Lights Out With Sylvia Shults
227 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★ - 8 ratingsExplorations of the paranormal with your paranormal investigator Sylvia Shults.
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Episodes
Lights Out: 100th Episode!
July 03, 2021 16:45I’m posting this on July 3, 2021. July 3, 1863. The third day of fighting at Gettysburg, and the day of Pickett’s Charge. The day the South would make a bid for victory at the High Water Mark … and be turned back by Union guns, lead, and steel. It’s the 100th episode of Lights … Continue reading Lights Out: 100th Episode!
Lady Lindy Comes to Purdue — And She’s Never Left
July 02, 2021 14:00Purdue Airport was built in 1930, and opened in 1934. University president Dr. Edward C. Elliott was justifiably proud: this was the first university-owned airport, and Elliott was particularly interested in aviation. He was also committed to excellence in higher education for women. Those two passions came together in the fall of 1935, when famed … Continue reading Lady Lindy Comes to Purdue — And She’s Never Left
Lights Out: Haunted Confederate Camp
June 14, 2021 16:55Time for a stroll through a summer’s evening — in Gettysburg! Come with me to explore an eight-acre backyard … that in 1863, was a Confederate field hospital. Do the ghosts of Confederate soldiers still call out for water? And why won’t the campfire stay lit? https://youtu.be/M8mlwayweQk
New Book Website
April 22, 2021 14:08Hey there, book fans! I wanted to tell you guys about a nifty new website that just launched, called Shepherd. Why? Because this site curates authors’ books, like a shepherd herding their sheep, keeping them all nice and tidy. And one of the cool things Shepherd does is to let authors like me gush about … Continue reading New Book Website
Lights Out
April 18, 2021 16:28Here’s another episode of Lights Out for your enjoyment! The veil between the worlds is thin in Gettysburg. Many people have had ghostly encounters with the spirits that still linger in the town and on the battlefield. Join me as I listen to people share these haunting personal experiences. https://youtu.be/oAHshGB_8pA
Morbid Curious Issue 3 Is Out!
April 15, 2021 23:46Hey there ghostie fans — I’ve got something absolutely wonderful for you! The new issue of Morbid Curious is available to order, and it’s got an article by the one and only me in it. (YES, my name’s misspelled on the cover. That makes it a collector’s item, don’t you know?) Join me to explore … Continue reading Morbid Curious Issue 3 Is Out!
Lights Out: Devil’s Den, Gettysburg
March 19, 2021 10:33The rocky area of Devil’s Den and Little Round Top saw some of the fiercest fighting on July 2, 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. What paranormal effects has this had since the battle? Join me to find out. https://youtu.be/LuavLYTcg1U
Lights Out — Gettysburg Ghost Tour
March 03, 2021 15:18Join me for a walking tour of Gettysburg, with spooky stories from Sleepy Hollow Tours. https://youtu.be/-Wxh9aIpz6g
Lights Out #95: Old Orphanage, Jennie Wade House
February 03, 2021 15:41You’ll get a double dose of spooky with this episode of Lights Out! The people of Gettysburg didn’t go looking for a battle; the battle came to them. In this episode, we’ll visit not one, but two haunted places touched by the war. The Old Orphanage was a sanctuary for war orphans … until things … Continue reading Lights Out #95: Old Orphanage, Jennie Wade House
Lights Out News!
January 29, 2021 00:51There’s amazing news in the world of the Lights Out podcast! The podcast hosting service I use has just partnered with Amazon/Audible. What does this mean? Well, for starters, it means you can listen to Lights Out through Audible. I just posted Episode #95, about the Old Orphanage and the Jennie Wade House in Gettysburg. … Continue reading Lights Out News!
Book Review — Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington, by Ted Widmer
January 23, 2021 20:50I started this book January 21, 2021, the day after Biden’s inauguration, and finished it the next day. This is a rollicking read that gives the feeling of being on Lincoln’s train careening towards destiny. Widmer is a crackerjack writer — his is one of those nonfiction books that reads like a novel. He throws … Continue reading Book Review — Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington, by Ted Widmer
Lights Out!
January 04, 2021 00:38Welcome to the first episode in the Gettysburg series! Sachs Bridge is a gorgeous little covered bridge just outside Gettysburg. In 1863, three Confederate soldiers were hanged from the bridge after being discovered hiding amongst Union troops. Do they still linger on the bridge? https://youtu.be/8iYOjeW6y3Y
Welcome 2021! (Behave Yourself!)
