#Sylvia Shults

[mandyraine]

Author interview with paranormal nonfiction writer Sylvia Shults

Raise your hand if paranormal nonfiction is your jam! Today we get to hear from an author who once appeared in Ghost Hunters! You can find a full list of Sylvia's books at https://amzn.to/3BC2aBY. (paid link)

Today we’re featuring a local (to me) author who writes paranormal nonfiction! Fans of Ghost Hunters might recognize her from the episode, “Prescription for Fear,” which explores the Peoria State Hospital. Sylvia’s interview includes some great stories about about some of our fellow authors in the area that I know you’ll enjoy. If paranormal nonfiction is your jam, then be sure to have a pen…

[blogparanormalexpresso2stuff]

The Spirits of Christmas:The Dark Side of the Holidays by Sylvia Shults Part 7

[raspodcast]

RAS #663 - Valse Triste

On this edition of Ron’s Amazing Stories Join Ron as he takes you on a journey through the strange and unusual. From classic horror tales to modern stories of the macabre this one has something for everyone who loves a good scare. 

Porter Hawkins from Liverpool, England tells his story about recent unusual events at his home. Sylvia Shults gives her thoughts on what it all means. This week's featured story is Valse Triste from the old-time radio series, Lights Out. It's a bizarre and controversial tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Ron also shares his thoughts on fear, reviews the audiobook Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and explores the fascinating topic of phobias in a brand new Johnny Is It True. So sit back, relax, and let Ron's Amazing Stories transport you to a world of wonder and suspense.

Featured Story - Valse Triste

Our featured story comes from the old time radio series, Lights Out. Valse Triste is a very strange tale that borders on subject matter that could be considered controversial today. But, it is horror at its best and has the Obler twist that you won't see coming. I really don't know when this version aired, but It originally aired on March 3, 1938.

Other Stories Include - My Thoughts On Fear, Review -Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, The Beheading Of Sarah, Johnny Is It True - Phobias

Program Notes: To read the article A Journey Through The Brain’s Reaction To Fear follow the link.

Ron’s Amazing Stories Is Sponsored by: Audible - You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories.

Your Stories: Do you have a story that you would like to share on the podcast or the blog? Head to the main website, click on Story Submission, leave your story, give it a title, and please tell me where you're from. I will read it if I can. Links are below.

Music Used In This Podcast: Most of the music you hear on Ron’s Amazing Stories has been composed by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Other pieces are in the public domain. You can find great free music at FreePd.com which is a site owned by Kevin.

Program Info: Ron’s Amazing Stories is published each Thursday. You can download it from Apple Podcasts, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Thursday at 10:00 pm and Sunday Night at 11:00 PM (EST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

Social Links: Main Podcast Site by LibSyn The Blog Site by WordPress Facebook Link Twitter Link Contact Links: Email Story Submissions Contact Ron

Check out this episode!

[thefaybul]

March Feature

In this month we are now self aware of the absences of awareness and that makes us aware of the need for more awareness so that you too can be aware of the absence of awareness and make others aware so that they two can be aware of the absence of awareness.

I am not really sure what I just said so maybe try sharing this video so that others might share the video which will lead to others sharing this video. But honestly I am not even really sure about what I am saying so…

Anyways, enough about that! Let's talk about something more exciting - paranormal nonfiction! Yes, you heard me right. We've got some seriously spooky stuff to share with you this month. So buckle up and get ready for a wild ride.

Sylvia Shults is the author of several books of paranormal nonfiction, including 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Grave Deeds And Dead Plots. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She has spent the last twenty-five years working at a public library, slowly smuggling out enough words in her pockets week after week to build a book of her own. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital.

     After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital.

 Here is a snippet from my most recent release, Grave Deeds and Dead Plots: 

On November 18, 1905, Lizzie got off the streetcar as usual, surrounded by several of her girlfriends from work. Within the protection of the group, Lizzie was laughing and chatting, her stalker temporarily forgotten. Then Lizzie saw Edward Robhaut leaning against a nearby wall. She froze, and the chatter of the group died as the girls followed her gaze. Lizzie held up a hand as if to ward off Robhaut's manic stare, and stammered that she still had a peace bond against him. Things happened very quickly after that. The sight of sweet Lizzie, who had rejected him, sent Robhaut into a high-speed come-apart. Gripping the handle of a knife, he seethed with resentment and rage. Suddenly Robhaut broke away from lounging against the storefront and rushed at Lizzie, who started to shriek. She didn't even have time to plead for her life -- all she could do was scream. Her cries of terror were drowned in blood as Robhaut plunged the knife into her chest. She staggered back, but he followed, stabbing her three more times. She fell to the sidewalk, her bodice soaked in scarlet, her life draining away as she hit the ground. Robhaut spared the object of his affection just one more glance. Then he pulled out a revolver, shoved the stubby barrel into his mouth, and squeezed the trigger, blowing the back of his skull off. His body collapsed on top of Lizzie's; he was dead before he landed.

