One has to wonder (shades of Laura from the "I Am Six" episode of Paranormal State)why, as a parent, you would veer from common sense and logic and believe the word of a couple of people who (at that time) investigate the paranormal in their spare time, when it comes to the mental health of your child! (Whew…long sentence!) I find it completely irresponsible behavior, and have to question the intelligence of said parents.

Now, having said that, the "Grant" story with the doppelganger is amusing to me. Amusing in that it certainly could be construed as showing early evidence of questionable behavior during investigations. One has to wonder what he would have to gain at that time by faking evidence though. I mean, now we can see what the "benefit" is…higher ratings and the gravy train chugging along. But then…makes me wonder. Was he just so eager to be a contributor to the team, to the extent that he would make things up? Even now, he always seems to be so disappointed when something can be debunked. I think he really is a true believer, and what I find sort of sadly funny when reading some of the other TAPS fan forums out there, is that he would probably be the type of fan that would leap to defend TAPS' questionable methods if he were only a viewer as opposed to a team member.

I also find the story of his first paranormal experience somewhat of a let-down. There has been so much build up! And for what? Well…his first of many experiences with mysterious, shadowy figures. Only this one traumatized him so much that he couldn't speak publicly of it…until now? I don't know. Seems pretty lame to me as far as personal experiences go, and I have to wonder why this was such a big "secret" for so long.

On an end note, I do appreciate the thorough review; now I KNOW I won't be reading the book! Great review Stephen, and thanks for taking one for the team!

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"At their opening lecture at DragonCon, Jay and Grant hinted that their new book, Seeking Spirits, would detail their adventures doing battle with the forces of evil on behalf of various churches. That's not the book we have here, though."

My God ! You've got the evil twin copy of the book !

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Thanks Stephen. That sure is dedication. I hope you enjoy your champagne and I'd order the Blackened Redfish or some Shrimp Creole and Bananas Foster to go along with your wine for dinner. Yum! I'm sure BD gave you some good info on NO. Hope you are enjoying your stay.

Looks like it all comes around to Grant once again. Perhaps his "experiences" and how well they were accepted or not were the training ground for what was to come. Obviously this is something Jason keyed in on very early in the process so I don't think we can be surprised that it has led us to the Grant List or that Jason hasn't been aware of all of this the entire time.

As far as the situation with "Allie" (if true), although I understand you said they do advise anyone experiencing these symptoms should see a doctor, I find it totally despicable and irresponsible that they would even suggest anyone with a mental illness should see a ghost hunter before a physician. I didn't realize they had received their degrees in medicine after the auto mechanic and computer classes. Their actions in that story speak volumes to me. My opinion has been very low of the shenanigans we've seen but after hearing that story (if true), they can't get much lower on the food chain for me.

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"Back when Grant was a teenager, he and his friend Chris encountered a mysterious, shadowy entity in the woods. Only Grant could see this strange being, and his friend doubted its existence until one day, when the being was conveniently mimicking Chris' movements, Grant was able to use it to see what Chris was doing behind his back."

And he's still seeing those shadows!

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Well I for one will read it. I love a good ghost story

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If anyone hasn't already read this, it's worth the time- the Jan. 2004 "lost" possession case is recounted by Keith Johnson in some detail on his N.E.A.R. website. Keith recommended his write up of the case to me when we were both commenting on the TWoP GH forum back in '06 & struck up an email correspondence. Seems a nice fella, only comes across as slightly cracked, & then only occasionally. Here's the page link (scroll to two part article "The Episode We Never Saw, From GH" parts 1-2:

http://www.nearparanormal.com/tales.html

Thanks for reading/reviewing "Seeking Spirits," Stephen. That was Grant's big paranormal experience we've waited years to hear about? Can anyone say "parlor trick" & "gullible friend" with me? All together now…

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"Back when Grant was a teenager, he and his friend Chris encountered a mysterious, shadowy entity in the woods. Only Grant could see this strange being, and his friend doubted its existence until one day, when the being was conveniently mimicking Chris' movements, Grant was able to use it to see what Chris was doing behind his back."

