Jeff Belanger

Jeff Belanger, author, adventurer, podcaster, storyteller

Adventurer, Author, Storyteller, Podcaster

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In Search of Demons by Richard Estep featuring an interview with Jeff Belanger.
News, Views, & Interviews

Belanger Featured in Richard Estep’s Latest Book: In Search of Demons

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Congratulations to my friend Richard Estep on the publication of his latest book: In Search of Demons: Historic Cases and Firsthand Experiences from Experts and Skeptics Alikee! I’m honored to have been interviewed for the book along with many others in the field. Estep’s book covers some of the most famous cases of demonic activity including the story behind the hit horror book and film The Exorcist. This is a proper and object examination of the subject. Highly recommended. I took this photo just before I walked into the church behind me so I could sit down and read it in my favorite pew. Just as I entered the church, Richard’s book burst into flames. If that ain’t a church-bell-ringing endorsement I don’t know what is.

Jeff Belanger penned the foreword to Antonio R. Garcez's latest book: Unforgettable Ghost Story Interviews
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Belanger Pens Foreword to Antonio R. Garcez’s Latest Book

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Congratulations to Hank Estrada for publishing this mighty collection of his late husband’s work. Antonio R. Garcez was a big voice in haunted places, especially in the western and southwestern United States. I was honored to write the foreword to this 660-page legacy to Garcez’s life’s work. Unforgettable Ghost Story Interviews by Antonio R. Garcez is now available wherever books are sold.

The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts by Jeff Belanger
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The Fright Before Christmas Explores the Dark Side of America’s Biggest Holiday

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The Fright Before Christmas Explores the Dark Side of America’s Biggest Holiday Jeff Belanger’s new book is the first to tell the frightening and monster-and ghost-filled story of Christmas through millenia of history, folklore, and legends. NEWBURYPORT, MA, SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 — Red Wheel/Weiser, LCC today announced the publication of Jeff Belanger’s latest book, The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters. After hanging up outdoor decorations at his home one cold December morning, Belanger grew frustrated with his frigid fingers and half-working strings of holiday lights and began asking himself questions: Why do we put wreaths on our doors? Why the lights? Why the Christmas tree? Why Santa? Why do we expend so much money and stress on this one day? How did we get to this point of commercialism and humbug-iness? “Those questions led me down a deep and dark rabbit hole that took me through many countries, times, and cultures,” said Fright Before Christmas author Jeff Belanger. “The origins of this holiday are anchored to the Winter Solstice—a dark, cold, and dangerous time of year depending on where you live. In that icy darkness, monsters and ghosts are hunting us. Throughout my 25-year career, people have mostly known me as a Halloween person. I’m here to tell you that Halloween is the second-most frightening holiday behind Christmas.” From the Winter Solstice to Saturnalia to Yule to Christmas, Belanger’s book traces the origins, customs, and monsters of the yuletide season. Austria’s Krampus may be the most well-known of the monsters, but it turns out Saint Nicholas has many other cohorts. Germany’s Belsnickel is coming to whip naughty children before the holidays, Grýla from Iceland is descending the mountains to devour lost kids, Père Fouettard from France is coming to beat the bad out of little brats, and the shape-shifting Karakoncolos from Bulgaria is trying to get into your home just to name a few. Almost every European country has its own version of these monsters and ghosts who are ultimately trying to save us from ruin. In addition to illustrating the monsters and ghosts of the holidays, The Fright Before Christmas explores Christianity’s long-standing war on Christmas, plus the timeline and origins of Santa Claus. “If you need someone to show you the Christmas spirit, who better than an author best known for ghosts and the paranormal?” said Michael Pye, Associate Publisher at Red Wheel/Weiser. “One of my favorite movies is Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. There’s a long debate as to whether it’s a Halloween story or Christmas story. Those of us who love it are happy to watch from October through January. I’m shelving my copy of The Fright Before Christmas right next to that movie.” The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters is Belanger’s 16th published book. It’s now available as a full-color hardcover book, e-book, and audiobook narrated by the author. Belanger will also be providing a series of live multi-media programs based on his new book for libraries, theaters, corporations, and other venues in the coming months. Visit his Web site for a complete listing. # # # About Jeff Belanger Jeff Belanger (jeffbelanger.com) is an author, adventurer, journalist, and one of the most visible explorers of the unexplained. He is also the Emmy-nominated host, writer, and producer of the New England Legends series on PBS and the weekly New England Legends podcast. He’s been a guest on hundreds of television and radio networks and programs, including History, Travel Channel, Biography Channel, PBS, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, BBC, and Coast to Coast AM. Jeff lives near Boston, Massachusetts. About Red Wheel/Weiser Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC (RWW) is an independent publisher specializing in “Books to Live By.” The company’s books serve to expand the mind, heal the body, and nurture the spirit. Imprints include: Weiser Books, the premier publisher of occult and esoterica since 1957, and New Page Books, offering well-researched books on Alternative History, Paranormal, UFOs, Ancient Mysteries, and Unexplained Phenomena. RWW is also a full-service distributor for select independent publishers.

