Podcasts about fractured spirits hauntings

What exactly led to a woman being locked in an utica crib for 44 years while in an mental asylum? Alone and in the dark, she scratched her eyes out and pulled out her teeth. By the time she was moved to another facility, the woman could no longer stand or walk on her own. Author Sylvia Shults will be here to discuss what led up to this atrocity and what happened in the years the woman was in the crib and what happened after she was rescued by a doctor. According to Amazon, Shults has been writing for years, and recently made the switch from fiction to nonfiction. Following a lifetime spent in the pursuit of the weird and the strange, she now shares that passion with her readers. Her fiction (both horror and romance) is still floating around out there, but these days she concentrates on living a childhood dream -- telling true ghost stories. Her second nonfiction book, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, was featured on an episode of the SyFy Channel's hit show Ghost Hunters. It is the first book to examine the famously haunted asylum from both a historical and a supernatural perspective, and it was nominated for an award from the Illinois State Historical Society. In her spare time, Shults gets more material for her books by going on paranormal investigations. She wanders around cemeteries and sits in haunted morgues so you don't have to. She is much in demand as a speaker, and has made many media appearances in addition to the spot on Ghost Hunters. Website www.sylviashults.wordpress.com, for episodes of her paranormal podcast, Lights Out. Books Gone on Vacation 44 Years in Darkness: A True Story of Madness, Tragedy, and Shattered Love Fractured Spirits

Tonight, Sylvia Shultz joins me to discuss how a woman spent 44 years of her life locked away in a utica crib to the point of scratching her eyes out, pulling her teeth, loosing the ability to speak and resembling a skeletal figure...covered in rags. The mindset of care takers in those early days was truly bizarre! Lost in the shadows of Illinois asylums in the nineteenth century is the strange story of Rhoda Derry. Left at the Adams County Poor Farm when her family could no longer care for her, she spent the next 40 years confined in a wooden box. Abandoned, ignored, and traumatized, she had clawed out her own eyes, pulled her own teeth, and her legs were atrophied to the point that she could not stand on her own, or even sit in a wheelchair. She spent four decades locked away from the world. Her crime? Falling in love.   Rhoda suffered a mental breakdown after being "cursed" by the mother of a boy to whom she was engaged to marry. Committed to the poor farm because of her violent insanity, she was eventually rescued by pioneering alienist Dr. George A. Zeller. She was taken to the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois, where she spent the remainder of her days in comfort. Rhoda died in 1906, but her spirit lives on at the former asylum where she found peace.    The chilling story of Rhoda Derry is one of the great tragedies of mental health care in Illinois, but one of the great success stories of the Peoria State Hospital. Sylvia Shults, author of Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, returns to the hilltop to tell the story of Rhoda's life -- and her mysterious afterlife.Follow Our Other ShowsFollow UFO WitnessesFollow Crime Watch WeeklyFollow Paranormal FearsFollow Seven: Disturbing Chronicle StoriesJoin our Patreon for ad-free listening and more bonus content.Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradioFollow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTok Follow us on Twitter @mysteriousradio Follow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradio Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio]

Sylvia Shults is the author of several books of paranormal nonfiction, including 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River.She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to.She has spent the last nineteen years working at a public library, slowly smuggling out enough words in her pockets week after week to build a book of her own.She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital.After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode “Prescription for Fear”, about the Peoria State Hospital.In "Fractured Souls: More Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital (Crossroad Press Ladies of Horror)" Shults returns to the old hospital where during its operation from 1902 to 1973, mentally ill patients received the best care available for that time period. But once the doors closed forever, reports of paranormal activity began to surface. Do former doctors, nurses and patients haunt the halls of the once proud institution? Does EVP and other paranormal evidence prove the existence of ghosts?Shults presents compelling evidence in the the pages of the book that just may change the minds of even the biggest skeptics.Website sylviashults.wordpress.comBooks Fractured Souls: More Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital (Crossroad Press Ladies of Horror) Fractured Spirits 44 Years in Darkness: A True Story of Madness, Tragedy, and Shattered Love Tales from the Asylum Spirits of Christmas: The Dark Side of the Holidays Days of the Dead: A Year of True Ghost Stories Grave Deeds and Dead Plots Hunting Demons: A True Story of the Dark Side of the Supernatural Ghosts of the Illinois RiverGone on Vacation

Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital - Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood, as she is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm's Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people's supernatural experiences at the Peo- ria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum's abandonment. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Shults thoroughly explores the true history of the hospital. "It's fascinating," she says. "The Peoria State Hospital was a place of great advances in mental health care. Was there agony there? I don't doubt it. Mental illness is an agonizing thing. So is alcoholism. So is TB. But that's not nearly the whole story of this remarkable institution. There was also incredible tenderness and car- ing. Dr. George Zeller was responsible for unprecedented reforms in the field of mental health care. I feel incredi- bly fortunate to have been able to write a book that not only tells some really unnerving ghost tales, but also the true stories of Dr. Zeller and his dedicated staff." Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital is a result of years of research. Shults spoke to dozens of people who have had paranormal experiences at the abandoned asylum. She has also done many inves- tigations of her own. The book, and Shults' research, was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters ("Prescription for Fear", which aired January 30, 2013).Shults lives in Illinois with her husband. She works at the Fondulac District Library, mostly in order to feed her book addiction. She also serves as the Publicity Director for Dark Continents Publishing. In addition to nonfiction, she also writes romance and horror. She is the first to admit that there is a fine line between the two.Our radio shows archives and programming include: A Different Perspective with Kevin Randle; Alien Cosmic Expo Lecture Series; Alien Worlds Radio Show; America's Soul Doctor with Ken Unger; Back in Control Radio Show with Dr. David Hanscom, MD; Connecting with Coincidence with Dr. Bernard Beitman, MD; Dick Tracy; Dimension X; Exploring Tomorrow Radio Show; Flash Gordon; Imagine More Success Radio Show with Syndee Hendricks and Thomas Hydes; Jet Jungle Radio Show; Journey Into Space; Know the Name with Sharon Lynn Wyeth; Lux Radio Theatre - Classic Old Time Radio; Mission Evolution with Gwilda Wiyaka; Paranormal StakeOut with Larry Lawson; Ray Bradbury - Tales Of The Bizarre; Sci Fi Radio Show; Seek Reality with Roberta Grimes; Space Patrol; Stairway to Heaven with Gwilda Wiyaka; The 'X' Zone Radio Show with Rob McConnell; Two Good To Be True with Justina Marsh and Peter Marsh; and many other!That's The ‘X' Zone Broadcast Network Shows and Archives - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv

We love a story and a good ghost story even better. Today author Sylvia Shults. Slyvia has written several nonfiction books about the paranormal. She shares several of hers stories with us. You can find her books at https://sylviashults.wordpress.com/ More about Sylvia Sylvia Shults is the author of several books of paranormal nonfiction, including 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Grave Deeds And Dead Plots. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She has spent the last twenty-five years working at a public library, slowly smuggling out enough words in her pockets week after week to build a book of her own. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thatssomecrazyshitpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thatssomecrazyshitpodcast/support

Like me, Sylvia Shults is a collector of ghost stories and author but she is also a paranormal investigator. We had a fun conversation about our activities, what we had learned from them and about how she likes the historical context of the stories. She is the author of several books of paranormal nonfiction, including 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River. She lives a short distance away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode “Prescription for Fear”, about the asylum.Sylvia's books can be found at many libraries, and have been featured in area book clubs. Her most recent book, 44 Years in Darkness, has been named a runner-up in the Shelf Unbound Indie Book Contest, and has received a five-star review from Reader's Choice. She is also a highly sought-after speaker, especially in October.Sylvia's nonfiction books can be found on Amazon and she also maintains a blog at https://sylviashults.wordpress.com/.Please do like and share the podcast and help us grow! If you would like to help me in my activities while having access to more of my content please consider supporting me at https://www.subscribestar.com/magical-world-of-g-michael-vaseywww.garymvasey.comIntro music - G. Michael Vasey https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VGp06YwEMjiHvDS9wUnWF?si=aGo9khDrR6yStPlRdIEtyQOther sound effects - Zapsplat.com

Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital - Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood, as she is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm's Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people's supernatural experiences at the Peo- ria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum's abandonment. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Shults thoroughly explores the true history of the hospital. "It's fascinating," she says. "The Peoria State Hospital was a place of great advances in mental health care. Was there agony there? I don't doubt it. Mental illness is an agonizing thing. So is alcoholism. So is TB. But that's not nearly the whole story of this remarkable institution. There was also incredible tenderness and car- ing. Dr. George Zeller was responsible for unprecedented reforms in the field of mental health care. I feel incredi- bly fortunate to have been able to write a book that not only tells some really unnerving ghost tales, but also the true stories of Dr. Zeller and his dedicated staff." Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital is a result of years of research. Shults spoke to dozens of people who have had paranormal experiences at the abandoned asylum. She has also done many inves- tigations of her own. The book, and Shults' research, was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters ("Prescription for Fear", which aired January 30, 2013).Shults lives in Illinois with her husband. She works at the Fondulac District Library, mostly in order to feed her book addiction. She also serves as the Publicity Director for Dark Continents Publishing. In addition to nonfiction, she also writes romance and horror. She is the first to admit that there is a fine line between the two.For Your Listening Pleasure for these Lockdown / Stay-At-Home COVID and Variants Times - For all the radio shows available on The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network visit - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv.Our radio shows archives and programming include: A Different Perspective with Kevin Randle; Alien Cosmic Expo Lecture Series; Alien Worlds Radio Show; America's Soul Doctor with Ken Unger; Back in Control Radio Show with Dr. David Hanscom, MD; Connecting with Coincidence with Dr. Bernard Beitman, MD; Dick Tracy; Dimension X; Exploring Tomorrow Radio Show; Flash Gordon; Imagine More Success Radio Show with Syndee Hendricks and Thomas Hydes; Jet Jungle Radio Show; Journey Into Space; Know the Name with Sharon Lynn Wyeth; Lux Radio Theatre - Classic Old Time Radio; Mission Evolution with Gwilda Wiyaka; Paranormal StakeOut with Larry Lawson; Ray Bradbury - Tales Of The Bizarre; Sci Fi Radio Show; Seek Reality with Roberta Grimes; Space Patrol; Stairway to Heaven with Gwilda Wiyaka; The 'X' Zone Radio Show with Rob McConnell; Two Good To Be True with Justina Marsh and Peter Marsh; and many other!That's The ‘X' Zone Broadcast Network Shows and Archives - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv

Sylvia Shults is the author of several books of paranormal nonfiction, including 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River.She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to.She has spent the last nineteen years working at a public library, slowly smuggling out enough words in her pockets week after week to build a book of her own.She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital.After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode “Prescription for Fear”, about the Peoria State Hospital.Websitesylviashults.wordpress.com

We spoke with Sylvia Shults, author of "Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital" about her particular interest in that hospital, once known as the Illinois Asylum. Her time as a paranormal investigator has given her many interesting stories involving the supernatural, which she expertly describes in her books, which include the above title and "Days Of The Dead: A Year of True Ghost Stories".These, and all of her other works on the subject can be found on Amazon.com and by visiting her website at http://www.https://sylviashults.wordpress.com/

Sylvia Shults is the author of several books of paranormal nonfiction, including 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She has spent the last nineteen years working at a public library, slowly smuggling out enough words in her pockets week after week to build a book of her own. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital.After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Shults decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode “Prescription for Fear”, about the Peoria State Hospital.Shults loves hearing from her readers, especially when they have spooky stories of their own to share with her. She can be found at www.sylviashults.com, and on Facebook at the pages for Fractured Spirits and Ghosts of the Illinois River.

Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital - Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood, as she is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm's Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people's supernatural experiences at the Peo- ria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum's abandonment. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Shults thoroughly explores the true history of the hospital. "It's fascinating," she says. "The Peoria State Hospital was a place of great advances in mental health care. Was there agony there? I don't doubt it. Mental illness is an agonizing thing. So is alcoholism. So is TB. But that's not nearly the whole story of this remarkable institution. There was also incredible tenderness and car- ing. Dr. George Zeller was responsible for unprecedented reforms in the field of mental health care. I feel incredi- bly fortunate to have been able to write a book that not only tells some really unnerving ghost tales, but also the true stories of Dr. Zeller and his dedicated staff." Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital is a result of years of research. Shults spoke to dozens of people who have had paranormal experiences at the abandoned asylum. She has also done many inves- tigations of her own. The book, and Shults' research, was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters ("Prescription for Fear", which aired January 30, 2013).Shults lives in Illinois with her husband. She works at the Fondulac District Library, mostly in order to feed her book addiction. She also serves as the Publicity Director for Dark Continents Publishing. In addition to nonfiction, she also writes romance and horror. She is the first to admit that there is a fine line between the two.For Your Listening Pleasure for these Lockdown / Stay-At-Home COVID and Variants Times - For all the radio shows available on The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network visit - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv.Our radio shows archives and programming include: A Different Perspective with Kevin Randle; Alien Cosmic Expo Lecture Series; Alien Worlds Radio Show; America's Soul Doctor with Ken Unger; Back in Control Radio Show with Dr. David Hanscom, MD; Connecting with Coincidence with Dr. Bernard Beitman, MD; Dick Tracy; Dimension X; Exploring Tomorrow Radio Show; Flash Gordon; Imagine More Success Radio Show with Syndee Hendricks and Thomas Hydes; Jet Jungle Radio Show; Journey Into Space; Know the Name with Sharon Lynn Wyeth; Lux Radio Theatre - Classic Old Time Radio; Mission Evolution with Gwilda Wiyaka; Paranormal StakeOut with Larry Lawson; Ray Bradbury - Tales Of The Bizarre; Sci Fi Radio Show; Seek Reality with Roberta Grimes; Space Patrol; Stairway to Heaven with Gwilda Wiyaka; The 'X' Zone Radio Show with Rob McConnell; Two Good To Be True with Justina Marsh and Peter Marsh; and many other!That's The ‘X' Zone Broadcast Network Shows and Archives - https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv

Tonight, Sylvia Shultz joins me to discuss how a woman spent 44 years of her life locked away in a utica crib to the point of scratching her eyes out, pulling her teeth, loosing the ability to speak and resembling a skeletal figure...covered in rags. The mindset of care takers in those early days was truly bizarre! Lost in the shadows of Illinois asylums in the nineteenth century is the strange story of Rhoda Derry. Left at the Adams County Poor Farm when her family could no longer care for her, she spent the next 40 years confined in a wooden box. Abandoned, ignored, and traumatized, she had clawed out her own eyes, pulled her own teeth, and her legs were atrophied to the point that she could not stand on her own, or even sit in a wheelchair. She spent four decades locked away from the world. Her crime? Falling in love. Rhoda suffered a mental breakdown after being "cursed" by the mother of a boy to whom she was engaged to marry. Committed to the poor farm because of her violent insanity, she was eventually rescued by pioneering alienist Dr. George A. Zeller. She was taken to the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois, where she spent the remainder of her days in comfort. Rhoda died in 1906, but her spirit lives on at the former asylum where she found peace.  The chilling story of Rhoda Derry is one of the great tragedies of mental health care in Illinois, but one of the great success stories of the Peoria State Hospital. Sylvia Shults, author of Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, returns to the hilltop to tell the story of Rhoda's life -- and her mysterious afterlife. Want more paranormal episodes? Follow our new podcast 'Paranormal Fears' on any podcast app or Apple Podcasts. Enjoy the AD-FREE versions of our latest episodes and our archives right now from anywhere in the world. Get her book Visit our website  Like our Facebook Page for a chance to win a signed copy of Sylvia's book 44 Years in Darkness Seven - Our podcast for the jaded ones that need wicked stories in their lives! Check Out Mysterious Radio! (copy the link to share with your friends and family via text) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sylvia Shults is the author of 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and other books of true ghost stories. She has spent the past twenty years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital. She is also the writer, director, producer, and host of the true ghost story podcast Lights Out, available on YouTube, iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and anywhere else great podcasts are found. Tonight Sylvia is here to talk about her book, The Spirits of Christmas: The Dark Side of the Holidays. Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com

Sylvia Shults is the author of 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and other books of true ghost stories. She has spent the past twenty years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital. She is also the writer, director, producer, and host of the true ghost story podcast Lights Out, available on YouTube, iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and anywhere else great podcasts are found. Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com

