Here is the email (edited for privacy reason)

Dear Tonya,

This picture was taken at my sisters house around Sept. 25th. My nephew*****  took it with his cell phone and posted it on facebook. We did not see the face until someone pointed it out to us.  I sent the picture to ***local paranormal team*** and that posted on fb the picture was tampered with. There may be an explaination but I did not appreciate them call my family a liar.  It could have been handled better.  Anyway, please look at the picture and let us know what you think.

My sister says that there has been some unusal things happening at her house.   After the photo was developed some people say they can see more than one figure.  Thank you

for taking the time to look at this photo.

Sincerely,

Name Removed”

Random Family hitting the road!

child with my entire family. We would load up the powder blue station wagon (yes blue!) and hit the road. I remember trips where we got lost in the hills of Arkansas and stopping at cool Route 66 Places. As a child, I did not realize how “cool” those places really were. Now that I am older I have realized that family road trips were great for memories. I remember my parents yelling at us to stop smacking bubble gum. I remember my brothers picking on me and just being annoying, out of sheer boredom from riding in the car for what then seemed to be countless hours. I remember playing the “License plate game” and any other game we could create, just to kill the time. This was way before Ipods, games and DVD players. I remember eating with my family at “greasy spoons” and the joy of getting stacks of pancakes at dinner time. I remember driving down twisting and turning roads in the middle of the night and my dad making “spooky noises” because it was kind of scary for us kids. Instead of my parents non-sheltering tactics, or perhaps their little “pay back game” they played has now, been embedded in my mind forever, and I thank them.

I do not have memories of watching hours of TV, playing computer games or managing a social network page as a child. I actually got out and explored areas and had a great time doing it. As a parent, it’s my job to not only raise my children as independent, law abiding citizens, it’s my job to create memories for them as well and even scaring the snot out of them on occasion. Mean? I don’t think so.

The subject of this blog is sure to raise a few eyebrows for sure. Taking children into “haunted places” seems so taboo and irresponsible to some people. It’s a big “no-no” for a lot of people that are in the “Paranormal Field”, why, I have no clue. I have yet to read or hear a rational explanation for it, outside of paranoia.

Haunted places and children, sounds so scary doesn’t it? In reality, there is a good chance that the paranoid parents have already crossed that line.  If your child has ever visited places such as Historic Museums, Battle grounds, Hotels, B&B’s, Zoo’s, restaurants and even cultural venue’s you have failed to protect your child from “ghosts”, If in fact you are one of the paranoid people in the world. Ghost stories are everywhere.  They are a part of life and are nothing to be afraid of.  What makes these places scary is the fear that parents put into their children’s minds. I take pride in the fact that I am raising rational thinking kids that are not afraid of historical locations. I wish more parents would jump on that band wagon with me.

This past year I was invited to join a private birthday slumber party at the Skirvin Hotel in Downtown Oklahoma City. I was asked to come share the haunting history of the hotel, teach the kids how to get “EVP’S” and take photos in haunted places. I brought my children along with me. Teaching children to not be afraid is not difficult at all. The kids learn about history and they remember it, because of the ghost stories attached. It makes great memories. The kids at this private party had a blast and explored the hotel in a quite and respectful manner. They did not go around screaming and yelling, taunting the ghosts and running amok in the hotel. They respected it for all it’s worth and embraced the history. All of the kids had a wonderful time and I had a blast scaring them with the stories. I do wish the hotel was a little more open minded about their haunting history, but then again. I enjoy helping people pick rooms in the hotel where they are more likely to witness something “paranormal.”