I was left wondering if "Chris" was standing in the sun, which would explain why this shadow was mimicking his movements. Or, perhaps, there were puddles of water standing around, thus creating reflections. There are so many normal explanations besides ghosts.

As far as "Allie" goes, nothing surprises me anymore. One only has to look at "Balloon Boy" to realize how low some parents will sink for publicity, and endangering children for money seems to becoming more common. It is a sad, sad commentary on our society.

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I can't believe Grant could be this gullible. The "thing" mimicked his friend's movements? What more proof does he need that somebody was playing a trick on him? Wow, this is the BIG revelation after all these years.

And he was the only one to see it…hmm…

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"This review was written in a series of haunted restaurants, bars, and coffee shops in the New Orleans French Quarter."

Oh, please tell me you also made it over to The Haunted Mortuary down at the end of Canal St. Probably won't feel or experience anything paranormal there, but the place is quite beautiful, really worth seeing from an architectural standpoint. Plus, on the travel-fun side, their ghost tours are a hoot 'n a half:

http://www.hauntedmortuary.com/

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Headed there now. Thanks for the tip!

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Very welcome, Stephen. If you get bored at all in the "Haunted" Mortuary, it's really close to Nawlins' Cities of the Dead, aka the city cemeteries. So lovely & evocative walking among those grave sites.

It really is nice there, especially in good weather- pick out a nice spot for a picnic. We have ;->

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M. Roget:

Unfortunately, the mortuary was closed, but at least I got a good walk out of it. Got some decent pictures. No orbs, because they fear my skeptic-rays. Also because I didn't turn on the flash.

The account in _Seeking Spirits_ (SS) and the account at NEAR Paranormal differ so much that only the detail of the padlocked room makes me certain they're talking about the same case. The names are different: "Marguerite" in Keith's account becomes "Mary Alicia" in SS, for example. Even stranger, Keith doesn't appear at all in the SS account. His part is taken by "an ordained priest named Kevin whom we had worked with several times before." I'm not sure if this is fictionalization or if this is a different visit to the same place. Keith Johnson, as he makes clear in his account, is not an ordained minister, so if Kevin is supposed to be Keith, they're severely scrambling things. Brian Harnois was left out entirely. In fact, come to think of it, Brian isn't mentioned once in the book. He's an unperson now.

The portrait painted in SS is not flattering to the Craig family (as they're called in SS). Their description of Junior ("Clifford" in the NEAR account) is of a paranoid redneck, talking endlessly about things found in "diggin' holes" and bursting into tears when his precious padlocked room is threatened with invasion. More importantly, Jason and Grant observe him deliberately scratch himself on the corner of the kitchen counter, then dramatically reveal it during "Kevin"'s cleansing ceremony, claiming that he didn't know how the scratches had gotten there.

The overall impression left by Grant's account in SS is of a family that had deluded themselves into believing that the mother was possessed. I certainly didn't get that impression from Keith's version.

Aside from the character changes, the accounts don't exactly conflict on the facts of the case. I can understand changing the name of the family, although it's customary to indicate that names have been changed when you've done so. (I don't know which account's names are accurate. Perhaps neither.) I don't understand changing Keith into Kevin, and I don't quite understand Keith leaving out the scratches incident, if indeed it happened and he knew about it.

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There were a number of things that didn't add up for me with Keith's story. First problem with it is minor but still a problem. Keith claims that on January 3, 2004 the roads in Lewiston were "completely iced over". Leaving "late afternoon" it would have taken them over 4 hours from RI to ME - okay. Driving back to RI the same night after driving for 4 hours, then spending all that time with the family seems implausible to me. As to the weather and icy roads, I can't see why they would have been as the weather was overcast but there had been no snow/rain/ice reported for over a week prior to the visit and I researched the weather in Lewiston and went back to 12/26/2003 and added a few days after the "visit" to be sure.

Next, he says condo and then he says apartment. Then the apartment has it's own basement where someone was buried? Huh? Of course, the best part is there is no record of a Pine Hills apartments or condos in Lewiston or the area that I could find.