     A murder-suicide, out in the open on a public street, is a surefire recipe for a haunting. Ever since the tragedy, Lizzie Kaussehull has haunted the corner of Lincoln and Carmen in Chicago. The streetcar Lizzie stepped down from on that fateful day is long gone, but the ghost of the pretty young murder victim remains. On nights when the full moon paints the sky with silver, Lizzie can still be heard. For her shrieking cries that echo into eternity, she has earned a nickname. Locals know her, appropriately, as Screaming Lizzie.

     Chilling and interesting . If you would like to read some more you can find all eight of my books can be found on Amazon (in ebook format as well as in print), and they are also available through Bookshop.org.

Now alas we must ever move on, so we have our very own three time featured artist for his unique digital art that captures your attention with the vibrant colors and details that create an almost fixation, Jonathan Jingco. His own introduction:

Hello, my name is Jhonathan Jingco, a freelance digital artist from the Philippines. I started doing digital drawing as a hobby. Until one of my friends told me that "hey your drawings are good, why not make some money out of it by starting to do commissions.", that friend of mine is my first client for an art commission.

After that I decided to create a Facebook page to post my arts and take commissions to other people. As of now, I've done commissions to five clients. 

If you are interested for an art commissions from me, you can reach me by my Facebook page, link below:

Personally, I like the vibrant colors and the clear and interesting caricatures of the art that he creates. The detail on things like the hair and the clear improvement in his art through his experience is so incredible.

From the realm of Digital art made the way you like it, to the Superior world of Ora. From the writer Sotto Voce, whose pen name means “in a quiet voice, as if not to be overheard.”  He presents a world with a price for perfection that may be too steep.

“In a world divided between the superior and the bereft, a desperate man must find a way to save someone he cares about. But what sacrifice does he have to make?

Luke thought he’d found purpose again. After years of heartache and a devastating loss, his companionship with the strong-willed Ruyi gave him a reason to cherish life, even in a home plagued with poverty and disease, the Origin. But when he learns about Ruyi’s life-threatening and mysterious disease, Luke is prepared to seek help in the only place a cure exists, Ora.

Returning to Ora thrusts him into an intriguing world where everyone has achieved physical superiority and perfection. It has advanced technology and found keys to tailoring genes and eradicating diseases. But Ora’s solution came with an exorbitant tag.

To Ora, Origin is just its arrogant but fallen ancestor, and now, a defective neighbor with nothing to offer. They could save Ruyi, but what is the cost that Luke has to pay?”

So here is a sample of the work for your listening and future reading pleasure.

 She was leaning on him, part anxiety, part of being weakened by something that was ruining her inside. He gave her hand a little squeeze, trying to give her some assurance. He then carefully straightened a piece of glossy paper and passed it to gloomy looking officer over the counter. 

"Purpose of visit?" 

"Medical." 

The officer glanced briefly at Ruyi, then over to him and the paper. 

"Card." 

Luke passed the metallic card he had prepared earlier. The officer did some scanning and gestured them to move to the next room. 

The room felt cold, with its high ceiling and sterile looking ambience. It's not the scenery he saw every day, and he couldn't help but felt small. Even though it looked empty, he couldn't locate the cameras easily, but he knew they were there. There was a screen at the end of the room, they approached it and he tried to follow the instructions of entering their details. 

"I am nervous," she whispered. 

"Don't be, treat this as trip," he smiled at her and squeezed her hand again. She nodded and smiled back even though it was obvious that she still looked nervous. The instruction on the screen dictated them to proceed to a door, which opened automatically. The room was almost empty too except at the end of it when someone was sitting. She gestured them to take a seat and studied them as they did. They sat easily at the chairs, fitted to their sizes. He looked at Anna, at least that seemed to be her name from what was shown on her coat. Anna fixed her gaze at him, piercing him with her light blue eyes, determining that he was the main person of the two. "You understand that you both will be chipped." 

