Alice Vernon

@alicevernon10

Lecturer in Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University. NIGHT TERRORS (Icon 2022). GHOSTED (Bloomsbury Sigma 2025). Writes about ghosts, the paranormal and spooky sleep. Represented by Donald Winchester at Watson, Little.

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Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Jul 9

I keep getting those AI author scam emails, but this one is my new favourite. Allegedly from producer Mary Parent (the new Godzilla films; Mary must know I do love Godzilla), the signature just sells it. Very professional. Hollywood movies.

The signature of an AI author scam email. It reads: 'With warmth and respect, Mary Parent, Producer, Hollywood, mary parent, Firm producer & studio executive, Hollywood movies'.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Mar 9

My parents have been sorting out the attic and came across this excellent certificate. Apparently my personal history of ghost-hunting goes back earlier than I thought! Even at the tender age of one, I was busy conducting important psychical research experiments in National Trust properties... 👻😂

A National Trust certificate with an illustration of a ghost at the top. It reads: This is to certify that Alice Vernon has found the ghost in the secret room at the Overbeck's Museum, Salcombe, Devon. Date 22nd May 1994.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Mar 6

Thank you so much! I really hope you enjoy it, Jem. Tibbs appreciates the cat photo thiiiiis much. 😺

Tibbs the black and white cat stretching obscenely long.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Feb 23

I came out of teaching Writing Horror this evening to what felt rather like the setting of a horror movie...

Aberystwyth University's paved concourse at night, in thick fog. Two large lights loom out of the fog.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Jan 7

Thanks, Arthur! Hahaha, Bev is ready for stardom any day now...

Bev the Haunted Doll in a graveyard. She's got blonde wavy hair and a red gingham dress with a hood.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Dec 1

I'm thrilled to have an article in this month's Haunted Magazine! I wrote about my favourite ghost-hunter, Mollie Goldney, who was often in the shadow of Harry Price but who was infinitely cooler and more interesting. 👻 Out in UK shops tomorrow or you can order online from hauntedmag.com!

A teaser image of my article in Haunted Magazine. The headline reads: 'Ghosts, Grief and the Girl Who Wouldn't Believe'.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Nov 23

Last year, a mishap with my reading of the Christmas cake recipe meant I accidentally made two cakes, and I predicted I would now be expected to make two cakes every year. I was correct! 😂 They've turned out so well this year that I wonder if I'll be asked to make a third one...

Two freshly-baked Christmas cakes - one round and one oblong - cooling on a wire rack.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Nov 9

For Remembrance Sunday, I'm thinking about Raymond Lodge, as I now do ever since I learnt about him a few years ago. Raymond was the son of British physicist Sir Oliver Lodge. He died fighting in Ypres in 1915, aged 26. A few weeks later, though, he appeared to get in touch with the Lodge family...

A black and white photograph of Raymond Lodge dressed in his military uniform. He has a serious expression and dark hair.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Oct 25

Move over, phantom nun of Borley Rectory. You're old news, Enfield Poltergeist. There's a new spook in town, and her name's Elodie the Haunted Egg Cup.

An ebay listing showing a vintage egg cup with a European folk-style figure of a man painted on it. The description says: 'Haunted, Elodie. Elodie, haunted egg cup.'

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Oct 13

In case you're wondering how Bev the Haunted Doll's upward trajectory to fame is going, she's just been filmed for a TikTok video for the university's official account. She'll be demanding a separate office from me soon, and a lecture theatre named after her. She is becoming Too Powerful.

Bev the Haunted Doll with a graveyard in the background. Bev wears a red gingham smock and hood, and has wavy blonde hair.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Oct 9

Another séance trick was to use a small piece of adhesive bandage on the finger tip, blended into the colour of the medium's skin, in which a tiny fragment of graphite was stuck so that 'spirit messages' could subtly be written on the slate. Ingenious!

