Travel Photo Essays
Paranormal Texas is Back with More Haunted Places and True Ghost Stories!
Paranormal Texas: Your Travel Guide to Haunted Places Near Dallas & Fort Worth, (2nd Edition), by Tui Snider
More Haunted Places and True Ghost Stories!
Tui Snider’s popular travel guide to haunted places in North Texas is back with a fully updated 2nd Edition featuring more haunted places and true ghost stories! Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition will be released on September 19, 2019.
Special Offer: For a limited time, if you pre-order the ebook of Paranormal Texas, Tui will send you the 220 page paperback for free! (details below)
That’s right! Tui is rewarding readers who pre-order Paranormal Texas by sending them a copy of the 220-page paperback for free! The ebook is currently on sale for $2.99 and the paperback will sell for at least $15, so this is quite a deal! (Please note: This offer is only good for mailing addresses in the continental USA.)
To get this deal, simply forward a copy of your Amazon pre-order receipt to Tui at TuiSnider@gmail.com and she’ll take it from there! Click here to pre-order Paranormal Texas, 2nd Edition.
What’s new in Paranormal Texas, 2nd Edition?
Just like the original travel guide, Paranormal Texas 2nd Edition gives readers haunted history and directions to sites where paranormal activity is reported in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex.
The 2nd edition now includes:
- Photos: Readers asked for photos of haunted places. Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition has over 50 photos of haunted towns, haunted hotels, and more.
- Ghost hunting tips: Tui Snider explains what she has learned since she began attending paranormal investigations with Texas ghost hunters.
- More haunted places: Several new venues (including a haunted doll museum!) with fascinating haunted history were added to Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition.
- Firsthand accounts: Readers asked for more true ghost stories and hauntings. (She even shares personal experiences with paranormal activity, including a strange encounter with her doppelganger at a haunted hotel!)
- Paranormal Texas Evidence Database: Readers can also access a special online database with links to EVPs, ghost photos, videos, and other evidence gathered by paranormal investigators who have visited the haunted sites in her book.
Click here to pre-order Paranormal Texas for only $2.99
Is Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition for YOU?
- Ghost Hunters – If you want to plan a fun road trip to haunted places (with or without ghost hunting equipment) Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition can help.
- Armchair Travelers – If you prefer reading about haunted history, Paranormal Texas, 2nd edition can take you on an exciting armchair tour through haunted towns of North Texas.
Click here to pre-order Paranormal Texas at a special sales price of only $2.99
Special Offer: For a limited time, if you pre-order the ebook of Paranormal Texas, Tui will send you the 220 page paperback for free! (Scroll up for details.)
8 Strange 4th of July Facts
8 Strange Facts about The 4th of July
How will you celebrate Independence Day this year? If you’re American, chances are you’ll join family and friends for a backyard barbecue and a firework display. But how much do you really know about this annual summer celebration?
I do a lot of newspaper research for the books I write. Not only is it a great way to separate Urban Legends from actual facts, but it helps me understand the mindset of different eras. However, every time I dig into a newspaper archive for something specific, I end up learning completely different things along the way. That’s how I discovered this batch of Independence Day factoids. I hope you enjoy them!

1. July 4th was nearly a different day!
Independence Day was nearly celebrated on a different day! America’s Independence Day is so intertwined with its date that many people simply call the holiday “the 4th of July.”
In grade school, we’re taught that the Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1776, but that’s only partly true. Many signers waited until August 2, 1776 to add their names.
Other people felt that July 2, 1776 was a more appropriate celebration date, since that is when the American Colonies formally separated from Great Britain. President John Adams was in the “July 2” camp. He even predicted that, “the 2nd day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha in the history of America.” [more info here]
Adams felt so strongly about this that he refused to participate in Independence Day celebrations held on July 4th. If you wanted to party with him, you had better make it July 2nd!
In the end, July 4th won out. Even though it wasn’t officially declared a federal holiday until 1870, people began celebrating Independence Day on July 4 as early as 1777.
2. Three US presidents died on July 4th.
Here’s a weird fact: Three US presidents died on July 4th. Two of these presidents even died the same year.
Not only were those two men presidents, but they were signers of the Declaration of Independence, and they both died on July 4, 1826 – the 50th anniversary of America’s independence!
The two men were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Although Jefferson died earlier in the day, President Adams did not know this. His final words were, “Jefferson still survives.” [Here’s a fascinating article on this coincidence.]
Who was the third US president to die on July 4th? James Monroe, yet another Founding Father. Monroe died on July 4, 1831, thus becoming the third President in a row who died on the holiday. (And don’t I sound fancy using the word “thus”?!)
3. This US president was Born on the 4th of July:
One US president has the perfect patriotic birthdate: Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only U.S. President to have been born on Independence Day, although it’s interesting to note that President Obama’s daughter, Malia, was born on July 4th.
4. Patriotic Lockjaw was a Big Problem!
What does Lockjaw have to do with the 4th of July? When you think of Independence Day, you probably think of parties, fireworks, and parades. But how about lockjaw?
In the 1800’s fireworks became a popular way to celebrate the 4th of July. With little regulation, these fireworks were often quite dangerous. Each year, people would have all sorts of mishaps – everything from serious burns and housefires, to blowing off a finger or two. Worse of all was the possibility of tetanus.