Frankly, Keith's account reads like he's writing a script or a book. It's too detailed and descriptive in it's writing. Exact quotes of conversations? Unless everyone is speaking clearly and slowly into a mic the entire time, I don't think the transcript would be so detailed.

On top of that, he leads his questions for answers along the lines of the story or he wants and even admits it.

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Lewiston (I assume we're talking Maine?) did have some precip on the 3rd. Not a lot, the liquid equivalent was only 0.03", but this would have been recorded by ASOS which often under-reports frozen precipitation. Temperatures were right below the freezing point so I could see this having the potential of causing some problems. Probably came down as a rain/snow mix and froze on the surface.

Depends upon what late afternoon is, but the first occurrence of precip was about 4 in the afternoon and continued until a bit after 9pm.

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Correction: Lewiston is an AWOS installation, though it doesn't really change the equation as far as precip recording

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Interesting because my WX weather shows nothing and it is Lewiston, Maine. I really don't see how .03" would constitute (even at freezing) the description of "completely iced over" because that implies so much more dramatically than just what I would consider a bit slippery. Don't these guys live in snow country in New England? .03" precip in freezing weather is nothing around here in NJ. That weather would be considered balmy in New England.

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If I can remember tomorrow I'll check what was recorded at the nearest COOP which would have manual obs (thus not as much of a problem with the undercatch)

There probably was a bit of "poetic license" in his statement, though. Some slickness which looked a lot better when put down as being totally iced over.

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Sending you my link to the research site. Maybe I'm missing something and, if so, please let me know.

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Regarding Keith Johnson & his N.E.A.R. account of the "lost" GH ep- I did mention upstairs that he came across in his emails as a slightly cracked egg at times, yeah? Seemed a nice enough guy, somewhat deluded imo regarding his version of a paranormal 'verse & he & his wife's place in it. Take his recounting of that case in '04 for what it's worth: an interesting read if you have the time. Notice the N.E.A.R. site page it's on is entitled "True Tales of the Paranormal." Keith may have emphasized the "tales" aspect in his tale just a tad
Now I have to order "Seeking Spirits" so I can compare the two accounts myself. And I was trying to avoid buying it, dammit.

Sorry you couldn't get into the Mortuary, Stephen. It's a fun tour if you're in the mood for it. Walking through Nola's cemeteries is free & worth your time if you haven't been, but you probably already have done that.

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Well, at least slightly cracked. He always seemed like a nice but somewhat odd guy on the show from what I remember but considering everyone else, he wasn't a standout in that area.

I'd check with the local library or sit in BN or Borders and have a latte. Just make sure you are sitting away from people. Hot coffee can scald!

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Yeah alicat, you're right. Borrow at BN some evening, not buy- why in the world should I fund their further escapades…

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Perhaps I'm not following it correctly, but the account on the webpage was written by the leader of this team and this report would presumably be an important part of the case file.
Leaving the changing of the names aside, the two stories should contain all of the same basic elements since Grant and his ghost writer would have no direct knowledge of the case and be working from the file.
If the differences cannot be reconciled, one has to wonder just what other liberties were taken in the accounts in this book.

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@ The Doctor:

"If the differences cannot be reconciled, one has to wonder just what other liberties were taken in the accounts in this book."

You are correct. That would seem to be the case in many areas and not just for the book.

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Out of curiosity I went over to Amazon & started reading the customer reviews for "Seeking Spirits." Re: the discussion going on here, part of one review listing the book's pros/cons jumped out: "Cons- One or two of the same stories in this as in a former TAPs member's book - Paranormal Realities." That'd be Keith Johnson's book. Anyone here have it? Wonder which stories are the same in both & how they compare/contrast.

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I stand corrected. Nosfer pointed out we were looking at the same sources but the precip table was hidden and although I did look at 1/3/04 and 1/4/04, you needed to look at the 1/4/04 and go backwards to get the entire 1/3 and partial 1/4. It's crazy. Why can't they just put one day on a page and not hide the precip tables?! However, bottom line to me is .03" in precip still does not seem to warrant the description IMO.

