2/20/09

OK Paracon Features Stories

PRESS RELEASE
Tonya Hacker, Tammy Wilson, or Amanda Wagaman
okparacon@gmail.com
(580) 402-6732
www.ghouli.org or www.eerieok.com

Oklahoma ParaCon 2009 Hosted by the “Ghost Divas” and the El Reno Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is set for Saturday, March 21, 2009 at the Historical & Haunted Elk’s Lodge No. 743.

El Reno, OK – The 4th annual Oklahoma Paranormal Conference will be held at the historic Elks Lodge in El Reno, Oklahoma on March 21, 2009. This year’s event will feature many speakers from across the nation and Oklahoma.

2009 speakers include nationally recognized ghostologists such as Oklahoma favorites Troy Taylor, author, and TruTV’s “Haunting Evidence” star Patrick Burns who will headline the conference. Other speakers are Oklahoma’s very own skeptic, Dr. Bryan Farha, Paranormal Deep Sea Diver Lee Ehrlich of Florida, Georgia Ghost Society founder Bob Hunnicutt, Oklahoma story-teller Marilyn Hudson, Oklahoma’s only TV horror host Brian “Dr. Fear” Young, and Paranormal Investigation Team of Tulsa and Tulsa’s Spirit Tour coordinators Teri French and Russ White. The event is being emceed by internationally known Brian and Anna Marie of Ghostology! - internet radio powered by CBS.

This year’s theme is “It was a dark and stormy night…Celebrating the ghost story!” Ghost stories have intrigued everyone for centuries, so we invite everyone to explore, share and understand the power of the ghost story. From the psychology behind why we like to be afraid to the ghostly tales of yesterday and today, it will all be discovered in a fun and educational setting.

Ghostlahoma, the only book solely dedicated to Oklahoma ghost stories will be released at the Oklahoma ParaCon. Written by para-historians Tonya Hacker and Tammy Wilson, Ghostlahoma will chill your bones and warm your heart with over 40 true tales of hauntings from the Sooner State. From the first published ghost story in Oklahoma to present day phantom hitchhikers, this book will take you through over 100 years of Oklahoma’s haunted history.

The El Reno Convention and Visitor’s Bureau will be hosting historically themed Upper Floor Tours and dinner events later in the evening in downtown El Reno. There will also be trolley tours that are fundraisers for the Preserve El Reno Program. Dinner will be available for purchase at the main event at the Elk’s Lodge.

Oklahoma ParaCon 2009 will be held at the Historically Haunted Elks Lodge in El Reno, OK on March 21, 2009 beginning at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $25 each for the event if purchased in advance, and $30 at the door. Tours and dinners will be an additional cost. This event is approved for teenagers to seniors, no matter how old, or how skeptical. OK ParaCon is becoming a part of Oklahoma’s history, one story at a time.

GHOULI, Eerie Oklahoma, and the Ghost Divas strive to preserve and promote Oklahoma’s history through research and to present it in educational and fun venues. ###END

2/19/09

CHOCTAW LIBRARY TO HOST STORY SWAP SERIES

Encouraged by the community members who joined in telling stories at Tellabration, the Choctaw Library and The WayWord Tellers will be starting a spring session of story swapping.
Check your calendars and see if you would be able to come and share some stories.Story Telling and Story Swapping:
Saturdays, Feb 28, Mar 28 & Apr 25 at 10:00 A.M.-11:00 A.M.
Teens and adults are invited to the Choctaw Library to join Rosemary Czarski and members of the WayWord Tellers for storytelling & storyswapping.
Come & share your funny stories, sad stories, healing stories, animal and people stories. Pre-registration preferred: 405-390-8418Choctaw Library, 2525 Muzzy
Sponsored by WayWord Tellers, a Oklahoma City areawide storytelling organization, And Choctaw Library