Tetanus occurs when anaerobic bacteria infects a wound. The disease leads to painful muscle constriction, and since it often strikes the neck area, it’s also called “lockjaw.” Untreated, lockjaw can lead to an agonizing death, and as the 1912 newspaper clipping above suggests, children were, “easy meat for Mr. Tetanus.”
Tetanus-causing bacteria dies quickly when exposed to air, so your average cut or scrape will not lead to trouble. The reason fireworks caused so many cases of tetanus is that the explosions propel bacteria deep into wounds. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, tetanus cases were so common after the 4th of July that people called it “patriotic lockjaw.”
In the 1900s, newspaper campaigns helped spread public awareness of the tetanus threat from fireworks. Eventually, a tetanus antitoxin was invented, and a tetanus vaccine was developed. There are just as many tetanus-causing microbes around as ever, but thanks to what has now become a routine childhood vaccine, “patriotic lockjaw” is a thing of the past.
By the way, a tetanus booster shot is recommended every 10 years. I recently had mine. How about you?

5. Hot dogs weren’t always in vogue
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has been a 4th of July tradition since 1916, and for many Americans, hot dogs and Independence Day go hand-in-hand. According to Consumption Stats, Americans put away 150 million hot dogs while celebrating 4th of July!
In America’s early days, people celebrated the 4th of July with different fare entirely. For instance, John Adams and his wife, Abigail, sat down for a celebratory meal of turtle soup, New England poached salmon with egg sauce, green peas and boiled new potatoes in jackets. They followed the meal with Indian pudding and Apple Pandowdy.
6. Other countries celebrate independence on July 4th
July 4 was originally chosen by the Philippines to mark the day they ceased being a US Territory and gained independence. Filipinos even called it Independence Day up until 1962. Now it’s called Republic Day.
In Rwanda, July 4 is an official holiday known as Liberation Day. This day commemorates the end of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, and the date was chosen as an homage to the U.S. government for helping them gain freedom.
7. Where can you find the biggest July 4th celebrations outside of the USA?
There is even another country that actively celebrates America’s Independence Day. This country is said to have the biggest July 4th celebration outside of the USA. Any guesses?
Denmark!
After immigrating from Denmark to pursue the American Dream, a group of Danes purchased a plot of land back home. They donated this 200-acre tract to the Danish government with the stipulation that it be used to celebrate American holidays. Since 1912, an annual 4th of July festival has taken place here and it’s still going strong.
The festival, called Rebildfest, takes its name from the nearby town of Rebild. Each year, thousands of Danes and Danish-Americans gather for this 4-day event. The celebration is a mish-mash of Danish and American tradition. From schnapps, hot dogs, and pickled herring to Danish folks songs and American flags, Rebildfest is a wonderful celebration of both nations and a great reminder of America’s cultural melting pot.
Wouldn’t it be fun to celebrate Independence Day in Denmark? I’d be curious to see how Americana has seeped into Danish culture. Not far from Rebild, for instance, there’s a Highway 66 restaurant as well as a cafe called Central Perk inspired by the TV show Friends.
8. Which Texas library displays the Declaration of Independence?
In 1776, 200 copies of the original Declaration of Independence were printed. Only 26 copies remain, and most of them are located on the east coast of the United States. However, there is one copy of this historic document west of the Mississippi.
After moving to Texas, I was excited to discover that the Dallas Public Library has this rare copy of the Declaration of Independence on display! (They also have a rare copy of Shakespeare’s “First Folio.”)
Want to read more quirky, offbeat & overlooked tidbits?
Click here to see my books on Amazon.
Hey, you! Want to come along for the ride?