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Turns out it was a bit more than the 0.03" recorded by the AWOS (recall what I said about undercatch, not to mention variability of precip distribution) The COOP observer did not record temperature but we know it was right at freezing from what the AWOS reported (temperature from them is usually highly reliable) The COOP is a 7AM station meaning that the amounts given for day X took place from 7AM on day X-1 to 7AM on day X.

For the 3rd (which would be 7AM on the 2nd of January to 7AM on the 3rd) there was 0.08" reported and on the 4th (which would be the next 24 hours and covering specifically the time in question) there were 0.16" recorded. Unfortunately there are no notations in the remarks column of the form.

While the entire area may not have been under a sheet of ice, it was very likely enough to cause some pretty slick conditions which may have gotten embellished slightly for the book.

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I read the case on the TAPS forum some time ago. It was before the falling out with Jason and Grant.Why there would be differences in the two stories,i don't know. Maybe Jason and Grant wanted to make it more dramatic,who knows.
Grant's paranormal story just doesn't make any sense to me. Doesn't seem very scary at all and hardly worth hidding or not talking to someone about for years, just bogus.

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Greetings, Keith Johnson here. Although I have not as yet read Jason's and Grant's accounts, the best advice I can give is to read and compare. I'm unaware if J and G claim that the roads in Lewiston were iced over. From our own personal experience on our initial visit there, the roads there were untreated and quite treacherous, even on foot. For example, I recall that while Sandra and I were outside searching for the exact street address, and Brian was waiting in his car because he was feeling quite ill, I literally had to slide down a slight street decline to help maintain my balance. Also, from the multitude of unplowed driveways, and what did not appear to be fresh layers of snowfall, we surmised that unlike in RI, the people in this vicinity were pretty much self-sufficient in this weather… and were quite capable of bundling down for a long winters nap, so to speak. There may have also been a recent melting and rapid refreezing. There were certainly no sanding trucks in sight, as one would expect to see in our own area under similar conditions.

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Thanks for posting here Keith. Perhaps you can clarify some things that we have briefly discussed. You say you drove up to ME late in the day. Around what time did you leave and how long was your visit with the family? I guess I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around a drive to ME in the dark and then driving back the same night. Also, it's obvious you all have lives and families with obligations and so did this family, but was this usual or unusual? Thanks again and nice to see you stop by. Please come back often and give us your thoughts. It's nice to hear from someone "in the know".

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Keith,

Two additional questions if you don't mind. First, was this an apartment or a condo? Your use both terms in your writing and I could find no apartment or condo by that name in the area. Also, were you writing this for a script or your book? I ask because the style and conversations were so exact in detail and quoted.

Again, thanks in advance for your response.

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Hi Keith and welcome -

I'm curious that Jason, Grant or their ghost writers would not have contacted you when writing their book since they are only creating second hand accounts from what you and the others would have left in their files.

I may be wrong, but I don't think they could just take your report, change the names and publish it as their own. Over time, readers might even come to think the account on your website was stolen from their book.

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Hello, Keith. It's really nice to have you take the time to comment here on SV in this particular thread. I'm one more commenter who'd be very interested in discussing your write up of the TAPS '04 possession case that is also recounted in "Seeking Spirits."

As you might recall, our views on the paranormal were quite divergent back in 2006; guess we finally agreed to disagree, which is sometimes the best idea when discussing religion, politics, or in this case, the paranormal.

At any rate, it's wonderful to see you here at SV. Really did enjoy your posts on TWoP Ghost Hunters forums back in the day, as well as those of Donna LaCroix.

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"I may be wrong, but I don't think they could just take your report, change the names and publish it as their own. Over time, readers might even come to think the account on your website was stolen from their book."