An illustration from William E. Robinson's 'Spirit Slate Writing' (1898). It shows a hand with index finger outstretched, on which a small piece of adhesive bandage is stuck with a tiny splinter of graphite wedged in the middle.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Oct 7

It was common for spirits to write on slates during séances, but it could be easily faked. In the dark, the medium would make it seem as though both hands were held in the circle...but they had, in fact, spread one hand to touch the sitter on either side, leaving their other hand free to write.

An illustration from William E. Robinson's 'Spirit Slate Writing' (1898). It shows three men sitting at a table. The man in the middle is holding his neighbours' hands using one of his own, and his free hand is writing on a slate. The caption reads: 'Fig. 10. - The Medium Holding the Two Skeptics' Hands.'

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Oct 6

My first book, Night Terrors, came out three years ago today. I wrote it to make sense of my own spooky sleep, but also to help people talk about their parasomnias and to know they're not alone. Last night I dreamt I was looking for a sword in a warehouse, but kept finding potato mashers...

A hardcover copy of my book, Night Terrors: Troubled Sleep and the Stories We Tell About It. The font is translucent over Henry Fuseli's painting, 'The Nightmare', which has a woman lounging over a bed with a goblin-like incubus on her chest.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Oct 1

It is spooky season, my dudes. If you fancy reading about the history of ghost-hunting, séances, Spiritualism, and a recipe to make your own gloopy ectoplasm, please check out my book Ghosted! Thank you very much to the excellent @mjpcuervo.bsky.social for the wonderful endorsement. ☺️👻

A banner advert for my book, 'Ghosted'. The book is on the right, and there's a spooky-looking candle on the left. In the middle is an endorsement from Maria J. Pérez Cuervo, founder and editor of Hellebore, that reads: 'An honest, respectful and thought-provoking reflection on the conflicting forces of scepticism and belief.'

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Sep 26

I had a fantastic time at The Curious Cat Bookshop in Frodsham last night. I loved hearing everyone's spooky stories! Crackers the cat nicely warmed up a few copies of Ghosted, too.

Crackers the black and white longhair cat sitting on a pile of copies of Ghosted.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Sep 24

Tibbs is the gift that keeps giving. I'm excited to have a weekend back home, and for my Ghosted events in Frodsham and Mold! ☺️

Tibbs the black and white cat sitting happily buried in wrapping paper.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Sep 19

One week to go until my event with Mold Bookshop! It would be great to meet some Mold and Flintshire ghost hunters. 👻 Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/the-moldbook...

A poster advertising my event for Ghosted at Mold Bookshop, in Mold Library on Friday 26th September at 7pm.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Sep 13

Every chapter of Ghosted has a fantastic and spooky illustration by Cassandra Ford (it's worth reading for those alone, tbh). This is the illustration for Chapter 1: The Séance Room. The facial expressions are so evocative of the hope, fear, and incredulity of the séance.

An original illustration by Cassandra Ford. Three people are sitting at a table in front of a crystal ball inside which is a scary skull. The facial expressions show a mix of confusion, hope, fear, and incredulity.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Sep 11

Happy publication day to Ghosted! This book was so much fun to research and write, and I can't wait to go on a ghost hunt again. Thank you to everyone who's ordered a copy! I hope you enjoy reading it...with all the lights on, obviously. 👻 (Note: video plays crackling static sound)

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Sep 10

During Harry Price's infamous ghost-hunts at Borley Rectory, he reports that this gold wedding ring appeared out of nowhere. He wrote: 'We had entered both Blue Room and dressing-room several times during the evening, and it is unthinkable that we should not have seen it or trodden on it.'

A gold ring on a loop of old metal in a cellophane archive envelope.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Sep 4

There's a nice little mention of Ghosted in this month's National Geographic Traveller magazine! (I should point out that I didn't literally visit New Zealand or the community in the Alps gripped by demonic possession, since that happened in 1857 and I hadn't yet been born... 😂)

A clipping from National Geographic Traveller magazine promoting Ghosted. It reads: 'In this social history of ghost hunting, Dr Alice Vernon delves into paranormal investigations, from Victorian seances to poltergeist activity. Asking why we won't "give up the ghost", she seeks answers by visiting a New Zealand ghost laboratory and a community in the Alps apparently gripped by demonic possession.'