"Yes." 

"Anything you do in Ora will be under Ora's law, you will be responsible and bear consequences for all of your actions." 

"Yes." 

"The continuation and result of your," she nodded at Ruyi," medical treatment will be monitored and your data will be our property for as long as the treatment is needed." 

"How long would it be?" He couldn't resist asking. 

She glanced at her device, which seemed to contain all of their data, and answered, "It seems that we should know the medical solution for this. So I guess it wouldn't be too long. But it's a guess. " 

Ruyi turned to him, seemed hopeful with the answer, but he was still watching Anna's expression, sensing there was more. 

"But.." Anna studied their faces, "the process could be very costly." 

Before he asked more, she walked to the next table, and got herself busy with some contraptions.

"You have more questions, Mr. Luke." She didn't turn to them, "but I'm not the one to answer. Let's get you both chipped and you will be able to see someone who could."

She walked back to them, holding something that resembled a handheld scanner, "I suppose you have studied the instructions we sent you. Any objections?" They both answered, "No."

"Very well." She pushed a couple of buttons and connected it to the scanner," your consents have been recorded." She stretched her hand out," Arm." When Ruyi put her arm, she snapped it with the scanner, followed by Luke. He felt a sharp sensation but it was over fast. Anna meddled with couple more things and passed them a card, similar with the one they passed to the first officer, "this will guide you to your destination. Follow the path showed by light and board a vehicle outside. Thank you."

"What..," Ruyi spoke quickly to prevent her from leaving, "What if we don't have enough fund?"

Anna turned back, looking at both of them, "You could get partial treatment that enables you to get on with your life for certain amount of time. It depends."

Luke grimaced at her words, but tried not to let it shown. "Or, maybe they could offer you another solution. We are developing a program that could look into this kind of problem. Good luck."

He knew she wouldn't say more. Just like that, there were string of yellow lights on the walls which they followed. It led them to a door, then long sterile corridor that looked similar to the room, and continued to an indoor platform with multiple rows of capsule-shaped vehicles. He thought something looked weird with them. No wheels. The light pointed to the first car, he flashed the card and the door was opened.

"Remember. Trip." He guided Ruyi inside. She seemed to try to contain her nervousness and gave him a little smile. The car fitted two people, and when they were secured, it was lifted above others, followed a long tunnel and suddenly they were outside.

"Wow, look at that!" She pointed to the surrounding. They were greeted with gorgeous view: beautiful lush trees, clear blue sky, colorful flowers and plants. It was a stark contrast with Origin, where they came from, even though they had just left the perimeter. The landscape in Ora looked so clean and organized. They were travelling on the grass field, which seemed weird until he realized that the car was actually hovering. He took in deep breath to enjoy the warm and fresh air when the car spoke," please indicate if you wish to switch to indoor mode."

"What indoor mode?" Ruyi asked, it seemed like it was taken as a choice by the car and suddenly the windows were shut and darkened. The ventilation switched to mechanical, similar warm and fresh air, but slightly different. The car's body itself turned reflective. "No. I want outdoor mode."

He smiled as Ruyi tried to reverse what she had done," normal! Scenery! Undo. Undo!"

"Here, there is a button too." He pressed it and the condition were returned to previous, when they were able to enjoy the surrounding. There were few cars around them, and all of them used indoor mode.

"That is not fair, it's my first time." She blushed, "I will try to be cool." "It's been a long time for me too." He remembered the time he used to visit Ora with his parents. His father was a scientist that enabled them to make some business trips for his work collaboration with Ora.

Luke and his mother could tag along as companion, and they would be able to experience the place while his father was working. His mother didn't like it much, so they mostly just spent their time at their lodging or went to quiet nature places, there were plenty of them in Ora. The last time they visited not long after his father passed away, when he was still a kid, and now he had lost his mother too. So coming back here was not an experience he was looking forward to, as it reminded him of them. But this was for Ruyi. Ora had extensive and advance medical care that Origin didn't have. Things seemed a bit different, he remembered they were many more people and cars around. There were activities inside the buildings they passed by, although it was hard to see what was going on. The 'streets', parks and fields, were mostly deserted. It's morning on the weekdays, he thought maybe that was the reason. The car brought them to a building and upon alighting, they still had the yellow light to follow. They entered a big lobby of this building that seemed to have everything, and now they were able to see more people moving around. He noticed a big floating sign, THE QUARTZ. Ruyi tried to control herself, but nevertheless she was standing with her mouth agape, she had never seen that many Orans in person before.

