Foreward
I was raised in a small town in Westchester County. For those unfamiliar with picturesque upstate New York, Westchester hosted many battles between the Native Americans and white settlers, as well as a lot of key historical action during the Revolutionary War. It is a land charged with a certain energy. It is a land fertilized by blood. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow takes place in Tarrytown, which is a short distance away from my hometown, Mamaroneck. The Son of Sam Killer, David Berkowitz, resided a few towns over in Yonkers. Berkowitz applied for a job at the Mamaroneck veterinary, which ironically has a statue of a large German Shepherd in front of it. I used to play on that statue as a little kid.
As a teen I used to trespass into certain ancient cemeteries and supposedly “haunted” houses. I don’t know why I did these things. Adventurous excitement was definitely part of the appeal, and back then there was nothing more fun than being chased by the cops, but there’s more to it than just juvenile delinquency. There was a burning desire to experience something paranormal. To see something that just can’t be explained. To feel something different than all of the other easily described sensations we’ve come to know and accept as part of our reality.
As an adult with two teenagers of my own, I’ve outgrown breaking into abandoned hotels and walking through graveyards at night in the hopes of encountering a spirit; but I’ve never lost that desire to know, conclusively, if there is more to our world than meets the eye. I want answers to questions beyond what can be explained scientifically. As rational as I try to be, when I hear a sound in the middle of the night, I can’t shut off my mind and ignore the possibilities that it offers. Diary of a Gonzo Ghost Hunter by C. Derick Miller is further exploration into the mysteries of the paranormal.
Chad is a believer and an adventurer looking for answers to questions that most people dare not ask. He looks for these answers in dark places that most of society steers clear of. In order to share certain experiences and supernatural insights, Chad has chosen to travel along a paranormal path that is safer during the day but far more interesting at night. Enjoy the ride.
Del James, Author of The Language of Fear
