apparitions Shortlisted for The Haiku Foundation 2022 Touchstone Awards for Distinguished Books!

Almost exactly a year after its release, apparitions has been shortlisted for The Haiku Foundation 2022 Touchstone Awards for Distinguished Books. Winners will be announced next Monday on International Haiku Poetry Day. I'm over the moon. What a wild journey this book has taken me on. Congratulations to all the fantastic authors and their shortlisted works! And as always, I truly appreciate all your love and support. Thank you to the stars and back, and Happy Hauntings!

UPDATED/Monday, April 17, 2023: I didn't win but here are the great poets who did! Being Shortlisted is more than plenty and means I just need to write another banger. Cheers to celebrating great poets and poetry this National Poetry Month!

apparitions shortlisted for The Haiku Foundation
Touchstone Awards for Distinguished Books.

New Release: apparitions!

April is National Poetry Month and today is a very special day. My fifth book and first poetry collection is born. It's FINALLY book day for my long-awaited (five years, to be precise) poetry chapbook, apparitions, with what may be a familiar cover image by my husband and collaborator Jonathan Montgomery Pollock, now available from Highland Park Poetry Press!

apparitions explores the cycles of anxiety and depression, from the isolation of trauma and despair to the hope found in connection, reconciliation, redemption, and resiliency. Poet and storyteller Amelia Cotter invites readers to walk the liminal spaces between alienation and belonging, darkness and light, and the earthly and otherworldly in this lovingly curated collection of micro- and prose poetry, including haiku and haibun.

Salute to Haiku Featured Poets Reading & Poetry Open Mic with Charlotte Digregorio in Highland Park: Join me on May 14 at 5 p.m. at Madame Zuzu's Teahouse in Highland Park, Illinois, for the book's debut reading! I'll be sharing this event with renowned haiku poet Charlotte Digregorio, my haiku mentor and one of the book's editors.

Launch Party in Chicago: Join me on May 15 at 7 p.m. at Cuddle Bunny for a short reading from the book, a showcase of work from local poets Ruari Blake, Angelica Davila, Chris Kelle, and Jenene Ravesloot, light refreshments, and, of course, BUNNIES! My hope is that Cuddle Bunny will be a fitting location, considering the themes of the book, since animals inspire calm and healing. Of course, it will also be lighthearted fun for folks who are otherwise trapped in a room for an hour listening to depressing poetry. If you plan to attend, please consider bringing a donation of money or supplies, or making a purchase in the gift shop, to support Cuddle Bunny's mission.

Spring and Summer Poetry Series: An early part of the apparitions project involved collecting the poetry and photography of other talented writers and artists to share as part of a greater anthology. This component of the project didn't quite come together for many reasons, but I wanted to share the finest work Jonathan and I received as part of our celebration of the book's publication and this incredible year of poetry. I'll be sharing this series starting on Monday!

Your support is so much appreciated. This little chapbook "that could" is the culmination of years of hard work and I'm so proud to present it. The book has been on an intense journey. I have been on an intense journey, not only as a seasoned and confident writer who absolutely struggled through every minute of bringing this collection to fruition, but with my own mental and physical health over the course of the last five years. Most recently, I received a fairly serious diagnosis in February requiring surgery, which will happen in May. This collection bears more significance to me now than ever on my path to finding joy and taking pride in my survival. Please consider ordering a copy from Amazon or my online Store, and if you do, please also consider leaving a positive review on Amazon or Goodreads. Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

New Item: Abramelin Consecrating Solid Perfume and Anointing Balm!

Introducing our newest handmade item from Amelia's DragonGoddess Boutique! Jonathan's latest creation is another luxurious solid perfume and anointing balm, ideal for magickal or personal use. Last month, we celebrated the DragonGoddess Boutique's first birthday with a special sale, and we would like to extend that sale this month as well! Use coupon code DGB40 for 40% off all items through March 31. We also invite you to use our Friends & Family coupon code FFD15 for a 15% discount off your entire order any time. All DragonGoddess Boutique items are available from my online Store and at my in-person appearances as well! Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

Abramelin Consecrating Solid Perfume and Anointing Balm … $18.00

Each attractively packaged kit comes with one fragrance tin and corresponding affirmation card.

About: This solid perfume and anointing balm was handmade by Amelia’s husband Jonathan, using premium essential oils, organic beeswax, and olive oil. Derived from the recipe of the holy anointing oil of the Tanakh, originally described in the Book of Exodus, and a similar recipe found carved in hieroglyphs in the Temple of Horus in Egypt, it can be applied to the forehead and hands, as well as ritual instruments, and is intended to be used before meditation, prayer, or ritual work. It can also be used like a standard, unisex perfume. Test on a small patch of skin on the forearm before applying.

