True Ghost Stories from Ohio

Dark Figure's first DVD release is "True Ghost Stories from Ohio with Richard Crawford." This DVD covers such Ohio hauntings in south east ohio as The Faceless Hitchhiker, the Hookman of Pond Run Road, the Promont House, Utopia, and Smyrna Cemetary. Local Historian Richard Crawford gives up all the truth about Ohio's Haunted History. Mr. Crawford has released two books on the ghosts of clermont county ohio "Uneasy Spirits 13 Ghost Stories from Clermont County, Ohio" and "A Haunted History of Clermont County." He used to give haunted tours year round. The DVD has been featured in over 7 publications since it's release on sept. 25, 2006 and is available in Border's Books Eastgate, H&M Delia(Amelia), Border's Books (Springdale), Border's Books (Colerein), Joesph Beth Book Stores (Cincinnati), on filmbaby.com and in March at Chris Woodyard's site www.invink.com, and amazon.com. >
Produced by Andy Crosier and Richard Shane Reinert.

Reviews
Volume 1

Clermont Sun

"Deliciously creepy!"

Clermont Journal

"A good scare is closer to home than one might think"

HelloGhost.com

"Overall I give it an A."

Mike Weaver Myspace.com

"It really freaked me out."

Beyond the Reel TV

"It will have you reaching for a blanket (to hide)."

Dark Figure Productions had so much fun doing it the first time they came back for more. True Ghost Stories from Ohio volume 2 goes deeper and further into Ohio's hauntings. We traveled to Cincinnati, Columbus, Lancaster, Yellow Springs and once again to Clermont County in search of Ohio's true ghost stories. For those of you who asked for: reenactments you got it, first hand accounts.. done, more action less talk.. it's for real.
Available at Border's Books (Ohio), Joseph Beth Bookstores(Ohio), Barnes and Noble(Ohio)amazon.com,
invink.com and filmbaby.com
Produced by Andy Crosier and Richard Shane Reinert.

Reviews
Volume 2

"I loved the Cinematography and the lighting."

Director Bob host of My Awesome Talk Show

"True Ghost Stories from Ohio Volume 2" is a pleasure for friends and family to gather around the tv or campire and enjoy. Pick up this DVD statewide in Border's Books and Music locations.

Sean Paul Cincinnati Enquirer

I actually had the chance to meet Shane at an appearance here in Columbus on Tuesday and was able to watch all of Volume 2, this is some good stuff people, even if you do not live in Ohio you will enjoy this video.

Southern Ohio Paranormal Radio

SEE IT: LOCAL GHOST STORIES The truth is scarier than fiction. That's the premise behind "True Ghost Stories from Ohio, Volume 2," a 60-minute documentary that includes Cincinnati sites by Andy Crosier of East Walnut Hills and Richard Shane Reinert of Goshen.

Cincinnati Enquirer Life Section

Featured on The Today Show 10/30/08

Blackbeard's Ghost
retold by
S. E. Schlosser

The nefarious pirate Blackbeard (who's real name was Edward Teach) was a tall man with a very long black beard that covered most of his face and extended down to his waist. He tied his beard up in pigtails adorned with black ribbons. He wore a bandolier over his shoulders with three braces of pistols and sometimes he would hang two slow-burning cannon fuses from his fur cap that wreathed his head in black smoke. Occasionally, he would set fire to his rum using gunpowder, and he would drink it, flames and all. Many people thought he was the Devil incarnate.

For twenty-seven months, Blackbeard terrorized the sailors of the Atlantic and the Caribbean, ambushing ships and stealing their cargo, killing those who opposed him, often attacking in the dim light of dawn or dusk when his pirate ship was most difficult to see. He would sail under the flag of a country friendly to the nationality of the ship he was attacking, and then hoist his pirate flag at the last moment. When prisoners surrendered willingly, he spared them. When they did not, his magnanimity failed. One man refused to give up a diamond ring he was wearing and the pirate cut the ring off, finger and all. Once Blackbeard blockaded Charleston, South Carolina with his ships, taking many wealthy citizens hostage until the townspeople met his ransom. Later, Blackbeard ran one of his ships - the Queen Anne's Revenge - aground. Some say he did it on purpose because he wanted to break up the pirate fleet and steal the booty for himself.

In November of 1718, Blackbeard retreated to his favorite hideaway -- called Teach's Hole -- off Ocracoke Island. There, he hosted a wild pirate party with drinking, dancing and large bonfires. The party lasted for days, and several North Carolina citizens sent word to Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia. Governor Spotswood immediately ordered two sloops, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Maynard of the Royal Navy, to go to Ocracoke and capture the pirate.

On November 21, 1718, Maynard engaged Blackbeard in a terrible battle. One of Maynard's ships were between Blackbeard and freedom. Blackbeard sailed his ship - the Adventure - in towards shore. It looked like the pirate was going to crash his ship, but at the last second the ship eased through a narrow channel. One of the pursuing Navy ships went aground on a sand bar when they tried to pursue the Adventure. Blackbeard fired his cannons at the remaining ship and many of Maynard's men were killed. The rest he ordered below the deck under cover of the gun smoke, hoping to fool the pirates into thinking they had won. When the pirates boarded the ship, Maynard and his men attacked the pirates.

Outnumbered, the pirates put up a bloody fight. Blackbeard and Maynard came face to face. They both shot at each other. Blackbeard's shot missed Maynard, but Maynard's bullet hit the pirate. Blackbeard swung his cutlass and managed to snap off Maynard's sword blade near the hilt. As Blackbeard prepared to deliver the death-blow, one of Maynard's men cut Blackbeard's throat from behind. Blackbeard's blow missed its mark, barely skinning Maynard's knuckles. Infuriated, Blackbeard fought on as the blood spouted from his neck. Maynard and his men rushed the pirate. It took a total of five gunshots and about twenty cuts before Blackbeard fell down dead.

Maynard seemed to think that the only way to ensure that Blackbeard was dead was to remove his head. They hung the head from the bowsprit and threw the pirate's body overboard. As the body hit the water, the head hanging from the bowsprit shouted: "Come on Edward" and the headless body swam three times around the ship before sinking to the bottom.

From that day to this, Blackbeard's ghost has haunted Teach's Hole, forever searching for his missing head. Sometimes, the headless ghost floats on the surface of the water, or swims around and around and around Teach's Hole, glowing just underneath the water. Sometimes, folks see a strange light coming from the shore on the Pamlico Sound side of Ocracoke Island and know that it is "Teach's light". On night's that the ghost light appears, if the wind is blowing inland, you can still hear Blackbeard's ghost tramping up and down and roaring: 'Where's my head?'