On March 27th, 2024 Living Local (on WHBF Channel 4, a CBS affiliate) devoted their entire show about CREEPY QUAD CITIES which focused on the book EERIE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty and John Brassard Jr.
First there was an interview with Tristan, then also ran the other episodes as well: Bigfoot, Pepe, The Banshee of Brady Street and the Spider Monkey Specter of Sylvan Island
Thanks to Tristan Tapscott, Angie Otis, Brandy Auterson-Hurst and all the staff
The TV show’s co-host Tristan Tapscott, an out-of-time friend and Michael McCarty on Living Local March 27th, 2024
CREEPY QUAD CITIES segments were filmed at the locations of the book. The show’s co-host (Tristan Tapscott), cameraperson Angie Otis and Michael McCarty ventured out of a misty and chilly October day to do Four Part Series that aired on Living Local during the month of October 2023.
Left to right: Tristian Tapscott, Michael McCarty and Angie Otis
Some scenes from the series
Michael McCarty explaining the Pepe sightings
Tristan Tapscott and Michael McCarty on Sylvan Island as go down the path where the Spider Monkey Specter was seen
Behind the scenes, Tristan and Michael near Brady Street where the Banshee of Brady legend is at
EERIE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty & John Brassard Jr.
Introduction by The Amazing Kreskin
Afterword by Rick Lopez of Igor’s Bistro
Like the mighty Mississippi River that cleaves the Quad Cities, the region’s history can trap the unwary in some unexpected eddies. Peer through the fog of the past to catch a glimpse of the Tinsmith Ghost of Rock Island or the river serpent with a price on its head. Get the back story on the Banshee of Brady Street, read the 1869 report on a Bigfoot sighting near East Davenport and run the numbers on local UFO activity. From phantom footsteps in the Renwick Mansion to a mausoleum heist in Chippiannock Cemetery, Michael McCarty and John Brassard Jr. trace a path through the shadowy heritage of the Quad Cities.
A review and thought about the movie “Absence of Malice”
When I was in college, my girlfriend Cheryl back then and I went to the movie “Absence of Malice” that had Sally Field and Paul Newman in it. We were always going to movies and a film about newspapers intrigued me, because I was a English/Journalism major in college.
Here is a little about the film:
Paul Newman plays a Miami liquor wholesaler named Michael Gallagher. He is also the son of a famous and now deceased criminal. He finds himself on the front page of the Miami Standard newspaper saying that he is being investigated for the disappearance of a union official. The story was written by Sally Field who plays investigative reporter Megan Carter, who gathered the info from a file left intentionally on the desk of a federal prosecutor who hoped that the leaked story would put the squeeze on Newman’s character.
Of course, Gallagher isn’t a happy camper about the story and demanded to know the source of the story. Carter is closed lipped about her source material. This results in Gallagher’s business being shut down by union officials because he is a suspect in a possible murder of a union officeholder.
Meanwhile Melinda Dillion who plays Teresa Perrone, Gallagher’s lifelong friend, says he couldn’t have killed the union man because he was with her to get an abortion at that time. A devout Catholic, she doesn’t want Sally Field to put that in the newspaper, which of course, she does anyway.
One of the most heartbreaking scenes in the film, is after the newspaper comes out, Melinda Dillion is picking up the copies from her neighbor’s before they would have a chance to read it.
The film is worth checking out, if it is featured on TV, Netflix, Redbox or whatever.
Melinda Dillion was nominated for an Academy Award for her role. Unfortunately she didn’t get it. She was a terrific actress but also shines with other actors (for example, Richard Dreyfus in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Paul Newman in Slapshot and Darren McGavin in A Christmas Story.)
Now, I have been a freelance writer for newspapers, internet sites and books for several decades now, and although Sally Field is “absent of malice” in her reporting, I feel she is a rather sloppy writer. I know, journalists take leaked stories all the time, but she should have done a little more digging on the motivation of her source. And especially when Dillion tells her not to run it because of her religion, she could have stated that Gallagher was with a friend to get an abortion and not named them.
Something else really bothered me about the film. Paul Newman and Sally Field go out on his boat and she is interviewing him with a hidden microphone. I am not sure she could have used the material if she didn’t have permission to record it.
Overall, Paul Newman, Sally Field and Melinda Dillion give great performances. And the opening film sequences about seeing how a newspaper is put together is still interesting today.