PRIVATE NEWSLETTER: If you’d like to keep up with me, you might like my newsletter. It comes out twice a month. Use the form below to sign up if you’d like to:
- Know where I speak next
- Find out when my next books come out
- Learn offbeat trivia
- See unique cemetery & travel photos
- Be in the loop for any other fun news!
FREEBIE: As a thank you for signing up to my newsletter, you’ll receive a historic cemetery symbols guide I created called “A Quick Guide to The Many Meanings of Hands.”
Finally! Bag Express Lets You Travel Hands Free
Luggage is a drag!
Traveling is fun, but walking with suitcases is a drag! Luggage is especially challenging in historic European cities with narrow cobblestone alleys (such as the one you see below.) Who wants to drag a roller bag through THAT?
Sometimes you don’t have a choice.

My husband, Larry, and I have been traveling round-the-world since January. We tried to pack light, but we had everything from glaciers to tropical beaches to consider. That’s why our luggage includes thermal underwear, jackets, and scarves, as well as swimsuits, shorts, and sunscreen.
And, of course, all the souvenirs we’ve picked up along the way.

Baggage Happens…
At the end of this month our cruise ship lands in Venice. Venice is one of my favorite cities in the world, but I dread our arrival. Why? Because it means maneuvering our ever-expanding luggage over bumpy cobblestones and bridges, winding our way through cramped pedestrian streets until we find our hotel.
Adding to my worries, the wheels on our main roller bag have broken. I can’t imagine how we will make it to our hotel, especially since Venice is a pedestrian city. There are NO cars, only water taxis. Even with a water taxi, there’s still quite a walk we will have to make.
What should I do?!?

Bag Express to the Rescue!
I’ve found an answer! *fingers crossed* I heard from someone on our cruise ship about a company called Bag Express that delivers your bags from your home to your hotel and back again. [Full disclosure: In exchange for writing this post and reviewing their service, Bag Express is letting me try them for free.]
Imagine boarding a plane with only a carry-on, then finding your bags waiting for you at your hotel room! No need to worry about paying for checked luggage. For those who ski or have other bulky equipment, this could really be handy.
Please note that Bag Express is only available for European travel. But if you’re planning a big trek from America with several stops in Europe, it could still make things much easier for you.
In our case, I’m sending a couple bags from our cruise ship in Venice to England. We’re visiting family in London for a couple of weeks so it’s the perfect solution. Sending bags ahead of time will let us explore the labyrinthine streets of Venice foot loose and fancy-free from the moment we arrive.
What a relief!

Stay tuned…
Sounds good, huh? I will let you know how it works out. In the meantime, if you’d like postcards and freebies from me, or you’d simply like to have a more “behind the scenes” glimpse into our round-the-world trip, I invite you to check out my Cruise Diary on Patreon. The public posts are free, but for $1 a month, you can unlock all the private posts, which will be ongoing, even after our return.
I’ve got so much to share with you from this trip! It’s been great research for the 2nd edition of my Understanding Cemetery Symbols book. I’m learning so much. Plus, along the way, I’ve seen penguins, komodo dragons, and koalas. I’ve even cuddled with kangaroos and tigers! (Once again, check out this link if you want to know more.)