Fortunately, the sight of two of them was probably not that uncommon, as the Orans paid little attention to them, and he could see there were other Origins scattered in that gigantic lobby. "She is so beautiful." He followed her gaze at a lady standing in the lobby with her male companion. She had long bright red hair, smooth perfect facial features and complexion. Her companion looked perfect too, with perfect physique towering everyone's else, that made him stand out even among the Orans. They laughed and chatted happily. They had to walk pass them, Luke was merely as tall as the girl's ear, while Ruyi was probably at her lower chest at best. She tried to act cool as she had promised, and they made a beeline to the end of the lobby where there was a row of elevator.

"And I thought Timitry is a goddess," she remarked, referring to someone they knew," and you are the tallest man at home."

"What, so you are criticizing me now?" She laughed,

"No, I mean, we are so different compared to them. Even Timitry."

"Maybe there is reason why she chooses to be in Origin."

"I guess."

He flashed the card on the screen indicated by the yellow light, and tried to observe the way it worked. It's probably some kind of glorified three-dimensional GPS. The elevator opened and upon entering they were warned and blasted with some air shower. After a while, the elevator opened again to reveal a big, bright, another sterile looking room and they were told to wait by some computerized voice.

"Luke..." She squeezed his hand, he knew what she wanted to say.

"We'll find a way. You heard what Anna said."

"Who is Anna?" He chuckled, "you didn't pay attention."

Ruyi let out a little 'oh', but she seemed distracted and stared at him intently, "It must have already cost you so much to just be here, I don't want.."

"We see what we could do, okay..? Well, unless you want to transform to look like the giants in the lobby, I definitely can't afford that..."

"No!" She blushed and thought for a while," but she is gorgeous, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she looks nice." She frowned at his response. A door that was not visible to them opened, and they were both startled. The voice told them to enter the room. It looked like a lab, it was spacious, neat, with several medical looking furniture and fixtures. There was some kind of small sitting area at one side of it, where they saw an older man in lab coat sitting. He was staring at them.

"Hi, I am Doctor Flerovy," he greeted them, "take a seat." Flerovy seemed to focus more on him, "I have never thought that I'd have a chance to meet you, Mr. Luke." "We are here for her, "Luke gestured to Ruyi, they approached the man and sat.

"Your father was quite well known in our field, "he didn't seem to pay attention to what he said. Luke stared back at Flerovy and observed him for a while, he proceeded to nod. He wasn't comfortable and didn't know how to respond to that because he was not familiar with his father's work, and it had been a long time ago since he was gone. Flerovy studied him, his face was down but his eyes were on him, as if he was peeking through invisible reading glass. After a while, he decided to let go and looked down at his device.

"We have determined Miss Ruyi's medical condition." Without giving them time to respond, he continued, "It's a changing and disorder in the body that is caused by exposure of unknown mineral, resulted in unfavorable health effects. Are you working in a factory Miss Ruyi?"

"Not anymore, but I was."

"We have yet determined the specific type of condition you have, but this should be manageable. However, it's very likely that you have to go through at least three sessions of treatment." Luke felt a knot in his stomach, but he stared at Flerovy confidently, unwilling to give away any weakness or weary. Ruyi, on the other hand, was pale and quivering, she had the mixture expression of relief and tremendous worry at the same time.

"The cost of one treatment session is two hundred thousand Oran dollars. As the practice here, it will include everything from administration, permit, transport, lodging, medications, tests, and facilities for patient and companion." He felt a heavy sensation as if he was hit by something, but he didn't show it on his face, and waited for the Doctor to continue. He didn't turn to look at Ruyi as well, as he could already feel her anxiety.

"This is not a complicated, but prolonged treatments with exclusively Oran technology that is not available anywhere else. And with Miss Ruyi's condition, she seems to be in advanced stage that increases the difficulty of the treatment procedures..."

"But you said it's not complicated." Luke couldn't hide his resentment. "It's not. Some things are difficult but not complicated by expertise, Mr. Luke." Flerovy stared back at him, paying back his resistance.

"And what if I don't go through with the treatment?" Luke heard new confidence in Ruyi's voice.

"You will expire in near future, Miss. Ruyi, with great suffering too." He felt the urgency to strike Flerovy but he knew that the doctor just stated the fact, without trying to cover up anything, which was quite common characteristic of Oran. His anger subsided, but he still tried to maintain his voice," how if we only go through the first treatment?"

