Who is Fiona Broome

Fiona Broome researches ghosts, especially in her native New England, in Ireland, and throughout the U.K. She specializes in haunted locations that are open to the public.

In the 1990s, her website was one of the first to provide free, how-to information for ghost enthusiasts, and to list haunted public places that people can explore on their own.

Fiona has written several books, including "The Ghosts of Austin, Texas" (Schiffer Books, 2007), and her stories have appeared in Fate magazine and in collected works such as "Weird Hauntings" (Sterling, 2006).

Ms. Broome is also a respected Celtic historian, specializing in faerie lore, Glastonbury (England) legends, and Irish history.

Fiona Broome was the model for the character, Fiona, in the 2007 "Charmed" novel, Trickery Treat.

In Trickery Treat, the concluding novel in the Charmed series, Fiona was the "guest star" of the story.

In this fast-paced and entertaining tale, Fiona is -- of course -- a ghost hunter. She helps the Charmed sisters untangle a series of problems from other realms, which threatened to wreak havoc at their annual Halloween party.

Q. Readers ask me if you're a witch. Are you?

"The apparent preoccupation with my religious beliefs... it amuses me. It's so odd. I often identify with Stevie Nicks in that respect. I mean, my work isn't focused on religion. And, no one's ever asked me what churches people like Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson go to. (In fact, I don't know if they go to church or not. It's not important to our friendship.)

"People like Dustin Pari, of Ghost Hunters International, sometimes make religion a focal point in their paranormal work. Dustin and I are great friends, but that's neither because of nor in spite of his religious beliefs and practices.

"I use and respect the word 'witch' because my own ancestors were involved in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. I also believe that magick (or magic) works, but the mechanics of it may not be 100% spiritual. I'm convinced that correspondences and sympathetic magick may access quantum worlds. It's probably not as exciting as saying it's 'magic', but... well, that's how I look at it.

"I also respect those who revere or worship deities that are different from my spirituality. The word 'witch' is a label that lumps all of one kind of Pagan beliefs & practices into one group. It's not that simple. If you ask witches who they focus their requests or spiritual worship on, you may hear a wide range of answers.

"Then there's the difference between Wicca, the religious beliefs & practice of witchcraft, and practices often categorized as 'superstitions'. That is, if you avoid walking under a ladder, or shudder if you break a mirror, is that 'witchcraft' or something else?

"That's my dilemma when I reply to this question. The answer can't be a yes or no when you're as immersed in science and spirituality as I am.

"However, if you're asking if I'm a member of a coven, the answer is no. I am an honorary High Priestess, but I also have a few honorary university degrees, and an honorary US Park Ranger certificate, too. Those are simply commendations and recognitions."

Q. So, where did the witchcraft connection start?

"That goes back to a NH radio show I appeared on regularly around 2000. The host of the show liked how sensational it sounded when he called me a witch. I didn't object because the show was pretty silly anyway.

"In addition, my research and my writing involve Pagan beliefs and practices from history. I can see how the confusion started, but my personal spiritual beliefs are distinct from my research and writing. I'd like to maintain that."

Q. How do you connect magic and paranormal research?

"What fascinates me is the unexplained.

"If someone from the 14th century saw me approach my house and all the first floor lights turned on 'by themselves', he'd be convinced that I'd used a spell or something mystical. He might not have seen me click the switch on my keychain that, with radio waves, sends the 'lights on' signal to my first floor lights.

"That's how I view my studies, from faeries to ghosts to... well, whatever 'paranormal' subjects interest me this week. I think the vast majority of these phenomena can be explained by very normal science."

Q. What 'normal' science is that?

"I believe in parallel universes and quantum physics. (My favorite movie about this is 'What the Bleep...' but I also like many parts of the slightly dated NOVA episode, 'The Elegant Universe".)

"I believe that, for every decision we make, at least one other universe exists in which we (or our 'we' counterparts) make a different decision.

"Maybe there is a universe in which 20th century fascism succeeded on a broad scale. That's illustrated in the movie of Shakespeare's 'Richard III' starring Sir Ian McKellen.

"I like to think that there's at least one universe where alchemy wasn't a secret science, but became a popular practice. (After all, alchemy can be a metaphor for perfecting our lives, transforming lead into gold.)

"Perhaps another universe has developed alchemy to improve the quality of life and practices time travel... from a 'fantasy' world represented by our Renaissance Faires and Terry Pratchett's Discworld stories. Hogwarts might be very real in another realm, as well.

"I also believe it's possible to cross planes (or membranes) to visit other universes. This explains some, but not all, of our 'ghost' encounters; they're still alive in their own time, but visiting our time and reality.

"While some ghosts can be explained in the classic way, I think it's important to think beyond simplistic labels and concepts.

"I think that the answers to many of these questions (but not all of them) are within our reach. I think that the pattern of ghosts and haunted places will help us understand that phenomena better.

"I'm not rejecting traditional explanations for ghosts and 'paranormal' topics. I'm not rejecting technology, either.

"We need to look far beyond simplistic, one-size-fits-all answers. In doing so, we embark on a fascinating adventure filled with 'what if' questions."

Q. So, what's next for Fiona Broome?

"In the autumn of 2011, I ran some surveys at HollowHill.com. The results showed me that people have enough ghost-related information at that website. It's time for me to do something different.

"That includes more extreme paranormal research and writing, and especially books such as Paranormal Patterns and Paragenealogy.

"I've also been focusing on other websites, loosely related to Hollow Hill. One, Fiona Broome's Lab, describes my thoughts about the paranormal-quantum connections. The other is just a hobby site, Fiona Broome's 'Haunted or Not?', where I note ghost reports and videos, and share my thoughts about them.

"Other than that, I'm not sure where my research will lead."

Q. Hollow Hill will remain online?

"Oh my goodness, yes! I built that site over a period of about 15 years. It's not going anywhere."

Q. If readers have a question, how can they reach you?

"The contact forms at FionaBroome.com and HollowHill.com reach me. The problem is, I'm not always online, and the volume of emails I still receive... they make it pretty difficult to answer even a small percentage of them. However, I read all the emails, to learn what interests people and to discover startling paranormal trends."

Q. Trends? What's new?

"Well, by the time your readers see this, things may have changed. In late 2011, I started hearing far more reports of things I'd describe as faeries, not ghosts. In addition, I'm hearing more about audible encounters, where something says the person's name, or a word or two. That's a welcomed relief after several years of massive 'shadow people' reports."

Q. Is there an answer to that?

"I think the emergence of faerie reports is a growing trend. I'm also hearing more about alternate realms, or perhaps parts of our world people haven't explored before. Some relate to things like the Bennington Triangle stories in Vermont, and other vortex points.

"I don't know where this will lead us in paranormal research, but it's interesting. This is the kind of thing I want to pursue, next."

Thanks for your time.