Fragrance: Herbaceous, penetrating, warm, and spicy-sweet with a honeyed finish.

Ingredients: Organic Beeswax, Organic Olive Oil, Myrrh Essential Oil, Galangal Essential Oil, Cannabis Essential Oil, and Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil.

New Item: Omega (Ö) Pathworking Solid Perfume and Anointing Balm!

Introducing our newest handmade item from Amelia's DragonGoddess Boutique! Jonathan's latest creation is a solid perfume and anointing balm, ideal for magickal or personal use, that smells and feels absolutely lovely. All DragonGoddess Boutique items are available from my online Store and now at my in-person appearances as well! Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

Omega (Ö) Pathworking Solid Perfume and Anointing Balm … $18.00

Each attractively packaged kit comes with one fragrance tin and corresponding affirmation card.

About: This solid perfume and anointing balm was handmade by Amelia’s husband Jonathan, using premium essential oils, extracts, and absolutes. Inspired by ancient anointing oil and temple incense recipes, it can be applied before meditation or ritual work, or used like a standard, unisex perfume. Test on a small patch of skin on the forearm before applying.

Fragrance: Earthy, floral, resinous, and woody spices with a honeyed finish.

Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Beeswax, Benzoin Extract, Myrrh CO2 Extract, Rose Absolute, Sandalwood Essential Oil, and Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil.

New Release: Where the Party Never Ended: Ghosts of the Old Baraboo Inn!

Today is book day! Where the Party Never Ended: Ghosts of the Old Baraboo Inn is now available from Haunted Road Media!

Join the party and meet the lively spirits of the Old Baraboo Inn!

The Old Baraboo Inn in Baraboo, Wisconsin, is one of the Midwest’s most haunted places. Home to a lively cast of ghostly characters, stories of the Inn’s sordid history abound. For more than 150 years, the Inn’s atmosphere has remained warm, welcoming, and full of music, dancing, laughter, and ghosts.

Join me for an exploration of the Old Baraboo Inn’s haunted history, ghost stories, and firsthand paranormal accounts—including more than 40 photos! The Inn is a place where many came to party and perhaps a few met their untimely end, and is a place where it seems the party never ended...

Virtual Launch Party: I invite you to join me on Tuesday, May 18, for the book's informal Virtual Launch Party at 7 p.m. | 6 p.m. CST via Facebook Live! I will read from the book, share some other haunted bar, hotel, and restaurant stories from around the U.S., and answer your questions.

Launch Party at the Old Baraboo Inn in Baraboo, Wisconsin: This will be happening on July 10, the same weekend as Baraboo's annual Big Top Parade & Circus Celebration! More details will be available soon on my Upcoming Appearances page, as well as on my and the Old Baraboo Inn's social media pages!

Your support is greatly appreciated, and you don't have to be from Baraboo to enjoy this collection of ghost stories about one amazingly haunted and historic place. If you order a copy of the book, please consider leaving a positive review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads. Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

Introducing Amelia's DragonGoddess Boutique, Part 2!

Exciting things are happening! At the end of last year, I launched a small online store with autographed postcards and signed copies of my books. At the beginning of last month, I launched the DragonGoddess Boutique with my husband, Jonathan. This venture is long overdue, as far as author branding and marketing are concerned, but it has also been one of Jonathan's lifelong dreams to make and sell homemade incense and other magickal items. Our first month proved to be quite a success and, just in time for International Women's Day, we've made a few changes, tweaked some things, and have launched a full online Store with our small but lovingly created and curated collection of items. It's been an interesting journey to view my brand and myself as a "woman-owned business," but it's true now more than ever. In fact, I've been a one-woman show (with some excellent help along the way) for  more than a decade since my first break into the publishing world.

Working logo for Amelia's DragonGoddess Boutique.

Coupon Code and Giveaway

This month, please use coupon code IWD15 for 15% off your entire order at my online Store. Additionally, anyone who makes a purchase this month will be entered to win a free item. I'll notify the winner on April 1!

In the coming months, we may even launch another DragonGoddess Boutique item or two, including bath teas or even candles (opinions welcome!). I have two books on deck for publication this spring and summer as well, which will of course be added to Amelia's Books & More.