"Luke.."

"Miss Ruyi will have longer life expectancy, and will suffer less. But I would advise against that, as it will merely delay the inevitable."

"Doctor Flevory, I appreciate your honestly but.." "Mr. Luke, if a problem can't be solved entirely, there is no point of wasting resources and time just for some delay."

He felt his anger rushed back, "Fine. So why haven't you asked us not to waste any more of your time?" He could sense Ruyi looking at the doctor in anticipation, with a bit of hope showing up on her face. He couldn't decide what made him feel more defeated, that, or the news.

"I might be able to offer you a deal." He looked at Flerovy suspiciously.

"You, Mr. Luke." They were still staring at each other. "I would need to speak to you privately."

"Luke, no.... Doctor Flevory, what is that?? I don't want any harm comes to him. I'd rather.. take my chances."

Flevory turned to look at Ruyi, "We are medical and research facilities providing cures and betterment for humankind, Miss Ruyi. What do you think we are suggesting? We will not harm Mr. Luke. It's just that I need to talk to him privately about the program we are having, because it's classified."

Ruyi was trying to form a reply, but Flerovy didn't wait, "is that alright with you Miss Ruyi? But I suppose the decision is not on you," he turned back to Luke. Luke couldn't help but felt a weird funny irony with the way Flevory handled the situation with matter-of-fact approach. He preferred it that way too. He nodded at Ruyi, and a yellow light appeared to show her another door that was suddenly visible at one of the corner.

"For you, Miss Ruyi." She looked at Luke in protest, but he mouthed that it's alright.

"I haven't committed anything yet, don't worry."

In which Doctor Flevory commented, "yes, you haven't."

"Don't commit without me." Ruyi glanced at him before throwing an angry look at the doctor and disappearing behind the door," You call canned food expire Doctor! Not people!" Luke gave a hint of smile. Doctor Flevory sighed and turned to Luke, "I think we have more matching frequency in communication Mr. Luke."

"And I prefer it continues that way."

"We have a program and I think you are a perfect candidate for us."

"How do you know that?" He looked at Doctor Flevory, then swallowed bitterly, "the chip?"

"Yes, we are able to analyze biological information sent by the chip. You have consented to that."

"You don't give a lot of room for consent."

"We don't. And by agreeing to talk to me, you have agreed that everything we are about to discuss is classified. Nondisclosure law applied." 

Only now Luke was observing Doctor Flevory. He was old and slim, tall as all Orans were. How old he might be? He stared back at Luke and he had to admit there was a strong aura of capability, confidence and intelligence from the doctor. Luke knew he had to be careful among the Orans, and he tried not to show any doubt in his way of carrying himself. He nodded.

 "What do you think I want to ask from you, Mr. Luke?" That took him off guard for a while. He thought Dr. Flevory was all about explaining and telling them what to do, not asking about his input. He was intrigued. 

"I know Orans are logical people, but compassion is not really your thing, "he stared at Flevory, "I think.... you are not offering to help me." 

Flevory lifted his gaze to meet Luke's sharp eyes. 

 "You need me." The edge of Flevory's mouth were lifted to resemble a smile. He asked, "and why is that?" Luke thought for a while. "For some reason you need me for something... something that obviously you don't have." "Not quite.."

"At least something that you are lacking."

"That's more like it." He stared again at Flevory intently, he was getting more intrigued now, but he also felt back his uneasiness. He knew Flerovy was waiting for him to speak. "Since obviously I don't have anything in terms of material or intelligent possession that you already have..." He felt Flevory's intense glance. "You want something to do with me. A literal me."

Flevory smiled. 

"Medical and research eh? And my biological data." "You want to experiment on me." He caught confirmation in Flevory's eyes

Interesting, I wonder where the story will take us. If you are interested in reading more Sotto Voce book is available on Amazon at

So go download or get a copy and read the whole story there.

[ronsamazingstories]

RAS #499 - Hall Of Mirrors

On Ron’s Amazing Stories we are going to set the groundwork for our 500th episode. But don’t fret or worry, we do have stories. We have two from you guys - The first is a freaky ghost story that just makes no sense, and then we have a response tale to a skinwalker tale from episode #495. Also, We have TWO mind-bending stories from the pages of the 1950s pulp magazines that were both written by the talented Fredrick Brown. And as an added bonus Sylvia Shults takes us on her latest ghost hunting trip.