Those that are opposed to staying in haunted hotels with their children, honestly shows nothing but ignorance in my opinion. Not only are they robbing their children of great history they are pushing their fears into their children. There are even paranormal groups on the internet that preach about the dangers of ghost hunting and children. Kids stay at hotels all the time and they leave totally intact and without “demonic possession.” When I visited the very well known haunt, the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs Arkansas I was delighted to see even infants in the hotel. This is the same hotel where the big bad “Ghost Hunters” you see on TV acted like scaredy cats throughout the hotel. I remember late in the night I was walking around in my pajamas to sit on the patio for a while, I passed two little girls, probably around 8 or 9 years old in the hotel. I actually talked to these girls when we checked in and I asked them if they were afraid of the ghosts in the hotel. I told them to wait until real late and hang out on the stairwell so they could see the ghost of a woman.  I totally made up the ghostly scenario, but late that night, the little girls were on the stairs. Waiting. I gave them the thumbs up and kept walking. I made it to the elevator and there was a group of  “ghost hunters” hanging out by the elevator doors. They were armed with EMF meters, video cameras and were snapping photos left and right. I just walked right through the group in my fuzzy slippers. I do remember laughing at them once the elevator doors shut. If they only knew that two young kids were doing the same thing, but being more mature about it. Being innocent and just allowing things to happen instead of feeding off a group of adult idiots.  I remember returning to my room and walking the halls alone. I did not have any ghostly encounters by myself, but all through the night the group of “ghost hunters” were taking photos of our rooms door. The infamous “Room 419″ (You can watch the show here 3 parts) is where I stayed and it was rather humorous to listen to how serious these “ghost hunters” were. They had no idea that someone was actually in the room, that was alive!  The next day I did see the little girls and ask them if they met a ghost that night. They had all kinds of stories to share. Stories they will never forget.

This month my family will be hitting the road. Now that my kids are a bit older they will be staying in a room, in a haunted hotel all by themselves. Will they be scared? I doubt it, but if anything does happen, I know they will remember it for the rest of their lives. We are hitting the road to visit family in Missouri. I found a great hotel that has a lot of ghost stories and was even voted “best haunted hideaway” by Triple-A. The Bothwell hotel is a seven floor fully restored hotel in the small historic town of Sadalia, I hope to be able to share some stories once we return from this adventure. I hope my children do have a ghostly encounter, even if it is their imaginations getting the best of them.

In closing, staying where there are “ghosts” is not a bad thing. Parents need to allow their kids to have their own adventures and vacation time. Visit museums and maybe even take a ghost tour. Never fear that your child will be hurt or attacked by a ghost at these places. Keep in mind, ghosts have not officially been proven to exist!  Remember, it’s only dangerous and scary if you, the parent make it that way.

Sincere Blogger,

Tonya Hacker aka “Paranormal Eyes”

Newly restored Center Theatre, El Reno, OK

The speaker line up was impressive this year and the turn out was more than what was expected with it being Easter Weekend. Everyone had a great time as they learned about everything from Oklahoma’s ghost towns to unexplained monsters and creatures.  You can learn more about the line up if you CLICK HERE.

This was the first time in many years that I actually lectured at this event. Typically, when I am hosting there is too much going on to actually take the time to get up and speak. This year, thanks to the kind folks at the El Reno Convention Bureau and the wonderful volunteers and team members of GHOULI the event ran very smooth. It was a lot of fun this year, even the Mayor of El Reno, Matt White hit the stage thanking us all for attending and taking time out to learn about history and legends within the state of Oklahoma.  He encouraged everyone to explore the city of El Reno.  I feel that everyone was impressed with the fantastic welcome  by this city and we hope that the rest of the state understands that even subjects of the unexplained are friendly, fun and positive towards small towns and historical cities. Tony Rivera, City Manager met with us before the event and he was so gracious and thankful that the Ghostlahoma event was help in his City. We want to thank El Reno for being so hospitable with us. We are looking forward to working with them more to help promote the fantastic history of the city.

Historic Fort Reno hosted a private Ghost Tour for guests of the Ghostlahoma event. That evening, around 40 participants headed out to the infamous fort for a guided tour. We were encouraged to take photos and explore approved areas. We learned all about the history of the fort and it’s haunting tales that have been witnessed over the years. One tour patron, Chris Harrington of northern Oklahoma participated in the tour. Skeptic by nature and himself a paranormal researcher, he was just enjoying the tour and not expecting to witness anything “unexplainable”. He snapped a lot of photos that night, but one set of photos seemed to stand out to him. He sent the photos to me and allowed me to post up for review on my teams FaceBook account. It was an interesting catch and knowing Chris personally, I do feel that he is being honest with his captures.