Anyway, that is my two-cents on the subject and you can keep the change.
If you like this movie review, check out my book ESOTERIA-LAND, there are film reviews, book reviews, CD reviews and interviews too …
ESOTERIA-LAND by Michael McCarty
Ebook is only .99 cents
Introduction by Horror Actress /Scream Queen Linnea Quigley and Afterword by The Amazing Kreskin …. plus some cool interviews (including Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues and Tommy Chong, from Cheech & Chong), reviews and articles too
Interviews with Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues, Tommy Chong of Cheech & Chong, Terry Pratchett, Mojo Nixon, Bobcat Goldthwait, Alan Dean Foster, Famous Monsters editor Forry Ackerman and many more..
The Pre-Code Era – movies made between 1929-1933 before the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code. There was still censorship, but not to the degree after the Code. Before the code, there was freedom for filmmakers during that time in terms of violence and sexuality and adult content.
In this edition, we are going to give dating tips for the Pre-Code monsters.
DRACULA 1931
HE – (Dracula – Bela Lugosi) is a Count from Transylvania who decided to move to England to look for a new home and new blood. I guess he might be into real estate since he had a castle and buys a rundown place. Maybe he wanted to flip it for some cash. Maybe he just wanted to be a slum lord. Who really knows?
SHE (Lucy, was a good looking single, who was looking for blue blood date but ended with a bloodsucker boyfriend instead).
Since his place was a rat-trap, he knew he couldn’t seduce Lucy there. The vampire goes to the next best place, her bedroom at night.
Their affair was “draining” – literally, drained her of all blood.
He had to find someone new to seduce, sets his sights for Lucy’s married friend Mina (Helen Chandler). Same arrangement, bedroom rendezvous.
This time around, Mina’s husband, Jonathan Harker (David Manners) gets suspicious and ask help from his college professor, Dr. Van Helsing (played by Edward Van Sloan). The good doctor puts an end to the affair, by driving a stake into Dracula’s heart.
Dating tip for monster: Don’t date a married person.
FRANKENSTEIN 1931
HE (Frankenstein’s Monster – is a “self-made man.” Well, sort of, with the help of Dr. Frankenstein, Colin Clive and the bodies of other corpses).
In his single days, he get’s arrested and incarcerated, throws a little in the lake and ticks off the villagers and they burn down a mill.
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN …. (technically not a Pre-Code movie, so sue me)
Frankenstein’s monster needs a date … even a mate …. but internet dating and Facebook wasn’t invented yet. Dr. Frankenstein goes to create the woman of his monster’s dreamr.
SHE (the bride, Elsa Lanchester) appears during the near the film — fashionable late (LOL). She’s just not that into the monster, probably because he doesn’t have a job and has a criminal record.
She breaks the monster heart. It is possibly, the doctor could the make him a new one.
And to make matters worse, she likes the doctor better … women always go for the doctors … LOL. The Bride of Frankenstein starts to bobble like a swan and even screams like a banshee after meeting her future husband.
(The Bride of Frankenstein, artwork by Bruce Walters)
The monster, heartbroken says, “We belong dead….” And the house comes tumbling down — another heartache and destruction for the monster….
Dating tip for monster:
They didn’t even go on a date or a honeymoon. Maybe if they ended up bed together, things might have worked out for these crazy monsters. I keep on thinking how Peter Boyle and Madeline Kahn hit it off in Young Frankenstein.
KING KONG 1933
HE (Kong) is the Eight Wonder of the World, the bachelor from Skull Island.
SHE (Fay Wray) is a starving actress who wants to be discovered. Oh sigh.
Kong takes Fay on a date on Skull Island and tries to impress her by wrestling other dinosaurs, but that really isn’t her scene.
The date goes further south, when Kong takes her back to his cave and tries to undress her. Can anyone say “date rape.”
But that isn’t that isn’t the worse of it, he gets shipped off to New York City.
In the Big Apple, they hook up again and he tries to impress her again by tearing up the town, literally. Try to gain more dating point, he takes her to the top of the Empire State building, but a squadron on bi-planes shoot him down (Fay Wray had shot him down long before that).
Dating tip for monster:
The ending they say, “It was beauty that killed the beast.”
Nope, it was bad date that killed the beast’s chances.
If you like this article, check out these books, also by Michael McCarty
FRANKENSTEIN’S MISTRESS: TALES OF LOVE & MONSTERS by
Michael McCarty
Ebook:
Trade Paperback:
“It’s Alive … and in love!!!”
