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| Web Resources - AI-Generated Image |
This page features many things that will be of interest to everyone: From audiophiles all the way to folks who have an interest in ghost stories and cryptids. I don't typically pay attention to "links" or "resources" pages on websites. Perhaps I should. At any rate, there is a backstory explaining why I created just such a page.
In 2020 I made an HTML document that was accessible only on my computer. It had all of my favorite and most used links on it. I checked the page recently and discovered that many links were broken. Some of the websites had completely disappeared.
There were so many broken links and missing pages on my document that I decided to move what was left to my blog. Yes, I could just bookmark them in my browser, but I think the links could be valuable to anyone who happens to visit my blog, and I have very few sites bookmarked in my browser. I have visited (and used) every one of the listed websites. The sites are all safe and free to use. You won't get any viruses, trojans, or other nasty surprises when you visit the pages.
The resources here cover everything from literature to programs and writing aids. The links are all accessible as of 2/22/2025. This page may be updated occasionally, but only if I find something of value (to me).
Resources beneath the heading, "Programs and Internet" are free to download and free to use as of 2/22/2025. Links were checked and two pages that returned 404 have been removed (November 28, 2025).
💻 Books and Media
● H.P. Lovecraft Archive (Author)
This site has much information about H.P. Lovecraft. It also contains many of his writings.
● H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society
I've been a member of the HPLHS for about two years. I joined for no other reason than I thought it would be fun, I am a huge Lovecraft fan, and I want to support the society.
"The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society (HPLHS) is an organization founded in 1986 for the purpose of having fun within the worlds envisioned by 1920s gothic horror writer H.P. Lovecraft."
● Lovecraft Fandom
"Welcome to Lovecraft.fandom.com, your digital Necronomicon. This is the online compendium of information about the Cthulhu Mythos, the 1920s cosmic horror writer H. P. Lovecraft, and the ongoing growth of the Mythos in literature and popular culture."
● Metal Archives
A valuable site for discovering the status of bands and checking their discographies.
● Phantasm Movie (1979)
The Phantasm horror movie featured the "Morningside Mausoleum" and a lot of action happened there. The mausoleum is actually called the Dunsmuir House, and it can be visited.
Note: Wikipedia also has an article about the house.
● Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is an online library of free eBooks.
"Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971, and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related content today."
● Robert Chambers (Author)
Chambers (1865-1933) is most well known for his work, "The King in Yellow." This enigmatic king is associated with something called "The Yellow Sign." You can find much of Chambers' work on Project Gutenberg. You can learn more about the Yellow Sign here.
● Sacred Texts
"This site is a freely available archive of electronic texts about religion, mythology, legends and folklore, and occult and esoteric topics. Texts are presented in English translation and, where possible, in the original language. This site has no particular agenda other than promoting religious tolerance and scholarship. Views expressed at this site are solely those of specific authors and are not endorsed by sacred-texts. Sacred-texts is not sponsored by any religious group or organzation."
● Standard Ebooks
The Standard is a very good site with high-quality books. I found it while looking at different places online that post Lovecraft's works. I recommend this resource.
● Star Trek: Memory Alpha
A Star Trek wiki.
● Star Wars Fandom Wiki (Wookiepedia)
Information about all aspects of the Star Wars franchise.
● The Internet Archive
"The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, people with print disabilities, and the general public. Our mission is to provide Universal Access to All Knowledge.
We began in 1996 by archiving the Internet itself, a medium that was just beginning to grow in use. Like newspapers, the content published on the web was ephemeral - but unlike newspapers, no one was saving it. Today we have 28+ years of web history accessible through the Wayback Machine and we work with 1,200+ library and other partners through our Archive-It program to identify important web pages."
💻 Cemetery Research & Miscellaneous Information, History
● Find a Grave
"Find a Grave is the best place on the internet to look for burial and other final disposition information for your family, friends and famous people. The site provides tools that let people from all over the world work together, share information and build an online, virtual cemetery experience."
I've used Find a Grave for personal research and had great success. I recently discovered that the site is owned by Ancestry.com.
● Old Farmer's Almanac
"Since 1792, this little yellow book has guided generations with trusted forecasts, gardening tips, and timeless wisdom. If you’ve heard the news that another almanac is closing its doors, rest assured: Your Old Farmer’s Almanac is here to stay—and even growing. Together, we turn the page with every season—and look forward to the next!" Source: almanac.com.
I remember my parents buying this almanac every time it was published. They referred to the guides on weather, planting times, and "moon signs." That happened when I was a kid. I've even bought a couple of copies of the paper version myself, before there was an internet.
● On Eternal Patrol
"The primary purpose of this site is to honor the men of the United States Submarine Force by attempting to put faces to as many of the names on the lists of lost submariners as possible."
● Texas State Historical Association
The TSHA has a plethora of information about all things Texas.