In the visitors center at the Fort he waited until everyone left the areas before he made a quick run through with his camera and audio recorder. He was mindful that others were in the building and made a the conscious choice to not record or shoot while other people were around him. This is a great strategy to have when taking any kind of “ghost tour”. I see a lot of photos of large groups of people and then all of a sudden the photographer claims to have captured a ghost. The odds of them remembering where everyone was at and what they were doing is impossible. With so many people buzzing around the unexplained phenomenon should be immediately dismissed. Chris did capture a set of photos that I did want to share and get feedback. I am aware that it is “his word against yours” but take the time to look at the photo sequence. The images were taken 3 in a row, with just a matter of seconds between them. The first image was with his Flash. The second was without and the third was instantly followed, both without a flash. The camera is unstable but the image is not distorted enough to blame movement and shutter speed.  Please take a look and offer your opinion.

Did Chris capture the apparition or shadow of the General that committed suicide over 100 years ago? This image was captured in the Visitors Center which was formally living quarters for many military families? What do you think?

First of 3

2nd Shot

3rd Shot

What do you think? Do you see the image in the second shot?

I will stand behind Chris and against the argument that this was possibly manipulated with Photoshop or any other editing program. I analyzed the photos myself and there was no image manipulated involved whatsoever but as always, your opinion is welcome and anticipated.

Abandoned Post Office

New and positive changes are in the works for myself, this blog and the G.H.O.U.L.I. team. No, we are not filming a TV pilot. I know, I know, every time a team says they have good news, it typically follows with something to do with reaching for reality TV stardom. Well, as much as some folks would love to see the GHOULI team on TV, it’s just not one of our goals. We have been working discretely at a few residential locations and soon to be researching and investigating a few historical locations in the state of Oklahoma. I have learned a lot in the past year in regards to local teams and what their intentions are. I have also rediscovered how many absolute crazy people there are in this so called paranormal community. It boggles my mind to think that people that claim to be rational or even “scientific” are the most outrageous middle school minded adults I have ever come across. The paranormal community is a horrific scene, it really is. I have witnessed liars, fakes, frauds and flat out utter stupidity take place with people and they still pretend to be some kind of scientist. It truly does blow my mind. But, I have made it a point to not be involved anymore with such vicious and conniving people anymore. I have been conducting paranormal research for over 12 years now in this state and if I am to be so bold to say, I am better than they are. Sure, hate me but I’m not wrong. I do not care at this point because the community has officially separated itself from real paranormal research and I am glad that the separation is blatant and obvious to the rest of the world. With that said, I am back on track. Adventuring out with my team or alone. The weather is warming up and do not forecast anymore harsh winter conditions. The GHOULI team and myself have teamed up with some great open minded individuals that do not have “paranormal reality tv” on the brain. We are getting back to the basics of documentation, history and supplying a valid non-hyped up opinion concerning subjects of the unexplained.

This blog: This year I will make this blog a bit more personal. You the reader will be able to tell the difference, I hope. I am excited to be able to visit some of Oklahoma’s best historically significant locations and talk about them, right here on this blog. I want to be able to offer readers a chance to visit the places I visit and enjoy Oklahoma history and culture as much as I do.

Conference time! Yes, it’s almost that time of year. Where people that enjoy a good old fashioned ghost story, urban legend or anything strange concerning the state of Oklahoma. April 23rd is the 6th annual Oklahoma Paranormal Conference. We have given the event a new name as the original title of Para-Con has been used by hundreds of events across the nation. With pleasure, we have titled the event “Ghostlahoma!” We hope everyone that has an adventurist side to them will be able to make the event this year. So far we have a lot of people getting ready for the event and we have yet to do much advertising. This is a fun event for everyone and we encourage you to attend. We have moved to a new historically haunted location in downtown El Reno, OK. The old Centre Theater is being preserved and we are happy to have the conference in such a magnificent old theater. www.ghouli.org for details.