“Michael McCarty is given full rein, and off he goes on a bizarre trip of the imagination, all stops out, no limits, hell-for-leather,” – William Nolan author of Logan’s Run
This collection of horror and science fiction stories includes a sequel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – with Victor Frankenstein, the monster, and a blind fortune teller named Rose Blackthorn. In other tales… even the apocalypse won’t stop Leonard Cartwright from searching for his wife in the ruins; after getting struck by lightning that left him in a coma for twenty years, Jackson Heyward awakens with the ability to talk to the dead; will the discovery of the power of invisibility help save Dr. Nick’s failing relationship with his soulmate, or will it aid in its destruction? And many more twisted tales.
Sometimes love is a monster …
And there is no escape from Frankenstein’s Mistress: Tales of Love & Monsters
.
DRACULA TRANSFORMED:
co-written by Michael McCarty
Vampire tales & Dracula stories:
Throughout history, people have been fascinated by the seductive allure of vampires. We read about them in books, watch stories about them on television and in movies — but do we know all there is to know about them? Of course not. These creatures of the shadows have kept their most shocking secrets hidden . . . until now.
Including “Dracula Transformed,” “Lucy Transformed,” “Dracula, Inc.,” “Incident In The Black Limousine” and more
In the novella Dracula Transformed, Dracula is brought back from beyond the grave in a manner that gives him startling new powers. Using these powers, he begins a bloody campaign of vengeance. In Lucy Transformed, you will learn of the relationship between
Dracula and his daughter Zaleska, as well as his growing fondness for Lucy Westenra — a fondness that will seal Lucy’s doom. Even more vampiric.
BITERS
Tales of Zombies & Vampires
by Michael McCarty
They thrive in the shadows, hungry for blood, hungry for human flesh. BITERS, from 5-time Bram Stoker Finalist Michael McCarty, is a thrilling collection of 4 zombie stories and 4 vampire tales by a veteran author of over fifty books and numerous stories and works of nonfiction since the 1980s. Within these pages you will find excitingly original and macabre tales of biters of all sorts to make you shiver and even question your own sanity, featuring incredible special guest co-authors! Dare, if you will to enter the world of….BITERS! On Amazon:
When I look back at 2023 I think of two things, an ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) song and a quote from a Charles Dickenson book.
The book is A TALE OF TWO CITIES:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Somehow ELO’s song “Strange Magic” seems more appropriate for 2023. I am not saying it was magical, but strange…
To paraphrase the Grateful Dead
“What a long and strange trip it has been” for 2023…..
Strange Magic with Michael McCarty (photo by Cindy McCarty)
2023 was a whirlwind of book activity. My normal writing year looks like this:
2 or 3 books published
3 or 4 book signings
1 or 2 lectures
2 or 3 TV or radio
In 2023 … I did
3 books
8 book signings
4 lectures
and 9 TV appearances
besides doing my 40 hours a week at my day job, my family (including my wife and a demanding rabbit) and everyday activities.
2023: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly ….
The Good:
3 published books in 2023:
January:
RUSTY THE ROBOT’S HOLIDAY ADVENTURES by Sherry Decker and Michael McCarty, the book had been out of print for a number of years. Sherry and I were talking about re-publishing, then Sherry passed away and I put the book on hold. I asked if my friend and collaborator Kristin DeMarr who help me get it published again and she did, in January.
That was followed by my first solo poetry collection. Previously I had always co-wrote my poetry collections, which all of those books are out of print:
ATTACK OF THE TWO-HEADED POETRY MONSTER by Mark McLaughlin & Michael McCarty (2008)
REVENGE OF THE TWO-HEADED POETRY MONSTER by Michael McCarty & Mark McLaughlin (2013)
BRIDE OF THE THE TWO-HEADED POETRY MONSTER by Mark McLaughlin & Michael McCarty (2014)
FEAR & DESIRE by S.A. Gambino & Michael McCarty (2015)
For BLOODY KISSES IN THE DARK: 100 STRANGE POEMS by Michael McCarty, I wrote 13 new poems and reprinted 87 other of print poems.
I had previously written two books for the History Press, GHOSTS OF THE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty & Mark McLaughlin in 2019 and EERIE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty & John Brassard in 2021.