Featured Story - Hall Of Mirrors

Our featured story is another mind-bending one set in 1954 and then moves to 2004. It has a unique time perspective that I found completely fascinating and I think you will too. It is titled Hall of Mirrors and was written by Frederick Brown. It first appeared on the pages of Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine in December of 1953.

Other Stories Include - Dinner Party Murder, Project Hail Mary, Sylvia’s Haunted Shock, The White Ghost, Hmm, I heard that too, Experiment, and Hall of Mirrors.

About Sylvia Shults:  Sylvia is a Librarian, Author, and Ghost Hunter. She has spent a lifetime in the pursuit of the weird and strange. Her non-fiction works include Ghost of the Illinois River, Fractured Spirits, 44 Years in Darkness, Hunting Demons, The Spirits of Christmas, and her latest release Fractured Souls. All of her books are available on Amazon and you can find out more at her WordPress Home Page.

Sylvia’s Links:  Facebook, Twitter, Blog Site, Amazon Author’s Page

Ron’s Amazing Stories Sponsored by: Audible - You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories  and Gladdy’s Goodies - Good Treats for your dog to eat.

Social Links: Main Podcast Site by LibSyn The Blog Site by WordPress Facebook Link Twitter Link Contact Links: Email Story Submissions Contact Ron

Check out this episode!

[joechianakas]

Rain or shine, catch me at the Pekin Marigold Festival Sat 9-6 & Sun 9-5. Sharing a table with paranormal author Sylvia Shults. Get signed #rabbitinred books and swag! #halloween #horror #bookstagram #horrorfan #currentlyreading #authorsofinstagram #horrorcommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/BnclosHgTGT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=hiqivqvawzy9

[mysticparanormal-blog]

New episode is up Sylvia Shults talks about the hauntings at Peoria Sate Hospital and her paranormal experiences. Listen here https://play.radiopublic.com/mystic-paranormal-691q51 Listen with the RadioPublic App and we can start making cash with them 🙌🏻 Thank you all for your support and Enjoy the podcast #podcast #peoria #haunting #ghosts #ghoststories #spirits #demons #paranormal #listen #enjoy #thankyou #support

[raspodcast]

RAS #662 - Can AI Write A Story

https://traffic.libsyn.com/ronsamazingstories/RAS662-GSWS-101724.mp3 On Ron’s Amazing Stories this week we have Ghost Stories With Sylvia. Sylvia Shults and Ron are going to dive into the realm of the supernatural with a spine-tingling first-person ghost story. Join them as they venture into the haunted Wolfen Woods in Spooksville, Arizona, in search of the hidden grave. Also, on the show we…

[raspodcast]

RAS #662 - Can AI Write A Story

On Ron’s Amazing Stories this week we have Ghost Stories With Sylvia. Sylvia Shults and Ron are going to dive into the realm of the supernatural with a spine-tingling first-person ghost story. Join them as they venture into the haunted Wolfen Woods in Spooksville, Arizona, in search of the hidden grave. Also, on the show we have three listener submitted stories. Future Gadgets, a fictional story sent in by Abigail Ackinsen, Tricked on Halloween, a true experience from Bonnie Hernandez, and Cold Shadow from MacSweet302. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

About Sylvia Shults:  Sylvia  is a Librarian, Author, and Ghost Hunter. She has spent a lifetime in the pursuit of the weird and strange. Her non-fiction works include Ghost of the Illinois River, Fractured Spirits, Fractured Souls, 44 Years in Darkness, The Spirits of Christmas, Days Of The Dead, and her latest release Grave Deeds and Dead Plots. All of her books are available on Amazon and you can find out more on her blog page.

Sylvia’s Links:  Facebook, Twitter, Blog Site, Amazon Author’s Page

On the Podcast  - At the end of the GSWS discussion Sylvia and Ron created a prompt for Google’s Gemini. The results are below. Here is the prompt that they came up with: Write a third person ghost story on the east coast in a Victorian style mansion. Ron and Sylvia enter the home to find a table set for afternoon tea waiting for them. Spooky sounds echo through the house. The house is haunted by a clown.

The Clown Of Blackwood Manor

The rusty wrought iron gates groaned open as Ron and Sylvia steered their car up the overgrown driveway. Looming before them, shrouded in the oppressive humidity of the East Coast summer, stood Blackwood Manor. Its Victorian grandeur had faded, replaced by peeling paint, boarded windows, and an air of ominous neglect.

