Cody Polston

Cody Polston is an author, historian and ghost investigator. He is the author of multiple books on history and paranormal topics. He was the host and producer of the popular podcast Ecto Radio and a writer for Ghosthunter X magazine. He is one of the founders of the Southwest Ghost Hunter's Association and has been investigating paranormal claims since 1985. In the 1990's several other ghost hunting groups gave him the moniker the "Hitman" due to his involvement in "debunking" several well known haunted locations in Texas. Although the nickname was intended to be a negative insult, Cody adopted the nickname and began using in on his podcasts and other media venues.

The Metachoric Theory of Ghosts, Lucid Dreams, and Out-of-Body Experiences

Suppose you are sitting in your living room on an ordinary evening and a figure walks in. You notice nothing odd about the figure. It looks solid and casts no glow. It might be wearing a brown coat, or a nurse’s uniform. It walks across the room and sits in the armchair, and the cushion … Read moreThe Metachoric Theory of Ghosts, Lucid Dreams, and Out-of-Body Experiences

Ghost Hunter and, or Skeptic. How “Complicated” Became My Most Honest Story

There’s a moment that happens to me more than I expected. Someone hears my name, Cody Polston, and they assume they already know what I believe. They expect me to be one thing: the “ghost hunter” who chases apparitions, speaks with confidence about spirits, and collects “evidence” like it’s a science lab. Or they expect … Read moreGhost Hunter and, or Skeptic. How “Complicated” Became My Most Honest Story

How Belief Systems Shape “Witnessing”: Perception, Meaning, and the Paranormal Claim

Investigating paranormal claims can feel like walking toward a moving target. You’re trying to understand an experience that often arrives through memory, emotion, and interpretation, rarely through clean, measurable evidence. After investigating multiple accounts, I’ve found that the hardest hurdle isn’t just determining whether something “supernatural” occurred. It’s navigating the way beliefs, on both sides, … Read moreHow Belief Systems Shape “Witnessing”: Perception, Meaning, and the Paranormal Claim

My interview for the Bigfoot issue of Albuquerque the Magazine

I recently did an interview for Albuquerque the magazine about Bigfoot. Here is what the article said. Cody Polston has spent decades chasing New Mexico’s ghosts, so you might expect him to be a pushover for Bigfoot. The sidebar shows him as a skeptic who is still drawn to the mystery. His main objection is … Read moreMy interview for the Bigfoot issue of Albuquerque the Magazine

Aradia and the Moral Architecture of Collapse

SPOILER ALERT!!! This article contains spoilers for the series. Epic fantasy often promises spectacle, burning cities, clashing gods, ancient evils breaking their chains. The Chronicles of Eldryss trilogy delivers all of that: sealed entities beneath cities, civil war among witches, void-rifts devouring continents, drowned capitals, and a final confrontation between a demi-goddess queen and a … Read moreAradia and the Moral Architecture of Collapse

Smaller books in a series vs. Larger single books

One of the greatest privileges of being an author is the opportunity to speak directly with readers. Not through reviews or online metrics, but face to face, across a table at a book signing, where conversations unfold naturally. Over time, I began to notice a pattern in those conversations. Readers weren’t talking first about genre … Read moreSmaller books in a series vs. Larger single books

When the Badge Becomes a Target: The Social Bite of Blacklist Gravity

There’s a particular kind of science fiction that doesn’t try to predict the future so much as expose the present. It takes familiar systems, policing, bureaucracy, surveillance, propaganda, and moves them into a colder environment where excuses fall away. In space, you can’t pretend you didn’t see what happened. The air is finite. Doors lock. … Read moreWhen the Badge Becomes a Target: The Social Bite of Blacklist Gravity

From Classic Monster to Gothic Investigator: The Making of “Phantom of the Amazon Deep”

In the fog-shrouded literary landscape where classic horror meets Victorian detective fiction, “Phantom of the Amazon Deep: A Patience Worth Mystery” emerges as a fascinating reimagining of one of cinema’s most enduring monsters. As the author of this tale, I wanted to share some insights into how this story came to be, the inspirations behind … Read moreFrom Classic Monster to Gothic Investigator: The Making of “Phantom of the Amazon Deep”

Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches

The story of Quanah Parker and the Comanche nation is a tale of resilience, transformation, and ultimately, the loss of one of the most powerful Native American empires on the North American plains. As the last chief of the Comanches, Quanah Parker symbolizes the intersection of two worlds: the traditional life of the Native tribes … Read moreQuanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches

The Bloody Benders: America’s First Family of Serial Killers

In the annals of true crime, few tales are as chilling, bizarre, or steeped in mystery as that of the Bloody Benders. Operating under the guise of hospitality, this seemingly ordinary family ran a small inn and grocery store in the wilds of Kansas during the early 1870s. Their business, however, was a front for … Read moreThe Bloody Benders: America’s First Family of Serial Killers

The Impact of Horror Films on Paranormal Investigations and Ghost Hunting

The allure of the paranormal has persisted throughout human history. Ghosts, spirits, and otherworldly entities have captured our imaginations for centuries, appearing in folklore, literature, and religious accounts. In modern times, this fascination has taken on a new form: ghost hunting and paranormal investigations. Armed with gadgets and an insatiable curiosity, enthusiasts seek to bridge … Read moreThe Impact of Horror Films on Paranormal Investigations and Ghost Hunting

Patience Worth: The Anatomy of Shadows is now available

The latest Patience Worth book is now available on Amazon. A grave digger lies dead beside an open grave. Twelve coffins emptied of their occupants. A pattern only one mind can decipher. When Scotland Yard discovers London’s cemeteries have been methodically violated, Detective Frederick Blackwood turns to his niece, Patience Worth, a young woman whose … Read morePatience Worth: The Anatomy of Shadows is now available

Crafting the Patience Worth Mystery Series

As the author of the Patience Worth mystery series, I’ve often been asked about my creative process. How does one bring to life a character like Patience, a young Victorian woman who works at the Marylebone Public Library while secretly investigating both rational and irrational mysteries? Today, I’d like to share the method behind the … Read moreCrafting the Patience Worth Mystery Series