I am excited about 2011 and so far I have made so many positive changes and I have a goal to have them reflect here on this blog. Just this week I will be dining at one of Oklahoma’s most secret haunted restaurants. I will not only review the food, I will share the ghost story.

As always… if you have a location you would like to see me review, please email me tonyahacker@gmail.com I will be happy to offer my unbiased opinion about your establishment. I review places to eat, sleep, tour and drink that have a great or unusual history.

Sincerely,

Tonya Hacker aka Paranormal Eyes

“I have recently been given pictures that were taken on a family plot of land in Wister oklahoma on Nov 30 2010 at aprox 1 45 a.m by a camera trap that was in place to track deer movements what was captured on the other hand was no flippin deer and was nothing short of creepy as hell it was a bipedal humanoid type thing that apeared to be attemting to investigate the pile of corn left for the deer and was startled by the camera trap cause it looked right at it I’ve attached one photo and would really apreciate any insight on this matter because there are some freeked out people here you may also contact me by phone at….”

So, I look at the photo and I will admit it’s a very creepy image. The thought of something like “that” prancing around in the woods scares me a bit.  I took a peek at the photo. First glance, photo shop job. Then I just started searching the net for unusual photos caught by a deer cam. Within seconds I find the same image, plastered all over the internet. This is a big deal on the internet right now. Some paranormal researchers are actually reporting it to be unexplained while others are realizing it’s not what it appears to be.

Even local media is jumping the bandwagon concerning this strange creature.  It makes you wonder what ever happened to the concept of investigative reporting.  Here is an example of one media source that is ready and willing to believe anything that’s posted on the internet.

Viral videos are everywhere on the internet. People fall for them all the time, even “professional paranormal experts”. Genius marketing or someone that has a lot of time on their hands, or both. No matter what, it totally works!

Here is the original story posted about the creature. Same story, different place.

“A deer hunter at Berwick, Louisiana, has captured a strange image of something wandering through the Louisiana woods at night. The hunter near Baton Rouge reported to the media that he found this bizarre image on his deer stand camera.”

The image was apparently a marketing gimmick created by a hunting company called Wildgame Innovations they posted the image on their Facebook page and created a small story to make it seem real. Then they changed the the source of the image to a production of a movie titled Super 8. But, the Super8 news website is denying the accusations of this viral video. I found it odd that Steven Spielberg  would need assistance with promoting a film.  It’s my two cents that the Wildgame Technology has sold a lot of deer cams. Not only hunters are using them but ghost hunters are jumping on the bandwagon without taking a few minutes out of their day to research the truth about the image.

This deer cam capture has been “debunked”  by the many people that are not ready to jump to conclusions concerning creatures and paranormal phenomenon. Creepy image indeed. And I’m not too ashamed to say that the woods do freak me out. I would much rather spend the night in a rumored haunted building compared to camping in the deep woods. Perhaps images like this is what keeps me away. I am totally aware that creatures like this are not real but it would be my luck to be the first to come face to face with something this freakish. I will leave the crypto-hunters to do their job. I will stick with investigating rumors of  ghosts .

Nice little video huh? Many people are ready to explore the idea that this guy actually collected proof of a ghost boy, but in the real world there are questions. Many questions.

No, we can’t go back in time and make the kid go search for the boy, interview people in the park and go use a little bit of critical thinking or a tad of common sense. The world will just go by what this family says and that’s about it.

We all want to believe that someone caught video evidence of the afterlife! Most of us have had experiences and would love to see film footage that is not produced by a TV network validate our personal claims. But, before we start to think this kid has something, there are a few key factors that we would like to discuss.

On the plus side, it’s nice to see something out there that’s not in IR video. In broad daylight. So, we give props to this kid for not taking a nighttime tour in night vision. That’s about it.

Here are some comments made about the video we wanted to share.