"Charming," Sylvia muttered, her voice heavy with sarcasm. Ron, ever the optimist, simply chuckled and grabbed their bags.

The heavy oak door, surprisingly, swung open with a gentle push. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight that pierced the gloom of the entrance hall. A thick layer of dust coated the ornate furniture and the once vibrant Persian rug. An unsettling silence hung in the air, broken only by the distant scuttling of unseen creatures.

As they ventured further into the house, a chill settled over them despite the stifling heat. They found themselves in a grand dining room, where a scene awaited them that was both bizarre and unsettling. A long, mahogany table was set for afternoon tea. Fine china cups and saucers sat beside silver teaspoons, and a three-tiered stand held an assortment of pastries that, despite the thick layer of dust, looked eerily fresh.

"This is...creepy," Sylvia whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

Suddenly, a high-pitched giggle echoed through the room, followed by the distinct squeaking of a rubber shoe on the hardwood floor. Ron and Sylvia exchanged startled glances.

"Did you hear that?" Ron asked, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness.

Before Sylvia could answer, a teacup lifted from the table, seemingly of its own volition, and shattered against the wall. A cold gust of wind swept through the room, sending the remaining cups and saucers clattering.

Terror gripped them. They weren't alone.

As they backed away from the table, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a clown, grotesque and unsettling. Its painted smile was stretched into a nightmarish grin, its eyes two black pits in its chalk-white face. It moved with an unnatural jerkiness, its oversized shoes squeaking with every step.

Ron and Sylvia, paralyzed with fear, could only watch as the spectral clown glided towards them. It raised its hand, revealing a long, silver knife glinting in the dim light.

A scream tore from Sylvia's throat as she turned and fled, Ron close behind. They scrambled through the house, the clown's maniacal laughter echoing behind them. They raced down hallways, stumbling over unseen obstacles, the clown's squeaking shoes always close behind.

Finally, they burst out of the front door and into the blinding sunlight. They didn't stop running until they reached their car, the rusty gates clanging shut behind them like a prison door slamming shut.

As they sped away from Blackwood Manor, they could still hear the faint echo of the clown's laughter, a chilling reminder of the horror they had encountered within its walls. They knew they would never return, and the image of the ghostly clown would forever haunt their nightmares.

Ron’s Amazing Stories Is Sponsored by: Audible - You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories.

Your Stories: Do you have a story that you would like to share on the podcast or the blog? Head to the main website, click on Story Submission, leave your story, give it a title, and please tell me where you're from. I will read it if I can. Links are below.

Music Used In This Podcast: Most of the music you hear on Ron’s Amazing Stories has been composed by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Other pieces are in the public domain. You can find great free music at FreePd.com which is a site owned by Kevin.

Program Info: Ron’s Amazing Stories is published each Thursday. You can download it from Apple Podcasts, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Thursday at 10:00 pm and Sunday Night at 11:00 PM (EST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

Social Links: Main Podcast Site by LibSyn The Blog Site by WordPress Facebook Link Twitter Link Contact Links: Email Story Submissions Contact Ron

Check out this episode!

[raspodcast]

RAS #647 - The Last Objective

https://traffic.libsyn.com/ronsamazingstories/RAS647-Objective-070424.mp3 On Ron’s Amazing Stories Sylvia Shults returns to help Ron unravel a creepy story sent in by listener Mia Willow from Victoria, Australia. Mia has an encounter with orbs and a shadow creature in the same night. What could it mean? Tune in and hear what Sylvia and Ron think about it. Our featured story comes from the OTR…

[raspodcast]

RAS #647 - The Last Objective

On Ron’s Amazing Stories Sylvia Shults returns to help Ron unravel a creepy story sent in by listener Mia Willow from Victoria, Australia. Mia has an encounter with orbs and a shadow creature in the same night. What could it mean? Tune in and hear what Sylvia and Ron think about it. Our featured story comes from the OTR series Dimension X. It is titled The Last Objective and first aired on June 3rd, 1951. Also, Ron pays tribute to one of his favorite baseball players that just passed away. Willie Mays was an amazing player and a better man.

About Sylvia Shults:  Sylvia  is a Librarian, Author, and Ghost Hunter. She has spent a lifetime in the pursuit of the weird and strange. Her non-fiction works include Ghost of the Illinois River, Fractured Spirits, Fractured Souls, 44 Years in Darkness, The Spirits of Christmas, Days Of The Dead, and her latest release Grave Deeds and Dead Plots. All of her books are available on Amazon and you can find out more on her blog page.