January 01, 2021 16:00Whew — 2020 is over. Finally. I hope. So let’s look forward to what’s coming in 2021! Guess what? It’s a new book! And here is a sneak preview of what’s in store for those of you who love ghost stories. January 1 – The Santika Nightclub Fire, Bangkok, Thailand (2009) New Year’s Eve in … Continue reading Welcome 2021! (Behave Yourself!)
Lights Out Extra: Christmas 2020
December 24, 2020 22:38I know, I know, it’s kind of weird to be doing an “extra” Lights Out episode, when Episode 100 is in view. But I had … a request? Sort of? Just listen to the episode. You’ll see what I mean. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas. https://youtu.be/tcFUsqrKSUI
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Twelve — The Ghost and Mary Pepper
December 24, 2020 16:00Every so often, we hear of ghosts helping the living. It’s rarer still when a living person has the chance to help a ghost. Mary Pepper was an orphan living in Liverpool in the 1880s. At seven years old, she was on her own, living in the cellar of an abandoned building. Like many other … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Twelve — The Ghost and Mary Pepper
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Eleven — The Hitchhiking Ghost
December 23, 2020 16:00Advances in military technology during the Civil War led, naturally, to advances in medicine and surgery. Military units couldn’t travel with entire hospitals, so surgeons went to the battlefields, and set up field hospitals for the care of the wounded. The surgeons did the best they could for the men under their care, and these … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Eleven — The Hitchhiking Ghost
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Ten — Music on the Mountain
December 22, 2020 16:00Henry Dealman was the professor of music and art at Mount St. Mary’s University in the late 19th century. Every Christmas Eve he would give an organ concert in the church on campus, playing for hours. People came from miles around to hear the glorious music. Henry’s son, Larry, had learned to play the flute … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Ten — Music on the Mountain
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Nine — Today I Learned …
December 21, 2020 15:06On the day after Christmas, movie stars Cary Grant and Clark Gable would get together to swap monogrammed gifts they didn’t want. You’ll want to visit http://www.weirddarkness.com. (You know you do. Go on, admit it.)
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Eight — Solstice Bread
December 20, 2020 16:00I love celebrating the Winter Solstice, which usually falls on December 21. That’s tomorrow, so put your 2020-acquired baking skills to good use and whip up a batch of this gorgeous sunny bread. Note: the first two pictures are from the recipe I got out of the newspaper, which called for Nutella as the filling. … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Eight — Solstice Bread
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Seven — Frozen Charlottes
December 19, 2020 16:00I’ll be the first to admit that dolls, especially antique dolls, can be really unnerving. But there is a certain Victorian-era doll that has a backstory that takes creepiness to the next level. These dolls were made from one piece of unglazed porcelain, rather than the usual bisque limbs and cloth bodies of fancy dolls … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Seven — Frozen Charlottes
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Six — Lights Out!
December 18, 2020 16:00Welcome to the Dead of Winter! Today we’re going to revisit a couple of Lights Out episodes from years past. Curl up by the Christmas tree, turn on the tree lights, have a cup of something warm and lovely handy, and let’s go … Lights Out. Lights Out #66: Christmas 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvAANf27Eb4&t=4s Lights Out #52: … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Six — Lights Out!
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Five — Forbidden Love
December 17, 2020 16:00Ah, young love. How often it can go awry … Magdalena was a beautiful girl of fifteen or sixteen years. A parishioner of San Juan Capistrano, she fell in love with a young man named Teofilo. He was a talented artist who painted the wall frescoes, decorating the newly completed Great Stone Church at the … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Five — Forbidden Love
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Four — Io Saturnalia!
December 16, 2020 16:00Saturnalia was one of the best parties of ancient Rome. Starting on December 17 and going through December 23, slaves would be waited on by their masters, people would give gifts, public banquets made everybody happy, and it was generally a non-stop party for those days. It was seen as a time when everyone was … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Four — Io Saturnalia!
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Three — The Birth of Nero
December 15, 2020 16:00Nero is one of the Roman emperors that even non-Classics nerds recognize. He’s best known for denying he set the fire that burned for six days in 64 AD and destroyed two-thirds of Rome. (He blamed the Christians.) Four years later, while facing his execution, Nero committed suicide. He wasn’t buried in Augustus’ mausoleum, the … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Three — The Birth of Nero
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Two — Today I Learned …
December 14, 2020 15:04Twin sisters Lorraine and Levinia Christmas decided on the spur of the moment to deliver presents to one another’s houses on Christmas Eve 1994. The country road between their villages in Norfolk, England was treacherously icy and the 31-year-old sisters were involved in a head-on crash — with each other. (From Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day Two — Today I Learned …
The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day One — Christmas Monsters
December 13, 2020 16:00Boy, 2020 has been a year, hasn’t it? Monsters would feel right at home here, I think. Let’s meet one of them. Okay, here’s a weird one for you. What do you get when you cross a horse’s skull, a bedsheet, and a book of Dr. Seuss? … Well, the Welsh get Mari Lwyd. Mari … Continue reading The Twelve Nightmares of Christmas: Day One — Christmas Monsters
2021 is Coming — Are You Ready?