The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts by Jeff Belanger
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Announcing: The Fright Before Christmas – Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters

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I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Over a year. Ever since last summer as I sat in hot weather wearing shorts and a t-shirt playing Christmas music to keep me in the mood to write my brand-new book, The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters. The wait is finally over! The book officially launches today. You can now get a copy on Amazon or wherever books are sold. I’m also thrilled to announce the audiobook version is also available. Narrated by yours truly! Order the print book online: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Amazon Canada | Bookshop.org | Books a Million | Order the audiobook by me online: Audible | Apple | Libro.fm | Kobo | This is not your typical holiday book. If you love Christmas… this is the book for you. If you hate Christmas… then this is the book for you. Christmas was born in darkness. It’s always been centered on the Winter Solstice. Though the holiday has gone by many names: Saturnalia, Yule, Midwinter, and Christmas, no matter what you call it, this is a dark and dangerous time where we in northern climates commune with each other, we give gifts, and we feast in fellowship because we know we’ll need each other to get through the long winter ahead. We see that winter kills everything in the landscape: the trees are skeletal and bare, the grass and flowers are dead, the ponds and lakes are frozen into an eerie stillness. And we worry if the sun is going to disappear forever. We hunker down and light candles to illuminate the long, dark night. And we hang branches from the mighty evergreen to protect us from the bad spirits outside trying to get in. And in that cold darkness there be monsters lurking! By now you’ve likely heard of Krampus with his horns, long forked tongue, covered in chains, and carrying a sack to snatch up naughty children, but he’s far from alone. There are many other creatures we need to fear around the solstice, like the Gryla from Iceland, the Karakoncolos from Bulgaria, Père Fouettard from France, Hans Trapp from Austria, the Belsnickel from Germany, and many others. As I’ve grown older, I’ve grown more Scroogey in my ways, I’ve come to view Christmas as too commercial, a real humbug. But after diving deep through the backstory of this biggest of holidays, I found meaning I didn’t know was there. In short, I saved Christmas if only for myself. I found redemption in the monsters in the darkness, in understanding that sometimes the light in all of that darkness has to be me. I’m asking for your support on this one. I know the Halloween season is just warming up, but what’s our favorite Halloween/Christmas movie of all time? The Nightmare Before Christmas of course! We can appreciate that film from late September right through January. I’m asking you to shelve my new book right next to that movie. To take it out when you need a fright, and you just may find yourself hanging your wreath this year with more purpose. This holiday truly is transformative if you let the magic seep in. Besides, I’m guessing many of you are already on the naughty list anyway. You might as well understand what you’re up against! -Jeff

Good Girl Gone Redneck
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Good Girl Gone Redneck Review: The Call of Kilimanjaro

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Andrea from the Good Girl Gone Redneck blog reviewed Jeff’s new book: The Call of Kilimanjaro: Finding Hope Above the Clouds. “With pandemic living as it is and has been, you may have noticed that I haven’t reviewed a book in a while. So when given an opportunity to do so for this book, I was hesitant, but excited. “Hesitant, because I had no idea if I’d even be able to finish reading. January was FULL of books. I read seven titles. SEVEN. Now. Ask me how many books I completed in February. Go on. Ask. “Zero. None, y’all. So committing to a book was a bit of a tricky thing. Except I knew I wanted to read this one. And I’m really glad I did…” Continue reading Andrea’s review here.

The Call of Kilimanjaro: Finding Hope Above the Clouds by Jeff Belanger
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New England Legends Host and Podcaster Shares Message of Hope and Motivation in First Memoir: The Call of Kilimanjaro

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New England Legends Host and Podcaster Shares Message of Hope and Motivation in First Memoir: The Call of Kilimanjaro New book chronicles Jeff Belanger’s Mid-Life Ascent to 19,341 feet – Africa’s Highest Peak WATERTOWN, MA, MARCH 9, 2021 – Imagine today announced the publication of Jeff Belanger’s latest book, The Call of Kilimanjaro: Finding Hope Above the Clouds. After losing his brother-in-law Chris to cancer, Belanger made the decision to summit Mount Kilimanjaro as a testament to his memory. But this experience was just as much to test himself and find clarity about his own life and goals. The Call of Kilimanjaro is a day-by-day record including dozens of stunning full-color photographs of Belanger’s ascent to the peak of Africa’s highest mountain. “For me this journey was as much spiritual as it was physical,” said Jeff Belanger. “After losing Chris, and facing my own mid-life, I wanted to challenge myself and take on something big. This African experience changed my life. I came home a better man. I’m thrilled to share my story with others.” By turns contemplative and irreverent, joyful and thoughtful, this is a memoir for the armchair traveler and those seeking spiritual refreshment. By example, Belanger teaches us to take stock of our accomplishments, eye the lofty goals we’ve placed in front of ourselves, and push higher than we’ve ever dared, turning an honest eye toward past, present, and future, through the end of life and beyond. “My own journey to the summit of Kilimanjaro opened me to a life of adventure, and this book brought me right back to the slopes of that magical mountain,” wrote Josh Gates, explorer, author, and host of Expedition Unknown on Discovery. “This is an honest and affirming tale of embracing the unknown and of the transformative power of nature. Jeff’s journey is an invitation to all of us to get outside our comfort zone, see the world, and let it change us.” Belanger climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro as part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team in Training program. A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to benefit LLS. “When I started to raise money for LLS in conjunction with my Kilimanjaro climb, I set my personal fundraising goal at $19,341 – or one dollar for every foot of altitude to Kilimanjaro’s peak,” said Belanger. “I fell short, raising just over $17,000. With some of the proceeds from this book, I intend to complete that challenge.” Belanger will be providing a series of live, virtual multi-media programs based on his new book for libraries, theaters, corporations, and other venues in the coming months. Visit his Web site for a complete listing. About Jeff Belanger Jeff Belanger (jeffbelanger.com) is an author, adventurer, journalist, and one of the most visible explorers of the unexplained. He is also the Emmy-nominated host, writer, and producer of the New England Legends series on PBS and the weekly New England Legends podcast. He’s been a guest on hundreds of television and radio networks and programs, including History, Travel Channel, Biography Channel, PBS, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, BBC, and Coast to Coast AM. Jeff lives near Boston, Massachusetts. About Imagine Founded in 2009, Imagine is a division of Charlesbridge Publishing that focuses on adult trade books with an eclectic list of nonfiction titles. Their books are distributed through Penguin Random House.

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