💻 Conversion Resources
● Age Calculator
You might be a math genius who can figure out ages in your head, but the rest of us can use this age calculator. It's also useful in writing when you need to determine an age or are constructing a family tree.
● Clideo
"Truly Fast MP3 Ringtones Cutter. The tool offers you two ways of trimming MP3 files: you can select the length by moving two markers or by inserting the needed time in seconds.
User-friendly Tool. The interface of the audio trimmer is completely intuitive, so you won't encounter any problems while editing your music.
Completely Online. There is no need to download and install the MP3 song cutter to your Mac or Windows computer that makes the whole process go much faster."
I've used this service to trim unnecessary portions of .MP3s. It works, is easy to use, and it's free.
● Online Audio Converter
"A free online app that converts audio files for you. The app supports all formats, processes your files quickly, and does not require installation."
● Online Video Cutter
Trim or cut video of any format. The site has a number of converters.
● Roman Numerals Converter
"This simple Roman Numerals Converter can be used at any time to convert numbers to Roman numerals."
● Zamzar
"Convert documents, images, videos & sound - 1100+ formats supported."
"Zamzar is dedicated to helping you transform your songs, videos, images and documents into different formats."
💻 Ghosts, Cryptids, and Weird Subjects
● All That's Interesting
"All That’s Interesting is a place for seekers. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of today’s world, All That’s Interesting seeks out stories that illuminate our past, present, and future." Source: ATI.
I like this site because it contains information about things like Mount Everest, ancient Egypt, and even ghost ships. It's a highly recommended site.
● MUFON
"MUFON is an International Organization that investigates UFO reports from around the globe and not just The United States."
They've got many things to offer including news, articles, and even merchandise. Much if not most of their clothing is reasonably priced."
● Mysterious Universe
"Mysterious Universe brings you the latest news and podcasts covering the strange, extraordinary, weird, wonderful and everything in between.
We strive to maintain a balance of healthy skepticism and entertainment while never losing our sense of humor."
I used to read articles on this site quite a lot but haven't in a while. When I was reading, the site had a white background. It now has a black background, and I really don't like black backgrounds. It makes it harder (for me, anyway) to read.
● National Cryptid Society
"Bringing cryptozoological awareness to the public." Easy enough; the site contains articles about cryptids. They've also got merchandise and a link to their Amazon store.
"The National Cryptid Sociey is an online community of people who share an interest or experience with animals whose existence is unrecognized by current zoology.
It also serves as a safe place for witnesses to tell their stories of cryptid encounters.
When you file a report with the National Cryptid Society, you always have the option to remain anonymous."
● Phantoms and Monsters
"Explore True Cryptid Encounters, Unexplained Scary Experiences, and Real Eyewitness Reports."
● Stranger Dimensions
"Dedicated to weird science, unexplained phenomena, and unusual matters of space and time since 2011."
● The Lineup
Literature, paranormal, cryptids, and divers other things.
● Your Ghost Stories
"'Your Ghost Stories' is your source for sharing paranormal experiences and hauntings."
💻 Graphics
● AI Image Generation
I'm sure there are probably a number of these web pages around, but I have found this one to be most helpful. It will generate images that other platforms, like MS-Co-pilot, refuse to generate. Yes, I have used this site a handful of times.
● Animated GIFs
"Animated Gifs, Animated Images, and Animations;" I remember using this site a few years ago, but I don't remember anything other than that. I suppose I was looking for an animation. I can't remember. It was probably a pre-stroke occurrence.
● Cool Text Graphics Generator
"Cool Text is a FREE graphics generator for web pages and anywhere else you need an impressive logo without a lot of design work. Simply choose what kind of image you would like. Then fill out a form and you'll have your own custom image created on the fly."
I've used Cool Text many times, especially when I had my own (paid for) website. Like others, it has been around for a long time. It's also easy to use. While I don't currently use any images from the page, I recommend this site.
● Favicon
I remember making a favicon (ICO or "icon" format) one time for another page I had. I can't remember what page it was. The current blog icon was found elsewhere; I didn't make it. Anyway, if you need an icon this is a good site to use.
● Flaming Text
"FlamingText.com provides free graphic design tools, all accessible from within a browser - no downloads or installation required. Logos are so easy to create using our very popular Logo Design Tool. It provides access to the largest selection of high quality, easily customizable logos on the web. We also provide a powerful SVG-based graphics editor called Imagebot which features drawing, sticker and logo capabilities. It can be used to create professional-looking banners, invitations and much more."
This logo creator has been around for over two decades. You can pick, choose, and edit various logos. You even have the option of making your logo have a transparent background. This is a feature that I particularly like. You can get logos for free, and there is a (paid) option to create logos.
● iPiccy
I visit this site occasionally when I want to edit an image. It has changed over the years, but the site is still easy to use. It's been around for a long time. (I need to visit the page and get reacquainted with it again.)
"Photo Editor. Collage Maker. Graphic Designer. Everything you need to make your photo awesome online."