In the middle of Covid, I met with Kristin DeMarr in her cold garage we met and talked about doing a book together. I hit her up with a strange sci fi novel which she wasn’t that excited about. But when I hit her up about the history of beer in the area, she said yes.
QUAD CITIES BEER: A HISTORY by Michael McCarty & Kristin DeMarr is a 150 years history of beer to craft beer in the bi-state area….
QUAD CITIES BEER: A HISTORY By Michael McCarty & Kristin DeMarr Foreword by Bill Knight Afterword by Tammy Pescatelli https://www.amazon.com/Quad…/dp/1467151165/ref=sr_1_1… The Quad Cities have a rich history of brewing that started with the influx of German citizens in the 1800s. Breweries were established on both sides of the Mississippi River. Some of these historic breweries managed to reopen after Prohibition, but national competition ultimately closed the last of these stalwarts in 1956. In 1989, Iowa created a special class “A” brewpub permit, and the first of many brewpubs in the area, Front Street Pub & Eatery, opened in 1992. Blue Cat, on the Illinois side of the river, opened shortly after. The brewing renaissance has helped to establish the Quad Cities as a craft beer destination. Join authors Michael McCarty and Kristin DeMarr
Michael McCarty & Kristin DeMarr On WQAD
Tristian Tapscott, Michael McCarty and Kristin DeMarr on Living Local
This is the most TV I’ve done in one year in my life….
Besides TV, QUAD CITIES BEER: A HISTORY had some local magazines and internet coverage, including a review by David Thompson in the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal and an article by Jonathan Turner in Our Quad Cities. Com
And I haven’t even got to the art exhibit at the Quad City Arts yet … but I will ….
Cindy McCarty at the Van Gough exhibit at the Adler (photo by Michael McCarty)
The Bad:
The stars that passed away in 2023:
Singers and bands-
Tom Smothers of the Smother Brothers
Lisa Marie Presley
Burt Bacharach
Tony Bennett
Sinead O’ Connor
David Crosby
Jimmy Buffet
Harry Belafonte
Robbie Robertson (of The Band)
Tina Turner
Actors and actresses and others in Movies & TV:
Norman Lear
Cindy Williams
Raquel Welch
Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman)
Alan Arkin
Richard Belzer
Bob Barker
Julian Sands
Matthew Perry
Suzanne Somers
In the horror field:
Weston Ochse (author)
Ricou Browning (who was the Gillman in the Creature from the Black Lagoon Movies)
Lisa Loring (the original Wednesday from the Addams Family TV series)
Director William Friedkin (who directed The Exorcist)
Lara Parker from Dark Shadows … I did interview her in my book MODERN MYTHMAKERS
There are others … I probably missed. If I do. I apologize.
The Ugly:
Because of two or three real bad hail storms which wrecked havoc on my garage’s roof and shines it left two big holes in the ceiling and roof. Right now, I don’t have the money to fix it:
The hole in the roof and what it did to my car
Which I since cleaned
“Strange Magic”
Of all the side projects, the most interesting was an art exhibit at the Quad City arts with two very talented artist: Bruce Walters and Heidi Hernandez which ran from Oct – the beginning of Dec. I was more a behind the scenes person, working out the story details with Bruce and Heidi, but Bruce & I contributed this together:
Bruce Walters, Heidi Hernandez and Michael McCarty at the opening of “The Mysterious Disappearance of Miss Haley” Quad City Arts
I started with strange magic and ended with strange magic and now it is time to bid adieu to 2023.
Paula Sands is retiring from KWQC’s “Paula Sands Live” in December 2023. She has been hosting the daytime show for over 30 years and has been at the station for four decades.
Paula Sands holding a copy of EERIE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty & John Brassard Jr.
“Paula Sands Live” and Paula Sands (and her producers and staff) have been very supportive of me and my books since when my first book GIANTS OF THE GENRE was published in 2003.
I have been on the show 4 times ….
from my first book GIANTS OF THE GENRE to my latest QUAD CITIES BEER: A HISTORY.
Divided by state lines and the Mississippi River, the Quad Cities share a common haunted heritage. If anything, the seam that runs through the region is especially rife with spirits, from the Black Angel of Moline’s Riverside Cemetery to the spectral Confederate POWs of Arsenal Island. Of course, the city centers have their own illustrious supernatural residents – the Hanging Ghost occupies Davenport’s City Hall, while the Phantom Washwoman wanders Bettendorf’s Central Avenue. At Igor’s Bistro in Rock Island, every day is Halloween. Michael McCarty hunts down the haunted lore of this vibrant Midwestern community.
