Cursed Objects

J. W. (Jason) Ocker is an Edgar Award winning travel writer, novelist, and blogger. His book Poe-Land: The Hallowed Haunts of Edgar Allan Poe was nominated for an Anthony Award and won the 2015 Edgar Award for Best Critical/Biography. His other books include The New England Grimpendium and The New York Grimpendium, each of which won a Lowell Thomas Award from the American Society of Travel Writers, and A Season with the Witch: The Magic and Mayhem of Halloween in Salem, all published by Countryman Press/W.W. Norton. He s the author of the novels Death and Douglas (Sky Pony) and Twelve Nights at Rotter House (Turner). He is also the creator of OTIS: Odd Things I ve Seen (oddthingsiveseen.com), where he chronicles his visits to thousands of oddities of culture, art, nature, and history across world. His writing can be found in the Boston Globe, CNN, The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, The Guardian, and more.

“This book is so fun that I couldn't put it down. It reminded me that life is short, death is nigh and a little humor can help us seize the day just as well as a memento mori.”—The New York Times“A visual feast of a book...this eye-catching miscellany is perfect for anyone who wants a treasure chest of weird trivia to peruse.”—Bustle“Well researched....The entry about the Black Aggie statue in Druid Ridge Cemetery in Pikesville, Maryland, is especially chilling….The only question that remains is, who is courageous enough to brave the myriad scary (and true) stories within?”—Memphis Flyer“I loved J. W. Ocker's Cursed Objects! This cabinet of cursed curiosities is insanely entertaining and dangerously informative, but be forewarned: you may be cursed with reading it late into the night once you open it.”—Lisa Morton, author of Calling the Spirits: A History of Seances and Ghosts: A Haunted History“A deliciously scary and entertaining look into the spooky stuff of nightmares. Through rich histories, adorably macabre illustrations, and a modicum of hilarity, this book will entrance readers until the last page—if you survive that long!”—Lydia Kang, author of Quackery“You don't have to believe in magic to love the stories surrounding these cursed objects. From weresheep, to frozen mummies, to my favorite — the chapters on horrifying objects that have no right to NOT be cursed, J. W. Ocker's Cursed Objects is a delightful overview of all things cursed.”—Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura“Anyone who shares a smidge of his passion for the peculiar will want to buy a copy for themselves and one to give away.”—New Hampshire Magazine“An inherently fascinating, informative, and thought-provoking read from cover to cover.”—Midwest Book Review“If you’re like me and want it to always be spooky season, this is a book for you.”—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books“Ocker is a solid writer who offers a campfire-tale mystique to his prose.”—Hollywood Soapbox