71 replies to this topic

[mainemom207]

Although I am new I have been with other Forums and this has come up as well in those forums.
Like all of you I watched a Haunting and the Haunting in Conneticut the two part show when it was on and was excited to know that there was a movie and then I found out there was a book.. In a Dark Place: The Story. And thought wow! Well that is now out of print as we all know and expensive to buy.
Well during an interview with the author of the book In a Dark Place. This was stated in the interview about that whole out of print book and the show A Haunting and now the movie.
Which will not be based on anything about the book or the encounters with the family in Conneticut, it is more made up then anything else, with a little of the family and happenings that were shown in A Haunting with more elaboration.
That is what they are stating anyways.
Here is what the Author has to say on it though..

[b]Ah, the Warrens. Ed, of course, has gone to that great haunted house in the sky, but Lorraine is still around. Back in the early ‘90s, I was offered a chance to write a book for Ed and Lorraine. As a kid, I used to follow their ghost-hunting exploits in the National Enquirer. I thought it sounded like a fun job, so I took it. I went to Connecticut and spent time with the Snedeker family. They’d moved into a house with their sick son and learned the place used to be a funeral home. They claimed all kinds of spooky things had happened in the house. They’d called in Ed and Lorraine, and after investigating, the Warrens announced that the house was infested with demons. Some of these demons had anally raped members of the family.

A little aside here. Back when I was reading about the Warrens, they were ghost hunters. Every house they investigated had at least one ghost, and there was always a spooky story behind it. But after The Exorcist was so wildly popular, first as a novel and then as a movie, Ed and Lorraine stopped encountering ghosts and began to uncover demon infestations. And it seems that wherever they went, people were being sexually molested by demons. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Carmen Snedeker was an unemployed wife and mother who was running an illegal interstate lottery business, about which she asked me numerous times to tell no one. I never met the son, who was said to be ill, although I was allowed to talk to him on the phone once, supervised by Carmen. When the boy began to talk about drugs and told me that he didn’t hear and see strange things in the house once he began taking medication, Carmen ended the conversation. As I gathered all the necessary information for the book, I found that the accounts of the individual Snedekers didn’t quite mesh. They just couldn’t keep their stories straight. I went to Ed with this problem. "Oh, they’re crazy," he said. "Everybody who comes to us is crazy. Otherwise why would they come to us? You’ve got some of the story – just use what works and make the rest up. And make it scary. You write scary books, right? That’s why we hired you. So just make it up and make it scary." I didn’t like that one bit. But by then, I’d signed the contract and there was no going back. I did as Ed instructed – I used what I could, made up the rest, and tried to make it as scary as I could. The book was called In A Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting.

As soon as it was published, I started telling my story, knowing full well that it would not be too popular with the Snedekers or the Warrens. I was right. Carmen Snedeker, now Carmen Reed, has denounced the book. She claims they had little involvement in it, which is a lie. Since the release of that book, the Discovery Channel has aired a "re-enactment" of the story called A Haunting in Connecticut, which, of course, presents the Snedekers’ story as hard cold fact. Now a feature film based on the story is going to be released soon called The Haunting in Connecticut. I suspect the movie will begin with the words "Based on a true story." Be warned: Just about anything that begins with any variation of this phrase is trying a little too hard to convince you of something that probably isn’t true. Last I hard, Carmen is working on a new book, to tell the real story – apparently they’ve settled on one. I don’t know if Carmen runs her little interstate lottery operation anymore, but now she’s claiming to be some kind of psychic healer. She says she’s always been a psychic healer, although I didn’t hear anything about it in Connecticut back in the early ‘90s.

These days, John Zaffis is the "investigator" being used to make this cockamamie tale look like something remotely resembling legitimate. Zaffis is the nephew of Ed and Lorraine Warren. He was around back when I was working on the book. He didn’t do much, just stood around. Lorraine told me he was learning the business. He told me a story about something he saw in the former funeral home – some kind of "fully formed demon," or some such nonsense.

During my stay in Connecticut, Ed, Lorraine, and Zaffis repeatedly told me they had videotape of supernatural activity they’d shot in the demon-infested former funeral home (which I never visited because the current owners claimed the Snedekers were full of it and wanted nothing to do with the Warrens’ little dog and pony show). They assured me I would see that footage. Throughout my visit, they kept telling me the videotape was coming, that they were having trouble finding it, but they’d show it to me. By the end of my visit, there had been no sign of any videotape. After my experience with the Warrens, I talked to a couple of other writers who’d written books for Ed and Lorraine – and their stories were nearly identical to mine.