Also, please check out:
EERIE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty & John Brassard Jr.
Introduction by The Amazing Kreskin
Afterword by Rick Lopez of Igor’s Bistro
Like the mighty Mississippi River that cleaves the Quad Cities, the region’s history can trap the unwary in some unexpected eddies. Peer through the fog of the past to catch a glimpse of the Tinsmith Ghost of Rock Island or the river serpent with a price on its head. Get the back story on the Banshee of Brady Street, read the 1869 report on a Bigfoot sighting near East Davenport and run the numbers on local UFO activity. From phantom footsteps in the Renwick Mansion to a mausoleum heist in Chippiannock Cemetery, Michael McCarty and John Brassard Jr. trace a path through the shadowy heritage of the Quad Cities. Now available in kindle, nook and trade paperback
QUAD CITIES BEER: A HISTORY By Michael McCarty & Kristin DeMarr
Foreword by Bill Knight
Afterword by Tammy Pescatelli
The Quad Cities have a rich history of brewing that started with the influx of German citizens in the 1800s. Breweries were established on both sides of the Mississippi River. Some of these historic breweries managed to reopen after Prohibition, but national competition ultimately closed the last of these stalwarts in 1956. In 1989, Iowa created a special class “A” brewpub permit, and the first of many brewpubs in the area, Front Street Pub & Eatery, opened in 1992. Blue Cat, on the Illinois side of the river, opened shortly after. The brewing renaissance has helped to establish the Quad Cities as a craft beer destination. Join authors Michael McCarty and Kristin DeMarr as they celebrate the heady heritage of the region.
Here is one of the poems from my poetry collection BLOODY KISSES IN THE DARK by Michael McCarty. Don’t worry, I have 100 poems in the book, this is just a small sample:
PSYCHO WOMAN IN MY SHOWER
By Michael McCarty
There’s a psycho woman in my shower.
No, I’m not talking about
Janet Leigh.
It’s my neighbor.
She came over to borrow some sugar –
the next thing I knew,
she stripped
and started taking a shower.
That was last week.
She’s been showering
for so long,
her skin is
way beyond prunes
I don’t mind being neighborly,
But now she’s starting to scare me.
Can you resist
BLOODY KISSES IN THE DARK?
In this collection, you will find weird and wild, scary and sexy, funny and frightening poems by 5-Time Bram Stoker Finalist Michael McCarty.
Living Local Host (Tristan Tapscott), Camera Person Angie Otis and Michael McCarty went to the locations in EERIE QUAD CITIES (by Michael McCarty & John Brassard Jr.) and talked about in a Four Part Series that aired on Living Local during the month of October 2023.
Left to right: Tristian Tapscott, Michael McCarty and Angie Otis
EERIE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty & John Brassard Jr. Introduction by The Amazing Kreskin Afterword by Rick Lopez of Igor’s Bistro Like the mighty Mississippi River that cleaves the Quad Cities, the region’s history can trap the unwary in some unexpected eddies. Peer through the fog of the past to catch a glimpse of the Tinsmith Ghost of Rock Island or the river serpent with a price on its head. Get the back story on the Banshee of Brady Street, read the 1869 report on a Bigfoot sighting near East Davenport and run the numbers on local UFO activity. From phantom footsteps in the Renwick Mansion to a mausoleum heist in Chippiannock Cemetery, Michael McCarty and John Brassard Jr. trace a path through the shadowy heritage of the Quad Cities.
GHOSTS OF THE QUAD CITIES by Co-written by Michael McCarty. Available in Kindle, trade paperback and hardcover. Kindle & Trade Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W99R753/ Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1540240525/ Divided by state lines and the Mississippi River, the Quad Cities share a common haunted heritage. If anything, the seam that runs through the region is especially rife with spirits, from the Black Angel of Moline’s Riverside Cemetery to the spectral Confederate POWs of Arsenal Island. Of course, the city centers have their own illustrious supernatural residents – the Hanging Ghost occupies Davenport’s City Hall, while the Phantom Washwoman wanders Bettendorf’s Central Avenue. At Igor’s Bistro in Rock Island, every day is Halloween. Michael McCarty hunts down the haunted lore of this vibrant Midwestern community.
