The séance in history
From the Fox sisters’ knocking in 1848 to the Victorian parlor and the twentieth-century stage: how the séance was invented, sold, exposed and survived.
Paranormal speaker and expert
Lectures on séances, Spiritualism, Houdini, haunted history and the strange machinery of ghost hunting, from a researcher who has written the books, appeared on the networks and lectured at The Magic Circle in London.
Talks that people stay late for
Vince Wilson has spent his working life since 1998 at the place where history, performance and belief overlap. He has investigated, written about, performed and taught the paranormal, and his talks join serious research with the instincts of a lifelong entertainer. In my experience, the best lecture on ghosts is one where the audience is still arguing about it in the parking lot.
Popular talks
Houdini and the mediums
The world’s greatest escape artist versus the spirit business, and the promise he made to his wife about a message from the other side.
Ghost tech: what the machines measure
From the author of Ultimate Ghost Tech: the equipment of paranormal investigation, what it actually detects, and what people want it to detect.
Haunted Baltimore and the Mid-Atlantic
The hotels, taverns, forts and graveyards of Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Pennsylvania, and the stories that keep them busy after closing.
Poe and the supernatural
Edgar Allan Poe’s Baltimore, his fascination with mesmerism and premature burial, and the strange afterlife of his reputation. Vince served on the board of the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum from 2022 to 2025.
A history of bizarre magick
From ancient ritual to modern storytelling magic, drawn from Vince’s book Bizarre Magick.
For producers and media
Vince has appeared as an on-camera paranormal expert and séance authority on the Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, CNN, National Geographic, PBS, History Channel and Destination America, and on radio and podcasts. He consults on research, historical accuracy and paranormal programming, and he is quick on his feet, which television appreciates and editors appreciate even more.
Questions people ask
What topics does Vince Wilson speak on?
Séances and Spiritualism, Houdini and the fraudulent mediums he exposed, the science and history of ghost hunting equipment, haunted history in Baltimore and the Mid-Atlantic, Edgar Allan Poe and the supernatural, and the history of bizarre magick. Talks can be tailored to the audience and the venue.
Does Vince Wilson believe in ghosts?
He is a researcher before he is a believer or a skeptic. His talks take the evidence, the history and the people seriously, and leave the conclusion with the audience, which tends to start better arguments in the car home.
Is Vince Wilson available for television, radio and podcasts?
Yes. He has appeared as a paranormal expert and séance authority on the Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, CNN, National Geographic, PBS, History Channel and Destination America, and regularly appears on radio and podcasts. Producers can use the inquiry form for bookings and consulting.
Can Vince speak at a library, museum or college?
Yes. Libraries, historical societies, museums, colleges and conferences are some of his favorite audiences, because they ask the best questions.
Bring The Paranormalist to your table.
Tell Vince the date, the place and the kind of evening you have in mind. He answers every inquiry personally, usually within a day or two.