Sylvia’s Links:  Facebook, Twitter, Blog Site, Amazon Author’s Page

Featured Story - The Last Objective

Our featured story this time comes from the OTR series Dimension X.  One of the biggest fascinations for both consumers of science fiction and the writers of it, is the dystopian society. One can only guess why, but there are a lot of stories about it. Dystopian literature is a form of speculative fiction that offers a dark vision of the future. In our story humankind must face its biggest enemy, himself. It is titled The Last Objective and first aired on June 3rd, 1951.

Other Stories Include - Death In A Turkish Bath, Orbs and Shadows, and A Tribute To Willie Mays

Ron’s Amazing Stories Is Sponsored by: Audible - You can get a free audiobook and a 30 day free trial at audibletrial.com/ronsamazingstories.

Your Stories: Do you have a story that you would like to share on the podcast or the blog? Head to the main website, click on Story Submission, leave your story, give it a title, and please tell me where you're from. I will read it if I can. Links are below.

Music Used In This Podcast: Most of the music you hear on Ron’s Amazing Stories has been composed by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Other pieces are in the public domain. You can find great free music at FreePd.com which is a site owned by Kevin.

Program Info: Ron’s Amazing Stories is published each Thursday. You can download it from Apple Podcasts, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Thursday at 10:00 pm and Sunday Night at 11:00 PM (EST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

Social Links: Main Podcast Site by LibSyn The Blog Site by WordPress Facebook Link Twitter Link Contact Links: Email Story Submissions Contact Ron

�� Check out this episode!

[raspodcast]

On The Podcast This Week - 7/4/24

On the show this week Sylvia Shults returns to help Ron unravel a creepy story sent in by listener Mia Willow from Victoria, Australia. Mia has an encounter with orbs and a shadow creature in the same night. What could it mean? Tune in and hear what Sylvia and Ron think about it. The featured story for the show comes from the OTR series Dimension X. Dystopias are societies in cataclysmic…

[raspodcast]

RAS #644 - The Hands

https://traffic.libsyn.com/ronsamazingstories/RAS644-Hands-061424.mp3 On this episode of Ron’s Amazing Stories, we have a jam-packed agenda. We’ll kick things off with a review of the new audiobook series Mars Nation. Then, tune in for another thrilling installment of Ghost Stories With Sylvia, where Sylvia Shults reacts to a chilling tale from Kesha Hilton about her encounter at Sand Point…

[raspodcast]

On The Podcast This Week - 6/13/24

On this week’s upcoming podcast episode: Sylvia Shults is back with another edition of Ghost Stories With Sylvia. Ron will read a ghost story sent in by Kesha Hilton from Escanaba, Michigan and her encounter at the Sand Point Lighthouse. Then we will hear Sylvia’s reaction and thoughts on it. Also, on the show we’ll be discussing the story “The Hour of Battle” by Robert Sheckley, which was…

[blogparanormalexpresso2stuff]

A Return Visit to the Ghosts of Peoria State Hospital with Sylvia Shults

Sylvia Shults is the author of several books of paranormal nonfiction, including 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River.

She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don’t have to.

She has spent the last nineteen years working at a public library, slowly smuggling out enough words in her pockets week after week to build a book of her own.

She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital.

After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode “Prescription for Fear”, about the Peoria State Hospital.

In "Fractured Souls: More Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital (Crossroad Press Ladies of Horror)" Shults returns to the old hospital where during its operation from 1902 to 1973, mentally ill patients received the best care available for that time period. But once the doors closed forever, reports of paranormal activity began to surface. Do former doctors, nurses and patients haunt the halls of the once proud institution? Does EVP and other paranormal evidence prove the existence of ghosts?

Shults presents compelling evidence in the the pages of the book that just may change the minds of even the biggest skeptics.

Website

sylviashults.wordpress.com

Books

Fractured Souls: More Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital (Crossroad Press Ladies of Horror)

Fractured Spirits

44 Years in Darkness: A True Story of Madness, Tragedy, and Shattered Love

Tales from the Asylum

Spirits of Christmas: The Dark Side of the Holidays

Days of the Dead: A Year of True Ghost Stories

Grave Deeds and Dead Plots

Hunting Demons: A True Story of the Dark Side of the Supernatural

Ghosts of the Illinois River