So before you go off to pay a $100.00 bux for that wonderful book, you may want to keep this in mind even the author did not feel right about writing that book either.

Here is the website on it..
http://www.horrorbound.com/readarticle.php?article_id=61

It is about the 3rd question in the interview..

Here is yet another site on this and Ray Garton being interviewed about this Haunting in Conneticut..

http://www.amityvillemurders.com/interviews/rgarton.html

Here is some short stuff from the website...above that has listed in it..

I honestly don't remember specifically what the first problem was, only that the details of the story given to me by the family involved were not meshing. Elements of Carmen Snedeker's story clashed with elements of Al Snedeker's story, and it seemed everyone was having a problem keeping their stories straight. Frankly, I didn't notice until I had nearly finished all my interviews and began going over my notes, then I started having trouble matching up the details..

First, I went back to the Snedekers and asked more questions. When the details of the stories still didn't match up, I became concerned and called Ed Warren. I didn't even have to tell him which details weren't meshing, I simply pointed out to him that the stories weren't matching. Ed laughed and told me not to worry about it. He said the Snedekers were "crazy" (that was the word he used). Then he said, "All the people who come to us are crazy. Why do you think they come to us?" I was, quite literally, speechless. Without even asking for details, Ed had a solution. He reminded me that I wrote scary stories (at that time, I had written exclusively novels and short stories in the horror genre), and told me to "make it up and make it scary."

At the time that it was happening, I was very upset about the whole thing. I have called it the lowest point of my writing career. But looking back on it, I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else. They were, after all, "ghostbusters" whose exploits had been covered in tabloids, the reputations of which did not exactly have a great deal of integrity. As I pointed out earlier, I've never been a believer in ghosts or demons, so I guess I should not have expected my mind to be changed on the topic. I suppose I was somewhat naive. But it was the contempt in which Ed Warren held the Snedekers that made me so angry, and the fact that I went in expecting a solid story to already exist, one that I could simply write down in book form. In other words, I didn't expect to have to "make up" a story. As disturbing as the experience was, I did my best to write an entertaining, scary story. The book was well-received by both critics and readers, and for that I'm grateful.

And yet another website: that shows the comment posted by Ray Garton the author...

Posted by: Ray Garton on June 21, 2008 at 16:34:11

My name is Ray Garton. Back in the early nineties, I wrote a book called IN A DARK PLACE: THE STORY OF A TRUE HAUNTING. It was published as "non-fiction", but that was just marketing. I went to Connecticut to meet with the family involved in the alleged haunting of their former house, which used to be a funeral home. I was never able to see the inside of the home because the people who were living there by then wanted nothing to do with the "haunting", which they said was utter nonsense. It was my job to get the family's story down on paper and into a book. I worked with the family, and with the "ghostbusters" or "demon hunters" (whatever they happened to be calling themselves at the moment), Ed and Lorraine Warren, and their nephew John Zaffis. The family now claims they had "little involvement" in this book -- that is simply a lie. They were DIRECTLY involved with the book -- it was them, the Warrens, Zaffis, and myself, nobody else. I attempted to get their story. Unfortunately, the members of the family couldn't seem to keep their "facts" straight. Their individual stories simply did not fit into one smooth hole. Now the Snedeckers and those associated with the movie claim that the book I wrote "remains a source of controversy." The only source of controversy was the Snedeckers, because they just couldn't keep their stories straight. I went to Ed Warren and told him the problem. He laughed. "They're crazy!" he said. "Everybody who comes to us is crazy, otherwise why would they come to US? Just do the best you can. You write scary books, right? That's why we hired you. Use whatever you can of their story, make the rest up, and make it scary." And that's what I did. The book IN A DARK PLACE is a combination of elements of the family's story and stuff I made up -- because it was a for-hire writing job, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD TO DO. If this family is saying they had "little involvement" in this book, then they are bald-faced liars. They were involved from beginning to end, and THEY COLLECTED THE CHECK FOR IT. They were deeply involved in IN A DARK PLACE, and they were PAID for it -- their names are on the cover of the book along with my name and Ed and Lorraine Warren. I never got to meet their allegedly ill son -- I was only allowed to speak with him briefly on the phone. Although there was much talk of his illness, it was NEVER verified for me, although he did have a drug problem. It was discovered that the girls in the family who claimed to have been groped by so-called invisible, demonic hands were actually groped by HIM. The Warrens and Zaffis claimed they had videotape that clearly showed supernatural activity inside the house, and they told me numerous times that they would SHOW me that videotape. Somehow, during our time together, they just couldn't manage to find it. Not only did I not see that footage, I never saw an actual VHS videotape at ALL. Since my experience with the Warrens and this family, I've talked to other writers who have written books for Ed and Lorraine, and they've told me THE EXACT SAME STORY. This is how the Warrens have always worked, and Zaffis, who's learned well from them, is now carrying on the family business (and that's all it is -- a BUSINESS). They find a very "emotional" family with claims of some supernatural activity in their lives, convince them there's money to be made if they just shape this into a better "story" (and this family was very eager to make money -- at the time I knew them, Carmen was involved in some kind of interstate lottery scam), then they hire a writer of horror fiction to write it up as a book -- "Make it scary," Ed told me -- and they've got themselves a package, a piece of merchandise that they can hawk on talk shows and that the Warrens can discuss in their VERY lucrative lectures. And perhaps they can convince someone in Hollywood to make a movie of it. Of course, in THIS case, the book I wrote has been shoved aside and isn't involved in the making of the movie THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT. It will be VERY interesting to see how much of this movie contains the material that I WAS TOLD TO MAKE UP. We'll see


