J.D. Barker Interview | New York Times Bestselling Author of There's Something I Keep Upstairs

J.D. Barker Interview | New York Times Bestselling Author of There's Something I Keep Upstairs

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] In this special episode of Veil of Echoes, we sit down with New York Times and international bestselling author J.D. Barker to discuss his latest novel, There's Something I Keep Upstairs. From psychological suspense and atmospheric horror to real-world inspiration, we explore the power of place, memory, and the kinds of stories that linger long after the final page. We also discuss the inspiration behind the novel, the role of dread in storytelling, and J.D.'s upcoming projects including The First Scarlet Door. And in true Veil of Echoes fashion, a storm rolled in just as the interview began. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ FEATURED GUEST J.D. Barker New York Times & International Bestselling Author Find J.D.'s books, upcoming releases, and more: 🌐 https://jdbarker.com [https://jdbarker.com/] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ IN THIS EPISODE • The origins of J.D. Barker's storytelling career • Why psychological horror stays with us • Building atmosphere through restraint and dread • Real locations that inspire fiction • There's Something I Keep Upstairs • The First Scarlet Door • The connection between place, memory, and fear ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ABOUT VEIL OF ECHOES Veil of Echoes is a cinematic true crime and paranormal podcast exploring the stories that continue to echo long after they should be over. 📧 veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com [veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ MUSIC CREDITS Original music featured in this episode by Dave Daddario. Find Dave's work here: ▶️ YouTube: @davedaddario We are incredibly grateful for Dave's continued work creating the immersive soundscapes that help bring Veil of Echoes to life. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ COMING THIS FRIDAY We travel to Maine's legendary Wood Island Life Saving Station to explore its history, hauntings, and the paranormal legends that helped inspire There's Something I Keep Upstairs. ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.

Ep. 68: Columbine High School Part 3: The Aftermath | We Are Columbine

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] In the final chapter of our Columbine series, we explore what happened after the gunfire stopped. As first responders cautiously entered the school, survivors remained trapped inside classrooms, parents desperately searched for answers, and the nation watched in horror as events unfolded live on television. We examine the rescue of Patrick Ireland, remembered by many as "The Boy in the Window," the heroic actions and tragic death of teacher Dave Sanders, the victims whose lives were stolen on April 20, 1999, and the lasting impact Columbine left on America. We also explore the myths, misconceptions, and unanswered questions that followed the tragedy, as well as how the Columbine community found the strength to move forward under a message that would become a symbol of resilience: We Are Columbine. This episode contains discussions of mass violence, murder, suicide, trauma, and the deaths of minors. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Echoes From the Veil Have a paranormal experience, true crime encounter, near-death experience, stalking encounter, or unexplained story? Send it to: 📧 veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com [veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com] Your story may be featured in a future installment of Echoes From the Veil. Monthly Listener Giveaways Congratulations to our first giveaway winners: 🔮 Jenna 🔮 Rhonda Additional giveaways are coming soon, including: • Veil of Echoes Collector Tarot Cards • Candles • Crystals • Wax-Sealed Letters • Exclusive Veil of Echoes Collectibles Music & Sound Design Original music, theme music, trailer music, and sound design by Dave Daddario. 🎵 YouTube: youtube.com/@davedaddario Audio Used • Historical news coverage of the Columbine High School massacre • Columbine-related emergency dispatch audio • Patti Nielson 911 call excerpts • Patrick Ireland rescue news coverage excerpts • Historical news audio used for commentary, educational, and documentary purposes • Original music and sound design by Dave Daddario • Additional editing, production, and sound design by Veil of Echoes Sources • Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Columbine Report • FBI Columbine Investigation Files • Columbine by Dave Cullen • Walking in Daniel's Shoes by Tom Mauser • Survivor and Witness Testimony Archives • CNN Columbine Coverage Archive • Denver Post Columbine Archive • History Channel Columbine Resources • Columbine Memorial Foundation Resources • National Center for Victims of Crime Resources Next Episode The Wood Island Life Saving Station A remote rescue station off the coast of Maine. A history filled with tragedy. And a haunting that would later inspire bestselling author J.D. Barker's novel, There's Something I Keep Upstairs. ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.

Episode 67: The Smurl Family Haunting | The True Story Behind The Conjuring: Last Rites