December 11, 2020 16:24We’re nearly through 2020, thank goodness! Let’s enjoy 2021 with a ghost story for every month. I’ve put together a calendar for you guys, which you can order by contacting me via Facebook Messenger, or by using the Contact Me button at the top of this page. Price is $12, which includes the cost of … Continue reading 2021 is Coming — Are You Ready?
A Early Christmas Present!
December 05, 2020 15:29Hey there! I’ve got an early Christmas present for you guys! My friend Nick Sarlo, of Shadow Hunters, is presenting a holiday special on the Shadow Hunters YouTube channel. You know that line from the Christmas carol, “There’ll be scary ghost stories”? Well, Nick’s making your scary dreams come true! On Sundays, December 6, 13, … Continue reading A Early Christmas Present!
This Is Cool …
December 02, 2020 02:20I just discovered that the Museum of Science and Industry is doing live virtual tours of the U-505. Explore life on the vessel straight from your living room—making it an accessible experience for all. Discover this interactive online tour in a small group or dive solo. The first tour kicks off on December 5 but … Continue reading This Is Cool …
Bookshop Black Friday Sale!
November 27, 2020 16:23Starting now through Monday, Bookshop is offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders placed through our website with standard mail. No special code needed. It’s the perfect opportunity to shop for everyone on your list and support independent bookstores at the same time! The savings go through Cyber Monday, so spend a few minutes this weekend browsing for … Continue reading Bookshop Black Friday Sale!
Flies in a Bottle of Brandy
November 25, 2020 17:11Around last Thanksgiving, I wrote here about my relative Silas Soule. In case you missed last year’s post, here’s a quick refresher. Captain Silas Soule was descended (and so am I) from George Soule, who came over on the Mayflower. The Soule family moved from Maine to Kansas in the late 1850s, and became one … Continue reading Flies in a Bottle of Brandy
Lights Out: Queen of Heaven Cemetery
November 21, 2020 09:06Get ready for another episode of Lights Out! This time we’re visiting Queen of Heaven Cemetery, right across the street from Mount Carmel in the Chicago suburbs. Lights Out #92: Queen of Heaven Cemetery. On December 1, 1958, one of the worst tragedies in Chicago’s history took the lives of 93 children and three nuns. … Continue reading Lights Out: Queen of Heaven Cemetery
Lights Out — Let’s Take a Vacation!
September 25, 2020 15:43Hey hey, it’s time for another episode of Lights Out. We’re staying in the Dells, and lacing up our sneakers for a walking ghost tour. Want to take a stroll in beautiful Wisconsin Dells and hear some ghost stories? You’re in luck! Sit back and enjoy some spooky tales, including stories of a haunted pinball … Continue reading Lights Out — Let’s Take a Vacation!
Coming Soon!
August 22, 2020 16:31Got a new project in the works! I’ll be one of the researchers for a new show, Halloween 247. Jeni will be taking care of the actual Halloween lore, and I’ll be providing the spooky paranormal tales. Seeing as how I’ve been obsessed with the strange and mysterious all my life, I’ve got loads of … Continue reading Coming Soon!
Book Review: Burn, by Patrick Ness
August 20, 2020 16:27It’s 1957. Eisenhower has just been sworn in for his second term as president, racism is still very much a thing, and there are dragons living in Canada that farmers can hire to clear their fields. By the end of page 1 I was hooked. By page 6 I was entranced. And by the middle … Continue reading Book Review: Burn, by Patrick Ness
National Book Lovers Day
August 09, 2020 15:18Today is National Book Lovers Day! Curl up with a good book — bonus points if you do your reading in a porch swing. I love the feel of paper pages turning beneath my fingers, but if you have an electronic device, you can still enjoying the satisfying pleasure of a good read. If you … Continue reading National Book Lovers Day
Lights Out: Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum, Wisconsin Dells
July 23, 2020 13:05It’s time for another episode of Lights Out! Gather ’round the virtual campfire, break out your marshmallow stick, and snuggle in for some wonderful spooky tales. Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in Wisconsin Dells is a treasure trove of the delightfully bizarre. With all the oddities contained in the museum’s collection — a sculpture … Continue reading Lights Out: Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum, Wisconsin Dells
Marigold Festival News
July 16, 2020 00:04So for those of my fans in the Peoria area, you guys know how much I really enjoy chatting with people at my booth at the Marigold Festival (held the weekend after Labor Day in Pekin). I’m very sorry to tell you that — to the surprise of absolutely no one — this year’s Marigold … Continue reading Marigold Festival News
Helpful Bees!