Customer Reviews

Below, please see preliminary Customer Reviews for the DragonGoddess Boutique. Items include handmade incense blends created by my husband, Jonathan Montgomery Pollock, and unique bundles featuring dragon figurines and other goodies. Each attractively packaged kit comes with a corresponding affirmation card. Happy Women's History Month and, as always, Happy Hauntings!

"The stuff you guys sent me is fabulous and a nice blend of tradition and innovation. Thanks again!"
–David M., Banishment Blend/Tarot Contemplation Blend Incense Bundles

"Thank you! I enjoy the fragrance, it's real nice. It reminds me of when I lived in the Southwest."
–Mitchell P., Tarot Contemplation Blend Incense Bundle

"We got our blends today. Made our offering. They smell so nice!"
–Michelle L., Banishment Blend Incense Bundle

"Such a great birthday gift! I'll be ordering more! Thanks, Amelia!"
–Shelly W., Dragon Meditation Bundle (Blue/Intuition)

Introducing Amelia's DragonGoddess Boutique!

Together with my husband Jonathan, I have been working diligently on creating a mini side hustle that I had hoped to roll out this winter at in-person events, which have unfortunately (but understandably!) been postponed. Instead, we are excited to introduce the DragonGoddess Boutique as part of my online Store for now, where you can also purchase autographed postcards and signed copies of my books! 

Currently, we are offering three lovingly created and attractively packaged items, including handmade incense blends by my expert business partner and Magickal practitioner, Jonathan Montgomery Pollock! Jonathan sent out a survey this fall to gauge interest in the kinds of incense people like, and we chose the top two. Please check out our inventory below. Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

Banishment Blend Incense Bundle … $5.00/five cones or $10.00/ten cones

Each attractively packaged kit comes with incense cones and corresponding affirmation card.

About: This incense blend was handmade by Amelia's husband Jonathan, using no essential oils, and is well suited for any meditation or rituals involving healing, protection, courage, purification, and exorcism.

Fragrance: Atmospheric, attentive, dark, rich, and warm spices.

Ingredients: Australian Sandalwood, Japanese Makko, Indian White Dammar, Kenyan Black Myrrh, Peruvian Black Copal, Angelica Root, Clove Buds, Juniper Berries, Piñon Pine Resin, and locally sourced red wine.

Tarot Contemplation Blend Incense Bundle … $5.00/five cones or $10.00/ten cones

Each attractively packaged kit comes with incense cones and corresponding affirmation card.

About: This incense blend was handmade by Amelia's husband Jonathan, using no essential oils, and is well suited for general meditation, relaxation, and ritual use. Some of the magickal associations of these ingredients include healing, protection, peace, courage, prosperity, awareness, clairvoyance, luck, consecration, love, purification, and psychic visions.

Fragrance: Bright, gentle, smooth, welcoming, and mulling spices.

Ingredients: Australian Sandalwood, Japanese Makko, European Black Storax Bark, Ogadin Myrrh Resin, Benzoin Siam, Clove Buds, Galangal Root, Indian White Dammar, Mace, and a decoction of Vervain.

Dragon Meditation Bundle … $20.00

Each attractively packaged kit comes with a dragon figurine (please specify color choice: blue/intuition, green/abundance, purple/joy, or red/action), a matching locally sourced chime candle with black candleholder, a matching gemstone anointed with oils (blue/sodalite, green/serpentine, purple/amethyst, or red/rose quartz), and corresponding affirmation card.

About: Inspired by Amelia's lifelong love of dragons, each fun and friendly dragon kit is assembled with care and ideal for contemplation, journeying, meditation, other magickal workings, or just for fun!

Update: Amelia is a Higgypop 2020 Paranormal Entertainment Awards WINNER for Best Paranormal Book!

Hello friends, announcement time again! …This House: The True Story of a Girl and a Ghost is the Higgypop 2020 Paranormal Entertainment Awards Gold Winner in the Best Paranormal Book category!

Over 75,000 votes were counted, with 500 nominations across 15 categories. This little book that could has had a very good year. My writing career has had a very good year. And this would not have been possible without the support of all of you—my readers, fans, supporters, and friends. My heart is filled with joy and gratitude. 

You can view the ceremony, including my acceptance speech (shot at Waterdog Studios and starting around 7:20), here, and read more about the win here. Thank you all again so much, and thank you for sharing in this journey with me! Happy Hauntings!

This House for the win at the Higgypop 2020 Paranormal Entertainment Awards!

Amelia is a Higgypop 2020 Paranormal Entertainment Awards Nominee for Best Paranormal Book!

…That is to say, This House: The True Story of a Girl and a Ghost is the real MVP. 