Indeed, Doctor. Readers seem already to be comparing the two accounts, asking questions, choosing one version over the other. In this case I believe the commenter is referring to Keith Johnson's account posted on the TAPS site, but he can confirm that. Customer review of "Seeking Spirits" from Amazon includes this:

"There's so much they could have said, yet they didn't. For example, the story about the first season's "lost" episode was written by another TAPS member and posted in the TAPS forum later that season. It was a long and detailed account - a page turner. The facts weren't quite in sync with the story in the book. I tend to believe the longer, earlier account. Frankly, it makes me wonder if the rest of the stories in the book are completely honest being so truncated."

http://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Spirits-Atlantic-Paranormal-Society/product-reviews/1439101159/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&coliid=&showViewpoints=1&colid=&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

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M. Roget,

I agree with the assessment as well. Although I have not read this book, in my experience throughout the years of taking minutes, client interviews, etc., first memories written down immediately after an incident (and Keith's are very detailed) are fresh and generally found to be more of a correct representation of events. The longer the distance of time, the more apt that "facts" are skewed and misrepresented intentionally or not. It's just human nature that our mind cannot hold every minute of every conversation or specific facts of events no matter how much we think we do. You can ask two people simultaneously their versions and, although they will be pretty close, they won't be exact because we all see through different eyes. After a period of time, ask the same two people their version again, and you will see the difference. Wait a few years and write a book about the experience of someone else and your accuracy is going to be on the opposite end of the scale.

You also have to remember that this book was co-authored with Michael Jan Friedman who is a science fiction author who writes primarily Star Trek stories along with a other fictional stories.

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alicat -

What are you saying? That Star Trek isn't real? I am positive that Jason and Grant will be using tricorders in the near future…

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Mary, whatever are you implying my friend? You are misconstruing my writing of only 2 1/2 hrs. ago! LOL! I knew as I was writing my post that you, if anyone, would be the one to comment on that aspect! Thanks!

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Hi again. On our first investigation in Lewiston, which took place during the first week of January in '04, we left in the late afternoon, and briefly stopped at a local fast food restaurant for a bite to eat. Brian was already feeling a bit green around the gills, and he looked it. His condition grew progressively worse along the way, necessitating that I take over the driving. (We were in his white Malibu, and the steering was somewhat out of line.) Keep in mind that this was our initial investigation there, several months prior to Jason and Grant becoming involved. We were called in to consult by our friends Bill and Nancy Washell, who at the time were running Maine Paranormal. Brian did rally somewhat after we'd arrived for the investigation, but relapsed again during the drive back home. Sandra and I took turns driving back, and we were all fairly well exhausted… exceedingly so, in fact.

Skip ahead to over ten months later. We'd done a follow-up investigation in August of '04, which was filmed and was to be included in the first season of GH. This episode was in fact advertised in the previews for the final episode of the first season, and GH fans were waiting in anticipation because it involved a case of possible demonic possession. (Some may even recall the clip showing me seated in front of the allegedly possessed woman, as she says, "I hate you!!") In fact, this was advertised all week long, and even critics of GH were looking forward to seeing it. Then, after a different episode wound up being shown which hadn't even been advertised, there was quite an outcry on the TAPS forum from disappointed viewers, with people continually asking over and over what really happened during the "Possession Case," and why it hadn't been aired after being advertised. Although some people involved were hoping that the interest would eventually die down, the questions kept coming in, and they were mainly directed to me. So finally, I decided to write down the entire story for the TAPS forum. At that time I worked a regular nightly job, which necessitated that I write it in episodic form, with daily installments. This is the reason it appears in story form.
The two reasons that I recalled some of the actual conversations with such clarity, were because not that much time had transpired from the actual events, and also because Sandra and I had taken audio and video recordings during the Lewiston case, which I could use for reference. After we'd left and were no longer directly involved in the case, I did keep in touch with a couple of individuals there, who supplied me with additional information.
The residence in Lewiston was actually a condo, known at the time as Pine Hills, although last I heard it was under new ownership. The family had moved out by then anyway.

In my next book that I'm currently working on, "Paranormal Realities II," which will be a sequel to "Paranormal Realities," I do plan to include the "Lost Possession Episode" case. As will be indicated, I do intend to alter the family names this time. But yes, Brian was involved with this case, as well as Sandra and myself, and an investigator named Jill who is no longer with TAPS. Sandra and I still continue to include footage from our original Lewiston investigation as part of our lecture series.
Also, while it is true that other GH episodes have been filmed and for one reason or another have never been aired, the "Possession Episode," as mentioned, had been repeatedly advertised, so many fans were excitedly expecting to see it. This at least certainly succeeded in drawing in a huge viewing audience for the final first season episode. Whether or not this was intentional, I don't know.