July 09, 2020 20:54I’m always happy to see bees working my flowers, even if they aren’t honeybees. Here’s a couple of native pollinators enjoying the gifts of the sunflower right outside my back door. One is gathering pollen the traditional way, and the other is cheating a bit by getting the stuff that has fallen on the leaf … Continue reading Helpful Bees!
Feeling Lucky …
May 27, 2020 18:15I think, if my counting is right, these bring me up to twenty-one for the spring so far…
Lights Out: U-505
May 22, 2020 18:58The U-505, housed at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, is the only German submarine captured during World War II. Secrecy around the capture was paramount. But how do you hide something that’s a city block long? We’ll take a deep dive into the history and hauntings on this magnificent boat. https://youtu.be/_WztPON1GSk
Lights Out: Pioneer Zephyr
May 13, 2020 17:02Stuck at home? Let’s go for a train trip! The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is home to several spirits. One of their lightly haunted exhibits is the Art Deco-inspired Pioneer Zephyr, one of the very first high-speed trains to serve the travelers of the Midwest in the 1930s. Join us for tales … Continue reading Lights Out: Pioneer Zephyr
Dandelion Fizz
May 05, 2020 15:49So you’re stuck at home. It’s the perfect time to learn something new, wouldn’t you say? How about home-made soda? Okay, so it’s not Dr Pepper, but it’s yours, made with your own two hands. How cool is that? Today we’re making Dandelion Fizz. First, go out in your yard and pick some dandelions. The … Continue reading Dandelion Fizz
Thank You!
May 01, 2020 14:57I just wanted to give a big shout of thanks to everyone who listens to Lights Out. To everyone who watches it on YouTube (which is where the links I post take you), thanks very much. And for those who prefer the podcast experience, I really appreciate your listening as well. It may interest you … Continue reading Thank You!
Lights Out: The Dana House
April 29, 2020 15:00Time for another episode of Lights Out! The Dana House in Springfield, Illinois, is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces. It’s haunted by the melancholy spirit of Susie Laurence Dana, the woman who commissioned it. Join me for a peek inside, and listen to a few of the encounters people have had in this gracious … Continue reading Lights Out: The Dana House
Lights Out Extra: COVID19 Edition
April 24, 2020 15:17Lights Out Extra: COVID19 Edition. Since we’re all cooped up at home, let me bring a bit of ghost hunting to you! I went out for some fresh air, and visited the fine folks at the Peoria State Hospital. (Don’t worry — I did stay six feet away. They’re all in the cemetery.) Enjoy the … Continue reading Lights Out Extra: COVID19 Edition
Book Review: The Last Odyssey, by James Rollins
April 22, 2020 16:37I’m a librarian, and I’ve been working from home during the coronavirus shutdown. Part of that means processing books (yay!!!). I don’t usually read James Rollins — I have done in the past, but I tend to go more for domestic thrillers rather than action novels. Plus, I really don’t like reading large-print books, as … Continue reading Book Review: The Last Odyssey, by James Rollins
Lights Out: Glore Psychiatric Museum
April 16, 2020 01:27Let’s get out of the house and go on a field trip. How does St. Joseph, Missouri sound? Glore Psychiatric Museum is unique. Begun as a simple display for Mental Health Awareness Week in 1966, the museum now has over 10,000 artifacts of life in the St. Joseph State Hospital. And it has ghosts! Join … Continue reading Lights Out: Glore Psychiatric Museum
Another Very Special Today I Learned …
March 28, 2020 13:55And now for another special edition of Today I Learned … St. Corona is the patron saint of epidemics. She was martyred as a teenager by the Romans, probably in Syria. The Aachen Cathedral in Germany has some of her relics in an ornate gold and ivory shrine. The artistic and religious treasure was scheduled … Continue reading Another Very Special Today I Learned …
Lights Out: The Patee House
March 27, 2020 17:12It’s time for another episode of Lights Out! If you’re stuck at home, why not enjoy a tour of this haunted museum in St. Joseph, Missouri? St. Joseph is known for two things: the beginning of the Pony Express, and the end of Jesse James. And the Patee House has connections to both of these … Continue reading Lights Out: The Patee House