“I think it’s interesting that they had experts analyze it and couldn’t find any evidence of tampering, but also find it strange that the kid didn’t continue to film and go over and investigate! I would have if I saw something as weird as that! Maybe he didn’t really notice it until later?? I’m on the fence about it, but it is interesting!! My gut is telling me it’s fake, but I guess we’ll never know for sure either way. -Laurel Lee”

“its definatley creepy. Im gonna call bullshit though. The family was too redneck. Only an inbered kid can run & jump into a tree like that!
They prolly let him out of a cage & the kid went ape shit! - John Fletcher”

“It’s too far away and there are people constantly moving along those paths. It’s hard to say we’re seeing what we think we’re seeing. What looks like someone or something climbing the tree happens milliseconds prior to a couple with a strol ler passes. They seem to be doing something and, in fact, for an instant, I had the impression of someone tossing a jacket. Bottom line: we simply don’t get a good clear shot of what’s going on. If the original could be examined…. But then, there’s a copyright on it now…. In my experience, a copyright is a big, fat red light flashing all over the place. - Cullan Hudson”

“Inconclusive; the object from the trees could as easily be a cloud of insects or ‘swamp gas’ (LOL) ;I would want to investigate it more before calling it proof.- Marilyn Hudson”

“They can neither deny nor confirm the footage.- Stu Zelman”

There were also a lot of comments like “IDK, Hummmm” and “Interesting” as well, so people will not think we are aiming for the throat with this one. But, nobody that we found, in our group of common sense people actually agreed that the video was “Proof of the Afterlife”.

Many make this claim each time they go out on a ghost hunt. They always seem to “get evidence” as most real researchers know, that is not the case. Sometimes a person can go to the most haunted place on earth and walk away with nothing. So the TV image of “we always get something” needs to be focused on within the paranormal community. We won’t say that these people are faking it, but we will say that they are very careless and are ready to say that anything that their feeble minds can’t explain at that moment as “Proof of the afterlife”. Right now, there is no proof. Just diluted versions of people imaginations and wishful thinking. There is a lot of cool and eyebrow raising moments captured but it is not proof. Just a story.

Who else finds it a bit odd that this family held on to this “proof” for over 2 years?

Who else finds it a bit odd that the father had the video affixed with the good old fashioned lets make it official copyright?

Who else finds it a bit odd that even Fox8 news stated “have an attorney ready for those that try to steal it”… (really?)

Who else finds it odd that the father is claiming it’s the “Greatest ghost video that I have ever seen” ??? (does he watch a lot of potential ghost footage or is he just partial because his boy caught this one?)

Who else was able to spot the “Shadowy woman”???

Do we get mad tree jumping ninja skills if and when we become a ghost?

No matter what you believe you are welcome to discuss this video here.

~ Tonya Hacker

Tonya Hacker & Tammy Wilson authors of the Ghostlahoma book series spoke to a diverse crowd about their adventures in paranormal research. Tonya and Tammy both veteran paranormal researchers spoke about how they met up and became friends all over a unique EVP that was captured at Tammy’s old home. The two women shared their favorite stories from the book and encouraged everyone to contact them if they have a location they would like to see highlighted in the next book that will feature places in Oklahoma where people can eat, sleep and drink with ghosts. The women also announced they will be kicking off a statewide campaign that will allow creative kids and teens to become published. The project is set to launch after the first of the year but already the women have had great feedback from schools, libraries and community centers. Tammy and Tonya are also known as the “Ghost Divas” and answered questions from the guests about the flood of TV shows that are currently on the air. The guests were curious as to how much of the TV shows were authentic and what is strictly for entertainment. Tammy and Tonya helped guests understand from a paranormal research point of view, that the shows are strictly for entertainment purposes.

Cullan Hudson author of Oklahoma book series Strange State and the Oklahoma Strange State Paranormal Blog kicked off the event as he shared tales from the Sooner state. Cullan spoke about some of his more memorable places he has visited, including the recent Hanobia Big Foot Conference. in southern Oklahoma. Cullan shared a few thoughts and theories of his own concerning recent reports of UFO’s and the infamous Miami Spook lights in northern Oklahoma. Cullan explores all aspects concerning claims of the unknown. He does not focus on just ghosts, he covers it all.  Cullan also spoke about the enchanting Spiro Mounds and touched base on the historical and archeological significance and supernatural claims.

It’s always nice to see authors and paranormal researchers come together to help intrigue and inspire the state of Oklahoma to grasp our rather young but often strange history.