Michael McCarty at Bent River in Rock Island, IL (photo by Jonathan Turner)
Michael McCarty & Cindy McCarty at Bent River in Rock Island, IL (photos by Jonathan Turner)
QUAD CITIES BEER: A HISTORY By Michael McCarty & Kristin DeMarr
Foreword by Bill Knight
Afterword by Tammy Pescatelli
The Quad Cities have a rich history of brewing that started with the influx of German citizens in the 1800s. Breweries were established on both sides of the Mississippi River. Some of these historic breweries managed to reopen after Prohibition, but national competition ultimately closed the last of these stalwarts in 1956. In 1989, Iowa created a special class “A” brewpub permit, and the first of many brewpubs in the area, Front Street Pub & Eatery, opened in 1992. Blue Cat, on the Illinois side of the river, opened shortly after. The brewing renaissance has helped to establish the Quad Cities as a craft beer destination. Join authors Michael McCarty and Kristin DeMarr as they celebrate the heady heritage of the region
Tristian Tapscott, Michael McCarty & Kristin DeMarr
Tristian Tapscott, Michael McCarty & Kristin DeMarr
Michael McCarty (photo Kristin DeMarr)
QUAD CITIES BEER: A HISTORY By Michael McCarty & Kristin DeMarr Foreword by Bill Knight Afterword by Tammy Pescatelli
The Quad Cities have a rich history of brewing that started with the influx of German citizens in the 1800s. Breweries were established on both sides of the Mississippi River. Some of these historic breweries managed to reopen after Prohibition, but national competition ultimately closed the last of these stalwarts in 1956. In 1989, Iowa created a special class “A” brewpub permit, and the first of many brewpubs in the area, Front Street Pub & Eatery, opened in 1992. Blue Cat, on the Illinois side of the river, opened shortly after. The brewing renaissance has helped to establish the Quad Cities as a craft beer destination. Join authors Michael McCarty and Kristin DeMarr as they celebrate the heady heritage of the region.
Cheers to the 5 Star Review on Amazon:
“5.0 out of 5 stars You don’t have to be a beer aficionado to appreciate this book! Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2023 I received an advance review copy of this book, and must say I was impressed with the diligent research that went into this regional work.
Longtime friends Michael McCarty and Kristin DeMarr have presented an interesting and informative narrative that includes the history and how-to of beer making, the pioneers of the craft, current day Quad Cities (Illinois-Iowa) breweries, and even a trip back in time to the days of Prohibition and how that affected the economy.
Even if you are not a resident of this region of the USA or are not a beer aficionado, you will find plenty of jaw-dropping tidbits from our collective past that will keep you reading. Additionally, McCarty and DeMarr’s sprinklings of humor in the narrative keep the mood of this book light. Written in an easygoing, non-academic voice, this descriptive tome is an easy read worth a permanent spot on one’s bookshelf”
he brewing renaissance has helped to establish the Quad Cities as a craft beer destination. Join authors Michael McCarty and Kristin DeMarr as they celebrate the heady heritage of the region” – Norats Inthecorn
“I appreciate the mix of history and personal stories. The beer in the QC is good but the people behind the beer are what makes it so special. Great work” – Jessica Hillman
Cheri K. Day: Obsidian is a crystal and a healing stone for grounding and protection. Sage is for protection and cleansing. The hardest part was trying to come up with a name. One of my best friend’s sisters actually came up with the name. She how about ‘obsidian and sage, grounding and protection and cleansing.’ It was perfect. I didn’t even have to come up with the name myself.
Mike: How did you get into crystals?
Cheri: I got into crystals because of RA (read Part One, to learn more about RA). I do not pretend to know everything about crystals. I keep my crystal book on the counter. A lot of people will come in and say, ‘I need a crystal for this, I need a crystal for that.’
Together we’ll look into the book. First to see what they need and second to see if I have it available. There is a lot of information with crystals. I can’t remember what every stone does. And some of the crystals there is a lot of crossover.
My husband will always go, ‘Cheri, do you have healing crystals?’ First of all, what are we healing? Second of all, they’re all healing crystals. They have physical, mental, spiritual benefits. It all depends in what you need.
Mike: Let’s talk about the Labradorite Tower crystal.
(The Labradorite Tower Crystal)
Cheri: Actually my favorite stone. Good for helping with intuition also called the philosopher stone – helps examine the recesses of your mind. Supportive through the cycle of getting to know hidden aspects of yourself.