Would you like postcards & other goodies?
My round-the-world trip started January 1, 2019. While you won’t fit in my luggage:
- Would you like to see my travel updates along the way? (And after!)
- Would you like personalized postcards from around the world?
- Would you like a copy of the Cats of the World street photography memoir I’m writing? (Along with sneak peeks at my other writing projects?)
- If so, check out my Patreon page. Public posts are free, but you can unlock the private ones for $1. It’s been a wild ride!
Hey, you! Still curious?
BLOG POSTS: I’ve got 650+ articles here and am constantly adding more!
READ MY BOOKS: Check out my books, including Understanding Cemetery Symbols. It’s available on Amazon in paperback and ebook form.
Want a FREE Guide to Historic Cemeteries?
Blog Hop Your Way through these 99 Cent Book Deals!
New Year? New Reads! 99 cent books:
Whoo hoo! The party is on, y’all! Several authors, including me, have put their books on sale for 99 cents from January 1st – 3rd, 2019 so you can celebrate the new year with some new reads!
So, if Santa tucked a gift card in your stocking, take a moment to check out the books I’m offering, then hop your way through the links at the bottom of this post to see what other authors have for you! (I’ve already put my books up for 99 cents.)
Psst! If you’re on Twitter, help spread the word using the hashtag #NewBooks4Me.
2 of my books are 99 cents through January 3rd:
Please note: The 99 cent sale officially starts January 1st, BUT I I’ve put my books up now because of time zones and all that… Grab ’em while you can! :) Then hop through the list for the the other author’s books!
1. A Strange-but-True slice of True Crime History:
2. Twitter for Writers
- What should writers tweet?
- What do readers truly want from authors on Twitter?
- How many accounts should you have?
- What’s the best hashtag strategy?
- Who should you follow/unfollow?
- What tools should you use?
Use #StoryDam and #NewBooks4Me on Twitter & IG
Don’t keep these book deals to yourself. Help us spread the word about New Year New Reads! And when you share it on social media, please use the #StoryDam hashtag, as well as #NewYearNewReads.
Visit the links below for MORE 99 cent eBooks:
Pssst! Would you like postcards & other goodies from me?
My round-the-world trip (eek!) starts on January 1, 2019. While you won’t fit in my luggage:
- Would you like to see my travel updates along the way?
- Would you like postcards from around the world?
- Would you like a copy of the Private Digital Scrapbook Edition travel memoir journal that I’ve already started?
- If so, check out my Patreon page. You can sign up there to support my creative journey. It’s gonna be a wild ride!
Hey, you! Want to keep up with me?
BLOG POSTS: I’ve got 650+ articles here and am constantly adding more!
READ MY BOOKS: Check out my books, including Understanding Cemetery Symbols. It’s available on Amazon in paperback and ebook form.
Want a FREE Guide to Historic Cemeteries?
Travel Packing Challenges: Camouflage is illegal? Red clothes provoke attacks?
Round-the-World Cruise Packing Challenges
Packing for my upcoming Round-the-World Cruise has brought some unique challenges. Not only will we be visiting hot and cold climates, but there are other considerations. For one thing, trekking through 22 different countries means we will be trekking through 22 different cultures.

Offensive clothing varies
The challenge is to dress comfortably without offending the locals. Every culture defines “offensive clothing” differently, so I’m doing careful research. In some places, this means that even if it’s 100 degrees out, I’d better make sure my arms, décolletage, and knees are covered – especially before entering places of worship.
Camouflage can get you arrested
I don’t actually have any camouflage items in my wardrobe, but I know plenty of people who do. If that’s you, be careful when traveling. Although camouflage clothes are considered patriotic here in the USA, in many other countries it’s not only frowned upon but actually illegal. Wearing camouflage in Saudi Arabia, Jamaica and Barbados (among several other countries) could get you arrested!
Red clothing can get you attacked
It’s one thing to pay a fine because of your clothing, but what if your outfit provoked a wild animal attack? When visiting Indonesia’s Komodo Island, visitors are warned not to wear any red clothing or accessories. Why? Because Komodo dragons may mistake this for blood. Additionally, some tour groups forbid menstruating women from visiting because these huge lizards can smell blood from nearly 6 miles away!
Sharon Stone’s komodo encounter
Actress, Sharon Stone, learned how vicious and unpredictable komodo dragons can be when she arranged for her husband to have a private session in a Komodo dragon pen. Read about it here: Infamous Komodo Dragon Attacks
Not packing my red sun hat
One of my favorite sun hats is bright red, but after reading that article, you can bet I’ll be packing my blue sun hat instead. And I’ll certainly keep my eyes peeled as we stroll through the forests of Komodo Island!
Would you like postcards & other goodies?
Although my round-the-world trip starts on January 1, 2019, as you can see there’s lots of pre-trip planning to do!
- Would you like to see my travel updates along the way?
- Would you like postcards from around the world?
- Would you like a copy of the Private Digital Scrapbook Edition travel memoir journal that I’ve already started?
- If so, check out my Patreon page. You can sign up there to support my creative journey. It’s gonna be a wild ride!
Hey, you! Want to keep up with me?
BLOG POSTS: I’ve got 650+ articles here and am constantly adding more!
READ MY BOOKS: Check out my books, including Understanding Cemetery Symbols. It’s available on Amazon in paperback and ebook form.