Hello friends! I have been shortlisted for the Higgypop 2020 Paranormal Entertainment Awards in the Best Paranormal Book category for This House: The True Story of a Girl and a Ghost. Please take a moment to vote for me here and share with friends! Voting will be open through midnight (UK time) on Friday, November 13, and winners will be announced on November 29. As always, I truly appreciate all of your support. Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

This House shortlisted for the Higgypop 2020 Paranormal Entertainment Awards.

New Release: Breakfast with Bigfoot Third Edition!

Today is book day! The third edition of Breakfast with Bigfoot is now available from Haunted Road Media! 

For the budding paranormal geek in your life, this charming tale of a young girl's encounter with a friendly Sasquatch is based on the story of Albert Ostman's alleged kidnapping by a family of Bigfeet in 1924. For those whose eyes glossed over during that sentence, it's also a fun and simple guide of sound wilderness principles for the young nature enthusiast in your life. Please check it out, it's a great little addition to the back-to-school reading list for ages 3-6. Once again, I worked with Haunted Road Media to get this breakfast served, and would like to extend a special thanks to the wonderful artistic talents of the book's illustrator, Charles Swinford! The book's original 2011 illustrations still hold up as some of the sweetest  I've ever seen.

Virtual Launch Party: I invite you to join me next Tuesday, September 15, for the book's family-friendly Virtual Launch Party at 7 p.m. | 6 p.m. CST via Facebook Live! I will read from the book, share some other kid-friendly monster stories, and answer your questions.

How to win a signed copy: Anyone who participates in the Virtual Launch Party and leaves a comment will be entered for a chance to win a signed copy of the book! Likewise, anyone who retweets my pinned tweet on Twitter through Tuesday, September 15 will also be entered to win a signed copy of the book. Winners will be announced shortly after!

Your support is greatly appreciated. Everyone be safe and well. Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

New Release: This House: The True Story of a Girl and a Ghost 10th Anniversary Edition!

Today is book day! The 10th anniversary edition of my first book, This House: The True Story of a Girl and a Ghost, is now available from Haunted Road Media!

If you're one of the many people adding books to your shelves and e-readers right now, please consider this one. It's the little piece of nostalgia "that could"—a quick read for ghost story lovers and young/young adult readers (ages 9-12) that launched my writing career. The book has sold thousands of copies since it was first self-published a decade ago, and I am so proud to be working with Haunted Road Media, an excellent small press to support right now, to bring this beautiful edition to collectors and hopefully a new generation of Walter's fans.

Virtual Launch Party: I invite you to join me next Tuesday, April 14, for a special edition of Spooky Story Tuesdays at 7 p.m. | 6 p.m. CST via Facebook Live! I will read an excerpt from This House, share some other haunted house stories, show you some objects from Walter's House, and answer your questions.

How to win a signed copy: Anyone who participates in the Virtual Launch Party and leaves a comment will be entered for a chance to win a signed copy of the book! Likewise, anyone who retweets my pinned tweet on Twitter through Tuesday, April 14 will also be entered to win a signed copy of the book. Winners will be announced shortly after!

Your support is greatly appreciated. Everyone be safe and well. Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

In March 2020, I returned, for the first time in more than a decade,
to the site in Baltimore County, Maryland, where Walter's House once stood.

Hometown Horror: Now Airing on Travel Channel!

Tonight is the premiere of Travel Channel's new series Hometown Horror, airing Mondays at 9 p.m. | 8 p.m. CST. You can watch me and my husband Jonathan, along with our friends Shelly Wells and B.C. Farr of the Old Baraboo Inn, on Episode 5: “Three-Ring Terror,” airing on December 2!

The show explores small towns across the U.S. with dark, haunted, and otherwise weird history, and our episode will be about beautiful and intriguing Baraboo, Wisconsin. We filmed in Baraboo this spring, where I spoke on the topic of Native American burial mounds in and around Wisconsin, and Jonathan and I shared some ghostlore from the Baraboo area, including a strange experience of our own. Please watch, share, and enjoy the show! Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

Hometown Horror is now airing on Travel Channel on Mondays at 9 p.m | 8 p.m. CST.

Fall Reading and Book Recommendations!

Happy October, friends! I wanted to share my current reading, along with my reading goals for fall (and likely winter), and hopefully hear from you about what you are reading as well! I am also including a shameless plug for my own books, which are all great reads for a festive Spoopy Season. I had the most magical time on my trip to New Orleans last month, and I encourage you to get out this autumn and explore more—take yourself on at least one adventure, no matter how local. Drive down one back road. Peek around one dark corner. There is magic to be found all around us. Happy Hauntings!:

Current Reading

The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed & Lorraine Warren, by Gerard Brittle: I picked this up after the passing of Lorraine Warren earlier this year. It's quite an homage to the Warrens and provides fascinating insight into how alleged demonic activity is perceived from a very Catholic perspective.