During the first half of the 20th century, the Peoria State Hospital was the premiere mental health facility of its day. Dr. George Zeller instituted the eight-hour workday for his staff, removed patient restraints, and made the asylum into a model for the care of the mentally ill. Today, there are only a few buildings of the hospital left. Some of them are still in use, others are inhabited only by ghosts. Our guide to these ghosts - and the history they represent - is Sylvia Shults. In Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, she brings a passion for paranormal investigation to her adventures at this haunted hotspot. The spirits come to life once more as Shults explores their former home. Other voices help her tell the story: This is a collection of people's experiences at the Peoria State Hospital. Ghost hunting groups, sensitives, former nurses, and ordinary people share their stories with us, their voices resonating to create a panoramic view to rival the vista of the Illinois River. To visit the remaining buildings of the Peoria State Hospital today is to visit a small piece of history. A ghost story over a hundred years in the making, Fractured Spirits is narrative nonfiction at its finest.

Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital - Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood, as she is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm's Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people's supernatural experiences at the Peo- ria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum's abandonment. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Shults thoroughly explores the true history of the hospital. "It's fascinating," she says. "The Peoria State Hospital was a place of great advances in mental health care. Was there agony there? I don't doubt it. Mental illness is an agonizing thing. So is alcoholism. So is TB. But that's not nearly the whole story of this remarkable institution. There was also incredible tenderness and car- ing. Dr. George Zeller was responsible for unprecedented reforms in the field of mental health care. I feel incredi- bly fortunate to have been able to write a book that not only tells some really unnerving ghost tales, but also the true stories of Dr. Zeller and his dedicated staff." Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital is a result of years of research. Shults spoke to dozens of people who have had paranormal experiences at the abandoned asylum. She has also done many inves- tigations of her own. The book, and Shults' research, was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters ("Prescription for Fear", which aired January 30, 2013).Shults lives in Illinois with her husband. She works at the Fondulac District Library, mostly in order to feed her book addiction. She also serves as the Publicity Director for Dark Continents Publishing. In addition to nonfiction, she also writes romance and horror. She is the first to admit that there is a fine line between the two.

Sylvia Shults is the author of 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and other books of true ghost stories. She has spent the past twenty years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital. She is also the writer, director, producer, and host of the true ghost story podcast Lights Out, available on YouTube, iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and anywhere else great podcasts are found. Tonight Sylvia is here to talk about her book, The Spirits of Christmas: The Dark Side of the Holidays. Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com

Sylvia Shults is the author of 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and other books of true ghost stories. She has spent the past twenty years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital. She is also the writer, director, producer, and host of the true ghost story podcast Lights Out, available on YouTube, iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and anywhere else great podcasts are found. Tonight Sylvia is here to talk about her book, The Spirits of Christmas: The Dark Side of the Holidays. Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com

Hello everyone! Welcome to another great episode where we talk with author Sylvia Shults. Sylvia Shults has been writing for years, and recently made the switch from fiction to nonfiction. Following a lifetime spent in the pursuit of the weird and the strange, she now shares that passion with her readers. Her fiction is still floating around out there, but these days she concentrates on living a childhood dream -- telling true ghost stories. Her second nonfiction book, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, was featured on an episode of the SyFy Channel's hit show Ghost Hunters. It is the first book to examine the famously haunted asylum from both a historical and a supernatural perspective, and it was nominated for an award from the Illinois State Historical Society. In her spare time, Shults gets more material for her books by going on paranormal investigations. She wanders around cemeteries and sits in haunted morgues so you don't have to. She is much in demand as a speaker, and has made many media appearances in addition to the spot on Ghost Hunters. Please feel free to visit her website, http://www.sylviashults.wordpress.com, for episodes of her paranormal podcast, Lights Out. On tonight's show we will be talking about her newest book 'Fractured Souls: More Hauntings at the Peoria State Hosptial' which you can find on Amazon by going to https://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Souls-Hauntings-Peoria-Hospital-ebook/dp/B07TY8R9ZH/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=fractured+souls&qid=1565129789&s=gateway&sr=8-2. We can't wait to talk to her and we hope you enjoy the show!!  

Sylvia Shults is the author of 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and other books of true ghost stories. She has spent the past twenty years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital. She is also the writer, director, producer, and host of the true ghost story podcast Lights Out, available on YouTube, iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and anywhere else great podcasts are found. Tonight Sylvia is here to talk about her book, The Spirits of Christmas: The Dark Side of the Holidays. Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com

Sylvia Shults is the author of 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and other books of true ghost stories. She has spent the past twenty years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital. She is also the writer, director, producer, and host of the true ghost story podcast Lights Out, available on YouTube, iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and anywhere else great podcasts are found. Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! or visit Tamara and Alistair at their websites. This is a copyrighted, trademarked podcast owned solely by the Authors on the Air Global Radio.  

Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book, Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood. She is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm’s Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people’s supernatural experiences at the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum’s abandonment. The book, and Shults’ research, was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters (“Prescription for Fear”, which aired January 30, 2013). Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com This is a copyrighted, trademarked podcast owned solely by the Authors on the Air Global Radio, LLC.

Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book, Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood. She is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm’s Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people’s supernatural experiences at the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum’s abandonment. The book, and Shults’ research, was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters (“Prescription for Fear”, which aired January 30, 2013). Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com This is a copyrighted, trademarked podcast owned solely by the Authors on the Air Global Radio, LLC.

Sylvia Shults, author of Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, presents the chilling true story of a woman who steps over the line into the darkest corners of the paranormal. Examining the history of diabolical folklore, possession, the spirit world, and fallen angels, she then reveals one woman's battle against demonic oppression, human frailty, and Linda's all-encompassing trust in her God. It's a compelling volume for anyone with an interest in the paranormal, and a must-read about the dangers of the supernatural -- and about what just might be waiting for us out there in the darkness. Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com This is a copyrighted, trademarked podcast owned solely by the Authors on the Air Global Radio, LLC.

Sylvia Shults is the author of 44 Years in Darkness, Hunting Demons, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River. She has spent the past nineteen years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital. Sylvia loves hearing from her readers, especially when they have spooky stories of their own to share with her. She can be found at www.sylviashults.com, and on Facebook at the pages for Fractured Spirits and Ghosts of the Illinois River. Join the Thorne & Cross newsletter for updates, book deals, specials, exclusives, and upcoming guests on Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! by visiting Tamara and Alistair at their websites: alistaircross.com and tamarathorne.com This is a copyrighted, trademarked podcast owned solely by the Authors on the Air Global Radio, LLC.

On this spooky and historically fascinating episode of After Hours AM/America’s Most Haunted Radio — with Joel Sturgis and Eric Olsen — we speak with author, storyteller, podcaster, paranormal investigator, and queen of the wildly haunted Peoria State Hospital, Sylvia Shults. We talk with Sylvia in hour 2; at Hour 1 Joel and Eric review the week’s most confounding paranormal news and banter wittily. Sylvia Shults has loved ghost stories ever since she was a kid growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. She was raised on tales of the ghosts of St-James-the-Sag, Archer Avenue, Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Resurrection Mary, and the screaming mummy of the Field Museum. Battling an intense, lifelong dread of the dark, she decided to face her fears head on and become a ghost hunter. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don’t have to, unless you want to, then join her. Sylvia has spent the last nineteen years working at a public library, slowly smuggling out enough words in her pockets, week after week, to build books of her own, and now she is the author of several books of paranormal fiction, and more recently, nonfiction, including 44 Years in Darkness, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River. Fractured Spirits was featured on an episode of the SyFy Channel’s hit show Ghost Hunters. It is the first book to examine the famously haunted Peoria State Hospital from both a historical and a supernatural perspective, and it was nominated for an award from the Illinois State Historical Society. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from that haunted asylum, and she spends much of her ghost hunting time there. Please feel free to visit her website for more info and episodes of her paranormal podcast, Lights Out. 44 Years In Darkness In the later part of the nineteenth century, Rhoda Derry spent over

Sylvia Shults is the author of 44 Years in Darkness, Hunting Demons, Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital, and Ghosts of the Illinois River. She has spent the past nineteen years working in a library, slowly smuggling words out in her pockets day by day to build a book of her own. She sits in dark, spooky, haunted places so you don't have to. She lives a short, ten-minute motorcycle ride away from the haunted asylum that features in so many of her books. She considers it the highest privilege to share the incredible, compassionate history of the Peoria State Hospital. After battling an intense, lifelong fear of the dark, Sylvia decided to become a ghost hunter. (What WAS she thinking?) As a paranormal investigator, she has made many media appearances, including a tiny part in the Ghost Hunters episode "Prescription for Fear", about the Peoria State Hospital. Sylvia loves hearing from her readers, especially when they have spooky stories of their own to share with her. She can be found at www.sylviashults.com, and on Facebook at the pages for Fractured Spirits and Ghosts of the Illinois River. Thorne and Cross’ new thriller, MOTHER, is available now. http:Visit Tamara and Alistair at their websites. This is a copyrighted, trademarked podcast owned solely by the Authors on the Air Global Radio

Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood, as she is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm’s Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people’s supernatural experiences at the Peo-ria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum’s abandonment. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Shults thoroughly explores the true history of the hospital. “It’s fascinating,” she says. “The Peoria State Hospital was a place of great advances in mental health care. Was there agony there? I don’t doubt it. Mental illness is an agonizing thing. So is alcoholism. So is TB. But that’s not nearly the whole story of this remarkable institution. There was also incredible tenderness and car-ing. Dr. George Zeller was responsible for unprecedented reforms in the field of mental health care. I feel incredi-bly fortunate to have been able to write a book that not only tells some really unnerving ghost tales, but also the true stories of Dr. Zeller and his dedicated staff.” Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital is a result of years of research. Shults spoke to dozens of people who have had paranormal experiences at the abandoned asylum. She has also done many investigations of her own. The book, and Shults’ research, was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters (“Prescription for Fear”, which aired January 30, 2013).  

This week Eric, Lon and Amy welcome Sylvia Shults to the program. Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood, as she is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm's Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people's supernatural experiences at the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum's abandonment. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Shults thoroughly explores the true history of the hospital. “It's fascinating,” she says. “The Peoria State Hospital was a place of great advances in mental health care. Was there agony there? I don't doubt it. Mental illness is an agonizing thing. So is alcoholism. So is TB. But that's not nearly the whole story of this remarkable institution. There was also incredible tenderness and caring. Dr. George Zeller was responsible for unprecedented reforms in the field of mental health care. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to write a book that not only tells some really unnerving ghost tales, but also the true stories of Dr. Zeller and his dedicated staff.” Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital is a result of years of research. Shults spoke to dozens of people who have had paranormal experiences at the abandoned asylum. She has also done many investigations of her own. The book, and Shults' research, was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters (“Prescription for Fear”, which aired January 30, 2013). Shults lives in Illinois with her husband. She works at the Fondulac District Library, mostly in order to feed her book addiction. She also serves as the Publicity Director for Dark Continents Publishing. In addition to nonfiction, she also writes romance and horror. She is the first to admit that there is a fine line between the two. "Sylvia Shults's FRACTURED SPIRITS is a fascinating, touching, creepy, riveting read -- a sort of Central Illinois Ghost Adventures -- set in the defunct chambers of the Peoria State Hospital. Shults is a natural story-teller, and she gets at something deeper and more poignant here than mere phantoms..." - Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling co-author of THE WALKING DEAD: THE ROAD TO WOODBURY www.sylviashults.com and www.darkcontinents.com Visit www.facebook.com/FracturedSpirits for an interactive experience. Listen to EVPs, watch videos, and share your own ghost stories about the Peoria State Hospital!

On this episode of The Blurred Line, Sue and John speak with Sylvia Shults, author of Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. Sylvia spent many years researching and investigating the hospital's history and people. What resulted was a compilation of amazing stories, EVPs, and a downright haunting book! www.sylviashults.com www.harrisburgareaparanormalsociety.com https://www.facebook.com/BlurredLine

In this episode of Paranormal Underground Radio, we talk with Sylvia Shults, author of Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital! Sylvia Shults has been a paranormal investigator for several years. She began her career as a ghost hunter as a result of doing the research for her nonfiction book Ghosts of the Illinois River (Quixote Press, 2010). Her fascination with ghosts dates back to her childhood, as she is an avid reader who was raised on Grimm’s Fairy Tales. A few years ago, Shults was inspired to write a collection of people’s supernatural experiences at the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville, Illinois. This project quickly swelled into Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. The book incorporates the history of the asylum ,as well as the many ghost stories that have arisen out of the asylum’s abandonment. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, Shults thoroughly explores the true history of the hospital. Air Date: July 25, 2013Topic: Peoria State Hospital, Haunted Sites, Paranormal InvestigationGuest: Sylvia ShultsHosts: Karen Frazier and Rick HaleProducer: Cheryl Knight