Christopher Balzano
A teacher and folklorist living in the Boston area. He has been investigating the unknown for twelve years and running Massachusetts Paranormal Crossroads, a website dedicated to the paranormal and local folklore of Massachusetts, for more than five. His writing has appeared in such respected publications as “The Haunted Times” and “Mystery Magazine” as well as “Unexplained Paranormal Magazine.” His investigations have been covered by “The Boston Globe”, “The Boston Herald”, “The Standard Times” and “Worchester Magazine” and he has been asked to speak about urban legends and the paranormal at conferences throughout New England. He is a regular on several paranormal radio shows, including “The Ghost Chronicles” and “Spooky Southcoast” and has appeared in documentaries and television specials on the supernatural. He was one of the featured writers in Jeff Belanger’s Encyclopedia of Haunted Places and contributed to the collection Weird Hauntings and the soon to be released, Weird Massachusetts. His writing and research have also been featured in Thomas D’Agostino’s Haunted New Hampshire and Haunted Massachusetts and the recently released Ghostly Tails from America’s Jails
Christopher Balzano
Massachusetts Paranormal
Crossroads
www.masscrossroads.com
http://www.myspace.com/masscrossroads
(781) 799-2883
Christopher Balzano 20 Questions
1. Where do you see ghost hunting and Paranormal groups, web sites or Ghost information, tours, Books Paranormal Radio and Television in 10 years?
I think the current wave will run its course and people will drop
off. What will be left is the people who are really dedicated and
those are the people that will advance the field.
2. What would you personally consider to be the definitive proof that
ghosts are real?
I try not be weighed down with trying to prove to other people ghosts
exist. Those that believe will believe and nothing will change the
mind of the true skeptic.
3. What is the most real evidence you personally have uncovered so
far?
What I have seen with my own two eyes. I have also heard some EVPs
that respond to direct questions that are really hard to ignore.
4. Are you skeptical of the claims other make of their findings?
I’d say I like to question them about it and make sure it’s
accurate.
5. If you could investigate your "Dream Haunted Hot Spot"
where would it be?
Massachusetts…Danvers State Hospital
6. What was your first Paranormal encounter?
I lived in the Charlesgate Hotel in Boston for two years as my college
dorm. We would have things moved, hear odd noises and experience unexplained
things. The most disturbing thing that happened was when a spirit
became obsessed with my roommate and trying to kill him. We used boards
back in the day and it kept spelling out AC/DC. My roommate came back
from taking a shower and said he was almost electrocuted by touching
a light that had gone off while he was in there and standing in water.
We later found out an ex-girlfriend who had had treated very badly
had communicated with a spirit years earlier who had promised to protect
her. It gave her the same name we were getting on our board.
7. What scares you about Ghost Hunting or Paranormal Investigations?
Something coming home with me.
8. If you could work side by side with one of the Paranormal Investigator
greats, who would it be?
Probably Brad Steiger.
9. Read any good Paranormal Books lately?
Anything by Jeff Belanger.
10. What Question do people ask you most when you tell them your a
paranormal investigator, or Personality?
It usually is not a question. I get a look like I’m crazy and
then they tell me some story they heard or an experience they had.
11. In your opinion, Where is the most Haunted city in America?
Freetown, Massachusetts. The sheer number of cases for a small town,
the types of hauntings and the connection to other odd things in the
town make it an interesting place to delve into.
12. Do you feel more people should get involved with Ghost hunting
or Paranormal Investigation?
I think the scientific community should focus more of their energy
into looking into some of these things.
13. What does the future hold for you?
I have five books due out in the next two years…I see carpel
tunnel in my future…
14. Paranormal Conventions do you see them growing? And which ones
are the Must go to ones?
The good ones do it right. I would like to go to more in other places
across the country.
15. What is your most favored tool of the trade?
My eyes, ears and mind…that and my library card. Too many people
dismiss the senses and don’t look into the history of what they
are investigating.
16. Tell us about your best moment in investigating EVP's or conference
attending for you?
I get into a lot of connections between hauntings and urban legends
and how the back story for a haunting is often a motif that is well
known and probably not true. My favorite part of any conference is
seeing someone in the audience nod at an urban legend haunting they
though was true.
17. What is the hardest part about being a paranormal investigator?
Gaining the trust of people to get at the heart of what is happening.
18. How do you document your investigations?
I take notes on everything and get it all on tape and video tape.
19. Have you ever taken a ghost Tour?
No
20. What in the field of ghost hunting and Paranormal Investigating
needs the most attention?
I think we need to continue to develop the new technologies that are
being used, such as the Spirit Comm and Frank’s Box.