This is the site..http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/featuresnews.php?id=346

I am not saying to believe it or the story but it seems from the author the family was not very cooperative and the stories they gave was not what they had hoped for.
So he had to make it up and did.  
So don't expect a lot  then a fictional movie and a fictional book..

[Vlawde]

I'm not surprised. And I've always suspected Ed and Lorraine were in it for the money. Of course now she pops up on pranormal State, and by golly, every time she does there is something demonic afoot!

[ClarinaGStudy]

Never liked the Warrens either. Heard all kinds of awful things about them over the years.

[shonalynn]

Seems like they are the front for every popular haunting. There are many things I do not like about the Warrens and their theories.

[RoseIsRain]

*already spent $80 on the book and read it*

Sigh...I knew the truth would be lost as soon as it became 'popular'...
No one wants to believe the Warrens or anyone else, only TAPS. No one believes anybody.

Edited by RoseIsRain, 16 March 2009 - 05:36 PM.

[mainemom207]

I am sorry you paid 80.00 dollars on the book.. to find this out.. I was going to pay 95.00 dollars on the book myself. And read it and then I found this out and thought why bother unless I want some good reading material you know?

but it is a shame they protray it as true and then this all comes out. I can see why the author calls it his low point in writing this book, he must of really needed to pay some bills. Understandable.
But unlike you all I really did not know of the Warrens till PS had Lorraine on there and then thought hmm interesting. Okay.
But she is not on the new series of PS
I think with all this publicity many are going to shy away from her.
But I do know that TAPS has been proven faked as well with their Halloween thing.. and so I am beginning to wonder about their show as well.. you cannot get a result all the time and lately have you noticed Jason is starting to use the word "Haunted" a lot more then he used to???
That was a word he was not wanting to say unless there was some really down right lots of evidence and lately it has been used a lot by him..
I don't know I still like TAPS don't get me wrong..
It is interesting with the history and all.
But the fakiness I guess would be expected in any large group that has to take a village to do the show..
Along with evidence that was tainted and all.

And you are right the Warrens still today with just Lorraine seem to be in it for the money and nothing more..
Just like Ghost Adventures I don't care for them either and thought maybe we were rid of them but they are starting yet a new season! UGH!
And well I just feel they are in it for the ratings and the money not out there to help families.. but don't get me started with Zak, and that show! That is an accident waiting to happen.. a train wreck!

Edited by mainemom207, 17 March 2009 - 12:09 AM.

[Judecat]

According to the Warrens,  I was "possessed" when I was 12.   According to the Archbishop of Baltimore,  my doctor,  and my teacher,  the Warren's were nuts.

[Lyns]

Never liked the Warrens either. Heard all kinds of awful things about them over the years.

Really?  I unfortunately know very little about them.. beyond the obvious.  Any stories you'd be willing to share?

[Vlawde]

their website has gone thru a big re-design since the last time I was there, so it's not as telling now as it was.

I did find this tho, and there is an interesting link or two on this page regarding more about them, Amityville etc:  http://www.legendofdudleytown.com/warren.html

[PSI-Jim]

Yeah, Lorraine Warren could easily do Most Haunted US and take Yvette Fielding spot. Both big fat frauds chasing the money from peoples fear and lack of understanding.

Most of the times I've watched or read about Ed and Lorraine, they things they come out with are just dribble, or making things sound a thousend times worse than they really are.