Game of Thrones: A Dance with Dragons, by George R. R. Martin: I'm getting through it, slowly but surely, and am one of the five people left on the planet who hasn't seen the television series yet! I will treat myself to a binge-watch once I've wrapped this volume up.

Fall Reading Goals

Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, by Donnie Eichar: The Dyatlov Pass incident has been back in the media this year and it has my FULL attention. The Astonishing Legends podcast has a great series of episodes on the topic, and there are two excellent episodes of Expedition Unknown dedicated to this captivating mystery.

Get Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence, by Erica Dhawan and Saj-nicole Joni: I got a signed copy of this at the Administrative Professionals Conference in September in New Orleans, where Erica Dhawan was a keynote speaker. This will apply to my professional life as well as personal—effective communication is a skill we can use in all facets of our lives!

Gumbo Ya Ya: Louisiana Folktales, by Lyle Saxon, et al.: I bought this at Faulkner House Books in New Orleans and can't wait to devour this collection of Louisiana lore, including classic stories of the loup garou, New Orleans Axeman, Zulu King, and more.

Indian Mounds of Wisconsin, by Robert A. Birmingham and Amy L. Rosebrough: After filming with the Travel Channel in May and speaking on the topic of Man Mound in Baraboo, I picked this up in a Baraboo bookstore and hope to learn about, study, and visit more of these sacred places. I also found an old pamphlet detailing the locations of the many mounds in the town of Baraboo itself (now almost entirely built over).

Surviving Death: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Afterlife, by Leslie Kean: This book came highly recommended to me and it sounds really interesting. Near death experiences are not a topic I know a great deal about, so I am looking forward to opening Pandora's box.

The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man's Love Affair with Nature, by J. Drew Lanham: I got to see Drew Lanham speak this summer at a meeting of the Chicago Ornithological Society, and he delivered part of his talk about his adventures in birding and bird conservation in the form of spoken word poetry. It was beautiful, impactful, and timely.

The Interfaith Prayer Book, compiled by Ted Brownstein: I grabbed this at the Ba'hai Temple this summer. I would like to introduce more meditation and prayer into my life!

My Books

This House: The True Story of a Girl and a Ghost: Although originally intended for a young adult audience, this book has far and away been most popular with full-grown ghost hunters/paranormal investigators and paranormal enthusiasts. It's a quick read for adults. The book is almost ten years old now and in its third edition, and is still incredibly close to my heart.

Maryland Ghosts: Paranormal Encounters in the Free State: You don't have to be a Marylander to engage with this collection of 35 true personal experiences with the state's ghosts, monsters, and UFOs, including Civil War and other historic sites, as well as the infamous Jericho Covered Bridge near Kingsville and Ellicott City's Hell House.

Breakfast with Bigfoot: For ages three through six, this book is based on an historic Bigfoot encounter that is often retold in the media (and also on Astonishing Legends). I changed the main character from an adult man who claimed to be abducted by a Bigfoot to a girl who is rescued by a Bigfoot...and hilarity ensues. Get it for the kids, or for yourself. I won't tell.

Scary Stories: Now Available!

The Scary Stories documentary is now available on Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services! It will also be coming to DVD this summer, following a limited theatrical release. It aired last year at film festivals in select cities across the U.S., and has received overwhelmingly positive reviews.

I am so excited and proud to be interviewed in this documentary, getting to see myself on the big screen and fulfilling a childhood wish to appear in the same space as some of our generation's most respected children's literature and folklore writers. Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

Scary Stories is now available on the streaming services listed above.

The R.I.P. Files: Now Available on Amazon Prime Video!

The wait is over! The R.I.P. Files Seasons 1 through 3 are now available on Amazon Prime Video! You can watch me on Season 2 and Season 3. Please share with family and friends, leave a review, and stay tuned for more news! We will be coming to a television and more streaming services near you this fall!

Seasons 2 and 3 also aired on Syfy Asia and Really Channel and are streaming on UKTV Play. Season 1 aired on Foxtel Australia, Gaia US/Canada, and Sky New Zealand, and is also available on iTunes, Xfinity Stream, and more. Thanks and Happy Hauntings!

With the Season 2 cast of The R.I.P. Files (Malinka, Mark, Sherry, and Kenna).