Hope this helps to clarify some things:)

Take care,
Keith

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Keith,

Welcome again and thank you for posting more of your story and the clarification. I have to say I did wonder about the way it was written and just tonight told a friend of mine who is an author/playwright how amazed I was at the detail of your story.

I realize you are writing another book but if you would care to share any additional information on other episodes that were filmed by not aired, I'm sure everyone would be interested in hearing about them.

Given you are no longer officially associated with TAPS, may I ask if there is any remaining professional relationship with TAPS or any current members?

Can you speak as to your feelings regarding the differences between your story written shortly after the events and the version portrayed in this new book?

Again, thank you again for taking the time out to visit and post here. We would love for you to come back and give us your insight.

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Keith,

Thank you for posting. We are always interested in hearing from people who have an "inside" track to TAPS procedures and mentality.

As an obviously somewhat critical fan of TAPS and the seemingly enormous changes they have made over the years, both in their personalities and in their investigative techniques, I have to ask this question. And please, if this is too delicate a question or simply one that you aren't comfortable answering, I apologize in advance.

When you watch GH now, after having been affiliated with TAPS for so long yourself back in the early days, what is the difference (if any) in the way they approach an investigation? Also, since you were still involved with them during the inception of the television series, did Pilgrim offer you all as a group any "suggestions" as to changes that should be made, either in the way you all conducted yourselves or in the way you investigated? I'm asking this because I have often wondered if the overnight sea changes we've seen from TAPS have been influenced in any way by their production company.

Once again, I apologize if these questions are too intrusive, or if you are simply uncomfortable discussing them. I mean no malice whatsoever. I'm just very curious as to the "inner workings" of the group and of the production company as a whole.

Thank you, and we hope you keep coming back and posting!

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Hello. Yes, we are still in touch with some members of TAPS, such as Kristyn Gartland, and we do occasionally assist with TAPS cases, although it's been awhile since we've done so.

Although I don't always watch GH, there have been some changes in certain protocol which I tend to disagree with. Despite the fact that it is a TV show, and some amount of dramatic license is to be expected, there is also a clear responsibility to the paranormal field, and to those who would tend to emulate. For example, during the Slater Mill investigation of last year, Jason invited the spirit of a small boy he and Grant were supposedly communicating with through the K2 Meter, to come home with him and become a playmate for his youngest child. I know for a fact that Jason would never have said something like this back in the days when we would investigate together. And although it was obviously just an off-hand remark, meant in a humorous manner, there do exist certain types of parasitic, deceptive entities that will have no reservations to posing as innocent young children, and are just waiting for an invitation to invade someone's life. (This is how people get into trouble using the Ouija board, which is covered in a chapter in my book entitled "Ghost Magnet.")

As far as some of the discrepancies in some of the chapters in my book "Paranormal Realities" compared to Jason's Grant's and Michael's book are concerned, this doesn't really bother me at all. In fact, the controversy will hopefully help to generate book sales for all of us:)

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Thank you for your response Keith. Best Regards.

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Re: Grant; As I am not a doctor, nor a psychologist or psychiatrist, I hearby diagnose him with ParaMunchausen's By Proxy, or TasCat's Syndrome; The need to bring attention to oneself by inventing Paranormal Events, entities, telekinesis, doppleganger sightings, doppleganger disappearances, collar-tugs with flailing about one-handed with no fear of falling backward, thus not needing two hands to break potential falls, the urge to fling metallic objects through the air, itching, paranoia, feeling of being watched and even hallucinations.

*void where prohibited, must be 18 to order. Skeptics need not apply.
We now return to Stephen's excellent book review and thank Special Guest Keith Johnson for kindly contributing to the forum and hope he doesn't take bit of humor personally, I just happened to think of Munchausen's by Proxy, sadly, a very disturbing real disease while reading the review and thinking of Stephen's mention of the "Grant List". I really do look forward to more reviews by Stephen of his Paranormal book collection, as mentioned in another post on ideas for the forum, sounds great!

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