Interview with Bob Freeman, paranormal investigator and author

September 26, 7:05 AMChicago Paranormal ExaminerTracy DeVore

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Bob Freeman                                                         Photo used with permission

Bob Freeman is the founder of the paranormal research group Nightstalkers of Indiana, a member of the Aleister Crowley Society, a field investigator with Abandoned Dark Creepy Investigations, a researcher with the Ghostwriters Society, and a member of Indiana Horror Writers.

Additionally, he is the author of the Cairnwood Manor series published by Black Death Books. The first two volumes in the series, "Shadows Over Somerset" (2006) and "Keepers of the Dead" (2008) are available at all major outlets, including the online sites Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

He has recently signed with Ghostwriter Publications to bring the adventures of occult detectives Selina Wolfe and Martin Crowe to life. Watch for Descendant, the first book in the series, to be released in April of 2010.

Tracy DeVore: Most of your books focus on the paranormal. How did you become interested in this genre?

Bob Freeman: I cut my teeth on late night horror movies, especially those hosted by the legendary Sammy Terry, and Dan Curtis’ classic soap opera Dark Shadows. I was also regaled with ghost stories and local folklore by my relatives at a very young age. This began what was to become a lifelong obsession with those things that go bump in the night, both real and imagined.

TD: You say your small town of Converse, Indiana has several haunted locations. Why do you believe that?

BF: First hand experience. It’s my opinion that Converse is home to a convergent nexus of telluric energies that results in an elevated state of paranormal activity.

TD: How about a bit of background on the town itself?

BF: Converse was born in 1849 but would experience two booms shortly after the Civil War, first in the lumber trade and then through the discovery of natural gas, that made it a major force in MiamiCounty. This brought wealth and prosperity to the town resulting in the construction of several attractive homes, a number of businesses, and an impressive Opera House. As was the norm with these types of boomtowns, another element was introduced that was of an altogether darker nature, with gambling and prostitution taking root in the local bars and smoky back rooms. Once the natural gas was depleted and the surrounding forests all but stripped bare, the town settled into its current state of a laid back and relaxed rural farming community with a modest population.

TD: You’re also the founder of the paranormal research group Nightstalkers of Indiana. Has your group investigated many places in Converse?

BF: Being my hometown, I’ve made it my life’s mission to become acquainted with all the various spirits and entities that choose to remain tethered to the area. We’ve investigated numerous residences and quite a few businesses, as well as all the local graveyards, rural hotspots, and sacred sites.

TD: What sort of equipment do you find most helpful and accurate?

BF: I’ve had the opportunity to play with all the toys utilized by modern age ghost hunters, but I prefer to “kick it old school” by relying on the old standbys: divining rods, pendulums, compasses, and good, old-fashioned intuition.

TD: Which local building do you considered to be the most haunted? What evidence have you obtained from there?

BF: Well, certainly the most active location has offered up full-bodied apparitions, both intelligent and residual spirits, and a preternatural entity that has never known corporeal form. We’ve captured video and audio evidence and had hundreds of personal experiences. Unfortunately the owners of the site have asked that we keep its location in confidence because of all the unwanted attention it has garnered in the more than three years we’ve been exploring it.

TD: How has living in this small community affected your writing?

BF: Small towns are the perfect microcosm of the human experience, populated with a host of interesting characters and the types of stories that envelope the breadth and depth of what life is all about. It’s a writer’s paradise.

TD: You read Tarot cards, as well. What sort of questions do people usually want answered when they request a reading? Do you ever feel compelled to hold information back from people?

BF: As you can imagine, the majority of questions tend to relate to relationships and money, with health and well-being coming in a close third. When I first began studying the Tarot and sharing that knowledge with the curious I was often reticent to pass along certain information, but as I’ve matured I’ve come to learn that it is best to be completely honest about what the cards choose to reveal.

TD: What advice would you give a person just starting out in paranormal investigation?

BF:  Keep an open mind and view everything with a discerning eye.

For more information you can visit Bob online at www.occultdetective.com