2/17/09

Border Qeen Book Festival, March 7


"I would like to give an invitation to attend the second Border Queen Book Festival in Comanche, OK. on Saturday, March 7th from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. We have 50 authors from 6 different states attending. There is no cost, it is a free event where you may visit with an author, publisher, or illustrator of both children's and adult books of every genre. This is a growing event giving teachers an opportunity for Personal Development Certification Points if your schools allow such. We will be at the Asbury Complex, 410 S. 2nd Street, a beautiful facility to accommodate a large crowd. Lunch can be purchased on the site for $6. Our event is an all-volunteer effort that supports Literacy Awareness in our corner of the pasture in Oklahoma. Come take advantage of this educational experience. Tonya Holmes Shook, Director/Coordinator of the Border Queen Book Festival "


MEDIA RELEASE Border Queen Book Festival 2009 Oklahoma’s second Border Queen Book Festival (BQBF) will be held Saturday, March 7, 2009, from 10 - 3 PM in the new Asbury Complex at 410 South 2nd Street in Comanche, OK. The City of Comanche expects statewide attendance with added attractions scheduled for 2009, a Chautauqua being one of them on Friday evening, March 6th. We are expecting 50 authors, publishers and illustrators to be in attendance for BQBF 2009. Food will be available again at the Asbury Complex at noon. Free admission offers opportunity to meet authors and purchase autographed books. To kick off the 2009 festival a Chautauqua type program free of charge to the public on Friday night will co-feature Dr. Steve Kern, pastor of Olivet Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, and his wife, Sally, State Representative of House District 84, at the Asbury Complex from 6:30 – 7:45 PM. Dr. Kern will express his views on the Evolution vs. Creation debate and Sally will speak on Freedom of Expression and Teaching the Controversy in Public Schools, a bill she has authored. Kern’s book, “No Other Gods - The Biblical Creation Worldview,” written from a compilation of lectures given over a twenty year period, supports his program position and will be for sale that evening as well as at the book festival the next day. Information from science, archeology, history, and scripture are presented as evidence for faith based in Creation. Added attractions for the second BQBF include a local essay contest for middle school children sponsored by Southern Oklahoma Arts Council with recognition and prize money to be given to winners; an entertaining and award winning percussion band performance is slated; the highly acclaimed guest speakers will be on Friday night before the book festival Saturday. After the Friday night program Comanche’s own Cowboy Opry on Rodeo Drive will offer live entertainment for a donation fee at 8 p.m. Fat Boys Pizza and Comanche Arts and Antiques across the street will remain open late for business for Comanche’s guests. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn, eight miles north of Comanche in Duncan, #580-252-1500. A new Hampton Inn has just been opened and you might like to check this out as well and the newly renovated Comanche Motel, 580-439-8898. Any questions can be directed to Tonya Holmes Shook at shookum@pldi.net . Border Queen Book Festival

Tonya Shook notes, "This is my daughter who will be at the Border Queen Book Festival in Comanche, OK March 6-7 as Periwinkle VonSkittlebaum, a real live fairy godmother. She wants to go to the schools again and interact with the children by telling them a story about Odd-Leigh, a little fairy with flaming red hair who was ostracized for being different. The story celebrates differences and tells the children it is all right to be different and that people matter no matter what wrapping they are in. All this is volunteer effort done for the sake of literacy awareness in our corner of the pasture in Oklahoma." Tonya Holmes Shook, Director/Coordinator

2/4/09

Make Your Plans Now to attend the 3rd Annual Storytelling Festival


The first Friday and Saturday of June, Seminole State College campus is the place to be for all story lovers and art supporters. Hear regional, national, and internationally known storytelling talent. Listen as local tellers share tales and put your name in the hat for a spot in the "story Swaps'. Educators, come early and gain continuing education credits in special intensive sessions. For details as to registration, costs, and other particulars visit http://www.territorytellers.org/ or email territorytellers@hotmail.com

TERRITORY TELLERS PLANNING IN HIGH GEAR

The Board of Directors of the state storytelling organization , The Territory Tellers, met recently to make further plans the upcoming 3rd Annual Storytelling Festival in Seminole, Oklahoma. The group of some dozen storytelling experts and arts supporters met on the campus of Southwestern Christian University in Bethany. Their next meeting will be at Seminole State College in Seminole in March. The group meets four times a year in various locations around the state to promote storytelling through events, promoting the formation of story guilds, and in providing training workshops via its talented members. Anyone interested in learning more about the organization, or in contacting storytellers, can visit http://www.territorytellers.org/ or email territorytellers@hotmail.com