Jim

Edited by AugustineGStudy, 17 March 2009 - 11:56 AM.

[Ectoplazzum]

I'm not surprised. And I've always suspected Ed and Lorraine were in it for the money. Of course now she pops up on pranormal State, and by golly, every time she does there is something demonic afoot!

Oh absolutely!  I was watching one of the "A Haunting" shows just the other day and a woman was showing photos that she had snapped in her home.  One of them was a whitish blur that looked like the old Polaroid instant photos after something had stuck to it and been peeled off, and Lorraine claimed it was not only a demon, but "a high level demon".  

Elle

[JessWest]

Oh absolutely!  I was watching one of the "A Haunting" shows just the other day and a woman was showing photos that she had snapped in her home.  One of them was a whitish blur that looked like the old Polaroid instant photos after something had stuck to it and been peeled off, and Lorraine claimed it was not only a demon, but "a high level demon".  

Elle

Yeah the Warrens make me laugh. I can't watch Paranormal State or Psychic Kids anymore because they seem to go automatically to demons. And the newest episode where the lead guy is holding the girl up "For THe love of god help her" or something equally Melodramatic, I'm sorry but I cracked up. They think that just because a kid cant sleep - oh she/he's possessed! or There is a demon here. UH maybe you could ask him/her what there eating habits are  before they go to bed and if they are afraid of the dark-uh its kind of natural and normal for a kid to be afraid of the dark.  I cant watch those shows anymore because they always go straight to the paranormal. And Once they talked to the Warrens yeah I stopped. She's a fraud.

[pretty kitty kitsune]

I absolutely hate the Warrens. I don't believe in anything they do and they mere fact that they have their name associated with any haunting automatically causes me to think "FAKE!"

I am saddened that they have been allowed and even encouraged to exploit such issues.

[Lyns]

their website has gone thru a big re-design since the last time I was there, so it's not as telling now as it was.

I did find this tho, and there is an interesting link or two on this page regarding more about them, Amityville etc:  http://www.legendofdudleytown.com/warren.html

Thanks for that link!  It was very interesting, albeit that guy should not get into website design.  Unfortunately, I haven't yet had the chance to harbor hate for the Warrens.  I do watch Paranormal State, though and have noticed that Lorraine uses the term "demon" a lot when consulted.

[Crush]

I'm not crazy about the Warrens myself. I know there are many different opinions on them for a many different reasons & that I can respect. But, What I always go back to though are the families involved in these cases..& honestly I wonder how after the Warrens and all the investigators left & everything was understood to be done and over-- Were there any price paid afterward?
and if there were- how so?  
Just something that has crossed my mind a time or two.

[mainemom207]

Well the only reason the book is so expensive..is because it is out of print..
that is the only reason though.
otherwise it would probably still be pretty cheap to buy.. but the author is kind of happy it is out of print he said it is one of his lowest points of his career of writing too.. sooo it is unfortunate it is all just a faked haunting though.
Well I do know that the warrens though are less on PS now though. Which is good and probably from all this publicity they stopped using her hopefully for good.

[BlueAngel]

I guess I am the minority here, but personally I like the Warren's. They are pioneers when it comes to the paranormal and broke ground on Demonic Hauntings, and have helped hundreds, and hundreds of people and families over the years. People dont seem to realize that NOT every haunting was demonic that they investigated, just the few we have heard of. Also unless its cross country, they dont charge for investigations, except maybe for gas. They work with Priests and two Religious Demonologists. Its not as if they make millions on every case they have investigated. I saw Lorraine on PRS and the ones I saw were either stuck or angry spirits, not demonics..I believe the average person doesnt realize that negative, malevolant and Demomic hauntings are not as rare as one would think. Of course Ed has passed and Lorraine is up there in age, but she still helps people over the phone, and in person. They dedicated their lives to helping those under attack, and I respect that. More people made money off of Amity than the Warrens, and same with Haunting in CT. IMO PI teams are everywhere now, and they rely one equipment for the most part, and do their investigation. Lorraine is a gifted psychic, and has the gift of discernment as well, and that is more important than some of the gadgets now used by PI teams. So I say KUDOS for them for educating the public to what can happen and what does happen on the dark side of the paranormal....

[Crush]

Crush,I found this page interesting about the Warrens........be my guest

http://www.torontoghosts.org/amityville.html

Interesting, thanks & this is from an interview with the Lutz's son. According to him, it was all an exaggeration on George's (step father) behalf.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nati...ityville08.html