Rain Graves took polaroids of all the Haunted Mansion attendees, in case any of us vanished over the weekend.

Dan Weidman is a supernatural enthusiast. He is a survivor of both Haunted Mansion Writer’s Retreats and contributed poetry to both volumes of The Haunted Mansion Project. He continues his horror-writing journey by pursuing many creative outlets. The lifelong friendships he made during the Haunted Mansion Weekends continue to help him as he searches for answers to the unknown.

Q: Had you ever had a paranormal experience before you came to the Haunted Mansion?

DW: Yes, I’ve had experiences where I sensed that something supernatural was near. The hairs on the back of the neck stood on end or I had the feeling that someone was watching me when I was the only one there. (Editor’s note: Dan wrote about this in detail in his essay “My Possession” in The Haunted Mansion Project: Year Two.)

Q: Have you ever ghost-hunted anywhere else?

DW: I have only ghost-hunted at this house, both in 2010 and 2012.

Q: Did anything spooky happen to you at the Mansion?

DW: Yes. For lack of a better explanation, I was possessed. This was the scariest supernatural experience I have ever had. Both my nonfiction essay and a fictional poem in The Haunted Mansion Project: Year Two were inspired by my experience. They have helped me to begin making sense of it.

Scott Weidman, Dan Weidman, Sephera Giron, and S.G. Browne, taken by S.G. Browne.

Q: Do you expect to come back to the next Haunted Mansion Retreat in 2015?

DW: I have plans to go back. However, I am currently still learning. If I do not feel comfortable or knowledgeable enough to overcome my fear by 2015, I will not go.

Q: What’s coming up for you next writing-wise?

DW: I am working on a novel that will hopefully be finished next year.

Follow along as the 2015 Haunted Mansion Writer’s Retreat comes together: http://hauntedmansionwriters.blogspot.com/2013/06/official-dates-for-haunted-mansion.html