Mike: Do you want to hear why I became enchanted with crystals?
Cheri: Sure.
Mike: Stevie Nicks.
Cheri: Stevie Nicks?
Mike: Technically Fleetwood Mac. But the song “Dreams” has the beautiful lines:
“Now here I go again, I see the crystal vision I keep my visions to myself.”
I love Stevie Nicks. I have most of her solo and Fleetwood Mac CDs. I saw Stevie in concert 5 times as a solo artist. And once with Fleetwood Mac.
I even have a short story called “Rhiannon.”
(The late, great Jasper. Photo by Michael McCarty)
Mike: What would you say to someone who was afraid to come into your store?
Cheri: I’d want to know why they would be afraid to come in. What are they afraid of? We have crystals, sage, window decorations and herbs.
We want everybody to be comfortable here.
Regardless of your faith or belief. We have a lit bit of something for everyone. Everything here comes from nature.
We have no labels. We have no judgment. We have no drama. If they need a tissue because they having a bad day. Or if they need to vent, they are more than welcome to do that. It is kinda like Vegas. If you tell me something, it stays here. It doesn’t go out those doors. We try to make everyone feel like the good family. The kind of family you can lean on if you need support.
Mike: Let’s talk about the other services at the store.
Cheri: Every Friday, we have our resident medium, Ryan Sumpter. We have a reading room available. He also does Tarot and hand readings.
Mike: Obsidian & Sage has really supported a lot of different people in the Quad Cities.
Cheri: Yes. We have a local lady who is a herbalist. All the artwork is local. Of course, we have plenty of Michael McCarty books on the shelves. But also other local authors as well. A couple different local jewelry makers, an astrologist and Reiki practioner.
It is always a big deal for me and my husband that we support our local artists. We are sharing their talents with the Quad Cities.
Mike: Last words?
Cheri: We’re Obsidian and Sage and we’ve been a local metaphysical store here in Moline, Illinois since 2019. We believe in excellent service, offering books, crystals, gems, and educational classes. We started this business with a lifelong dream of opening a place filled with positive energy with the ability to help people. We’re looking forward to growing our business to continue to serve Moline and the surrounding areas. We’d like to personally invite you to stop in today for tarot readings, reflexology, and more!”
Mike’s note about the photo below:
The story behind this picture. I already had Cheri pose with photos of my other two books, GHOSTS OF THE QUAD CITIES wasn’t published yet (not until August 2023).
I grabbed a copy of my out of print book, LAUGHING IN THE DARK. The book has been out of production for some time now. Interesting enough, I have a story in the book called “Rhiannon,” it is my only fictional ghost story.
Now a publisher is talking about re-publishing LAUGHING IN THE DARK in 2024. I only kept a couple of the original stories, most of the other twenty stories weren’t in the first edition.
(Cheri and Jasper and LAUGHING IN THE DARK. Photo by Michael McCarty)
GHOSTS OF THE QUAD CITIES
Co-Written by Michael McCarty
Divided by state lines and the Mississippi River, the Quad Cities share a common haunted heritage. If anything, the seam that runs through the region is especially rife with spirits, from the Black Angel of Moline’s Riverside Cemetery to the spectral Confederate POWs of Arsenal Island. Of course, the city centers have their own illustrious supernatural residents – the Hanging Ghost occupies Davenport’s City Hall, while the Phantom Washwoman wanders Bettendorf’s Central Avenue. At Igor’s Bistro in Rock Island, every day is Halloween. Michael McCarty hunts down the haunted lore of this vibrant Midwestern community.
EERIE QUAD CITIES by Michael McCarty & John Brassard Jr. Introduction by The Amazing Kreskin Afterword by Rick Lopez of Igor’s Bistro Like the mighty Mississippi River that cleaves the Quad Cities, the region’s history can trap the unwary in some unexpected eddies. Peer through the fog of the past to catch a glimpse of the Tinsmith Ghost of Rock Island or the river serpent with a price on its head. Get the back story on the Banshee of Brady Street, read the 1869 report on a Bigfoot sighting near East Davenport and run the numbers on local UFO activity. From phantom footsteps in the Renwick Mansion to a mausoleum heist in Chippiannock Cemetery, Michael McCarty and John Brassard Jr. trace a path through the shadowy heritage of the Quad Cities.
Available in Kindle, trade paperback and hardcover.
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