As much as it hurts my heart and soul, I have to announce that Haunt Jaunts will be closed for the foreseeable future. If you’re a regular around here, you’ve probably noticed the frequency of my posts has gone from one to three a day to maybe once a week—if I’m lucky.

Several factors have contributed to my decision. First and foremost, my life has undergone significant changes over the past year. Writing time is limited. Concentration time even more so. That won’t be changing anytime soon.

Second, the Haunt Jaunts I manifested is not quite the one I envisioned when I started this in 2009. Although in some ways, this “get off the couch” project of mine exceeded my expectations. (After all, I got the chance to interview one of my horror movie heroes, Robert Englund. Even better, he said my name in his Freddy voice!)

But overall, it is not the helpful compilation of guides and other information I’d initially set out to share. If I start posting again, I want to create more content in line with my original vision.

Closed But Still Writing

With the limited time available to me, I’d like to return to my first love: writing books. I have several works in progress that I finally want to finish.

But I’m also indulging my muse’s busy brain and love for movies, especially scary ones, with a new Substack project: Lessons Learned from Horror Movies. I intended to share a new lesson every week, which seemed like a manageable goal and which I accomplished for the first three weeks.

Sadly, Life interrupted that plan as well, so it may be a more sporadic effort than I’d like until Life settles into a more consistent rhythm again.

And perhaps I’ll also see my way back to Haunt Jaunts. Maybe this will just be a ciao for now and not a ciao for eternity farewell.

Time will tell. All I know is it seemed fitting that, after 16 years, I at least said goodbye somehow, rather than just abruptly stopping, in case this is a permanent parting of ways.

Whether this is your first post, tenth, or hundredth, thank you for your eyeballs, comments (especially you, Priscilla and Maria!), and creepy camaraderie. I do hope our paths will cross again. Don’t be a stranger. Feel free to drop me a line to catch up or share anything spooky. You can email me at my whole name (first and last) followed by @gmail.com.

For now, I bid you adieu, fellow restless spirit, and wish you safe travels for wherever life leads you next.

Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.

Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.