Perhaps they have heard about the rumored tale of “Effie” a distraught mother and secret lover plunging to her death out of pure uncertainty and heartache? Maybe they heard the hotels haunting tales because the NY KNICKS & LAKERS were so afraid that they lost a game over it? Maybe people are intrigued by phantom “ladies of the night” potentially visiting their room? No matter what the reason is, there is no denying that the Skirvin Hotel has a haunting past. Since it was reopened, the unexplainable claims are making their way to the surface. Both new and old stories are being shared online and some of them will make your skin crawl.

The Skirvin Hotel is not “scary”, unless you have a great imagination and perhaps a basketball game the next day. Thousands of people spend the night in the hotel each month without ever witnessing a paranormal event or unexplained occurrence. Some of those people are staying in the hotels “hot spots” and never miss out on a wink of sleep. It’s not scary but it is one of the most highly recommended destinations I give to adventure minded travelers concerning the OKC Metro Area. The hotel is friendly and makes everyone feel at home. It doesn’t matter if you are hosting a child’s slumber party, business meeting or having a romantic get-a-way, the Skirvin is top notch when it comes to accommodations and service.

We have been monitoring reports of ghostly phenomenon since the book “Ghostlahoma” was released, which was around the same time the Skirvin opened it’s doors. Our team conducted a private trial at the hotel and learned a lot about the potential of ghostly activity. There is not a lot there, but when people least expect it they may get a blast from the past.

Areas in the hotel where we recommend you make your reservations.

• Any room on the 5th floor, west wing of the hotel.

• 9th floor central area.
• 7th floor central area.

• Ballroom- If you can get permission or an employee to show you around the ballroom, we highly recommend you visit that part of the hotel.

• 2nd Floor- Mezzanine- You can not get a room here, but take your time and enjoy the 2nd floor of this magnificent hotel. Stay to the west of the building.

• 10th floor hallway and central areas- Middle suites.

At night- see if you can hear talking, movement or a baby crying. Granted, there could be a real live baby/family in the room next to you, use common sense.

The key to witnessing something paranormal at the Skirvin hotel is to not expect anything. Just enjoy the hotel without looking for ghosts. We do not recommend anyone walking around this place with EMF meters, video cameras or any other kind of cheesy gadgets. You will be amazed what you possibly can get if you just run an audio recorder. Outside of potentially disturbing the other guests, the Skirvin does not need “ghost hunters” walking around it’s more classy than that. The hotel is more receptive to people that are there, enjoying the hotel and having a few cocktails in the Red Piano Lounge.

Learn more about the Skirvin Hotels Haunting history on the net or grab a copy of “Ghostlahoma” and let us know how your stay went! shoot us an email or post your story right here on this blog!

~

Tonya Hacker

Working with Whitechapel Press the authors are excited about teens being able to learn more about Oklahoma History, one ghost story at time!

If you would like your school to be involved in the “Ghostlahoma- By kids” version, please contact Tonya Hacker at tonyahacker@gmail.com or if you are in Northern Oklahoma or Tulsa area, contact Tammy Wilson at tammylynwilson.gmail.com

I am still looking for “Oklahomas most Haunted” for an Oklahoma travel guide. Ghostlahoma Part 2 – Places travelers can eat, sleep and drink with ghosts and other strange tales!  Contact me today if you have a public location that we can put in the next book!

More to come,

Sincerely,

Tonya Hacker

—–>>>>>This book is Family and tourism friendly!

Looking for Unusual tales across the Sooner State. All locations must fit into the outline. Hotels, Motels, Bars, clubs, B&B’s, Diners & restaurants… Please contact me to have your location added to the book. Contact me at tonya@ghouli.org OR right here on NewsOK-Paranormal Eyes.

PLEASE SHARE & help the word get out that I am needing locations for part 2 of “Ghostlahoma” book series.

NOTICE: ALL LOCATIONS MUST BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! THIS SERIES WILL BE TRAVEL FRIENDLY!

PUBLICATION SET FOR OCTOBER 2011 email today tonya@ghouli.org