The Everything Ghost Hunting Book

Publisher Adams Media in Avon, Massachusetts has signed Rhode Island author and photographer Melissa Martin Ellis to write the definitive guide to ghost hunting.

Raised in an Irish household where talk of ghostly visitations was common, Melissa Martin Ellis grew up with an open mind about the supernatural.

A family legend told of a grandmother who passed away in Ireland, but came all the way across the Atlantic to New York to announce her untimely demise.

When she was twelve, Melissa's home was plagued by a mysterious, half-glimpsed entity, which was blamed for various types of mischief. Items went missing, and would reappear days later. The entity also seemed to enjoy playing pranks and even set fires in a rear entryway on two occasions. Not only family members were bothered by the poltergeist, but also visitors. The Martin's housekeeper would catch brief glimpses of a long black skirt sweeping down the hallway.

When Melissa married, she and her husband moved into an older house. Before the birth of her daughter, the house exuded a perturbed atmosphere. Doors opened and closed on their own, and unexplained noises and footsteps would be heard when she was alone.

After her daughter Deirdre was born, Melissa was made so apprehensive by a series of events that occurred repeatedly, that she stopped going into the nursery and removed the baby from the room, where she had witnessed various bizarre phenomena--including mysterious whispers and eerie laughing. The temperature in the room would drop and became quite chilly, although it was July in Florida.

On another occasion, several years later, a mysterious face appeared in a photo taken at a family gathering, floating above a table. The Polaroid Corporation had no explanation for the face, other than to say it was not a double exposure.

Melissa attended the University of South Florida and studied Anthropology. In the course of her studies, she found that virtually every culture on earth had a rich heritage of supernatural and paranormal tales. Although most professors told students that these belief were  by-products of primitive cultures and magical thinking, a few asserted that they had seen things during their fieldwork for which they had no rational explanation.

As part of her Anthropology coursework, Melissa began attending a Spiritualist church and read voraciously on the topic of ghosts and paranormal phenomenon. She maintained a healthy skepticism about the topic and looked for everyday explanations for the events she witnessed at the church.

Then she received a communication from spirits during a Spiritualist service, alleging to be her Irish grandparents. They told her they had a message for her mother-- that they would be waiting for her when she passed away, which she unexpectedly did only weeks later.

In subsequent years, she found herself encountering many other instances of unexplained phenomenon, such as haunted houses and EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenonema).

Melissa amassed a huge library of reference material about paranormal phenomenon and hauntings. Her expertise with photography has dovetailed with her interest in the spirit world, and she has captured mysterious images in various locales around New England--including orbs floating above the murder scene in Lizzie Borden's home.

Melissa is an artist as well as a photographer, and created the cover image for the book Haunted Newport. She has also created other ghostly and atmospheric images, for which she makes no claims of supernatural activity, only supernatural inspiration.

Melissa lives in Rhode Island, which is home to several long established paranormal investigating groups, The Rhode Island Paranormal Research group, TRIPRG and TAPS, the organization featured on the TV series Ghost Hunters. She and her husband, novelist Mark Ellis, plan to plan to pursue their interest in this fascinating subject, wherever it leads.

Two orbs captured at the Lizzie Borden House in April, 2007. Note the larger orb is in the location where the murderer stood to deliver the killing blows. The smaller orb on the sofa arm is where Andrew Borden's head would've rested when the fatal blows were struck.

An angel at Island Cemetery in Newport, RI is truly frightening at night. She seems to glare out at anyone who dares to approach her.