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Sep 2

GHOSTED is published in hardback in the US today! I really hope you enjoy reading it. And it's out in the UK next week! I haven't been this generally tense since my driving test...

A banner promoting my book Ghosted: A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking. The book is on the right, and a lit candle is on the left. In the middle, it says: 'Why our fascination with the paranormal is as timeless as the ghosts we hope to find'.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Aug 21

Three weeks until GHOSTED is published! Bev the Haunted Doll has had a brief turn as a tombstone-to-tombstone saleswoman, and now she's currently practising her best demonic screech for some podcasts we have coming up. For more info and to pre-order: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ghosted-9...

A photo of my book, Ghosted: A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking, propped up against some old rusty railings. Next to the book is my haunted doll, Bev, looking suitably menacing. She has blonde hair and is wearing a white and red gingham hood and dress.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Aug 11

Ghosted is published in one month! It's all getting very exciting. Bev the Haunted Doll is positively crawling the walls. No, really. She's crawling up the walls. Send help. Pre-order: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ghosted-9...

A banner advertising my book Ghosted: A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking. A spooky candle is in one corner, and an upside-down crucifix in the other, with the tagline: 'A social, historic and scientific exploration of our fascination with the paranormal.'

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Aug 10

In 1906, French physiologist Charles Richet did some experiments with a spirit-medium named Marthe Béraud, who specialised in materialising, er, 'limbs' out of ectoplasm. His expert drawings of the séances really highlight what interested him most about the case...

A crude drawing of a well-endowed woman holding a long and rude-looking appendage allegedly made out of ectoplasm.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Jul 28

👻GHOSTED pre-order offer at Waterstones!👻 From now until Thursday, you can get 25% off pre-ordered copies of Ghosted with the code SUMMER25. Everyone who pre-orders it will be forever blessed by Bev the Haunted Doll. #paranormal #ghosthunting #nonfiction www.waterstones.com/book/ghosted...

An advert for my book Ghosted in the Waterstones 25% off summer offer. Pre-order with code SUMMER25 to get the discount.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Jul 18

I spent my week recording the audiobook for Ghosted, which was a very strange and very fun experience. I realised I've never pronounced 'tumult' properly in my life. Thanks to Ben Carpenter at Rakkit Productions for making the marathon feel manageable! Pre-order: www.audible.co.uk/pd/Ghosted-A...

A recording booth at Rakkit Productions. A lamp illuminates one corner with a warm glow. There's a red table and black office chair with a microphone and tablet on a stand.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Jul 10

The university's wildflower project is definitely doing some good. Check out these BMOCs (Big Moths on Campus) I spotted this morning: a Buff Arches, White Ermine and, lingering around the Students' Union after a heavy night, a Swallow-tailed.

A Buff Arches moth. It's medium-sized and mostly grey with white and brown diagonal stripes meeting in the centre.

A White Ermine moth. It's fairly small, white, with a furry neck and black spots on the wing.

A Swallow-tailed moth on a window. It's quite big and very thin and pale, with diagonal dark stripes. Its wings taper into swallow-like tips.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Jul 3

I had the time of my life at @thebugfarm.bsky.social today, making friends with a green bean stick insect and Madagascar hissing cockroach AND I saw a hummingbird hawk-moth for the first time among the wildflowers. So many wonderful bugs both inside and out. Living my best Animal Crossing life.

A very long Green Bean stick insect on my hand and wrist.

Alice Vernon@alicevernon10· Jun 28

A visit to Dyfi Wildlife Centre is always a treat - this time I saw hundreds of teeny-tiny toadlets. I was fretting about them getting squished because they were so small, and had to make sure several crossed the boardwalk safely. 🐸