I want to tell you a true story. About ghosts, and things more terrifying than ghosts. I‘m a journalist, fully rooted in the real world. I write about foreign affairs and politics, economics, the arts, science, health, archaeology. Reality and evidence-based. Remember that.
Half of all Americans now believe they live or have lived in a haunted house. Researchers attribute a rapidly increasing belief in the supernatural to the rise of paranormal-related media and a decline in religious affiliation.
I wrote my only non-fiction book Testimony about the most supernaturally-afflicted house in the UK after coming across a newspaper report where a home was experiencing massive energy bills as if the power was being drained away. The owner mentioned in passing some supernatural element which got me interested.
I went in thinking I’d probably at the least end up with a book about the psychology of living in a house believed to be haunted. That view changed pretty quickly. I called the book Testimony because I wanted to build it around the accounts of people who had experiences in that isolated Welsh house, rather than filtering it all through my third party view of events.
Using my journalistic skills, I tracked down lots of people who’d had something strange happen to them. In the end I had 24 interviews. 24 people, many of them unconnected, who’d seen ghosts, dealt with possession, a range of terrifying phenomena, the manifestation of a seven-foot tall beaked figure, more…
In these kinds of accounts, it’s easy to dismiss them if you’re of a sceptical nature and it’s just a couple talking about what they went through. They’re mistaken, deluded, deranged, lying. When you have so many who haven’t had the chance to talk to each other or who thought they were isolated victims, that becomes so much harder. With those kinds of numbers, rationally you have to accept that something out of the ordinary was taking place there…
There’s a BBC podcast out about the case now, The Witch Farm. So far I’m the only person to have written about it because it was unbelievably difficult to track down the people involved, some of whom are no longer with us or who have vanished.
If you want to reach your own conclusions, or dismiss it out of hand, I suggest you read all those first hand accounts first. You might find it harder than you think.
The ebook of Testimony is available in all local Amazon sites globally, but here are the UK and US links.
I have looked everywhere to buy Testimony but just can’t find a copy anywhere?
Testimony is available as an ebook from Amazon. The Kindle app can be downloaded to tablet or phone so you don’t need a Kindle to read it.
The original paperback sold out in record time and the only versions currently available are on the secondary market at very high prices. I’m currently investigating ways to get it back into print.
I really hope you can get Testimony back into print. I have also searched everywhere for a paper copy of the book. I’m not a fan of kindles, but have decided it’s my only route to read the book, at this time. If it comes back into print, I will buy it! Also I’m hoping a movie of the book might be being considered!? Thank you, am a huge fan!
Great to hear from you, Haylie. I’m hopeful about the print edition and will post here when I know more. All I can say about a potential movie is that people are talking…
How exciting!!
Loved the book, read it in one sitting. Do you plan to do anything more in the paranormal, non fiction genre?
Gripping Book, Mark. I’ve never read a book this fast. I discovered the Witch Farm Podcast on Halloween and immediately needed to know every detail of the case. Thoroughly enjoyed reading the source material. Especially enthralling as I live with the Brecon Beacons visible on the horizon. Thank You.
Glad you enjoyed it, Ralph. I spent a lot of time in Brecon and surroundings – a beautiful part of the country. Apart from Heol Fanog which had a truly disturbing atmosphere.