Meet Our New Spokesmodel: Dt. Rose Gavin

May 13, 2013 By 1 Comment

DT_Rose_1I am happy to announce that trueillinoishaunts.com will be getting a facelift over the next few weeks! While you have probably noticed some changes already, one of the biggest will be the addition of our first official Legends and Lore of Illinois spokesmodel: DT Rose Gavin.

DT Rose is a 22-year-old model from Peoria, Illinois. She met our friend and photographer Willy Adkins and I in DeKalb over the weekend to shoot a series of photos that will take this website to the next level. DT Rose will be appearing in many of our featured category images, as well as our site header, Facebook page, YouTube channel, and other social media platforms.

DT_and_MikeShe will also be appearing at several (yet to be determined) future events.

I have to give DT credit for her patience and eagerness to get the shots just right. It isn’t easy to wordlessly convey the emotions and expressions needed for our featured category images, but she kept at it through take after take.

Our photographer, Willy Adkins, is president of Spook Show Entertainment. Among his many talents, he produces independent horror films and was recently the man behind the Chicago Horror Film Festival, as well as the Laugh or Die Comedy Fest. In 2011 he produced and directed the short horror film Headline News, which was based on a short story of mine called “Coed Terror in the Ivory Tower of Doom.”

I will be posting video from the photo shoot later this week. Keep coming back for updates! And while you’re here, leave a comment thanking DT Rose for helping to liven up our website and for giving you one more reason to keep coming back for more legends & lore of Illinois!

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All 49 issues of the Legends and Lore of Illinois Released on CD-ROM!

January 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Late in December, I alluded to several projects in development for the new year. I am happy to announce that one of those projects, a CD-ROM, is now completed and available. This is a must have for any fan of the Legends and Lore of Illinois or anyone who enjoyed a few issues but did not have an opportunity to read the entire series.

Click here to buy now!As of this week, our digital publication Legends and Lore of Illinois will no longer be available on trueillinoishaunts.com. The only way to view all 49 issues in their original form, complete with all the color photos and extras you won’t find in any other format, is to purchase this collection on CD-ROM. The good news is, it’s only $9.99! Click the blue “buy now” button above to complete your order.

  • Legends and Lore CD ROMPublished between 2007 and 2010, with two additional issues in 2012, the Legends and Lore of Illinois was a monthly newsletter that sought to recapture the fun of learning about local legends and ghostlore, as well as the thrill of visiting allegedly haunted places.
  • Each issue of the Legends and Lore of Illinois focused on a unique location and contained a factual write up, a story set at the location involving the adventures of The Fallen (an elite team of paranormal investigators), personal experiences, trivia, and letters from the reader.
  • This collection consists of 49 individual issues from the archives of the Legends and Lore of Illinois, with over 300 accompanying color photos.
  • Inside, you will find the history, ghost stories, and folklore of popular locations such as Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Resurrection Cemetery and Archer Avenue, Manteno State Hospital, Lakey’s Creek, and the Peoria State Hospital, plus local haunts such as Ashmore Estates, Chanute Air Force Base, Vishnu Springs, and Peck Cemetery.

Learn the real stories behind the legends: misconceptions and misinformation about these places and more are tackled head on. This unique look at Illinois ghostlore is presented in a fun, entertaining way that sheds light on the dark recesses of your imagination.

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Fan Support Requested, Read on for Details

December 18, 2012 By 1 Comment

Calling all fans of the Legends and Lore of Illinois! As you know, I am working diligently to release the definitive collection of the Legends and Lore of Illinois in hard copy early next year. Now is your time to shine.

I am looking to fill up a page of fan support in this book, complete with pictures and quotes. If you’ve enjoyed the Legends and Lore of Illinois over the past several years, send us a photo and a statement of support or a quote about the ways in which it has touched your life. Please include your age and your hometown. Submissions will be accepted until January 1, 2013.

Please email us your text and photos at trueillinoishaunts@blackoakmedia.org

By submitting photos and text, you are agreeing to allow both to be printed in the forthcoming work, Legends and Lore of Illinois: The Definitive Collection. For the sake of print quality, please only submit large or high resolution photos. Depending on volume, not all submissions may be accepted for publication.

I’m looking forward to seeing your submissions!

- Mike

 

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Does Reading and Writing About Haunted Places Encourage Vandalism?

November 2, 2012 By 6 Comments

I received the following message on Facebook concerning Volume 3 Issue 2 of the Legends and Lore of Illinois about Ramsey Cemetery. I have always felt it was wrong to blame fans of folklore and ghost stories for the vandalism that occurs at rural cemeteries whether they are rumored to be haunted or not. Others, however, have a different opinion.

“I am writting you about your write up about Ramsey Cemetery in Feb. 2009. This is my family cemetery. It is not haunted. There is no werewolf or warlock or ghosts. These are all stories that have been imagined by people that were either high or drunk. This beautiful cemetery has been plagued by partiers, drinking, drug use, littering and vandalism. Tombstones have been toppled over and destroyed. Graves have been dug up, property has been destroyed.

This Cemetery is not a long forgotten place that has been left for decay. It is the finally resting place of my loved ones…my grandparents & great-grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins. My Uncle that died serving his country is resting here. One day I will lay my parents to rest here and some day it will be my finally resting place as well. Please try to show respect for those buried here and their familes that mourn them.

You wrote about the Ramsey Cemetery in Feb. 2009. In April 2009, 40 tombstones were pulled down. Including my grandparents and Uncles stones. Thank you so much for encouraging people to find my family cemetery, walk through my family property searching for non-exsisting caves and ghosts, werewolves and warlocks. One question? Did you have permisson to tresspass on private property looking for caves, werewolves, warlocks and ghosts?”

A link to the Illinois laws and statutes governing cemeteries has been available on this website for a long time. Here was my response to this lady’s concerns:

“I am aware of what happened at Ramsey Cemetery and other cemeteries like it. It is a tragedy that some people do not respect burial places. However, you cannot blame my publication for what happened. Those stories are well known in the area and have been written about in books and articles, and elsewhere on the Internet. I am simply retelling the stories. Many rural graveyards (unfortunately) suffer vandalism without having any stories associated with them. I have never encouraged any acts of vandalism and, in fact, am very interested in cemetery history and preservation. One of the purposes of my publication was to provide pictures and as much information as possible so that people do not feel the need to go there. But even if they did, my readers are respectful of burial grounds and take care to leave them as they were found.”

What do you think? Vote in our poll or leave your comments below.

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We Want Your Ghost Stories & Paranormal News!

March 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Greetings, trueillinoishaunts.com fans! We are looking for your local ghost stories and paranormal news. Ever wanted to be a reporter, highlighting the strange and unusual in your town? Come aboard and submit your stories to trueillinoishaunts.com. Articles about local legends, haunted houses, personal encounters with ghosts, UFO and Bigfoot sightings, and even paranormal events in Illinois are all welcome!

With over 20,000 visits a month, this website is quickly becoming the place for everything paranormal in the Prairie State. Have your work read by thousands of people throughout Illinois and all over the United States. Articles should be between 300 and 800 words, using embedded links for citations. Please send all article submissions to trueillinoishaunts@blackoakmedia.org – make sure to include your full name, hometown, and phone number. Only your name and story will be shared with our audience. Pen names are acceptable as well.

Due to an unexpectedly busy schedule, I have permanently discontinued my digital newsletter Legends and Lore of Illinois, leaving more room for your articles and stories. Whether you live in Chicago, or Galena, or Cairo, our fans are waiting to hear from you! So what are you waiting for? Submit your articles now!

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