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] For more than a decade, the Smurl family claimed they shared their Pennsylvania home with something terrifying. What began as unexplained noises, foul odors, and strange disturbances would eventually escalate into one of the most controversial haunting cases in American history. The family reported shadowy figures, violent attacks, unexplained scratches, and encounters with an unseen presence that seemed determined to drive them from their home. As the activity intensified, the Smurls sought help from renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who concluded that multiple spirits—and a powerful demonic entity—were responsible for the haunting. But were the Smurls truly experiencing a demonic infestation, or was there another explanation behind the events that unfolded on Chase Street? In this episode, we explore the complete history of the Smurl haunting, the Warrens' investigation, the reported exorcisms, and the debate that continues to divide believers and skeptics decades later. This is the real story that helped inspire The Conjuring: Last Rites. ──────────────────── 🎙️ EPISODE CONTENTS • The Smurl family's move to West Pittston, Pennsylvania • Strange noises, odors, and unexplained activity • The alleged attacks and escalating hauntings • Ed and Lorraine Warren's investigation • The infamous mirror message • Reported exorcisms and church involvement • Skeptics vs. believers • The lasting legacy of one of America's most debated hauntings ──────────────────── 🌫️ ECHOES FROM THE VEIL Have a paranormal experience, unexplained encounter, true crime experience, or strange story you'd like to share? Email us at: veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com [veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com] Your story may be featured in a future episode of Echoes From The Veil. ──────────────────── 📱 FOLLOW VEIL OF ECHOES Instagram: @veilofechoespodcast TikTok: @veilofechoespodcast Facebook: Veil of Echoes Podcast ──────────────────── 🎁 MONTHLY GIVEAWAYS Want a chance to win exclusive Veil of Echoes merchandise, collector tarot cards, crystals, candles, and other haunting surprises? Follow us on social media to learn how to enter our monthly giveaways. ──────────────────── ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This episode discusses alleged paranormal experiences and claims. Portions of this episode include historical reporting, witness testimony, and reported paranormal accounts that remain debated and unverified. ──────────────────── 🎵 MUSIC & AUDIO CREDITS Original music featured in this episode was composed by Dave DAddario and created exclusively for Veil of Echoes and Missing Veil Files. Listen to more of Dave's work: YouTube: @davedaddario This episode also contains brief excerpts of historical news broadcasts and publicly available interviews featuring members of the Smurl family, Ed Warren, and Lorraine Warren. These clips are used for commentary, criticism, education, and discussion purposes. ──────────────────── 📚 SOURCES The Haunted (1986) By Robert Curran, Jack Smurl, Janet Smurl, Ed Warren, and Lorraine Warren Historical newspaper archives and contemporary reporting Interviews with Jack Smurl and Janet Smurl Interviews with Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren The Haunted (1991 Television Film) Research from paranormal investigators, clergy statements, and skeptical analyses of the Smurl case Additional historical and investigative sources examining the Smurl haunting and its lasting cultural impact ──────────────────── 🎙️ Veil of Echoes A cinematic true crime and paranormal podcast. Because some stories refuse to stay buried. ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.

Ep. 66 - Columbine Part 2: The Library | Inside the Deadliest Room at Columbine High School

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] In Part Two of our Columbine series, we step inside the library at Columbine High School, the deadliest location during the April 20, 1999 attack. As students hid beneath tables and computer desks, librarian Patti Nielson remained on the phone with 911 while chaos unfolded around her. We examine the events inside the library, the stories of the victims and survivors, the heroism of teacher Dave Sanders, and the terrifying moments that forever changed American history. This episode contains discussions of mass violence, murder, trauma, suicide, and graphic emotional content involving minors. Listener discretion is advised. In our next and final installment, we'll explore the aftermath of Columbine, the survivors, the media frenzy, the myths and misconceptions surrounding the case, and the lasting impact of April 20, 1999. Echoes From the Veil Have a paranormal encounter, true crime experience, near-death experience, stalking encounter, or unexplained story? Send your story to: 📧 veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com Your story may be featured in a future installment of Echoes From the Veil. Monthly Listener Giveaways Our monthly listener giveaways begin this month and include: 🔮 Tarot Cards  🕯️ Candles  ✨ Crystals  📜 Wax-Sealed Letters  👁️ Veil of Echoes Collectibles Follow us on social media for details and future giveaway announcements. Audio Used * Columbine-related 911 dispatch audio * Patti Nielson 911 call excerpts * Historical news audio used for commentary and educational purposes * Original music and sound design by Dave Daddario * Additional editing, production, and sound design by Veil of Echoes Music & Sound Design Original music, theme music, trailer music, and sound design by Dave Daddario. 🎵 YouTube: youtube.com/@davedaddario Sources *  Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Columbine Report  *  Columbine by Dave Cullen  *  FBI Columbine Documents  *  Columbine Review Commission Materials  *  Survivor Testimony and Witness Statements  *  CNN Archive Coverage  *  History Channel Archives  *  Denver Post Columbine Coverage  ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.

Episode 46 - The Survival of Alison Botha: Refusing to Be Erased

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] On December 18, 1994, Alison Botha parked in her driveway like she had done so many times before. She had no idea what was waiting behind her. Kidnapped. Brutally attacked. Left for dead on a deserted road outside Port Elizabeth, South Africa — her throat cut, her body nearly destroyed — Alison did the unthinkable. She survived. In this episode, we examine one of the most extraordinary survival stories ever recorded. From the attack and investigation to the controversial parole of her attackers decades later, we explore not just the crime — but the resilience that followed. This is not a story about how she died. It’s a story about how she lived. 🎧 Episode XLVI — Out Now. If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a rating or written review on Apple or Spotify. It helps independent shows like ours continue telling stories that matter. 📚 SHOW NOTES / SOURCES * Alison (2016 Documentary Film) * Court records and sentencing reports (South Africa, 1995) * News24 (South Africa) – Coverage of 2023 parole decision * BBC News – Reporting on parole and public response * Express UK – “Woman forced to carry her own intestines…” (2023 coverage) * Public statements from Alison Botha (Facebook post regarding parole decision) * South African Department of Correctional Services updates ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.