● Pixabay
"Stunning royalty-free images & royalty-free stock"
"Over 5.3 million+ high quality stock images, videos and music shared by our talented community."
● Post Image
"Get permanent links for Facebook, Twitter, message boards and blogs. Postimage was founded in 2004 to provide message boards with an easy way to upload images for free. Postimage is a very simple, fast and reliable free image service. It's perfect for linking to auctions, message boards, blogs and other websites. Postimage guarantees maximum uptime and performance so that your image will be here whenever you need it. There is no registration or login; all you have to do is submit your picture. With continuous upgrades and dedicated staff Postimage is the #1 solution for Free Image Hosting."
I think I remember using this site to send a large file (pre-stroke). It's been around for years. It offers just what it says it does.
💻 Programs and Internet
● Exact Audio Copy
I used this program to extract music from my physical CDs and turn the files into .mp3 and .flac formats so I could play them on my computer. It slowed my computer down when I was using the program. I don't know how it'll work out for you. This site has been around for a long time. I've never seen it have any downtime. It works.
"Exact Audio Copy is a so called audio grabber for audio CDs using standard CD and DVD-ROM drives. The main differences between EAC and most other audio grabbers are:
It is free (for non-commercial purposes).It works with a technology, which reads audio CDs almost perfectly. If there are any errors that can’t be corrected, it will tell you on which time position the (possible) distortion occurred, so you could easily control it with e.g. the media player."
● Filezilla
Filezilla is an FTP client program. I have used it many times to move my e-book collections to all of my computers. I've never had any problems with the program. It's safe to use.
More about FTP:
"An FTP Client is a program designed to transfer files between two computers."
"As its name suggests, the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standardized network protocol used to transfer files between a client and a server over the internet or any other TCP/IP network. FTP has been designed to promote sharing of files, across all types of computers. A strength of FTP is the reliable and efficient bulk transfer of files. FTP is popular with website owners and web designers to upload files to the servers of their web hosting company. Another common use case is the exchange of files between companies; FTP is in many organizations the de facto method for transferring large volumes of data."
● Foobar
Foobar is a free media player for music files. I use it much of the time when playing music. It's very easy to use.
● HandBrake
Handbrake is an open-source video transcoder.
"HandBrake is an open-source tool, built by volunteers, for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs."
I've used Handbrake to transfer a few of my movies from a physical DVD to my computer. I don't recall the movie format I used when "ripping" the disc. I only used it a few times, but it works well. As with EAC (above), this program will slow your computer down when you're using it.
● Mail.com
Get a free email address.
● M3U Generator
An M3U is a file that gives a media player a playlist to read from. This is a small program that won't hog computer resources. It is used to generate playlists. You can make M3Us manually, but this program makes it a little easier.
● MP3tag
This one will get the attention of audiophiles who carefully curate their music collection. "Mp3tag is a powerful and easy-to-use tool to edit metadata of audio files."
● VLC media Player
Everyone should have this on their computer. It's free and easy to use. I watch all my movies on VLC.
"VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework that plays most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols."
● We Transfer
"WeTransfer is a free service to send big or small files from A to B."
💻 Web Page Assistance
● Quackit
This site contains many generators and tutorials for HTML coding, CSS, page creation, and blogs.
💻 Writing Assistance, Dictionaries, Spelling Aids, and Historical Resources
● Colonial House Styles and Examples
● Etymology Online
"This is a map of the wheel ruts of modern English. Etymologies are not definitions; they're explanations of what our words meant and how they sounded 600 or 2,000 years ago."
I really like this page. Etymology fascinates me.
● Fantasy Name Generators
This site doesn't just generate first names or surnames. It generates names for many things and features over 1400 name generators.
● Helpful Writing Tips
Some thoughts on writing short stories.
● Historical Names of Diseases and Conditions
● Let's Learn Slang
"101+ 1920s Slang Words That Take You Back to a Different Time." One time I wanted to use some original historical slang, and I ended up viewing this site.
● List of Careers
I've used this site to come up with occupations for characters in short fiction. It lists over 12,000 careers.
● List of Romanian Names for Girls and Boys (Plus Their Meaning)
If you need to build a character who is a Romanian vampire, perhaps this site will be helpful.
● List of Words NOT Capitalized in Titles: 30+ to Not Get Wrong
● Muslim Last Names with Meanings and History
● Obscure Old English Census Occupations
I needed this resource to assign some old occupations to a few characters in my e-book.
● Old English to Modern English Translator
On this page you can translate from modern English into Old English, or vice versa.
● Popular Mayan Symbols (20) and What They Symbolize
● Spell Checker
"Free Online Spell Check & Grammar Check."
● Top Ten Mayan Symbols and Their Meanings Explained
● Victorian Boy Names from the 1800s
● Victorian Name Generator
"This name generator will create up to 15 random names from the Victorian era."
