isn’t entertainment.  Worse, those shows can scare vulnerable people.

Genuine documentaries may be useful in a spiritual context.  They emphasize the risks of getting involved in ghost hunting and paranormal research.  However, offering demon attacks as entertainment is appalling.  Even the commercials can terrify children.  As far as I’m concerned, that’s unacceptable.

* Reality-type ghost shows are edited to fit within 30 to 60 minutes. You’re seeing the most exciting moments of a ghost hunt that may have lasted 12 hours.  TV shows leave out the hours we spend in the dark, with our teeth chattering and our feet getting numb, waiting for anything interesting to happen.

SPECIFIC PLACES AND GHOSTS

* If there’s a place in America that’s more haunted than The Myrtles Plantation, I haven’t seen it yet. During my visit — after 9 p.m. — something very odd happened about every 20 minutes in the most haunted part of the house.

* The Falstaffs Experience in Stratford-upon-Avon may be the most surreal, haunted place in the world. It offers a unique encounters with dozens of spirits, and phenomena that I’ve never experienced anywhere else.

* New Orleans is one of the world’s most haunted cities. Some New Orleans hauntings are genuinely creepy. The majority of New Orleans’ hauntings seem almost endearing. It’s like Disney’s ‘Haunted Mansion’ attraction, but in real life.

* New England is one of America’s most haunted regions. Any area that has old buildings & cemeteries, and a colorful history, will also have a high percentage of haunted places. Coastal New England is one of my favorite areas for ghost hunting, with many undiscovered hauntings.

If you want to read classic New England ghost stories, read Edward Rowe Snow’s books.  His tales and radio interviews have profoundly influenced me since childhood.

* Britain is fabulously haunted. Its rich history and ancient sites make it a prime destination for ghost enthusiasts.

* It’s difficult to select a ‘most haunted’ English city, but Bath and York–and of course London–are marvelously haunted. My favorite areas are Somerset and Warwick, mixing inspiring landscapes and strong paranormal energy throughout their cities, towns and villages.

* Scotland’s ghosts tend to be more startling than other countries’. Glasgow is still a relatively untapped source of great ghosts and hauntings. Edinburgh is a perfect choice for ghost hunting, especially underground. I enthusiastically recommend Mercat Tours for safe and fun visits to haunted places. Some of my most interesting encounters with apparitions occurred on their tours.

(Note: Mercat did not ask me to say that, and I’m not paid for that recommendation.)

* I’m always pleased when a travel company understands what ghost enthusiasts really want to see and do. We need more reliable resources for ghost hunters. Many people are planning their vacations around haunted sites now, and I think that this is a growing trend. For organized tours and holidays, Haunting Breaks (UK) is one company with a great approach to ghostly locations.

(Same non-commercial note as above.)

* Ireland is profoundly haunted. However, many residents seem very comfortable with their ghosts.  They aren’t sure why anyone would sensationalize them.

* Locating haunted Irish sites can be a challenge if you’re not already familiar with the countryside. Study Ireland’s history. That will usually lead you to the best hauntings.

GENERIC QUOTES

* The best ghost hunters freely admit that no one really knows what causes hauntings. That’s why we keep investigating. We’d like real answers, not just speculation.

* Ghost hunting is a great hobby. With hard work, it can be a personally fulfilling career. However, it’s not for everyone. If ghosts and hauntings frighten you, or if ghost hunting stops being fun, you should probably find a different hobby.

* 80% of new ghost hunters stop going to haunted sites after a few visits. They get scared or bored, or discover that it’s not as much fun as it seems on TV.

Most hobbies probably have a similar dropout rate, whether it’s bowling, stamp collecting or bird watching.

* I’m often asked which was my “scariest” ghost encounter.

I don’t get scared on ghost hunts. When I am alarmed, it’s always about the living. We’re in isolated spots during many ghost hunts, and those locations can attract odd people. Never go ghost hunting alone.

* Once you get past the idea that hauntings aren’t like they’re portrayed in the movies, ghost hunting isn’t especially scary. Things may startle you now and then, but experienced ghost hunters aren’t often frightened.

* I’m protective of some haunted places, and don’t list them on our website. It’s disappointing when a site is vandalized. In recent years, that’s happened far too often when a ‘haunted’ location receives publicity.

* I’d guess that only 15% of ‘haunted’ sites actually have ghosts. The other 85% are residual energy hauntings or something else altogether.

Perhaps intensely emotional events happened there, and the energy lingers. It’s merely stored energy, the same as a household iron remains hot long after you turn it off. These hauntings can include sounds, images, and so on, but they’re just energy.

* Ghosts rarely appear as bloody, gruesome or even ‘dead’ people. How you see them is how they think of themselves, whether young or old, happy or unhappy, in rags or elegantly attired.

CAREER COMMENTS

*Don’t get into this field for fame or fortune.  Apply yourself diligently to your research, earn the respect of your peers, and consider that your reward.  Most people on ghost-related TV shows could earn more money working at a fast-food restaurant.

*Some people think all I do is chase ghosts.  That’s a small part of what I do.  I’ve built this website to answer questions about ghosts, since that’s been a popular topic.  My actual work covers a far wider range of phenomena and reports.

*It may sound odd, but I’m not sure that I believe in ghosts.  Oh, I believe that something strange is going on at ‘haunted’ sites, but I’m not convinced that it’s always a ghost.

For example, I think that quantum/observer input may explain many apparent hauntings.

*I’m an admitted geek.  My interest in this field is academic.  I work on the theoretical side of this… the R&D.  It just happens that, to collect data, I visit and revisit haunted sites.

*I’m not an entertainer.  If I can’t tell you something new & interesting, I’d rather not waste your time or mine.  Plenty of people tell better ‘ghost stories’ than I do.  My focus is research, and how it can be used to discover what’s really going on at paranormal locations, from haunted houses to crop circles and from baffling “triangles” to faerie rings.

*My goal is to discover and document enough to be a footnote in others’ important works.  I’ve never wanted my name in lights.  In fact, I’m rather reclusive, preferring the company of my family and a close circle of friends.